Daniel Priestley to address ScaleX summit on its return to ICC Belfast

A globally-renowned entrepreneur, responsible for building successful multi-million-dollar businesses in Australia, Singapore and the UK, is to address a one-day summit in Belfast that will challenge SME leaders to unlock their potential.

The brainchild of Simple Scaling co-founders, Brendan McGurgan and Claire Colvin, the ScaleX Summit will take place at ICC Belfast on Wednesday, November 13, and is set to attract more than 900 businesspeople from across the UK and Ireland.

And, this year, serial entrepreneur, author and co-founder of Dent Global, Daniel Priestley, will speak at the summit designed to help SME leaders elevate their businesses.

Recognised as one of the Top 10 Business Advisers in the UK by Enterprise Nation and ranked as one of the top 25 entrepreneurs in London in the Smith and Willamson Power 100 awards, Priestley’s address will challenge SME owners to play their part in making the UK and Ireland a global scaling powerhouse.

Organisers say the summit will introduce ambitious leaders to a tried and tested business and personal growth experience that will see them learn from successful SME leaders and world-class speakers.

With over 70,000 firms employing less than 10 people, micro businesses are the backbone of Northern Ireland’s economy, while across the UK, there are 5.7million SMEs generating £2trillion in revenue each year.

However, less than 34,000 (0.6%) of these businesses are scaling successfully, but those that are, generate revenues of £1trillion annually.

Last year, attendees at the inaugural ScaleX Summit heard from key speakers including the host of ‘The Diary of a CEO’ podcast, Steven Bartlett, Professor Damien Hughes, sustainable business and capital expert Marga Hoek and serial entrepreneurs Nick Bradley and Jack Daly.

The summit is grounded in the ScaleX Framework — a comprehensive collection of 10 foundational principles to guide business owners in developing a tangible plan and fostering a culture of accountability.

In the spirit of this framework, business leaders attending the all-day event will take part in sessions focused on scaling and investment, high-performance teams, visionary leadership, sales for hypergrowth and sustainability.

Brendan McGurgan, Director and Co-Founder of Simple Scaling, said: “I am really excited for this year’s summit as it builds off the incredible success of last year’s event.

It’s an honour to have Daniel Priestley and other world-class visionary speakers in Belfast to address this summit.

“We know the UK and Ireland has the potential to be a global scaling powerhouse and we want to see that potential realised.

“Claire and I have over 50 years of combined experience helping SMEs scale and we know your scaling journey can be simple. It will require effort but there is no need for it to be complicated.

“Your decision-making is a byproduct of the five or six people you spend most of your time with and this summit offers ambitious leaders the chance to hear from, and connect with, some of the most innovative minds in the industry.”

Claire Colvin, Director and Co-Founder of Simple Scaling, added: 

We can’t wait to return to ICC Belfast for the ScaleX Summit in November and help great people do great things with their businesses.

“Time and again we see brilliant leaders struggle to find the right way forward to achieve their scaling ambitions.

“Often, all they need to achieve their goals is a mindset shift and this summit will provide an unmissable opportunity to not only hear from, and be inspired by, world-class visionaries but also connect with fellow business leaders, innovators and thinkers.”

Daniel Priestly said: “Entrepreneurship is the dominate force on the planet for solving meaningful problems and for me, scaling with purpose is the bedrock of business.

“Everything I do is all about helping entrepreneurs stand out, scale up and make a positive impact and the ScaleX Summit is the perfect platform from which to take the first meaningful step on the road to scaling successfully.”

The ScaleX Summit will provide opportunity to gain valuable insights and practical strategies that leaders can implement immediately on their scaling journey.

It will also provide an opportunity to connect with like-minded entrepreneurs, investors and innovators from diverse industries and backgrounds.

Early bird tickets are available until July 16. For more information and to secure your place at the summit visit scalexsummit.com.