Help to Grow Alumni Event: Building an Olympic Standard Team for Your Business
On Thursday, 21st November, Help to Grow alumni gathered at Nexus for an inspiring and interactive event led by Debbie Bruwer, three-time Olympic rower, two-time silver medallist, and world champion.
With over 15 years of experience with the British rowing team, Debbie shared her invaluable insights on how to build an Olympic-standard team within a business, offering advice and motivation to help attendees reach new heights both personally and professionally.
The session, hosted by Debbie, focused on the key principles that have driven her success at the highest levels of sport. Drawing from her vast experience in elite sport, Debbie emphasized the importance of teamwork, trust, and continuous improvement—key elements that can transform a business into a winning team. She guided attendees through a series of practical goal-setting exercises designed to help individuals grow and thrive, both in their roles and as leaders within their organizations.
She said, “It was a pleasure presenting to, and working with the alumni group. What a joy to see such collaboration and idea-sharing around the tables with a mix of alumni coming together from across the years. It was a privilege to share my own Olympic team learnings and facilitate the attendees to share and think through their own range of experiences to create learning and development opportunities which I hope has inspired them to be the leader that leads their team to an even healthier and functioning place.”
Whether learning from Debbie’s journey in competitive rowing or gaining practical advice on setting and achieving ambitious goals, attendees left the event with a renewed sense of purpose and motivation.
“I now realize the challenges of being an Olympian have real parallels with those of running a business. Debbie delivered an engaging and interactive session which got me thinking about goal-setting, resilience, and mindset. Her stories and insights were fascinating. I really appreciated Debbie’s humble and candid approach, which drew everyone in and got us thinking about our own businesses.”
— Louise Turner, Founder and Chief Wordsmith, Wordsmiths and Awards Writers
The interactive nature of the event allowed alumni to engage directly with Debbie and each other, creating an environment of learning, collaboration, and inspiration. Through these exercises, attendees reflected on their own leadership styles and how they could foster an environment that encourages high performance and success, much like an Olympic team.
“I was really looking forward to this event and hearing Debbie talk. On the day, several things cropped up at work, which meant it would have been easier to not attend. However, I found the time, and I was not disappointed. The session was thought-provoking, and Debbie’s talk was inspirational. It’s not every day you hear a world-class athlete talk so openly. Thanks for organizing a great event.”
— Adam Gombocz, Director at Lithos Consulting Ltd
A major highlight of the event was the networking opportunities, which allowed alumni to connect with a diverse group of business leaders from various sectors. This cross-industry interaction provided valuable insights and expanded their networks, sharing ideas and experiences that could benefit their own business growth.
“The event with Debbie Bruwer was a really inspirational talk on performing at a high level. The session was really well organized, with engaging activities and great conversations facilitated by Leeds University Business School. It was a great opportunity to meet an Olympian and hear real raw stories about the graft needed to reach the highest level in whatever you do.”
— Patrick Hetherington, Account Manager at Brand Ambition
Stay tuned for future events that promise to continue offering valuable insights and growth opportunities for alumni in the Help to Grow network. You can view more images from the event here on Flickr.
