Future Creators is a Cultural Education Partnership founded in 2015 to develop the creative potential, skills and voice of young creative citizens. The partnership spans the creative industries, local businesses, youth groups, schools, arts and heritage, health and social services in Brighton & Hove. My role as Head of Development is to create the opportunities and broker the relationships to allow Future Creators to achieve its ambitions. In association with key strategic partners… Show more Future Creators is a Cultural Education Partnership founded in 2015 to develop the creative potential, skills and voice of young creative citizens. The partnership spans the creative industries, local businesses, youth groups, schools, arts and heritage, health and social services in Brighton & Hove. My role as Head of Development is to create the opportunities and broker the relationships to allow Future Creators to achieve its ambitions. In association with key strategic partners, city councils and creative industry employers, I am working hard to support the shaping of our creative city of the future whilst responding to the challenges that the Covid-19 pandemic has presented for the sector. A large focus of my last 12 months has been around leveraging creative skills development to improve employability. In particular, this has resulted in the creation of a Creatives’ Kickstart Gateway, the roll-out of a portfolio of employability courses and support packages and the development of a Kickstart Jobs Fair for the South East in September 2021 in association with the Department for Work and Pensions. Show less

BRITE is a world leading innovation research and exchange programme designed to facilitate SME innovation, growth and recovery. It is driven by the University of Brighton in partnership with Plus X.My role is to work with business leaders to understand, plan and support their open innovation projects using the INSPIRE open innovation framework. By providing high level coaching to guide, prompt and challenge thinking, I enable businesses to break new ground and maximise… Show more BRITE is a world leading innovation research and exchange programme designed to facilitate SME innovation, growth and recovery. It is driven by the University of Brighton in partnership with Plus X.My role is to work with business leaders to understand, plan and support their open innovation projects using the INSPIRE open innovation framework. By providing high level coaching to guide, prompt and challenge thinking, I enable businesses to break new ground and maximise opportunity.My approach centres on building trust and rapport to foster open dialogue at each stage of the programme. A personal highlight for me has been watching two of my clients recognise synergies and begin to build strategic partnerships to strengthen their businesses and brands to deliver innovative virtual and hybrid events as a result of the pandemic. Show less

As a specialist advisor on the Framework of Business Consultants at the University of Brighton, my remit is to advise and support businesses through the Green Growth Platform programme [now part of Clean Growth UK]. I connect climate-conscious businesses with the resources they need to innovate and grow whilst delivering strategic support for specific GGP leaders via one to one coaching.My approach utilises Innovate UK’s ‘Innovation Canvas’ as a diagnostic tool to support the process… Show more As a specialist advisor on the Framework of Business Consultants at the University of Brighton, my remit is to advise and support businesses through the Green Growth Platform programme [now part of Clean Growth UK]. I connect climate-conscious businesses with the resources they need to innovate and grow whilst delivering strategic support for specific GGP leaders via one to one coaching.My approach utilises Innovate UK’s ‘Innovation Canvas’ as a diagnostic tool to support the process. Personal highlights include guiding a linseed and flax producer to explore partnership opportunities (open innovation) versus recruiting another Director/ Shareholder and supporting the Director of a Women’s Centre Charity to refocus and build an effective growth strategy. Show less

Working with the University of Brighton team, with over 40 LCEGS (Low Carbon Environmental Goods and Services) companies across East Sussex, my remit was to provide leadership coaching and support to businesses developing innovative new products and services. Eligible businesses could avail of an innovation grant.Business growth coaching is an integral part of this process, covering needs analysis and utilising the ‘Strategy on a Page’ model along with one-to-one coaching to complete… Show more Working with the University of Brighton team, with over 40 LCEGS (Low Carbon Environmental Goods and Services) companies across East Sussex, my remit was to provide leadership coaching and support to businesses developing innovative new products and services. Eligible businesses could avail of an innovation grant.Business growth coaching is an integral part of this process, covering needs analysis and utilising the ‘Strategy on a Page’ model along with one-to-one coaching to complete tailored grant applications. My consultancy successfully secured over £175K of grant funding for the SMEs.“Deana’s advice was invaluable in terms of what was available for the business and what we could achieve with grant support. We certainly couldn’t have completed the application in the time available without Deana’s help.” Henry Mitchell, Director, Heating Ltd Show less

I set up Fresh Ambition in 2011 with the aim to partner with national and international organisations to develop working futures that are sustainable, equitable and full of opportunity for businesses ready to move to the next level. Whether it’s through one-to-one coaching, group strategy workshops or brokering diverse relationships to redefine possibilities, my ambition is always to help businesses and their communities to grow and thrive.

The RSA’s Cities of Learning programme is a new model for cities and regions to design and deliver inclusive lifelong learning, tailored to the needs of local people and economies. The aim of the pilot is to respond to research suggesting that cities experience a fragmented learning landscape where formal education can leave learners unprepared for work, while many life skills go unrecognised. At the same time, 63% of employers face a skills shortage, mostly around “soft” and self-management… Show more The RSA’s Cities of Learning programme is a new model for cities and regions to design and deliver inclusive lifelong learning, tailored to the needs of local people and economies. The aim of the pilot is to respond to research suggesting that cities experience a fragmented learning landscape where formal education can leave learners unprepared for work, while many life skills go unrecognised. At the same time, 63% of employers face a skills shortage, mostly around “soft” and self-management skills, leading to growing inequality, missed opportunities and low productivity.My role as Operations Lead, is to work directly with place-based stakeholders and networks to embed lifelong learning approaches and deliver Cities of Learning solutions. This includes on-boarding, setting KPIs and facilitating the co-creation of digital badges. Throughout the pilot, I recruited 20 organisations to create 120 different digital badges. 1573 individual badges have been earned and distributed giving learners a new currency (beyond exam results) to showcase their talents. Show less

As a SFEDI recognised Enterprise Mentor and workshop facilitator, I have supported over 200 new start-ups to develop ideas and confidently shape their business. Through a series of workshops and one to one coaching using the GROW methodology, my role centres on delivering personal and professional support to produce a viable business plan and financial projections. I have also coached Start Up Loan recipients (BIS funded scheme), to equip individuals with the tools needed to maximise their… Show more As a SFEDI recognised Enterprise Mentor and workshop facilitator, I have supported over 200 new start-ups to develop ideas and confidently shape their business. Through a series of workshops and one to one coaching using the GROW methodology, my role centres on delivering personal and professional support to produce a viable business plan and financial projections. I have also coached Start Up Loan recipients (BIS funded scheme), to equip individuals with the tools needed to maximise their growth potential and deliver change for the better. Show less

Profitnet is a peer-to-peer business development programme, enabling over 1000 SME leaders to embed innovative practices and develop knowledge and skills to grow their businesses. My role as Senior Business Manager was to lead a multifunctional team of project managers, facilitators and consultants to deliver the £2m government funded programme. Profitnet’s success continued with the creation of a Profitnet Plus model, for which I developed the framework and training manuals, whilst… Show more Profitnet is a peer-to-peer business development programme, enabling over 1000 SME leaders to embed innovative practices and develop knowledge and skills to grow their businesses. My role as Senior Business Manager was to lead a multifunctional team of project managers, facilitators and consultants to deliver the £2m government funded programme. Profitnet’s success continued with the creation of a Profitnet Plus model, for which I developed the framework and training manuals, whilst having responsibility for building and managing its international licensee programme.As a licensed business development product, Profitnet became a sustainable commercial enterprise within the University of Brighton, strengthening the university’s market reputation as a centre of excellence for peer-to-peer experiential learning amongst SMEs. Show less