The Social Entrepreneur’s Journey
Reflections on the Realities of Building an Impact Venture with Michael
Gladwell, MD of Upbeat Clean
Building an impact-driven business is rarely a straight line. Behind every success
story are difficult decisions, setbacks, compromises and moments of doubt.
Join us for an honest and reflective conversation with Michael Gladwell, founder of
Upbeat Clean, as he shares the real journey of building a high-impact social
enterprise from the ground up.
Michael is an award-winning social entrepreneur and Upbeat Clean is recipient of the
King’s Award for Enterprise, one of the UK’s highest honours for business
excellence, nationally recognised for combining commercial success with meaningful
social impact, creating employment opportunities while delivering high-quality
services.
In this session, Michael will reflect openly on:
The early challenges of starting an impact venture
Balancing purpose with commercial reality
Leadership lessons learned along the way
What he would do differently if starting again
Practical insights for aspiring and early-stage social entrepreneurs
This is not a sales pitch or a polished case study. It’s a candid exploration of what it
really takes to build, sustain and grow an impact-led organisation.
Open to social entrepreneurs, founders, students, and anyone curious about building
ventures that aim to do good while staying financially viable.
Spaces are limited. Early booking recommended.
This event is run by Derby Social Ventures CIC