James Dixon

Connectd

Head of People

Team Leadership Coach

Senior Performance Acquisition Manager

Performance Acquisition Manager

GBG Plc

New Business Development Manager, Loqate

Playrcart

Business Development Manager

GSMA

International Digital Sales Manager 

The Drum - Modern Marketing and Media

Senior Sales

Haymarket Media Group

Senior Sales Executive

Digital Account Manager

Digital Executive

Sales Executive

Robert Bosch Engineering and Business Solutions Ltd.

Sales Assistant

St Mary’s University, Twickenham

Studying the nutrient in foods and how the body uses them. Developing a knowledge of the structure, function and metabolic processes of the body and how nutrition supports its health. The important areas of IT and data handling skills related to this field.  Investigating the effects of diet on health and wellbeing and exploring the nutritional needs throughout the lifecycle, from pre-conception through to old age. 
Examples of modules studied include:
•	clinical nutrition
•	sports nutrition
•	sport in the media
 •	research project (below - 1st class)

Sports Science with Nutrition Student

Wickes

Wickes is part of the Travis Perkins Group and was recently voted Britain's favourite DIY Store, by leading market research company Verdict, for the third time in four years. During my time at Wickes I was responsible for:
Ensuring the store is ready for business each day.
Pro-actively approaching and assisting customers.  
Replenishing the store with stock to ensure maximum availability.
Adhering to company Health and Safety standards.
Ensuring compliance to procedures in all areas of responsibility. 
Applying merchandising and promotions to company standard.
Assisting in stock control checks.

At Connectd, we work with fractional executives looking to build careers through fractional c-suite, non-executive and board advisor roles with high-growth startups across the UK and US. 

Through the Connectd platform, we help current and aspiring fractional executives access opportunities, CPD-accredited training, mentoring, and exclusive community access within our growing community. Key focus areas include:

Facilitating pro bono placements with startups & scaleups
Learn the fundamental skills, behaviours and attitudes of a board advisor, fractional and NED roles across this 8-module programme
Work with expert mentors spanning over 60 sectors, matched to your skills
Upskill through webinars, roundtable discussions, and thought-leadership sessions

Interested? Send me a message to explore more about your eligibility for Connectd.

Connectd updates:

1. Professionals favoring fractional work surged by an impressive 181% 🤯 
   
2. Achieved 27th place in the prestigious Deloitte Technology Fast 50 for 2025

3. Successful launch events in Austin & Dallas 🇺🇸
   
4. Proud nominees in the Barclays Scale Up Company awards & collaborated on an event with NatWest 

5. Massive partnership with HubSpot, benefiting both customer bases

... all of that just last week!

Looking forward to what the remainder of 2025 has in store 🚀

Jim Dixon

Head of People | Performance Coach | Empowering organisations and talent to transition into and succeed in the future of fractional work

Wouldn't it be great to read stuff like this in the news...

Founder of 1% Better™ | Former accountant, future author | Follow me for the best self-development content on LinkedIn

5 ways to actually practice gratitude in your life:

1. Look for glimmers
Glimmers are the opposite of triggers. They're those tiny moments in your day that make you feel joy, peace, or gratitude. Once you train your brain to be on the lookout for them, they start appearing everywhere.

2. Snap a joy photo
Take one picture per day of something that brought you joy. A cup of coffee, a funny street sign, the way the sunlight hits your desk. Not for social media—just for you.

3. Say it when you feel it
When someone does something you appreciate, actually tell them. Doesn't have to be profound. Just: "I'm glad you're in my life" or "Thanks for always making me laugh."

4. Practice future nostalgia
Throughout your day, pause and ask: "Will I miss this moment someday?" Your current morning routine, the commute you complain about, even your kid's phase of asking "why?" fifty times a day.

5. Add an upside to your complaints
If you catch yourself venting about something, tack on one small silver lining. "This weather is awful…but at least I get to wear my favorite jacket."

What is your favorite way to practice gratitude?
💾 SAVE this to refer back to.

Image credit: unknown

Great list here... forgot to start my day with number 1 so I'll finish it with my daily gratitude: 

Working with Spyros Balampekos FCCA, Claudia Stankler, Paola Matos Albers & Deel to supercharge our business this past few months.

30 short habits with a massive return on life:

What would you add to this list?

30 short habits with a massive return on life 

Throughout my time at Connectd, I keep hearing the same thing from founders:
Once they bring the right advisor on board, something shifts.

Sometimes the impact is obvious. Their pitch tightens up, the story finally lands and investor meetings feel completely different. Other times it is more subtle, but you can sense it. They show up with more clarity and direction, and investors pick up on that straight away.

If you’re getting ready for a round, we’re running a session on 26 November at 2PM GMT / 9AM EST about how advisors can help founders raise with more confidence.

 Save your spot → https://lnkd.in/eZh2fXU4

Global Board Member & Advisor, Speaker, Mentor & Consultant at O.H Degani Consultants - helping businesses create & implement profitable growth strategies, through leveraging innovative Digital & Customer Experience

Happy & proud to end my first year with Connectd on a high note, by becoming a Mentor in the Transition To Portfolio programme, which will allow me to help more great people with their journey moving from executive full-time roles to flexible portfolio work, as many are doing these days in growing numbers.

It's funny actually as more mentoring wasn't even one of the reasons I originally joined Connectd (it's what I've been doing the longest), and I love it (always looking to honestly share from my experience and help others), so very happy with the additional opportunity, and it was a nice reminder for me that good things happen when you're around good people, even when you don't expect them :)

Which brings me to looking back on why I joined Connectd and what I did during my first year to achieve that, which is something many people have been asking me about, so speaking of sharing, trying to reflect & summarise below (and show in the photos):

- I wanted to take the next step in my journey, which meant more paid Board Advisor and Board Member / Non-Executive Director (NED) roles, and my approach to this strategic investment has been to go "all in" in order to maximise the value I get out of it, in a holistic way.

- Did the online training properly & quickly and got my Board Advisor certificate 

- Got my mentor, which wasn't easy for me as I'm not used to being the mentee, but I knew I needed it to challenge myself and indeed he did exactly that! 

- Attended every event I could, online and in person in London, which got me to meet founders, other advisors and the Connectd team (lead by the impressive & ambitious Roei Samuel, always supportive & full of energy!), and also listen to people with far more experience who openly shared their stories, advice & tips

- Got my placement as a Board Advisor at Lydia, which has been a great match for me (done fully by the Connectd team!) as I really enjoy working with their founder Nok Orrason, a special person

- Spending time on a weekly basis finding the most relevant opportunities on the platform, reaching out and having good conversations with the founders

- Reached out to the very supporting team with every question (and I had a few!), especially to George Kimpton-Moss who got me on board, and the super-responsive Jon Teale!

- Interviewed to share my story which was featured on the website

- Leveraged all the above on LinkedIn (updating my profile, liking, commenting, posting, connecting, messaging)

As a result, I am happy to be on track to achieve my strategic goals, with some paid & blended Board Advisor roles agreed and some in progress, on the Connectd platform and outside it, and not least important (maybe more), better knowledge & understanding of this tricky space, clarity of my own way, and stronger confidence.

Too many people to thank here so please see the comments!

Looking forward to my second year, where the focus will be on paid Board Member / NED roles - bring it on :)

How to do a hard reset on your life before 2026:

How to do a hard reset on your life before 2026

What are you doing about collecting mentors in your career? I view them as absolutely essential to growth, especially the ones who are skilled at asking the right questions of you & not just teaching via their own experience. 

I've been really lucky to have several key figures that have helped to guide and shape my journey. I've even become a mentor myself in recent years, which is an unbelievably fulfilling way to invest time. 

The trick is to figure out who's got what you need for whatever the next stage of growth is, not an easy task and can require some luck and persistence.

Connectd helps take the guesswork out of the process for many with mentor matching. Our community does much more than this with thousands aligned on growth mindset. 

Challenge to anyone reading this, put yourself out there today for either side. You won't regret it!

What if the career “safety net” was the thing holding you back?

Volker Ballueder, one of our mentors, learned this after years in corporate and a few redundancies that forced him to rethink what “security” actually meant.

What started as a small fractional role turned into something better, more freedom, stability and the confidence that comes from multiple income streams.

More people are making that same shift, and startups are driving the demand faster than ever.

Swipe through to see how he did it 👇

Finding freedom in building a fractional career

Well calculated, planned & executed risk is still better than no risk at all. Personally I'd always start with coaching, gain clarity on your plan then go for it without hesitation. 

As we near the end of the year lots will be thinking about what next? I suggest the very next thing is read the post from Tim below, and ask yourself why you're doing any of it? Some will carry on, others need to make a drastic change.

Aussie writer with 1B+ content views in 10 years | I teach people to use writing online to create career opportunities | Let's connect: tim@timdenning.com

The safe career path is the riskiest decision you'll ever make.

Playing it safe guarantees you'll die with regrets.

━━━━━

Met a 58-year-old accountant last week. Same desk for 22 years.

Never asked for a promotion. Never changed companies. Never tried anything new.

"I played it safe," he said. "Now I'm too old to take risks."

He's not old. He's institutionalized.

━━━━━

The myth of the safe path:

Stable job = Security
Same company = Loyalty pays off
Avoid risks = Avoid failure

Reality check:

That stable job? Gone in the next layoff.
That loyal service? Means nothing when profits drop.
That risk avoidance? You already failed by never trying.

━━━━━

Know what's actually risky?

Being 50 with one skill that's becoming obsolete.
Having a resume that shows zero growth in a decade.
Realizing you spent 20 years building someone else's dream.

The biggest risk isn't taking chances. It's taking none.

━━━━━

Two people from my network:

Sasha: Stayed at IBM for 15 years. "Safe" job. Laid off at 45. Can't find work because her skills are dated.

Mark: Changed jobs 5 times in 10 years. Started two failed businesses. Now runs a $5M company because he learned from every risk.

One played it safe. One's set for life.

━━━━━

Every risk-taker I know started terrified:

The lawyer who became a baker. Scared for 6 months. Now owns 4 locations.
The director who quit to freelance. Ate ramen for a year. Makes triple now.
The analyst who started a podcast. Everyone laughed. 100K downloads monthly.

Fear is the entry fee. Pay it or stay stuck.

━━━━━

The compound effect of playing it safe:

Year 1: Comfortable
Year 5: Bored
Year 10: Trapped
Year 15: Desperate
Year 20: Dead inside

Each year you don't risk, the cage gets smaller. Until you can't even see the bars anymore.

━━━━━

Take the f*cking risk.

Apply for the role you're not qualified for.
Start the business while you have a job.
Move to the city that scares you.
Launch the project everyone says won't work.

Worst case? You fail and learn.
Best case? You build the life you actually want.
Likely case? You surprise yourself.

━━━━━

Your deathbed won't care about your stable career.

It'll care about the chances you didn't take.

What risk have you been avoiding? 👇
♻️ Repost if playing it safe is playing to lose

If you want to level up your career faster, then join my unconventional Substack newsletter with 163K others: https://lnkd.in/gMkRFmj9

Connectd empowers the early-stage ecosystem to make and manage meaningful connections. Through our proprietary reporting suite, portfolio management system and smart-match technology, we remove the friction hindering founders' growth.

Our platform provides support in the following areas:

• Smart matching technology pairs your startup with investors
• End-to-end collateral development (including pitch deck and financial model development)
• Legal documentation access through ConnectdLegal
• Masterclass sessions in fundraising, tech, marketing and sales
• Portfolio reporting tools to keep shareholders in the loop
• Build your advisory board with pro-bono advisors

Connectd have facilitated investment in the following startups:

Electric Miles, Joyn, CatchApp, SafeToNet, My Bespoke Room, Purlos, Tlero, MNTS, WhatBook, ASAP Water, Food Stuff, PSYT, Zeta Media, Atom Universe, ZWINGS, A3, CMT, tripAbrood, Multiview Media, Lawbite, YoungPlanet, HelpMeStop, Football Fan, LoveTheSales, QVBio, Renude, IDWard, Conigital, Amo, Ace & Freak, JustFix, So Syncd, Tickets4Good, Babbu, Raindrop, RWRD, Card Medic, Stratiphy, Fethr, Little Bridge, Scribe, Sendit.Money, Podcast Radio, C.Me, Equitas, Vizzy, Revolancer, Nuw, WASE, MyNestBox, PTB, Zedosh, Pikl, Sprive, Moblox, Monspire, Greenr, Pragusa One, Limitless Travel and many others

If you're a founder looking to accelerate your startup's growth, then let’s talk. 


Want to learn more? Head to Connectd.com/founders

Startup Growth Manager

Relative Insight

Senior Business Development Executive

Business Development Executive

Nevill Keating Pictures

PA/Office Manager

Studio Noel 

Administrative Assistant

Sloane Square Medical Limited

EA & Practice Manager

C&C Search - 02034753885 / hello@candcsearch.co.uk

PA to Lucy Chamberlain and Marketing & Events Coordinator

Caroline Baker

At the Caroline Baker Family Office I worked as Office Manager, ensuring that the day-to-day running of the office was smooth and efficient. On top of this, I provided crucial support to the client managers, as well as building professional relationships with clients of my own.

Office Manager

Country Life Magazine

I was fortunate enough to do work experience at Country Life magazine, where I got to spend time with people in a wide range of areas, including the archive, features, and the online team. I was able to write up a property description to be featured on their website, as well as helping provide inspiration and ideas for new features. It gave me an invaluable insight in to how the lifestyle journalism industry works.

Intern

The British Museum

Visitor Experience

BROOKE GORDON LTD.

Personal Assistant

As a Startup Growth Manager at Connectd, I am dedicated to helping startup founders in their journeys to scale their business.

With extensive experience working with startups across a range of industries, I have a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities that come with starting a new venture.

At Connectd, we pride ourselves on our ability to connect founders with relevant investors and advisors to help them achieve their goals. Our track record speaks for itself – we have helped secure investment for a wide range of startups across a multitude of sectiors, including Electric Miles, Joyn, CatchApp, SafeToNet, My Bespoke Room, Purlos, Moblox, Monspire, Greenr, Pragusa One and many others.

If you're ready to take your startup to the next level, email me at emily.b@connected.co

I'm passionate about supporting entrepreneurs and democratising access to funding, and I look forward to working with you to help you achieve your goals!

Emily Brooke

Not all advisors are created equal, and choosing the wrong one can cost you more than money 📉 

As founder, you've probably been told to “get advisors” 🤔 

BUT... few talk about how to spot the wrong ones, until it’s too late 💥 

The amount of times I've spoken to founders who are cautious about bringing advisors on from previous bad experiences is SHOCKING, and Connectd is leading the charge to change this 👋 

Here are 5 common mistakes founders make when bringing on advisors (and how to avoid them):

1️⃣ No clear expectations
If you can’t measure their value, you can’t manage it. Set KPIs or defined outcomes from day one 📝 

2️⃣ Chasing big names
Experience matters, but only if it’s relevant to your stage, sector, or business model 📊 

3️⃣ Equity without accountability
If equity’s on the table, make sure there’s a vesting schedule or milestone-based structure (however, we have a range of pro bono options available, so if you're not yet in a position to remunerate, we can still help!)🥇 

4️⃣ Confusing mentorship with execution
Advisors give guidance, but if you need action, you might actually need a fractional exec (don't worry, we can help here too 😉)

5️⃣ Skipping the match process
The best relationships come from alignment, not luck. That’s why we PERSONALLY match founders with advisors who’ve been there and done it in their space 🤝 

At Connectd, we help founders find trusted, pre-vetted, high-impact advisors and fractional leaders across 60+ industries, ALL without recruitment fees 

Want help finding the right advisor for your business? Drop a comment below or head to my profile to book a meeting and get started — it's free for founders!

Startup Acquisition at Connectd | Strategically connecting Startup Founders with Advisors and Fractional Executives

The best founder conversations don’t happen in Zoom calls… they happen in the room 🥂 

At Connectd we know the importance of being in the room, which is why we offer so many in-person networking events across the world 🌎 

In a few weeks, we’re bringing the Connectd community back together for a special Founder Social in London at the end of the month, and this time, we’re doubling the energy 💥 

We've invited 25 of our incredible members to each bring a fellow founder friend 👯‍♀️ 

That’s 50 ambitious entrepreneurs, all building, scaling, and sharing experiences under one roof 🏢 

This isn’t your typical networking event, it’s about genuine connection. Founders learning from each other, exchanging ideas, and seeing firsthand what makes the Connectd ecosystem so powerful:

🔹 Access to 4,000+ advisors, NEDs and fractional executives
🔹 Pro bono or equity-based support to help early-stage businesses scale smartly 
🔹 A welcoming space for new founders to join our network for free, if they meet the membership criteria

There’ll be food, drinks, and even raffle prizes, but most importantly, real conversations that move startups forward 📈 

If you’ve received an invite, secure your spot — and bring a founder friend who’s ready to take their startup to the next level 🏆 

PSA: Spaces are limited. If you’re a London-based founder and would love to join a future Connectd social, comment below and I’ll get in touch  📩

I told you we love an event here at Connectd 😉 

Just a few hours before our London Founders social, we're running a webinar on how a solid advisory board can help you supercharge your pitch 🏆 

I keep hearing the same thing from founders, which is that once they bring the right advisor on board, something shifts 🤔 

Sometimes the impact is obvious. Their pitch tightens up, the story finally lands and investor meetings feel completely different 🤩 

Other times it is more subtle, but you can sense it. They show up with more clarity and direction, and investors pick up on that straight away 📈 

If you’re getting ready for a round, we’re running a session on 26 November at 2PM GMT / 9AM EST about how advisors can help founders raise with more confidence 🥇 

Save your spot → https://lnkd.in/e5gZvHRM

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The Battle

James Dixon

Emily Brooke

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The Battle

James Dixon

Emily Brooke

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Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}James Dixon's LinkedIn Performance

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