Speakers 2011

Kate Garraway, ITV Daybreak and founder of discount website goodypass.com Kate Garraway is the Entertainment Editor of ITV breakfast show “Daybreak”, and presents “Lorraine” every Friday. As part of the ‘mumpreneur’ community Kate recently addressed the House of Commons on the phenomenon that are the ‘businessmums’ and making mention of the Business Mums Summit! Check out all she had to say – just click here! She regularly presents other entertainment shows and documentaries and writes often for national newspapers and magazines. She is the founder of goodypass.com, a discount website that offers 50-70% off local salons, restaurants, days out and more – and amazing deals on national brands. Beta-launched in November 2010 the website has grown quickly and will soon be formally launching with 12 other celebrities. It is the official discount partner of Ok! magazine. Kate is very active on Twitter and blogs every week on the goodypass.com and Ok! websites. kate@goodypass.com

---

Laura Tenison MBE: As the founder and Managing Director of JoJo Maman Bébé, Laura has grown the company from its start-up in 1993 to become the UK’s foremost multi-channel specialist in the pregnancy and baby market. The company continues to expand organically via retail & e-commerce. Her business ethos is based on a strong code of ethical business, where people and the planet are ranked higher than bottom line profit. Laura has received many honours and awards, including recently the Veuve Clicquot Business Woman Award 2010 and an Honorary Doctorate of Business.   She is proud that JoJo has won dozens of awards over the years, including recently the Leading Wales Awards – Best Company Award 2010, the Best Children’s Wear Website and the  Best Maternity Lingerie in the 2010 Prima Baby Reader Awards. Laura is married and has two sons, Toby and Ben.  She is a hands-on mother, juggling her children with her career. She divides her time between London, the company’s headquarters in Newport, South Wales and her home in Brittany where the idea for JoJo was first conceived. For more information please visit www.jojomamanbebe.co.uk

---

Beth De Avila – HP EMEA Officejet Brand Manager:  Beth has spent 15 years helping start-ups and small companies choose the right IT for their business. She has worked in many areas across HP, including commercial and consumer sales, supply chain and logistics. Her focus is on providing technology that meets customers’ needs in a highly cost-effective way.

Beth has lived in Florida, California, Arizona, and Colorado and is now based in the UK. During her time at HP, she has worked with clients in Latin America, Asia, Europe and the US. On top of this international experience, she received her MBA from Thunderbird School of Global Management, the US’s leading international business college.

Beth also has first-hand experience of setting up and running a home-based business, having used her know-how to create a company which imports jewellery from Brazil and sells online and through boutiques.

---

Karen Skidmore works with small business owners to show them how to use the right marketing tools to attract the right clients to their business.Back in the summer of 2004, she left an 11 year career with a large recruitment group, became an accredited coach and started up as a self-employed Life Coach. Through CanDoCanBe, she now offers practical, no-nonsense marketing help for small business owners who struggle to attract a constant and consistent flow of clients. She also runs the Web tech Club, a place where you can access a library of information, as well as take part in an exciting, live Web Tech Wednesday sessions.Karen is a mum to 2 children and lives in Surrey. Find out more at www.candocanbe.com
Tel: 01428 607 745 CanDoCanBe

---

Claire O’Connor: Armed with a practical idea, limited business knowledge and a great deal of drive, Claire O’Connor, progressed from running ballet classes for pre-schoolers at her local Brewers Fayre to creating a national franchise, Baby Ballet.  2011 sees the business with over 30 national franchises, providing around 550 classes a week and teaching over 8,000 children while delivering weekly open days at its Halifax headquarters for potential franchisees. Claire has demonstrated innovation and entrepreneurship combined with determination, hard work and a passion to succeed that has seen her dream of providing fun and non-competitive dance classes across the UK realised.  The business model provides women with the opportunity to manage their own business, secure in the knowledge that it’s a trusted brand that will enable them to enjoy high profits while maintaining a healthy work/life balance.

---

Sam Willoughby: Founder and Director of ‘What’s On 4′. What’s On 4 was born 5 years ago when founder, Sam Willoughby’s employer refused to discuss flexible working options after she had her daughter. With one website and an initial investment of just £150, Sam’s company now boasts 5 national websites attracting over 60,000 visitors a month, is franchised both within the UK and internationally and employs a team of busy mums, working flexibly around their families.WO4 has recently expanded to acquire the BabyExpo babyshows and is co-organiser of the BusinessMums Summit. Running her own company has opened up many amazing new experiences for Sam and given her enormous personal satisfaction. She has now won 6 business awards, has launched a mentoring programme for women starting their own companies and is a passionate advocate of flexible working and in supporting women to build their dreams. See www.whatson4.com

---

Wendy Shand is an author, a role model and mentor for women in business and has a growing media presence as an expert on family travel and the holiday lettings industry.  She is regularly called upon to comment on small business issues and is a pioneer in using the internet to achieve a better work/life balance.Her business, multi-award winning Tots to Travel (www.totstotravel.co.uk) gives parents with small children and babies peace of mind and a stress free family holiday experience – from start to finish.

---

Shazia Mustafa of Third Door, winner of  last year’s Businessmums Conference Start Up award.

In 2010 Shazia Mustafa, mum of two under 3’s, launched a new concept in flexible working -Third Door.  The Wandsworth-based company is the first of its kind anywhere in the UK, to provide a workhub and OFSTED registered nursery under one roof.  The simple, yet innovative notion, enables parents across south west London to go to work with their child, use childcare when they need it and network with local, similar minded business parents.

Previously having worked at the BBC and Nokia, it was as an innovator in the field of remote and flexible working, Shazia and Third Door won the Best Start Up at The Business Mums awards and the Lloyds TSB/Heart Local business competition.  This resulted in three weeks of free radio advertising and secured a business loan to allow expansion.   Third Door is now on the hunt for a second location to be opened in 2012, with the areas of Tooting/ Balham and Chiswick/Ealing hot favourites.

---

Lindsey Collumbell, director, Bojangle Communications Ltd www.bojangle.co.uk: Lindsey Collumbell, quite simply, helps get your story in front of the people who need to hear it. She went solo in the spring of 2004 when she started Bojangle Communications and brings the full force of experience from over 20 years of marketing companies big, small and in-between to her clients.  These clients fall into three camps: those who wish to outsource their marketing, those who need training to fill skills gaps, and those who want to be coached along their journey to achieving effective marketing.  Lindsey’s approach leans towards internet-based marketing solutions, but traditional/non-techie tactics are not forgotten. Lindsey is based in Surrey and as mum to a ‘tweenage’ boy she does the usual juggling of running a business with being a chauffeur, cheerleader, playmate etc. and tries to incorporate occasional doses of Sudoku and CSI Miami to keep her sane.

---

Sarah and Zoe of Yummy Lollies, winners of last year’s Businessmums Conference Growing Business award.

Sarah Smith and Zoe Meredith are co-founders of Yummy Lollies Ltd – The Real Fruit Ice Lolly Company based in Sussex. In 2007 the pair came up with the idea of creating a tasty, naturally sweet treat for adults and youngsters when trying to ensure their own families were including enough fruit in their diet. Since its launch 4 years ago Yummy Lollies has rapidly and successfully expanded to become a well known health conscious company throughout the UK. After winning the Best Growing Business Award at the Business Mums Conference in 2010 the company has gone on to win Silver in The Grocer Food & Drink Awards 2011 for ‘Best Frozen Dessert’. Sarah has 2 children and Zoe has 3 children. Find out more at www.yummylollies.com

---

Rachel Boyle: ABC Magazine was ‘born’ in Sussex in 1996 shortly after Rachel Boyle’s first baby. As a first-time mum, Rachel couldn’t believe there was no one source of local information to help parents like herself. Suddenly, she needed to find child-friendly places to go, things to do, shops and services, restaurants and pubs – and in her local area. Fifteen years on, and ABC Sussex is now 176 pages with a print-run of 35,000. Local ABC’s run as franchises are now operating in Sussex, Surrey, Kent, Berkshire, Hertfordshire and Hampshire with a current total print-run of 142,000magazines offering advertisers an opportunity to reach parents and giving parents the information they need.  ABC always has been a local magazine run by local parents for local parents and to support local businesses. Rachel says “When I first became a mum I wanted to do the best for my new baby (and for me!) but struggled to find out how. I found parenting magazines on sale at newsagents gave helpful advice on child-rearing, but they did not provide the essential day-to-day local information on things to do with my new baby – places to go, child-friendly shops, services and venues.” For more information visit www.abcmag.co.uk.

---

Erica Douglas of ACEInspire and Become a Mumpreneur, winner of the BusinessMums Start Up Award.Erica Douglas is an influential blogger and businesswoman. She started blogging in 2006 and since then has become a leading parent blogger travelling to France, Spain and USA to blog for companies like Disney.  Erica is the creator of the groundbreaking Mum Blogger eCourse which has helped over 750 mums start and grow their own blogs.  Following the success of this course she has launched an online training business, ACEInspire, with Antonia Chitty. Together they now help stay at home mums develop their own incomes via the Become a Mumpreneur Course.  In addition to this, their ACEOnlineBusiness Course helps business women use the internet to market their business more effectively.  In total, with her business partner Antonia, Erica has helped over 1500 women with their blogging and online marketing since they launched in June 2010.  www.aceinspire.com

---

Martin Gower-Smith CITA: Martin is a Certified International Trade Adviser (CITA) specialising in Brazil, sports & leisure infrastructure and website internationalisation.

He has worked in both the financial and leisure sectors before starting his own ICT business focusing on training and website development working with clients in the UK and abroad; liaising between companies and British Embassies, Consulates and High Commissions globally as they implement their international business strategies; and diagnosing customer need and readiness for international trade.  Martin is also a UKTI South East lead ITA working on projects such as the first UK Olympic focused mission to Brazil in March 2010.

---

Amy Taylor BSc (Hons), ACA, provides essential tax planning and accounting advice to help her clients save money through legitimate tax planning opportunities.  She specialises in helping Mums in Business, and writes blogs aimed at helping understand tax and accounts, without jargon.  .  Amy is a very keen user of Twitter (as @amyaccountant) According to website wefollow.com, Amy is the most influential female accountant in the UK (correct at time of going to press).

Amy is a chartered accountant who qualified with first time exam passes 1998.  She worked for Big 4 accountant, Deloitte in auditing and forensic accounting, before moving into a FTSE 350 media company to manage financial analysis and project work.  She set up her own independent business providing accounting, book-keeping and taxation services in 2008.  She has two small children, aged 7 and 3, and works from her home in Bedfordshire, serving clients across the UK.

---

David Getty has been a Solicitor since 1988 and has specialised in Intellectual Property for 20 years. During this time he has represented an international rock musician, the world’s leading computer games company, numerous fashion industry clients, a Formula 1 racing driver, and a Sussex company in a successful trade mark dispute with Mercedes. He is Head of Commercial Law Services at Sussex law firm Gaby Hardwicke, having previously been a Senior Associate in the City in the Intellectual Property department of a leading international law firm. Away from the office he lives in Bexhill with his wife Margaret and their 4 children, plays trumpet in a swing band, and is a Trustee of the De La Warr Pavilion.

---

Penina Shepherd, a Commercial Solicitor, founder and the MD of ACUMEN BUSINESS LAW, will be sharing her business experience in the session ‘Key Start Up Mistakes and How to Avoid Them’. The revolutionary vision and business model of Acumen Business Law set up by Penina Shepherd have been remarkably successful as evidenced in the phenomenal growth of her business and the range of clients. From starting on her own just less than three years ago, ACUMEN BUSINESS LAW was listed in the Financial Times’ Top 50 Groundbreaking & Innovative Law Firms in the UK and Europe! It was voted a UK Rising Star by the Observer. It was shortlisted on three categories for the Sussex Business Awards and won the Brighton & Hove Business Awards. The firm has doubled in turnover and profitability during the toughest economic climate and has two offices in Sussex. Penina was nominated for Gatwick Diamond Business Person of the Year 2011, Sussex Business Person of the Year 2010 and for the Director of the Year for London & the South East by the Institute of Directors.

---

Laura Murphy is an organisational development specialist and executive coach with over 20 years experience.  She is a Member of the Association for Coaching and the Chartered Management Institute, the Association of Business Psychologists (Affiliate) and Associate of the Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development.  Laura set up her business 8 years ago and has a diverse client base ranging from SMEs to national charities and central government.    She has an MBA, is a qualified FE tutor and has written a number of articles, reports and briefing notes for industry and in-house publications.  Laura has a regular weekly business advice column for the Eastbourne Herald and she is currently researching for her book on Inspirational Leadership.

---

---

---