SME XPO 2025: Raw business lessons from the business frontline

More than 4000 entrepreneurs, investors and top executives met, mingled, and inspired each other at this year’s SME XPO, where the founders of nascent start-ups and scaling corporates alike shared practical advice on business growth.

Retail magnate and Dragons’ Den investor Theo Paphitis spoke candidly about the reality of his career building businesses. Entrepreneurship, he said, is not about luck, but about survival, cash management, and the relentless pursuit of improvement: 

He also advised small business owners to “sweat their capacity to the edge” before hiring more staff or investing in new infrastructure. Hiring, he added, should be based on actual, not anticipated, need, because employees come with financial and operational risk - “If they don’t deliver, can you afford to carry them? Always ask that question before bringing someone on board.”.

“The only reason I started running the tuck shop was because I was dyslexic. I wasn't very good at school, I was always getting into trouble. Making money was the most interesting thing to me at the time because we didn't have any. So many entrepreneurs are dyslexic because nobody would give them a job.” 

Paphitis, who now owns Rymans, Boux Avenue and Robert Dyas, said this became his catalyst for problem-solving and self-determination: traits essential to entrepreneurship.

He warned founders against adopting outdated assumptions about customer loyalty.

The acceleration of online shopping during Covid meant today’s buyer is highly informed, demanding, and, Paphitis said, “promiscuous”.:

For SMEs, this means customer experience, consistency, and value are more important than ever.

“They’ll compare. They’ll switch. They won’t stay loyal unless you give them a reason every single time.”

Elsewhere, attendees heard from successful entrepreneurs including The Apprentice star Mike Soutar, The Stack World’s Sharmadean Reid, and The Cheeky Panda’s Julie Chen.

In our research, visitors highlighted the unparalleled access to practical advice, workshops and experts as a highlight of this year’s SME XPO. Former Dragons’ Den investor Piers Linney covered putting AI to work and cyber experts provided information on how SMEs can avoid ransomware attacks, whilst breakout sessions covered unlocking SME funding for growth, breaking down barriers for women in business and a panel on exits and succession-planning was full of experienced advice.

Mark Farrer-Brown, entrepreneur behind Fit To Lead showed founders how to simplify cap tables, explaining: “You want the added value investor, it's like a marriage.” Holly Hudson of investment readiness partner VenturePath, advised that, when it came to finding investors:

“Warm intros are 13 times more effective than cold outreach.”

There is no better place to find that warm intro than in our buzzing events - see you at one soon under our new brand - SCALE - London’s best entrepreneurial hotspots.