Nurture your idea,
optimise your growth.

“Business, especially business start-up, is in my mind THE most exciting part of any business venture; to take an idea and bring it to life and as you watch this thing, this idea grow, you look back time and time again and say to yourself “I made this happen”. Not every idea will be a good one… and not every start-up will succeed… but if you don't try, how will you know?! Pete is a serial entrepreneur, through and through: it's ingrained in the very fibre of his being, just as it is in mine. The first thought for a serial entrepreneur is never the consideration of how much cash we might need to make an idea happen; the complete focus is just to ‘make it happen'. Entrepreneurs don't have that niggling thought of ‘how' they just ‘do'!”

“I recognise that small businesses like yours play a vital role in both our local communities and the governments long term economic plan; creating jobs, propelling growth, and securing futures through your hard work and enterprise.”

“As a small business owner I value the relationship I have with Pete and the extensive knowledge he has of the retail sector. His honesty and integrity is well known within Leicester's BID, which is how we first met. He is always happy to spare time to help nurture the local business community and is a business owner who is genuinely supportive of helping people grow and find their role.”

“Over the years I've known him Pete has been an excellent representative of the Leicester business community, whether appearing on TV and radio or working with us to lobby government. During the Covid-19 period, I worked with Pete to influence government to provide an additional £1.8m for Leicester businesses affected by 'local lockdown' restrictions. This offered vital cashflow to our businesses and in some cases was pivotal in enabling survival through a historically challenging period.”

“Peter's nature is to be honest and direct in all dealings. I often rely on his advice when faced with conflicts in my own professional judgement. He is responsive and cooperative when addressing disputes or challenges. With his calm and constructive approach, he stands as a positive pillar of the community, and Leicester College is not the only institution that benefits from his support.”

“I first met Pete Gardner and was introduced to his business Cocoa Amore a number of years ago whilst I was Head of Business Innovation and Partnerships at the Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership. Pete had a number of positive interactions with the Business Gateway Growth Hub and is a highly respected Leicester business and true entrepreneur.”

“Peter has been an instrumental figure in my journey from cocoa and coffee exporter to chocolate manufacturer, offering guidance that has been both practical and visionary. He provided crucial support in understanding the end-to-end process of transforming raw cocoa beans into a market-ready chocolate product, ensuring I had the knowledge and confidence to move forward. Beyond the production process, Peter played a key role in shaping the commercial foundations of the business — developing the brand vision, tone of voice, and product name, while also defining a clear route to market. His network and initiative proved equally valuable in identifying UK-based manufacturers with the capacity to assist Fire Mountain with moulding and packaging, making him a cornerstone of this venture's success.”