Luke Szyrmer has managed or participated in remote only knowledge work teams for almost a decade. Most recently, he lead a program of approximately 30 distributed across 13 time zones and 8 different locations.

Over the last 9 years, Luke has led teams building software, running marketing and sales, and launched a bestselling book. Remotely. In many cases, with people he never met or spoke to in person.

Now that everyone has been t...

Ian & friends share their thoughts on 2020, the Christmas holidays and the coming year ahead.

Speakers include;

Ian Farrar - 201 Goals

Shawn Anderson - #ReluctantStoryteller

Ted Rubin - The Straight Talker

Simon Raybould - #ReluctantStoryteller

Tony Robinson OBE - How to Play Okey Pokey

Gillian Fortune - The Stress Buster

R Michael Anderson - Leading in the Next Normal

Pascal Fintoni - The Power of Conversation

Nicola Jayne L...

Sue Balfour is CEO of Katy Sue Designs Ltd which designs, manufactures and retails its own unique range of products for the arts and crafts and cake decorating markets.

The company’s manufacturing and HQ is in South Shields but it also has a subsidiary company in USA. Katy Sue exports to over 50 countries and supplies key retailers such as Lakeland, Amazon and shopping TV as well as direct to consumers via its own websites.

Sue is ...

Carl Buckley is the MD at Urban River, a branding and digital marketing/website agency in Northern England, an experienced Marketeer, School governor, Business mentor and Non exec - "helping businesses to market themselves better" and to avoid doing the wrong thing really well.

No fluff, just a straight talking listener with over 30 years business and 18 years marketing experience helping businesses to understand how they c...

Growing up in the Lake District, Steve relentlessly pursued a career in adventure sports. A former professional national team skier, ski coach and an accomplished professional paraglider pilot - he lived in the Alps for over 10 years which saw him develop an anglo/french adventure sports school which covered snowsports, paragliding and climbing. His career subsequently took him to Scandinavia for 4 years where he worked in publishi...

Kate Baucherel is a speaker, writer and digital strategist specialising in the application of emerging technologies, with a focus on the use of blockchain and cryptocurrency. She is the author of several books including Blockchain Hurricane: Origins, Applications and Future of Blockchain and Cryptocurrency (BEP 2020) and the SimCavalier series of cybercrime scifi thrillers. Purchase Kate's new book: Tangled Fortunes on Amazon!

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Russell has enjoyed the benefits of a highly successful international career in the technology sector and now focuses his efforts on supporting owners and boards of companies to devise and implement growth strategies to create shareholder value. In his earlier career he has held board leadership positions with International companies achieving turnover more than £200m.

Core areas of focus are Leadership, Innovation, Entrepreneurs...

Anneka Hicks is the founder of ExcludedUK, a grassroots non-profit organisation committed to providing personal, business and career support to those facing hardship as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. Anneka is an experienced marketer, strategist, and technologist with a deep routed passion for helping small businesses, independents, and entrepreneurs realise their growth potential and succeed in meeting and exceeding their goal...

Dave Lee is co-founder of International Podcast Day, a true international celebration of the power of podcasts. Since 2014, Dave has organized and featured hundreds of podcasters from around the world during an annual live stream celebration and event. He works with international podcasters to help amplify their voices, messages, events, and communities.

Dave has presented at PodFest, Podthon, The Sunshine Summit, and various sma...

Tony Robinson OBE is the Micro Business Champion, multiple business owner, #PayIn30Days Campaigner, Ambassador for 3 Million #ExcludedUK, Co-Founder of #MicroBizMatters Day and Movement, Founder of the SFEDI Group, Chair of Yorkshire in Business Limited and Patron of the John Cracknell Youth Enterprise Bank.

Tony has been awarded an OBE for services to small firms and two Lifetime Achievement Awards for Enterprise. He is currentl...

Elise grew up in Newcastle and moved away in 1999 to study Chemistry at Oxford. She then worked in London a big four accountancy firm in corporate finance (where she met her husband Nick, who is from Gosport in Hampshire) whilst there she did a couple of wine related qualifications at the WSET but was always drawn to winemaking (and its chemistry!). After their first son Max was born, she quit her job and studied a PGDip at Plumpto...

Dr Russell Thackeray works with leaders and their organisations to achieve enhanced performance and results.  By aligning culture, leadership and people, he can spark, design and embed change that creates organisational resilience. The result is a reduction of personal 'drama' and an increase in mental and emotional personal resilience. Improvement and accountability of process, relationships, finances and systems is achiev...

Phil entered the world of business at the tender age of 14. With nothing more than a bucket and sponge, he went from single-handedly washing cars at weekends to hiring a fleet of friends working on his behalf, resulting in him earning more than his teachers by the time he was 15.

He took everything he had learnt about leadership, sales and business growth from his previous roles, and created a one-day workshop, where he trained ove...

Jeni is passionate about connecting people. When people come together powerful things happen: relationships are built, knowledge is shared and sparks of innovation are fired. With fourteen years’ experience in the networking industry, Jeni now teaches networking skills and creates networking strategies to help people come together and build effective, long-term relationships. During her careers she has won a number of awards in ent...

John Mew is a military veteran, Ex forces PTI and Field Gunner who was on HMS Coventry 38 Years ago when she was bombed and sank in 20 min.  An advocate for mental health and a dedicated fundraiser. 

John is joined by his friend Polly Brennan, founder of Adventurous Coaching & creator of The Mental Fitness Kitbag™ Model.  Polly teaches strategies to strengthen mental health & wellbeing.

Ian, Polly & John talk about;

Saray Khumalo is an award-winning mountaineer, the first black African woman to Summit Everest and ski to the South Pole. She has over 18 years’ experience as a business executive in eCommerce within the financial services industry. She is the founder of #Summitswithapurpose an initiative which she has used to raise over R1.8 million towards literacy and education.

Saray is a motivational speaker and transformational coach who us...

Tim spent over 30 years in the Royal Marines, leaving in 2013 as a Major General. During his career in uniform, he led marines on operations in Northern Ireland, The Falkland Islands, West Africa, The Balkans, Afghanistan and Iraq as well as on peacekeeping duties under a UN mandate and was recognised twice for his leadership, being made an MBE in 1995 and OBE in 2003. He also fulfilled appointments in policy and operational requir...

Covid-19 is an existential threat to Britain’s theatres.
They must survive with little to no income until audiences return.

The Customs House was established in 1848 in South Shields
The building comprises a theatre of 441 seats, a 145 seat studio, a gallery, a restaurant, a bar, a box-office and a community room that holds 100 people. 

Ian talks to the Executive Director Ray Spencer and they cover;