Start-up Saturday

Are you an aspiring entrepreneur or startup enthusiast looking to accelerate your business idea? Northern Reach’s Startup Saturday - Event is your chance to gain hands-on experience, expert guidance, and build your network in a one-day startup sprint!

What to Expect:

This immersive day will provide a comprehensive foundation for launching and scaling a business, focusing on key aspects from goal-setting to go-to-market strategies. Whether you're in the early stages of your venture or refining your business model, this event is designed to help you move forward with confidence and clarity. And best of all, it’s free to attend!

As well as invaluable advice from Start-Up Experts, we’ll also have a hands-on business Coach to help you set clear goals and explain how to put them into practice. And as if all that wasn’t enough, we’ll also have Mini Masterclasses from successful Entrepreneurs that have been there, done that and got the t-shirt! So you can see how all the hard work can pay off!

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Why Attend?

· Hands-On Learning: Get direct support and feedback to refine your business idea.

· Expert Advice: Learn from industry professionals and startup experts

· Networking: Connect with like-minded individuals at the same stage of the business journey

· Actionable Takeaways: Walk away with a solid plan for your next steps in business and a clear path forward.

Don't miss this unique opportunity to gain the skills and confidence to launch and scale your startup. Secure your spot today and take the first step toward building your business!

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Event Agenda

9:00 AM – 9:30 AM Breakfast & Registration

· Light breakfast and informal networking

· Registration and gathering for introductions

9:30 AM – 9:45 AM Welcome & Overview

· Introductions and event objectives

· Brief outline of the day’s schedule and expectations

9:45 AM – 10:30 AM Vision & Goals Setting

· Defining a clear vision and setting impactful goals using the Wheel of Life

10:30 AM – 11:00 AM Entrepreneur Masterclass

11:00 AM – 11:15 AM Break

11:15 AM – 12:00 PM Part 1: Basics

· Essentials: Companies House, bank accounts, financial basics, and startup compliance

12:00 PM – 12:45 PM Part 2: Customer Mindset

· Define your Ideal Customer Profiles (ICP)

· Develop your Value Proposition: How will you solve customer pain points?

12:45 PM – 1:45 PM Lunch Break

1:45: PM – 2:15 PM Putting your Vision into Action

· Clarifying Your Vision and reviewing your 'Wheel of Life'

2:15 PM – 3:00 PM Entrepreneur Masterclass

3:00 PM – 3:45 PM Part 3: Business & Technology

· Using technology to address customer needs

· Scoping your MVP: Key features and functionality for a Minimum Viable Product

· Decide on Build vs. Buy for tech solutions

3:45 PM - 4:15 PM Break

4:15 PM - 5:00 PM
Part 4: Go-to-Market Strategy

· Overview of sales processes and channel strategy

· Selecting the best channels and methods for reaching your audience

· Networking essentials: Building and utilizing your professional network

5:00 PM – 5:30 PM Entrepreneur Masterclass

5:30 PM – 6:15 PM Feedback & Presentations

· Present plans to the group

· Receive constructive feedback and insights

6:15 PM – 7:00 PM Wrap Up & Networking

· Summary of key learnings

· Closing remarks

· Informal networking session

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Event Facilitators

Chimera for Startups

When you’re in the early stages of building a business it can feel like a long hard slog. Lots of noise around unicorns, funding and pitch decks (🤢) and not enough good old-fashioned focus on the things that get you there. The experts at Chimera have 30+ years of collective experience building startups and working with over 50 founders to date, so they know the well trodden path you need to take to get your business going.

Nyree Trimbel

Always found shouting the ‘c’ word, Nyree is customer obsessed and will happily tell you why you need to be too. With a marketing career spanning 20 years across various sectors including travel, law, education and tech she’s spent the last four years advising startups from inception through to Series A, helping you build practical achievable marketing strategies that deliver growth and connect you with your audience.

James Brookes

With over a decade working in tech, the majority of that with startups, James has the experience, acumen and insight to support early-stage founders as their ‘Startup Wingman’, helping get their venture off the ground. With a focus on product, process and pizza – the Chimera community events have the best – James has the relevant experience, skillset and passion to help innovative founders establish their problem-solution-market fit. He steers them to launch not just their Minimum Viable Product, but their Minimum Viable Business, with a bootstrapping mindset, then provides ongoing support to deliver the growth plan.

Amanda Robinson, Health Steps

As a passionate advocate for lasting health and wellness, Amanda brings her own story of overcoming burnout after a 26-year long career in tech. Through personalised health coaching, cancer coaching and corporate well-being programmes, Amanda has helped countless individuals and businesses unlock their full potential. She believes in the transformative power of health coaching to drive change in individual lives and public health. 

In her highly interactive session and using the Wheel of Life coaching tool, Amanda will help you assess key areas of your life – like health, family, work, and personal health goals – and discover where balance is most needed. Through a focus of holistic health, you’ll walk away with clear, actionable goals designed to help you thrive both personally and professionally.

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Entrepreneur Masters

Tom Crawley, Software Consultant, Neon Mountain

After 25 years in the software development game, Tom has seen it all. Starting out as a Delphi developer in the late 90s, Tom moved quickly through various technologies and businesses until he decided to give up the permanent game for the contractor life. Forming Marimosa in 2011 as a vehicle for contract work, Tom ended up building the business into a B2B software agency with a team of developers, marketing and admin. Marimosa would go on to build software across a range of industries from construction through logistics and customs to gaming! Tom has covered a lot of ground. Having sold the assets of Marimosa in 2023, Tom is building a unique product to bring to market in 2024 as well as helping businesses with their software and technology via his new business, Neon Mountain.

Known for his questionable taste in shirts, love for ridiculously spicy food and expensive guitars, Tom loves to talk about the lessons he has learned over the years in his journey to today.