From Business Owner to Leader: What got you here won’t get you there

Still doing the work you hired people to do?

You’re not alone. Most business owners spend years trapped between being brilliant at what they do and actually leading a team that can do it without them.

The truth? Being great at your craft doesn’t make you a great leader. And the shift from owner, operator to manager to leader isn’t just about delegation, it’s about fundamentally changing how you show up in your business… and that’s tough.

What This Event Is About

This panel brings together business owners who’ve actually made the leap, along with a leadership coach who’s spent years helping others do the same. They’ll share the honest, messy truth about:

• That turning point when you realise you can’t keep doing everything yourself
• The mindset shifts required to go from doing the work to leading the team
• The difference between managing people and actually leading them (and why it matters)
• What good leadership actually looks like in a small to medium business
• The resilience factor, because this transition will test you
• Why some business owners nail this and others stay stuck for years

In this session we’ll have honest conversations with people who’ve built teams of 10, 20, 50+ and lived to tell the tale.

Meet Your Panel

Laura Dent, Commercial Cleaning Business Owner Went from working on the tools with her husband to running a team of 17 in just two years. Now completely off the tools, with a supervisor managing the team while the business continues to grow.

Mark Toovey, Alfresco Exterior Cleaning Built and scaled a team while navigating the challenges of seasonal work, weather dependence, and the unique demands of the exterior cleaning industry.

Dan Horn, Founder, Lunar FX Founded his VFX company in 2020 after 15+ years at major studios including ILM and Warner Bros. Now leads a global team working on blockbuster projects like The Witcher (BAFTA-winning) and Aquaman 2, having made the leap from hands on artist to business leader.

Nicola Lyle, Leadership Coach Has spent years coaching leaders through the exact transitions we’ll be discussing. Brings both the strategic framework and the practical reality of what it takes to become an effective leader.

Hosted by Pete Mols, Mastermind9 Founder Spent years helping business owners navigate this exact transition through mastermind groups and one to one coaching.

Who This Is For

This event is for you if:

• You’ve got a team but you’re still firefighting daily
• You know you should be “working on” the business but can’t seem to get there
• You’ve hired people but still feel like everything depends on you
• You’re stuck between doing the work and leading the people who should be doing it
• You want to understand what leadership actually means for your business
• You’re ready to hear the unvarnished truth about what it takes to make this shift

Not for you if:

• You’re still solo and happy that way
• You’re looking for quick fixes and magic bullets
• You want theory without the real,world mess

What You’ll Walk Away With

This isn’t just a nice chat. You’ll leave with:

✓ Clear understanding of where you are in the owner → manager → leader journey

✓ Practical insights from people who’ve actually done it (not just talked about it)

✓ The honest challenges you’ll face and how to navigate them

✓ Specific mindset shifts that separate stuck business owners from effective leaders

✓ Ideas you can implement straight away (because we’re all about action, not just inspiration)

✓ Connection with other business owners facing the same challenges

Why Now?

Because another year of being stuck in the day to day is another year of not building the business (and life) you actually want.

The business owners who’ll be sharing their experiences on this panel? They all hit a point where something had to change. Some figured it out faster than others. All of them wish they’d started the leadership journey earlier.

This conversation could be the catalyst that finally shifts you from doing everything to leading effectively.

What Past Attendees Say About Mastermind9 Events

“The Mastermind9 event today was incredible. So many gems from the panel who generously shared their experiences of building and growing their own businesses. I’m leaving this session inspired and energised!”

“The wealth of knowledge and expertise that the group holds is so rich that you will not regret joining”

“What a fantastic networking group for growing businesses! I love the energy, tight structure and emphasis on learning and developing together. This group is full of great people, highly recommended.”

“The support, encouragement, accountability and enjoyment of sharing with other likeminded business owners is hugely valuable. Each session there is an ah ha moment or realisation that can help me push forward month by month.”

“No sales pitches, no pushy individuals, no hard core sales. Just a bunch of professionals meeting to support each other, build up relationships, build communities and exchange thoughts and ideas. It is just brilliant! I would always shy away from networking events, since I joined, I can’t wait for the next one to happen. I always leave feeling energised, inspired and supported.”

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