STEM Founders: Ditch the Business Dread 🟠 Coaching & Training For Founders 🟢 Innovation Director @ Oxford Innovation 🔵 Telegraph NatWest 100 Female Entrepreneurs To Watch 🟣 Ask Me About My Fave Biscuit 🍪

If you’re a founder who loves what you do but feels buried by everything else - you’re not alone.

Most of the people I work with never planned to run a business. They just wanted to do great work - build, create, teach, design, innovate - and somehow ended up juggling marketing, sales, finance, operations, and about a hundred daily decisions.

And that’s where things start to feel overwhelming.

✨ I work with hands-on founders who are doing too much and are ready for structure, clarity, and support that actually fits how they work.

Whether it’s marketing that keeps getting pushed down the list, systems that only exist in your head, or growth that still relies entirely on you - there’s a calmer way to run a business (and even enjoy it again).

-- HOW I HELP --

🟠 Free Community
A calm, supportive space for founders who want connection, gentle prompts, and a little accountability.

🟡 Membership
For founders who want more structure, expert guidance, and live sessions that make running a business simpler.

🔵 Podcast
Real, honest conversations about the messy middle of running a business - marketing, systems, money, mindset, and the occasional chaos.

🟣 Coaching
90-minute sessions dedicated to you and your business, so I can give you dedicated and hands-on support.

Find out more or join in at 👉 creatingthecurve.co.uk

-- GET TO KNOW ME --

💼 With 25 years of experience helping businesses grow - from startups to brands like GAME and Tesco - I now focus on supporting founders who want to make running their business feel calmer, clearer, and more sustainable.

🎙️ I’m the host of Creating the Curve, a podcast for hands-on founders who love what they do but find the business bits overwhelming.

📣 I’m also a speaker and co-author of The Most Amazing Marketing Book Ever, and I’ve shared insights at events including BrightonSEO, Re:Connect, and You Are The Media.

-- ICE BREAKERS --

Talk to me about:

🎮 Gaming – Currently playing Stray & Palworld (also regularly found in Roblox or Minecraft with my son)

🎵 Music - from 80s pop to modern rock, currently loving Erasure, Esoterica, and Bad Omens.

🍪 You can usually find me with a biscuit in hand. In fact, my most popular posts on LinkedIn have been biscuit related. 

-- 

👉 Curious about how to run your business without running yourself into the ground? Or just share opinions on custard creams? 

Give me a shout on DM or anna@creatingthecurve.co.uk

Last week I spent some time at Solent University for the opening of their new Institute of Technology, and it was brilliant.

The place was full of teachers who clearly love what they do, and the facilities were incredible. 3D printing, laser cutting, welding, mechanics, real hands-on kit alongside the academic side. 

Princess Anne was there to officially open the centre, alongside a full programme of talks. But the bit that really stuck was the student panel.

They were asked: What skills do you find most valuable outside of academic knowledge?

Their answers were so insightful.

One of the first things mentioned was confidence, being able to stand up for yourself and articulate your point of view. That ability to say “this is what I know” or “this is why this matters” without shrinking. 

I see the impact of confidence, and lack of it, all the time. People with amazing skills backing down, while others push forward purely because they’re louder. Confidence really does change how your expertise is listened to in the real world.

Another was curiosity, which filled me with glee because I talk about this a lot. Being curious enough to ask “what if?”, to poke at things, to follow an interest a bit further. I even talked about this on my podcast with Mark Schaefer, because curiosity is often what keeps people learning long after the qualification ends.

There was also a mention of basic digital skills, and this one cannot be overstated. Almost every job now has a digital in it, even roles people think of as “manual” still involve systems, invoicing, scheduling, and comms tools. I was lucky, I did a computing degree, so those foundations were there early. Many people are having to muddle through without that confidence, and it makes everything harder.

And finally, enthusiasm and drive.
One employer on a panel said something that really resonated too. They care less about grades than they do about genuine passion for the subject. I’ve felt exactly the same when hiring. I’ve chosen people with incredible personal projects and hobby portfolios over those with more traditional experience, because you can see they care. They’re curious in their own time. That motivation is hard to teach, and the students agreed with that too.

These students, early in their careers, were already identifying the skills that actually matter in work and in business.

Confidence. Curiosity. Digital foundations. Enthusiasm.

Those aren’t just employability skills, they’re entrepreneurial skills too. They’re the things that help you adapt, learn, grow, and keep going when the answers aren’t obvious yet.

So a big well done to Solent University and the South Coast Institute of Technology for creating something that clearly puts real-world capability at the centre, not just qualifications.

P.S. Sadly no photos from the event due to the royal presence, and not even one from outside as it was pelting it down. So here is one of me back home once I changed into dry clothes 😄

Anna Bravington

As a marketer, I know you face a lot of challenges. I've been there and experienced them myself.
The CFO who wants to cut your budget, the CEO that wants to do things his way, or other departments interfering.

That's where we come in. We're your marketing allies, building you bulletproof strategies that use research and data, and then laying out a plan of action that is clear and measurable. We'll even fight your corner in-house, helping you bring your business along on the journey with us.

I also created the Crossing the Content Chasm Podcast 🎙  https://bit.ly/contentchasmpodcast  🎙  that helps brands with their content strategy.

If you want to chat about overcoming those digital and marketing challenges that just get in the way of success - or just want to debate the best type of biscuit 🍪 (dark chocolate digestives, no contest) then give me a shout on DM or anna@thosethatdare.com

Making The Boring Business Bits Easier 🟠 Business Advice, Training & Mentoring 🟡 Telegraph NatWest 100 Female Entrepreneurs To Watch 🟢 Speaker, Author & Podcast Host 🟣 Ask About My Favourite Biscuit 🍪

Best thing to happen this week? A vending machine installed at Fareham Innovation Centre.

Mmmm...snacks.

I always get those afternoon munchies around 3pm. This thing is going to be dangerous 😄

🧁🍪🍬🍫🥤

Most founders I know genuinely want to do the right thing by their people.

But when it comes to inclusion, a lot of them often think: Isn’t this just corporate HR nonsense? And do I really have time for it?

That’s exactly why I loved recording my latest podcast episode with Orla McKeating.

We talked about inclusion not as a policy, a training course, or a box to tick, but as something that shows up in the day-to-day decisions businesses make. 

Who gets listened to. Who feels safe to speak up. Who feels like they belong.
Because when people feel included, a few important things start to happen.

Teams communicate better.
Decisions get smarter.
Problems surface earlier instead of festering.
People stay longer.

What resonated with me in this conversation is that inclusion isn’t about being “nice”. It’s about building a business that actually works. Especially when you’re small, stretched, and relying on a handful of people to make good decisions together.

Orla shared how storytelling can open up conversations that policies never will, and why community and psychological safety matter so much more than having the perfect wording or framework. You won't get it right all the time. But you can create an environment where people feel safe enough to show up, challenge, contribute, and grow.

This episode is for founders who care about their people, want better outcomes, and don’t want inclusion to feel overwhelming or performative.

🎧 How Inclusion Creates Better Teams, Better Decisions, and Better Results - Episode 39 of Creating the Curve with Orla McKeating is out now.
Find it by searching "Creating the Curve" in all popular podcast platforms.

What do you want to be when you grow up?

In your 40s, running a business, you’re meant to have it all figured out.
Except... many of us don’t 😬 

I’ve called my latest solo podcast episode "I Still Don’t Know What I Want to Be When I Grow Up", because that’s exactly how it feels sometimes.

If I look back over my career, it hasn’t been a neat, upward line. It’s been programming, photography, content, strategy, teaching, training... and a lot of learning in between. 

Some of those things I was good at. Some I loved. Some I outgrew. Some served me for a while and then eventually stopped fitting.

And for a long time, I think I told myself that changing direction meant I’d failed. That if I walked away from something I’d invested time, energy and identity into, it must mean I’d made the wrong decision in the first place.

What I’m starting to realise is that outgrowing something doesn’t make it a mistake. It just means it worked for a season.

So many founders I speak to are carrying this same tension. On paper, things look fine. The business works. The numbers might even be good. But underneath that, there’s a sense of restlessness, fatigue, or a niggling question they don’t quite want to ask yet.

Is this still what I want?
Is this still who I am?
Is it OK if the answer has changed?

This episode isn’t about closing everything down or having a big ol' pivot. It’s much more subtle than that. It’s me giving you permission to notice when something no longer fits, and understanding that redefining success is part of growth, not a failure of it.

If you’re in your 40s (or anywhere near), running a business, and feeling like you should be more certain than you are, you’re not behind, and you're not alone. 

🎧 "I Still Don’t Know What I Want to Be When I Grow Up" - the latest episode of Creating the Curve is out now.
To listen, search for "Creating The Curve" on all popular podcast platforms.

Our first ND Business Club event is next week! Join our LinkedIn Live session...

𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐞𝐝𝐈𝐧 𝐋𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐖𝐞𝐛𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐫: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤 – 𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐍𝐞𝐮𝐫𝐨-𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲?

📌 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧:

Join𝐃𝐫 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐡 𝐒𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐪𝐮𝐢 (𝐂𝐄𝐎, 𝐓𝐫𝐢 𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐙 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 & 𝐍𝐁𝐂) 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐚 𝐁𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐨𝐧 (𝐂𝐨-𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫, 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐞 & 𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐃𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫, 𝐎𝐱𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧) for a dynamic LinkedIn Live event exploring how businesses can prepare for a truly neuro-inclusive workplace.

Our knowledgeable hosts will talk about contemporary issues, provide success examples from progressive companies, and offer doable tactics for integrating neurodiversity into organisational procedures, leadership, and culture. Participate in a discussion that will shape the nature of work in the future so that everyone may prosper, innovate, and fully participate.

🎙️ 𝐇𝐨𝐬𝐭:
 Dr Shah Siddiqui – 𝐂𝐄𝐎, Time research & innovation GenZ Marketing Agency & 𝐍𝐁𝐂
(𝐒𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐭, 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐢𝐬𝐭, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐫)

🎙️ 𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐫:
Anna Bravington – 𝐂𝐨-𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫, 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐞 & 𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐃𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫, 𝐎𝐱𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

📅 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝟐𝟗 𝐉𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔
🕒 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞: 𝟏𝟐:𝟎𝟎 𝐏𝐌 – 𝟏:𝟎𝟎 𝐏𝐌 (𝐔𝐊 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞)

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