Meet the young women taking on their family businesses

Martin and Leah Port

LEEDS – July 17, 2025: Workers ditch traditional nine-to-fives in favour of inherited career paths

Holly Thallon Steenson never planned to have a career working for her mother. As a fresh university graduate, she was busy ploughing her own furrow in life, going on to work for events agencies. “I really enjoyed the hustle and bustle,” she says. “But something was missing.”

When the first lockdown of 2020 hit, she moved back home, and the events industry moved online – which was “deadly dull”, she says. Thallon Steenson, now 29, wrote down the things that mattered to her in an attempt to figure out her next step.

“I wanted variety – for no two days to be the same. I wanted to feel passionate about my work, and to feel like I was making things happen, and I really wanted to do more philanthropy, helping charities that aligned with my ethics and concerns about the environment,” she says.

Her perfect job, she realised, could be found working at her mother’s business, Viridian Nutrition, an ethical vitamin company. “I always joked that Viridian was my little sister, born four years after me, and her favourite child!” she says.

Cheryl Thallon founded the company in 1999 and, as a youngster, Thallon Steenson was swept up in the business, answering phone calls and handing out samples. “I walked into mum’s home office and I asked to talk to her about joining Viridian,” she says.

Coincidentally, Cheryl – then 60 – was in the business growth programme at Cranfield University, where she was being quizzed about her exit strategy. “I remember her laughing. She had been hoping I would ask to join!”

Two female entrepreneurs in a warehouse
After lockdown derailed her career plans, Holly Thallon Steenson (left) realised her perfect job could be found working at her mother’s business

Many sons, daughters and family members are now coming to the same conclusion. Back in 2017, Direct Line published research warning that family businesses were in crisis.

It found that 29pc of UK family business owners worried their business would die once they hit retirement age – a third cited lack of interest from the next generation as the reason. A worrying 20pc thought that no family business would exist in future.

However, new research published by the insurer last year shows that small businesses are very much a family affair once more. It found that 41pc of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) now have family members working in the business, up from 28pc in 2017.

Family business has a lot more brand cachet today than in previous years, according to Fiona Graham, chief operating officer at Family Business UK, which represents the sector.

“There is no proper research into this as yet, but there has definitely been a shift in the past 15 years in terms of next generation perceptions of the family business,” she says. “They really value their authenticity. There are too many organisations out there where people feel disposable.”

With unemployment rates rising to 4.5pc in the first three months of this year, according to the Office for National Statistics, and job vacancies down 5.3pc compared to the previous year, it’s no wonder family firms are increasingly attractive.

“Family businesses show strong resilience in times of political and economic uncertainty,” comments Hayden Bailey, partner and head of private wealth at Boodle Hatfield, who advises family business owners on succession. “They take a long-term view, which may be encouraging to the next generation.”

In 2020, Bailey published research showing that family businesses tend to outperform the FTSE 100, generating higher revenues and reinvesting more into the business. “We plan to revisit the research and expect a similar outcome,” he says.

‘Working with my family makes me stronger’

Lola Wind, 27, was ambivalent about joining the family business. Her father, Sebastien Wind, who trained under Gordon Ramsay and Marco Pierre White, started Comptoir Bakery as a stall in Borough Market in 2010.

“My earliest memory of my father was that he smelled like cake,” she says. “We helped out when we were kids, giving customers change at the market.”

After graduating with a degree in hospitality from the University of Surrey, she took a job at Comptoir. “I was 19 and managing four people,” she says. “I loved it but I wanted to travel, and didn’t want the pressure and responsibility.”

Wind left to go backpacking, and spent the next two years working short stints at various companies – first moving to Paris to manage marketing for a fashion brand, then moving into crypto marketing, until finally she was headhunted by a millionaire who needed a personal assistant.

“I ended up running his life,” she says. “You can only do a job like that when you’re young or don’t have a life of your own. He’d wake me up with a text at 4am asking me to send flowers to someone. I had no boundaries because I was scared of losing my job.”

The prospect of managing a team at her father’s business was suddenly less daunting. Then her older brother, Quentin Wind, made her an offer she couldn’t refuse.

“Quentin has been in the business for a while and he opened our café in Southwark Cathedral two years ago,” she says. “There are loads of event spaces in the building, so he asked me to come and build an events business from scratch. I felt that it would be fun and freeing after spending so much time travelling, and being unable to see my partner.”

Wind has been working full-time with Comptoir for two years, managing up to 30 events a month and building the external catering business. The Wind family has also created a new bakery school together.

According to Bailey, she’s a typical example of a next generation who has embraced the opportunity to build a new venture within the family firm.

“We see more interest from the next generation when they can have a significant level of control or influence within the family business,” he says. “If the next generation can put their own stamp on it, that’s very attractive.”

“I’ve built a standalone profitable business,” Wind adds. “It’s still stressful, but healthy stress. Working with my family makes me stronger and the only limits are the ones I set myself.”

‘I’d rather put my all into something family-owned than work for someone else’

“It wasn’t that I didn’t want to work with my dad, it was more that I had my own passions,”

says Leah Port, chief marketer at Build Concierge, the customer engagement software start-up launched by her father, the serial entrepreneur Martin Port, in 2024. “I have always loved fashion and my dad was always in business technology.”

Now 29, Port built a successful career in the affiliate marketing industry, most recently running European and UK operations at the digital beauty giant, Lookfantastic. Over the past decade, her obsession with understanding what customers want, and immersion in marketing technology, meant that the Venn diagram of her and her father’s interests finally collided.

“When my dad sold his last business and started talking about a new venture, I saw an opportunity to use my experience and learn from him.”

Leah Port further commented:

‘When my dad sold his last business, I saw an opportunity to use my experience and learn from him,’

Like Wind, she was galvanised by the prospect of leading her own team and having autonomy within the business.

Leah continued:

“I have spent a lot of my career working long hours and a lot of weekends,”

“I was ready to be part of a start-up and I would rather put my all into something family-owned than keep working for someone else.”

Port’s father, whose previous venture BigChange was sold for more than £300m, never pressured his daughter to join the family businesses.

Martin Port commented:

“I could see how brilliant she was, and saw glowing references from her managers,”

“When we were talking about finding a head of marketing, it was a no-brainer. It’s a very hard role to fill, so we were lucky to get her. If she wasn’t so talented, I never would have taken her on.”

Like many first-generation founders, succession planning wasn’t initially a priority.

Martin continued:

“I was always head down, busy building my business,”

It was only when he had a heart attack last year that he started thinking about empowering the next generation.

Martin concluded:

“When you reach 62, you think about legacy.”

‘I’m not in it for the money’

Financially, joining the family firm isn’t necessarily more lucrative, but there is more job security and the opportunity to take shares in the business.

“I moved over on the same salary but I have equity in the business,” says Port. “My dad didn’t pay himself at all when he started his previous businesses. It’s not about money. We are completely focused on making this business a success.”

As a personal assistant, Wind worked for less than minimum wage, “if you counted all the hours I worked”, she says. “But now I have a normal salary – anybody doing my job would be paid the same.”

Wind has the opportunity to become more invested in future. “I’m not in it for the money. It’s more about the joy of being in the family business and working on my own part of it.”

Thallon Steenson took over as managing director at Viridian in 2024 after three years working in the business. That year, turnover rose 16pc to £13.1m. Her salary remained the same when she first joined.

“I wanted to achieve something before I took a step up financially,” she says – but her pay has since risen in line with the success of the business. “Money was never my mum’s primary driver, and it’s not mine either.”

‘Money was never my mum’s primary driver, and it’s not mine either,’ says Thallon Steenson

Thallon Steenson and her mother were advised on succession by Family Business UK. She has now taken on the role of managing director, while her mother is still an adviser to Viridian. “We wanted to make sure the whole team and our customers were on board, but everyone was thrilled,” she says.

Since joining Viridian, Thallon Steenson has been able to focus on her passions: helping independent stores to grow, supporting charities and pioneering innovation. “We’ve launched the Viridian Training Academy and a new ionic magnesium supplement,” she explains. “And next year we’ll hit £1m in charitable donations.”

Despite the advantages that joining a family business can bring, recent changes to inheritance rules may scupper the current trend.

“It’s made succession planning more complex and financially burdensome,” says Thallon Steenson. “For the next generation, I do think these changes might cause some to hesitate, especially when weighing up a career in a family business versus a more straightforward path elsewhere.”

“It hasn’t changed my own commitment at all,” she continues. “The motivation to be part of something with history, purpose, and emotional significance still far outweighs the challenges. The sense of building on what’s come before while leaving your own mark is incredibly powerful.”

Fuelling Growth: YFM Invests in Panintelligence’s Next Chapter

Fuelling Growth Panintelligence

LEEDS – July 17, 2025: Panintelligence: Supercharging Growth and Innovation with £1 Million Investment and New CEO Appointment.

At YFM, we back ambitious founders and fast-growth tech businesses that are shaping the future of their industries. That’s why we’re excited to announce a further £1 million investment in Panintelligence alongside existing shareholders. — the Leeds-based embedded analytics specialist — together with Comhar Capital, Shackleton and Martin Port of Port Growth Partners, as the business enters an exciting new chapter of growth.

With the appointment of long-time COO Charlotte Bailey as CEO, the company is set to accelerate its roadmap in Agentic AI, expand its international reach, and continue delivering real-world value to its customers through secure, embedded business intelligence.

We’re also pleased to welcome Martin Port to the board as a Non-Executive Director. With his extensive experience in scaling tech ventures, Martin’s appointment adds significant firepower as the business gears up for its next phase.

Why Embedded Analytics is Having a Moment

Data-driven decision-making isn’t new. But the stakes — and the expectations — have changed.

As AI adoption surges and businesses demand more actionable insight from their software, the ability to deliver real-time, secure analytics inside existing platforms has never been more critical. Panintelligence is meeting that challenge head-on with its flagship solution, Pi — a powerful embedded analytics platform that combines data visualisation, predictive modelling and real-time reporting in a highly secure, user-friendly format.

From finance and healthcare to education and the public sector, the Pi platform enables software vendors and enterprises to embed intelligence directly into their products — turning passive data into proactive decisions.

Building a Business Ready to Scale

Panintelligence has long stood out for its clear product vision, strong technical foundations, and customer-first approach. That’s why YFM first invested in 2019 — recognising a real opportunity to support a business at the intersection of AI, data, and SaaS enablement.

With this new round of funding, the business will:

  • Expand its AI capabilities, with a strategic focus on Agentic AI
  • Invest further in talent
  • Scale into new verticals and territories, with a growing international customer base
  • Accelerate go-to-market plans from its new Leeds HQ

Charlotte’s appointment signals a forward-looking focus for the company. Having worked closely with the board and senior team for six years, she brings deep operational insight, team-wide trust, and a clear vision for the company’s next stage of growth.

A Trusted Partner for AI-Driven SaaS

In a noisy tech landscape, Panintelligence continues to distinguish itself by focusing on what matters: security, transparency, and real-world impact. Its embedded BI platform isn’t about hype — it’s about helping customers work smarter, act faster, and stay compliant in a changing regulatory landscape.

This approach is already delivering results. The company was selected for Tech Nation’s Upscale 5.0 programme, and has continued to attract leading SaaS providers looking to integrate best-in-class analytics without compromising performance or user experience.

Why YFM Invested Again

At YFM, we invest in more than just tech – we invest in people, platforms and plans that deliver. Panintelligence has all three. A proven leadership team. A product that solves real problems. And a growth strategy that aligns with global shifts in AI, compliance, and data accessibility.

With this follow-on investment, we’re backing Panintelligence to do what it does best: empower software providers to lead with insight, embed intelligence at scale, and create smarter, more responsive digital experiences.

We’re proud to continue this partnership – and excited for what’s ahead.

Former Labour minister Lord Ian Austin joins board at Leeds-based Build Concierge

Ian Austin, former Labour MP

LEEDS – July 15, 2025: A former Government minister has joined the board of Build Concierge, the customer engagement platform, after it raised $5.1m (£3.8m) in seed funding from a consortium of private investors.

The deal values the Leeds-based start-up at £35m. The business, which was established in 2024, has built an Al-enabled customer engagement platform, helping businesses to automate customer communications across every channel, using email, text, WhatsApp, chat and voice.

A spokesman said the software boosts productivity and helps businesses to scale rapidly and profitably.

Build Concierge is the fourth business developed by Martin Port, the Yorkshire-based entrepreneur, investor and philanthropist who has been building software companies for almost 30 years.

Mr Port’s previous venture, the workforce management software platform BigChange, was sold to Simpro Group last year in a deal that valued BigChange at more than £300m.

In 2020, BigChange was recognised for its innovation in the Queen’s Awards for Enterprise

Build Concierge has raised £3.8m in growth finance from angel investors, high net worth individuals and Martin Port himself, the statement said.

The statement added:

“Alongside the investment, Build Concierge has announced the appointment of several industry heavyweights to its board. These individuals bring extensive industry experience from Build Concierge’s target sectors.”

“Lord lan Austin, former Labour minister, who is now the UK Government’s trade envoy to Israel, joins Build Concierge as a board observer, bringing decades’ worth of experience in frontline government policy. He is a passionate advocate for tech disruption and automation within the construction sector.”

Robin Proctor brings FTSE 100 experience to the new board. A former Development Director of construction giant Travis Perkins Group, he has held executive roles in Travis Perkins, Wickes and Howdens.

The spokesman added:

“Charlie Kirk, founder and former managing director of drainage firm Jet Aire, built his business over more than two decades to become the leading supplier of drainage services in the North of England, employing more than 170 people.

“As a board member, he will help shape the development of Al tools that allow companies in this industry to scale efficiently.”

Build Concierge founder Mr Port said:

“We are delighted to welcome these luminaries to our board.

“We have spent the past year refining our business model, technology and approach.

“It is a testament to the power and potential of our technology that we have attracted such high-calibre people to the board, and that our first fundraising round was oversubscribed, closing in record time.”

Lord Austin commented:

“Martin’s track record speaks for itself. He has already created two of the most exciting software companies in Europe and Build Concierge has the potential to make an even bigger impact.

“There isn’t a single service business that couldn’t benefit from this Al-powered platform, and no limit to its potential.”

Mr Kirk added:

“This is a really exciting opportunity and I’m very much looking forward to working with Martin and the team.

“Build Concierge’s Al-driven software will be a game changer for many businesses and will help to drive efficiency and growth.”

Build Concierge raises $5m, appoints industry heavyweights to board

Appoints industry heavyweights

LEEDS – JUNE 19, 2025: Build Concierge, the customer engagement platform, has raised $5.1m (£3.8m) in seed funding from a consortium of private investors. The deal values the year-old start-up at £35m. 

The venture has built an AI-enabled customer engagement platform, helping businesses to automate customer communications across every channel, using email, text, WhatsApp, chat and voice. The software boosts productivity and helps businesses to scale rapidly and profitably. 

Build Concierge is the fourth business from serial founder Martin Port. The Yorkshire-based entrepreneur, investor and philanthropist has been building B2B software for almost 30 years.  Port’s previous venture, the workforce management software platform BigChange, was sold to Simpro Group last year in a deal that valued BigChange at more than £300m. 

Build Concierge has raised £3.8m in growth finance from angel investors, high net worths, and Martin Port himself. Alongside the investment, Build Concierge has announced the appointment of several industry heavyweights to its board. These individuals bring extensive industry experience from Build Concierge’s target sectors. 

Lord Ian Austin, former Labour minister, now the UK government’s trade envoy to Israel, joins Build Concierge as a board observer, bringing decades’ worth of experience in frontline government policy. He is a passionate advocate for tech disruption and automation within the construction sector. 

Robin Proctor brings FTSE 100 experience to our new board. A former Development Director of construction giant Travis Perkins Group, he held executive roles in Travis Perkins, Wickes and Howdens, so really understands our target customers. A proven market innovator having been a board member at market disruptor Toolsation.co.uk during its key growth phase and chairman of Bathrooms.com, he specialises in improving business efficiency, lean supply chains, automation and robotics.  

Charlie Kirk, founder and former managing director of drainage firm Jet Aire, built his business over more than two decades to become the leading supplier of drainage services in the North of England, employing more than 170 people. As a board member, he will help shape the development of AI tools that allow companies in this industry to scale efficiently. 

“We are delighted to welcome these luminaries to our board,” says Build Concierge founder Martin Port.

Martin further commented:

“We have spent the past year refining our business model, technology and approach. It is a testament to the power and potential of our technology that we have attracted such high-calibre people to the board, and that our first fundraising round was oversubscribed, closing in record time.” 

Lord Austin comments:

“Martin’s track record speaks for itself. He has already created two of the most exciting technology software companies in Europe and Build Concierge has the potential to make an even bigger impact. There isn’t a single service business that couldn’t benefit from this AI-powered platform, and no limit to its potential.”

Charlie Kirk comments:

“This is a really exciting opportunity and I’m very much looking forward to working with Martin and the team. Build Concierge’s AI-driven software will be a game changer for many businesses and will help to drive efficiency and growth.”

About Martin Port 

Martin Port is a technology pioneer based in Leeds, Yorkshire. He is a serial entrepreneur, with three successful exits under his belt. Martin founded his last venture, software-as-a-service company BigChange, in 2011. In 2020, BigChange was recognised for its outstanding innovation in the Queen’s Awards for Enterprise, the UK’s highest official awards for British businesses. In 2024, the business was sold to Simpro in a deal that valued BigChange at over £300m. 

About Build Concierge 

Build Concierge is an AI-powered omnichannel customer engagement platform that converts, automates and scales, 24/7. Businesses face rising enquiry volumes, fragmented systems, and manual tasks that drain resources and slow growth. Using proprietary AI tools, Build Concierge manages calls, chats, WhatsApp, SMS, emails, and bookings in real time. It understands intent, responds instantly, and follows up automatically. Seamlessly integrating with existing tools, from CRMs to job management and scheduling software, Build Concierge helps businesses automate without disrupting how their teams already work. No missed steps. No wasted time. Just intelligent automation. 

Lev Tov Match

Lev Tov Match

Lev Tov Match is a pioneering platform dedicated to fostering connections for Halachically Jewish adults with disabilities, autism and additional needs. Our mission is to create a welcoming space where individuals can form meaningful relationships.

Martin Port is disrupting the home services industry

Martin Port - Build Concierge

Born in Leeds, West Yorkshire, Martin Port has always been driven by innovation. From starting a printing business as a teenager to breaking into the fast-paced technology sector, his journey is one of resilience and determination. He has created four successful businesses, despite challenges like dyslexia and hearing loss.

Martin transitioned into technology in 1998, after spending a decade building a speciality bakery businesses in New York and then Leeds. He founded Masternaut aged 40, pioneering web-based vehicle tracking solutions in the UK. Under his leadership, Masternaut became Europe’s largest fleet management service, culminating in a £60m sale in 2011.

In 2013, Martin launched BigChange, a mobile workforce management software platform that transformed how businesses manage their field operations. Over the following eight years, BigChange became one of Yorkshire’s leading employers and was awarded the prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise. 

In 2021, Boston-based Great Hill Partners invested £75m in BigChange, valuing the company at £100m. In 2024, its enterprise value jumped to more than £300m when it was acquired by global leader Simpro Group.

Recognising the challenges homeowners face with unreliable tradespeople and opaque pricing, Martin founded his fourth venture in 2024. His Leeds-based start-up, Build Concierge, is disrupting the home services industry by providing 24/7 support, from emergency repairs to large-scale renovations. 

Build Concierge brings together top-tier trade expertise and cutting-edge technology to offer homeowners seamless project management, transparent pricing, and an unmatched customer experience.

Martin is a great believer in giving back to the entrepreneurial ecosystem. He actively supports fast-growth companies as an angel investor and his investments include: Rated People, Panintelligence, Electron Green, and StoriBoard. He is also a committed philanthropist, supporting local communities and charities.

Haskel School

Haskel School

Haskel School provides a high quality and therapeutic learning environment that reflects the Jewish ethos of the school.

We aim to meet the individual needs of each pupil to help them achieve their potential in academic, social and life skills and are committed to develop each pupil’s physical health and emotional wellbeing and resilience.