Coaching

Nine days before stepping onto the stage, I was still designing marketing materials, booking trains, and wondering if I had bitten off more than I could chew. Two days later, my suitcase wheels literally fell off on the way to the station. This is the real story behind the stage moment people see online. The chaos, the quiet support, the mistakes you live with, and the human connections that make it all worth it.

Fear stops more founders from posting video than lack of skill ever does. At a recent Small Business Academy session with the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce, we explored why visibility feels so hard, what the data really shows, and how business owners can move from fear to first video without waiting for confidence to arrive.

In 2017, I met Dave Sayers through the Startup Gippsland program in Australia. Back then, he was designing and manufacturing accessibility products in an old cow milking shed on his parents’ farm. Fast forward to today, and Dave’s business, Avail Design is licensed with national suppliers across Australia and New Zealand. We recently caught up in the UK. From farm shed to national brand, it’s a powerful reminder that every big venture starts with a small vision.