Available to book
Nicola Gunby
Nicola Gunby is co-founder and CMO of CLIQ, helping brands build genuine communities rather than followings. A founder, community-building expert, and personal branding speaker, she previously built and sold AMB Beauty to Revolution Beauty PLC.
Nicola Gunby is co-founder and chief marketing officer of CLIQ, a social app built to move people from online interaction into real-world connection.
Two years since launch, CLIQ has grown to hundreds of thousands of users without spending on marketing, and closed a seven-figure funding round. Before CLIQ, Nicola founded AMB Beauty, the UK's first on-demand marketplace for freelance beauty professionals, named the country's top beauty-tech start-up in 2021 before its acquisition by Revolution Beauty PLC.
That exit shaped how Nicola now approaches building a business: hiring lean, building in public, and letting a community shape the product rather than a boardroom. She applies the same principles to CLIQ, and to advising other founders and brands on how to build real, engaged communities instead of passive audiences.
Audiences leave her sessions with a clearer view of what it actually takes to build and scale as a founder, how to approach fundraising conversations with angels and VCs, and how community, done properly, becomes a durable growth engine rather than a marketing tactic.
Book Nicola for a founder's account of building two start-ups, one exit, and what community-led growth really looks like.
Topics, sessions and talks
Nicola Gunby will discuss the challenges female founders face in the tech industry, particularly in male-dominated environments. She will explore essential strategies for navigating these spaces and the mindset shifts necessary for scaling a business. Attendees will gain insights into overcoming obstacles and fostering an inclusive culture, equipping them with the tools needed to thrive as female leaders in tech.
Nicola Gunby will discuss the distinctions between angels, funds, and VCs, guiding attendees on when to approach each type of investor. She will reveal what investors evaluate beyond the pitch deck and share strategies for building relationships with investors prior to fundraising. Additionally, Nicola will highlight common fundraising mistakes founders make and provide insights on effectively positioning traction, story, and vision. Attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of how to navigate the fundraising landscape successfully.
Nicola Gunby will discuss strategies for positioning oneself as an expert and building credibility in today's competitive landscape. Attendees will learn how to create engaging content that attracts new opportunities and effectively converts those opportunities into revenue and partnerships. By the end of the session, participants will have actionable insights to enhance their professional presence and drive business growth.
Nicola Gunby will discuss the crucial distinction between audience and community, highlighting the importance of building scalable communities. She will explore effective strategies for monetising these communities and highlight why community engagement is one of the most powerful marketing tools available. Attendees will learn how to foster meaningful connections, leverage community dynamics for growth, and implement monetisation techniques that enhance their marketing efforts.
Nicola has founded and scaled two start-ups, taking AMB Beauty to a Revolution Beauty PLC acquisition before building CLIQ to hundreds of thousands of users on £0 marketing spend. She continues to advise founders and brands on community-building, giving audiences insight grounded in current, active practice.
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frequently asked questions
Something we've not covered here?
To book Nicola Gunby, email nicola.gunby@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 Nicola'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.
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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