Lancashire’s most anticipated business event of the year is back, and promises to be bigger and better than ever!

The Lancashire Festival of Business 2025 is your chance to connect, learn, and grow alongside the county’s leading businesses.

This year’s event is headline sponsored by Lancashire County Council is powered by a compelling mix of panel discussions, interviews, guest speakers, interactive masterclasses and networking opportunities. All designed to fuel business success and community collaboration in our thriving region.

We’ll also bring the best expertise, guidance, market intelligence and inspiration to the Festival from across Lancashire’s business support community and beyond.

Everything you need to grow, scale or start a business in the county will be on hand with two tracks to provide inspiration and learning at the heart of each.

The event will focus on the below with panels and masterclasses:

Finance and funding
Tech and AI

Masterclasses

1) How to book more sales calls - The Sales Lady

Ever wondered why potential clients hesitate to take the next step with you?

In this value-packed session, we’ll explore:

What you’re communicating—and not communicating—that could be holding clients back.

How you’re showing up when you ask for the next step, and the impression your invitation creates.

You’ll leave with actionable insights to refine your approach and boost your confidence, helping you secure more sales conversations and achieve your financial goals.

2) How to scale your business - Turnkey Corporate

Ready to take your business to the next level?

In this engaging masterclass, Turnkey Corporate will share their expertise in:

Proven strategies to drive business growth and scale effectively.
Leadership insights to inspire and empower your team for lasting success.

Whether you’re a budding entrepreneur or a seasoned leader, this session is packed with practical advice and tools to help you achieve your goals and elevate your business.

Our speakers:

Melissa Conlon

commercial director

AMRC

Amin Vepari

business finance & scale up lead

Lancashire County Council

Andrea Challis

joint chief executive

Partington’s

Helen Clayton

managing partner

PM+M

Dan Knowles

founder

Northern Reach

Helen Tebay

director

The Sales Lady

John Woodruffe

director

Turnkey Corporate

The Festival

The Festival will provide a great vibe as we take over the venue with attendees free to roam each zone throughout the day. This will feature:

Main stage - the inspiration zone

Our main stage will feature keynotes speakers, panels and interviews with those who will share their stories of success. It will also feature the exhibition and networking area.

Masterclass stage – the learning zone

Throughout the day we there will be a handful of masterclasses happening which you can learn from and implement into your business from the get go. Topics covered are below.
Please note there are limited spaces on the masterclasses and they are not guaranteed with the ticket booking.

Refreshment zone

Grab a drink or lunch with space to meet new contacts and take a moment out of the event to reflect.

Confirmed exhibitors:

Bigtank
Blackpool Council
Burnley College
Burnley Council
Chamber Low Carbon
Chorley Council
D&M Creative
Innovate UK business growth
Lancashire County Council
Love to Brand
Matrix247
Napthens
PM+M
The Sales Lady
Turnkey Corporate

Why should I attend?

Directly engage with business leaders from across the county, including members of the new Lancashire business board.
Masterclasses and fireside chats: Learn from industry experts in specialised sessions designed to give you actionable takeaways.
Business support hub: Discover the latest support programs, funding options, and expert advice to drive your business forward.
Network and collaborate: Whether you’re a solo entrepreneur or part of a growing company, this event is designed to help you make meaningful connections across the business spectrum.

The event will be reviewed in full in Lancashire Business View’s special supplement in our March/April edition and shared with our 50,000 readers in print and online.