MENTupLEADup® Leadership Conference 2026
Leading With Authenticity, Building With Sustainability
A one‑day leadership conference focused on the personal and professional development of those supporting the growth of small businesses – the business support industry.
The 2026 conference brings together business leaders, consultants, mentors, advisors and senior professionals from the business support sector to explore leadership capability as an ongoing practice — grounded in real‑world application and contemporary challenge.
📅 Wednesday 14th October 2026
📍 Riddel Hall, Queen’s University Belfast
⏰ 9.30am – 4.30pm
Secure Your Place – Conference 2026
Why Attend?
This year the conference will build on the success of our 2024 and 2025 events, bringing together the business support sector for a focused day of leadership insight, dialogue and practical application.
The conference exists to explore the role business support experts play in building trust, resilience and long‑term impact within small business environments — particularly in times of ongoing change and uncertainty.
Attendees will gain:
Insight from nationally and internationally recognised speakers addressing leadership as a lived, real‑world practice
Perspective from across the business support ecosystem, including policy, enterprise and professional advisory contexts
Exposure to exemplary practice and the presentation of the 2026 Excellence in Business Support Award, sponsored by ILM
Opportunities for meaningful connection and dialogue with peers and international contacts facing similar leadership challenges
This is a conference designed not simply to inform, but to strengthen capability through shared understanding, reflection and practical exchange.
The 2026 Speaker Line Up So Far .....
The Conference brings together a carefully curated group of speakers drawn from economics, business mentorship, enterprise support, policy and professional practice.
Speakers have been selected for their ability to speak on business support as it is experienced in real economic environments — where complexity, constraint and responsibility sit side by side.
Across keynote, panel and in‑conversation sessions, speakers will explore capability, authenticity and sustainability from multiple perspectives, offering insight that is practical, challenging and grounded in lived experience.
The 2026 Panelists So Far .....
Last Years Success-Embracing Change: 2025
Following the success of our inaugural conference, we moved to the historic Belfast Castle for 2025. This event continued to inspire under the theme of Embracing Change.
Monitored by the fantastic Sonia Butterworth from QRadio, we heard from experts in AI including Dr David Crozier the AICC, ILM Director Patrick Craven, Finance expert Caroline Keenan as well as up and coming leaders such as Emily Bond and Dr Finn Lestas. We had delegates attending from across the management consultancy, mentoring, banking, finance, legal, coaching and community sectors.
We were also proud to present the very first and prestigious Award for the Most Outstanding Contribution to Excellence in Business Support.
This was a truly engaging and impactful networking event for the business support community.
Added Benefits
Strategic Partners
We are delighted with the support and engagement from our strategic partners and sponsors
An Iconic Venue
We are delighted as always to showcase the best that Belfast has to offer & to be hosted at the wonderful Riddel Hall @Queens University, Belfast.
"Inaugural": Our Contribution to the Economy: 2024
Our inaugural conference was held in the iconic Titanic Quarter, Belfast and brought together Business Consultants, Mentors, Advisors, and Coaches for the first of its kind in Ireland.
Running in the month of National Mentoring Day we were privileged to host some of the best speakers in the industry, Chelsey Baker Founder of National Mentoring Day, Tanya Barnett, Director, Centre for Collaborative Leadership, the University of Massachusetts Boston, Professor Martin McCracken, Research Director, Ulster Business School to name but a few.
A significant day in the calendar of so many in the business support industry.