Big Business Breakfast Club – November Summary

The November edition of the Big Business Breakfast Club took place on Friday 21st November at the Brighton Pavilion Ice Rink, bringing together more than 100 local business leaders for a morning of high-energy networking, insight and collaboration.

This month’s event was proudly sponsored by Benchmark Financial Planning, represented by long-standing BBBC regular Robin Warner. Benchmark are Chartered Financial Planners serving clients across Sussex and the wider UK. As sponsor, Robin selected Chestnut Tree House Hospice as the month’s charity partner. Thanks to attendee generosity, BBBC raised £130, pushing the club’s total charitable donations for the year to just shy of £8,500.

November also saw an impressive 15 first-time attendees join us – our much-loved ‘Fresh Meet’. Many were brand-new to the world of business networking, and we hope to see them again soon. Two regulars reached the coveted status of BBBC Ambassador: Luke Sratta (Video for Business) and Graham Meheux (Big Brother Big Sister). This brings the ambassador community to more than 150 active voices across the region.

Our special guest for November was Joel Lawton, founder of In Your Corner coaching. Stepping in as host for the morning, Lyndsey Clay interviewed Joel about his journey from running a high-performing business to facing burnout, and how re-evaluating his priorities reshaped both his life and work. Joel now helps founders rediscover clarity, purpose and balance, and is a leading voice in men’s mental health and community support. For those who enjoyed the session, Sam Thomas’ full podcast with Joel is available to watch online.

With resident marketing expert Alex Ryan away, we welcomed the return of James Armstrong from Social Firefly for this month’s Big Steps for Small Business. James delivered a sharp and practical breakdown of the major social media platforms, highlighting how businesses can choose the right channels for their goals and audiences.

Business Card Draw

This month’s winners were:

Jennifer Rose, Fivefold – personalised branded T-shirt from Print Lord

Majda Ledden, Majda’s Touch – Laughing Seagulls mugs from  Sarson & Darby

James Grantham, Galloways Accounting – £50 Terra Restaurant voucher

Rachel Innes, Monan Gozzett LLP – 2 tickets to the Connected Brighton Christmas Party

Finally, photography for the event was captured by Michael Cheetham, joined by guest photographer Ishika Desai, whose documentary-style work added a fresh perspective to November’s gallery.

BBBC returns on Friday 19th December for our annual Christmasstravaganza at Sussex County Cricket Club.