Strategic Mentors

► What We Do Differently?
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We 𝗮𝗰𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗿𝗲 companies, 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿 with owners, or 𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗼𝗿 individuals to build high-income, high-value companies. We structure them so as business grows life becomes easier, not harder. 

We help founders 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗠𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 so they're financially set for life for the rest of their lives. 

Whether post-acquisition, or while partnering or mentoring, we use this framework:

🔸 𝗣𝗵𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝟭 - 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘂𝗲
→ Starting position: there's a revenue ceiling, and roller-coaster income pattern
→ New outcome: consistent leadflow, high conversions with 'pull' rather than 'pitch'
→ Breakthrough the ceiling, stay at the new level, continue to build

🔸 𝗣𝗵𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝟮 - 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗶𝘁
→ Starting position: delivery capacity is limited, constraining growth
→ New outcome: unblock the model to expand capacity at higher profitability
→ Cashflow consistently building as constraints on scale and profitability fixed

🔸 𝗣𝗵𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝟯 - 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
→ Starting position: business depends on founder, hence locked-in and low valuation
→ New outcome: evolved business no longer depends on founder
→ Founder is now a Profit Orchestrator, no longer locked-in to the hamster wheel

See how it works: https://strategicmentors.co.uk

► Want to know more?
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𝗦𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗻𝗼𝘄? - we are open to acquiring the right businesses
𝗦𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 '𝘀𝗼𝗼𝗻'? - we can partner with you to secure your target valuation
𝗪𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝘅𝗶𝘁 𝗼𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻? - join The Multipliable Hub to scale your company, your leadership and financial security

𝗦𝗲𝗲 𝗮 𝟳𝗺𝗶𝗻 𝘄𝗮𝗹𝗸𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 of the approach here: https://share.zight.com/NQuBKgq8

Tips & insights on Becoming Multipliable at https://profitorchestrators.com
Learn more at https://strategicmentors.co.uk 
Email: ✉ chrisgardener@strategicmentors.co.uk

Strategic Investor & Mentor

Finance Director to a number of SMEs across numerous industries and sectors.
Size range from £500k sales to £10m sales.

Portfolio Finance Director

Electrocomponents plc

Strategic change leader, international business manager, Europe and Asia executive mentor, business unit manager, finance professional

General Manager, Finance Manager & Marketing manager

Grant Thornton

Advisor to range of clients from £500k - £30m sales across many sectors and industries.

Chartered Accountant

1️⃣ Helping turn Founder Businesses into Sellable/Freedom Businesses - from "I'm busy in the business" to "I own this brilliant asset", with the option to keep or sell 2️⃣ Investor & Mentor

For B2B service business owners who've hit six figures but found themselves working harder than ever: there's a different path to seven figures that doesn't demand more of your time and energy.

This isn't just theory - it's wisdom gained from experience....

I've spent 20 years building, exiting, and helping others scale their businesses. But my greatest business lesson didn’t come from financial success—it came from personal tragedy.

When my wife was diagnosed with an incurable brain tumor, I had to reimagine everything. With young kids at primary school, business had to fit my life—not the other way around. Money wasn’t the issue. Time was.

After losing her, I had to rebuild with new boundaries. Limited working hours forced me to think differently. The surprise? My business performed better than ever.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝗠𝘆 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗗𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁?
Most six-figure businesses grow through addition—more revenue, more clients, more complexity. They hit a ceiling because their business depends on them.

Instead, I help business owners become Multipliable—so as the business grows, it gets lighter, not harder to manage. 

Breaking the £1M barrier changes everything—we use surplus cashflow to build a £2M Freedom Fund for true financial independence.

❯ Multiply results while reducing stress—grow without more work.
❯ Retain control while lightening the load—protect your autonomy.
❯ Build financial independence—a business with profits, not pressure, and £100K+ in passive income for life.

𝗪𝗵𝗼 𝗜 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵:
1. B2B service-based business owners ready for sustainable, intelligent growth.
2. Founders who want their business to fund their freedom, not consume their life.
3. Leaders who know success isn’t just about more money—but more choices.

𝗠𝘆 𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱:
❯ Chartered Accountant turned entrepreneur & investor.
❯ Built and exited multiple businesses over 20 years.
❯ Advised & invested in 250+ businesses from startup to £20M valuation.
❯ Amazon bestseller: The Busyness Delusion.
❯ Active portfolio across B2B services, marketing, advisory, IT & cloud, analytics.

𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁:
1. Becoming Multipliable
2. Freedom-First Business Design
3. Removing Growth Constraints
4. Building Wealth Through Business Assets
5. What Actually Matters in Life & Business

𝗟𝗲𝘁’𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁:
DM me or learn more at strategicmentors.co.uk

Chris Gardener

Barrett Coaching and Training

Training cohorts for the Award + Certificate in ADHD Coaching

Neurodiversity Tutor

Poetry in Business Conference

Founder of the GroundBreaking Poetry in Business Conference. 

2025 we go again! Programme is finalised. Full conference tickets and individual session tickets are on sale now!

Some teasers - ever wondered how AI and EI work best - hint it has a lot to do with poetry! What was behind the success of the Poetry Pharmacy's rapid expansion? How can you start to incorporate poetic methods and approaches into your leadership, customer attraction and innovation?

6 poets in residence will wow you with their spoken word summaries and our conference poet in residence will perform the Spoken Word Finale as our last word. You'll never forget this virtual conference experience.

The Poetry in Business Conference is Back for 2025!!!
🗓️ SAVE THE DATE: Friday, November 14th.
🎟️ Grab your Conference or session tickets now and join us for another inspiring event. 

Concessions for Student, Retired and low income available. 

Link to buy full conference ticket
https://buy.stripe.com/7sY7sMel259j4oXfl66kg0J

2024 was our first year.  With Clare Morgan the author of What Poetry Brings to Business as our Keynote we started strong! Our innovative design had each participant create their own poetry in business toolkit between sessions. Session two explored poetry and wellbeing, with a break to watch curated TED talks on this subject and then our central session on Poetry is Leadership. The third self directed break explored poetry in your leadership and then into session 4 discovering the links between poetry and innovation and creativity in the workplace. Our final PLAY break had everyone complete their own poetry for business toolkit before the final session takes on Poetry for Coaching. 6 Poets in Residence summarised every session and we relaxed with an evenings Open Mic with Feature poets sharing their words on poetry in the workplace. A new Community of Business Post was formed and everyone left the conference buzzing with ideas!

Founder

Creased Puddle

Supporting clients through their Access to Work supported Strategy Coaching sessions.

Partner Coach

Automattic

External Executive coach supporting career development, leadership development and confidence in personal and professional development

Executive Coach

NEXT STEP HR LTD

Executive and Leadership coaching and transformational change mentoring for HR Leaders, their teams and their people focusing on the next step in their career and inclusive organisations taking the next step in their business strategy.
 
Career, Crisis, Clarity, Confidence and Creative Executive coaching at points of transition or transformation.

Does your Team need a Reboot? or would a Connect and Reflect session meet your needs - DM for details.

Corporate Spoken Word Poet - People will never forget how you made them feel - Releasing the Power of Poetry to generate a positive impact in your workplace. Spoken Word Finales to summarise your meeting, conference, event or award ceremony. Finish on a high note!
Message me to explore and discover more!

Creative Executive Leadership Coach I Performance and Business Poet

Whole Spectrum

A collective of experienced coaches, trainers, facilitators and researchers who help organisations, teams and leaders explore what’s really needed to transform and create lasting change.

Whole Spectrum has extensive experience working across the private, public and third sectors and bring a little practical magic into the room to create trusting, supportive environments to help you step beyond your comfort zone.

Member

SCIEX

HR Leadership for long and short range aspects of SCIEX 550+ EMEA and India associates, delivering Talent Management impact with D&I, wellbeing, coaching and engagement key improvement areas. Driving and supporting Pandemic response across the region.

Senior HR Director EMEAI

UK Hearing Care working with Age UK Group

Designed, developed and delivered Inductions, Brand Values Workshops, Performance Management Coaching and Reflective Practice Programme for Hearing Aid Audiologists.

Training and Development Manager

Houghton International

Responsible for Organisational Excellence in EMEA with particular focus on High Performance culture, employee engagement, internal communications, reward and recognition, talent management, governance and organisation development and design

HR Director - EMEA

Unconditional Art Ltd

Business development activity including brand development, website development, legalities of terms and conditions, establishment of a supply chain, development of lean processes and systems.

Director

Helping HR leaders engage their Neurodivergent Talent with Creative Executive Coaching | Performance & Business Poet | Spoken Word Finales I Poetry not Powerpoint Podcaster | TEDx Speaker

I'm Kate
I'm a unique blend of a research scientist, an experienced HR professional, and a published spoken word poet. I champion Business Poets through my unwavering belief in the transformative power of words and their ability to catalyse human-centred leadership and cultures.

Want to end your corporate events with shivering goosebumps and happy tears? 

As a seasoned event speaker, I specialise in bringing events, conferences, and award ceremonies to a memorable close. Through my signature "Spoken Word Finale," I distil the essence of your event into emotionally impactful poetry, leaving a lasting impact that elevates the entire experience. 

Event managers and organisers, let's make your next event truly unforgettable!

Are you a creative leader who needs to understand how to make the most of your own neurodiversity?

Clients say that working with me is inspiring, transformational and fun. Through strategic insight combined with exceptional listening, I help you find your centre and become truly fulfilled in your career. I coach Neurodivergent leaders who have been misunderstood and marginalised, as well as support businesses to build a culture of affirmation and acceptance with their Neurodivergent employees.

Are you ready to make your neurobiology work for you?

If that’s a yes. Let’s connect!

Did you know you can welcome creativity back, through neuroinclusion by advocating diversity of thought, appreciative inquiry and collaboration based on strengths, in your workplace?

I offer coaching, mentoring and workshops tailored to the unique needs and strengths of your team allowing neurodivergence to flourish, instead of being misunderstood and hidden away. 

If you're an HR leader looking to engage and inspire the power of neurodiversity, let's connect.

If you’d like to start exploring your own neurodiversity or creativity, message me or book a discovery call at nextstephr.co.uk

Because great minds do not think alike 🐙


P.S. Poetry in Business Conference 
Showcasing what Poetry Brings to Business in an accessible, innovative online and hybrid format on Friday 14th November 2025 10am-10pm GMT DM me for details!

I am also available as your Podcast guest - neurodiversity and HR, creativity and poetry in business are my specialities.

I do all of this because my purpose is to Inspire True Connection through the Power of Words.

If you want to:
1.  build an open, trusting and neuroinclusive culture
2. develop new ways of working and living
3. live a balanced, fulfilled working life

Let’s take the next step, connect and have a conversation!

taplio

The Battle

Chris Gardener

Kate Jenkinson PhD, FCIPD (she, her)

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