Connect Over A Cuppa

Organised by North Yorkshire Council, and supported by their Growth Managers, these free monthly sessions spark new ideas, opportunities for collaboration with other like minded companies, and highlight opportunities for funding support and new business opportunities.

With a key theme every month and guest experts, ranging from Marketing and Sales, through to Managing Team Performance, Strategy, Improving IT, AI, Legal and Finance, we cover the business issues that matter most.

At every session, delegates also have the chance to meet our Harrogate based Growth Manager, Michael Reynolds, to discuss any funding or learning support.

Monthly - every third Thursday;

2024 - Next Events

19th December - will introduce Paul Cogan, Collaborative CEO, from Bettys & Taylors Group. It's hard to live in Yorkshire... and not be aware of Bettys! Whether it's a Fat Rascal or afternoon tea, it's an institution. But there's a lot more to this company than meets the eye. Hear about their approach to growing and maintaining their brand, how they manage quality, recruiting/training and retaining amazing teams, and their approach to sustainable supply chains. Oh... and why they have 4 CEO's!

On the theme of supply chain & sustainability, we've also got an optional 30 minute session afterwards (11.30am to 12) , welcoming Harvey Radcliffe from Carbonmark, who's going to tell us 'why carbon matters,' and highlight the raft of opportunities available if we manage carbon more effectively!

16th January - SPECIALLY EXTENDED SESSSION. 9.00 for 9.30am start, with a 12.00 finish. our first Connect event in 2025 brings us a special session on Curiosity, Connection, Inspiration, then Growth. Award winner, Valentina Hynes, will be talking us through the power of thinking differently... and the impact it can have on our business, how we see opportunities, and ourselves. Expect a good bit of left-field thinking.

20th February - Although we’ve had a wide range of companies sharing their business journeys at Connect, this will be a first in terms of machinery and transport manufacturing.

Damian Walsh, Chief Commercial officer at WRAITH Defence, will be giving us an overview of the challenges involved with the design, manufacture and assembly of advanced tactical and armoured vehicles for the defence and law enforcement industries.

This kind of manufacturing brings a whole set of challenges, from supply chain management, through to quality systems, exporting, skills recruitment, and the ever changing world of defence, and adapting products to suit different threats.

Damian will talk us through these challenges and more, shedding a light on what it takes to be a quality UK manufacturer on the global stage.

20th March -Just how do ideas turn into action? Whether it's that amazing innovative product/service idea, a new business start up, or solving a problem... and creating your own charity or social enterprise.

This month, we've got 4 amazing speakers, all with a different story to tell about how they turned their ideas in action, and the lessons they learned along the way.

It's a great opportunity to hear first hand about how people have tapped into their skills, supporters and turned ideas into reality. Expect technology, insights into funding, leadership, innovation and creativity.

17th April - “Leading Beyond Sustainability – six aspirations for a brighter future.”

Join us for a fascinating session and book launch on the subject of Purposeful Leadership, with Clive Wilson, a Coach with Primeast in Harrogate.

We have reached a point where people are largely numb to the ever-present news of threat after threat, challenge after challenge. But many people are ready to welcome some good news and inspiration. It’s time for leaders to tell a different story, beyond sustainability.

The key question: Are you and your organisation playing your most significant part in an exciting journey to a radically brighter future? And are you and other leaders telling that story with enthusiasm?

Expect some great questions, insights, and ideas to energise your business and leadership.

2024 - Past Events

16th May - what's holding your business back? A deep dive into the key steps needed to achieve business success.

20th June - general networking. A quick insight into exports. What are you focusing on right now?

18th July - creating compelling copy for your business. A session focus on how do you create words with impact for your social media, websites, brochures or presentations?

22nd August - extra summer session. Need help solving your business challenges, or to focus on opportunities? This peer style session gives you the chance to chat with other business owners, gaining valuable insights and solutions.

19th September - we're delighted to welcome via ZOOM Kim Moraes, Head of Brand for Plenish Drinks, part of the Britvic Group. Kim is going to be sharing his thoughts on the power of brand, and growing a small business in a competitive marketplace.

17th October - will see us welcoming Yorkshire based, The Soundproofing Store, and hearing about their growth journey, from a small 1 person business to the UK's leading sound proofing expert. A really interesting story about: e-commerce, focusing on core strengths, working with suppliers and colleagues and knowing your business KPIs amongst many other things. 9.30am to 11.00am. Doors open 9.00am for early coffee.

Building on our last Peer event in August, we're also adding an extra option to our October event. From 11.30am to 1pm, we will be inviting companies to meet, share their challenges, and solve problems... in a Peer style board setting.

14th November - welcomes Chris Black, MD of Leeds based Sound Leisure. Chris, who is also President of Leeds Chamber of Commerce, is going to take us on a fascinating journey into the world of music, or more importantly jukeboxes... manufactured in Yorkshire since 1978. Not just a story about UK manufacturing, it's a journey of innovation, resilience, leadership, exporting, expanding into new markets and more.

‘Connect Over a Cuppa’ is free to attend for companies based in North Yorkshire.

Simply register your place using Eventbrite. Confirmation details of the session will then be sent via email.

After every session, you can contact any of our support specialists for more in-depth advice and help.

Previous topics have included:

• Strategic Business Growth
• New Business? Sourcing new clients. Growing existing & Bid writing. How to find it and win it.
• Chat GPT and your business
• The Innovation Challenge - Part 1 & Part 2
• Grow your business locally
• Skills gaps: mapping your skills needs, recruitment, training and how to address it.

If you have any questions or would like further information, please contact [email protected]

Host or Publisher Harrogate Borough Council