Ep.95 Angharad Ross | Solving Small Business Challenges Together: Reading Business Club

This episode features Angharad Ross, Chair of Reading Business Club and Executive Coach at Rise Executive Coaching. She discusses the community-driven structure, mentoring programme, and practical peer support provided by the non-profit networking organisation. The conversation explores the practical realities of peer support and how the club functions as a "board of directors" for local business owners. Angharad outlines the club's non-profit, member-run structure, where roles rotate to ensure diverse skill-sharing. She details how the group helps solopreneurs and small business leaders overcome operational isolation, navigate extended purchasing cycles, and refine sales, marketing, and pricing strategies in shifting economic environments. Finally, Angharad highlights the club's six-month mentoring programme, which pairs new or pivoting business owners with mentors to build foundational skills. She also breaks down the bi-weekly meeting agenda, held at Reading Hockey and Cricket, including structured 10-minute feature presentations, member updates, informal networking over breakfast, and skill-sharing sessions. She concludes by inviting local business owners and solopreneurs to attend as guests.   KEY TAKEAWAYS Your Advisory "Board of Directors": Tap into an expert, cross-industry network of local business owners who act as a sounding board to solve operational challenges and tackle business isolation. Low-Cost, High-Impact Mentorship: Access a structured six-month mentorship initiative that pairs new or pivoting business owners with mentors to build foundational strategies and accelerate growth. Practical, Pitch-Free Skill Sharing: Experience a non-profit, member-owned networking model focused on genuine relationship building, and rotating feature presentations.     TIMECODES 00:00 welcome to Angharad 00:55 What is Reading Business Club? 03:42 The members of Reading Business Club 04:25 The purpose of a business group 08:17 The breakfast at Reading Business Club! 09:09 Reading Business Club's mentoring programme 11:09 Examples of challenges members have faced and how the club can help them 14:52 Advice that Angharad picked up at Reading Business Club 15:43 The benefit of having access to people from a variety of industries 16:48 The structure of each Reading Business Club meeting 19:58 Shout out to the committee that runs the group 21:10 Details for visiting Reading Business Club and finding out more information