Many private business networks claim to support entrepreneurs. They promise growth, connections, and access to “exclusive” circles.
Yet scratch the surface, and a pattern emerges: wide-open membership criteria, peer sessions run by people without first-hand founder experience, and a focus on adding numbers rather than curating quality.
Andreas Adamides, CEO of Helm, has little interest in following that formula. He comments: “We’re not here to sell the dream of a club where everyone’s chasing growth at any cost.
“If you’ve built something from scratch, fought to scale it, and dealt with the reality of leading a high-growth company, you know the value of talking to people who’ve done the same. That’s the starting point for Helm — it’s non-negotiable.”
Helm’s criteria reflect that stance. Every member runs a business with revenues over £1m. Forums are led by exited founders or seasoned leaders who understand the pressures of scaling. And there’s one rule that underpins everything: no sales.
Stephen Sacks, Founder of Funding Nav: “I have bought, sold and developed businesses throughout my career that have reflected my changing interests and opportunities that presented themselves.
“I started in fashion, building the Muubaa leather brand before going into furniture, then finance, founding Funding Nav and most recently property with the acquisition of Forward Thinking Lettings.
“I have been a member of Helm for almost 20 years now and the learning and network that it has given me has been invaluable in helping me on my journey.”
The problem with “growth for growth’s sake”
Adamides has seen the landscape shift over the years. Many new clubs market themselves as growth engines but cast the net so wide that the value of peer discussions is diluted.
“If your only criteria is that someone wants to grow their business, you’re going to end up with wildly different levels of experience in the same room,” he explains.
“That might work for inspiration. But if you’re a £10m turnover founder talking to someone still pre-revenue, the reality is that your challenges aren’t aligned. You both leave unsatisfied.”
Helm takes the opposite approach. Groups are matched so that members are tackling similar-scale problems — international expansion, senior hiring, restructuring for efficiency — rather than working through completely different stages of the journey.
Clare Harris, Talking Tables, comments: “I have valued being part of a Forum. After each monthly meeting I have a takeaway to apply directly to my own business and I always leave with a topic to reflect on – be that a management style or a new business tool. It is very supportive and comforting to have the Forum leader cheering you on, likewise one’s fellow Forum business founders.”
Why the chair matters
In many networks, peer group sessions are facilitated by coaches, consultants, or in some cases, employees of the club with no founder background. Adamides believes that’s a missed opportunity.
“When you’ve actually built and sold a company, you see the world differently,” he says. “You know how decisions look in the moment and how they feel five years later. You’ve made mistakes you can own up to, and you’ve had wins you can dissect. That perspective changes the quality of advice in the room.”
Helm’s Forum chairs are chosen for exactly that reason. They bring lived experience — not just theory — and are skilled at drawing out conversations that go beyond surface-level updates.
Stuart Miles, Founder of Pocket-lint, comments: “Becoming a Helm Forum chair has been a great experience. The role allows me to hear and learn from other founders, as well as working with the group to support and guide the forum members through complex situations, issues, or puzzles. It’s really rewarding to see many of the things I’ve learnt running my own businesses helping others.
The cost of skipping curation
Some clubs pride themselves on signing members quickly and in volume. Adamides questions whether that model can truly deliver value.
He comments: “If you’re not curating the mix, you’re not protecting the experience. You might get a big crowd, but you won’t get the depth of trust or the candour that comes when you know everyone in the room has walked a similar path.”
Helm’s selection process is deliberate. Prospective members are vetted not only on business metrics, but also on mindset — openness, willingness to share, and commitment to helping others.
“It’s not about status,” Adamides adds. “We’ve turned down people with big turnover who didn’t fit the culture. It’s about creating a space where people can talk honestly without worrying about being pitched to or judged.”
Steve Phillips, Zappi, comments: “Being a Helm member opens up a world of great advice from brilliant people. Being an entrepreneur and building a business is really hard so being able to surround yourself with like-minded people going through similar issues is incredibly helpful.”
What the alternative looks like
At Helm, Forums are small — eight members per group — and meet monthly for three hours. Chairs guide the discussion, but the value comes from the members themselves: sharing strategies that have worked, unpacking decisions that didn’t, and holding each other accountable.
Outside the Forums, members have access to workshops, talks, and social events — all curated with relevance in mind. This isn’t a place to passively collect contacts; it’s an active exchange of experience.
Recent events have included sessions on AI integration, leadership under pressure, and a candid fireside chat with Reebok founder Joe Foster. “You could see the penny drop for people as Joe described the moments where everything was on the line,” Adamides says, “That’s the kind of conversation you can only have in a trusted environment.”
Standing apart in a crowded space
The UK’s business club scene is growing, and competition for founder attention is high. Adamides is aware that Helm’s approach might not appeal to everyone. “If you want a club where you can turn up, drink champagne, and swap business cards, there are plenty of options,” he says. “If you want a place where you’re going to be challenged, where you’ll have to bring your real problems to the table and listen to other people’s, then we’re for you.”
That stance has earned Helm loyalty — some members have been with the club for nearly two decades — and it’s shaping its next move: expansion into cities like Edinburgh and Manchester, while maintaining the same entry criteria and Forum structure.
The goal is not to be the biggest, but to be the most relevant to the kind of founder Helm exists for: innovative, impactful, and ambitious — without losing sight of integrity and shared value.
“Bigger isn’t better unless you can keep the quality of the conversation,” Adamides says. “That’s the real work.”