The session is practical and tailored to whatever feels most useful, whether that’s leadership, confidence, career direction, difficult conversations, feeling stuck, or turning an intention into action.

I’m an ICF ACC accredited coach with 25+ years of leadership experience, and my style is supportive but direct: helping people understand what’s getting in the way, see the situation more clearly and leave with a useful next step.

Here's the bit most businesses miss: the people who've already bought from you are right there. They already like you. They're your easiest, cheapest, most profitable growth...and most barely get a second thought.

Bain found that keeping just 5% more of your customers can lift profits by 25% or more. Happy customers come back, spend more, and tell their friends.

Here's what I'm offering: I'll dig into what happens after someone buys from you, spot where you're losing repeat business, and hand you a simple roadmap: the two or three things to fix first, and how to win back the customers who've drifted off.

It's the retention thinking I've used to grow returning-customer revenue by up to 320% for clients. I support established businesses that want to grow from the customers they've already got, not start from scratch every month.

The roadmap will take a few hours of my time, and about 45 minutes of yours on a strategy call.

If you're interested, I'd love to chat. You can find me on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vickiwallis/

Thanks!
Vicki

I'm Ollie Collard, host of Founded & Grounded, a podcast that's been telling the real stories of early-stage founders since 2019. I'm writing because in less than 3 weeks, something slightly mad is happening in Bristol and I'd love this community to be part of it.

On 11 to 13 September I'm attempting a world record: the Longest Interviewing Marathon. 59 founders, interviewed back to back, for 59 hours straight. Live from Films at 59 on Cotham Hill, streamed on YouTube throughout.

Every interview opens with the same question: How are you? Out of 10? It's how the mental fitness charity Talk Club start every session, and they're the reason I'm doing this. Founders are brilliant at talking about their businesses and terrible at talking about themselves. I'm pushing my own limits for 59 hours so more of us start answering that question honestly. 25% of net ticket sales goes to Talk Club.

Bristol's business community has already carried this a long way: all 59 chairs sold out in 14 days, and over 100 founders, volunteers and partners are now involved. We're 11 people short of a fully crewed record attempt, and that's where you come in.

WE NEED 10 WITNESSES

World records don't count unless independent witnesses are watching. It's one 4-hour shift on the studio sofa, in pairs, watching history get made a few metres away and keeping the official log. No experience needed, full briefing provided, 18+, and you can't be one of the 59 speakers or related to them. The remaining shifts are the overnights and early mornings, which honestly are the best seats in the house:

Sat 1am to 5am: luma.com/hpqx4lp4

Sat 5am to 9am: luma.com/eu2zaq9p

Sat 9pm to 1am: luma.com/88gofi4p

Sun 1am to 5am: luma.com/jf72prpb

Sun 5am to 9am (1 seat): luma.com/0r5z5dzg

Sun 1pm to 5pm (1 seat, the only daytime slot left): luma.com/4mmw5k34

AND 1 COMMS PERSON

Run the running order and capture behind-the-scenes content on your phone, posted as a takeover under your own name. Sun 1am to 9am, luma.com/pcb6npg2

Every volunteer gets their name and face on the crew wall at beheardlive.co.uk, refreshments through the night, parking, and a certificate with your name on it if we break the record.

If shifts aren't your thing: the founder reserve bench is open (31 founders are on it, ready if a chair opens): luma.com/ipctfq3n. Or simply tune in, any hour of the 59, and keep a founder company at 3am: beheardlive.co.uk

One ask if nothing else: forward this to the biggest night owl you know.

Thanks for reading, Bristol. Hope to meet a few of you on the sofa.

Ollie

Founded & Grounded | beheardlive.co.uk

Films at 59, 59 Cotham Hill, Cotham, Bristol BS6 6JR (two sites exist, go to 59 COTHAM HILL)

Overall, in person networking is a great way to open up opportunities, meet people and to avoid being isolated as an entrepreneur, but often you will find that most people are there to also network, and sell their goods and services, rather than buying someone else's which can frustrate new entrepreneurs trying to secure their first win.

They are worth exploring and attending, but be cautious about groups that overpromise, lure you in with fancy food, or charge large fees for tickets.

Grow London Local (Free): They host some well attended events, and as a supplier i've generated some leads from their website. You get a chance to introduce yourself and your business it's a nice atmosphere.

Federation for Small Businesses (Free to Cheap): Well attended events, and FSB members get a chance to do a 5 or so minute talk on their subject matter area (I did a 15 minute session on AI). Various locations around London.

BNI (Pricey): Pricey and somewhat time consuming members only networking group, but you can visit for free and it's a good way to build up confidence speaking to others about your business. Generated some leads but no sales from that method, mostly because I think they tried to use the possibility of a sale to get me to buy membership. I've heard BNI is quite good for sales if you join and can commit to generating leads, attending meetings and playing your role long term.

Eventbrite and Luma (Free to Cheap): There are various networking events hosted here and they vary in quality. In my experience these are mostly social events with business tacked on for whichever field you are in, while the Luma events tend to be more often run by larger industries or businesses. Worth attending to network but not strong for sales.

Chambers of Commerce (Free to Pricey): Joined my local one with mixed results, actually got a nice referral coincidentally when visiting but nothing when I joined. Usually follows a format of introductions, speed networking with food and drinks, but this will vary depending on the type of chamber you join.

Co Working Spaces (Free?): I had some luck at co working spaces as this tends to be a watering hole for businesses, but getting into one to do an event can be tricky. Using some of the other events above can be a way to get into a coworking space, and introduce yourself but they vary quite dramatically.

Council Initiatives (Free): Different councils will have their own business support hubs, groups and networks which you can attend to meet entrepreneurs and this can be a useful way to access opportunities, get into different spaces and get support.

Industry Organisations (Pricey): Some industries may have trade bodies or other organisations which claim to be the centre of excellence for your business, and these can be quite expensive to join. Having joined one for a year, the events were quite nice, wine being served, well attended and had some political / council attendance, but I didn't get anything in terms of actual sales from these types of events. Probably better for more larger businesses.

Remember that networking is just one method to generate leads, and has other benefits for your development as an entrepreneur.

Keen to hear other peoples views, any events you have attended and your experiences!

This is reflected in the latest economic figures, with Britain’s economy growing faster than G7 peers, including the US, in the first half of this year.

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Have you got some good news, a recent win or a reason to feel optimistic? 🎉 

Share it below - big or small. Let’s spread some good news across the Enterprise Nation community! 👇

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TrackCarbon is seeking to pilot its new environmental scoring & rating model with food manufacturers and, or food service companies.

TrackCarbon is a young food sustainability tech company, using techniques in advanced statistics and machine learning to develop granular, environmental impact assessments for multi-ingredient food products. Recently collaborated with Alan Turing Institute for AI, to develop a peer-reviewed weighting model which computes a relative impact score for each food product, showing the potential for improvement and a data-driven classification which categorizes products into five distinct sustainability classes (A-E) for comparative performance, ensuring scientifically robust labelling of ‘A’ & ‘B’ rated products for conscious consumers.

The purpose is to help SME companies measure supply chain (scope 3) impact, manage supply chain risk, meet EU compliance law, and increase brand appeal among environmentally consumers.

If you are interested in piloting the solution or partnering, pls do get in touch via email: carla@trackcarbon.com

Can't wait to see you there!

It's a little bit of inbox management and making sure you don't miss on opportunities because you don't have the time/capacity to sift through all of your emails which might make you miss something important.

Instead of starting your Monday morning by opening your inbox, spending 90min to answer everything yet decide nothing; connect your calendar and email to Claude, then ask the one question that actually moves you business forward, and identifies everything you've left hanging that could be costing you money.

You can do this in 2 simple steps. And you don't even need co-work; you can simply use your web app so long as you've connected your gmail and google calendar through a connector. I'll give you the 2 step by step now:

Step 1- The Set-up: You don't need Cowork for this. In Claude on web or desktop, go to Settings, then Connectors, and connect Google Calendar and Gmail. Google Workspace connectors are available for all users 💖

Step 2- The Prompt: This is the bit you copy. It works in plain Claude, no extra tools needed.

You're my chief of staff. It's Monday morning and I have fifteen minutes.

Look at my calendar for the next seven days, and my sent and received email from the last ten days. Then give me:

1. This week in one line. What is this week actually about?

2. The big three. The three things that, if they get done, make this a good week. Tie each one to revenue, a client, or delivery.

3. Dropped balls. Anything I received and never replied to. Any promise I made ("I'll send that over") that I haven't kept. Any quote or proposal sitting with no follow-up.

4. Quiet opportunities. Introductions, invitations, enquiries or referrals that were never picked up.

5. Prep needed. Which meetings this week will go badly if I turn up cold, and the one thing I need to bring to each.

6. Say no to this. What's in my diary that doesn't serve any of the above.

Rules: name people, use real dates, no generic advice. If anything is time critical, put it at the top. Keep it to one page.

Give it a go and let me know your results!

You asked, we deliver!

You heard it here first, get your ticket before the full promotion starts next week. Don't miss out!

Full details of our first in person Small Business Meetup for Surrey, Hampshire ad Berkshire at the link below.

Ticket booking essential - no walkins.

30th September 7pm - 10pm at Kaizen Fine Art Gallery Bagshot Surrey

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