Free the Founder: Helping SME's reduce the hours spent chasing payment

Late payments remain one of the most significant challenges for small businesses, creating cash flow pressures and restricting growth. The UK Government, through the Office of the Small Business Commissioner, is stepping up efforts to improve payment culture with the Fair Payment Code and a series of tougher measures including mandatory interest on overdue invoices, stricter payment terms and stronger enforcement powers.

This event, delivered in partnership with ACCA and Chambers Wales SESWM, will explain what these measures mean for SMEs and finance professionals and equip you with tools to protect your business against late payments and reduce the amount of time you spend chasing debt.

Hear from the Panels

Hear from dynamic panels of entrepreneurs, business experts and finance specialists who work directly with SMEs across Wales. They will share real experiences of managing cash flow, navigating late payments and building resilient businesses in challenging conditions.

This includes hearing from the Founders of Solar Buddies, who began their business from the kitchen table and has since grown it into a nationwide success. Solar Buddies products are now stocked across the UK through major retail partnerships such as Boots and have become best-sellers on Amazon. Their journey offers an inspiring, practical perspective on starting and scaling a fast-growing business.

Our panel will:
• Break down the new Fair Payment measures and what they mean in practice
• Share lived experiences from entrepreneurs, SME leaders and finance professionals
• Offer practical steps to strengthen internal processes and reduce risk
• Highlight support available from ACCA and the Office of the Small Business Commissioner
• Take your questions in an open, practical discussion

Expect clear, actionable guidance you can use straight away.

Who Should Attend?

• Small and medium-sized businesses
• Finance teams and accountants
• Business advisers and consultants
• Anyone supporting SME financial resilience and good payment practice

Why Attend?

• Understand exactly what the new payment measures mean for you
• Get practical advice to reduce late-payment exposure
• Learn how to protect and strengthen your cash flow
• Connect with entrepreneurs, sector experts and finance leaders

Tickets

This is an invite-only event, open exclusively to ACCA and Chambers Wales SESWM members, and the Office of the Small Business Commissioner invitees. For booking support please contact [email protected].

Info: • Emma Jones, Small Business Commissioner

Info: Real experiences, practical challenges and tips for reducing admin burden, improving payment times and building for growth. • Kelli Aspland and Laura Waters, Solar Buddies

Info: Exploring digital solutions that automate invoicing, speed up payments and reduce risk. • Cerith Williams, Unity Accountancy
• Sam Jennings, Co-founder, Adfin
• Daniel Mines, Founder, Menna
• Vasilis Ilias, Co-founder, CoPay

Info: A discussion on what small businesses need from larger organisations, government and the wider ecosystem to support growth and resilience. • Michael Hayman, Board Member, British Chambers
• Professor Jane Lynch, Procurement and Help to Grow Management
• Gareth Jones, Founder, Town Square • Will Crawford, Director and Founder of Concrete Canvas

Info: • Lloyd Powell, Head of ACCA Wales

Info: Meet businesses already signed up to the Code and explore what it means in practice.
Featuring contributions from:
• John Hurst, Chair, FSB Wales
• B2B IT Services

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

The Parkgate Hotel, Westgate Street, Cardiff, United Kingdom

Concerts, fests, parties, meetups - all the happenings, one place.

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