Partner Article

Business Event Loved by Sara Davies Returns to Birmingham

This month a local serial entrepreneur, business mentor and events organiser from Bridgnorth is gearing up for her biggest event of the year as she sets out to once again bring together hundreds of the region’s self employed founders to learn from each other, buy from each other, and support each other, but this year Nicola Peake, 46, from Bridgnorth vows not to let the British weather ruin the fun, and has taken the event indoors instead.

Last summer Nicola put on a business festival for hundreds of entrepreneurs, Peakefest, in a field in Shropshire but heavy rain interfered with play, so this year Nicola’s chosen to take the festival indoors at the Hilton Metropole at the NEC Birmingham, on 10th and 11th July, but vows it will still have the celebratory vibe everyone loved.

Nicola explains: “Headline speaker from last year Dragon’s Den Sara Davies was blown away by the event saying ‘“I’ve never heard of anything else like this, not here, not anywhere in the world… it’s so powerful’ -and she wasn’t talking about the fact we were out in the sticks, she was referring to the environment of founders supporting other founders and how powerful this was. This is what Peakefest is about and it’s what I’m excited to bring to the party once again, from a warm venue in Birmingham NEC, rather than from a rainy field!”.

Nicola who’s founded and sold 6 figure businesses, after spending her previous career as a personal finance and wealth advisor, has seen what success looks and feels like as well as having ridden many waves of entrepreneurship. She’s experienced the highs of the exit strategies and the lows of depression and despair and is open about both. 

“Peakefest is about celebrating the qualities of entrepreneurs, those who keep fighting despite being faced with challenges”, she said. “Entrepreneurship is hard, especially in this current economic climate  - we get very little support from the government, and so entrepreneurs have kind of become their own ecosystem - we support each other, we lift each other up, and we celebrate each other  - the good, the bad and the ugly”.

“One of my biggest learnings whilst growing my businesses is understanding the power of being visible, and how to build real connection and I’m excited to share this and facilitate it. I’m excited to see the connections form, the lightbulb moments ping, and the relief wash over people’s faces as they realise they are not alone in this entrepreneurial adventure - and of course it’ll be great to give people the chance to let their hair down over the 2 days too”

This year Nicola has also given away free Teen tickets, to inspire the next generation - and in the spirit of visibility and celebrating talent, the DJ for the event is 11 year old, Archie Stevens, who will be providing entertainment on Thursday evening.

An entrepreneur who’s crafted a life she loves, having consciously created a business to fill her days with her favourite things – people, connection and incredible experiences, Nicola is passionate about bringing the fun back into being a founder, after her own experiences have seen her suffer from imposter syndrome,  loneliness and burnout…to the point where she felt she no longer wanted to live.

Having experienced this flip side of success, she’s on a mission to support others in business, to enjoy life, alongside building their empires, something she regularly does through Peakes Private Members Club - a non-cliquey business membership for ambitious entrepreneurs and founders.

This year Nicola’s focus with Peakefest is ‘Visibility’ so she’s been giving as many other business owners as possible the opportunity to feature within the festival. Many first time speakers will take to the stage under her guidance - people who’d previously been terrified of public speaking; exhibitors and sponsors have received coaching from her on how to maximise their investment and guests have been encouraged to network in advance to build relationships pre event, so they can really make the most of their time there.

Returning again this year as a headline speaker,  to deliver an in depth masterclass, is BBC's "The Apprentice" and Forbes' "30 Under 30"  Bianca Miller-Cole and she’s joined by her partner, Dr Byron Cole - one of the UK’s most respected visibility experts. 

An ethos for Peakefest is to make sure the event is a ‘doing event’ not just ‘a learning event’ as Nicola feels too many events lose their impact by not providing any opportunity for delegates to action what they pick up from the speakers. Immersive workshops, teaching you HOW to implement new strategies into your business follow the speaker’s talks  where they will expand on what they have shared. “There is no-one else doing this”, said Nicola.

As well as all the business focused activities there is also the Wellbeing Stage, hosted by Jo Robinson-Howarth and The Happiness Club, which is designed to help prioritise self-care, resilience, and mental wellbeing. Through interactive workshops, expert-led sessions, and practical strategies, delegates will learn how to manage stress, maintain balance, and create a business that supports their wellbeing. 

PeakeFest also has a dedicated Sensory Space as Nicola recognises that big events can sometimes feel overwhelming. Supported by Charlotte Dover, Founder of Maybe ADHD and her team, this space is designed to be a safe, quiet, and welcoming environment for anyone who needs a break, whether you want a moment of calm, a place to recharge, or someone to talk to.

As part of Nicola’s commitment to making the festival accessible to all, she has worked alongside diversity and inclusion consultants, ensuring the event is accessible from a neurodivergent perspective, as well as disability access perspective and has worked to make the space inclusive for members of diverse communities such as LGBTQIA+. 

The last few tickets are available by contacting Nicola.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Chocolate PR .