Available to book
Transform innovative ideas into category-leading consumer brands with John Stapleton, speaker and entrepreneurial strategist. John works with growth-stage businesses to derisk ventures, build resilient operations, and implement effective scaling strategies, delivering practical insights from his successful exits with New Covent Garden Soup Company and Little Dish.
John Stapleton is an entrepreneur who transforms innovative ideas into category-leading consumer brands. With over 30 years of experience, he specialises in building and scaling businesses that challenge the status quo while navigating the complex journey from startup to successful exit. As co-founder of New Covent Garden Soup Company and Little Dish, John pioneered the fresh soup and chilled toddler food categories, respectively, successfully exiting both ventures to larger firms.
He currently serves as Chairman of Fischer Farms, a founding partner of Redesdale Food Fund, and an advisor to Mission Ventures, a progressive accelerator supporting UK challenger brands. He is also resident business advisor to Bord Bia’s entrepreneurial start-up programme in Ireland and actively mentors early-stage founders as part of his investor/non-executive director portfolio. John helps growth-stage businesses overcome critical challenges by applying his practical knowledge of derisking ventures, building resilient operations, and making strategic decisions amid uncertainty.
His approach combines financial acumen with authentic leadership principles, enabling founders to scale faster while avoiding costly mistakes that typically derail promising startups. Audiences gain actionable insights on turning uncertainty into competitive advantage, implementing effective growth strategies without excessive capital, and developing leadership skills that foster innovation. John’s presentations blend practical business wisdom with personal stories from his entrepreneurial journey, including valuable lessons from both successes and failures, and centre on themes such as resilience, managing risk, embracing adversity, and leading with authenticity.
Book John Stapleton for a keynote that delivers honest, memorable insights that resonate with entrepreneurs and corporate innovators seeking transformative business growth in today’s unpredictable environment.
Topics, sessions and talks
In this talk, John Stapleton shares his experiences with overcoming numerous setbacks in business. He emphasises that success often hinges on self-belief rather than external validation. Attendees will learn strategies to build resilience, maintain motivation, and foster a positive mindset, enabling them to push through challenges and ultimately achieve their business goals.
John Stapleton discusses effective strategies for coping with setbacks and mistakes in entrepreneurship. He emphasises the importance of resilience and learning from failures to move forward with renewed energy. Attendees will gain insights into overcoming adversity and transforming challenges into opportunities for growth, equipping them with practical tools to navigate their entrepreneurial journey successfully.
John Stapleton addresses the common struggle of feeling unprepared or lacking the right experience in various situations. He emphasises that these feelings are universal and encourages attendees to embrace them. By sharing insights and strategies, John aims to empower participants to navigate challenges with confidence. Attendees will learn how to shift their mindset, build resilience, and leverage their unique experiences to thrive in unfamiliar circumstances.
John Stapleton emphasises that success isn't solely about business acumen; it's about authenticity. He encourages attendees to embrace their true selves, suggesting that personal authenticity can significantly enhance professional effectiveness. By attending this talk, participants will learn how being genuine can lead to greater success in their careers and foster stronger connections in the business world.
John Stapleton transforms entrepreneurial challenges into strategic advantages, offering audiences practical wisdom from his 30-year journey building category-leading brands like New Covent Garden Soup Company and Little Dish. Book John for actionable insights on scaling businesses, navigating uncertainty, and developing authentic leadership that will empower your team to achieve transformative growth without costly mistakes.
often considered together
Heidi Cortez
Entrepreneurship
Business Strategy
Personal Branding
Dave Fishwick
Adversity
Resilience
Entrepreneurship
Kim Rittberg
Confidence
Communication
Influence
frequently asked questions
Something we've not covered here?
To book John Stapleton, email john.stapleton@getapeptalk.com or call PepTalk on +44 20 3835 2929 (UK) or +1 737 888 5112 (US), and one of our speaker agents will contact you within hours to confirm John's availability and speaking fee. If you can, please include your budget upfront – it helps us fast-track your request. It’s also helpful to know the date, format (virtual or in-person), location, and about your audience.
John Stapleton structures his presentations around personal stories drawn from his own entrepreneurial ventures, using first-hand accounts of both successes and failures to illustrate practical lessons on resilience, risk management, and leadership.
John Stapleton speaks on self-belief and resilience in entrepreneurship, learning from failure, and building confidence in the face of uncertainty. He co-founded New Covent Garden Soup Company and Little Dish, pioneering their respective fresh food categories and exiting both to larger firms.
No. PepTalk adds no booking fee, so you pay the speaker's fee and nothing beyond it. The service, from shortlist through to contracts and event-day logistics, is included. For repeat or multi-event bookings, PepTalk can agree preferential rates with your procurement team.
Share your event date, audience, format, objectives and budget, and PepTalk sends a hand-picked shortlist within 24 hours. Each suggestion comes with a profile, a fee and a recommendation on the strongest fit. Once you choose, PepTalk handles contracts, travel and logistics through to event day.
The typical fee range is the speaker's standard in-person fee in their home market, shown in their local currency. It moves with format, location, date and session length: virtual sessions and shorter slots usually cost less, while international travel and peak dates cost more. Send your brief to PepTalk and the team will confirm the exact fee in your currency.
Not all of them, and it makes no difference to your booking. PepTalk's network of 15,000+ speakers covers talent the team works with directly alongside speakers represented by agents and agencies worldwide. PepTalk approaches the speaker, negotiates the fee and handles contracting either way.
Three to six months ahead is comfortable for most events, and 12 months is better for large conferences, peak-season dates or one specific in-demand speaker. Shorter timelines are workable, and PepTalk regularly fills last-minute and replacement bookings within days. Availability is the constraint, so get in touch as soon as you have a date.
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