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Tara Tomes > Blog > How to pitch yourself as an expert

How do you position yourself and get seen as an expert?
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Award-winning PR expert, agency owner and consultant for small businesses and scale-up brands.
With over 15 years’ experience, both agency and in-house, Tara has worked with independent retailers and e-com start-ups, as well as internationally renowned fashion labels and household brands. Her core expertise lies in helping start-ups and scale ups reach their commercial ambitions through the power of PR in sectors including arts and creative, fashion and retail, and health and wellness. She’s also passionate about supporting charities and grassroots projects with impactful PR and marketing campaigns.
Tara founded <a href='www.eastvillageagency.com' target='_self'>EAST VILLAGE PR</a> over eight years ago, as the go-to agency for market disruptors and challenger brands. The award-winning team puts people and purpose at the heart of everything, working with brands who share ‘good values and great stories’.
During Lockdown 1.0, Tara also launched <a href='https://eastvillageagency.com/pocket-sized-pr/' target='_self'>Pocket Sized PR</a>; a platform for small business owners to find and download free PR tips, templates and how-to guides. Keen to support people with their own DIY PR, Tara shares hers and her team’s expertise through the platform, and also offers one-to-one consultancy for those who need a sounding board on their business growth journey.
Determined to right the wrongs of #agencylife, Tara is passionate about putting people front and centre. Building an agency that she would be proud to work for, EAST VILLAGE PR champions flexible working, unlimited training budgets, free mental health support and therapy, and so much more! This approach to fairer and more inclusive business has seen Tara featured on the likes of BBC News, ITV News, Sky News, The Jeremy Vine Show, Times Radio, and many more!
She is also regularly invited to speak at events, both in person and online, as both a guest speaker and panel member. Some of her most recent engagements include the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce, Selfridges, TAG Network Midlands, and Birmingham Metropolitan College.
Alongside running the agency and building Pocket Sized PR, Tara is also passionate about making the PR industry more inclusive. She sits on the Diversity &amp; Inclusion Advisory Board Member at The Agency Collective and is a Founding Member of BPFS Black Leaders Network. She’s also a Non-Executive Director for TAG Network Midlands, as well as a founder of homeless charity Let’s Feed Brum; on the maangement committee of Tabor Living, an accommodation provider for the homeless; and Patron of SIFA Fireside, the leading homeless drop-in centre.
Her passions are PR, people and paying it forward, and she’s always the business cheerleader to count on!
Get in touch to find out more: tara@eastvillageagency.com / @taratomes / @eastvillagepr

Founder & Managing Director

Since launching in 2005, the Enterprise Nation team has helped thousands of people start and grow their businesses. Led by founder Emma Jones MBE, Enterprise Nation continues to be the most active UK small business community and a leading campaigning voice for small business. Joining Enterprise Nation connects you with resources, community and connections you need to reach your business goals.

business.connected: How Vodafone’s new smartphone partner, Samsung, can help small businesses go digital

Samsung has joined business.connected as Exclusive Smartphone Partner.

Via Aspire MCL, the company I formed in 2012, I empower leaders, teams and businesses to thrive in an ever more demanding and changing world by using coaching, mentoring, training and psychometric/behavioural assessments to help clients build a sustainable source of competitive advantage, and to enjoy doing so!

I have a track record of success in a wide range of sectors and with organisations of diverse cultures. My focus is very much on practical application to help you realise opportunities and address challenges: make more sales, reduce unhealthy conflict, manage important stakeholders, align and motivate your teams and organisation, achieve clarity of purpose, drive change programmes, etc.

A former senior RAF officer, I have held roles that included interim director, senior trustee, enterprise architect, consultant/coach and course designer/lead instructor. Activities included BD, change programme leadership, commissioning consultants, senior stakeholder management, key position recruitment, etc.

I am a full member of the Institute of Directors and the Leaders' Club and have a Post-Graduate Diploma in Business Management.
Other qualifications include:
- BSc (Open University) – General Sciences and Astronomy/Astrobiology
- Programme Management – MSP
- Project Management – PRINCE 2 (Practitioner), APM Certificate
- Certified Facilitator – Belbin, DiSC, ‘5 Behaviours’ and SDI 2.0
- Business Practitioner in Neuro-Linguistic Programming
- Certificates in Consultancy and Business Analysis
- Certificate in Cyber Security Essentials (GCHQ/Open University)
- Certificate in Systems Thinking and Complexity
- A1-Rated Executive Battle Management Instructor and Evaluator (RAF)
- NATO TACEVAL Evaluator (Combat Readiness Assessor for Front-Line NATO Units)
- Mountain and Ski-Tour Leader (Military)

Outside of work, I enjoy keeping fit, playing golf (badly!), reading and local church activities.?

For more information and recommendations, please see Aspire MCL's website and my LinkedIn Profile:
https://www.aspiremcl.co.uk/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/iankirkby

Owner @ Aspire Management Consultancy Ltd

Effective Leadership

This group will cover the key principles for effective leadership and provide guidance on how to enhance leadership competencies.

Yetti Tabai is an entrepreneur and revenue leader responsible for increasing revenue across a small portfolio of companies. She has over 15 years of experience of Brand Management, SEO, Starting and building a restaurant business, Marketing etc.
Yetti Currently splits her time as Founder of Yettis Kitchen and other Startup businesses and individuals via GOA talent network. She is an Author and her courses on Udemy have had great reviews.

Yettis Kitchen (An Afro British Restaurant) in Manchester, continues to expand its reach and also provides in-flight catering across airports UK Wide. She’s a graduate of Law from London Metropolitan University, and started off her career in I.T working as a business analyst, then scrum master across top FTSE companies. All of this experience is what she incorporates into her businesses and mentees.
She is very much a nomad, and loves exploring. This is why she shares her home across Northampton and Manchester. She is fond of the business culture in Manchester, but loves the quiet farm house life of Northampton. When she isn’t working, she is a musician and loves to tour with her band, telling her story through songs.

Yettis Services
<ul>
<li>Starting a restaurant or a Nigerian Restaurant</li>
<li>Marketing your brand</li>
<li>email marketing - free</li>
<li>Campaign/Event management (Hospitality)</li>
<li>Seo and Advertising</li>
<li>Website Design</li>
<li>Navigating Delivery platforms (Hospitality Industry)</li>
</ul>

Founder - Yettis Kitchen

Navigating Delivery platforms (Hospitality Industry)

Are you trying to choose the right delivery platform for your food business. There will be lots of industry advice on how to save money with the typical delivery platforms like Just Eat, Deliveroo, Uber Eats etc. 

We will speak about the ones to avoid, the Epos&apos; to go for as a start up and how to build brand confidence on the delivery platforms. 

How to convert customers from the delivery platforms to your direct customers etc. Delivery platforms are a daily learning exercise and you will

I&apos;ve worked in media for over 25 years at companies like talkSport, Bauer Publishing, Future Publishing, Emap and now at Sky building partnerships with SME&apos;s.
Nowadays my remit is working with SME&apos;s across London and Surrey helping them understand the opportunity that TV offers them to grow their business.
People are just unaware that hundreds of smaller companies are doing 6 week TV campaigns across Sky for circa £3,000 and seeing fantastic results while building brand fame for their company.
I can share insights with you, best practice and help you understand what targeted TV can do for your business.
Thank you

AdSmart Business Partner

Kurt Edwards

I&apos;ve worked in media for over 25 years at companies like talkSport, Bauer Publishing, Future Publishing, Emap and now at Sky building partnerships with SME&apos;s.
Nowadays my remit is working with SME&apos;s across London and Surrey helping them understand the opportunity that TV offers them to grow their business.
People are just unaware that hundreds of smaller companies are doing 6 week TV campaigns across Sky for circa £3,000 and seeing fantastic results while building