FUEL Manchester brought together founders, leaders and experts for a series of refreshingly honest masterclass sessions on Wednesday, held under the Chatham House Rule at No.1 and No.2 Circle Square in the city centre. The fourth edition of the annual event combined two gatherings in one, taking place on the day of the Budget. It followed a morning breakfast panel featuring 12 speakers, including rugby league legend Shaun Wane, before splitting into 40 groups for masterclasses on funding, growth planning, people & performance, and AI & technology.
Practical advice for scaling
Attendees said the format allowed for direct questions and the sharing of challenges. Natalia Szychulska, founder of Regvo, a medical device regulatory training business based in Oldham, attended the growth planning session. She said she gained practical insights and appreciated the openness of the experts. Szychulska noted that listening to other founders revealed how similar challenges were across different sectors.
Stephen Dootson, a business advisor and growth specialist at GM Business Growth Hub, chaired the growth planning sessions. He praised the event as “fast-moving and informative” and described Ram Gupta, founder of Nybble.co.uk, as an “excellent expert panellist.” Dootson compared the atmosphere to the TV show Dragons’ Den.
Hannah Smith, 26, recently appointed managing director at Red Rock, took part in the breakfast panel and the subsequent masterclasses. She said the sessions provided a chance to discuss challenges in detail and take away ideas to think about. The event highlighted the value of bringing people together to learn from each other’s experiences.
Terry Simmons, CEO of eLearning Plus, said the masterclasses were the most useful part of the day. He highlighted a discussion on “volume versus margin” as a key takeaway. As the company launches a new SaaS learning portal, the conversation helped explore different approaches to generating sales. Simmons noted that the masterclasses allowed founders to ask questions about issues directly affecting their own businesses, rather than just listening to generic advice.
Laura Harrison, who founded online tuition platform Education Lifeguards in Rochdale in 2020, said the event helped her reflect on her business strategy. She plans to focus on traction first and funding after. Sid Sethi, founder and managing director at Specscart, an eyewear startup in Bury that has surpassed £5 million in turnover, described the event as a reminder that honest conversations are often the most useful.
The discussions focused on the reality of building a business. Samantha Fay, CEO of SiSU Health, said the event created space for conversations that are rarely had when running a growing company. She appreciated the focus on what growth demands of a leader. Fergal O’Connor, founder and CEO of Buymedia, an AI-powered advertising platform, chose to expand from Ireland into the UK via Manchester rather than London. He described the event as lively and highlighted the openness of the founders.
While the masterclasses were the highlight for many, the timing of the event relative to the Budget created a specific backdrop. Founders discussed what measures like Founders’ Relief might mean for scaling businesses. The spirit of collaboration among attendees was a common theme. Marc Balduin, co-founder and CEO of Mancunian Brands, said the advice that stuck with him was to get out and represent the business, even if it feels uncomfortable. He noted that no one will come looking if you are hiding.
Conversations that rarely happen
Sheena Adam, director of Bury-based Children First Family Mediation, founded in 2010, said: “It was great to hear from so many successful businesses about how to grow and develop. My takeaway was to be bold, confident and not be afraid to make mistakes.” Founders left this week’s FUEL Manchester event feeling energised by a series of refreshingly honest masterclass sessions full of practical advice.
