Surviving and thriving during turbulent times, a vital requirement for businesses in recent years, was the focus for the launch of The Business Exchange in Wiltshire.
Co-organised by The Business Exchange, Thrings Solicitors and accountants Richardson Swift, the series focuses on the various challenges currently faced by businesses across the country, bringing together different sectors to inspire, inform and connect.
More than 60 representatives from local businesses and charities across Wiltshire were in attendance for the event, held at the Old Bell Hotel in Malmesbury on 4 July to compare notes on the obstacles and opportunities that have been faced by those trying to grow a business in recent years, impacted by the likes of Covid, Brexit, the War in Ukraine and the cost of living crisis.
Chaired by The Business Exchange founder Anita Jaynes, the panel for the event’s first outing in Wiltshire featured Dylan Watkins and Charity Nichols, respective founders of raw pet food company Poppy’s Picnic and sustainable home and garden product manufacturer Green Pioneer, who talked about establishing their successful businesses, the impact of turbulent global events in recent years and the lessons they learned in the process.
Anita Jaynes, Founder of The Business Exchange, said: “I want to thank everyone for joining us today for The Breakfast Exchange’s first venture into Wiltshire. It was fantastic to be at the Old Bell with the American owners really going the extra mile on their Independence Day. Having taken on the business in recent years and having gone from strength to strength despite the economic storms we continue to weather, their story is exactly what we are talking about!”
Dylan Watkins, Founder of Poppy’s Picnic said: “I want to thank The Breakfast Exchange for inviting me to be a part of today’s panel. The route to growth and success is never a straight line. By sharing my journey in creating Poppy’s Picnic and educating people on the importance of feeding fresh food to their cats and dogs, I hope to have shed a light on what many entrepreneurs experience to create a trusted brand."
Charity Nichols, Founder of Green Pioneer, added: “Growth comes in more ways than just the bottom line, it can be in the way you evolve your business and I enjoyed being able to discuss with everyone in attendance about the responsibilities businesses have towards the community and the environment, the importance of B-Corp certification and what could be coming next. It was great to be on the panel and I look forward to attending more events in the series soon.”
Also on the panel, providing expert advice from the legal and financial perspectives were Thrings Partner Ramona Derbyshire and Richardson Swift Managing Director Debbie Boulton who discussed the importance and risks of growth.
Ramona Derbyshire, Partner and Head of Business Growth, said: “Whilst growth is always on the agenda for business leaders, when faced with significant challenges impacting their industry, growth is rarely at the top of the priority list. Success can, however, come even during the toughest of times, as shown by the excellent case studies on the panel today.”
Debbie Boulton, Chartered Accountant and Managing Director at Richardson Swift, added: “It was great to see such a strong turnout as we launched The Breakfast Exchange event in Wiltshire. Everyone came ready to engage and I was delighted that the panel was able to really hit some topical points, utilising a variety of individual experiences to bring the discussion to life.”
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