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Posted: Tue 30th Jun 2026
9 min read
Enterprise Nation is on a mission to take the loneliness out of entrepreneurship. Through our local meet-up campaign, 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 Leisa Pickles, your Local Leader for Nottinghamshire.
I'm the chief go-getter at Find me the Leads, a business I founded in 2018 to help food and drink brands get their products into more places and in front of more people. I
I am a solopreneur, meaning I wear many hats within the business. I have a background in FMCG, having spent 15 years at Mars selling chocolate, cooking sauces and pet foods.
I’ve also been recognised by Enterprise Nation as Sales Adviser of the Year for the UK & Ireland – twice – which reflects both the results I deliver for clients and my commitment to helping small business owners build confidence when it comes to sales.
Alongside running my business, I’ve also written a book on sales and regularly deliver Lunch and Learn sessions for organisations like Enterprise Nation, helping small business owners build confidence in lead generation, follow-up and conversion.
Away from work, I like to read (mostly non-fiction). I also enjoy walks with my miniature schnauzer, Buddy, and I'm quite partial to the occasional glass of Sauvignon Blanc!
I support independent food and drink brands primarily. The word independent can be translated in two ways – independent food and drink brands, or brands that want to get into more independents.
These are typically outlets within what I call the speciality buying food sector, where people go to eat, drink and discover food and drink products that aren't in a supermarket. They're prepared to spend time to look, sample and read about products with a good backstory, strong provenance and that people aren't afraid to pay a premium for.
The reason is that I come from a corporate background, working in sales for a large organisation. When I left that world, I realised that there are so many great food and drink brands out there that are all trying to get themselves heard and seen, but they've got quite a lot to contend with because the big players dominate such a large amount of space.
The smaller brands just don't have the skills, resources or expertise to navigate those networks to get to the key decision-makers. And that is where I come in, as I'm good at unpicking bigger networks to get to the right people. I want to be the voice of the undistributed and fly the flag for the little guy.
I’ve been involved with Enterprise Nation ever since I started my own business back in 2018. I’m constantly amazed by the quality of the support available and the genuine desire to help small business owners succeed.
Being recognised as Sales Adviser of the Year for the UK and Ireland (twice) has also given me a platform to help other small business owners, and becoming a Local Leader felt like a natural extension of that.
I saw the opportunity to bring small business owners together locally — not just to network, but to have real conversations about what’s happening in business right now, and I wanted to be part of creating that space.
I continue to be astounded by the diverse mix of small businesses that exist in my area. I have daily interactions with businesses from the retail, hospitality and service sectors.
What strikes me most about businesses in my area is the desire to really make a difference and to add value to their customers and their community.
One of the biggest themes coming through right now is the gap between lead generation and conversion.
Many business owners are telling me they have leads, enquiries, conversations, even proposals out – but they’re struggling to get those leads to convert into paying customers.
There’s a sense that people are taking longer to make decisions, budgets are being scrutinised more closely, and sales cycles are stretching.
Alongside that, visibility is still a challenge – knowing how to consistently get in front of the right people – but the real frustration now is: “I’ve got interest… so why isn’t it turning into sales?”
Running a business can be incredibly rewarding, but it can also feel quite lonely.
What these meet-ups offer is a space where you can connect with other business owners who understand what you’re going through. People you can ask questions, share challenges with, and sense-check ideas in a supportive environment.
It’s about building a trusted network – not just showing up once but having a group you can come back to regularly and feel part of.
Yes, you’ll grow your network, but more importantly, you’ll build relationships with people who genuinely want to see you succeed.
In one of our recent sessions, a business owner shared that they were looking for support to help them scale and grow their business.
Because of the collaborative nature of the group, I was able to immediately point them towards a fully funded opportunity that gave them access to one-to-one support with a business mentor.
That’s what these meet-ups are all about – real-time problem solving, sharing opportunities, and making sure people don’t feel like they must figure everything out on their own.
Sometimes the value comes from a single conversation or connection that moves someone forward.
It's really informal. You get the opportunity to introduce yourself and your business. Come with an open mind, and be prepared to share, listen and contribute. We're a small group, so you can't be silent as we rely on everyone's interaction and involvement.
After the introduction, we do a bit of a "what's hot and what's not", topical issues that everyone's talking about at the minute. This potentially gives people discussion points for the breakout rooms.
There are generally two lots of breakout rooms, and I try to mix it up so that similar businesses aren't in the same room. I try to match people based on what they might need support with instead.
We’re also introducing short learning sessions led by members of the group. This gives people the chance to share their expertise, support others, and showcase what they do – without it feeling like a sales pitch.
It’s about learning from each other, building relationships, and creating a space where everyone contributes and benefits.
Local meet-ups take place every month. Find your nearest and reserve your place
