Explore the full agenda.

About this session

As businesses grow, founders become increasingly focused on operations, leaving marketing inconsistent and their expertise overlooked. This session explores how businesses can turn their existing knowledge into greater visibility, authority and trust in an AI-driven world.

Talking points

• Unlocking internal expertise
• Visibility in an AI-driven world
• Turning knowledge into marketing

About this session

From access to finance and talent to regulation, technology and international trade, the environment for entrepreneurs is changing rapidly. A discussion on the opportunities, challenges and decisions that will shape the next generation of successful UK businesses.

Talking points

• Creating the right conditions for growth
• Building competitive businesses
• The future of UK entrepreneurship

About this session

Explore how entrepreneurs can use Google’s no code AI tools to automate everyday tasks, streamline workflows and boost productivity without needing technical or coding expertise.

Talking points

• AI without the technical barrier
• Automating everyday business tasks
• From AI tools to smarter workflows

About this session

Every founder faces moments where there is no obvious answer. A discussion on decision making, risk, uncertainty and the judgement required to lead through periods of growth and change.

Talking points

• Handling setbacks
• Managing uncertainty
• Making decisions with incomplete information

About this session

Every successful business starts with a clear strategy and a practical plan. This workshop will help entrepreneurs define their business concept, understand their market and create a roadmap for sustainable growth.

Talking points

• Define your business concept, target market and value proposition
• Understand the essential components of an effective business plan
• Set realistic goals and priorities for your first 12 months

About this session

Turning an idea into a profitable business requires perseverance, adaptability and a willingness to learn. Jeevan shares her entrepreneurial journey, offering practical insights into finding customers, overcoming challenges and achieving early success.

Talking points

• Making the leap into entrepreneurship
• Finding and winning your first customers
• Lessons learned from early setbacks and breakthroughs

About this session

In crowded markets, being better is rarely enough. A discussion on positioning, differentiation and creating a brand that customers recognise, trust and recommend.

Talking points

• Standing out in competitive markets
• Defining what makes the business distinctive
• Building recognition and recall

About this session

A good strategy only creates value when it can be executed. This interactive session explores how high-performing businesses use operating systems, financial infrastructure and better decision-making to improve productivity, margins and sustainable growth.

Talking points

• Strategy into execution
• Strategy into execution
• Profitable growth

About this session

Every funding agreement carries the seeds of a future disagreement, whether it's a missing shareholders' agreement, an overlooked term, or expectations that were never quite aligned. A look at where those disputes typically take root, how to spot the warning signs while the deal is still on the table, and for those already living with one, the practical routes to a workable resolution.

Talking points

• Where funding disputes usually start
• Spotting the clauses that matter before you sign
• What to do once you're already in one

About this session

Few businesses build brands that remain distinctive as they grow. Ray Kelvin reflects on the decisions, creativity and consistency that helped turn Ted Baker into one of Britain's most recognisable retail brands.

Talking points

• Brand positioning
• Customer experience
• Founder influence

About this session

Growth begins with having a clear destination in mind. This workshop will help business leaders define their future ambitions and create a strategic roadmap to turn vision into reality.

Talking points

• Define what success looks like in three years
• Align business goals with long-term ambitions
• Create a roadmap that drives measurable progress

About this session

Many businesses reach a point where growth is constrained by the founder remaining at the centre of every sale. A discussion on building sales capability, creating repeatable processes and scaling revenue generation.

Talking points

• Recognising founder bottlenecks
• Hiring and developing sales capability
• Creating repeatable sales processes

About this session

Hiring talented people doesn't automatically create a high-performing leadership team. This session explores how trust, constructive disagreement and shared accountability help teams make better decisions, move faster and deliver stronger results.

Talking points

• Constructive disagreement
• Faster decision-making
• Shared accountability

About this session

Investment often begins long before the first pitch. A discussion on preparing businesses for investment conversations and understanding investor expectations.

Talking points

• Preparing for investment
• Building investor confidence
• Avoiding common mistakes

About this session

Female founders are building ambitious businesses across the UK, but starting and scaling a business comes with unique challenges and opportunities. This session explores the realities of female entrepreneurship through the experiences of Rosie Ginday MBE, alongside insights from NatWest's Accelerator team. It will examine how access to mentorship, expert guidance and strong business networks can help women overcome barriers, build confidence and accelerate growth, while creating more opportunities for the next generation of female founders.

Talking points

• Opportunities and challenges for female founders
• Building confidence through mentorship and networks
• Supporting the next generation of women entrepreneurs

About this session

Your website should be working for your business around the clock. Discover how to create an online presence that builds trust, generates enquiries and converts visitors into customers.

Talking points

• Understand what makes visitors take action
• Avoid common website mistakes that lose sales
• Explore how AI is transforming websites and digital marketing

About this session

Three practical AI automations built live on stage, tackling everyday workflows such as chasing invoices, answering repeat enquiries and preparing management reports. See what can be automated, how to choose where to start and how to put AI into practice without a technical team.

Talking points

• Choosing what to automate
• Building automation live
• 30-day rollout plan

About this session

Culture plays a critical role in attracting great people, retaining talent and shaping how teams perform. This session explores how entrepreneurs and leaders can intentionally define the culture they want to build, embed shared values into everyday behaviours and protect what makes their organisation distinctive as it grows.

Talking points

• Defining culture
• Maintaining culture through growth
• Aligning teams around values

About this session

The funding market has changed significantly. A discussion on the lending options available to growing businesses and how founders can navigate an increasingly diverse funding ecosystem.

Talking points

• Alternative lenders
• Challenger banks
• Specialist finance providers

About this session

In a crowded market, being different matters. Learn how to identify your unique strengths and position your business in a way that resonates with customers and sets you apart from competitors.

Talking points

• Understand your market, competitors and customers
• Identify what makes your business distinctive
• Develop a compelling positioning statement

About this session

The transition from professional sport to business requires a very different kind of performance. Thomas Robson-Kanu shares how his experience as an elite footballer shaped his approach to entrepreneurship, building a consumer brand and navigating the challenges of starting and growing a business.

Talking points

• Athlete to entrepreneur
• Building a consumer brand
• High-performance mindset

About this session

Why do some businesses dominate attention while others compete on price? A discussion on positioning, category leadership and creating preference before a customer enters the buying process.

Talking points

• Owning a position in the market
• Escaping commoditisation
• Creating preference before the sales conversation begins

About this session

As businesses grow, communication becomes more complex and more important. A discussion on how entrepreneurs and leaders can keep teams aligned around shared goals, ensure the right information reaches the right people and maintain clarity as organisations expand.

Talking points

• Information flow
• Alignment
• Managing growing teams

About this session

Funders and investors often focus on a small number of critical metrics. A discussion on forecasting, financial planning and demonstrating growth potential.

Talking points

• Forecasting
• Cash flow management
• Financial visibility

About this session

Many consumer brands achieve early success before growth becomes harder to sustain. Four founders share the challenges they faced as they scaled, from customer acquisition and brand positioning to operations, margins and repeat sales.

Talking points

• Customer acquisition
• Brand differentiation
• Scaling profitability

About this session

Most growing businesses face resource constraints. A discussion on choosing the right channels, prioritising investment and generating demand efficiently.

Talking points

• Prioritising the right channels
• Maximising return on investment
• Doing more with limited resources

About this session

Growth often requires founders to make bold decisions without having all the answers or knowing exactly how things will unfold. A discussion on how entrepreneurs can develop the confidence and self-belief needed to trust their judgement, overcome imposter syndrome and lead through uncertainty.

Talking points

• Imposter syndrome
• Backing your judgement
• Developing confidence as a leader

About this session

Growth often requires investment before the returns arrive. A discussion on the different ways businesses can finance expansion, how to choose the right type of funding and what founders should consider before taking on external capital.

Talking points

• Choosing the right finance
• Debt vs equity
• Funding sustainable growth

About this session

AI promises productivity gains across every part of a business, yet many founders remain uncertain where to begin. A discussion on identifying practical use cases, avoiding expensive distractions and prioritising investments that can deliver meaningful results.

Talking points

• Identifying the highest ROI use cases
• Avoiding costly mistakes and wasted investment
• Building confidence and capability across the team

About this session

No founder can scale a business alone. A discussion on how entrepreneurs can build a strong leadership team around them, recognise when it is time to bring in senior expertise and create the trust needed to share responsibility effectively.

Talking points

• When to hire senior leaders
• Building trust
• Creating accountability

About this session

Early-stage investors see hundreds of businesses competing for their attention, but only a small number secure investment. A panel of VCs explores what makes a business stand out, what investors look for in founders and opportunities, and what ultimately turns interest into an investment decision.

Talking points

• What investors look for
• Valuation & traction
• Getting investment-ready

About this session

Building a business from start-up to international success requires difficult decisions at every stage. Richard Harpin reflects on the choices, setbacks and leadership lessons that shaped HomeServe's growth over more than three decades.

Talking points

• Scaling the business
• Leadership evolution
• Long-term thinking

About this session

Trust influences every buying decision. A discussion on reputation, authority and credibility, and how businesses can use trust to strengthen customer relationships and outperform competitors.

Talking points

• Building credibility in the market
• Establishing authority within a sector
• Creating communities around trust

About this session

Growth creates change, and change can often bring uncertainty, resistance and disruption. A discussion on how entrepreneurs and leaders can guide their organisations through periods of transformation while keeping people engaged, aligned and focused on the bigger picture.

Talking points

• Managing transformation
• Leading during uncertainty
• Bringing teams through change

About this session

Smart entrepreneurs don’t go it alone. Discover how having the right business mentor can help you make better decisions, accelerate growth, boost profits and reduce stress, unlocking greater success for both you and your business.

Talking points

• Turn on screen reader support
• Accelerating growth and improving profitability
• Reducing stress through mentoring support

About this session

International expansion can open significant new opportunities for growing businesses, but succeeding in new markets brings different challenges. Founders who have taken their businesses overseas share what they learned, alongside WorldFirst's perspective on navigating the practical and financial realities of international growth.

Talking points

• Choosing the right markets
• Scaling across borders
• Managing international finance

About this session

Content can establish authority, build trust and create demand when used effectively. A discussion on creating content that attracts attention and supports business growth.

Talking points

• Building authority through content
• Choosing the right formats and channels
• Converting attention into opportunity

About this session

Insurance is an essential business expense, but many companies pay more than necessary or carry cover that no longer reflects their needs. A practical masterclass on reducing premiums, avoiding unnecessary costs and ensuring your business has the right protection.

Talking points

• Reducing insurance premiums
• Reviewing existing cover
• Avoiding costly mistakes

About this session

Great brands are built by design, not by chance. Juliet Barratt shares how Grenade created a distinctive brand, built customer loyalty and scaled from challenger to one of Britain's fastest-growing consumer brands.

Talking points

• Brand positioning
• Customer loyalty
• Scaling the brand

About this session

As AI adoption accelerates, the gap between businesses that embrace it and those that ignore it may widen. A discussion on where competitive advantage is emerging and how founders should prepare.

Talking points

• Where competitive advantage is emerging
• Risks of standing still
• Opportunities for smaller businesses

About this session

Explore opportunities for UK businesses to collaborate with Somaliland across trade, resources, talent, healthcare and education. Dr Edna Adan Ismail will discuss Somaliland’s development priorities, while Allies Network will share how community engagement and training can strengthen connections, develop skills and support mutually beneficial partnerships.

Talking points

• Trade, resources and talent opportunities for UK businesses
• Partnerships in healthcare, education and skills development
• Training and connections with the Somaliland community in the UK

About this session

Growth creates opportunity, but it also exposes weaknesses in leadership, systems and decision making. Founders share the challenges that emerged as their businesses scaled, and the changes they made to keep growth on track.

Talking points

• Leadership challenges
• Growth bottlenecks
• Building for scale

About this session

Cyber attacks, ransomware and system failures can bring a business to a standstill. A discussion on reducing cyber risk, strengthening resilience and ensuring businesses can recover quickly when the unexpected happens.

Talking points

• Why SMEs are increasingly being targeted
• Building resilience before an incident occurs
• Recovering quickly while protecting customers

About this session

Expansion can unlock significant new opportunities, but moving into unfamiliar markets also brings new challenges and risks. A discussion how entrepreneurs can recognise when their business is ready to expand, identify the right markets and opportunities, and approach growth with a clear understanding of the potential risks.

Talking points

• Timing expansion
• Market selection
• Managing risk

About this session

For many businesses, intellectual property is one of their most valuable assets, yet it is often overlooked until it's too late. A discussion on protecting brands, ideas and innovation, and why IP matters when raising investment, expanding or preparing for exit.

Talking points

• Trade marks & IP
• Building business value
• Investment & exit

About this session

Successful marketing isn't about spending more money, it's about making smarter decisions. Discover practical ways to increase visibility, attract customers and grow your brand without breaking the bank.

Talking points

• Understand the role of websites and social media
• Improve your online visibility and reach
• Identify today's biggest digital growth opportunities

About this session

Long-term success comes from creating value that competitors can't easily replicate. This workshop explores how businesses can build stronger customer relationships, protect their position and create lasting differentiation.

Talking points

• Identify the strengths that set your business apart
• Create value that is difficult for competitors to copy
• Build long-term customer loyalty and reputation

About this session

AI is beginning to reshape how businesses operate. A discussion on integrating AI into workflows, improving decision-making and creating organisations that can adapt as technology evolves.

Talking points

• Redesigning workflows around AI
• Balancing automation with human expertise
• Building an organisation that can adapt

About this session

Attracting and retaining talented people remains one of the biggest challenges facing growing businesses. A discussion on how entrepreneurs and leaders can compete for the right people, build a strong employer reputation and create an environment where high performers want to stay.

Talking points

• Timing expansion
• Market selection
• Managing risk

About this session

Ambition alone won’t secure the money to grow. What gives a lender or investor confidence that your business can deliver? Drawing on Be the Business’s work with SMEs, this talk explores what leaders can do differently to strengthen their business and their case for funding.

Talking points

• Understand what’s holding funding back
• Build a business others can back
• Show how investment will improve performance

About this session

Building a standout brand in a competitive market takes more than a great product. In this fireside interview, Andrew Salter shares the journey behind DIRTEA, from challenging traditional drinks categories to building a fast- growing consumer brand with a loyal following. He explores the decisions that helped the business gain traction, expand into national retail and pursue international growth, alongside lessons on brand positioning, customer loyalty and turning an ambitious idea into a scalable business.

Talking points

• Building a distinctive brand in a crowded market
• Turning customer loyalty into commercial growth
• Scaling from startup to national and international markets

About this session

Great customer experiences can become one of your most powerful competitive advantages. Learn how to build loyalty, exceed expectations and turn customers into advocates for your business.

Talking points

• Create memorable customer experiences
• Build stronger customer loyalty
• Recover effectively when things go wrong

About this session

Businesses face more choices than ever when it comes to customer acquisition. A discussion on balancing paid and organic channels and deciding where resources are best deployed.

Talking points

• Where paid channels make sense
• The role of organic growth
• Balancing short-term and long-term results

About this session

Growth requires more than a strong strategy. A discussion on how entrepreneurs and leaders can turn ideas and plans into meaningful action by creating clear ownership, strengthening accountability and building a culture of consistent follow-through. This session looks at what separates businesses that simply make plans from those that execute effectively and deliver measurable results.

Talking points

• Ownership
• Follow-through
• Creating accountability

About this session

The Midlands has a growing ecosystem of funds, investors and business support designed to help businesses scale. This panel explores where the opportunities are, how to access them and what funders are looking for from businesses seeking growth capital.

Talking points

• Revenue-based finance
• Asset finance
• Specialist funding solutions

About this session

Many businesses are using AI to improve productivity, but the biggest opportunity may be revenue growth. A discussion on how founders are using AI to increase sales, improve customer experience and create competitive advantage.

Talking points

• Winning more customers
• Doing more with AI
• Commercial advantage

About this session

Every growing business faces obstacles that can limit progress and performance. This practical session helps leaders identify their biggest barriers and develop effective strategies to overcome them.

Talking points

• Identify the challenges affecting growth
• Prioritise the issues creating the greatest risk
• Develop practical solutions and actions

About this session

How can Amazon’s technology and support help you become a logistics entrepreneur? Nicola Burkill introduces the Delivery Service Partner programme and explores how it supports independent business owners, from getting started to managing day-to-day operations and growing their teams. Joined by Tim Kenworthy, owner of TK Prime, she brings together Amazon’s perspective and first-hand experience of building a delivery business in partnership with Amazon.

Talking points

• The opportunity to own and run a delivery business
• Technology and operational support from Amazon
• Building a team and growing an independent business

About this session

Growth often requires entrepreneurs to make difficult choices and take calculated risks without knowing exactly how things will unfold. This session explores how founders can balance ambition with careful judgement, recognise when an opportunity is worth pursuing and develop the confidence to commit when the time is right.

Talking points

• Knowing when to take risks
• Balancing growth and caution
• Avoiding paralysis

About this session

There’s more than one way to fund growth. Hear from experts across lending, investment, intellectual property (IP) in business finance on navigating your options, becoming funding-ready and finding the right finance for your next business move.

Talking points

• Exploring lending, investment and IP finance options
• Understanding what lenders and investors look for
• Choosing the right funding for your growth stage

About this session

Many business owners spend too much time working in their business rather than on it. Dave shares practical approaches to improving productivity, creating efficiencies and preparing businesses for scalable growth.

Talking points

• Identify where time and effort are being wasted
• Implement small improvements with a big impact
• Create systems that support future growth

About this session

A strong founder brand is about more than visibility. It requires clarity on what you stand for, the confidence to communicate it and a strategy that turns attention into business growth. A discussion on building an authentic founder brand, creating content that connects and using your voice and platform to scale your influence and your business.

Talking points

• Defining your authentic founder brand
• Turning expertise into trusted content
• Converting visibility into business growth

About this session

Innovation across the Midlands is thriving. A discussion with those building, scaling and supporting innovative businesses across the region on the opportunities ahead and what is needed to strengthen the Midlands as a centre for innovation.

Talking points

• Regional ambition
• Scaling innovation
• Support ecosystem

About this session

Strong teams rarely happen by chance. A discussion on what separates high-performing teams from those that simply work together, from setting clear expectations and building effective team dynamics to creating an environment where people can perform at their best.

Talking points

• Team dynamics
• Performance expectations
• Diversity

About this session

Growth and exit are often measured by revenue, valuation and the eventual sale price, but those numbers are only part of the story. A discussion on defining what success really looks like and building a business that creates the outcomes you want for yourself, your family and the people who helped build it.

Talking points

• Defining success
• Founder & family goals
• Rewarding the wider team

About this session

Ideas only create value when they are put into action. This closing session will help attendees prioritise opportunities, commit to the right actions and leave with a clear plan for the next 90 days.

Talking points

• Identify your three biggest growth opportunities
• Prioritise the actions that will have the greatest impact
• Create an accountability plan for delivery

About this session

Technology is giving growing businesses the ability to move faster, operate more efficiently and compete in ways that were previously only possible for much larger companies. Entrepreneurs and business leaders discuss how technology is changing the economics of growth and creating new opportunities to scale.

Talking points

• Technology as a growth engine
• Scaling productivity
• Competing through innovation

About this session

Growth can create as many challenges as opportunities, placing increasing pressure on the systems, structures and leadership that supported the business at an earlier stage. A discussion on how entrepreneurs can recognise when growth is exposing weaknesses or creating bottlenecks, identify what needs to change and adapt before those pressures begin to limit progress.

Talking points

• Recognising growth bottlenecks
• Knowing what needs to change
• Rebuilding for the next stage of growth

About this session

A successful exit starts long before a buyer appears. A discussion on the decisions that increase business value, reduce dependency on the founder and make a company more attractive to potential acquirers.

Talking points

• Increasing business value
• Reducing founder dependency
• Preparing for due diligence

About this session

Winning a customer is only the beginning. This session explores how businesses can identify and fix the customer experience gaps that damage trust, reduce repeat business and limit referrals. It will examine the moments that shape how customers perceive a business, how to close the gap between what marketing promises and what customers actually experience, and how to empower teams to respond effectively when things go wrong.

Talking points

• Identifying customer experience gaps
• Turning customer trust into repeat business
• Empowering teams to improve the customer experience

About this session

Building a high-performing business means creating an organisation that can operate effectively without relying on the founder’s constant involvement. A discussion on how entrepreneurs can put the right management systems, operating rhythms and performance measures in place to create greater consistency and accountability across the business.

Talking points

• Management systems
• Operating rhythms
• Performance measurement

About this session

Acquisitions can accelerate growth, add capability and open new markets, but getting the wrong deal can destroy value. A discussion on finding the right opportunities, funding acquisitions and successfully integrating another business.

Talking points

• Finding acquisition targets
• Funding the deal
• Post-deal integration

About this session

Media exposure can create opportunity, but it doesn't guarantee long-term success. Former The Apprentice finalists share how they turned visibility into commercial growth, built credibility and created businesses that outlasted the headlines.

Talking points

• Commercial growth
• Building credibility
• Founder visibility

About this session

What works at £500k turnover often breaks at £5m. A discussion on scaling acquisition, maintaining efficiency and building sustainable growth systems.

Talking points

• Knowing when to scale
• Maintaining conversion quality
• Building sustainable growth systems

About this session

The right hire can accelerate growth, while the wrong one can create costly setbacks. This session explores how entrepreneurs can identify the roles and capabilities their business will need before growth creates an urgent demand for them. It will examine how to recognise gaps within existing teams, decide when to hire ahead of immediate need and balance the cost of bringing in talent early against the risks of waiting too long.

Talking points

• Identifying critical hires
• Hiring ahead of demand
• Avoiding expensive mistakes

About this session

Selling a business is often the biggest transaction a founder will ever undertake. A discussion on valuation, finding the right buyer, negotiating the deal and navigating the process from first approach through to completion.

Talking points

• Valuation & timing
• Finding the right buyer
• Negotiating the deal

About this session

Many experienced founders remain the best-kept secret in their industry. A practical session on using social media, video and AI to communicate expertise, build trust and turn visibility into commercial opportunity.

Talking points

• Building authority
• Increasing visibility
• Turning attention into growth

About this session

Building a successful business demands sustained performance over many years, not just moments of intensity. Elite performers from business, sport and the military share the habits, mindset and leadership principles that help them perform under pressure without losing momentum.

Talking points

• Elite performance
• Mental resilience
• Sustained success