Wealth Creation v Growth

Increasingly smaller business are more and more important to the UK. Sir Liam Fox challenged that “We need wealth creation, not just growth.”

• 99% of UK businesses & 83% of jobs are in the private sector!
• Scaling stalls at £1–£10m , this is often because we don’t ask where we have a problem, why we have a problem, and what could unleash the next stage of scale!
• It’s time to redefine the SME: Many founders don’t employ traditionally, they collaborate, contract, and create ecosystems. Growth today is not about headcount, but impact, networks, and innovation. Perhaps it’s time to retire the old SME label!

Supporting Scale-Ups

Insights from Irene Graham OBE from the ScaleUp Institute , Anthony Impey MBE FCGI from Be the Business , Louis Taylor CBE from British Business Bank and Ian O’Donnell MBE from the FSB were gold:

• Mentors, peer networks & regional, (timely) investment are critical.
• Productivity and tech adoption lag since 2008 this is not just in the UK and to move forward leaders must embrace peer learning.
• Most of Europe needs to bridge capital gaps (£1–10m) and unlocking UK pension funds could unlock real growth.
• Using fractional talent gives short-term, high-impact expertise.
• Stop defining entrepreneurs by employee numbers!
• Brian Moone FCIOB MRICS suggestion that large businesses should sponsor/mentor new founders in their supply chain was universally encouraged.

Our favourite quote came from Ian O’Donnell ““Founders must raise the skill bar faster than their teams.”

Digital Presence & Marketing

Increasingly the worlds perception of who we are is driven by our digital footprint not by our own real world actions. Ben Cantin-Kranz highlighted the importance of our digital footprint. We need to understand the difference between who the digital platforms allow us to be and who we think we are. We would suggest we all visit ARMD Incorporated to protect our future digital footprint. Key messages were:

• Audit, maintain, defend, repair your online story.
• Privacy is protected by law but guaranteed by you.
• Don’t underestimate the power of consistency and frequency in marketing channels.

Google Coldplay to see what one digital moment can do to the perception of one fan!

AI, Leadership & Scaling

Entrepreneurs highly experienced at Scale up

This panel was made of entrepreneurs who had been there and done it. Dominic McGregor, Samuel Pearton , Boris Diakonov , Jo Dalton hosted by Sabrina Stocker MBA ☀️ not only shared how AI is reshaping business, they gave a real insight into what drives scale ups in the new world business is growing into. Key messages included:

The world has changed. In 2012 it cost £4,000,000 to get a product to market, in 2025 it costs £40,000 (that is NOT a typo!)

• Start with the problem, not the technology.
• First problem is people, the second problem is how long before you realise the problem!
• Fractional expertise allows small teams to scale efficiently. You just need a short sharp shock of expertise!
• Team “sell-by dates”: Founders must know when people’s potential peaks are and intervene to raise their bar or invest in new talent.
• Hire slow, fire fast.

Our favourite quote came from Boris : “Scaling is about solving your customers’ problems, not vanity metrics. Optimise processes. Focus on talent. Stay ahead.”

These entrepreneurs are driven, focused and understand their world. To find the balance between real wealth creation and effective business support we need more big thoughts and bold reminders, Thanks to James Ashwood and his team for organising the Festival.

Our Key Takeaways

• Celebrate risk-taking entrepreneurs, (not just the start ups), as they drive wealth creation.
• Support founders with capital, networks, mentoring, leadership skill, AI, talent, and digital presence.
• Scaling today is about efficient problem-solving, not just hiring more people.
• Founders’ vision, conviction, and execution remain irreplaceable by AI.
• Collaborating to build leadership capacity is vital Rebecca Nelson Be the Business

Stay curious. Think bigger. Build what endures. Create wealth, not just growth!

Jacqui and Keith at the Festival thanks for the photo Becky Nelson

Thomas Jardine & Co, help founders and family-run businesses turn insights like these into actionable strategies, helping them grow, scale, and thrive in a competitive UK market.

Jacqui Jackson, MA (Dist), Cert. Ed Keith Jackson

#Entrepreneurship #ScaleUp #SMEs #WealthCreation #Leadership #AI #DigitalMarketing #ThomasJardineCo #BALANCEiT #ONiT