Past event
Welcome
On 4th June 2024, Norfolk Director held it’s annual ‘helping to run your business better’ event at The Forum in Norwich themed ‘Scale Up & Grow’.
More than 80 sole traders, directors, entrepreneurs, partners, and owners attended; coming together to share ideas, discuss the challenges they face, and learn how to scale up and grow their business.
Held in association with sponsors, Ensors Chartered Accountants and Charles Stanley Wealth Managers and supported by MAD-HR and Spider, the occasion provided a great opportunity to network with like-minded professionals and to glean expertise from a range of industry sectors.
Features
After the initial meet and greet – with tea, coffee, and pastries – the event got underway, and it was our pleasure to introduce inspirational and motivational presentations from two keynote speakers.
First to talk was Trina Beare, the managing director of Lamberts, an industrial supplies business based in Norwich. Her grandfather Henry Beare set up the company in 1963, and her father Tim became MD in 1980. Trina joined in 2006 and became MD in 2015, but her journey to the role was not expected or easy as she outlined in her speech. She had to overcome the difficulty of being a woman in a man’s world, balance time as a working mother, and deal with an initial range of workplace challenges from staff redundancies to litigation. Her talk was raw, emotional, and an inspiration to all in attendance – we thank her for her time and candour.
Following Trina, we were pleased to welcome Chris Reeve, founder and managing director of Reeve Social Media. His Norwich-based, five-star-rated agency works with business and individuals to grow their brands and bottom lines through the use of social media platforms. This is a valuable tool in the digital age and Chris gave an interesting and engaging talk on how to harness the power of LinkedIn, providing valuable insights into what does and doesn’t work.
Q&A
After a break to enjoy refreshments and network, a panel of experts representing the HR, finance, investment, grants, and funding sectors, answered a variety of questions on topics that included: how to begin growing your business, how to form a people strategy to support growth, how to scale up in a sustainable way, and where to find the money. It was a great session with free-flowing ideas and some great tips – including the value of “trusting your gut”.
Chaired by Sue Wilcock, editor of UK Director Magazines, the panel included: Carole Burman, founder and managing director of MAD-HR; Michelle Pollard, founder and managing director of Spider and polkadotfrog; Lucy Moore, director in the Business Services team at Ensors Chartered Accountants; Mark Hinds, Norwich branch manager at Charles Stanley Wealth Managers; Jason Middleton, programmes manager in Economic Development at Norfolk County Council.
This lively, closed-door discussion is a core feature of our regular event plan, allowing delegates to share knowledge and experience in a safe space; a space where no matter the size of business or problem encountered, issues can be voiced, and potential solutions offered by anyone present, secure in the knowledge that what happens in the room, stays in the room.
A great response
We were thrilled to say that the event was hailed a huge success by all who attended.
UK Director Magazines editor, Sue Wilcock, said: “I have been absolutely bowled over with the positive comments and feedback received. It helps to reinforce that providing the time and space for peer-to-peer reflections, discussions, and sharing of experiences, is something that business leaders appreciate and value.”
Feedback
“Excellent event, two insightful presentations and a dynamic panel discussion with lots of solid advice!”
“Another fantastic morning. Both speakers were brilliant. The panel are so knowledgeable and gave me so much to consider within my business. Thank you, team, already looking forward to the next one.”
“Yesterday’s Norfolk Director Magazine’s event at The Forum Norwich was truly inspiring, with discussions ranging from HR issues to business finance and growth. Kudos for organising such a great event to Sue Wilcock and her team!”