'Founding in your 50s;
At 54, Sue Nelson set up Breakthrough Incentives, an independent tax consultancy focusing on R&D, and took it from zero to a £2.5m profitable turnover company in just 5 years when she then sold it to the multinational professional services company EY.
The company has processed over 1,000 R&D tax claims, generating more than £60million for small tech businesses across the UK –an average of nearly £50,000 in cash or tax relief per claim. In the process, this led to the creation of around 150 new jobs.
Join us to hear about:
- Founding a company in your 50s
- Sue's journey through 3 different careers
- The transition of going from employee to employer
- How to differentiate your business to make it stand out
- Growing a company for sale
- ...and much much more 🔥
This month our fireside chat is part of the Spring Forward Festival.
Breakthrough Incentives
Founder
After finishing art college Sue worked for 35 years as a highly successful designer, illustrator and marketeer specialising in brand development in London.
She set up her own company at the age of 54 with her best friend's daughter, Brady Last. Sue put her entire savings into starting a business even though there were no clients in sight. But the brand was deliberately designed to champ…
After finishing art college Sue worked for 35 years as a highly successful designer, illustrator and marketeer specialising in brand development in London.
She set up her own company at the age of 54 with her best friend's daughter, Brady Last. Sue put her entire savings into starting a business even though there were no clients in sight. But the brand was deliberately designed to champion the SME business owner and to make the complex R&D tax relief scheme accessible. Sue used innovative marketing techniques such as their radio show and magazine, as routes to market.
Sue believes her success and business culture comes from working with people who are a bit different and who can spark off other people who are nothing like them. Some of the awards Sue has won include Kent Business Woman of the Year in 2017, The London and South East Director of the Year 2019 by the Institute of Directors and she became a Commander of the British Empire in the New Years Honours List of 2022.
South East Angels
Director
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South East Angels
Startup Relations
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University of Sussex
Student Ambassador
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