Matchstick are a truly purpose-led agency. We caught up with CEO Ruth Hartnoll to hear all about their business, their work on Growth for Good, and how the Beyond programme helped them to navigate a rollercoaster 2022.

ED&I consultancy The Unmistakables delivered a great workshop on the benefits of building a diverse team at our last Gather event. They busted some myths and gave some practical steps to drive change. Here are some of the key takeaways from the workshop.

The Gather community is all about making connections. So we thought we’d introduce you to Laureece, the person you’ll most likely connect with first if you’re attending a Gather event or programme. She’s the Project Manager that makes sure everything we do runs like clockwork. Let’s find out a bit more about her…

Does it sometimes feel like your business has a revolving door? Do you want to not just attract but retain great people? At our recent Gather event psychiatrist we held a workshop exploring some of the science behind psychological safety and why it could be the key to stopping talent drain.

COP27 saw politicians, business leaders, and environmental activists join together in Egypt to try and push forward global action on climate change. No matter the size of your business we can use some takeaways from COP27 to kickstart your role in saving the planet.

D Squared Product Development is an innovative design and engineering consultancy with exciting plans for growth. We caught up with founder Daniel Isler to hear about product development, why he wants to give back to the city region, and how Gather has helped to bring the business new focus.

Struggling to hire and retain talent? It's a challenge that regularly crops up in our conversations with the Gather community. So for our latest Gather event we assembled a line-up of leaders, experts, and talent to share their insight and experience.

63% of graphic design students are female, but 83% of Creative Directors in the industry are male. It’s a disparity that shows the inequalities in the industry and a mismatch that needs to be addressed...We caught up with Sarah Leech from Kerning the Gap to hear about how they are inspiring positive action in the Liverpool City Region.

Last month saw the official launch of Tech Climbers 2023 in the Liverpool City Region. It was great to see entrepreneurs, investors, and partners coming together in one room at such an exciting time for tech investment in the region. Here are our top 5 takeaways from the panel....

Does the thought of navigating the world of intellectual Property (IP) fill you with dread? Do you have a niggling worry about cease-and-desist letters dropping through the door? Are you making the most of the commercial opportunities of IP?

How has your 2022 been so far? Whether it's been a roaring success or a bit of a rollercoaster, as we head into the last quarter, your leadership batteries might be a little depleted.

We all like to say ‘yes’. It feels agreeable and collaborative. It’s part of human nature and it’s important for leadership. It can open new opportunities and make people happy. Throw ‘no’ in the mix and many of us struggle, in both personal and professional scenarios.

So you want to be a B Corp? Fantastic. From the outside looking in, it looks little daunting…. But who better to offer words of advice, inspiration, and a touch of caution, than those in the Gather community who have been there and done it?

Tech Climbers mission is to showcase trailblazing businesses in high growth regions. This month sees the official launch of Tech Climbers 2023 in the Liverpool City Region. So what's Tech Climbers all about? How can you get involved? And how do you get a place at the launch event on the 6 October? We grabbed a chat with Anna Heyes at Active Profile to get the lowdown...

Mulberry Workshop design and manufactures bespoke furniture, structures, and products. They have lots of ideas for growth but needed some help to find clarity and develop a plan of action. We caught up with founder Jaime Mora to hear how the Gather one-to-one service helped.

At our recent leadership gathering author, coach, and all-round productivity ninja Grace Marshall led a fascinating session about struggle. How we’re programmed to see it as a battle and a fight, how our obsession with perfection gets in the way of progress, and how struggle could actually be where the magic happens. It’s the subject of her new book and we caught up with Grace to hear more about it…

Our next Shift programme kicks off in November and applications to join us are now open. It’s an online course that empowers you with the insight, tools, and confidence to take your business to the next level.

Now that events, parties and weddings are firmly back in the diary, we met up with founder of Agendaat, Maya Al Mezal, to find out how Gather has helped her develop her vision for a new online platform that works to support make up artists globally.

Sun, sea, sand, sneaky email checks, and secret slacking... sound familiar? When you're leading a business, it can be hard to take a proper break. The guilt, the worry about ongoing projects, the addiction to alerts, emails, and progress reports.

At our recent leadership gathering, Rose Long delivered a workshop on the power of breathing. In just a short session we learned some invaluable techniques and why breath plays such a vital role in managing stress and boosting resilience. We caught up with Rose to find out more and to pick up a few tips…

No business exists in a vacuum. More so than ever we're affected by – and can affect – global challenges. At our recent Leadership Gathering an expert panel discussed what global challenges like climate and innovation mean for businesses.

Purpose driven growth. Is it really possible? How easy it to achieve? Is becoming a B Corp worth it? At our recent Leadership Gathering we got together an expert panel to give us their take on these questions and more.

Since 2006 Agent have been on a mission to do good things with good people. We caught up with CEO Paul Corcoran to hear about how the team is evolving, the continued success of Agent Academy and how the Hive programme has helped them grow.

Meaningful connection is key to a well-functioning team. It's all too easy to become fragmented when everyone is focused on individual goals, to become blinkered when deadlines loom, and to become detached when challenges arise. But when everyone is communicating authentically in a psychologically safe environment, the whole team – and business can thrive.

We're over 6 months into Beyond, Gather's bespoke programme for ambitious leaders. But what’s it all about? We caught up with Project Director Claire Lewis to get the lowdown and how to apply for those final spaces.

We've all been shocked, angered, and moved by the conflict and humanitarian crisis that continues to unfold in Ukraine. It's inspiring to see the creative community come together to stage an exhibition of work by Ukrainian artists across the Baltic Triangle to support the artists and showcase their talent. We caught up with photographer Jon Turton, and Baltic Triangle area partnership director and Studio Manager of Space by Liquid, Jake Nolan, to hear all about it:

With an ever-growing community, a following of 170K+ on social media, and a thriving e-learning platform, Girls in Marketing are making a big impact. We caught up with founder Olivia Hanlon to hear about their mission to support aspiring marketers, their future plans, and how Gather has helped them prepare for growth.

How can we connect better with the right talent and start to drive positive change? Here are some tips.

Brilliant for our mental health and invaluable in the workplace... how can we prioritise creativity and get better at it.

3 days. 70+ Sessions. 60+ Global Brands. 6 Boroughs. 9 Venues. All where leaders, business owners, and students gathered together at The Good Business Festival to listen to key speakers discuss and engage in topical issues. Two weeks on from The Good Business Festival (TGBF), the Gather team and partners reflect on what resonated with them from the festival…

Research and Development (R&D) tax relief is back on the agenda thanks to Rishi Sunak’s recent Spring Statement. But what exactly is it? Are you making the most of it? And what changes are afoot?

92 Degrees have come a long way since opening its first coffee shop and roastery in Liverpool back in 2015. We caught up with Head of Brand Julia Auchey and Head of Marketing Olivia Murphy to talk B Corps, beans, and how Shift has helped the team evolve.

When you're a leader it can sometimes feel like you're an island – managing a business, navigating challenges, and making the big calls when it matters.

Redwigwam are a Liverpool tech business disrupting the world of recruitment. We caught up with CEO and Founder Lorna Davidson to see how Gather has helped the business grow and her thoughts on flexible working post the pandemic.

Heard about The Good Business Festival? Had your interest peaked but not sure what it's really all about? Wondering whether it will be a good use of your time?

Sood Marketing is an agency focused on making a difference: to their clients, the young people of St Helens and their community. We caught up with founder Paalan Sood to hear about how Gather has helped him become a better leader and shape the future of the business.

Successful football squads aren’t packed full of flair players, orchestras won’t work without a brass section, a bee colony only needs one queen – for a team to work, you need the right balance. In well-performing teams, you'll usually find that each member has clear strengths and clear responsibilities that complement others. So when you’re building a business it’s important to consider not just individual talent but the balance of your whole team.

If there’s one thing 2021 taught us, it’s to expect the unexpected. But even in times of flux, it’s key to look ahead. So what might the next 12 months hold? Let’s take a look at some trends to watch out for…

It's been quite a year. We've all probably learnt a lot about our business, about our teams, and about epidemic curves. But how has your professional learning been? As we look ahead to a new year, thoughts often turn to fresh goals and personal development, but it can be hard to keep the momentum up as life kicks in. The key could be to make learning part of your everyday routine.

25,000 politicians, business leaders and activists descended on Glasgow to try and move forward action on Climate Change.

Across the City Region there’s a huge ecosystem of support for businesses. But what exactly do they do? And how can they help you? We’re going to introduce you to some of them, first up, we caught up with George Wright and Lynsey Barnes from the Liverpool City Region Finance Hub which covers Halton, Liverpool, Knowsley, Sefton, St Helens and Wirral, the six boroughs of the Region.

Climate Change has never been more pressing, the green economy has never been bigger, and sustainable food production has never been higher up the agenda. Farm Urban are a Liverpool enterprise determined to play a part in delivering food for the future for everyone.

As a leader it's easy to get caught up in looking after the team, focusing on the business, getting drawn into the day to day. But who is looking after you? Who is making sure you're in the best position to steer the ship?

A productive and collaborative team: it’s the dream. A dream that – whether you’re back in the office full time or trying to make a success of hybrid working – is not always that easy to achieve.

COP26 is upon us. World leaders are descending on Scotland to reach new agreements on how to tackle climate change. It's a pressing, it's urgent, and it's nearing the top of everyone's agenda. Climate change isn't something governments can thrash out over a couple of single malts while the rest of us carry on regardless, it's something we all need to play our part in – on an individual and corporate level.

Poke Marketing is a creative agency that look at things a bit differently. We sat down with founder Andrew Binns to hear about their approach, their experience with Gather, and how they are using creativity to support diversity and inclusion in a male-dominated environment.

Beyond is Gather’s brand-new programme for ambitious leaders. But what’s it all about? We caught up with Project Director Claire Lewis to get the lowdown:

With a summer of fires and floods, and COP26 soon kicking off in Scotland, the challenges of climate change are hard to ignore.

The way the world does business is changing. The impact of climate change, government net-zero pledges, and purpose-driven consumers mean sustainable and ethical business practices can no longer be consigned to a paragraph in a strategy doc.

Against all odds we had a great summer of sport. Football almost came home, the Olympics and Paralympics were a huge success, and British tennis got a star that keeps on rising in Emma Raducanu.

No one likes to fail – and it can be even harder to face, let alone embrace, when you're a leader.

The little red number that haunts your phone, the incessant pinging, the constants alerts. Emails, emails, emails. Many of us feel overburdened, overwhelmed, and stifled by them. What should be an effective and easy communication tool has become a source of stress and anxiety.

All businesses are different. They have different challenges, different team dynamics, different opportunities. There's no blueprint for success, but there is an approach that will benefit everyone: alignment.

Management can be tough. Navigating relationships, juggling priorities, maintaining a culture, working through challenges. Throw in a global pandemic and it gets a whole lot tougher.

Leaders lead and teams follow. It’s the natural order of an organisation. But is it the best way to a smooth and successful business? Maybe not.

With success stories like Peloton, Harry’s, and Birchbox, the subscription economy has been steadily growing over the past few years, but this growth has dramatically accelerated over the pandemic. Enforced changes in buying behaviour has seen consumers looking online not only to buy their pre-pandemic brands but also looking at new ways to buy and new brands that can help them buy in better ways.

Integrity, good judgment, discipline, communication, there are lots of things we need to work on to be better leaders. But one trait that can be overlooked is empathy. Often dismissed as a 'softer' skill, it can play a key role in helping you to build a successful business.

Hear how Gather helped Snapify Marketing has helped Director Ross Hetherington take time away from the business to focus on their future direction.

It feels like we’ve been talking about millennials for, well a millennium, but there’s a new generation on the block, in the market, and in the workplace.

A Deloitte study found that 94% of executives and 88% of employees believe a distinct culture is important for the success of a business.

We do it every day, running a business relies on it, it's the key to maintaining relationships, but communication can be a tough skill to master.

Yozu are a tech firm who solve complex issues for businesses who want to operate better. Since attending several of Gather courses Paul and the team have established a solid platform for future growth.

Gather is a place for the digital, creative and tech community to connect, unite and grow. It’s about practical support and advice but also about connecting with like-minded leaders who face the same challenges as you. The challenge of racial diversity – or lack of it – in our sectors is a challenge we need to tackle together.

The Gather team is growing, so we thought we’d introduce you to one of the new faces you’ll be seeing at our programmes and events. Fresh from circumnavigating Scotland in a classic sports car and wading through snowy peaks, Kat Jones has joined us as our new Gather Project Manager. Let’s find out a bit more about her…

Coaching isn't a new phenomenon, but more and more businesses are looking to embed it in their culture. Taking it beyond one-off development sessions to something that impacts the whole company, not just leadership teams.

It can seem like a real battle to make the time we have count. So how can you be more productive? Get more from less time? Feel like you’ve won the day? Check out some top tips.

Two weeks on from the UK’s first mask-free event we reflect on what that means for the future of in-person events...

When a conference is called 'The Olympics of tech' and boasts speakers including Nicole Kidman, David Beckham, Chelsea Handler and Liam Payne, you know it's not your average conference. Check out the best bits...

As leaders we face vital decisions each day – in an increasingly unpredictable world. So how can we make sure we have the clarity to be smart and strategic?

Boards, shareholders, compliance – probably not the things that made you start your business, get you out of bed in the morning, or give you a kick when you talk about them over dinner. But while corporate governance might not be the most glamorous side of your business, it has the potential to make or break it.

The world has changed – and will undoubtedly continue to do so. A new focus on balancing purpose and profit was already emerging, and in the wake of a global pandemic will arguably become even more relevant.

Hear how Mettle and Shift helped the board at Uniform take stock, move with the market, and find new frameworks for strategic thinking.

Find out how Gather gave askEddi the support and space to not just weather the pandemic but pivot their business to take advantage of new opportunities.

Hear how Gather helped Kenyons weather the storm of the pandemic and reflect on the future of the business.

Buzz word or vital leadership trait? Integrity is more than a 'catch-all' for good leadership, it's a quality that's more important than ever...

It's something we've all shown to navigate the past year and it will be key to taking on the challenges ahead. So what is resilience? And how can we get more of it?

For many of us success over the past 12 months has been keeping our heads above water, but if you've steadied the ship there are lessons we can learn from crisis innovations.

How can we challenge the lack of diversity in our sectors? Check out the first in our series of blogs looking how we can all play our part.

Fresh insight, new ideas, the sound of Antarctic seals... check out ten podcasts and books that will (possibly) change your life and (definitely) help you and your business.

Conscious consumers are on the rise and employees are looking for the places they work to align with their values. So, should businesses be shifting their focus to do more 'good'?

Whether it’s embraced or enforced, remote working isn't going anywhere. Martina Gobec shared her tips for keeping your team engaged, motivated and thriving.

Find out how Gather has helped one Liverpool tech company find their path to growth and secure valuable innovation funding.

Is it goodbye tricky 2020, hello sunny uplands of 2021? Choppy waters are undoubtedly still ahead, but there are steps you can take to better navigate the coming months.