ABOUT
What is The Creative Incubator?
The Creative Incubator is a planning boost for your business or career with Sophie, a planning and operations expert with extensive experience of launching new projects, managing teams, pricing services, monitoring progress and running her own small creative business.
As well as loving all things small business, Sophie is an artist and creative business owner herself so she really understands the ups and downs, ideas, excitements and frustrations of owning your own business.
Get planning and strategy support for your business through personalised, one-on-one support. Work with Sophie to empty your head of your thoughts and ideas, engage in a collaborative process of evaluating them and help you reconstruct them into an actionable plan. No two sessions are the same and they’re unique to you. Sophie provides a confidential space where you can freely express their ideas, receive constructive feedback and develop practical strategies.
Sophie also offers ongoing accountability sessions, acting as a pop up colleague to bounce ideas off and ensure consistent progress.
“Sophie really understands the ins and outs of running a creative business. Even though we did it virtually it really was like we were in the same room!”
Rebecca Chapman, Artist & Creative Business Owner
“I felt a lot more focused and now have a plan of where my business is heading after our meeting”
Carly Field, Owner of Green & Field Florist
Hi, I’m Sophie and I’m an operations and planning expert with a love of all things creative. I love working with all kinds of small businesses and professionals to bring ideas and planning together - which is where I believe the magic happens!
As a small business owner myself, I can relate to the multitude of ideas that often compete for attention, while time is a limited resource. I run online and in person events with hundreds of people involved so I know how important it is to prioritise and make the right decisions to drive a business forward. Using my strong operations background I support other small business owners to prioritise and focus their plans.
I live in Leeds with my husband and 2 year old son - I love art, food and I’m particularly partial to a cup of biscuit brew!
You can find out more about my experience below:
Small Business Experience
Founder of Super Seconds Festival, a large bi-annual online event that encourages creatives to sell seconds and end of line stock all on one big weekend
Founder of a creative business (Ink & Bear) selling screenprinted products and organising events/workshops. Here I am at my verry first stall back in 2017!
I have recently taken my business full time in 2022 and become a Limited Company in 2023
Currently operating as a consultant for various small companies - including developing Corporate Social Responsibility/ESG strategies for large corporates across the UK and project management for the 30 Day Sketchbook Challenge by Susan Yeates
Led recruitment and planning around growth for an SME with a £1m turnover
Operations and Planning
6 years experience as Head of Operations in the senior management team at Ahead Partnership (an events and CSR specialist company with 28 staff)
13 years experience working for SMEs and social enterprises
8 years experience as a manager and coach of a team of 15 people
2 years experience of supporting social enterprise and community organisations across the UK with business plans and financial projections under the Communitybuilders Fund.
Strong experience of financial planning, diversifying income streams, annual operations planning, culture reviews and impact management
Education & Training
BA in Management (University of Leeds)
MA in Culture, Creativity & Entrepreneurship (University of Leeds)
Trained in Human Centred Design and Building Innovative Ideas (Overlap Associates)
Trained in Creative Problem Solving (Now Go Create)
Impact Management Training (for social enteprises) with Impetus
Currently training for an ILM L3 in Effective Coaching
