Blackline Academy
Business support that ends with something tangible.
We run structured accelerators and one-to-one mentoring for UK founders and scaling teams. Every session is designed to produce something you can implement before the next one. No theory for its own sake.
The Short Version
Twoframeworks.Everystagefromideatoscale.
Blackline Academy helps two kinds of business:
Startup Stage
Founders at the start
Founders pre-revenue or in the first year of trading , who need to move from idea to established business. We use the B.R.E.A.K.™ Framework across four focused sessions.
"Both programmes share the same operating principle: the work between sessions matters more than the session itself. That's what we design for."
Human, On Purpose
InamarkethandingmentoringtoAI,westayedhuman.
Most of the business support market is quietly replacing mentors with chatbots, accelerators with content libraries, and founder feedback with auto-generated reports.
We aren't.
We teach our clients to use AI , We use tools ourselves where they make us faster, sharper, or more consistent.
But the conversations that change a business happen between people. Our mentors are operators with over 20 years of combined experience across startup, scale, accountancy, corporate banking, and exit.
You can challenge them. You can call them. You can expect honest answers.
"That's not nostalgia. It's a design choice."
Who We Work With
Whothisisfor?
For founders starting out.
Pre-revenue, or in your first year of trading. You need a structured path from idea to first paying customers , and a mentor who won't let you drift.
For founders and executive teams ready to scale.
£100k–£3m revenue. Trading two years or more. Product-market fit is there; the problem is that the business runs through you. You need a strategic plan, a peer cohort, and implementation support between workshops.
For local authorities, corporates, and sponsors.
You're commissioning business support and you need a delivery partner who produces outcomes you can evidence. We design and deliver cohort-based programmes across UK regions , with regular updates, progress visibility, and a final impact report.
Built on track record.
500+ UK businesses
Supported by our founders to start up, launch, and grow.
40+ years experience
Combined operating experience across startup, scale, accountancy, corporate banking, and business exit.
Live growth agency
Operating alongside the Academy , helping established businesses scale, prepare for investment, and prepare for exit.
Transparent pricing
No hidden fees. No surprise price hikes. Clarity from day one.
Our Network & Partners
How We Work
Four principles, one method.
Clarity in the first session.
You'll leave the first hour with a problem defined, a priority chosen, and one thing to do before we speak again.
Work between the work.
Every programme is designed around what you'll implement between sessions , because that's where the business actually moves.
Frameworks, not freestyle.
B.R.E.A.K. and S.O.A.R. give you a sequence to follow. You're not paying for our opinions; you're paying for a tested structure.
Honest answers.
We won't tell you what you want to hear. We'll tell you what we think is true, and work with you to prove or disprove it.
Social Proof
What founders and partners say.
"Tom and Lex have played a huge role in the growth of the business. From business strategy to marketing to operations, these guys know their stuff."
Chris Watts
Founder, Back2Front
"As my business has grown, from early stages to viral moments and scaling the brand, Tom has helped me stay focused on what actually matters. His advice is clear, practical, and directly applicable, cutting through the noise that comes with running a fast moving business."
Cai Rhys
Founder, Gwalia Clothing