The Maple Review is spearheaded by Small Business Britain, and is governed by a Steering Board including entrepreneurs, as well as representatives from the wider business community.
CEO & Founder, Small Business Britain
Minister for Small Business and Economic Transformation
CEO & Founder, WorkSpa
Tara Askham is a qualified finance lecturer, published accounting author and Fellow of the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT), with over a decade of experience making finance accessible for non-finance professionals. She is a guest lecturer at Nottingham Trent University and has worked with global awarding bodies to help shape the future of accountancy education.
Alongside her training work, Tara mentors entrepreneurs through national programmes, supporting them to build sustainable, purpose-driven businesses. Through teaching, mentoring and public speaking, she is passionate about simplifying finance and empowering people to use numbers to drive real-world impact and growth.
Leonie Briggs is Director of Amazelab and an award-winning STEAM educator with a background as a science teacher, STEAM lead, STEM Ambassador and CREST Assessor. She has taught across primary, secondary, post-16 and alternative provision, specialising in science and chemistry.
Leonie has received national recognition including Outstanding New STEM Ambassador (2022), nominations for the Global Teacher Prize and National Teaching Awards, and being named one of the UK’s Top 100 Female Entrepreneurs (2025). Under her leadership, Amazelab has won multiple UK Enterprise Awards, including STEAM Education Platform of the Year (2025).
Kerry Clayton founded her company, Trend Tonic, from a hospital bed in 2019, following four years of unemployment. Now 35, Kerry has grown the business into a thriving, women-led team of four, all working flexibly around caring responsibilities and family life.
Living in an economically deprived area of Kent, Kerry is Disabled and grew up experiencing long-term insecurity in and out of employment. Her journey into entrepreneurship is rooted in resilience, determination and a belief that flexible, inclusive work can transform lives. Through Trend Tonic, Kerry is not only building a successful business, but creating meaningful opportunities for other women to thrive.
John McDonald is a Disability Consultant and Specialist with over 20 years’ experience across the healthcare sector. He is driven by a simple but powerful belief: that turning ‘disabled’ into ‘enabled’ is not just a statement, but a mindset that can unlock positive outcomes for individuals, teams and organisations.
Passionate about improving inclusion in employment and business, John has also worked as a progression coach in further education, supporting learners into work and collaborating with employers to identify and develop talent that is too often overlooked. His work bridges lived experience, professional expertise and a practical commitment to creating more inclusive opportunities for all.
Alison Riley brings over 30 years of experience across performance, education and ethical entrepreneurship to the Maple Review. She is the founder of Our First Dance and the owner of Bridal Reloved Lincolnshire, where she champions sustainability within the bridal wear industry. In 2025, she was named in the f:Entrepreneur #ialso100 in recognition of her impact and leadership.
A passionate advocate for small business growth, women’s empowerment and inclusive, creative communities, Alison uses her work to inspire confidence, connection and positive change through enterprise.
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