Join us for our next Make It YOUR Buisness event! A fantastic opportunity to meet local female entrepreneurs for the inspiration, ideas and support to start or grow your business from whatever stage you are at, with a rare chance to ask them questions and get honest feedback!
This Make It YOUR Business Event is hosted and organised by local businesswoman, Siobhan Stirling, Director of the Sharpminds Agency in Tunbridge Wells.
Our January Key Note Speaker is Julia Elliott Brown of Enter the Arena and she will be joined by our guest panellists Nell Mellerick of Arty Farty Studios, Jodie Claridge of Dental Box and Danielle Friend and Jane Hodge of Create Balance.
We’re planning a great event and a chance to build connections with other like-minded women both locally and further afield.
Our Speakers –
Siobhan Stirling – CEO Sharp Minds Communications
Siobhan Stirling is the founder and director of Sharp Minds Communications, a multi-award-winning marketing and PR agency based in Tunbridge Wells which celebrated its tenth birthday in 2022. Sharp Minds has won many awards since 2018 including in 2023 Best Creative Business and Outstanding Business at The Times of Tunbridge Wells Business Awards and was a nominated finalist at the SABRE EMEA Awards.
Previously a journalist, Siobhan spent nearly 20 years with the BBC as a reporter, presenter and producer on radio and TV,as well as writing for national newspapers and magazines.
She is also a published author, with her book “Sleep–helping your child to sleep through the night” published in several languages.
Julia Elliott Brown – CEO, Enter the Arena
Julia Elliott Brown is a highly respected board chair and advisor to entrepreneurs with a wealth of experience in inspiring, coaching and supporting high-growth potential businesses, and a passion for empowering female founders.
She has a Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) from the Open University, Honours (1 st Class) degree in European Business from Nottingham Trent University and a Diploma in Commerce from L’Institute Européen de Negoçiation in Toulouse.
In Julia’s free time, she sings in a show tunes choir, loves cooking and good wine, keeping fit and sane with yoga, online fitness classes and long walks on the beach with her cocker spaniel, Kenny, plus hanging out with her teenage kids (when they let her).
https://www.enterthearena.co.uk/
Nell Mellerick – Founder, Arty Farty Retreat
Nell Mellerick is a Community Artist and founder of creative business Arty Farty Retreat since 2018.
Arty Farty Retreat is a safe space where you can express yourself creatively in private sessions, learn something new in one of the many different art workshops, create and relax at a retreat day or weekend, exhibit your own work, collaborate in our online group or when we visit many community organisations, gain an Arts Award qualification or have fun at an Arty Farty Party.
Nell founded and leads on a number of Community Projects such as: Founding the Tunbridge Wells Fringe Festival; Chair of CREATE who deliver the Winter Lantern Parade; Director of The Community Pantomime; Organiser of Southborough Street Community and it’s activities; facilitator of SAWN (Southborough Awesome Women’s Networking) group.
https://artyfartyretreat.co.uk/
Jodie Claridge – Founder, Dental Box
Jodie is a seasoned expert in Dental Business Development with over 15 years of experience in the private dental industry. Her career began in 2008 as an apprentice Dental Nurse, and she has since advanced through roles as a Compliance Manager, Harley Street Treatment Coordinator, and ultimately founded an award-winning Digital Marketing and Dental Development Consultancy.
In 2022, Jodie, her husband and their business partner launched dentalbox, a dream realized after discovering the ideal property in Southborough in 2019. Their vision was to create a welcoming environment where clients feel calm and experience true self-care, all while receiving ethical and compassionate dental care.
In addition to running dentalbox, Jodie recently achieved her long-held goal of becoming an Orthodontic Therapist, completing her Degree Apprenticeship at the University of Central Lancashire—all while managing the practice and parenting her lively 3-year-old daughter.
Her career embodies dedication, innovation, and a commitment to providing honest, high- quality dental experiences for every client.
https://www.thedentalbox.co.uk/
Danielle Friend – Co-Founder, Create Balance
Danielle was born and raised in Tunbridge Wells, and has run her own accountancy practice since 2013. She began her career in 1999 as a trainee accountant, opting to work over attending university, a decision influenced by the introduction of tuition fees.
After qualifying with the AAT, she was headhunted by a London practice, and by 2004 was part qualified ICAEW. However, after experiencing burnout and redundancy, she found a new path in finance management, eventually becoming a Finance Director for an export business.
In 2013, Danielle started her own practice, Friends Financial, which she ran part-time around family commitments. The business grew, and after collaborating with others, Create Balance was formed in 2020. However, challenges arose as Danielle’s partner left in late 2023, and she became the sole owner of Create Balance in 2024.
During this time, Danielle found mentorship in the Accountants Wealth Academy, where she gained inspiration to grow the business. With the support of her long-time colleagues Jane and Becky, Danielle is now focused on expanding the practice and aims to reach a £1 million turnover by 2028. Alongside this, she is passionate about empowering more women to lead in accountancy, a field where female representation remains low.
Jane Hodge – Co-Founder, Create Balance
Jane originally studied at The London College of Fashion, but after graduating in the middle of a recession, she took a role as PA to a Partner in a niche tax practice in the City. This was supposed to be a temporary move but within six months she was managing a portfolio of tax clients, steering her career in an unexpected direction.
Over the years, Jane has worked across law firms, wealth management companies and accountancy practices, qualifying as a Chartered Tax Adviser in 1999. She specialises in personal tax, trusts and estates and has extensive experience in supporting solicitors with capital gains tax, estates, and inheritance tax issues, enriching their practices with her expertise, whilst also managing a portfolio of private tax clients.
After a short career break in January 2022 to focus on family, Jane was persuaded by Danielle to rejoin the tax world at Create Balance in late 2022 and in February 2024 Jane came on board as a Director to help Danielle grow the firm. Danielle and Jane made a pact to seize all opportunities that came their way, and this has led to increased referrals and growth for the business.
Looking ahead, Jane is focused on working with Danielle to continue building the Create Balance brand and delivering exceptional client service.
Her journey serves as a testament to the fact that sometimes the most fulfilling career paths are the ones we least expect.
We look forward to seeing you at the event! Tea, coffee and light snacks will be served.
To reserve your seat for this event please use the link for the Eventbrite page below –
