Startup Suppers - who should attend?
Why start Startup Suppers?
As a professional chef, I strongly believe in the power of food as a way to bring people together - my regular feast nights have already demonstrated how much easier people find it to strike up conversation with others whilst sharing food together. And a big part of the success of this is that I don't run my feast nights as seated affairs, instead leaving guests free to help themselves to food and move around the room as much as they like - you're never stuck for long having to make small talk with someone you might not have enough in common with as needing to go back for more food is the perfect excuse to make an exit!
About Startup Suppers
Startup Suppers is a supper club with a difference. Following the adage that the best conversations often happen over dinner, Startup Suppers is a peer-to peer supper club open to anyone working in or related to the start-up sector, where you'll meet lots of like-minded individuals to share ideas, challenge concepts and find support - not to mention enjoy some fabulous food and drink in relaxed surroundings.
Prior to retraining as a chef, I spent more than 10 years working within the startup world, developing and launching (largely disruptive) challenger brands on a national and international stage. I have firsthand experience of riding the startup rollercoaster, enjoying successes - and failures - along the way, and know only too well how hard, stressful and sometimes how downright lonely launching a startup can be. It can also be the most exciting, exhilarating and rewarding adventure you'll ever go on!
Startup Suppers is my way of helping to support future entrepreneurs - clichés they may be, but food is fuel and a problem shared is a problem halved, so let me nourish you and provide the peer-to-peer support you need to help successfully navigate your own startup journey.
Who should come to a Startup Supper?
Are you a fledgling or experienced entrepreneur with a head full of ideas or challenges you need to find a way to overcome but nobody you can share or discuss them with?
Maybe you're considering launching or starting your own business but don't even know where or how to begin - or are terrified at the thought of going it alone?
Or perhaps you're a mentor or investor looking for a start-up business or entrepreneur to support or invest in?
If you'd like to meet like-minded, free-thinking fellow entrepreneurs in a relaxed, sociable environment where we facilitate the introductions, host interesting guest speakers, tackle topics relevant to the start up or entrepreneurial sector - oh, and feed you exceptionally well, then Startup Suppers is for you.
What happens at a Startup Supper?
Every month you and anyone from the wonderful world of startups will be invited to come and enjoy a foodie feast cooked by me, The Epicurean Sailor, featuring some of my favourite dishes from around the world.
We'll be joined by a different Startup Suppers guest speaker every month - your chance to hear their start-up story first-hand, quiz them over dinner and start growing your own network.
And we'll share attendee information ahead of every event and actively facilitate introductions to people you may want to meet through the evening, removing the awkwardness some of us feel at traditional networking events and ensuring you get as much out of the evening as possible.
Our focus is very much on building community - not on creating an environment where attendees are sold to or pitched to - so whilst agencies and other third party service providers are very welcome to attend, this must only ever be in a mentoring or advising capacity and not as a method to try and win new business.
Being an entrepreneur can be lonely and tough at times - so why not join us for dinner and leave with a full tummy and a head full of renewed inspiration?!
What's included in a Startup Supper?
Nourish
Food & Drink
Each Startup Supper menu will feature a delicious feast of dishes from around the world, with a different country or geographical area every month. Food is served street-food style - grab a biodegradable bowl and bamboo fork and help yourself to whatever you like the look of. There will always be plenty of vegetarian options available and other dietary requests can often be catered for if advised in advance.
Your ticket includes a complimentary drink on arrival and you are invited to bring your own tipple of choice to enjoy through the evening. Glasses, ice, tea, coffee and water always provided.
Build
Networking
No tricky seating thing going on - menus are carefully designed to make the food easy to eat whilst standing so you can move around the room and talk to whoever you want to. And help yourself to as little or as much as you like!
Plus we will be actively facilitating introductions based on the brief bio info you submit at the time of booking - so if you're not a confident networker it won't matter. Let us take the awkwardness out of striking up new conversation and attendee details will be shared before every Startup Supper so you can seek out fellow guests you may specifically want to meet.
Grow
Guest Speakers & Topics
Every Startup Supper will focus on a different subject such as:
Concept development
IP
Business planning & forecasting
Funding
Branding
Launch strategy
PR, marketing & advertising
Recruitment and team building
Investment
Work life balance
Leadership
Mental health
Resource management
Failure & how to deal with it
Growth
We will be joined by a different guest speaker/speakers every month who have or are navigating the start-up journey.​​
Join the Startup Suppers Club
You don't need to be a member to come along to one of our Startup Suppers - but Supper Club membership brings access to a host of additional benefits, including reduced ticket prices for all our Startup Suppers and priority booking for our special VIP events.
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Why not join us for one of our Startup Supper events at the non-member price of £60 per person - and if you like us then sign up as a Supper Club member?