Hello! Who Am I?
I’m a business consultant, non-executive director, lecturer and public speaker who’s excited by and loves sharing ways that creativity and new technology can help businesses succeed.
With a technology background and over 30 years of experience starting and growing businesses, I bring a practical “been there, done that” approach aligned with academic integrity.
A Teaching Fellow at Coventry University since 2016, I lecture on entrepreneurship, innovation and marketing. I also deliver programs to business owners and leaders on behalf of the University, including “Made Smarter: Leading Change in Digital Transformation” (for the manufacturing sector) and “Help to Grow” aimed at high-growth SMEs.
I’m the founder and director of a digital marketing agency and a non-executive director of several SMEs, including FSB, Federation of Small Businesses, where I also serve as Deputy Chair of UK Policy and leads on Net Zero, regularly meeting with leading decision makers to develop policy solutions to create a better environment for SMEs to thrive as well as a regular on regional and national media as a spokesperson for small businesses.
Outside of work I’m a keen runner, cyclist and adventurer and an advocate of active travel, you can find out more on that side of my life and the adventures I enjoy with my two children on our “A Little Adventure” blog and YouTube channel.
I received an MBE in 2017 in recognition of services to the economy and community.
Why this blog?
It’s my musings on experience in all aspects of my life, from business leadership to wild camping and cycling with children.
Hope you find it interesting and I would love it if it inspired a reader to start a business, get more active or go on an adventure.
The big cycling challenge
As I've got steadily less and less fit over the last ten years, I decided I needed to set myself a big challenge and I roped my Dad in to. We're going to cycle round the North coast of Scotland, from Gairloch to Cape Wrath to John O Groats to Strathpeffer. Exact...