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Welcome to this week’s Kent Business Newsletter.

This week’s Kent Business Newsletter highlights a Kent founder winning a major national innovation award, a top law firm securing three award short listings, and a digital skills event that lifted student confidence across the county.

We cover timely eyesight advice from local opticians, a care agency marking 20 years with a kindness drive, and a timber industry leader reflecting on four decades of growth. It also includes expert insight on rising insolvency numbers and the pressure facing Kent businesses.

Got a business launch, win or story to share? Send it to [email protected] and we’ll help spread the word - for free!

If you missed previous editions you can catch-up here.

Emma O’Brien, founder and CEO of Kent-based Embridge Consulting, has been named Tech Innovator of the Year at the Tide Everywoman Entrepreneur Awards 2025. The win marks a major milestone for O’Brien, who launched her digital transformation firm from her kitchen table and grew it into a national leader in ERP and change management.

Her story carries even deeper meaning. Following the loss of her son Leo to SUDEP, O’Brien channelled her grief into action, creating Leo’s Angels to drive tech-led advances in epilepsy care. Now, her recognition as a top UK innovator celebrates not only her business achievements but her mission to use technology for lasting social impact.

➡️ Want to know how one woman turned personal tragedy into tech-powered transformation? Read the full story.

Brachers is celebrating a standout moment after being shortlisted in three major categories at the South East Dealmakers Awards: Corporate Law Firm of the Year, Corporate Lawyer of the Year, and Deal of the Year (£10m–£40m). The nominations cap an impressive year for the firm’s Corporate team, which recently won the Kent Corporate Finance Alliance ‘Deal of the Year’ with Kreston Reeves and earned a coveted spot in The Times Best Law Firms 2026.

Head of Corporate, James Bullock, and Managing Partner, Joanna Worby, both hailed the recognition as proof of the team’s expertise and the impact of their work across the South East.

➡️ Winners will be revealed in March - but Brachers has already made its mark

More than 550 Kent students were fired up about future tech careers as award-winning digital skills conference Aspiration Digital returned to the University of Kent. Founded by Becky Simms of Reflect Digital, the event saw a huge 76% rise in students who now feel ready to consider a career in digital - a jump from 4.75 to 8.35 out of 10.

The day was packed with interactive sessions on AI, personal branding and entrepreneurship, plus live tech demos, a pop-up podcast studio and even the Government’s Digital Skills Council meeting on site. With plans to expand across the UK next year, Aspiration Digital is fast becoming a national force in closing the digital skills gap.

➡️ See how this Kent-born event is shaping the next generation of digital talent.

Opticians across Kent are urging people to make their eyesight a priority this festive season. Amid the rush of parties, presents and family gatherings, many forget how vital good vision is to everyday life and long-term health. Local experts say now is the perfect time to book that long-postponed eye test and build healthy vision habits for 2026.

Eye health, they warn, deserves the same attention as fitness goals or diet plans. The “Give the Gift of Sight” campaign is reminding people that clear vision isn’t guaranteed forever, and simple steps - from eating leafy greens to taking screen breaks - can make a big difference.

➡️ Want to know the six small changes that could protect your sight for years to come? Find out here before you look away.

Healthcare recruitment agency Nurseplus is celebrating two decades in business by turning its attention to the people and communities who made it possible. What began as a single branch in Ashford in 2005 has grown into a 50-strong network supporting care homes, hospitals, and schools across the UK.

To mark the milestone, new CEO Lisa McLean has launched 20 Acts of Kindness - a campaign inviting every branch to give back through volunteering and local fundraising. The focus, she says, isn’t on business growth but on “people’s success” and the company’s shared values of care and compassion.

➡️ Find out how the Nurseplus team plans to spread kindness across the UK - and what’s first on their list.

After 40 years at the heart of one of the South East’s most respected timber firms, Les Fuller has seen just about everything the construction world can throw at him. As Managing Director of Calldene Structural Timber Solutions, he’s helped guide the company from a small Sussex workshop into a regional name in engineered timber, all while keeping its family spirit alive.

From trussed rafters for local builders in the 1980s to advanced, sustainable manufacturing today, Calldene’s evolution mirrors the wider industry’s shift towards precision and responsibility. But for Les, the real story lies in the people who’ve stayed the course - some for more than 30 years.

➡️ See how one family-run firm built its success on loyalty, craft and quiet innovation.

October 2025 Insolvency Statistics; Azets Response

Matthew Richards, Joint Head of Restructuring and Insolvency at international accountancy and business advisory group Azets, says:

“The biggest driver of the increase in corporate insolvencies has been liquidations, which shows there are more businesses who have either gone beyond the point of rescue or whose management teams simply don’t have the fight or the funds left in them to try and turn things around.

“Many directors have been trying to hang on since the end of the pandemic, and it would appear that an increasing number have run out of road in a trading climate that has been tough for as long as anyone can remember and which shows no sign of improving in the short-term.”

“To put it simply, five years of economic and geopolitical uncertainty is continuing to drive insolvencies. Businesses face a continuing storm of rising costs, constrained spending and increased creditor pressure – as well as the looming Budget.

“As firms across the UK take every possible step to manage their own outgoings, creditors of every shape and size are now taking every possible step to chase down debt, with HMRC leading the way in its quest to recover money for the Treasury. This has added another layer of pressure on businesses at a time when profits have shrunk and expenses have soared and has resulted in more firms seeking advice and support.

“Construction, retail and hospitality are the industries that have been hardest hit as increased costs, eroded margins, and cautious consumer and client spending have hit them particularly hard. Both sectors have seen prices of materials and stock soar, and the increases in National Minimum Wage and Employer NI will have resulted in salary reviews right across the sector and across the UK, rather than just for those on the lowest wages.

“We’ve seen more insolvencies this year than with had by this time last October, and it is highly likely numbers will increase in the run up to Christmas. With economic growth sluggish, unemployment increasing and many firms struggling to break even – let alone grow – the prospect of a future recession is a real and serious one, and one which will cause further problems for businesses across the country.”

“The eyes of the UK business community will be on the Chancellor at the Budget at the end of this month as directors hope she doesn’t introduce anything that adds to their already heavy cost burdens and that may lead to more firms facing insolvency. Firms in the service sectors are visibly worried about the potential impact tax increases will have on discretionary spending, footfall and revenue – and will be hoping any ripple effect from this doesn’t deal them another blow at a time when many are struggling to keep their heads above water.

“Our message to worried directors is a simple one: pick up the phone. We know how hard it is to talk about your business’s problems, but having the conversation with an expert when they’re just beginning gives you more potential solutions, more time to take a decision about how you move forward and a better likelihood of you being able to turn things around than if you’d it off until things became more serious. Don’t wait until it’s too late.” 

l https://www.azets.com/en-uk

Joining Jules and Paul on the business bunker this week was Phil Wilson of JunkJam.

JUNKJAM, an innovative rhythm-based lesson designed to captivate and educate young minds at Key Stages 1&2, using everyday materials like buckets, bins, and assorted used plastics and metals to create musical rhythms.

Imagine a vibrant, interactive environment where children not only learn about musical rhythm but also explore subjects such as maths, drama, the environment, science, recycling, and confidence building.

JUNKJAM is a unique educational experience that can be tailored to fit into a one-off 90-minute session or integrated into daily lesson plans, offering flexibility for any educational setting. 

To listen to this week’s show in full visit Kent Business Radio

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