Hello, I'm Katie Prescott and welcome to a special bonus edition of the Times Tech podcast in a paid-for partnership with Smart Energy GB.

In today's episode, we're looking at how smart meters can help small businesses track their energy use and costs over time,

helping them feel more in control of their cash flow and budget. Smart Energy G.B is the independent non-profit organisation that

helps households and businesses across Great Britain understand the benefits of smart meters.

Today, we're focusing on how small businesses can use smart meters to better understand their energy use

and spend more time thinking about everything else, like all of the important things it takes to run a successful company.

Smart meters can help put them in control of their business budgeting by providing detailed data on

their energy use. They can help monitor their spending and spot potential savings, insights that can

make real differences for small businesses. And Britain has loads of those, five and a half

million of them employing much of our workforce. They are a huge part of our economy,

and as the numbers continue to grow,

helping them manage their energy costs is becoming increasingly important.

So today, we thought we'd speak to one.

And as we're a tech podcast, we asked ourselves,

what's the one technological innovation

that has withstood the test of time?

Yes, it is everywhere, it is universal, and it's definitely easier to understand than quantum computing.

Shoes!

I've been speaking to Aidan Sarnie, the co-owner of Twinkle Toes.

It's a family-run children's shoe shop in Sheffield that's been fitting kids' shoes in the

city for more than 25 years. And when we spoke, it was just days away from the new school term.

And of course, a new term often means new shoes. So hi, Aidan. Good morning. Good to see you.

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