Our host Oli Barret and co-host Hannah Prevett introduced another round of incredible speakers and panellists on the second day at the Elite Business Live event
The second day at Elite Business Live kicked off with a fascinating keynote speech by Lara Morgan, the founder of Pacific Direct, who spoke about her entrepreneurial journey and why it is no longer enough to be resilient in business ‘ it’s time to be relentless. Lara spoke about how perfectionism is an entrepreneur’s worst enemy, and it is the action that counts. Our host Oli Barrett and co-host Hannah Prevett joined several speakers and panellist for Elite Business’ second day, introducing the UK’s best entrepreneurs, business owners and coaches who revealed their top tips and strategies to reach success. Lara was later joined by an insightful panel including James Davidson, co-founder of Tails.com, Eric Partaker, co-founder of Chilango, Abbie Morris, co-founder and CEO of Compare Ethics and Jas Bagniewski, founder of Eve Sleep, who spoke about the core values of a business and how entrepreneurs can stay on track with their purpose. They also touched on how your customer must be in the centre of your decision-making process when it comes to commercial business growth.
Chieu Cao, the co-founder of Perkbox and founder of Mintago, held a keynote speech in the digital transformation segment, revealing his journey on being a serial entrepreneur and why it is completely normal to constantly learn and evolve during your entrepreneurial journey, as no one has all the answers at the start. He touched on the different types of technologies available to businesses and why it is essential to invest in technology that is the right fit for your business. He was later joined by Billie Quinlan, CEO and Founder of Ferly, Gareth Owen, co-founder of ROAST AND MD Tipi Group, Jay Richards, Founder of Imagen and Jenni Young, CMO of Tappit. The panel discussed the importance of social media and how customers of different age brackets work across different portals ‘ and why even though businesses should try all forms of social media, they can benefit by investing in their best performing avenue.
For the Talent and Regulations segment, Charlie Mullins, founder of Pimlico Plumbers, and his son Scott Mullins, CEO of Pimlico Plumbers joined forces in a dynamic and interactive discussion on what it’s like working in a family business ‘ and why cultivating talent within a business is essential to its success. They were later joined by Akshay Rupaerelia, founder & Managing Director of Doorstep.co.uk, Noel McGonigle, HR Director of Savills, Valerie Mann, Director of People at Elder and Kate Cox, Chief Marketing Officer at MoneyPenny, who discussed the importance of work perks and creating a positive work environment for staff, and making sure they are getting their mental and physical needs in check. Charlie Mullins believes that creating a positive work environment, providing good pay and incentives is the secret to workforce longevity.
Ciaran O’Donnell, the founder of The Virtual FD, took to the stage to speak about how he helps his clients manage their financial transactions, and why financial forecasting is more important now than every particularly with economic uncertainty lying ahead. Deri Llewellyn-Davis, Founder of BGI Group, Phil Hobden, Head of Education at Capitalise, Paul Conway, Director of Growth for New Business and Partnerships at Bottomline and Victoria Prew, CEO and co-founder of Hurr, joined Ciaran to discuss the best investments a business can make during this difficult period. The panel was unanimous in their decision and insisted that bringing in new talent is essential in the progression of a business ‘ and is one of the best investments you can make for your firm.
Allyson Stewart-Allen, Chief Executive of International Marketing Partners held the keynote speech on the Overseas Expansion segment and spoke about the importance of understanding different cultural norms in your chosen markets before expanding into unknown territories. Learning about the cultural practises in each country can give you an added insight into how you should be interacting with your partners and customers overseas. She was later joined by Anthony Goodwin, the founder and chairman of Antal, Arne Mielken, the Managing Director of Customs Manager, Chris Forbes, co-founder of The Cheeky Panda and Nohman Ahmed, co-founder of Crept Protect. The panel came to a consensus that opportunism and careful planning were both factors to keep in mind before expanding abroad, rather than choosing one over the other. They also shared their top tips when it comes to expanding in various markets, and touched on the regulations and guidelines businesses can follow before taking the leap overseas.
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