Meet the Local Leader: Jarmila Yu

Enterprise Nation is on a mission to take the loneliness out of entrepreneurship. Through our online local meet-ups, we're offering a ready-made support network to small business owners across the UK and Ireland.

These monthly meet-ups wouldn’t exist without our army of Local Leaders – amazing individuals who are passionate about supporting small businesses and are committed to their local communities.

Here, we meet Jarmila Yu, your Surrey, Hampshire, and Berkshire Local Leader.

Tell us about your business.

I've spent over 30 years in senior marketing roles with businesses ranging from start-ups to some of the world's largest brands. I know what it takes to develop successful marketing strategies and how to get the best performance out of teams.

I'm the founder and MD of YUnique Marketing Ltd. It's an award-winning Surrey-based marketing consultancy that works with ambitious founders and CEOs in high-growth potential start-ups and SMEs.

The big picture is to provide the 'CMO Advantage' – traditionally only enjoyed by large corporates – to pioneering, purpose-driven entrepreneurs and SMEs who are looking to grow, scale or exit business and need the practical hands-on guidance to confidently achieve their growth milestones.

I’m passionate about supporting them; they are the backbone of UK business, and we need them to prosper as that will create more rewarding jobs, drive economic growth, and ultimately deliver a better world.

How long have you been an Enterprise Nation member and Local Leader?

I came across Enterprise Nation years ago when I was working for an SME. I thought it was an interesting organisation. When I started my own business in 2016, I knew I needed to get closer to Enterprise Nation to benefit from its membership and resources.

Given that I support other businesses, I realised the adviser membership would be a better fit, and I became an adviser in July 2019. I was soon invited to become a Local Leader in 2020.

Meeting other Local Leaders was the initial inspiration. Hosting the meet-ups and meeting other members inspired me further to shape the format for our Surrey meetings, and now I’m thrilled the territory I support has expanded to also include neighbouring counties of Berkshire and Hampshire.

What can entrepreneurs attending a meet-up for the first time expect? 

Each month, I host an online midday meet-up for Enterprise Nation. We start with 60-second introductions and then an icebreaker question, which gets the free-flowing conversation going.

We then discuss challenges and opportunities. Through sharing our thoughts and ideas, we learn from each other and inspire each other. Sometimes we all have the same problem, so by helping someone else, we might just resolve our own problems too!

There's usually the chance to discuss a business-related issue one of us is facing. Here’s where the magic happens as we each offer our own perspective on it. Potential approaches or solutions then start to appear.

Why should small business owners in and around Berkshire, Hampshire and Surrey consider joining your monthly meet-up?

If you need a dose of camaraderie, a bit of a boost, and a connection with like-minded business owners, come along to the monthly meet-up.

If small business owners need a reminder about how good Berkshire, Hampshire and Surrey can be, I'm on hand to fly the flag for entrepreneurship. Living, raising a family, and building a business here, I've had the opportunity to explore the three counties.

Entrepreneurship can be lonely, stressful, and overwhelming, but it can also be exhilarating, fulfilling and satisfying. There's more support available than ever, and there's also a massive community of like-minded entrepreneurs and business cheerleaders keen to provide encouragement, inspiration and advice out there.

If you had to start a business all over again, what would you do differently?

My top tip, if I started a business again, would be to reach out, seek experienced support, and think of business as a team sport.

A coach I encountered at the start of my entrepreneurship journey introduced me to the concept that environment dictates performance.

This principle has guided me to ensure I keep the right company, join communities and surround myself with people who can share best practices, offer key resources, provide accountability, and supply inspiration for the excellent standards needed for success.

I valued the support I received (and indeed continue to receive), and so being a Local Leader for Enterprise Nation and hosting the Small Business Meetups is just one of the ways I’ve found to pay it forward.

What's the small business scene like in Berkshire, Hampshire and Surrey?

We are truly fortunate that these three counties offer so much variety, diversity and potential. Just as they are special places to live and for leisure with green spaces and access to the coast, the business scene is special, too.

Berkshire, Hampshire and Surrey represent one of the UK’s most dynamic and interconnected regional economies, a powerful corridor of innovation, enterprise and opportunity within the South East.

Each county brings its own distinctive strengths, yet together they form a compelling ecosystem for ambitious entrepreneurs and business owners.

This is a region defined by diversity in sectors, in scale and in ambition. From established industries to emerging, fast-growth and high-potential sectors; from innovative start-ups, scale-ups and disruptors through to global brands and household-name corporates. The breadth of business activity is matched by the specialist expertise that supports it.

Across Berkshire, Hampshire and Surrey, businesses of every size are represented; from micro ventures to major employers and multi-nationals, creating a rich, interconnected and highly active commercial landscape.

This region is a true powerhouse of the UK plc. Surrey is widely recognised as one of the UK’s strongest economic contributors, contributing £50 billion a year in GVA to the UK economy, while Berkshire boasts one of the highest growth-per-capita rates and ranks among the top areas for business creation.

Hampshire and the Isle of Wight further strengthen this position with significant economic scale, contributing over £70 billion to the UK economy and home to a diverse and thriving base of more than 130,000 businesses, spanning sectors from marine and aerospace to advanced manufacturing, technology and professional services.

Together, Berkshire, Hampshire and Surrey host more than 300,000 businesses (and rising), and are recognised as premier centres for entrepreneurial ambition and business success.

This is a region buzzing with entrepreneurial energy, fresh ideas and leadership capability, an area of economic strength where standing still is not an option, and where access to support, collaboration and continued development is key.

What truly sets this region apart is the strength of its wider ecosystem.

With world-class universities (important for talent and research) on our doorstep, including Royal Holloway University of London, the University of Surrey, the University of Reading and the University of Southampton, alongside access to the Golden Triangle, competitive operating conditions and excellent transport connectivity, Berkshire, Hampshire and Surrey offer an exceptional environment to build, scale and sustain a successful business.

Beyond this, the region is supported by strong and well-connected networks: local authorities, research parks, incubators, growth hubs and an active investor community all contributing to an environment where ideas can be developed, challenged and accelerated.

A magnet for investment and skilled talent (and the organisations that seek to attract them), this region combines capability, innovation and opportunity, creating the conditions not only for business growth, but for long-term, sustainable success.

But beyond the data, there is something more powerful at play.

These counties offer quality of life alongside quality of opportunity, places where people choose not only to build businesses, but to build lives. From vibrant commercial centres and innovation hubs to countryside, coastline, and thriving communities, Berkshire, Hampshire and Surrey provide an environment in which both people and businesses can flourish.

Together, they represent more than geography. They represent momentum, a region defined by ambition, capability and potential, and one that continues to attract, support and grow the next generation of successful businesses.

All three also have a range of business membership organisations supporting the business community, and I collaborate with most, if not all, of them. When combined, the business membership organisations have a very strong voice, and that’s just what’s needed when influencing policy to deliver the right economic climate for business to succeed. 

What major challenges are businesses in Berkshire, Surrey and Hampshire facing right now?

Whilst these three counties are blessed in many ways, they are not without challenges. The region’s success brings pressure.

High costs remain a consistent theme, with some of the UK’s most expensive commercial property and living costs making it harder to attract and retain talent, particularly at early and mid-career levels. At the same time, while the workforce is highly skilled, competition for talent is intense, with many professionals commuting into London, leaving local businesses facing ongoing recruitment challenges.

Infrastructure also plays a role. Congestion across key transport routes can impact productivity and increase operating costs, while in some areas, limited availability of high-quality, affordable commercial space continues to constrain growth, particularly for scaling businesses.

Alongside this, businesses are navigating broader economic pressures: inflation, rising wage expectations, energy costs and evolving regulatory requirements, all of which are shaping decision-making and growth strategies.

And while the region is widely seen as affluent, it is not without disparity. Variations in economic activity and access to opportunity across different communities create additional complexity for employers and policymakers alike.

Yet, these challenges are not unique to this region; they are the realities of operating within a high-performing, high-demand economic environment.

For entrepreneurs and business owners, success here comes from the ability to navigate complexity, adapt quickly and leverage the strength of the surrounding ecosystem, turning challenge into competitive advantage.

Here are some of the key challenges that local businesses often raise at meet-ups:

1.    Access to skills and talent

As you move from concept to start-up, you need to skill up fast. Thankfully, Enterprise Nation’s platform and adviser community are of great support to those setting up a business for the first time. You need to find trusted partners to help you get established and see critical growth in those early years.

As businesses set their sights on growth, one challenge consistently rises to the surface: access to skills and talent.

At some point, every entrepreneur or business owner reaches the same realisation — you cannot keep wearing all the hats. Growth requires people. Yet, time and again, I hear the same question: “Where have all the people gone?”

Despite a highly capable workforce, there is a clear and persistent talent gap.

Part of the solution lies in thinking differently. We need more flexible, inclusive and creative approaches to workforce participation — bringing experienced professionals back into the market through fractional, part-time or consultancy roles; creating meaningful pathways for school and college leavers; and offering structured opportunities for undergraduates through placements and internships.

These approaches not only expand the available talent pool but also enable businesses to access skills in a more agile and cost-effective way.

However, while businesses can adapt, the challenge cannot be solved by businesses alone.

If I had the opportunity to share one message directly with the Prime Minister, it would be this:

“To unlock productivity and sustainable growth, investment in innovation must be matched by investment in people. Businesses need to be supported, practically and financially, to hire, train and develop talent.

"This requires a more joined-up approach between education, business, industry and government to address critical skills gaps, particularly in digital capability and AI.

"But training alone is not enough.

"We risk creating a pipeline of capable individuals who lack the opportunity to gain real-world experience. At the same time, many young people are struggling to access even the first step on the career ladder, while employers continue to seek experience that cannot be gained without opportunity.

"This is where greater alignment is needed, connecting education policy, employment frameworks and business needs in a way that reflects how the world of work is evolving.

"There is an opportunity to go further: to co-create initiatives that generate experience, incentivise hiring and support businesses in developing future talent. This could include targeted employment incentives, expanded placement programmes and closer collaboration with educators, industry bodies and people experts.

"Encouragingly, initiatives such as Skills Bootcamps are already delivering value, and continued support for these programmes will be important.

"Ultimately, we need to reimagine a system that works for everyone where businesses are empowered to grow, individuals are enabled to contribute, and talent is not left on the sidelines.”

Read Enterprise Nation's Access to People report

2. Access to finance

Post proof of concept and start-up, there will no doubt be a need to invest in the business to drive growth. Once initial internal funding sources are consumed, attention will turn to external finance.

Finding out what funding sources are available and what the right options are to pursue can be a daunting task. Just as we now have the SME Climate Hub for guidance on sustainability, it would be great for small businesses to have trusted sources of information regarding access to finance.

Read Enterprise Nation's Access to Finance report

3. Access to space

Business rates and location costs are crippling some businesses, and now, with added employment costs, it’s really a tough time for businesses. If there could be support available for the first five years of a business, in terms of office space/retail unit support, that would be much appreciated. This may even help improve the negative statistic of how few businesses continue after the first five years.

Read Enterprise Nation's Access to Space report

Tell us about two small business successes that you've heard about in your area (or at your meet-ups).

The first one is that Surrey is home to the Top Town for UK Business. Camberley in Surrey Heath won the title in Enterprise Nation's and Dell's Top Towns national competition in 2022. This was an awesome boost to businesses not only in Camberley but across Surrey.

Secondly, it’s great to see the meet-ups return to the Enterprise Nation event calendar after the short pause. We held our first of the new meet-ups in March, and it was great to see some familiar faces as well as some new ones.

At the end of each session, I always ask ‘is it a thumbs up or thumbs down?’ and I’m delighted to say it was a unanimous thumbs up. The strengthened focus on camaraderie and support (not selling to the room) and business matters in the three counties gave it a freshness and vibrancy. Dates have been set already through to the end of the year, so I can’t wait to host them!

Small business local meet-ups with Enterprise Nation

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