Fortune Favours the Brave

Chrissie Rucker OBE, The White Company

Chrissie Rucker OBE turned the simplest of ideas – white cotton bedlinen – into a multimillion-pound business. 

Using a £6,000 inheritance from her grandmother, and the skills she’d learned from her training in couture design and the magazine world, Chrissie launched The White Company from her kitchen table in 1994 in a 12-page mail order catalogue which she posted to friends and family.

Today, The White Company is one of the UK’s fastest-growing multi-channel retailers and a trusted lifestyle brand with three core values: a passion for the colour white, great design and a fantastic quality that is still affordable.

Hear how Chrissie grew The White Company from a small 12-page mail order catalogue into one of the fastest-growing multi-channel retailers with over 60 stores in the UK, high profile concessions in Harrods and Selfridges and a US presence in Nordstrom.

Eran Fine, NanoLock

Eran’s career has seen him launch and sell five tech companies, author 22 patents and become one of the most celebrated tech personalities of our time.

His previous business - OREE, a LED planar light manufacturer - was born out of a wisdom tooth extraction and later sold for $10 million while his current business NanoLock, a cybersecurity specialist, is on track to become a tech unicorn. 

Based in Israel, a cybersecurity powerhouse at the centre of a $82 billion market, NanoLock is helping to combat one of the greatest threats facing businesses today and at our conference, Eran will share his journey so far as well as his top tips and security advice for SMEs.

Hear how, by combining design thinking and innovation, Eran has founded and sold several multi-million-pound businesses, and his ambitious growth plans for his latest business – NanoLock – as they aim to become the next tech unicorn.

Liam White, Dr. Will's

The story of Dr. Will’s began in a North East gym in 2015. It was here that Will Breakey, a trainee doctor who’d been trying to steer clear of processed foods to get in shape for his wedding, met Josh Rose, a restaurateur and one of the founders of Jesmond’s Jam Jar restaurant.

Together, the two developed the idea for a range of great tasting all-natural condiments and Dr. Will’s was launched. 

While seeking investment they met Liam White who, after discovering Will and Josh’s ambitious plans, left his job in investment banking and joined Dr. Will’s as a co-founder and now CEO.

Hear how Dr. Will's went from selling their first 200 bottles of ketchup at the Jesmond Food Market to the shelves of Tesco, Ocado and Waitrose all while disrupting the industry and focusing on better tasting, better for you and better for the planet products.

Danny Bent, Happiness Guru

Voted one of the 100 happiest people in the UK, and one of the 50 most inspirational people in London, Danny Bent’s day job is making people happy.

His mission in life is to inspire people to do more, to give more, and to live more… to be the best version of themselves.

While commonly known as the ‘happiness guru’, Danny is also an award-winning author and journalist, a Guinness World Record holder, celebrated adventurer and community leader who has one simple yet ambitious goal: to help others ‘make magic happen’.

Hear how, through life-changing experiences and by 'facing his fears', Danny was able to bring happiness and positivity into his life - and how you can too!

Juliet Barratt, Grenade

When husband and wife team Juliet and Alan Barratt decided to disrupt the sports nutrition industry, self-funded and with a spare bedroom for an office, they had no idea their hobby would become an iconic international brand snapped up by Cadbury’s owner Mondelēz in 2021 for £200m.

Entering into a fiercely competitive market with distinctive packaging and a logo featuring its namesake, Grenade made waves in the industry, bringing a fresh approach to sports nutrition.

The strategy worked. Grenade started to grow at an accelerated rate, featuring on The Sunday Times FastTrack 100 list for six consecutive years, while their Carb Killa product became the UK’s best-selling protein bar.

Hear how Juliet turned a sports nutrition brand into a mainstream confectionary giant and how she prepared the business for a once-in-a-lifetime sale.

Pete Graves (Host)

Born and bred in Northumberland, Pete began his broadcasting career volunteering at Radio Tyneside in Newcastle General Hospital before moving to Metro Radio as a trainee journalist. It was here he had his first taste of sports commentary, covering Newcastle United news, and where his career in sports journalism began. His talent, enthusiasm and passion led him to Century FM where he joined as their Head of Sport.

TV soon came calling and Pete joined ITV Tyne Tees as a Sports Reporter before securing his dream move to Sky when he was 26.

Now a journalist and presenter for Sky Sports, he is one of the most recognisable faces on the network, currently hosting the Breakfast Show. He is also known for his appearances on Deadline Day where he hosts the Transfer Show and his award-winning podcast “Transfer Talk”.

Away from the studio, Pete spends his time with his wife and three kids and remains a huge supporter of North East sports.