CONFERENCE PROGRAMME
Trends, strategies and acceleration tactics for the businesses of 2026.
9.00 - 18.00 VIP STUDIO ENTRY
9.00 - 17.00 LIVESTREAM BROADCAST
17.00 - 18.30 VIP NETWORKING LEONARDO ROYAL, ST PAUL’S, LONDON, EC4V 5AJ
![]()
Trends, strategies and acceleration tactics for the businesses of 2026.
9.00 - 18.00 VIP STUDIO ENTRY
9.00 - 17.00 LIVESTREAM BROADCAST
17.00 - 18.30 VIP NETWORKING LEONARDO ROYAL, ST PAUL’S, LONDON, EC4V 5AJ

HIGH-ENERGY KEYNOTES, THOUGHT-PROVOKING PANELS, AND INTERACTIVE AUDIENCE
PARTICIPATION TO SPARK NEW IDEAS AND CONNECTIONS.
09:15 SHOW OPENS WELCOME BY:


Financial education campaigner; Founder, GoHenry


Securing funding isn’t just about having a great idea; it’s about telling a story that investors can’t ignore. In this dynamic session, leading investors and successful founders reveal what makes a winning pitch in 2026. From crafting a compelling narrative to showcasing traction and financials with confidence, you’ll learn how to stand out in a competitive market. Whether you’re seeking seed capital or scaling with Series A and beyond, this panel will give you the insider strategies to unlock funding and turn investor interest into investment.



• Understand how to craft a pitch that tells a compelling story investors can’t ignore, blending narrative, traction, and vision.
• Learn how to present financials, key metrics, and growth milestones with clarity and confidence to build credibility.
• Explore investor psychology and discover what makes them say “yes” in a crowded funding landscape.
• Gain strategies to position your business effectively for different stages, from seed to Series A and beyond.
• Walk away with practical tactics to convert interest into actual investment commitments.




10:45 - 11:15 - KEYNOTE
Co-founder, Implement AI; Former Dragon on BBC’s Dragons’ Den



(ITV News, BBC), Entrepreneur & Investor
AI is no longer just a buzzword; it’s transforming how businesses operate, compete, and grow. This panel explores how forwardthinking companies are moving beyond experimentation to embed AI into their strategy, workflows, and culture. Hear from industry leaders who are turning AI capability into tangible results, from automating processes and boosting productivity to empowering teams and reshaping decision-making. Discover how to overcome adoption challenges, build trust, and create an AI-ready culture that






• Discover how companies are moving beyond AI pilots and proofs of concept to embedding AI at scale across their operations.
• Learn how leaders are reshaping workflows, boosting productivity, and enabling smarter decision-making with AI.
• Understand how to overcome organisational resistance, build trust, and address adoption challenges.
• Explore how creating an AI-ready culture can drive innovation and long-term business impact.
• Gain insights into practical applications, from automation to team empowerment, that deliver measurable results.




11.45 - 12:15

Apprentice winner; Founder, Trade Mastermind


Forget the polished pitch decks, this is the unfiltered truth about building a business today. In this candid conversation, nextgen founders share the highs, lows, and lessons that don’t make it to LinkedIn. From funding struggles and sleepless nights to breakthrough moments and unstoppable grit, you’ll get a frontrow seat to what it really takes to launch and scale in 2026. Expect honesty, humour, and hard-won insights designed to inspire the next wave of entrepreneurs to stay raw, stay real, and stay relentless.



• Hear the unfiltered realities of entrepreneurship, funding struggles, sleepless nights, and breakthrough wins.
• Learn how resilience, grit, and persistence fuel the journey from idea to scale.
• Understand the mental and emotional challenges founders face and the tactics they use to push through.
• Gain lessons on authenticity, staying grounded, and leading with honesty in a hype-driven startup world.
• Be inspired by candid stories that highlight both the personal and professional sides of building a business.








13.15 - 13:45
Simon Woodroffe OBE, born 14 February 1952, is a British Entrepreneur and business guru. He is the founder of YO! Sushi, YOTEL and the YO! Company.
Amongst many TV and press appearances, Simon was an original dragon in Series One of the popular British TV programme, Dragons’ Den.
First working in theatre, rock shows and television, Simon fell into a depression after his divorce from the mother of his daughter, Charlotte Woodroffe. Feeling “desperation” he returned to his childhood aim to become a millionaire. He conceived and created YO! Sushi, opening the first restaurant on Poland Street, Soho, in 1997. The venture succeeded, creating a chain of restaurants and popularising conveyor belt sushi in Britain.
YO! Sushi and YOTEL have become global brands and Simon continues, through the YO! Company, to conceive of new YO! ventures.


13:45 - 14.15
The conversation around work is shifting, from burnout and disengagement to balance, purpose, and peak performance. This panel explores how businesses are redesigning the employee experience to create thriving, high-performing teams. Learn how leaders are tackling mental health head-on, embracing flexibility, and using technology to unlock human potential. Discover the strategies that move companies beyond survival mode and into a future where people feel energised, inspired, and empowered to do their best work.



• Discover how the modern workplace is being redesigned to prioritise wellbeing, balance, and peak performance.
• Learn how leaders are embracing flexibility, remote-first models, and technology to support employees.
• Explore strategies that put mental health at the centre of organisational design.
• Gain insights into how businesses can move beyond survival mode to create energised, engaged, highperforming teams.
• Understand how purpose-driven cultures empower people to feel inspired and do their best work.







Director and Co-founder, Must Have Ideas
Is the high street really dying, or is it being reborn? This panel dives into the future of retail, exploring the clash between digital convenience and physical experience. Hear from retail innovators, e-commerce disruptors, and consumer trend experts as they debate what’s next for the UK high street. From experiential stores and omnichannel strategies to shifting shopper behaviour and economic pressures, we’ll unpack what it takes to survive and thrive in the new retail battlefield.





• Examine whether the high street is declining or reinventing itself through innovation and consumer shifts.
• Learn how experiential retail is creating in-person value that digital shopping can’t replicate.
• Explore omnichannel strategies that blend convenience, digital tools, and physical presence.
• Understand how changing shopper behaviour, economic pressures, and competition are shaping the future of retail.






15.30 - 16:00
By Anthea Skincare
As one of the UK’s much loved recognisable names, Anthea Turner is trusted by generations thanks to a vibrant career spanning four decades….and she continues to lead the conversation!
An icon of British media Anthea has successfully reinvented herself as a highly engaged influencer, business founder, author of 10 books, diverse speaker and trusted brand partner. She speaks to the most commercially valuable audience in the market today: women in midlife and beyond who are confident, curious, and making smart, stylish choices about how they live, age, and spend.


16:00 - 16:30 PANEL
Beauty isn’t just about products; it’s a multi-billion-pound industry shaping culture, driving innovation, and rewriting the rules of retail. This panel brings together founders, investors, and brand leaders to explore how creativity and commerce collide in the booming beauty economy. From disruptive DTC brands and influencerled launches to sustainability, tech, and evolving consumer expectations, discover what it takes to build, scale, and stand out in one of the most competitive markets today.






• Explore how the beauty industry influences culture while driving innovation and economic growth.
• Learn how disruptive DTC brands and influencer-led launches are reshaping consumer expectations.
• Understand the role of technology, sustainability, and inclusivity in building modern beauty businesses.
• Discover strategies for scaling in one of the most competitive and fast-moving markets.
• Gain tools to stand out with valuesdriven branding that connects authentically with consumers.




16.30 - 17:00
Javelin World Champion & Olympic medalist
Fatima talks about her rise to success as an Olympic medallist and the trials and tribulations as she reached her goal. In addition she talks animatedly about her TV career from I’m a Celebrity to her more recent documentaries. Fatima has recently launched a campaign called ‘Fatima’s UK Campaign’, aimed at helping children in care and care leavers. She talks about how the aim is for children to fulfil their positive, potential in an environment which fosters self-worth and confidence by means of providing the necessary support & resources to give each youngster the skills to become happy and successful members of society.

17:00 - 18:30
Meet more people, more quickly – It’s a structured, fast-paced format that maximises every minute.
Make meaningful connections – Whether you’re looking for customers, suppliers, collaborators or joint venture partners, you’ll meet others with aligned goals.
Exclusive speaker access – Rub shoulders with some of the keynote speakers and panellists from the day. These aren’t just inspiring voices—they could become valuable contacts.
Build relationships that last – It’s not just networking; it’s relationship-building in a room full of people who get your journey.
Hosted by renowned connector Oli Barrett - this session promises to be energetic, engaging, and filled with opportunity.
Places are limited and filling fast – secure yours now to avoid missing out on one of the most valuable hours of the day.

Come armed with plenty of business cards and a clear, confident elevator pitch –you’ll be using both! TOP TIP
A FULL DAY OF LIVE SESSIONS DESIGNED TO EQUIP YOU WITH ACTIONABLE , STEP-BY-STEP STRATEGIES YOU CAN PUT TO WORK STRAIGHT AWAY.
09:15 Carter Consultancy: Improve your business one slice of toast at a time
10:00 Sage: AI adoption for UK small businesses
11:00 de Novo Solutions: Innovation Is Not the Tech - It’s the Discipline to Use It
11:45 UK Government: making life easier for small businesses
12:30 Helm: Leaders Lunch
13:30 TikTok: Turning Viewers into Shoppers
14:15 Fireside chat: Sam Thompson & Ben Hacker, Content Jungle
15:15 Adia PR: How to Become the Brand Humans Trust and AI Recommends
16:00 Market Location: Setting the standard for trusted UK B2B Data
16:30 Clear Course: Picking tools that work
17:00 VIP Networking
09:15 - 10:00 INTERACTIVE LIVE SESSION

DAVE STUBBERFIELD
CX & Continuous Improvement
Consultant, Carter consultancy


A slice of toast might seem simple, but it’s all about timing, the right tools, and personal taste. Whether it’s lightly golden or deeply crunchy, toast is a small but deliberate creation – just like building a business that truly resonates with customers.
In this session, we’ll use the humble slice of toast as a powerful metaphor for business growth. From choosing the bread (your people and processes) to selecting your toppings (your customer experience and brand), every step represents a choice in how you shape your business.
• Demonstrate how business growth stems from small, thoughtful decisions made consistently.
• Highlight the importance of aligning your people, processes, and platforms to customer expectations.
• Provide easy-to-adopt tactics that can immediately improve both internal culture and external experience.
• Encourage leaders to see everyday moments, like making toast, as opportunities to improve.
• Showcase the power of simplicity in driving Continuous Improvement techniques and customer loyalty.
• The anatomy of a slice of toast: using everyday actions to explore improvement, consistency, and creativity.

for embedding Continuous Improvement into your business routines.
• Real-life examples of small business changes delivering outsized results.
• Introduction to Carter Consultancy’s five-element framework through the “toast” lens.
• Tools to identify where your business might be burning the toast – and how to fix it.
• Learn how to make customer and employee experiences more intentional, consistent, and engaging.
• Walk away with a renewed mindset for driving growth through simplicity and daily actions.
• Feel empowered to apply change management principles in your business.
For more information about this session or to book your place please click below:
Please note, spaces are limited and available on a first come first serve basis – sign up to secure your spot!
10:00 - 10:45 INTERACTIVE LIVE SESSION

Senior Director, Global Integrated Campaigns, Sage

Founder, British Veterans Owned CHAIR
Can you trust AI? Learn practical frameworks for evaluating AI providers, understanding data security, and maintaining transparency in AIassisted decision-making. What certifications matter? What questions should you ask vendors? How do you ensure you’re not outsourcing critical judgement?
How accurate is AI, really?
In accounting and finance, accuracy isn’t negotiable. Discover how to measure AI output quality, test systems properly, and handle mistakes when they happen. Hear from businesses that have successfully reduced human error through automation.
Where is AI actually adding value? Cut through the noise to identify where AI genuinely helps your business – automating admin, supporting decisions, or buying back time for growth. Learn to evaluate tools based on your actual workflows, not vendor promises.


Co-Founder, British Veterans Owned

Senior Director Product Office, Sage
Managing the change successfully. AI adoption often requires changing established processes. Explore how to overcome team resistance, build confidence through small wins, and integrate new tools without disrupting what already works.
What skills do you need? You don’t need to be technical, but you do need foundational skills. We’ll demystify prompt engineering and explain what “AI skills” actually means in practical terms.
Why humans are still the key. The best AI augments human capabilities rather than replaces them. Learn how to maintain the human touch while leveraging AI to enhance professional judgement and accessibility.
This isn’t another AI hype session. It’s a practical conversation about using AI to run your small business better, right now. You’ll leave with frameworks for evaluation, questions to ask vendors, and confidence to take your next steps.
Please note, spaces are limited and available on a first come first serve basis – sign up to secure your spot!
11:00 - 11:45 INTERACTIVE LIVE SESSION

MARK SWEENY Founder & Chief Executive, de Novo Solutions
Many SMEs invest heavily in technology, yet fail to see real impact. The problem is rarely the tools themselves. It is the discipline to use them consistently, correctly and in real time.
In this candid and practical session, Mark Sweeny, Founder and Chief Executive of de Novo Solutions, challenges common assumptions around digital transformation.
Drawing on de Novo’s rapid growth from a Welsh start-up to an award-winning technology consultancy operating across the UK and internationally, Mark shares what actually drives performance once the software is in place.
This session explores a reality Mark has seen repeatedly: businesses buying powerful systems but continuing to operate manually, retrospectively or inconsistently. True innovation, he argues, comes from embedding discipline into day-to-day behaviour. Using technology to see what is really happening in the business, particularly around cash flow, operational performance and decisionmaking.

Through real examples, including how moving from manual, retrospective cashflow management to real-time visibility transformed accountability and outcomes within de Novo, this session reframes innovation as a leadership and discipline challenge, not a technology one.
Please note, spaces are limited and available on a first come first serve basis – sign up to secure your spot!
11:45 - 12:30 INTERACTIVE LIVE SESSION





National Director, The Growth Company Start Up Loans Relationship Director, British Business Bank

Small Business Commissioner
Managing Director, Lovehands Care Services

At Elite Business Live this March, the UK Government will host a dedicated panel led by Emma Jones, the Small Business Commissioner, bringing together senior representatives from key government departments. The session will explore the full spectrum of government support available to SMEs, from access to finance and innovation funding, to export growth, digital adoption, and workforce skills. Designed to provide practical insights and direct guidance, the discussion will highlight real-world ways businesses can tap into government initiatives and services to drive growth and resilience. Attendees will gain a clear understanding of how different departments collaborate to champion small business success across the UK.
Please note, spaces are limited and available on a first come first serve basis – sign up to secure your spot!
Interim Deputy Director for Business, Innovation & Investment Policy, Intellectual Property Office
Director for Small Business, Department for Business and Trade

12:30 - 13:30 LEADERS LUNCH
10 business leaders from Helm Club will be attending on the day, and there will be one joining each table to facilitate the conversations.
Join Helm for the Elite Leaders Lunch, an exclusive invitation-only experience at Elite Business Live designed for ambitious SME leaders looking to scale, grow and learn from those who have been there before.
Taking place on Day 2 from 12:30pm to 13:30pm, the Leaders Lunch brings together a select group of VIP Studio attendees for hosted table discussions led by influential entrepreneurs, advisors and thought leaders from across the SME ecosystem.
This is not traditional networking. Each table is hosted by a respected leader, creating a focused, informal environment where you can share challenges, exchange ideas and gain practical insights from peers and experienced business figures.
How it works
• Complimentary for VIP Studio attendees
• Limited places, allocated on a first-come, first-served basis
• Enjoy canapés while taking part in guided, meaningful conversations
• Designed to finish in time for the next live session at 13:30pm
Who should attend
The Leaders Lunch is ideal for:
• Open exclusively to Founders & CEOs of scale-ups >£1m in annual turnover
• Scaling businesses (£1m+ turnover / 15+ employees)
• SMEs looking for strategic insight, peer learning and meaningful connections
Why attend
• Learn directly from successful entrepreneurs and advisors
• Build relationships with peers facing similar growth challenges
• Gain fresh perspectives in a relaxed, highvalue setting
• Connect with the Helm community and wider Elite Business network
Please note, spaces are limited and available on a first come first serve basis – sign up to secure your spot!
13:30 - 14:15

Partnerships Lead, TikTok Shop UK

Business Development Lead , TikTok Shop
Over 200 million people in Europe use TikTok every month, not just for entertainment, but to discover new brands and products like yours. Find out how TikTok’s advertising solutions help your business turn discovery into measurable results across the entire customer journey. Make it happen today! Introduce TikTok as a Business Platform – Explain TikTok’s potential beyond entertainment, emphasizing its impact on brand visibility and customer engagement.
Demystify TikTok’s Audience and Content Strategies – Break down myths about TikTok’s user demographics and showcase content trends that resonate across industries.
Provide Practical Marketing Strategies – Share best practices for organic and paid TikTok marketing, covering campaign structures, audience targeting, and creative execution.
Explore Monetization and Advertising Solutions – Highlight TikTok’s ad formats, business tools, and how brands can optimize campaigns for sales and conversions.
Showcase Success Stories – Demonstrate real-life examples of brands that have effectively leveraged TikTok for growth and engagement.
You will learn how to:
• TikTok Shop 101: How Discovery Commerce changes the way shoppers buy
• Understand TikTok’s audience
• Get inspired by success stories
• Navigate GMV MAX to reach customers effectively
• Apply creative best practices that drive real results
Please note, spaces are limited and available on a first come first serve basis – sign up to secure your spot!
14:15 - 15:00 FIRESIDE CHAT
Many will know Sam from his television career. Over the years, he has built a recognisable and highly successful presence across broadcast, digital and live media. Sam has navigated the realities of staying visible in an increasingly crowded content landscape and turned that experience into something bigger.
As host of the hit podcast ‘Staying Relevant’, Sam has explored what it truly takes to maintain influence and impact in a fast-moving world. That journey did not stop at media. It evolved into entrepreneurship, crowdfunding and the launch of a new platform, designed to fix what is broken in the creator economy.
Together with his co-founder Ben Hacker, a seasoned marketing and product leader who has worked with global brands including L’Oréal, MasterCard and Coca-Cola, Sam launched Content Jungle.
Why? Because content needs to change.
In today’s world, brands and creators are under pressure to produce more, faster. AI has accelerated output. Templates are everywhere. Feeds are saturated. Yet quality has quietly suffered.
Creators waste hours searching for trusted videographers, editors and photographers.
Skilled freelancers are treated like commodities on faceless platforms. Payments are delayed. Standards slip. Originality becomes optional.
Content Jungle exists to raise the bar. The platform connects brands and creators with vetted production professionals, while managing job postings, applications, payments and invoicing in one seamless ecosystem. It champions real creative skill. It props up the freelance community rather than undercutting it. It reinforces the idea that original, human-made content still matters.


Co-Founders, Content Jungle
15:15 - 16:00 INTERACTIVE LIVE SESSION

ALISON SHADRACK
Founder & CEO, Adia PR

Today, buyers don’t just use Google to search; they ask ChatGPT and other large language models (LLMs) who to trust, who to work with and which brands stand out.
These systems don’t rely on adverts or self-promotion; they source their information from credible, third parties such as respected press and media coverage, expert commentary in thought leadership articles and consistent brand authority.
In this dynamic and interactive masterclass, Alison Shadrack Brown, Founder of Adia PR, will show how strategic PR builds the credibility and reputation that journalists trust, customers act on and AI models reference when generating recommendations.
PR is evolving in the digital age of AI. Businesses that invest in authoritative PR are not only more visible in the press and online, they are more likely to appear in AI-led research, comparisons and recommendations.
LLMs trust press coverage as an authoritative source, so the more positive and consistent stream of news you have appearing in the press, the more LLMs will be able to build a profile of your business to share with your potential prospects.
Drawing on real client examples from Adia PR, Alison will show how effective PR builds a compounding digital footprint across high-trust publications – for both the business and the personal brand of the founders –shaping how people and AI perceive, talk about and recommend your brand.
This session blends traditional PR expertise with a practical understanding of how LLMs interpret credibility, enabling entrepreneurs to future-proof their visibility, reputation and growth.
Please note, spaces are limited and available on a first come first serve basis – sign up to secure your spot!
16:00 - 16:30 INTERACTIVE LIVE SESSION

Business Development Director, Market Location

B2B data has never been more accessible yet trust in data quality has never been more fragmented. As businesses scale, the challenge is no longer access to data, but knowing which data can be relied upon to drive revenue, protect brand reputation and support long-term operations.
This session explores what trusted UK B2B data really means in practice and why it has become a critical part of modern business infrastructure. Rather than focusing on the risks of poor-quality data alone, the session sets a clearer benchmark for what good looks like, from verification and governance through to compliance and commercial outcomes.
Attendees will gain a practical understanding of how high-quality, verified data underpins

performance across sales, marketing and operations, and why it is essential for enabling technologies such as AI to function effectively. The session will examine how organisations can move from reactive data decisions towards a more structured, standards-led approach that scales with growth.
Through real-world examples, the session demonstrates how trusted data reduces operational risk, improves return on investment, and creates a more resilient foundation for business decision-making in the UK market.
Please note, spaces are limited and available on a first come first serve basis – sign up to secure your spot!
16:30 - 17:00 INTERACTIVE

CHRISTINA HAMILTON CHAIR CEO, ClearCourse




Managing Director, Field Services Managing Director, Retail
Good or bad – software impacts every aspect of our lives. Every day, we interact with countless digital tools – touching everything from what we eat to who we date, and how we stay connected at home and at work.
When it comes to business – the dizzying number of tools we use can itself become an issue, with SMEs needing multiple different and often disconnected systems to function, from accounting to business management. One industry survey even stated that a quarter of employees felt ‘app overload’ made them less efficient. Perhaps what makes a tool ‘good’ or ‘bad’ – is simply whether the human using it gets the outcome the want.
We know that businesses get the best results when humans and technology are working with – and not against each other. Things happen with less friction, and your people have more time and energy for what really matters. So how can already-stretched SMEs get this right?
In honest and informal session, we’ll –share some stories of how it’s gone horribly wrong – before diagnosing, and maybe even identifying some practical ways for you and your people to get the most out of the tools you use to run and grow your business.
Please note, spaces are limited and available on a first come first serve basis – sign up to secure your spot!
17:00 - 18:30
Meet more people, more quickly – It’s a structured, fast-paced format that maximises every minute.
Make meaningful connections – Whether you’re looking for customers, suppliers, collaborators or joint venture partners, you’ll meet others with aligned goals.
Exclusive speaker access – Rub shoulders with some of the keynote speakers and panellists from the day. These aren’t just inspiring voices—they could become valuable contacts.
Build relationships that last – It’s not just networking; it’s relationship-building in a room full of people who get your journey.
Hosted by renowned connector Oli Barrett - this session promises to be energetic, engaging, and filled with opportunity.
Places are limited and filling fast – secure yours now to avoid missing out on one of the most valuable hours of the day.

Come armed with plenty of business cards and a clear, confident elevator pitch –you’ll be using both! TOP TIP