The Small Business Sessions

The 15th session is with Enterprise Nation members and Deakin & Francis directors, Henry and James Deakin. Most children are used to playgrounds growing up, but not Henry and James. Their fun was centred around learning how to melt and bend metal in the Birmingham jewellery factory that was founded by their family 230 years ago. As the current owners of Deakin & Francis, England's oldest family jewellers, the brothers keep the heritage of a company founded in 1786 whilst simultaneously allowing it to evolve and grow to a business that's now retailing all over the world with a flagship London store in the pipeline. This session is a fascinating insight in to the behind-the-scenes-workings of a family run business and the importance of absorbing the knowledge of those who have gone before you.

The 14th session is with Enterprise Nation Classic member and Teahuggers founder Esther Thompson. Four bouts of tonsillitis, 10 years mulling over the idea, and a little nudge from Enterprise Nation's StartUp Saturday one day business class gave coffee addict Esther the confidence to launch healthy tea brand, Teahuggers. She is a big advocate of the power of passion for what you're doing as well as the importance of surrounding yourself with the right people. Now with a range of 10 different teas to her name and stockists including Selfridges and Jamie Oliver, it seems that's rather a winning formula!

The 13th session is with Enterprise Nation Classic member and Doopoll co-founder Steve Dimmick. Cardiff-based Doopoll is an online service that helps employees, students, friends, and club members make more honest decisions together. Head to an anonymous page and give your opinion on something with a swipe or a click. No words to type, super fast and completely un-influenced. Be warned, in this session Steve does get emotional! A real example of how much passion and emotional investment is often tied up in entrepreneurial adventures.

The 12th session is with Enterprise Nation member and founder of Good Deed Dating, Hannah Whitehead. Hannah came up with the idea for the company, which co-ordinates volunteering opportunities for single people, after spotting a lack of young, single professionals helping out charities. After a year putting the building blocks in place, she gave in her notice to start running Good Deed Dating full time. This session is a great example of what can be created from the power of pulling in a few favours and what can be achieved by surrounding yourself with the right people.

The 11th session is with Enterprise Nation member Rob Hallmark, founder of Gruhme. It was definitely not the usual career progression for Rob who went from being a corporate lawyer on the hunt for a value-for-money but high quality male grooming brand, to being so frustrated he couldn't find one that he set one up himself! In his session Birmingham-based Rob is super honest about how tough it can be to start a brand but he's equally as honest about the immense satisfaction there is around eventually being approached about it once you've managed to build one. A firm believer in taking thing step by step and focusing on making a product that you would actually want to buy rather than being too distracted by what the big guys are up to, this member is a mighty fine example of entrepreneurship.

The 10th session is with Enterprise Nation member Genevieve Sweeney. She founded her UK manufactured premium knitwear brand when her passion found a new mission. A life long knitter, she started restoring old machinery and was introduced to a network of amazing knitters who were forced out of the industry after factories closed. The young entrepreneur now works with family run mills to create her contemporary designs and is breathing new life in to a traditional practice. This session is an inspiring example of the power and strength of what can be created when people who are really passionate about what they do, work together.

The ninth session is with Enterprise Nation member and T-Sticks founder Ricky Kothari. He is on a mission to transform the way we brew a cup of tea, putting an end to scooping out soggy teabags with your fingers once and for all! After being challenged by none other than prime minister David Cameron to develop his business, Ricky quit his management consultant day job to focus on T-Sticks full time. This session has some great, first hand advice around the importance of understanding the customers that you're selling to, how to create an experience round your brand and getting to trips with your USP.

The eighth session is with Jordan Daykin from GripIt Fixings. Aged just 21, he is already running a £10m business and was the youngest entrepreneur to receive investment on BBC TV's Dragons' Den. His podcast is a must listen!

The seventh session is with Elizabeth Malone-Johnstone, founder of Digitise This. Elizabeth is a lady who's always on the hunt for new experiences and challenges and in this session she recommends running your own business as a way to satisfy that. Listen for tips on building on community around you when going it alone and the importance of continual learning.

The sixth session is with Theo Wasserberg, Enterprise Nation member and founder of female fashion brand Tahouts. He was inspired by a picture of his sister wearing some cool trousers on the steps of a temple. It looked like a ready made brand to him; he just had to start making them! Theo was straight in at the deep end setting up Tahouts as it launched just as he was finishing off his business degree. Obviously handy timing in a lot of ways, but it did mean that he had a bit of a crash course in doing everything all at once which can only be a great thing when it comes to featuring on the Small Business Sessions!