Presented by Ellen Kerr
Thanking for joining us for an inspiring conference that challenged delegates to look at how we work as individuals, in our sectors and across the Liverpool city region, and encouraged us to do business better.
The conference focused on four foundational pillars of success and explored the essentials needed to allow anyone to do business and life better.
Bringing these four strands together with expert speakers, real stories and a business marketplace, it was an interactive day filled with engaging, thought-provoking learning sessions and practical take-homes.
With the inaugural conference now over, we’re looking ahead to 2026. If you would like to register you interest to attend next year, want to enquire about being a sponsor, hosting a stall or speaking at the even, please contact ellie@mwoty.co.uk
9:30 am - 10 am
Arrive, register, grab a tea or coffee, browse the marketplace and enjoy some pre-event networking, before the conference, headline sponsored by Carpenters Group, begins.
10 am - 10:10 am
Ellen’s welcome, introduction to the four pillars and conference aims.
10:10 am - 10.15 am
Welcome from the Chair of Blackburne House, Liz Cross. Liz has been on the Board of Blackburne House Group since 2011 and Chair since 2014 and has been actively involved in many aspects of its work and development since 1992.
10:15 am - 10.30 am
Discussion on the importance of networking on and offline, with Ellen Kerr.
10:30 am - 11.15 am
Chaired by Dr Eliza Morgan from our event partners, Honey & Morgan, this discussion will involve audience participation via an app.
Panel guests:
Donna Scully, Carpenters Group
David Wafer, IoD & McIver Scott Recruitment
Elaine Bowker, City of Liverpool College
Emily McChrystal, Restless Development
11:15 am - 11:30 am
Enjoy a tea or coffee and conversation with fellow delegates
11:30 am - 12:10 pm
Presentations on the ‘information’ pillar covering marketing and communications, business development, business as a force for good and AI for business growth.
Pillar sponsored by The City of Liverpool College.
Did you know that the average business leader can save at least an hour a day by using artificial intelligence (AI) to help plan, research and deliver your work? That’s 5 hours a week or 150 hours a year. What would it mean for your business to have an extra 20 working days in the year for you to work on the things that matter the most? AI for good advocate and founder of Generative Minds, Alex Keyter, will de-mystify AI, highlighting some of the latest AI tools to help grow your business.
This session will focus on how to turn your customers or clients into loyal advocates who not only keep returning but also promote your brand. You’ll discover strategies to increase Customer Lifetime Value (CLV) through repeat business, upselling, and building strong relationships. We’ll discuss how creating a community around your brand and continually delivering value can lead to more satisfied customers who become your best marketers! By focusing on retention and advocacy instead of just new customer acquisition, you’ll be able to grow your business more cost-effectively and sustainably.
In a world where customers, employees, and communities are demanding more from business, purpose is no longer optional – it’s a growth strategy. This session will explore how businesses of any size or sector can harness the power of purpose to drive meaningful, sustainable business development. Moving beyond corporate social responsibility, we’ll look at how aligning your values with your operations, communications, and customer experience can unlock new opportunities, build trust, and future-proof your business. Whether you’re a start-up, SME, or a growing enterprise, discover how to position your business as a force for good – without compromising profit or prosperity.
Geraldine Fuller is the Business Engagement and Marketing Manager at the Business & IP Centre Liverpool (BIPC). Session details to be shared soon!
12:30 pm - 1:15 pm
Food, speed networking and browse the marketplace
1:15 pm - 1:25 pm
Session led by Ellen Kerr
Enjoy a taster of the Afro-Indigenous Brazilian Music, Movement, Mindfulness Workshops delivered by the Director of Katumba Drumming & Movement. In a session that is accessible to all, Juliana will use breathwork, gentle embodied movement and body percussion to bring you back to the conference feeling relaxed, re-energised and ready for more!
1:25 pm - 2:15 pm
Presentations on the ‘money’ pillar covering personal money with Moira O’Shaughnessy from FPC, business money with Sue Chambers from River Capital, Angie Staunton from Vanguard Asset Management Ltd, and ‘money for good’, with Sue Potts, CEO of The Venus Charity.
Pillar sponsored by Vanguard.
The gender gap in financial planning persists across all areas, with women consistently falling behind their male counterparts – particularly in retirement provision. In this session, FPC’s Moira will delve into what financial independence truly means, outline the essential building blocks needed to achieve it, and explore practical strategies to help close the pensions gender gap.
Understanding behavioral biases is critical for making informed business & financial decisions. By understanding these biases and implementing strategies to mitigate their impacts, businesses can enhance their decision-making processes, leading to better outcomes and improved strategic planning.
Angie Staunton, APFS Chartered Financial Planner MCSI and Business Development Manager from Vanguard Asset Management Ltd., will provide education and awareness of some of the typical biases that can lead to poor decision making & discuss strategies that can be used to help reduce behavioural biases to support effective outcomes and a healthier organisational culture.
Ultimately, this brief discussion will help you “Do Business Better!”
Sue Potts is the CEO of the Venus Charity, a grassroots charity based in Bootle and Halton. It was founded in 1994 responding to a need for women’s services in South Sefton. Over the last 29 years it has grown its services to include, family support, support for homeless people and refugees/asylum seekers with their tenancies, therapeutic mental health services to young people and advice and support via its hub. Adopting a holistic approach, the charity provides crucial, direct support to around 2,000 people per year.
Sue Chambers is an Investment Manager at River Capital supporting small and medium businesses with debt finance and is currently delivering the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund 2 loans (£25,000 to £100,000) in LCR and across the North West. She is also River Capital’s Diversity and Inclusion Champion.
2:15 pm - 2:30 pm
Enjoy a tea or coffee and conversation with fellow delegates
2:30 pm - 3:30 pm
Presentations on the ‘self-belief’ pillar from Debbie Edwards, business mentor and mindset coach, Claire Morton, holistic performance coach and Shirleyann Haig, ethical passive income coach.
Join Shirleyann Haig, award-winning property investor, author and Passive Income Coach, for a powerful 15-minute session revealing how your money mindset directly shapes your financial reality — and how rewiring those beliefs can unlock wealth and freedom. Discover why passive income is essential for modern women in business, and walk away with practical steps to create multiple income streams and shift from scarcity to abundance.
Did you know that the way you speak to yourself—your inner language—has the power to transform your mind, body, emotions and how you show up in the world? In this powerful and uplifting talk, Debbie Edwards explores the science behind self-talk, revealing how our words impact our brain, nervous system, and even our physical health. Drawing from the latest neuroscience on self-belief and rewiring the brain, this session will uncover the hidden cost of negative inner storytelling—and how a simple shift in language can unlock greater confidence, ease, and success in your life.
In this short session, we will cut through the noise and get to the core of what separates those who thrive from those who stay stuck—self-belief. This is about shifting YOU from doubt to certainty, from hesitation to action, and from fear to courageous confidence.
Are you ready to stop waiting and start believing? What could you achieve if you backed yourself 100%? Let’s break through the doubt and step into the leader you were meant to be. Because when you believe in yourself, you’re not just growing a business—you’re changing lives.
3:35pm - 4 pm
The event will draw to a close with Dr Eliza Morgan rounding up key take-homes from the event, closing remarks from Donna Scully from headline sponsor, Carpenters, and a final word from our conference founder
