Dan Martin

I have eight years experience as a journalist writing about small business owners and the issues that affect them and am currently the editor of BusinessZone.co.uk, part of online B2B and public sector publisher Sift Media.

As well as interviewing hundreds of entrepreneurs, I have written content for leading business organisations such as the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, British Chambers of Commerce, Forum of Private Business, Investors in People and Business Link in London.

Among the publications that have quoted me are The Times, Mail On Sunday, Financial Times, Personnel Today and Bristol Evening Post.

I also regularly speak at events on the subject of small business, social media and online community building. Appearances include at the National Federation of Enterprise Agencies’ annual conference, Publishing Expo and Technology for Marketing and Advertising. I also hosted the grand final of The Pitch 2009, BusinessZone.co.uk’s competition for entrepreneurs which I co-founded. The event was attended by 300 people. I have also chaired a roundtable debate featuring Dragons’ Den judge James Caan.

In addition, I regularly lead training sessions on social media for business. In September 2009, I was named in the top 10 most influential political bloggers on Twitter by the Independent.

Outside of my work for Sift Media, I’m PR manager at DaisychainBaby.co.uk, an eco-friendly baby products start-up. I have secured coverage for the company in publications including the Daily Telegraph, Financial Times, Real Business, Enterprise Nation and Smarta.

I am also lead organiser of the Bristol Twestival, part of a global Twitter driven charity initiative. In February 2009 and March 2010, volunteers from 175 cities around the world organised events using the social network. In total, $350,000 was raised for charity: water in 2009 and $500,000 for Concern in 2010. In Bristol, we raised £1,500 in 2009 and £5,600 in 2010.