Vulcan Works

Developing Intelligent Solutions with AI and Unlocking GPT’s Power
2024-11-28 09:00 - 11:00 UTC | Vulcan Works, 34-38 Guildhall Road, Northampton, Northampton, NN1 1EW, United Kingdom
Oxford Innovation Sessions: A New Series of Talks from tech leaders
A new initiative designed to bring industry-leading insights to local businesses has officially launched. The Oxford Innovation Sessions, a series of six exclusive talks, will feature experts from top companies including Microsoft, Barclays, and Oxford Innovation Finance, covering cutting-edge topics in Artificial Intelligence, Business Development, Marketing, and more.
The Oxford Innovation Sessions aim to address some of the most pressing challenges faced by businesses today, from securing financing and leveraging new technologies, to navigating the evolving digital marketing landscape.
The Oxford Innovation Sessions will run from now until March 2025, with events exclusively available to Oxford Innovation Space customers.
Each session will feature a 30-minute talk from a leading expert followed by interactive Q&A, all streamed live online. The first event, “Developing Intelligent Solutions with AI and Unlocking GPT’s Power”, will be led by Michael Gillett & Paul Veck from Microsoft on Thursday, November 28th.
The session will provide valuable insights into securing funding from angel investors and venture capitalists, a critical topic for startups and growing businesses.

Vulcan Works Free Hot Desking Day
2024-11-29 08:30 - 17:00, 2024-12-20 08:30 - 17:00, 2025-01-31 08:30 - 17:00, 2025-02-28 08:30 - 17:00, 2025-03-28 08:30 - 17:00, 2025-04-25 08:30 - 17:00
Join Vulcan Works on the last Friday of every month for Free Hot Desking day, experience a productive, flexible work environment! Whether you’re a freelancer, remote worker, or entrepreneur, this is the perfect opportunity to try out our dynamic coworking space without any cost.
Enjoy high-speed internet, comfortable workstations, an access to our communal areas, all while networking with like-minded professionals. Drop in any time between 8:30am and 5pm and see how our space can boost your productivity.
Come for the free desk, stay for the creative energy!

The Vulcan Sessions - 7: Product Management and Design Essentials
2024-11-29 10:00 - 12:00
Navigating the startup journey in project management
In this session, David Sikharulidze from Mavis Tech will share his experiences in product development as they work on innovative smart glasses designed for visually impaired and blind individuals.
David will illustrate how they transformed a single idea into the creation of almost ten prototypes before finalising their product. This journey, though intensive in research and development, taught Mavis Tech invaluable lessons.
By learning from their mistakes, you might save time and resources when developing physical products. David is now on the brink of releasing their smart glasses for visually impaired and blind to the market and are set to begin internal manufacturing. Their insights will be beneficial for any company or startup involved in creating or aspiring to create an electronic product.
Mavis Technologies was established in August 2023, following the completion of David’s master’s degree at the University of Northampton. Motivated by personal experience as a visually impaired individual, David recognised the challenges faced by those with visual impairments and sought to create a company dedicated to developing assistive gadgets and smart glasses for the visually impaired and blind community.
Drawing inspiration from the concept of empowerment and independence, the idea for Mavis was born, with a name derived from Magic and Vision, symbolising their belief in creating solutions that empower individuals with low or no vision.

Go Green Go Big – Boost Your Website and Revenue in the Eco-Digital Economy
2024-12-04 09:00 - 11:00
Join us for an interactive workshop where you’ll learn how going green with your website can attract more visitors, improve SEO, and reduce your digital carbon footprint.
Why Go Green with Your Website?
Sustainability isn’t just a buzzword – it’s a powerful business strategy. Today’s customers value eco-friendly brands, and sites that meet these expectations attract more traffic and build greater loyalty. Plus, every step toward a greener site means a faster, more efficient experience for your users.
Workshop Highlights:
Eco-Optimised Performance: Supercharge your site with green hosting, low-code design, and optimised images so your site loads faster and emits less CO₂.
SEO Meets Sustainability: Search engines love a fast, efficient site. Discover how going green can help you rank higher and drive more organic traffic.
Easy Wins for Going Green: Explore practical tips like choosing lightweight themes, using efficient video codecs, and smart hosting options that reduce energy and elevate the user experience.
Leave with actionable insights to help your website work harder, greener, and smarter – fuelling growth for both your brand and the planet!
Agenda:
9:00 to 9:30: Networking
9:30 to 10:30: Workshop
10:30 to 11:00: Q&A / Networking
Join us on the 4th December and make your website a lean, green, high-performing machine with Marie Cox and Daniel Lister!
Find out more about Poppy Eco Hub on our website at poppyecohub.com

Cowork Crew: Paid ads for micro businesses – is it worth the time and money?
2025-01-16 09:00 - 16:30
Cowork Crew takes the best bits of coworking and networking and jumbles it together in a once-a-month 1 day event.
This month Silvia Coletto will be talking about paid ads for micro businesses – is it worth the time and money?
Tickets are limited by desk space, so sign up now to grab your spot!
Your speaker
Silvia Coletto, PPC Specialist & Marketing Speaker
Paid ads for micro businesses – is it worth the time and money?
PPC for freelancers and small businesses: let me help you figure out if you should do it, when you should do it and how to get started when the time is right.
This simple framework can also help you identify whether your clients should be running ads (or any paid marketing in general) – potentially saving them some £££ AND getting brownie points for caring about their marketing budget as if it was your own.

TMM IRL: Get the media coverage your story deserves
2025-01-16 18:00 - 20:00
The Northampton Marketing Meetup is an informal, friendly place for the marketers of Northants to meet, learn, and share knowledge with one another. Come in ‘listen’ not ‘sell’ mode 🙂
We’re heading back to the lovely Vulcan Works for this one, and we just want to get together, say hello, have a chat, and have a nice time.
Think of this as a community event, where the focus is very much on you meeting other people in a chilled out friendly space. We’ll chat over food and drink, listen to an inspirational speaker or two, chat some more, and go home buzzing with new contacts and new ideas.
Let’s have a lovely night in the company of some amazin’ people.
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Speaker: Jessica Pilkington, Director of Pilkington Communications
Talk title: Get the media coverage your story deserves
Learn how to craft a compelling press release, identify your news hook, and reel in journalists with expert tips from Jessica Pilkington, trained Journalist and Director of Northamptonshire-based PR and marketing company Pilkington Communications.
From freelancers to multinational corporations, Jessica’s top tips can help you secure the coverage you deserve. Don’t miss this opportunity to get your story front-page news!
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The format of the night:
6:00 pm – doors open – drinks, networking, and smiles
6:30 pm – introduction and talks begin
7:00 pm – talks finish, networking, listening, saying hello, and positively lovely people
7:45 pm – end of the night – you leave with new contacts and fresh ideas
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Partnered with Digital Northants, putting local businesses in touch with digital companies who can help solve their problems, to encourage the growth of business in Northamptonshire. Check them out at https://digitalnorthants.com/
Partnered with The ONE Group, whose recruitment team bridges the gap between marketing professionals and a vast network of Northamptonshire businesses, empowering career progression at every stage with unmissable opportunities and job-hunting support. Read more at TheOneGroup.co.uk
Partnered with Vulcan Works, helping entrepreneurs bring world challenging ideas to life. A workspace and community for innovative creatives. Check them out at VulcanWorks.co.uk
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And finally…
This is a donation ticketed event. The ticket price is yours to choose, from £3 to £30 (the average attendees choose to pay £8.79 🙂
We of course understand that these are tough times, so if you are experiencing financial hardship and cannot afford the minimum donation amount, please reach out to el@themarketingmeetup.com and we’ll find a ticket for you (provided capacity hasn’t already been reached!) 🙂
Please let your marketing friends and colleagues know about this group too, we hope to build it into a great resource for the community over the coming months and years. Attendance will be taken at this event. If you sign up but don’t show up, this has a knock on effect on event arrangements. If it happens 3 times, you’re outta here! This is simply a measure to allow appropriate respect to the organisers, speakers, sponsors, and your fellow community members 🙂

How to get your business noticed through PR
2025-01-20 10:00 - 12:00
How to get your business noticed through PR
Getting your business featured in newspapers, magazines, radio and TV is a great way to reach a wider audience and bring in enquiries from your ideal client.
During this workshop, Emma Speirs of Ballyhoo PR will show attendees how to do their own PR to reach a wider audience and raise awareness of their brand.
The two-hour session will include:

How to get ‘media ready’
Goal setting
Pulling together a basic PR plan for 2025 (including a free template to take away)
Tips on how to approach the media with a story
What to do with any coverage you get to make the most out of it

Unlock Funding Opportunities with Barclays Demo Directory
2025-01-22 11:00 - 13:00
In partnership with Barclays Eagle Labs, we’re excited to present an exclusive session about the Barclays Demo Directory, a platform connecting ambitious founders with a diverse network of attested investors, from angels to venture capitalists.
What to Expect:

Learn how the Demo Directory works and how you can showcase your business to attract investors.
Hear success stories from founders who’ve used the platform.
Discover key insights about investor engagement and the latest funding trends.
Network with like-minded entrepreneurs and industry leaders in the Oxfordshire startup ecosystem.

Whether you’re new to fundraising or a seasoned entrepreneur, this session will provide actionable insights to enhance your capital-raising journey.
Don’t miss this opportunity to:

Understand the Demo Directory process from registration to investor connection.
Get guidance on creating a standout profile and demo video for the platform.
Explore upcoming Demo Days where founders pitch live to investors.
Find out how Eagle Labs can further support you to connect, innovate and grow.

Who Should Attend:

Founders and entrepreneurs seeking funding opportunities.
Investors looking to connect with innovative businesses.

Join us for an informative and interactive session and take the next step in your funding journey.
Tickets are free, but spaces are limited—register now to secure your spot!
About Speakers:
Alistair
With 15+ years in Strategic Digital Transformation and innovation, working with everyone from academia, startups and scaleups to corporates.
Currently helping startups and scaleups achieve their goals and grow successfully through the support of Eagle Labs. Working closely with founders and leadership teams to provide tailored support in fundraising, product development, and market expansion, by leveraging my vast network of industry contacts and experience in the startup ecosystem, to help companies overcome most obstacles they face.
Mark
Mark is passionate about seeing businesses scale and grow, he engages with founders that are looking to raise capital to enable them to scale and grow their business. Connecting with Investors who are looking for quality deal flow to explore investment opportunities in businesses across the UK, to encourage them to register to Demo Directory to see those great opportunities.
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About Oxford Innovation Sessions
The Oxford Innovation Sessions are a series of six exclusive talks designed to provide local businesses with industry-leading insights. Launched in November 2024, these sessions feature experts from top companies, including Microsoft, Barclays, and Oxford Innovation Finance, covering topics such as Artificial Intelligence, Business Development, and Marketing.
Running until March 2025, each session includes a 30-minute talk followed by an interactive Q&A, all streamed live online. These events are exclusively available to Oxford Innovation Space customers, aiming to address challenges like securing financing, leveraging new technologies, and navigating the evolving digital marketing landscape.

How to Sell & Serve
2025-01-28 10:00 - 12:00
Matt will reveal exactly what to say during sales conversations to ensure that they result in more sales, more revenue, and ultimately, you being able to serve more people.
Matthew Elwell and Nick James co-founded the Elite Closing Academy in August 2018, a place for Entrepreneurs, Business Owners and Sales Teams to dramatically increase their sales without coming across as pushy or manipulative.
They offer professional accredited (IAPC&M) sales and closing training, coaching and mentoring packages to sales teams and individuals all around the world.
Every single month, their members get training, development and coaching on how to serve, sell and close at an Elite level.
If you’re ready to turn uncertainty in sales conversations into clarity and confidence, this session is your chance to gain the tools to make it happen.
You’ll leave with:
· Proven Phrases that take the guesswork out of handling objections and closing deals
· Techniques to build genuine connections with your clients, and
· A Clear Sales Approach that makes closing feel natural, not forced
· Everything Matt will teach is designed to be applied immediately, so you’ll be able to see results immediately you implement them..
Ready to transform the way you sell?
Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from one of the best and take your business to new heights.

#5: Hack & Share - a rundown of side projects by Northamptonshire geeks
2025-01-30 18:00 - 20:00
This one is different, it is all about our community members and their side projects. Come and join us for a series of snappy presentations and demos where everyone can share the results of their weekend hacks.

The Vulcan Sessions 8: AI for all - Simplify learning, working and living
2025-01-31 10:00 - 12:00
Empowerment Through AI: Creating Value Today, Mastering Tomorrow
Eric Bye, Erictron AI
This talk explores how generative AI tools like Copilot and ChatGPT can empower you to unlock opportunities, improve your skills, and achieve ambitious goals in education, work, and life.
Learn how to go beyond just doing things faster, and how to harness AI as both an assistant and an accelerator to thrive in an AI-driven future.

A brief introduction to the technology behind Copilot and ChatGPT

Discover how AI can deliver immediate value as a personal tutor, coach, or creative partner

Learn practical ways to integrate AI into your daily tasks for greater efficiency and innovation

Understand why mastering AI fluency is essential for staying competitive in the future of work and learning

Second speaker TBA

New Year, New You! Sample Our Non-Invasive Aesthetics & Wellbeing Treatments
2025-02-06 10:00 - 19:00
Why attend?

Ever wanted to try Premium Non-Invasive Aesthetics Treatments but haven’t had the opportunity to? Join us at this event and try out some amazing treatments for yourself (or just learn more about how they work), meet the teams behind the clinic and the technology, all whilst mingling with like-minded people over a drink and nibbles in an iconic venue.

One of Northampton’s First Public Non-Invasive Aesthetics & Wellbeing Gathering
Total Body Sculpt Northampton has partnered with the first in class medical-grade Aesthetics Equipment provider, BTL Industries, to bring to you Northampton’s first aesthetics gathering, where you’ll get an opportunity to see (and experience if you wish) first hand how our ground-breaking FDA and CE-Marked devices work and why so many clinics worldwide rate them so highly.

Mini Trials
If you’re adventurous, book yourself a mini trial and consultation for the device of your choice. There are 30 mini trial slots available across 3 sessions throughout the day so bag your session now for £20. Even if you don’t want a mini trial but just want to attend, please book a General ticket for free as we have a limited amount of space at the venue. Click on “Tickets” in the menu bar above to book your trial / space at one of our three sessions:
Session 1 – 10am – 1pm
Session 2 – 1pm – 4pm
Session 3 – 4pm – 7pm

Choose from:

(a) EMSculpt Neo – our 2-in-1 fat loss and muscle building treatment. The innovative technology is the first of it’s kind, patented and popular with celebrities. Experience the equivalent of 24,000 crunches, bicep curls, squats in each 30 minute treatment without breaking a sweat.
(b) Emsella – Say NO to Incontinence! Everything to do with strengthening your pelvic floor muscles to alleviate a host of issues incuding stress, urge and mixed urinary incontinence as well as helping with male and female sexual health (and enjoyment). Great for everyone but particularly postpartum and peri-/menopausal women or men experiencing symptoms stemming from BPH (enlarged prostate or Benign Prostate Hyperplasia). Get the equivalent of 11,000 kegels in a 30 minute session!
(c) Lymphastim Pressotherapy – a fantastic allrounder and a favourite with clients to enhance EMSculpt Neo results and to help with a number of issues including inflammation; pain management and injury recovery; post surgery recovery; bloating; fatigue; water retention and lymphoedema and more.
Three lucky people could WIN the chance to be our model for our live demo of the Emface treatment during one of our three sessions. Emface is a non-invasive facelift – walk away more “lifted” than when you arrived! If you would like this to be you, send us a message using the Get in Touch form below so we can pre-qualify you and put your name into our raffle bag!
Everyone will get the chance to try out our non-invasive 3D Body Scanner (don’t worry, you remain fully clothed and you can have fun analysing yourself in 3D, we’ll make sure only you can see your image), which will give you lots of useful information on your body composition and measurements to get you motivated after the festive period. Fitted clothing is recommended for best scan results.
We’re sure you’ll love our treatments and devices so you’ll be able to take advantage of exclusive offers on the day plus receive a Goodie Bag worth £150 for anyone who registers for a free or premium ticket, but hurry, once they’re gone….they’re gone as it’s first come, first serve. That said, we’ll keep you hydrated and have some nibbles to keep your energy up.

Win a course of treatments – Finally, we couldn’t leave you without choosing one lucky person from each session to receive a course of 4 treatments on our EMSculpt Neo, Emsella, Emtone or Lymphastim Pressotherapy.
We are really looking forward to welcoming you to this event as you take a few hours away from your normal routine. Bring your friends along to enjoy the experience with you, if only to have a good giggle at your 3D scans and to enjoy some refreshments.

Join Us for an Introductory Taster Session on First Aid & Mental Health
2025-02-11 10:00 - 14:00
🚑 Join Us for an Introductory Taster Session on First Aid & Mental Health 🧠
📅 Date: February 11th
🕙 Time: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
In this session, you’ll gain valuable skills and insights in two critical areas:
🔹 First Aid: Learn essential techniques like CPR and how to handle minor injuries.
🔹 Mental Health: Get an introduction to mental health training, providing you with practical knowledge to support yourself and others.
Why Attend?
Walk away with essential skills that can help you handle everyday health challenges, both physical and mental.

Cowork Crew
2025-02-13 09:00 - 16:30
Cowork Crew takes the best bits of coworking and networking and jumbles it together in a once-a-month 1 day event.
This month Molly Scanlan will be talking about how to measure the carbon footprint of your website, and what you can do to lower it.
Tickets are limited by desk space, so sign up now to grab your spot!

Your speaker
Molly Scanlan, Web Designer
How to stop your website from destroying the planet
Find out how to measure the carbon footprint of your website and what you can do to lower it. Without making your site look like limp wholemeal bread.

09:00 – 09:30

Welcome & grab a cuppa

09:30- 12:00

Get some work done

12:00 – 12:45

Speaker: Molly Scanlan, Web Designer

12:45 – 13:30

Lunch

13:30 – 16:30

Get some work done
& mid afternoon cake break!

16:30
Byeee! See you next month

Building Better Brands Workshop: Step-By-Step Brand Building For Start-Ups
2025-02-24 18:00 - 20:00
Marketing masterclass with Emma Annie Colton, a branding photographer with over 10 years marketing experience working with international brands and start-ups alike.
In a fast moving and ever-changing marketing landscape, it can be tempting to resort to quick fixes and hacks to get your brand up and running so that you can start making money.
But what are the potential pitfalls that this could result in? And could this ruin your reputation and cost you thousands to fix?
Emma’s workshop guides new businesses through the merits of building your brand authentically and ethically. She will be covering:
🧑‍🔧 The foundations of brand building with interactive, guided exercises to help you craft your own brands.
📢 Demonstrations of what authentic communication looks like
👍 Real world examples of brands that are smashing it (and ones that could do better!)
Brunch will be provided, please state any allergies you have when booking your ticket.

TMM IRL: Marketing Strategy, made simple
2025-03-06 18:00 - 20:00
The Northampton Marketing Meetup is an informal, friendly place for the marketers of Northants to meet, learn, and share knowledge with one another. Come in ‘listen’ not ‘sell’ mode 🙂
We’re heading back to the lovely Vulcan Works for this one, and we just want to get together, say hello, have a chat, and have a nice time.
Think of this as a community event, where the focus is very much on you meeting other people in a chilled out friendly space. We’ll chat over food and drink, listen to an inspirational speaker or two, chat some more, and go home buzzing with new contacts and new ideas.
Let’s have a lovely night in the company of some amazin’ people.
——————–
Speaker: Hannah Brady, Director at The Brady Creative
Talk title: Marketing Strategy, made simple
If you are fed up with guesswork and scattergun marketing, this talk is for you.
Hannah will share what she believes are the 5 core components of a solid marketing strategy and how to build them out. Essentially we’ll be looking at a recipe for success when it comes to your marketing. From how to profile your target audience, to crafting your value proposition and selecting the right channels, by the end of the session, you should have a solid plan of where to start.
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The format of the night:
6:00 pm – doors open – drinks, networking, and smiles
6:30 pm – introduction and talks begin
7:00 pm – talks finish, networking, listening, saying hello, and positively lovely people
7:45 pm – end of the night – you leave with new contacts and fresh ideas
——————–
Partnered with Digital Northants, putting local businesses in touch with digital companies who can help solve their problems, to encourage the growth of business in Northamptonshire. Check them out at https://digitalnorthants.com/
Partnered with The ONE Group, whose recruitment team bridges the gap between marketing professionals and a vast network of Northamptonshire businesses, empowering career progression at every stage with unmissable opportunities and job-hunting support. Read more at TheOneGroup.co.uk
Partnered with Vulcan Works, helping entrepreneurs bring world challenging ideas to life. A workspace and community for innovative creatives. Check them out at VulcanWorks.co.uk
——————–
And finally…
This is a donation ticketed event. The ticket price is yours to choose, from £3 to £30 (the average attendees choose to pay £8.79 🙂
We of course understand that these are tough times, so if you are experiencing financial hardship and cannot afford the minimum donation amount, please reach out to el@themarketingmeetup.com and we’ll find a ticket for you (provided capacity hasn’t already been reached!) 🙂
Please let your marketing friends and colleagues know about this group too, we hope to build it into a great resource for the community over the coming months and years. Attendance will be taken at this event. If you sign up but don’t show up, this has a knock on effect on event arrangements. If it happens 3 times, you’re outta here! This is simply a measure to allow appropriate respect to the organisers, speakers, sponsors, and your fellow community members 🙂
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See you there!

DIGITAL SUSTAINABILITY: Leveraging AI to build greener brands and websites - With Ashley John from OYNK.
2025-03-17 11:00 - 13:00
Sustainable Creativity: Leveraging AI to Build Greener Brands and Websites is a masterclass designed to challenge the way you think about design in the digital age.
Packed with actionable strategies, this course will show you how to optimise your website, reduce its carbon footprint, and embrace sustainable practices without compromising creativity.
Ask yourself: Do you know if your website is damaging the planet? This masterclass isn’t just about improving your design—it’s about rethinking how your digital presence impacts the world and taking steps toward a greener future
Ashley John is challenging every business to take steps toward a greener digital future. As the founder of OYNK, a sustainable design agency, Ashley combines 18 years of design expertise with a passion for reducing the environmental impact of websites and branding. Through innovative design and creative use of AI, Ashley empowers businesses to build brands that are not only visually compelling but also environmentally responsible.
You can find out more about Ashley and his business here OYNK | – Carbon conscious websites and brands

#6: "Move Fast and Build Things: A Non-Technical Guide to AI Agents" by Eric Bye and "Dark Side of the Moon" by Rehan Butt
2025-03-27 18:00 - 20:00
Discover how AI agents can turn your ideas into working products in hours, and learn firsthand wisdom about running a successful tech business. Whether you’re coding, building side projects, or dreaming big, you’ll walk away with practical skills and knowledge.

18:00 – 18:30
Meet and Greet

18:30 – 19:00
“Move Fast and Build Things: A Non-Technical Guide to AI Agents” by Eric Bye
Ever needed just one feature from an expensive subscription or waited weeks for a basic proof of concept? While AI agents may not live up to all the hype, they are genuinely transforming how quickly we can build and deploy software. In this talk, I’ll demonstrate how to turn an idea into a working product in hours, outline a practical process to follow, highlight common pitfalls, and discuss the limitations. Whether you’re a technical founder or simply have an idea, this session will show you how AI agents can help you build faster.

19:00 – 19:15
Break

19:15 – 19:45
“Dark Side of the Moon” by Rehan Butt
Developers often see the world of tech through the lens of code, frameworks, and innovation. But beyond the Git commits and pull requests lies a business reality that many don’t see—or worse, choose to ignore. “Dark Side of the Moon” is a candid look at what it truly takes to work in and run a tech business. Many developers assume that technical prowess alone guarantees success, but the hidden pitfalls of the industry tell a different story. From financial mismanagement and poor client relationships to the dangers of unchecked ego, this talk will expose the common mistakes that can derail careers and businesses alike. Whether you’re a junior developer, a freelancer, or an experienced coder considering your own venture, this session will arm you with hard-earned lessons from two decades in the trenches. You’ll walk away with insights into how to navigate company politics, build sustainable client relationships, and avoid becoming the biggest obstacle to your own success. Because in tech, it’s not just about writing great code—it’s about knowing what not to do.

The Vulcan Sessions 9: Google's AI ate my SEO! Now what?
2025-03-28 10:00 - 12:00
with Natalie de Weerd
Remember when SEO was all about ranking #1 on Google? You’d sprinkle in some keywords, get a few backlinks, and boom! Traffic rolled in.
Now, AI is rewriting search results, answering questions before users even click, and making old-school SEO feel like a relic of the past.
In this talk, Natalie will dive into how AI is reshaping SEO. We’ll cover what’s changed, what still works, and what you can do to keep your content visible in an AI-driven search world.
Whether you’re a designer, developer, or a business owner trying to stay ahead, you’ll walk away with actionable strategies to keep your website relevant. Plus, Natalie will touch on how AI-powered search engines like ChatGPT are changing how people find information beyond Google.
SEO isn’t dead, but it’s evolving fast. Let’s get into what’s happening, why it matters, and how you can adapt.
About Natalie de Weerd
As the self-proclaimed “Queen Nerd” of Altavia UK, Natalie head’s up a team of talented digital designers and developers, serving a client list which boasts iconic retail brands.
Her role encompasses overseeing a wide spectrum of digital projects that flow through the organisation, from conceptualisation to execution, all while keeping abreast of the latest industry tech and trends.

8 Ways to Strengthen Cashflow in 2025
2025-04-02 10:30 - 11:45
Cashflow issues are one of the biggest challenges business owners face, and they’re often symptoms of deeper financial challenges. This 45-minute session is designed to help business owners identify and address the 8 most common root causes of cashflow struggles we see, equipping them with practical tools and strategies to improve financial health and sustainability.
Agenda:
10:30-11:00 – Get a drink and meet other attendees
11:00-11:45 – Cashflow Workshop from Michael Price Associates (MPA)
What we’ll cover:

Diagnosing cashflow issues: Learn to spot underlying problems, such as inefficient invoicing, overspending, or poorly managed inventory.
Revenue vs. profit confusion: Understand why high sales don’t always translate to healthy cashflow and how to align your financial priorities.
Payment delays: Explore strategies to handle late-paying customers and negotiate better payment terms with suppliers.
Cost control: Discover how unnoticed expenses—like subscriptions, energy costs, or waste—can silently drain your cashflow.
Planning for growth: Avoid the common trap of overextending your finances during periods of expansion or hiring.

Why attend?
Identify hidden financial leaks and learn how to plug them.
Gain practical insights into creating a cashflow forecast that works.
Understand how to make your working capital work harder for your business.
Get tips on building a financial buffer to handle unexpected expenses.

All attendees can also book onto a 30-minute 1-2-1 with our expert, to discuss any financial questions or challenges they’re facing this year.

Vulcan Works Open Day
2025-04-04 08:30 - 17:00
Join us at Vulcan Works – Offices & Coworking Space for a day filled with networking, and discovering new opportunities. Whether you’re a freelancer, entrepreneur, or just curious about coworking spaces, this event is for you!
Steeped in heritage and filled with inspiration, Vulcan Works offers both private and shared workspace to local companies, as well as unrivalled onsite business support and opportunities.
With collaborative coworking space, workshop facilities, and a bustling business community, the workspace has proven to be a popular choice for creatives that are serious about innovation and growth.
During the open day there will be a chance to meet some of the Vulcan Works tenants in a special customer showcase, as well as free hot desking and networking throughout the day.
Mark your calendar and come along to Vulcan Works Open Day – we can’t wait to show you around!

Social Media For Business Masterclass
2025-04-17 10:00 - 12:00
Join us at Vulcan Works on the 17th of April from 10:00 until 12:00 where you’ll hear from Ben Littelwood, founder of Hangar.41 on how to improve your marketing strategy.
Why This Masterclass?
Many startups and small businesses struggle to establish a strong social media presence. This masterclass provides practical, step-by-step guidance to help businesses grow online, reach new customers, and maximise their digital marketing efforts.
Key Learning Outcomes
You’ll learn how to:
✔ Choose the right social media platforms for their business
✔ Create engaging content that attracts customers
✔ Use scheduling tools to save time and stay consistent
✔ Increase followers and engagement without paid ads
✔ Leverage paid social media effectively on a budget
✔ Track and analyse performance for ongoing improvement
Masterclass Content
Introduction to Social Media for business, why social media is crucial and how to pick the right platforms.
Building a Social Media strategy setting goals, defining your audience and competitor analysis.
Creating engaging content ,content types, storytelling and understanding the 80/20 rule.
Scheduling & Time Management, best practices for planning and automation.
Growing followers & engagement, organic growth techniques and community building.
Paid social advertising and an intro to ads, budget-friendly strategies, and performance tracking.
Measuring success & analytics, key metrics and how to adjust strategies for better results.
Avoiding common mistakes, pitfalls to avoid and crisis management tips.
The Ultimate Toolbox Marketers best friends. Free tools to help take your marketing to the next level.
Why You Should Attend This Masterclass
Are you struggling to grow your business on social media? Not sure what to post or how to attract the right audience? This masterclass is designed specifically for startups and small businesses that need a clear, practical strategy to succeed online.
Learn how to create engaging content that attracts customers. Discover time-saving tools & scheduling hacks. Get expert tips on growing your audience organically and understand when (and how) to use paid ads effectively. Track your progress with key analytics & make data-driven decisions.
No marketing experience? No problem. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to level up your existing efforts, this masterclass will help you turn social media into a powerful tool for business growth.

Cowork Crew Northampton
2025-04-24 09:00 - 16:30
Cowork Crew takes the best bits of coworking and networking and jumbles it together in a once-a-month 1 day event.
This month Steve Folland will be sharing the most powerful, practical, and inspiring lessons he’s learned from creative freelancers.

TMM IRL: Beyond the Rainbow – building LGBTQIA+ inclusion into your work and workplaces
2025-05-01 18:00 - 20:00
Chris Dunne, CEO at Outvertising

Meet your team!

The Northampton Marketing Meetup is an informal, friendly place for the marketers of Northants to meet, learn, and share knowledge with one another. Come in ‘listen’ not ‘sell’ mode 🙂
We’re heading back to the lovely Vulcan Works for this one, and we just want to get together, say hello, have a chat, and have a nice time.
Think of this as a community event, where the focus is very much on you meeting other people in a chilled out friendly space. We’ll chat over food and drink, listen to an inspirational speaker or two, chat some more, and go home buzzing with new contacts and new ideas.
Let’s have a lovely night in the company of some amazin’ people.
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Speaker: Chris Dunne, CEO at Outvertising
Topic: Beyond the Rainbow: building LGBTQIA+ inclusion into your work and workplaces
Marketing has the power to create positive societal change. At a time when LGBTQIA+ people are coming under increasing attack from politicians and sections of the media, allies and advocates in our industry are looking for meaningful and tangible ways to support the community in their work and how they do business.
This session will:
• Outline some of the challenges LGBTQIA+ people face in 2025
• Explore how LGBTQIA+ inclusion can benefit everyone
• Equip you with a framework to build LGBTQIA+ equity into your marketing communications and organisation
• Share examples of campaigns that are leading the way in positive and authentic LGBTQIA+ representation
• Provide 3 actions everyone can start doing today to drive better workplace inclusion
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The format of the night:
6:00 pm – doors open – drinks, networking, and smiles
6:30 pm – introduction and talks begin
7:00 pm – talks finish, networking, listening, saying hello, and positively lovely people
7:45 pm – end of the night – you leave with new contacts and fresh ideas
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Partnered with Digital Northants, putting local businesses in touch with digital companies who can help solve their problems, to encourage the growth of business in Northamptonshire. Check them out at https://digitalnorthants.com/
Partnered with The ONE Group, whose recruitment team bridges the gap between marketing professionals and a vast network of Northamptonshire businesses, empowering career progression at every stage with unmissable opportunities and job-hunting support. Read more at TheOneGroup.co.uk
Partnered with Vulcan Works, helping entrepreneurs bring world challenging ideas to life. A workspace and community for innovative creatives. Check them out at VulcanWorks.co.uk
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And finally…
This is a donation ticketed event. The ticket price is yours to choose, from £3 to £30 (the average attendees choose to pay £8.79 🙂
We of course understand that these are tough times, so if you are experiencing financial hardship and cannot afford the minimum donation amount, please reach out to el@themarketingmeetup.com and we’ll find a ticket for you (provided capacity hasn’t already been reached!) 🙂
Please let your marketing friends and colleagues know about this group too, we hope to build it into a great resource for the community over the coming months and years. Attendance will be taken at this event. If you sign up but don’t show up, this has a knock on effect on event arrangements. If it happens 3 times, you’re outta here! This is simply a measure to allow appropriate respect to the organisers, speakers, sponsors, and your fellow community members 🙂
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See you there!

Create. Record. Thrive.
2025-05-07 11:00 - 13:00
Curious about podcasting? Already creating and want to level up?
Come along to our exclusive Meet & Greet event and find out how The Pod Collective can support your journey — from idea to broadcast.
Whether you’re a content creator, business owner, or influencer, The Pod Collective are your one-stop solution for professional podcasting.
Who Are The Pod Collective?
The Pod Collective is your one-stop shop for all things podcasting. Whether you’re a creator, influencer, or business, they offer the tools, expertise, and professional spaces to help your ideas thrive. From state-of-the-art studios to full-service production and promotion, they’re here to amplify your voice.
What to Expect at the Meet & Greet
✅ Learn how they manage podcasts from concept to distribution
✅ Chat with Hugo & Jack about how they can support your podcast journey
✅ Connect with other creators, businesses, and content pros
Whether you’re just getting started or looking to level up your content, come say hello and see how The Pod Collective can support your story.
🎧 Ready to turn your ideas into a podcast?
Register now and join us at Vulcan Works.
