Leeds Beckett University - City Campus,
Woodhouse Lane,
LS1 3HE
Business Masterclass
Business Masterclasses
CEKE offers bespoke business masterclasses for entrepreneurs within the region. Entrepreneurial businesses are learning organisations and entrepreneurs are continuous sponges of information that they can apply to their businesses to have competitive edge. Our masterclasses are designed to challenge, build, and provide actionable points for businesses within the region. At CEKE, we believe in continuous development and change that makes impact. Our masterclasses deliver this. For more information on the next available masterclass, please email the CEKE Shared Mailbox.
Leeds SSED, Leeds Speaker Series on Enterprise Development
These are a series of seminars that are hosted by the Centre for Entrepreneurship and Knowledge Exchange led by Leeds Beckett student Mostafa Issa.
Externals are brought to inspire students and local businesses on their entrepreneurial journeys. If you are an entrepreneur in the region with a success story, please contact us for an opportunity to share your story to inspire our students and other local businesses.
Upcoming SSED events
Who Should Attend?
These events are perfect for university students and recent graduates who want to:
- Gain career clarity and confidence
- Learn from industry professionals and successful alumni
- Explore corporate and entrepreneurial career options
- Build valuable connections and expand their network
Objectives
- Understand where business ideas typically come from and why real problems matter
- Identify and validate business opportunities using simple frameworks
- Leave the workshop with at least one actionable business idea to explore further
What a Speaker Could Share
- How they once faced a problem in their daily life or industry
- How noticing that problem sparked their idea
- Lessons learned: problems = opportunities
Details
- Date and time: 21 November 2025, 14:00-17:00
- Venue: The Hatchery (RB323)
- Guest Speakers:
- Kirsty Watson
- Jennifer Barry
Intinerary:
- 14:00-14:30: Welcome, introduce the theme and speakers
- 14:30-15:15: Speaker 1
- 15:15-15:30: Break
- 15:30-16:00: Speaker 2
- 16:00-16:45: Workshop/fun game
- 16:45-17:00: Networking: space for students to connect and share ideas
Objectives
- Understand what pivoting is and why it matters in business. Any previous failed businesses or ideas
- Practice adapting business ideas under pressure
- Learn from real-world examples of companies that pivoted
- Reflect on individual experiences of failure - adaptation
What a Speaker Could Share
- Share a personal failure story (business, project, or career)
- Highlight how it initially felt like the end but later became a turning point
- Emphasize that failure - reflection - adaptation = growth
Details
- Date and time: 6 February 2026, 14:00-17:00
- Venue: The Hatchery (RB323)
- Guest Speakers:
- TBC
- TBC
Intinerary:
- 14:00-14:30: Welcome, introduce the theme and speakers
- 14:30-15:15: Speaker 1
- 15:15-15:30: Break
- 15:30-16:00: Speaker 2
- 16:00-16:45: Workshop/fun game
- 16:45-17:00: Networking: space for students to connect and share ideas
Objectives
- Highlight the value of failure - show students how personal or business failures can be powerful stepping stones toward future success
- Encourage resilience - inspire students to develop a mindset that views setbacks as opportunities to gain experience and improve rather than reasons to quit
- Normalise failure in growth - build a culture where failure is seen as a natural and necessary part of progress and long-term success
- Share real-life experiences - provide examples of failed ideas or ventures and how those experiences shaped better decisions later
What a Speaker Could Share
- A personal failure story that led to eventual success
- Any previous failed businesses or ideas
- Lessons they learned and how they applied them to grow
- Practical advice for students to embrace failure as part of their journey
Details
- Date and time: 6 March 2026, 14:00-17:00
- Venue: The Hatchery (RB323)
- Guest Speakers:
- TBC
- TBC
Intinerary:
- 14:00-14:30: Welcome, introduce the theme and speakers
- 14:30-15:15: Speaker 1
- 15:15-15:30: Break
- 15:30-16:00: Speaker 2
- 16:00-16:45: Workshop/fun game
- 16:45-17:00: Networking: space for students to connect and share ideas
