08/03/2026
(Nikki would never write this about herself… so we’re doing it for her...)
Today is International Women’s Day, and it feels like the perfect moment to shine a light on the woman behind The Small Business Academy - Nikki Hesford.
Nikki didn’t create The Small Business Academy because it would be easy - She started it because she could see something missing!
Across Lancashire there were thousands of incredible small businesses - passionate people with big ideas - but the support around them was fragmented, confusing, or simply inaccessible. Many founders were trying to grow their businesses on their own, without the training, guidance, or community they actually needed.
So Nikki did something about it.
With determination (and a TONNE of stubborn resilience), she built The Small Business Academy to bridge that gap. A place where business owners could access practical training, real support, and genuine opportunities to grow.
Since then, the Academy has supported hundreds of businesses through workshops, mentoring, conferences, and fully funded programmes backed by local councils. Businesses that now have stronger strategies, more confidence, clearer direction, and bigger ambitions.
But perhaps the most powerful thing Nikki has created isn’t just training… It’s belief.
Belief for founders who didn’t realise support like this existed. Belief for people who weren’t sure if they belonged in business spaces. Belief that businesses in Lancashire can grow, innovate and thrive when the right support is there.
On International Women’s Day, we’re celebrating Nikki and every woman who has stepped forward, taken a risk, and built something that didn’t exist before.
And to organisations, partners, and leaders reading this…. If we want stronger economies and thriving communities, we must continue investing in women, backing female founders, and creating environments where opportunity is equal.
Because when women grow businesses, entire regions grow with them. Happy International Women’s Day! 💜
