Gefachella – our RAD speakers

It Starts With Why

Jamie Blair

Little did Roots founder Jamie Blair know when he received a cocktail recipe book for his 21st birthday, that it would spark the idea to launch a range of healthy soft drinks and mixers in his parents’ Isle of Man home.Jamie’s always been hugely passionate about health, fitness and nutrition, so when he flicked through the pages of his birthday present in early 2015, he wondered what it would take to make healthier alternatives to the delicious drinks.His favourite soft drink is ginger beer – traditionally crammed with sugar – so he set about creating his own version, but using honey as a healthier sweetener.After brewing the first few batches in his parents’ utility room, Jamie knew the sugar substitute he was using was in increasingly short supply, due to the huge decline in honey bees in recent years.So, with sustainability always at the heart of his entrepreneurial spirit, he launched a mission to protect the precious Isle of Man honey bee, by promising to reinvest 10% of profits into bee-related projects.

Angela Clucas

Angela Clucas is passionate about the positive impact healthy eating can have on human well-being and positivity. So much so, she left her finance-sector managerial career, to set up her own business. She took a Masters degree in Sports Nutrition, which she achieved with distinction from Liverpool John Moores University, followed by participating in the Department for Enterprise micro business scheme.Angela has continued to study, grow and develop, to become registered with the Sport, Exercise and Nutrition register, administered by the British Dietetic Association, and works with a range of clients with multiple needs from people wanting to live healthier lives to world-class high-performance athletes. She attends conferences and seeks opportunities to speak herself and share her message. She also works with a professional coach to develop her business.In today’s society of abundant choice and easy options, making good nutrition choices has never been more challenging. Angela’s approach helps people to cut through the overwhelming amount of information available to help them create a way of eating that works for them to achieve their goals but also fits with their lifestyle. With her clients, she reviews their current habits and then guides them through making better choices to create lasting change, not another ‘diet’.Angela knows that no single eating approach works for everyone. Each client is assessed on an individual basis and a unique plan is created for them. Angela’s “weight loss for busy people” programme is in high demand on the Island, for, those who are short on time and need practical advice. Social media platforms have been key to create engaging, interactive group environments and facilitating a 24/7 support system, Angela is able to offer a solution to her clients which works around their lifestyles.At Gefachella, Angela will be talking about knowing your ‘why’. Switching from the corporate world to working for yourself presents new challenges, but knowing your ‘why’ and keeping it at the core of what you do, drives you on and pushes you to be the best version of yourself every day.

Peter Glover

Peter founded Share&Grow in 2017, and was trained as a Mindfulness Guide in 2014 by Shamash Alidina (Mindfulness for Dummies). Share&Grow, whilst rooted in Mindfulness, is free of meditation. Share&Grow invites you to live your potential.Are you who you think you are? Do you live your potential each day? Do you want to live as the best version of yourself? Do you want to be inspired & passionate about your life? Do you want to live your best life now?The energy of the thinking mind is the energy that powers our lives, yet it’s not the only energy that can do that. We all have a choice. Share&Grow offers a choice.Share&Grow is awareness of the present moment. Share&Grow is sharing the energy of awareness in the present moment. Share&Grow presents the opportunity to live your life through this energy. Share&Grow offers you the opportunity to live as your ‘true self’Are you curious?

Robert Hester

Founder of Appreciate, an online social platform to connect you with any non-profit, anywhere in the world. Appreciate’s dream is to connect the entire non-profit world and to create an ecosystem of businesses, nonprofits and people partnering to change the world.Prior to Appreciate, Robert spent 6 months at AB InBev, as a Global Management Trainee. He graduated from the University of Stirling with a BA (Hons) in Politics, Philosophy and Economics.During his time at University, Robert’s professional experience included internships with Coutts Private Bank (Onshore and Offshore), Odey Asset Management, Russell Reynolds, the House of Lords and Appleby Law.In 2015, Robert was selected as a Delegate for the 2015 Young Diplomats Forum in Greece and he held the position as a Student Ambassador for the Chartered Management Institute.Alongside his studies, Robert founded the University of Stirling Symposium which is designed to enhance students’ career prospects, engage students to think about their future and to bring the leaders of today together with the leaders of tomorrow. Robert now acts as an Adviser to the new committee of the symposium.

An Idiots Guide to Funding

Jamie Lewis

Jamie grew up just outside Sheffield and relocated to the Isle of Man in 2011 at the age of 21. Prior to the move, he worked with hospitality giants McDonald’s, Revolution and Disney, at various locations around the world. His claim to fame is serving Usain Bolt 60 chicken nuggets pre 200-meter win at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.He first visited the Isle of Man in early 2011 and it was at that point he fell in love with the island and decided to call it his home, citing the islands community spirit and overwhelming potential as reasons for the move.Working for the next six years with Rock Food Concepts in a variety of roles across their then three venues, he helped to establish one of the Isle of Man’s most unique drinking haunts; bath & bottle cocktail bar.With a desire to branch off into the world of consultancy and collaborative events, Jamie took his cocktails ‘on the road’ and founded lewislewis, a private bartending, events and hospitality consultancy business.What started as a “side hustle” in early 2017 has grown into a full-time career; working with businesses across the island to develop their brands, throw parties and host private events. Businesses Jamie has worked and collaborated with include; the Alpine Cafe, Foraging Vintners, NOA Bakehouse, Roots Bev Co, the Secret Pizza Co and UNDRGRND, amongst others.

Pauline Smith

Greenwave Accountants is owned and run by Pauline Smith, a Chartered Accountant with a passion for helping entrepreneurs and small businesses.With a base in the Isle of Man and the UK, Greenwave provide services to customers across the British Isles with a largely virtual office using cloud accounting and Skype, but also travelling for face to face meetings.Pauline has grown the business from a start-up in just five short years and has a complete understanding of the highs, lows, hard work and commitment it takes to grow a business.Greenwave now has a team of four accountants and administrators, working school hours and flexi-time, to enable staff to work around their families and enjoy what they do.Greenwave provide a comprehensive range of services, offering a dynamic and personalised service, and Pauline takes great pride in being able to explain complex matters in a simple manner.Pauline works with a wide spectrum of entrepreneurs and business owners but particularly enjoys working with tech companies. She spends a lot of her time trying to encourage other entrepreneurs and making the Island an even better place to do business.Pauline is also ridiculously excited about Gefachella and its future…

Daryl Callister, Isle of Man Bank

Proud Manxie, working for the IOM Bank since leaving school in 2006. Hate sitting behind a computer. Love getting out and about helping local businesses and individuals achieve their dreams. Enjoy boring people to death talking about golf.IOM Bank & Natwest International has a huge appetite to help and support locally based business customers. Just like you, we are open for business.

Paul Maddocks, Department for Enterprise

The Enterprise Development Scheme (EDS) provides grant, loan and equity investment to new start-ups, existing expanding businesses and businesses wishing to relocate to the Island. A total of £50 million will be available over a 5 year period to invest in businesses that seek to create jobs on the island. Funding includes grants, loans and equity. SPARK Impact have been appointed as fund managers of the scheme.The aim of all its schemes is to encourage the growth and diversification of the economy through the development of existing businesses and the pursuit of new opportunities.The scheme aims to encourage diversification of the local economy by providing a range of grants and soft loan support to eligible businesses.

Roberta Castle, Continent 8 / Bridge

Roberta is an Account Director at global communications business, Continent 8. Continent 8 are founding members of Bridge Angel Network.Bridge is a not-for-profit business accelerator and investment network. Their mission is to support Isle of Man start-ups and high growth businesses by bridging the gaps between entrepreneurial talent and the crucial support start-ups need, in order to reach their full potential and thrive in a global market.Bridge supports entrepreneurs and early-stage businesses in many ways, from organising networking and pitch events with the investment community to connecting them with incubator space and experienced mentors.Entrepreneurs also get free access to the knowledge and experience of the sponsors (Appleby, Continent8, KPMG, Dandara, PDMS and Sure) and other local supporting organisations working to ensure the success of the Isle of Man’s entrepreneurial eco-system. 

How to Learn, Learn & Learn Some More

Carol Glover

Carol, a proud Manxie and International business leader has helped over 500 entrepreneurs, across the world to develop their businesses. She has worked on boards of high achieving family and entrepreneurial organisations and advised Governments on their importance to economies and the tools and support needed to scale in these cultures.She believes that future economies will be driven by entrepreneurial lead growth, that small is beautiful, that relationships are key, and that technology, used wisely, is the vehicle to deliver exponential growth to fledgeling businesses.Her current passion is helping local founders develop mindset, resilience and vision to create impact and sustainable success for their businesses.In 2016, Carol took a Master’s in Executive Coaching and Mentoring and has coached 23 local founders and Senior Executives in the last 2 years. She is a member of EMCC and Evercoach Masters Circle, and studies every week with some of the world’s most successful coaches, to ensure that her clients continue to grow themselves and their businesses.At Gefachella, she will share key learnings from both her studies, her clients and state of the art thinking on how founders can develop, grow and scale.

Fail Fast, Learn & Move On

Fiona Fitzpatrick

Fiona is an Irish food business coach, who is relocating to the Isle of Man this summer. She made many of her most spectacular mistakes at Nestle, Cadbury’s Drinking Chocolate, Gu Puds and Chobani Greek Yogurt.Fiona now heads up the Marketing team at strongroots.co.uk and works with Bord Bia – the Irish Food Board – mentoring and training Irish food companies in what-not-to-do, and in the simple ways to ensure massive success.

Tom Gough

Tom founded the local web development company, Thomas Patrick, when he was just 17 years old. The company has since grown to a team of five designers and developers building websites, mobile apps and software platforms for a variety of local and international clients.

Carol Glover

(as above)

Pauline Smith

(as above)

Stop. Collaborate & Listen

In 2016 she relocated to the Isle of Man and has been running Kim Gee Studio ever since, providing freelance design, custom illustration, and unique art experiences. In May 2017 she founded the Isle of Man Drawing Club, a popular social event series for local creatives, doing her best to bring that New York buzz to the Isle of Man.

Heidi Baker

Heidi is a floral designer, event stylist and lover of all things ‘wedding’!She opened The Flower Studio in 2009 and has created florals for hundreds of weddings and events in the last 9 years, which led to her starting up My Manx Wedding in 2011, a free online directory and blog for local couples and wedding suppliers.In 2017, she partnered with Emma Allen from Oh My Pen & Press to create ‘She Event Styling’, which brought together their love of wedding style, attention to detail and a passion to create a perfectly styled event.More recently, Heidi has moved from her small retail shop in Tynwald Mills to a larger industrial unit in Douglas, sharing the space with Annabel from Flo the Coffee Van which will enable them both to expand further into the wedding and event industry.

Jamie Lewis

(as above)

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