Panel Event: Secrets to Growth and Survival

From navigating complex market dynamics, to driving innovation and strategic decision-making, in today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, achieving sustainable growth is more challenging and critical than ever before.

To shed light on achieving sustainable growth, we’ve invited three accomplished entrepreneurs – Jonny Grubin (founder, SoPost), Sam Spoors (founder, Talentheads) and Matt Mavir (founder, Last Night of Freedom) – to share their honest insights and experiences on how they navigated scaling up, the funding paths they chose and the advice they’d offer to those facing similar challenges.

This event brings you exclusive peer-to-peer insights you won't hear anywhere else.

Our panel will discuss:

• Winning strategies for growth
  Hear honest accounts of the strategies that worked (and some that didn't) to help grow their businesses
• Building resilience
  Discover how our entrepreneurs have built resilience over their business journeys, what knockbacks have tested their reserves and what advice they can share to help you
• Funding growth
  Understand how each business has been financed and the rationale behind their decisions
  
  

It's not just about listening and learning — this event is also about connecting. By attending, you’ll have the chance to forge meaningful relationships with other Forum members while enjoying breakfast at SIX, the Baltic’s stunning rooftop restaurant.

If you're ready to expand your horizons, exchange ideas and gain valuable insights, then save the date and join us at this upcoming panel discussion!

About Our Panellists

Jonny Grubin, SoPost

Jonny Grubin is founder and CEO of SoPost, the leading product sampling platform that powers physical trial experiences for hundreds of brands and retailers. Founded in 2012, SoPost now has a team of 70 people located at its headquarters in Newcastle and commercial offices in London, the U.S., France, Germany and Australia. The company is regularly recognised as one of the UK's fastest growing companies and received the Queen's Award for Enterprise in International Trade, in recognition of the team's global expansion.

Sam Spoors, Talentheads

Sam Spoors is an entrepreneurial, proactive, and professional business leader with a rich background in people development, talent acquisition, business strategy and growth; and a passion for fostering valuable community connections and driving change. 

As Founder and Managing Director of Talentheads, Sam has experience of building high performing teams both within her own multi-site business, and the local businesses that she is in partnership with.  A thought leader within the talent sector, Sam is driven by a passion for her local community, participating and leading local business networking opportunities, and creating a legacy through her industry disrupting business model, where people are “More Than A Number” and the right values fit is paramount.  Sam was hugely honoured to be named the North East Chamber of Commerce Entrepreneur of the Year 2023 and is also a Global 100 2024 Women in Leadership Winner.

Matt Mavir, Last Night of Freedom

Matt founded Last Night of Freedom in 1999 in Newcastle while at university. Fast forward 25 years and Last Night of Freedom has since grown into one of Britain's biggest stag and hen party providers, having organised over 50,000 trips and fulfilled over 350,000 accessories orders. LNOF now operate from their own 15,000 square foot office and warehouse and employ 30 staff with over 200 years industry experience between them. As of 2024, Matt’s new venture is www.equipped.co.uk, a brand-new business, operating alongside Last Night of Freedom. equipped specialises in custom-printed clothing. It’s an exciting scale-up journey just waiting to happen all over again!

The Small Print

Panel discussions are open to all members and partners of the Forum. Two guest places are available to ‘Ultimate’ and ‘Premium’ members. Please note guests must be from your own company.

If you are a ‘Core’ member and would like to upgrade your membership, or find out more, please email info@entrepreneursforum.net or call one of the team on 0191 500 7780.