Small Business, Big Network

Nadège Minois is the founder of Coaching Vision. She helps small and medium-sized business owners bring clarity, structure, and calm to their projects. With years of experience in project management, Nadège believes that project management isn’t just for big corporations — when tailored to a small business, it can be a real game-changer. Her approach is practical and down-to-earth, showing business owners how to stay on track, avoid overwhelm, and deliver their ideas efficiently without unnecessary complexity. Through Coaching Vision, Nadège combines strategy with hands-on support to ensure every project moves from concept to reality smoothly. She is passionate about making project management accessible, proving that even simple techniques can create big results. You can connect with Nadège on LinkedIn or watch her tips on YouTube. www.coaching-vision.com

Kessington Ekhaiyeme is a cybersecurity executive and thought leader, specializing in Managed Security Service Provider (MSSP) operations at Kenima Cyber Security. With over two decades of Information Technology and Cybersecurity experience, he has spearheaded scalable, efficient Security Operations Centers (SOC) and delivered cutting-edge cybersecurity solutions across industries including healthcare, ISP, and e-commerce. As CEO of a fast-growing MSSP, he leads a team structured across Tier 1–3 analysts, managing over 500 confirmed Incidents annually with measurable improvements in containment and recovery times. Kessington is known for aligning technical excellence with business outcomes—crafting solutions that protect what matters most to clients. His strategic acumen spans threat intelligence, incident response and advanced tooling. He brings Fortune 100 experience, a detail-driven mindset, and a commitment to trust-building across client relationships.Beyond operations, Kessington shares his journey through podcasting and mentoring, refining his professional messaging to inspire others and expand his visibility. He excels at quantifying success, negotiating high-stakes agreements, and advocating for cybersecurity as a business enabler. His mission is clear: Strengthen digital resilience by helping organizations protect data, privacy, and reputation—at lower cost than in-house security.https://kenimacybersecurity.com/https://mssp.kenimacybersecurity.com/freetrial

Aminata Diallo is a French native originally from Mali, West Africa. She has been working in digital marketing and affiliate strategies for over 20 years, primarily in the gambling industry.In 2013, she launched Afiliapub, first in Costa Rica, then expanded to Madrid and Rio de Janeiro and is now planning to open in Nigeria.Her mission is to help businesses grow their online visibility, and revenue through performance-based marketing. Since her niche is the gambling industry, especially sports betting, she believe our success comes from a mix of expertise and strong industry connections.Linkedin link : www.linkedin.com/in/aminata-diallo-ceoWhatsapp Business Number : +33 7 58 45 67 49

Sarah Ridge is an multi passionate entrepreneur and a huge supporter of women in business. As well as being the founder of The Sisterhood Networking Group, she is also the host of The Sisterhood....In Session Podcast and works as a podcast trainer and business coach. She lives in beautiful Leigh-on-sea in Essex with her family and when she’s not working, she loves yoga, walking her dog Daisy and spending time with her friends.An ex-performer and radio presenter, she also loves to dance and sing when she has the time! ​Networking has been a huge part of her life for fifteen years. She has taken part in and hosted many styles of groups in that time.​ She is proud to have launched The Sisterhood Networking Group providing relaxed and informal networking for women across the UK. https://www.thesisterhoodnetworkinggroup.comThis episode is sponsored by Kenima Cyber Security, a managed security service provider (MSSP) based in the US but working around the world.https://kenimacybersecurity.com/https://mssp.kenimacybersecurity.com/freetrial

Rosie McGilvray is co-founder of 'The Networker', a comprehensive directory of networking groups/events, and funding opportunities. In addition the site hosts an online expo and a virtual marketplace. https://www.linkedin.com/in/rosie-mcgilvray/The-Networker.co.ukThis episode is sponsored by Kenima Cyber Security, a managed security service provider (MSSP) based in the US but working around the world.https://kenimacybersecurity.com/https://mssp.kenimacybersecurity.com/freetrial

Lilly Field has always believed that when we pursue our deepest passions, we all rise. That belief led her to create Womb Wise Co. and the Founder Flow Accelerator—where she supports purpose-driven women to launch their business with clarity, confidence, and care for their wellbeing. Her approach is rooted in sustainable business, women’s health, and the lived journey from burnout to balance. She teaches women how to align their business with their biology—leveraging the power of their hormonal cycle as a strategic edge, rather than pressuring themselves into the grind paradigm. If your vision feels huge, a little daunting, and deeply meant for the world—she's here to help you awaken it to life.Links: Founder Flow Accelerator: https://www.wombwise.biz/female-founder-business-acceleratorFree Soulful Startup Guide: 5 Simple Steps to Move from Idea to Actualization:  https://www.wombwise.biz/challenge-page/simple-steps-to-start-a-business

For over 15 years Kris Morawski's passion & mission in life has been to help SMEs get more qualified leads & become more visible on the web, even if they're on a tight budget. When built with intention and integrated into a smart, well-thought-out marketing strategy, your website becomes a powerful business tool: one that can increase sales, save time, and drive sustainable growth.But here’s the challenge:How can you compete online without a big business budget?That’s the question that’s shaped everything Kris does. Since day one, he's been obsessed with finding affordable, effective ways to help small business owners grow—without wasting time or money.He believes the perfect mix lies in combining: • AI-powered automation to save time and scale smartly • With intelligently designed websites that are built to convertIf you’re looking to: • Attract more qualified leads • Increase sales and revenue • Find new customers • Or simply grow your business sustainably…then chat to Kris📞 Book a free marketing strategy session:+44 (0)7957 753727📧 kris@a2com.ukWhen it comes to networking, Kris says the best part is the people you meet, and the opportunities for trusted referrals.

Now in her 10th year of supporting local SME businesses, Helen Pethybridge brings to her business coaching all the skills and insights from her commercial corporate background, blended with SME specific strategies. She is passionate about the importance of leaders investing time and energy to build the right team, which often can dictate the success or failure of the business. As Managing Director, Helen’s daily activities include one-to-one coaching sessions, group client coaching, together with business planning and business development. She also runs employee engagement programmes and 12-week training programmes building key business skills such as   people management, leadership and sales. During her decade running Chiltern Coaching Helen has supported over 100 businesses through her coaching programmes and hundreds more through her regular free educational webinars and seminars. She has helped clients consistently grow their businesses in scale and profitability, frequently achieving 50% to 100% growth year on year. Helen has enabled her clients to achieve their dream outcomes – whether that’s pursuing their passion, reducing to a four-day work week or preparing the business to sell.   https://growmybusiness.actioncoach.co.uk/

Matthew Stafford is a Venture Capitalist and founder of the 9others network.He didn’t follow a conventional path into VC. Growing up on a farm in Northumberland the world of investments and start-ups was miles away.After school he got a job at John Lewis, then started his own t-shirt company and then moved into IT with RBS before moving to Bank of New York.He went to university a bit later in life at 27, where he studied computer science at Durham, where he convinced the interviewer that he would work really hard despite only having two very poor A-levels. He felt out of place with the other students; almost 10 years younger and in his words, they were much cleverer. However he worked hard and by the time he graduated in 2006 it was the time of the tech startup, which inspired Matthew and he decided to work for smaller companies to have more of an impact.His journey into VC came in his early 30s after his MBA at Imperial College and he has coined the phrase “pay-as-you-go investor” to describe his approach. He wants to show people that they don’t need millions in the bank, like a Dragon, to get into investing in start-ups and how to make money from it. To date, he has invested in 24 startups, most of which have been sourced from his 9others network and has achieved five exits. These include what3words, Seep, Desmond & Dempsey and exits include FanBytes and NoblyPOS which was acquired by Revolut. He has invested in and negotiated investment transactions from £15k to £50m.His pay-as-you-go model works by saving up some of your own money, investing it across a number of startups, saves up some more, exits or re-invests in the same businesses or new ones to keep his portfolio diverse.His pay as you go model means that he can work full time on this business as well as continuing to run 9others with Katie Lewis, an expert in innovative collaboration for startups.They co-founded 9others, a 5,000+ strong global community of startup founders, in 2011 as a way to connect founders with each other and help to solve problems over a relaxed dinner.It is always you and nine others and he’s protected the community from sponsorship in orderto keep the conversation real and authentic between founders and the problems about what keeps them up at night.Matthew and Katie have written a book called Find Your 9others about their experiences and the 10 questions that every founder should ask themselves with lots of stories from businesses along the way.matthew@9others.comwww.9others.comRead the 9others Substack here.

Kevin Harvey excels in helping ambitious professionals who need confidence to progress in life and business. By clearing deep blocks and fears, he enables them to speak out with impact, drawing on 30 years of experience that spans from warehouse to boardroom. All of his courses are bespoke and 1-2-1 to help to awaken, aspire and achieve confidence, in interviews, meetings, and on stages.www.kevinharvey.co.uk

Charlie Hunt is a Fractional CFO/COO with 15+ years of experience working in and with start-ups, scale-ups, and SMEs across digital marketing, recruitment, SaaS, and eCommerce. She specialises in building scalable financial & operational frameworks that drive profitability, streamline processes, and support data-led decision-making.Charlie works closely with founders and their senior leadership teams to navigate the route to change & scale, aligning finance with strategy, building strong cross-functional foundations, and enabling sustainable growth. Her approach goes beyond the numbers: She focuses on how financial insight connects with people, products or services, and processes to solve real-world problems and drive meaningful outcomes.www.originops.colinkedin.com/in/charlie-hunt-54b7b89a

Jake Heenan has played professional rugby for over 13 years and started Burra, a café in Bristol, while still playing full-time. Burra has now grown to three sites, won a few awards, and reflects what he's learned about culture, performance, and the power of a strong network.Jake is also currently developing a new business venture focused on helping athletes transition into the business world, an opportunity that came about through an instance of "forced networking" !Burrabristol.co.ukwww.forgedinsport.com

At 14, Nick suffered a life-threatening snowboarding accident. His parents were told he probably wouldn't ever walk, talkor eat on his own again. He did. In his talks, he shares the same system that helped him run out of the hospital. He teachesthe audience how they too can apply this same system to their lives to make it through any trauma, crisis or life challenge.Nick is a 3x best-selling author and was named a top motivational speaker by Yahoo Finance. He's a speaker, founder andCEO of Common Goal. Using the S.T.E.P. system he is able to lead clients through their trauma.www.smartrealestatecoach.com/mastersclasswww.nickprefontaine.com/step

Since October 2020, Soumya Dinesh has been Managing Director and Co-Founder of Atula Technologies – a Buckinghamshire based business specialising in bespoke software solutions for SMEs. Soumya grew up in the cantonment city of Bengaluru, India and excelled academically. She originally wanted to become a pilot but did not pursue this, instead opting to go to Pondicherry University where she got a master’s degree in finance. This enabled Soumya to go on to work with one of the biggest accounting firms in the world.Despite an enjoyable and enriching stint there, she learnt it was not what she wanted to do, surprising many by taking the reins of an at-home flower delivery company based around her parent’s flower shop when she was in her early 20s. It was here that Soumya got her first taste of e-commerce, which would later become the foundations of Atula Technologies.  “It led to tremendous growth for the florist shop, which was once a single unit on one high street. We were the most well-known florist in India for several years after that because we could deliver across the country with our branding.” The florist business was later sold, Soumya married Dinesh and moved to the UK. She then retrained in IT and worked for Lloyd’s TSB and SONY Corporation. At the same time, Soumya decided to start creating her own chocolates, which gradually spiralled into her own business. Her company Cherish Chocolates earned several Great Taste awards and was sold up and down the country but was eventually wound down after 10 years when she decided to focus on family.Several years later, Soumya launched Atula Technologies with Dinesh, bringing their IT knowledge and experience together. Now in its fourth year, Soumya says it is “onward and upward” with plans for growth and success for herself and her clients. “I have a lot to offer and so much to give back.” https://www.linkedin.com/in/soumyadinesh/www.atulatech.com

Kate Llewellyn is Head Clubber for The Content Club, her online membership that helps overwhelmed small business owners to plan with purpose and create content with confidence. She is also an expert copywriter, specialising in optimised written content for websites and blogs. Kate launched her business, The Content Consultancy in 2017, following a career in lexicography and academic publishing.Website: https://thecontentconsultancy.comThe Content Club specifically: https://thecontentconsultancy.com/the-content-clubMailing list/freebie: https://thecontentconsultancy.com/content-confidence-audioLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katellewellyn/

Sarah Mills was a marketing consultant in London for 15 years workingwith blue chip clients launching new brands.She is now first and foremost a passionate brand ambassador with one of the world’sleading B Corporations, and businesses for good - Arbonne, showing people how to createthe lifestyle they want through meaningful work, healthy living, and a powerful sense ofbelief in what’s possible.She’s also an award winning entrepreneur, the founder of The Art of Winning and co-founderof WOW - Women on Winning, a global, fun, and feisty community empowering women tocollaborate with confidence.A natural mentor, Sarah brings positivity, possibility, and purpose to everything she does,helping others lead with courage, clarity, and deep belief in themselves.Whether she’s mentoring individuals, sparking connections, or building thriving teams,Sarah’s all about helping people show up, shine bright, and win on their own terms, withconfidence and conviction.A far cry from natural introvert Sarah and the shyest little girl in the classroom.Sarah is an experienced mindset mentor, keynote, healthy living coach and veganadvocate.Rocket Launcher Mentor with Launch It Charity - Inspiring Young Entrepreneurs toGrow.https://linktr.ee/theartofwinninghttps://www.arbonne.com/gb/en/arb/sarahmills

Dr. Jeremy Weisz has founded multiple businesses, from a health supplement business to a Chiropractic & Massage business, to now running a successful digital agency helping companies create life changing relationships.Jeremy has been featuring top entrepreneurs with video interviews since 2008 that include founders/CEO’s of Pixar, P90X, Atari, Einstein Bagels, Mattel, Kettle Chips, RX Bars, Big League Chew, the Orlando Magic, and many more on www.InspiredInsider.com   He is also the co-founder of Rise25, where they help B2B businesses connect to their ‘Dream 200’ clients, referral partners and get ROI, using a podcast. They eliminate 99% of the work and are an easy button for a company to launch and run your podcast.Learn more at: www.Rise25.com/about/

Tracey Miller is the co-founder and driving force behind Bigger Brighter Bolder (BBB), a B2B membership organisation that helps service-based business owners achieve consistent, measurable growth via three Success Groups; Launch, Build, and Scale. Passionate about demystifying sales, Tracey has guided countless entrepreneurs to hit £100k and beyond. Her ‘no-fluff’ approach and willingness to speak openly about her own journey and challenges as an ambitious female entrepreneur empowers business owners to build confidence, master the sales process, and take control of their business.Download Tracey's 5 day course here: https://qx253.isrefer.com/go/5DAYCOURSE/PR/Bigger Brighter Bolder website:https://biggerbrighterbolder.co.uk/

Laura Robinson is a marketing mentor for people who sell their expertise online as 1-1 services, courses, memberships and group programs, helping them put themselves first (instead of an imaginary ideal client). She is the author of The Comfy Business Playbook and the creator of The Comfy Business Newsletter.Link: worditude.co.uk/newsletter

Life doesn’t always go as planned. For Lyndsay Mitcheson, founder of Neo Walk, it threw a curveball so wild it upended everything she knew about herself. But instead of letting it define her, she turned it into a story of resilience, creativity, and, as she likes to say, “a lot of Yorkshire grit and a little bit of sparkle.”Her story is quite amazing, and includes training to be a circus performer, and playing the role of a one-legged stripper on the big screen!Lyndsay's fabulous walking sticks have been bought by people around the world, including celebrities.She shares her office with her cockatoo Blanco, who had plenty to say during our interview....!