Helen James joined Enterprise Nation to start networking and it turned out to be a great source of mentors, partners and advisers.

Building relationships with partners and mentors

Member stories

 founder Helen James is on a mission to make people think differently about dieting. Fed up with a culture that leads to yo-yo dieting, she saw an opportunity to help people have better mental wellbeing.

"We teach body confidence and mindful eating through school and workplace workshops," Helen explained.

is Helen's first venture, so she joined Enterprise Nation when it launched three years ago to get feedback from other business owners and experts. It's been transformational.

 in Bristol since she joined. The group meets monthly to share challenges and provide feedback.

Sometimes it's a case of signposting. For example, a local meet-up led Helen to apply for a Bounce Back Loan. In other cases, it's about building relationships with people who can provide the advice she needs.

Helen met and worked with business coach 

 through Enterprise Nation's platform, which members can use to 

Meeting people at events led to lots of follow-up coffees with members too, including meeting partners that are now bidding together for NHS wellbeing programmes. One or two of these contacts grew into mentors.

Helen advised members who are looking for mentors to develop relationships through a general chit-chat, so you can understand whether there's a good fit.

 for Enterprise Nation led to bookings for her own services too, such as mindset sessions and community membership.

Having a local monthly meet-up helped Helen build a network from scratch, including finding advisers who can help propel her business forward.

Do you want to grow your network? Joining Enterprise Nation can help you meet business contacts, advisers and potential mentors. 

Help to Grow: Management - one-to-one mentoring

A government programme to help 30,000 business leaders improve productivity and growth. Includes a 90% funded, 12-week training course then a period of one-to-one mentoring from experienced business leaders and mentors.

A networking meeting in progress, with people gathered in groups, eating and chatting

Nutriri founder Helen James: Building relationships with partners and mentors

Helen James, founder of Nutriri, discovered a great source of mentors, partners and advisers.  

Enterprise Nation has helped thousands of people start and grow their businesses. Led by founder, Emma Jones CBE, Enterprise Nation connects you to the resources and expertise to help you succeed.

Go export: Unlocking global B2B e-commerce with Alibaba.com

Learn more about the B2B opportunities with Alibaba.com.

StartUp UK e-learning

This is a group is for those who have joined the StartUp UK e-learning programme to share ideas, inspiration and key takeaways from the videos you have watched. Get sharing on the group chat!

I’m an independent consultant, trainer and mentor helping business leaders – and their teams – find new ways to solve problems, embrace change and make it happen.
I have broad experience built on a career that started in the late 90s in advertising and moved quickly into the fast-growing world of digital and technology.
I’ve held leadership roles at global networks and consultancies, working with British Airways, BT, McLaren Automotive, Mars, P&amp;G and RBS, and boutique creative agencies working with Budweiser, Drambuie and Peroni. I’ve also co-founded a marketing agency and worked for an industry association, prior to setting up my own consulting business in 2016. This has enabled me to work with a vast range of businesses, all with different challenges to overcome and opportunities to grab hold of. I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved and the relationships we’ve built together.
I get my energy and fulfilment from bringing people together and creating an inclusive space where they feel they can be themselves. My approach is always people-first, starting with a conversation to understand what’s working and what might need to change, before diving into the detail.
You might have a one-off problem that needs solving, a bigger challenge requiring skills and experience not currently in your team, or need someone to talk to for an external perspective.
Some of the problems I help solve:
<ul>
<li>We have a disjointed business strategy with no clear vision &amp; values, focus areas or team buy-in.</li>
<li>We’re stuck in a rut as our founders and company directors are lacking alignment on our path forwards.</li>
<li>We have regular disagreements and difficult conversations with clients, leading to lost business or bad reviews.</li>
<li>Our new business approach is stop-start and we only focus on it when the pipeline is looking empty.</li>
<li>We have a watered-down proposition that tries to be everything to everyone, but doesn’t truly resonate with anyone.</li>
<li>We lack diversity, creativity or innovation, driven by hiring people with similar backgrounds and lived experiences.</li>
<li>Our inconsistent approach to pricing and uncontrolled discounting is affecting profitability and team motivation.</li>
<li>We don’t have the confidence to delegate responsibility so finding purpose and a work/life balance remains a dream.</li>
</ul>
Strategy &amp; Consulting services provided:
<ul>
<li>Business strategy development support</li>
<li>Ongoing business mentoring</li>
<li>Mission, vision and values development</li>
<li>Goal setting, prioritisation and action plan development</li>
<li>Workshop design &amp; facilitation</li>
<li>Behavioural profiling and team effectiveness /performance support</li>
<li>People development and culture strategy</li>
<li>DE&amp;I consulting</li>
</ul>
Training offering (in-house and for individuals to book onto):
<ul>
<li>Managing people - effective delegation, setting and reviewing goals, adopting a coaching mindset</li>
<li>Personal development - giving and receiving feedback, managing conflict and difficult conversations, proactivity and problem-solving skills, time management and productivity</li>
<li>Professional development - negotiation for beginners, presentation skills, pricing, new business, workshop design &amp; facilitation</li>
<li>DE&amp;I - The business case for DE&amp;I, making space for inclusion, embedding DE&amp;I into your culture, an introduction to microaggressions, designing for DE&amp;I</li>
</ul>

Founder

Workshop facilitation

Sometimes it really helps to have an external facilitator who can provide an inclusive environment for a workshop, enabling the team to contribute equally and problem-solve together.

As a trained facilitator, I create positive conditions and energy into a room, so that you can focus on the things that really matter.

Meena: Founder of talonX - Empowering SME Businesses through Strategic HR Solutions
I founded talonX with the purpose of offering more than just the traditional HR consultancy services. My goal was to provide big company HR services to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with a focus on agility, excellence, and a partnership-driven approach. Essentially, I wanted to create an HR function that understands your business without the need to hire a full-time HR resource.
With over 20 years of experience working in senior positions within professional services and the tech sector, I offer operational, tactical, and strategic HR experience, underpinned with excellent employment law knowledge. I can help businesses navigate and avoid complex legal issues.
I help SMEs build solid foundations from which to grow, helping them to attract, retain, and develop their people to become sustainable, revenue-driven businesses.
As a Fractional HR Director, I provide my clients with the expertise and insight of a seasoned HR professional scaled to meet small and medium-sized businesses&apos; unique needs. This model ensures cost-effectiveness and aligns HR strategies directly with business goals and visions.
Translating Strategy into Action:
My approach to offering HR consultancy is to add value to my clients. As an accredited OKR Coach, I bridge the gap between strategic vision and operational excellence. I help organisations decode their long-term objectives into actionable, measurable goals, ensuring a cohesive and focused approach to the strategic objectives of the business.

Meena Sangar

Meena: Founder of talonX - Empowering SME Businesses through Strategic HR Solutions
I founded talonX with the purpose of offering more than just the traditional HR consultancy services. My goal was to provide big company HR services to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with a focus on agility, excellence, and a partnership-driven approach. Essentially, I wanted to create an HR function that understands your business without the need to hire a full-time HR resou

Nutriri founder Helen James: Building relationships with partners and mentors

The monthly meet-up

Finding and working with mentors

Help to Grow: Management

Sign up today

You might also like…

Get business support right to your inbox