Make It Your Business Tunbridge Wells

Make It Your Business – Tunbridge Wells brings together real women with real stories to inspire, connect, and empower female founders and future entrepreneurs.Hosted by Debbie Waite, Founder ofStronger Inside and Out,each event features honest conversations with hand-selected women in business, sharing lessons, laughter, and the truth behind success.Our events are FREE, welcoming, and full of heart,  because powerful, life-changing conversations should be available to everyone.

Make It Your Business

A fantastic opportunity to meet inspirational local female entrepreneurs, with a Q and A session to inspire ideas for your own business!

The Finance Hub

A fantastic opportunity to meet local female entrepreneurs for the inspiration, ideas and support to start or grow your business from whatever stage you are at, with a rare chance to ask them questions and get honest feedback! This Make It Your Business Event is hosted and organised by local businesswoman, Siobhan Stirling, Director of the Sharpminds Agency in Tunbridge Wells and features Jo James, CEO Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce.We're planning a great event and a chance to build connections with other like-minded women both locally and further afield.We look forward to meeting you!The event is at The Finance Hub, at the end of The Pantiles: Unit B, The Potteries, Linden Park Rd, Tunbridge Wells TN2 5QFThis is a new building and an alternative Postcode is TN2 5TW which is for The Grey Lady, and the venue is just down from them. Tea and coffee will be served.Venue and ParkingCar Parks near The Finance HubThe Pantiles Car Park Major York's Rd, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Tunbridge Wells TN2 5TP (One of the closest) Upper Pantiles, Tunbridge Wells 43O1Upper Pantiles, Major York’s Road, Tunbridge Wells, TN2 5TP(5-minute Walk to us) Linden Park Road Car Park Tunbridge WellsSussex Mews, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Tunbridge Wells TN2 5SJ (One of the closest)

KEYNOTE SPEAKER–JO JAMES, OBE, Chief Executive and Director at Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce.

Jo has worked in the businesses to business environment for over 35 years in a variety of roles but has been specifically working at the interface between the public, private and education sectors since 2008. Having worked for Kent Invicta Chamber for many years, Jo became the Chief Executive in 2008 and since that time she has established the Chamber as the leading support organisation within the County with a diverse range of services to satisfy the needs of the Kent business community. The Chamber has grown significantly over this time to become one of the largest and most active Chambers in the South East. Jo is responsible for the two offices that the Chamber has within Kent which employs 30 staff.Jo is a Director of theSouth East Local Enterprise Partnership, Vice-Chair of the Kent &amp; Medway Economic Partnership and the Kent &amp; Medway Business Advisory Board.Having previously received the Outstanding Contribution to the Business Community at the Kent Excellence in Business Awards (KEIBAs), in 2019 Jo was awarded an Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the Queen’s Honours List for her services to the Kent economy.

MIYB TW CHAMPION SIOBHAN STIRLING

Siobhan Stirling is the founder and director of Sharp Minds Communications, a multi-award-winning marketing and PR agency based in Tunbridge Wellswhich has just celebrated its tenth birthday. Sharp Minds’ why is: “Creating opportunities –for our clients, our staff and our community”. Siobhan has a strong commitment to providing career opportunities for working parents and young people, having successfully nurtured four apprentices. Sharp Minds also proactively supports a number of charities and start-ups. Previously a journalist, Siobhan spent nearly 20 years with the BBC as a reporter, presenter and producer on radio and TV,as well as writing for national newspapers and magazines. She is also a published author, with her book “Sleep–helping your child to sleep through the night” published in several languages.

Gillian is a serial entrepreneurand pioneer. The founder of Lending Made Simple, which specialises in business loans, she has started a revolution in financial services withthe creation of The Finance Hub, which uniquely brings together all the experts that businesses and individuals need to sort their finances under one roof. The Finance Hub launched in a fanfare of publicity in Tunbridge Wells this March, showcasing Gillian’s personal investment and drive to make it a success and provide the blueprint for a network of Finance Hubs around the country. Previously, Gillian was headhunted by Xerox to develop the brand in her native Ireland, growing her concessionaire into a multi-million-Euro turnover business. The life and soul of everyparty, it’s perhaps not surprising to learn that Gillian has also been a publican, turning a rural haunt into a go-to destination.

Victoria co-leads CooperBurnett alongside Joseph Oates. She joined the firm in 1996 as a trainee, qualified as a solicitor two years later and became a partner in 2001. She is a member of CooperBurnett’s Management Board, head of Corporate and Commercial Services and a partner in the firm’s Corporate and Commercial team, advising on all aspects of corporate and commercial law, including mergers and acquisitions.Victoria works with shareholders, directors and partners in respect of all types of commercial contracts and regularly acts for banks and financial institutions in perfecting security, as well as advising them on corporate finance matters.She has been President of West Kent Chamber of Commerce and Industry on two occasions and is a previous President of Tunbridge Wells, Tonbridge &amp; District Law Society. In 2020, she co-founded enTWine, the business forum for Tunbridge Wells.

Jess Gibson, founder of the TN card.

Jess launched the TN card in February 2020 as a means of encouraging our Tunbridge Wells and Tonbridge communities to return to the High Street.The loyalty scheme now supports over 600 independent businesses from Tunbridge Wells to Sevenoaks, and has raised £12K for mental health charity West Kent Mind. This March the TN card went digital with an iOS and Android app, thanks in part to funding from LoCASE and South East Business Boost.Jess won the title Entrepreneur of the Year at the Kent Women in Business Awards 2022 and Start Up Business of the Year at the Times of Tunbridge Wells Business Awards 2022.Jess has a marketing and events background, and worked as a freelance social media manager and parent blogger prior to launching the TN card. She is married with four young sons and lives in Leigh.

Maddy Bishop –Green Planet Paper

Maddy is a lockdown entrepreneur, using the unexpected time at home to pursue her dream to launchher sustainable stationery shop. With nearly a decade’s experience in the commercial stationery sector, she is combining her passion for the environment with her industry knowledge, Like many start-ups, Maddy juggles running her business with her day job; a real turning point came when she was able to reduce her salaried hours, and she is working towards her goal of being able to work full time on Green Planet Paper.

We look forward to seeing you at the event!Venue and ParkingThe event is at The Finance Hub, at the end of The Pantiles: Unit B, The Potteries, Linden Park Rd, Tunbridge Wells TN2 5QFThis is a new building and an alternative Postcode is TN2 5TW which is for The Grey Lady, and the venue is just down from them. Car Parks near The Finance HubThe Pantiles Car Park Major York's Rd, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Tunbridge Wells TN2 5TP (One of the closest) Upper Pantiles, Tunbridge Wells 43O1Upper Pantiles, Major York’s Road, Tunbridge Wells, TN2 5TP(5-minute Walk to us) Linden Park Road Car Park Tunbridge WellsSussex Mews, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Tunbridge Wells TN2 5SJ (One of the closest)

Make It Your Business Tunbridge Wells

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