Caught up in the daily hustle and bustle of operations, it’s not often that you get the chance to share the reality of being a business owner with like-minded people.
Last week however, Sarah Smith, Chief People Officer at StrategiQ, had the privilege of doing just that, thanks to Suffolk Director Magazine’s inaugural gathering of business owners.
Inspiring ways to run a better business, from people who live it every day.
The event, themed around Helping To Run Your Business Better, was held at the University of Suffolk, and featured keynote speeches from Minnie Moll alongside brand entrepreneur and Suffolk organic farmer, William Kendall. These inspirational moments were followed by a lively Q&A panel which got everyone engaged in the topics of the day.
“What I loved most about the event wasn’t only the opportunity to meet old faces and say hello to new ones (although that was obviously lovely). It was the ability to share knowledge and experiences with people in a similar position”. Sarah Smith, StrategiQ
Despite hailing from a whole range of business backgrounds, it was reassuring to know that the issues keeping me awake are the same for everyone. One thing that particularly resonated with me was the issue of talent and retention.
What’s keeping business owners up at night?
As a CPO for a large marketing agency, getting the right people into the right roles is key to driving our success. Talking with others, it became clear that as business owners, we have a big responsibility to play in helping people grow in their careers. Getting the culture right is vital. We can’t just blame a ‘talent shortage.’
That was just one of the many topics that we covered, with brilliant questions coming from so many business leaders in the room.
Thank you to Ellisons Solicitors, Paddy and Scotts, The University of Suffolk, Pound Gates and Ensors Chartered Accountants for their sponsorship of the event, and of course, big congratulations to Suffolk Director Magazine owner and publisher Sue for pulling this off.
I also managed to grab a quote from Sue, who says…
“What we had in the room was a mix of high achieving business people who don’t see themselves as business people. We’re delighted with the feedback, which has been overwhelmingly positive.
We’ve managed to create a unique insight into the business community here in Suffolk and we’re excited to see where we can grow the opportunities for the benefit of everyone.” Sue Wilcock, Suffolk Director Magazine
I couldn’t agree more. Thank you Sue and the Suffolk Director team, we look forward to seeing you at the next event!
Credit: Warren Page / Pagepix