ASCENT

Support for small businesses, serious about growth.

Every business moves through stages. Start-up brings early traction. Early growth brings momentum and proof. But reaching towards revenues of £250k and achieving sustainable growth creates a different challenge. You’re employing people. You’re making decisions that carry weight. At this stage, the value of learning from others who’ve been there becomes clear.

ASCENT brings ambitious North East founders closer to those who have already navigated this transition. It gives you access to entrepreneurs who’ve already built and scaled serious businesses. It’s not about theory or consultant-led workshops. It’s founders, sharing hindsight and lessons hard-earned.

What makes ASCENT different

ASCENT gives you time with entrepreneurs who have built substantial businesses. Founders who are willing to speak candidly about what they wish they had known earlier, and how they now think and make decisions.

Through direct 1-to-1 mentoring and exposure to the wider Entrepreneurs’ Forum community, ASCENT gives you access to experience. It creates an opportunity for you to learn from those who are further on in their journey.

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ASCENT exists because Entrepreneurs’ Forum members want to support ambitious founders earlier in their journey. Having built and scaled businesses themselves, they know how valuable an honest perspective and encouragement can be at this stage and offer their time and experience altruistically.

The Entrepreneurs’ Forum exists to strengthen entrepreneurship across the North East. ASCENT creates proximity for early stage founders who are building serious businesses and those who have already navigated the path to scale.

Elaine Stroud, CEO of the Entrepreneurs' Forum

ASCENT is for founders:

Serious about growing beyond lifestyle.
Based in North East England.
Already employing people, other than themselves, or actively preparing to.
Likely to have turnover of > £100k already.
Less than £250k of turnover (as those with >£250k can join the Forum).

ASCENT is not open to:

  • Sole traders.
  • Consultants.
  • Business coaches.
  • Freelance or fractional service providers.

How ASCENT works

ASCENT allows you to tap into the knowledge of some of the most successful entrepreneurs in the North East. Rooted in the principle of entrepreneurs helping entrepreneurs, it combines insightful events with direct access to experienced founders who have built and led businesses through scale.

Founder Events

Quarterly gatherings of like-minded founders, built around candid conversations with Forum members.
Practical, honest, and grounded, these fireside chat style events are guided by real experience.
Join the Entrepreneurs’ Forum Annual Conference (usually reserved exclusively for members: discover more)
Get involved in the Entrepreneurial Awards.

Mentor Match

  • Every ASCENT founder is offered a mentor match with an experienced Entrepreneurs’ Forum member.
  • This is 1-to-1 support.
  • Direct access to someone who has built and scaled a business.
  • A sounding board and someone to challenge you.
  • For many founders, this becomes the most valuable part of ASCENT.

Peer-to-Peer Groups

  • Between events, you will be invited to informal check-ins with your peers.
  • These conversations will maintain momentum.
  • With peer-to-peer accountability and challenge, they will ensure insight turns into action.

What success looks like

ASCENT is designed for founders of businesses that intend to grow. Over time, founders should see their business becoming more deliberate and more structured. Revenue will be growing with greater clarity, leadership capability strengthening, hiring decisions made with intent, and strategy guiding action rather than reacting to it. The aim is to build a stronger foundation for sustainable, long-term growth.

Your investment

ASCENT is £295 +VAT per year, with the option to add access to the Entrepreneurs’ Forum Annual Conference on 13 May 2026 at the discounted price of £100 +VAT. Tickets for the North East Entrepreneurial Awards will be available later in the year.

Places are intentionally limited to protect the quality of conversation and the strength of connection within the room.

Ready to step closer to scale?

If you are serious about building a business and ready to accelerate your growth, ASCENT may be right for you.

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Have any questions?
Please send them to michael@entrepreneursforum.net or call 0191 500 7780.