We’re now pleased to be able to announce the full line up for this year’s Conference Cumbria – Make it Happen.
Dragon’s Den star Sara Davies MBE is our keynote speaker, if you don’t know who Sara is you can read more here. It’s a real coup to bring such a high profile speaker to Cumbria.
Other speakers confirmed are Lucy Harrison and Heather Grisedale of Harrison Network and Alec Pearson of Alec Pearson Coaching.
Lucy Harrison & Heather Grisedale of Harrison Network
Building a culture of performance – making work a little less sh*t.
Every workplace needs people, no matter the industry. And how those people feel about a business has a huge impact on whether a company flourishes or stagnates.
So, what makes a business truly great to work for and drives results? It’s culture - the kind that gets people fired up, working together, and delivering real results.
Join Lucy & Heather for a hands-on session where we cut through the jargon and explore the work environment in your business and how to improve it. We’ll share stories, practical ideas and be prepared to get involved.
We’ll explore:
✅ How to turn ‘just doing the job’ into ‘going the extra mile’
✅ What is the value of your values? Are they words on a wall or a rallying cry?
✅ Why culture drives performance, and the impact of poor company cultures.
Work can be a tough place, with increasing levels of stress, complexity and ambiguity. People and teams make it better (and worse). Harrison Network specialises in helping leaders bring their people with them, to get the whole team all pulling in the same direction.
If you want a culture where people want to bring their ‘best selves’ to work (and actually enjoy it), this is for you. Ready to make work better? See you there!
Harrison Network helps organisations change, collaborate and perform through people, making work a healthier place to be, with more engaged workforce, better performing teams and improved business results.
Alec Pearson of Alec Pearson Coaching
Make It Happen Together: How Aligned Teams Drive Real Business Results
Even the best business ideas struggle when teams aren’t pulling in the same direction. Alec Pearson explores team alignment as a powerful strategy for accelerating growth, innovation, and results. You'll gain clear insights into how to build alignment within your teams, practical strategies for enhancing clarity of vision and roles, and techniques to foster shared ownership and accountability. Discover why alignment isn't just nice to have, it's essential for unlocking sustained growth and competitive advantage in your business.
Alec supports aspiring and established leaders, managers, and business owners to build confidence, overcome challenges, resolve team issues, achieve organisational excellence, and achieve lasting results.
Panel Discussion: People Who Made It Happen
Georgina Goulding (Bakes by Gina) Gina left a career in civil engineering to follow her passion for baking. She launched Bakes by Gina in 2021 and quickly grew it into a thriving business, expanding to commercial premises, taking on staff, and even running a café. In 2024, she won the Mitie Business Boost competition.
Oliver Hodgson (Platinum Live) At just 21, Oliver is an award-winning entrepreneur and media personality. As Founder & Managing Director of Platinum Live, he runs a creative communications agency working with major brands on PR, social media, and live events.
Lou Kneath (+3K Animation Studios) Lou is the Co-Founder & CEO of +3K Animation Studios, which works with global brands and broadcasters. Projects include My Friend Misty for SkyKids and the award-winning short The Fell We Climb. Lou served as a member of the jury of the British Animation Awards, 2024.
Luke Jackson (Stoked Adventures) Luke is an adventure coach and mountain leader who helps business leaders break through barriers—both mental and physical. With experience running businesses and tackling extreme endurance challenges, he takes entrepreneurs out of their comfort zones and into the mountains to find clarity and direction.
Clyne Albertelli (Co-Lab Engineering) Clyne is the Managing Director of Co-Lab Engineering and a serial entrepreneur. He runs multiple businesses and has raised nearly £1M in funding. With a background in engineering and the nuclear sector, he specialises in delivering innovative technology projects.
This year’s Conference Cumbria is taking place on Thursday 2nd October at Derwent Pencil Museum, Southey Works, Main Street, Keswick from 9.45am to 4pm.
We have 350 tickets and 50 exhibition spaces available this year – you can book to join us here
We can promise you won’t be disappointed!
