Being part of Connect Yorkshire has been a real asset to my business. It’s not just for the networking, it’s for the access to some seriously smart thinking.

I recently had a session with Mike Bridge, and it completely shifted my thinking. I’d been wrestling with how to position our growing offer – we’re not just an art studio anymore, we also deliver creative workshops as part of workplace wellbeing and team development. After attending on one of Mike’s workshops, I knew something didn’t feel quite right, but I couldn’t put my finger on it.

Mike didn’t come in with all the answers. What he did do – brilliantly – was ask the right questions. The kind that cut through the fluff and force you to really think. He helped me step back and see the bigger picture. Within an hour, I had a clearer, sharper and much more compelling proposition.

If you’re a member of Connect Yorkshire and haven’t yet had a session with one of the EIRs, honestly, you’re missing a trick. It’s part of your membership, and it’s one of the most valuable things you can do for your business. Sometimes it just takes a fresh perspective from someone who’s been there and done it – and knows what questions to ask.

Big thanks to Mike Bridge for the steer – highly recommended.

We always benefit from mentoring sessions with Julian Kynaston. His insight has helped accelerate the growth of our agency. Julian challenges and supports our management team.

We are really grateful to work with such a respected leader in our industry.

The mentoring session with Dan Platt was very useful and has benefited me. He offered some valuable advice and ideas around the management buy out process of the business and the next steps, which I found really insightful.

I’ll certainly look to keep in touch with Dan, hopefully within the next few months, once things have settled a bit more on my end.

Thanks again for making this happen—it’s very much appreciated!

Just to say we at Hipco would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude for everything Connect Yorkshire have done for us these past years.

Their contributions have significantly played a part in Hipco’s growing success. The ongoing support has been incredible, with each meeting providing us with valuable insights to move forward.

A special thank you to Julian Kynaston for his time. His vision truly inspired us and has given us tremendous hope for the future of our business in this new direction. We feel extremely fortunate to have met Julian, so thank you very much.

The mentoring session with Larry Gould, organised through Connect Yorkshire was incredibly valuable. To have a conversation with someone who has achieved success in my field was brilliant and encouraged me to think bigger!

Following a Connect Yorkshire session on “Value Proposition” by Michael Bridge, I knew just how valuable a 1-2-1 session would be with him.

Michael helped me understand how to better position Artus Digital’s offering as well as honing our target audience; this improved understanding has been critical in redefining our value proposition.

Talking with Michael about my future ambitions for the business, we identified that onboarding just one new ideal retainer customer would have a transformative effect in the short term, and that should be my immediate focus.

Michael is straight-talking yet empathetic, calling on his decades of experience in business. I was honoured to be his 50th Connect Yorkshire 1-2-1 and I’d highly recommend arranging a session with him.

Thank you Michael and Connect Yorkshire for your excellent support.

What do Icelandic vegans, kerbside recycling and ambulances have in common? They’re all part of the rich story tapestry of the wonderful Jonathan Straight FRSA, who I had the pleasure of having lunch with courtesy of Connect Yorkshire. As one of their esteemed Entrepreneurs in Residence, Jonathan is one of a huge cohort of highly successful and very interesting folk that membership allows access to, giving freely of their time to help and advise the little entrepreneurs like me. The takeaway? There are no rules!

Being able to spend some time with an EIR is always beneficial, Jonathan Turner helped me to realise what I was looking to achieve, not only in business but in my personal life too. It’s always good to tap into the knowledge and experience that someone like Jonathan has. Real pleasure to have met with Jonathan at Bowcliffe Hall, such a beautiful place.

Simon was inspiring, brilliant and insightful.

From the moment I learned about Connect Yorkshire, one of the things that immediately caught my attention was the prospect of engaging with an Entrepreneur in Residence, and my experience with Simon Biltcliffe surpassed all expectations.

Simon was simply brilliant. What struck me the most about Simon was his insightful perspective. He has a keen eye for identifying opportunities and potential pitfalls, and he shared his wisdom generously.

Beyond his expertise, Simon’s approachability and genuine interest in my success were truly commendable. He took the time to understand my goals, aspirations, and unique business circumstances.

In summary, my experience with Simon Biltcliffe as an Entrepreneur in Residence at Connect Yorkshire was nothing short of exceptional. His brilliance, insightfulness, and generosity in sharing his expertise were invaluable to me. I am grateful for the opportunity to have worked with him, and I would highly recommend Connect Yorkshire and their Entrepreneur in Residence program to any aspiring entrepreneur looking for guidance and support on their journey.

A huge benefit of being a member of Connect Yorkshire is the opportunity to meet with their Entrepreneurs in Residence. I was fortunate enough to meet with Chris Henry recently to discuss the growth plans for our business, how to build resilience and further develop a productive lead generation process. Chris brought a wealth of knowledge to the conversation based on his own success and experience with a similar business model and I found it really useful to talk about and sense check my ideas as well as coming away with some practical actions. I’m looking forward to meeting him again in the future.