Nicola Peake, a dynamic entrepreneur, is launching Peakefest, a unique business festival designed to inspire and rejuvenate founders with a blend of serious business insights and fun experiences. The event will feature prominent speakers, including Sara Davies MBE from BBC Dragons’ Den and Bianca Miller-Cole from BBC’s The Apprentice.
Nicola, 45, from Bridgnorth, Shropshire, has founded 6 figure businesses, sold them, and grown them again from the ground up, experiencing both the highs and lows that go with this entrepreneurial journey, and later this year she’s set to achieve one of the biggest challenges of her career to date, bringing 1000 founders together for the business festival, in Shropshire.
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 luxury experiences, Nicola is planning ‘the event of her life’ to help business owners bring the fun back into being a founder, after her own entrepreneurial journey has seen her experience; burnout, loneliness, imposter syndrome and online trolling and despite earning 6 figures in a career she loved, at the age of 41 life didn’t feel worth living.
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.
Making it her mission to encourage other business owners to take time out from their busy everyday lives, to make time for connection building, self care, and a new level of networking that incorporates rewarding themselves with new experiences, she is keen to combine work and play, and as someone recognised for her love of luxury, it’s fair to say this will be no ordinary festival.
Keen to share share both her learnings, and those of her business network and idols, to help encourage other entrepreneurs to keep following their dreams, in what is still a difficult economic climate, the lineup is looking strong, with Dragon on BBC Dragons’ Den, Sara Davies MBE, founder and creative director of Crafter’s Companion having just been announced as a keynote speaker. Guests can look forward to hearing about Sara’s lessons learnt as an entrepreneur and how she juggles a hugely successful career with family life.
Nicola said: “An inspiration to many entrepreneurs, it is an honour to open my stage to Sara Davies MBE. At the young age of just 21, Sara founded the global, multi million pound business Crafter’s Companion. In April 2019, Sara became the youngest-ever female dragon to join BBC One’s Dragons’ Den. She regularly co-presents on BBC’s magazine programme, Morning Live, and the British public got to know her more when alongside Vicky Pattison, Laura Whitmore and Alex Scott, Sara completed Comic Relief’s first all-female celebrity challenge in February 2024, trekking four days across the Arctic to raise money for Red Nose Day. I know she is going to fire everyone up and look forward to her sharing her learnings and stories.”
Sara will be joined by Bianca Miller-Cole, who appeared on BBC’s “The Apprentice” in 2014, and has since been named to Forbes’ “30 Under 30” list. An award-winning entrepreneur, speaker, and bestselling author, she is the founder of personal branding business “The Be Group,” which counts; Facebook, Google and Deloitte among its clients. She has also written the bestselling book “Self Made: The Definitive Guide to Business Start-up Success”.
Headline speaker Sarah Gray, will also be taking to the stage, to share how she has hosted over 300 events and closed over 1500 high ticket sales in the last 4 years using simple social and speaking strategies.
Alongside many other recognised speakers across a varied subject area, Peakefest is also providing opportunities for lesser known faces to be seen and heard, as Nicola has consciously curated the programme to provide opportunities for business owners at all stages in their journeys to share their message. Opening up slots for first time speakers, who are daring to take to the stage for their 10 minutes of fame, Nicola has introduced ‘Speakeyoke’ – all part of Nicola’s efforts to provide visibility and inclusivity for people who wouldn’t usually have such a platform to share their work to hundreds of people.
She is also going the extra mile in terms of access to speakers, ensuring business owners attending get the best chance of implementing their learnings. She said: “At PeakeFest we want to do things differently. There are tons of events where you can listen to the best in the industry, but you never get to spend any time with them. Throughout this weekend our fantastic keynote speakers are ready to guide you through immersive workshops, teaching you HOW to implement new strategies into your business, without the need to purchase a 4 figure course. Speakers will continue their teachings in their own Tipis, which will house approximately 30-40 people at a time, where they will expand on their talks and bring more teachings and advice. There is no-one else doing this”.
Held in the stunning grounds at Weston Park, Shropshire, 27th-29th September 2024, cited as ‘a unique business festival retreat that seamlessly blends luxury and learning’, Peakefest visitors can enjoy access to the Wellbeing Village, which sits under the trees within the ground, where they can sit and relax or get involved in the complimentary workshops; browse independent retail brands in the exclusive shopping village and then into the night enjoy the live entertainment and bar area for further socialising. Camping and Glamping bell tents are available on site for those who want to fully immerse in the experience.
Nicola believes that entrepreneurs need this escapism. She said: “Often as entrepreneurs we work even longer hours than when employed at a high level – and the stress levels are elevated too – but, we don’t feel we deserve any downtime. When we are high achievers in the corporate world we get rewarded with bonuses, with perks, with events, dinners out -because our employers are saying thank you for our contribution. When we work for ourselves we don’t thank ourselves! – but we must!”
As part of Nicola’s commitment to making the festival accessible to all, she has worked alongside diversity and inclusion consultants to ensure the event is approachable for those with accessibility requirements, has considered additional needs from a neurodivergent perspective, and has worked to make the space inclusive for members of diverse communities such as; LGBTQIA+.
Tickets and sponsorship opportunities are still available – please visit: www.peakefest.co.uk