Niall Cleaver

Cupsly

Cupsly was designed as a reminder to slow down to make space for presence in a world that rarely pauses. An object of quiet confidence, crafted for those who lead with intention and dress with care because true connection doesn’t demand attention, it lives in the moments we choose to hold onto.

Founder

Social Library

Are you struggling to grow an engaging community for your business or personal brand.

Stop right there, I think I have you covered ⬇️

This is me (Niall), I'm a 22-year-old who is fascinated by growing communities in the online space. Actual communities that have meaning and purpose. 

The services we provide at Social Library 

➡️ Personal Branding (LinkedIn)

➡️ Guidance & support consulting


Drop me a message to discuss your social media strategy, review how well your current socials/posts are doing, and research how we can build your community and gain you more followers and leads.

or you can email us @

hello@sociallibrary.co.uk

Thistle Scientific Ltd - Where Customer Care Comes Naturally

Distribution Manager

Cleaver Scientific Ltd

Stores and Distribution Team Leader

Documenting the journey of crafting a timeless coffee cup brand | CEO & Founder of Cupsly

Hi, I’m Niall Cleaver, founder of Cupsly, a timeless reusable coffee cup brand launching in 2025.

But my story isn’t about a polished entrepreneur. My journey hasn’t been traditional. I left school without an English qualification, uncertain of what the future held. That failure shaped me, it forced me to think differently, fall into business, and ultimately embrace creativity, resilience, and the belief that change is possible, even when doubted.

Fast forward to today, and I’m the founder of Cupsly. The idea originated from my own frustration in my own life I couldn’t find a reusable coffee cup that matched my style. Everything felt cheap or uninspired, and I hated the idea of carrying something that didn’t reflect me. Cupsly is crafting a reusable coffee cup, elevating it into a symbol of fashion.

EVERY SIP STARTS A STORY

Do you know what I love about working for a family business?

The debates.

I know it sounds weird, but when two generations meet, there are always going to be differences. There's always the little comments like this:

- I think you should do it this way.
- I’m not sure that’s right.
- Are you sure?

But if you take a step back… this is healthy.

It’s what every successful business should be striving for. It’s these differences in opinions that keep it interesting, and it makes your business better.

Great businesses aren’t built by avoiding difficult conversations. They’re built by welcoming them, listening to them, and using them to move forward together.

So I guess I’ve got some more debates with the old man to have.

Growing Thistle Scientific, a UK manufacturer supporting researchers worldwide. Sharing real lessons in business.

There was a time when I’d do anything to avoid the sentence...

“I work for my family business.” But let me explain why this is so wrong.

There are so many of us who are fighting this thought, but we don't have to. It doesn't make you less of a successful person by doing so. Do you know why?

Because you bring your own style
Because you bring a younger perspective
Because you create the change the future needs

Nothing will ever be just handed to you.

If anything, for me, I've felt even more pressure because I want to make sure I take it to the next level. I want to actually earn it.

For ages, I thought success meant carving something out with only my name attached. But the truth is, showing up every day and choosing to improve what’s already there is just as hard, maybe harder.

And it keeps reminding me of something:

You’re not less ambitious because you step into a business.
You’re not less successful because you’re building onto something.

Anyway, just wanted to share what’s been rattling around my head lately.

POV: You decided to take your family business seriously…

Not long ago, I hated the idea of joining the family business.
I thought it meant I couldn’t build something on my own.

But here I am, happier than ever to be part of the mission, working toward what’s next. Building two things wasn’t the plan, but sometimes life guides you somewhere unexpected.

Last week was a big reminder of why this matters…

Two days spent deep in meetings, collaborating, and figuring out the steps to help even more researchers on their journeys.

I’ve got my buzz back. I’m loving it. Loved every minute with the Thistle Scientific team. There’s so much more to come.

P.S. I've never wanted to share this side of my journey, but it's the real side I want to share more of.

If you looked at my LinkedIn, you’d think all I do is build brands.

But behind the scenes, we’re helping cure cancer.

It's incredible to be part of this team, helping to keep the entire world safe. It feels pretty weird to finally open up about this side of my life, but I'm proud of it.

We’re designing and developing products that help researchers cure cancer, create new medicines, and tackle some of the world’s biggest challenges.

I don't know why I've never really spoken about this before, but I'm excited to share more about it and how we continue to help fight some of the world's biggest battles in 2026.

People are getting building in public wrong.

I've seen it happen multiple times...

As someone who has shared a lot of my journey on this platform, and heard everyone telling me to share more and more, but I want to touch on something...

Building in public doesn't mean:

Sharing everything.
Doing it to tick a box.
Doing it because of pressure.

Sharing in public is about strategy.

There's so much pressure for everyone to keep posting and creating content that might not necessarily work for them, but because everyone is telling them to continue to do it.

That's what happened to me, and I fell out of love with it. Losing motivation and jsut doing it out of pure discipline, but I want to go back and create the content I used to love creating, the raw, unfiltered side of my life.

SO WE ARE GOING TO DO THAT

Get other people out of your head and do what's right for you.

It took me almost two years to figure this out…

Rushing and moving quickly are not the same thing.

For a long time, I mixed the two. Everyone said, “Move fast,” but no one explained how. It's been one of the biggest lessons I've learned in business.

I presumed this meant:

Don’t think, just act
Make decisions on the spot

Turns out, that’s how you end up rushing.

And I made stupid mistakes while building Cupsly because of it. Rushing design processes and manufacturing just made everything longer.

But now, only a couple of years later, I've finally broken out of this cycle, and honestly, it’s changed everything. The old saying “sleep on it” couldn't be truer once I started doing it.

Looking back, I can see decisions I rushed that I’d absolutely make differently now. But that’s how you learn. Give yourself breathing room. Process all the information before you move. Some decisions you can’t undo.

Business is fast-paced, yes, but...

It’s also a game of patience. The bigger the decision, the more time it deserves.

Think about risk. Think about impact. Think about the possibility.

Everyone loves to talk about career advice... but this has been by far the most impactful for me.

Curiosity doesn’t make you inexperienced.

When I joined Thistle Scientific, my first instinct was to worry about what I didn’t know: the jargon, the lab protocols, the decades of expertise my colleagues bring to the table.

But every time I asked a “basic” question or admitted I didn’t understand something, I noticed something powerful. It started a conversation for change.

Over time, I’ve realised curiosity belongs everywhere, especially in business.

Because the people who ask why are often the ones who move everyone forward.

You don’t need decades of experience to make an impact:

Sometimes asking, “Why do we do it this way?” opens the door to innovation.
Sometimes being the learner means spotting what others take for granted.
Sometimes, trying things differently brings the best results of all.

A reminder I carry with me every day:

Curiosity belongs in every business.

Ellis Bennett ACCA

EA Accountancy

Chartered Accountant

TaxAssist Accountants

Working at TaxAssist Accountants has helped me tremendously in terms of my accountancy knowledge as well as enable me to build excellent client relationships. I carry out a wide range of services for my clients from the completion of Limited company accounts, self assessment tax returns, VAT returns, tax advice, book keeping, produce management accounts and payroll services.

I have now started studying my ACCA qualification, I am starting with the P papers as I have already gained 9 exemptions from the F papers. I have recently completed the P3 & P1 exams and now will study to complete the rest of the exams remaining.

Semi Senior Accountant

Senior Accountant

Have you given up on managing accountancy & taxes for your business?

Setting up a business is no walk in the park, let alone managing the financial aspect of it.

It requires intense efforts to make sure you’re on the right track.

Miss one tax deadline, and you might end up paying double in penalty.

I know it’s overwhelming as a founder.

Now imagine you have an expert who takes care of all your accountancy and tax situation.

You don’t have to worry about taxes.
You don’t have to panic while planning your budget.
You know where you stand in terms of profits and losses.
You have someone you can rely on to manage the financials.

Amazing, isn’t it?

That’s what getting an expert feels like.

I’m Ellis, an ACCA Chartered Accountant, Director at EA Accountancy, and Author of The Solopreneur Start-Up Bible.

I help, advise, and guide start-ups, businesses, and young entrepreneurs through the whirlwind of accountancy and taxes.

I’ve served over 300+ satisfied clients, and I’m all in to help you!

Now, I’m not the accountant who speaks to you once a year in a robotic tone.

I’m more like your business partner.

I help you every step of the way (even acting like a therapist if you need one).

My services include:

• VAT
• Accounts
• Payroll
• Pensions
• Tax Advice
• Tax Planning
• Personal Tax
• Bookkeeping
• Accounting Software
• Company Incorporations
• Registered Office Address
• Capital Gains Tax Disclosures
• Business Planning And Advice

I also offer consultation for new business owners or people looking to hire an accountant so you have clarity for your next steps.

If you think I can help you with any of the above or would like to connect over a Discovery Call, feel free to drop me a DM.

Zoom is convenient.

But it’ll never replace sitting across from someone, having a real chat, and realising they’re exactly why you started your business in the first place.

Last week, I finally met one of our clients, Sarah Yeary, in person for the first time.

We’ve worked together for over a year - countless calls, reports but sitting down face-to-face just hits differently.

You get to see the person behind the business.
The drive, the ideas, the long nights that don’t show up in a P&L.
And you realise something simple:
Business isn’t built on software or spreadsheets.
It’s built on trust.

In a world obsessed with speed, AI, and efficiency, it’s easy to forget that the most valuable thing you can give someone isn’t data - it’s your time.

And meeting Sarah reminded me of that.

She didn’t just talk about numbers.
We talked about growth, religion, challenges, and life outside of work.
It was one of those conversations that remind you why you do what you do.

So, thank you Sarah - for showing me around, for the brilliant conversation, and for being such a solid example of what happens when someone truly backs themselves.

You’ve built something special, and it’s been class watching you grow.

Here’s the truth:
Systems, reports, and dashboards are great.
But none of that matters if you don’t understand the person you’re helping.

Because people don’t remember what you did for them -
They remember how you made them feel.

Ellis Bennett FCCA

Simplifying Accountancy and maximising Tax Efficiency for Business Owners | Director - EA Accountancy 👨🏼‍💻 💸

You can have £40k months and still be broke. 📉

We had a client doing exactly that.
Looked incredible on paper - £40k/month revenue, nice office, growing team.
But when we dug in… they were losing £5k/month.

Just like a picture of a huge pumpkin but you cannot carry it to the car, so what is the point...

Why?
Because 80% of what came in went straight back out to freelancers, software, and overheads.

Here’s the uncomfortable truth:
If you’re not tracking your margins monthly, you’re flying blind.
Revenue means nothing. Profit means everything.

We fixed their pricing structure, tracked project margins, and three months later they were clearing £10k/month profit.

If you’re a service business, your gross margin should be 40%+ minimum.
Anything lower, and you’re not scaling - you’re surviving.

Stop bragging about turnover.
Start bragging about profit.

My favourite type of people?
The ones who just get on with it.

No drama.
No pity posts.
No “I’m protecting my energy” essays every time something gets hard.

They just execute.
Day in. Day out.

Meanwhile, we’ve built a culture of people who’d rather explain why they can’t than actually try.
They’ve all diagnosed themselves on TikTok.
They’re setting boundaries before they’ve ever hit burnout.
And they’ll spend more energy telling you how hard it is than it’d take to just do the work.

I’ve got no problem with people struggling - we all do.
But there’s a difference between facing it and feeding it.

At some point you’ve got to decide:
👉 Do you want to feel better or get better?

Because the people who win aren’t the loud ones.
They’re the quiet ones in the corner, cracking on while everyone else is talking.

You’re not rich - you’re just holding HMRC’s money. 💸

I see this all the time.
A business gets VAT registered, starts charging 20%, and suddenly thinks they’re rolling in cash.
“Mate, the bank balance is flying!”

Then three months later… the VAT return hits.
And suddenly it’s:
“Wait… where’s all my money gone?”

Here’s the truth:
That money was never yours.
VAT is a pass-through. It flows through you, not to you.

The fix is simple:
✅ Open a separate VAT account
✅ Move 20% of every invoice into it
✅ Pretend it doesn’t exist

If you can’t see it, you can’t spend it.

VAT shouldn’t surprise you.
If it does, your problem isn’t cash flow - it’s discipline.

You’re Not Unemployable. You’re Undisciplined.

Everyone keeps saying they’re “unemployable” these days.
Let’s be honest - most of the time, it’s rubbish.

You’re not “unemployable.”
You’re just:

- Not as good at your job as you think
(TikTok convinced you otherwise.)

- You can’t take feedback
The minute someone gives advice, they’re “toxic.”

- You don’t listen to clients
You hear what you want. Ignore what matters.

- You hate structure
But structure is literally the reason businesses function.

- You think freedom = doing whatever you want
Running a business requires more discipline than employment.

The whole “I’m too smart for a job” narrative is getting embarrassing now.
Some people are genuinely built for business.

Most people just don’t want to admit they weren’t great employees…
and running a business exposed the same habits.

Being “unemployable” isn’t the flex you think it is.

Being accountable, reliable, coachable, and actually good at your craft - that’s the flex.

In my experience working with growing agencies…
The founders who scale the fastest?
They’d be great employees and great business owners.

Because the skillset is the same:
✔ Discipline
✔ Listening
✔ Execution
✔ Communication
✔ Ownership

Call it employable. Call it entrepreneurial.

Just stop pretending ego, lateness and chaos are traits of a “visionary.”

taplio

The Battle

Niall Cleaver

Ellis Bennett ACCA

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance ScoreNiall Cleaver's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreEllis Bennett ACCA's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

taplio

The Battle

Niall Cleaver

Ellis Bennett ACCA

Followers

Posts

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);}Niall Cleaver's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreEllis Bennett ACCA's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreNiall Cleaver's LinkedIn Performance