Businesses across Surrey are being encouraged to take a day away from the day-to-day and join a new event designed to help them move from simply surviving to building stronger, more resilient and future-ready businesses.
Survive to Thrive Surrey takes place on Tuesday 15 September 2026 at the University of Surrey Business School, bringing together business owners, experts, support organisations and the wider Surrey business community for a day of practical advice, learning, networking and connections.
The event has been created at a time when many small businesses are feeling the pressure of rising costs, changing regulations, finding customers, managing cash flow and simply keeping up with the demands of running a business.
Running a small business can also be a lonely experience. Survive to Thrive Surrey aims to change that by bringing the business community together and making sure businesses know where they can find help, support and opportunities to grow.
A day built around the challenges businesses are facing
The programme has been designed around four key areas that can make a real difference to the future of a business:
-
Setting the Scene for Growth – looking at resilience and the challenges facing small businesses, as well as the support available across Surrey.
-
Getting to Grips with Your Finances – practical advice on understanding your numbers, profit, tax, cash flow and getting paid.
-
Mastering the Market – ideas for attracting more customers, improving your visibility, building trust and making networking work for your business.
-
Driving Growth with Purpose – exploring how sustainability can reduce costs, strengthen a business and help open the door to new customers and contracts.
The day will feature speakers and experts from organisations including the Federation of Small Businesses, University of Surrey, CIFAL Surrey, BBC Surrey, Surrey County Council and Business Surrey, alongside experienced business professionals from across the region.
There will also be opportunities to meet support organisations and businesses in the Members Village, take part in practical discussions and workshops, and make new connections through networking.
Tickets include the full programme, networking, lunch and refreshments.
Building a stronger Surrey business community
Tracey Carter, Development Manager for Surrey at the Federation of Small Businesses, said:
“We know that businesses are stretched. When you are busy running your business, it is very easy to spend all your time dealing with what is immediately in front of you and not have the time to step back and think about what comes next.
Survive to Thrive is about giving businesses that opportunity. It is one day where the Surrey business community can come together, share information, learn from each other and discover the support that is available.
There is a huge amount of support and expertise across Surrey, but sometimes businesses simply don’t know where to find it. We want to bring that support into one place and make the connections that can help businesses become stronger and more resilient.
Most importantly, we want businesses to leave feeling that they are not doing this alone. There is a whole business community around them, and together we can build a stronger and more resilient Surrey economy.
We would love this to become a regular event in the Surrey business calendar. To do that, we need the business community to get behind it, come along and help us make the first Survive to Thrive Surrey a day that businesses genuinely don’t want to miss.”
Businesses and organisations encouraged to share the event
We are asking local newspapers, radio stations, business publications, councils, business organisations and community groups to help spread the word to businesses across Surrey.
With around 100 delegates expected, alongside more than 50 speakers, exhibitors and business contributors, the event will bring together a broad cross-section of Surrey’s business community.
Businesses of all sizes are welcome, including micro businesses and sole traders, with the programme particularly relevant to businesses looking to strengthen, grow, employ or prepare for their next stage.
Survive to Thrive Surrey
Tuesday 15 September 2026
University of Surrey Business School
10am–3pm
Tickets are available for FSB members and non-members and include lunch and refreshments.
Businesses can find out more and book their place: Survive to Thrive Booking Link
For further information, interviews, images or to discuss promoting the event, please contact: tracey.carter@fsb.org.uk
