'Meet the Expert' Biographies

Many thanks to all of the Business Advisers for supporting the delivery of the “Meet the Expert” Business Support Programme, providing practical advice and helping support small businesses to grow.

If you are a Business Adviser and would like to find out more about the programme please contact emily.collacott@plymouth.gov.uk

Amanda Lee MCIM – Meet the Marketing Expert

Amanda Lee is the Marketing Manager for Economic Development at Plymouth City Council. A Chartered Marketer with over 10 years marketing experience, Amanda has experience across public, private and third sector organisations. With specialities in brand development, communications and marketing planning.

Richard Miller – Meet the Growth and Profit Expert

Richard Miller is Strategic Services Partner at Dafferns Chartered Accountants and Business Advisers. He helps SMEs and not-for-profits formulate their strategic direction, build capability and implement growth, profit and change initiatives. He is focused on agile ways of bringing change success.

“Informative, motivational, engaging.”

“The workshops are fantastic, well thought out and relevant.”

Helena White MCIPD – Meet the HR Expert

Director Helena White is a HR professional with over 25 years’ experience across a wide range of industries. The HR Dept provides outsourced HR advice and practical support to small businesses who need expert HR advice, provided by experienced professionals but without the cost of in-house HR. This local and personal but nationwide service is delivered through a network located all over the UK and Ireland currently serving 6,000 SMEs.

Sarah Leverton – Meet the Marketing Expert

Sarah Leverton is the Founder and Managing Director of Fastnet Marketing, a specialist agency focussed on helping businesses to grow by delivering a steady stream of new leads and increasing customer spend. From attracting more potential clients into your funnel, to nurturing your relationship with existing customers, Sarah and her team can help you systemise your sales & marketing. As Devon and Cornwall’s only certified Hubspot Agency, Fastnet can also provide practical support with implementing a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system and can help to automate some of those repetitive day-to-day tasks, improving efficiency levels and freeing up your team.

Sarah Webber – Meet the Funding and Finance Expert

Sarah Webber has over 35 years of banking experience with Barclays, with the last four years as a Barclays Business Manager, working with SME clients in the Plymouth and surrounding areas. She has successfully formed and developed long-lasting relationships, supported business growth and provided valued insight and advice. Sarah has extensive knowledge in lending, business and account management and enjoys working closely with her clients.

Graham Roberts FCA – Meet the Finance and Funding Expert

Graham Roberts is a partner and director at Blackwell Bate which is based in Saltash and is responsible for business development for the firm. Graham has a range of experience having worked for a big four firm and several other large firms in the South West which he now successfully applies to his client base. He particularly enjoys working with growing clients, helping them forecasting and find funding solutions to support the ambitions of the business owner. When he is not in the office Graham is involved with supporting the Plymouth Soup Run and is a member of Plymouth Round Table, raising lots of money for worthy local causes.

Josh Mitchell – Meet the Sales and Marketing Expert

Josh Mitchell is the Managing Director of Mitchell & Stones, a digital, social and visual content agency. Typically working with businesses who are struggling to be consistently active on social media, or are frustrated with the results of their current marketing efforts and in some cases, working with confused business owners who do not have a digital ‘game plan’ in place to win market presence. Along with business partner Chris, also organise the largest B2B Exhibition in Hampshire with plans to expand into new territories. All of which has been built using 100% effective digital and social media marketing.

Craig Willis – Meet the Business Process Improvement Expert

Craig Willis has over 20 years of experience in business process improvement, working across many different industries and organisations. From startups to multinational corporations, all organisations have one thing in common, processes. Processes are the language that bring together teams and technology and describe how business gets done. As CEO of Skore it’s Craig’s mission to help businesses clarify their processes so that they can focus on what they’re really good at.

George May – Meet the Finance and Investment Expert

George May has a 30+ year career in finance and investment. George May Consulting has advised and managed private equity funds, acting as a ‘business partner’ and main contact with senior management and their advisors. He has set up and advised businesses across diverse markets and sectors, giving him a deep understanding of research techniques, financial analysis, due-diligence, business management, strategic assessment and development, restructuring, recovery, exit optimisation and investor engagement. In the last year, the types of start-up or young business he has serviced include waste conversion to fuel; consumer storage product; energy storage and management; hospitality supply chain; cosmetics; and MRO data management.

Scott Grenney – Meet the Digital Media Expert

Scott Grenney is a Digital Media Consultant, with over 12 years experience based in Plymouth. Owner of Eddystone Media and Co-Founder of One Plymouth helping to celebrate the #BestOfPlymouth. Scott specialises in building digital communities and supporting businesses, organisations and events to thrive online.

Scott enjoys working alongside businesses helping them to create bespoke packages to showcase and boost their business/event exposure online through use of Website, Social Media, Marketing, Advertising and Live Events Coverage means. His clients range from SMEs from multiple industry sectors, Council and Business Improvement Districts.

Amy Wise – Meet the Finance and Funding Expert

Amy Wise is a client manager at Blackwell Bate and looks after clients from charities, sole traders, partnerships and limited companies, ranging from start ups to companies with turnover in excess of £10million. A Xero Hero who coaches and trains a team of support staff as well as clients and is always on hand to support clients. When she is not in the office Amy plays football for Plymouth Argyle Ladies and enjoys surfing in Cornwall.

Al Joynes – Meet the Branding and Digital Marketing Expert

Al Joynes has 10 years experience working in marketing, branding and digital media, specialising in the latter. Founder and MD of Do More Design – a socially inclusive logo design platform, supporting UK design students and recent graduates by connecting them with small businesses, and The Dogs Creative a digital marketing and design agency that specialises in working with startups and scale ups.

Al’s passion is supporting growing businesses, sharing his experience and expertise to inform projects that fulfil their requirement, showcase the business and get visibility. Thought-out and thought provoking is the key.

Alison Theaker – Meet the PR and Marketing Expert

Alison Theaker has 30 years experience in public relations and management as a practitioner, academic and author. She has taught public relations, marketing communications and interpersonal skills for managers in higher education for over 20 years in the UK and US, and now teaches at Plymouth Business School and Cambridge Marketing College.  Through her coaching and training business, The Spark, Alison works with small businesses and sole traders to make sure that their businesses are the best they can be, saving them time and money.

Jonathan Keable – Meet the Marketing and HR Expert

Jonathan Keable has 38 years Business Management Experience in Corporate and running own businesses. He is currently the MD of Business Success SW Ltd, Business Success Marketing Ltd & Business Success HR Ltd. and Leader of FSB (Federation of Small Businesses) Plymouth. His purpose is  working with Business Owners to achieve what is important to them. His past roles include Non-Executive Director, Managing Director & Owner Penkestle Farms, Regional Sales Manager Brakes, Project Manager & Depot Manager roles at Newey & Eyre. Jonathan lives in Plymouth, and is married with 2 children; his hobbies include open water swimming, road cycling, skiing, and golf. A personal project of his is to complete writing my book on surviving 10 years in ‘the worst crisis Dairy Farming has ever seen’. His education is BA (Hons) International Relations & Diplomas in Marketing & Marketing Research.

James Thomas – Meet the Negotiation Expert

James Thomas of Seren Partnership is a sought-after keynote speaker, trainer and coach on the subject of negotiation mastery. His client-focused approach combines the personal touch of a small firm with the expertise of a large company to deliver a first-class service for his clients. James has delivered negotiation programmes globally across some of the most vibrant market sectors, including pharmaceuticals, food service, healthcare, consumer food and drink, IT, telecoms, transport and property. Organisations he has worked with include Deloitte, Pfizer, Heathrow/Gatwick Airports, Telefonica/O2, Eurostar, Sky, Oxford University’s Saïd Business School and many more.