Business Advisor Network

Phyllis is an internationally respected live music agent with 20+ years’ experience across the global music industry. Formerly at ITB and William Morris Agency, she has worked with artists including Whitney Houston, Björk, Massive Attack and Sufjan Stevens, and now leads artist development and representation through Heliocentric.

Jason is an impact-driven, certified business advisor with over 15 years of experience delivering tailored intellectual property solutions for creative entrepreneurs. He has a strong focus on understanding the challenges faced by BAME entrepreneurs to unlock growth and long-term value. With extensive experience across sectors such as visual arts, media, and digital content, he helps founders identify, protect, and monetise their intellectual property. His approach combines commercial insight with practical guidance, enabling clients to turn creative ideas into scalable revenue streams.

Partnering with Creative United, Digital Incubator for London, Park Royal Partnerships, Business Link, and the University of East London, Jason has helped creative businesses refine their positioning, develop IP-led products, and identify untapped markets. His methods are simple and reduce complex legal and commercial concepts by encouraging the empowerment of entrepreneurs to take control of their assets and build sustainable income.

He is passionate about inclusion and under-representation, and works to bridge knowledge gaps and ensure underrepresented founders can compete confidently. His work results in improved sales consistently, clearer business models, and stronger foundations for long-term growth in the creative economy.

Stephen is a creative industries strategist and cultural policy consultant with nearly two decades of experience helping artists, cultural leaders, entrepreneurs, and policymakers navigate complexity and build meaningful, sustainable change. As a Director and consultant at Nordicity, Stephen has advised national governments, international agencies, and grassroots organisations across the UK and around the world — from London, Iraq, Jamaica and Lebanon, to Uganda, Philippines and Pakistan. His work supports inclusive creative economies, cultural infrastructure, and creative enterprise development in places facing crisis, inequality, or rapid transformation. Stephen blends deep systems thinking with participatory practice. Whether coaching an early-stage creative entrepreneur or designing a national creative economy strategy, he starts with the lived experiences of local people and communities — then builds outward, drawing on global evidence, policy insight, and creative collaboration to shape grounded, implementable solutions and transformational change. A trusted evaluator and facilitator, Stephen uses both numbers and narrative to tell powerful stories — backed by data, driven by human voices. He’s delivered strategic support to the British Council, UNESCO, BFI, Arts Council England, and countless artists, funders, councils, and collectives.

He has supported clients across the public, private, and non-profit sectors to measure impact, develop strategies, and unlock the potential of creative people and places. Stephen is a Clore Social Leadership Fellow and an OECD Summer Academy on Culture and Local Development Fellow. He is co-chair and trustee of Raze Collective, a CoSTAR Network Creative Industries Assessor, and a mentor to emerging leaders across the creative industries.

Diane is an Artist/Creative Partner and Consultant supporting talent across the Arts, Music, Film and Entertainment industry. She provides one-to-one consultancy underpinned with a coaching philosophy. Clients include music artists, talent managers, entrepreneurs and freelancers working in all areas of the arts and creative world.

In a career spanning A & R, Artist, Producer and Studio Management, Diane’s managed the international careers of numerous music artists, songwriters, performers and record producers. She's secured partnerships with Major and Independent record and publishing companies and run self-releasing artist businesses.

Laura Mulhern is a marketing and business development specialist, working with people and places to make a positive impact to their business, their communities and their environments.

She founded her practice STØRIIE in 2008, that provides narrative marketing strategies, place branding, audience engagement, marketing consultancy, and content strategy for clients across the UK.

Through this work, she founded the support platform Plan Make Do® in 2019 which is aimed at creative start-ups and SMEs to develop their business skills and creative practice. It offers mentoring and business development programmes delivering talks, workshops and resources to institutions, co-working communities, councils and independent businesses.

Clients to date include Mayor of London, The National Trust, Winchester City Council, Isle of Wight Council, Spelthorne Borough Council, Crafty Fox Market, Arts University Bournemouth, BoConcept, Hall & Woodhouse, The British Library and Art Asia & Southampton Mela.

Annegret Affolderbach is an ecological artist and visioning coach.

With wide-reaching vision for planet and people, her work awakens us to the unexpected rooted in ecologies, cultures and lifestyles. She weaves together sensory artworks, experiences and creative strategies in response to landscapes and cultural elements found within. Her works are powerful activations that raise awareness about the interconnectedness of people and our ecologies reminding us of our kinship with the more-than-human-world.

For over two decades, Annegret has lived and worked across the global North and South, creating works addressing themes of water, sustainability, over-consumption and cultural transformation. Her background in pioneering sustainable fashion combined with her experience as an editor and curator, make her an invaluable voice in the fields of art, fashion, culture and sustainability.

She is a sought after visioning coach guiding creatives and cultural changemakers on their paths of building visionary and wholesome futures, projects and businesses. Amongst her clients are creative visionaries, entrepreneurs, designers, writers, artists, photographers, film directors & producers, curators, creative directors & cultural strategists, architects & structural engineers, activists, healers, luxury wellness and beauty consultants, and more.

Louise Emerson works with organisations on growth, change or re-focus; developing successful sustainable strategic and business plans with a focus on increasing income, creating value and developing customers; building teams; establishing partnerships and developing the reach and messaging of organisations. She is pragmatic and focussed whilst taking a creative approach

She coaches managers and entrepreneurs across sectors: creative, culture, F&B, Telecomms, NHS, Pharmaceuticals, Media etc

Louise has over 25 years’ experience of running organisations having led a number of organisations; notably, Head of Business & Commercial Strategy, Natural History Museum and previously CEO of Cheltenham Festivals; before setting up her company Take the Current.

She has led organisational change, brand development, commercial development, worked with Boards, led partnerships and complex negotiations with partners including The Times, Panasonic, British Airways, EDF, SKY, Veolia Environment etc

Louise is an accredited Coach and Mentor and holds an MBA.  She is a Mentor for the Arts Marketing Association and the Impact Hub, Kings Cross.

Nat is an accredited business coach, trainer, and facilitator and she holds a professional certification (PCC) from the International Coach Federation and is certified specialist ADHD coach. She is passionate about helping creative micro businesses, artists and makers and specialises in coaching business owners to gain clarity on their business vision, strategy, and plans whilst improving their confidence and helping them build resilient businesses. Nat is also a co-founder of the creative business network Hive Collective CIC, which was formed in 2016. She is passionate about connecting the local community and is on a mission to inspire small business owners to partner and collaborate with each other.

Sabina Strachan is a consultant and trainer with 25 years' experience working in management consulting, research development and heritage management across multiple sectors in culture and the creative industries and in higher education.

Sabina founded how2glu in 2018 (www.how2glu.com) which develops and supports collaboration between individuals and organisations through consulting, training, facilitation, organisational development and bespoke resources. Sabina is skilled at helping people get to the root of issues and working in partnership to find innovative solutions. She uses how2glu tools and step-­by-­step processes developed through design thinking and graphic facilitation to help people navigate complexity.

Recent clients include V&A Dundee, Sheffield Culture Collective, Hartlepool Museum & Art Gallery, The Alasdair Gray Archive, and Seven Stories: The National Centre for Children’s Books. Projects include cultural strategies for Glasgow and Sheffield, a design sector strategy for Scotland, a partnership business model review and investment strategy, a coaching programme for Creative Economy post­doctoral fellows, innovation first steps programme for healthcare researchers and clinicians, and business development training for West Yorkshire creatives.

Previously Sabina headed up BOP Consulting’s Scotland office, an international creative economy research and management consultancy. There, her projects included the £13.2 million Glasgow Commonwealth Games Cultural Programme evaluation, Edinburgh’s Festivals 10-­year strategy and Stage 1 business plan for the £68 million Burrell Collection redevelopment. She has also worked as a partnership developer for the University of Glasgow/Glasgow Life and in various heritage management roles at Scottish Canals/British Waterways and Historic Environment Scotland.

Sabina is a trustee of a SWAN Autism (Scotland), trustee/director of Out of the Blue Arts and Education Trust and a researcher development mentor

John Anderson is an experienced and successful senior manager whose strong leadership and management qualities have been acquired working within the public, private and voluntary sectors. During this time, he has gained significant project and general management experience, an ability to lead teams with a varying range of skills and experience, and the commercial acumen and organisational abilities to manage regional charities, public sector departments and major regeneration programmes.
Since becoming a freelance consultant in 2013, John has supported a variety of charitable, private and public sector organisations with business planning, implementing effective governance and team structures and fundraising activities, as well as delivering several individual projects. Some of the projects and initiatives delivered include:

• The coordination and delivery of a major business and enterprise support programme for creative organisations on Merseyside, and worked with a range of arts organisations across the region on neighbourhood regeneration programmes.
• Worked with Daniel Adamson Preservation Society after the charity received a £3.8m Heritage Lottery Fund grant to restore a historic steam ship by implementing their business plan and supporting the organisation to make the transition from a group of enthusiasts to a commercially minded social business.
• Facilitated the merger between the Scarborough Museums Trust Creative Business Centre, Woodend.
• Undertook a short review of the arts centre, the Blackwood Miners Institute and its role in this South Wales town's evening and night-time economy.
• Worked with a variety of arts and heritage organisations through the various Creative United programmes, e.g. Heritage museums, a Children's Entertainer and an Arts Centre in West London.

John was previously the Chair of Northwich Town Centre Heritage Lottery Initiative and a member of the Institute of Economic Development

Jane Rice-Bowen is a Yorkshire based Arts Management Consultant who works across artforms supporting individuals and organisations with visioning, strategic planning, fundraising and good governance.

Jane believes in the transformative power of creativity and has spent her working life creating opportunities for people of all ages to play. She was the Chief Executive of The National Centre for Circus Arts in London for over a decade and the Joint Principal of the Conservatoire for Dance and Drama which provided world class vocational training for young actors, dancers, theatre technicians and circus artists.

Jane is a trustee of Eureka! the charity which operates the National Children’s Museum in Halifax and Eureka! Science + Discovery on the Wirral and was the Chair of the Board from 2022 to 2025.

Emma is a business growth coach, working with businesses to help them grow using their current assets, identifying new products and services or identifying funding.

After over 20 years working in the Tourism, Cultural and Heritage industry for SMEs and public sector bodies, Emma set up her own business to provide support and guidance back into the sector she had developed her career through. Her business provides consultation, mentoring and guidance specialising in cultural, heritage and events/festival markets, recently completing a project to create commercial bookable experiences in places of faith across England.

Emma is based in the midlands but travels the length and breadth of the country and has even travelled to the US to support projects.

Over the past 6 years Emma has been part of the business support programme in Staffordshire working on a 1-2-1 basis with around 100 businesses to work with them on marketing, communications, staff development, funding, business planning and vision setting, each business was very different but we spent time together it identify their goals and the path needed to get there. Within this project and with private clients Emma has worked with a number of funding bodies to bid for and successfully receive funding for capital and revenue projects, from rural funding to heritage lottery funding to Arts Council Funding.

Andrew is an experienced leader of organisational change with particular experience of strategy, business development and fundraising across the charity, voluntary and social enterprise sector. As well as skills in coaching, mentoring and business advice he brings huge energy and enthusiasm for building, scaling and growing organisations to enable organisations and individuals to be more resilient and to fulfill their vision.

His key skills and experience include:

• Business Development
• Funding, Finance and Risk
• Governance and Policy
• Digital
• Marketing and Communication
• Experience in dealing with HNWIs and senior people across all sectors in the UK and internationally

James is a business founder and Creative Industry Business Adviser with over a decade of experience helping creative entrepreneurs build sustainable enterprises. As Founder of West Creative, he has worked with clients from the Royal Opera House to the British Council, and as Co-Founder of FEVVERS, he’s championing sustainable materials across luxury fashion. Having advised more than 500 creative businesses, he’s an expert at untangling business issues and explaining the way forward in a style that makes sense. His specialities include market strategy, sales, product development, business planning, and growth.

Work

FEVVERS

Vanessa is a Director of Cultivate, the cultural organisational development agency and a freelance consultant. She was the first General Manager at Perth Theatre and went on to hold senior marketing and audience development and management roles at major UK companies including Traverse Theatre Edinburgh, Birmingham Rep, Nottingham Playhouse and Leicester Haymarket.

She worked with Arts Council England for 13 years specialising in marketing and audience development and business planning for major capital projects. During this period she continued to deliver business and organisational consultancy to an extensive range of cultural and heritage organisations throughout the UK and abroad as well as for Arts Council England and Arts Council Wales.

Vanessa specialises in governance, business planning and implementation, advocacy and developing skills and strategies for marketing, audience development fundraising, philanthropy and income diversification. She has developed a range of toolkits, templates and training workshops on governance, business and strategic planning, marketing and audience development. Her publications include "Subscription What Now" following research in the USA and UK.

She has facilitated and created events and conferences on audience development, capital development and philanthropy and managed a range of training programmes for Cultivate, Arts Council England and Arts Council Wales

She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts, was Chair of Origin Dance Company from 2012 to 2017and has served on a range of arts boards including Riverside Studios, Dance 4 ,Audiences UK and the American theatre company, Fusion in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Vanessa recently led the UK partnership with Arts Manager International with Michael K Kaiser on the ACE Building Resilience Fundraising and Diversification of Income programme.

A former Banker, Helene sold her first business and then began helping others access finance and growth via a number of enterprise agencies. The author of Business Funding for Dummies (Wiley), she is also an educator, investor and advisor. Her career has included Interim CEO roles, lead trainer for the Fintech Professional Education Programmes for LIBF’s Centre for Digital Finance, Director for the FinTech Scale Programme for Rainmaking (StartupBootcamp), lead academic for FinTech Entrepreneurship Masters’ for UCL. Board and advisory roles for a number of scaleups. She is a Trustee for the International Longevity Centre, and a Board member of the ICAEW Financial Services Faculty. On the CW 100 Women in Tech Award list, the Innovate Finance Women in FinTech Power List, & the Fintech Magazine 100 Women in Fintech list, she is also on the Exec Steering Committee of the CapGemini Global FinTech Report, the Advisory Board for MoneyLive. Her book ‘Reinventing Banking & Finance: Frameworks to navigate global fintech innovation’ (Kogan), was the #1 banking book by Investopedia.

Stuart graduated in Interior and 3D Design from Kingston University, but soon after completing his degree, he co-founded a successful independent fashion label with his partner. For more than 25 years, they designed and produced a celebrated range of women’s occasionwear, wholesaling to boutiques and department stores worldwide and operating their own retail locations on London’s Carnaby Street and Kensington High Street.
Over the past decade, building on years of mentoring emerging designers and fashion start-ups, Stuart has established a second career as a freelance business advisor. He now provides bespoke one-to-one consultancy to a diverse range of creative enterprises, alongside developing and delivering his own workshops and training programmes focused on sustainable growth, strategic development, and effective creative business management.
He is passionate about supporting creative businesses of all sizes and disciplines, and takes great satisfaction in helping founders and teams realise their full potential.

Remi Harris has 15-years’ experience in the music industry as a senior manager, mentor and business adviser and is qualified with an MBA and a certificate in Business Mentoring. She has secured more than a million pounds of grants and loans for her clients. She also has some knowledge of digital, design, TV and film. She is author of the book: Easy Money? The Definitive Guide to Funding Music Projects in the UK (2013). Remi is based in London.