Strategic Business Consultancy for Founders, Creatives and Independents
Where commercial rigour meets cultural intelligence
Whether you're a founder scaling a food and drink brand, a creative independent who needs a stronger voice or a design business looking to sharpen your strategy and reach — this is where we start.
I'm Susanne Currid, lead consultant at The Loop. For over 15 years, I've worked as a strategic consultant, business advisor and trusted thinking partner to creative and commercial businesses across London and the South East. I've helped household names and up-and-coming independents alike — from hospitality startups and craft breweries to design businesses and lifestyle brands.
My approach is practical, honest and always tailored to you. I see the bigger picture first, then we build a focused, agile plan for where you want to go.
What sets my approach apart is a deep respect for the human side of business — the culture, values and behavioural dynamics that determine whether even the smartest strategy actually lands.
Today, my consultancy is designed to bridge the gaps between brand positioning, pricing, business culture, capacity building, R&D, funding and the driving market forces of AI and cultural change.
See how that plays out in practice — and find your starting point below.
Credentials at a Glance
25+ years of business consultancy and commercial marketing experience
Founder, The Loop Digital Communications Ltd (est. 2011)
Author, Build Your Tribe (2013) — #1 Amazon UK, hospitality marketing, five years
Former UK Government SME Advisor — Growth Accelerator and Growth Voucher schemes
MA Art History & Museum Curation, Distinction — University of Sussex, 2025
Guest expert, BBC's The Apprentice
Regular conference speaker and trade press contributor throughout career
Former lecturer, Marketing & Customer Experience, The Marketers Forum (CIM curriculum)
Who I work with
I work with people doing meaningful, creative and commercial work — including:
Food & drink founders — breweries, restaurants, producers and hospitality businesses
Lifestyle and design businesses looking to grow their brand and reach
Creative consultants, agencies and independents who want a strategic sounding board
Serial entrepreneurs ready to build their next venture with more confidence
What we can work on together
Strategy & Business Planning
Clear, practical strategic planning for growth — from business model development to investor-ready planning. Using tools like the Business Model Canvas and Value Proposition Canvas, I identify your real strengths, sharpen your point of difference, and build a roadmap that reflects your ambitions and your resources.
Pricing Strategy
The advent of AI makes this a current hot topic, as business operations and service design are changing at an unprecedented rapid pace. For service-based businesses, this is a particular challenge, now more is expected for less. By taking a fresh look at your brand positioning and business design, I help you to think clearly about where value is being created, absorbed or lost — particularly in an AI‑accelerated, freelance‑heavy landscape. I believe this thinking is fundamental to your business success and is designed to achieve a more sustainable return for your business offer.
Brand, Voice & Communications
Whether you're repositioning a brand, or figuring out how to talk about the value of what you do — I help you find language that is true to you and compelling to the people you're trying to reach. This is work I do with individuals and small teams, in workshop sessions and through iterative development.
Sales & Marketing Strategy
A joined-up approach to commercial growth — covering digital, direct, trade and consumer channels. I help you cut through the noise, prioritise what actually moves the needle, and avoid wasting limited time and budget on strategies that aren't right for your business.
What People Are Saying
“As a start-up its invaluable having people with good industry knowledge, who also understand small businesses. Susanne was definitely one of those people and would thoroughly recommend.”
— Becky Taylor-Kean, Founder, Nirvana Brewery
‘35 Women under 35’ winner, Management Today, 2022
“The guidance provided by The Loop has been invaluable to Werewolf Beer, from concept, start-up, to growth. Susanne gets the best out of us not only as an enthusiastic supporter but also as a pragmatic advisor, willing to speak to the reality of the current business climate as well as my professional and personal blindspots. Without her expert guidance we would not be on the upward trajectory we are now.”
— Rich White, Founder, Werewolf Beer Co.
"I cannot express how useful it is and how you have hugely simplified the task in hand. The sessions we have had were simply fantastic, totally realigned us, focused our efforts and made the challenges seem manageable. All your advice is totally invaluable. Thank you.”
— Alex Head, CEO, Social Pantry
“If you’re looking for a marketing strategist who combines commercial savvy, creative clarity and an authentically collaborative mindset, Susanne Currid is the person you want on your side.”
— Shaun Adams, Founder, Brand Bamboo
“Thank you for an amazing session yesterday. I really appreciated all the insights and direction …. it felt like such a significant breakthrough.”
— Founder, Lifestyle Startup
“Working with Susanne has been nothing short of a pleasure, her understanding of people, culture, and arts engagement has proven a real asset to Picnic’s photography community.”
— Joe Charrington, Director, Picnic CIC
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CLIENTS
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Hackney Brewery
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Darwin & Wallace
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Kingston Laverty Design
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East Coast Concepts
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Squerryes
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Between Time
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Pig & Porter
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Graham Ford Architects
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Social Pantry
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Nirvana Brewery
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Hastings Commons
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Werewolf Beer
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DBLO Architects
/ CLIENTS / Hackney Brewery / Darwin & Wallace / Kingston Laverty Design / East Coast Concepts / Squerryes / Between Time / Pig & Porter / Graham Ford Architects / Social Pantry / Nirvana Brewery / Hastings Commons / Werewolf Beer / DBLO Architects
Why I Do This Work
What guides my practice is pretty simple, even if the work itself isn't. I believe in collaboration — the kind that comes from working closely with people who care deeply about what they're building. I'm endlessly curious about what's missing, what's possible, what happens when you place seemingly unconnected things together. I believe in creativity not just as a professional tool but as the thing that makes difficult situations navigable and life genuinely worthwhile. I work constantly to find clarity within complexity — because clarity is what allows people to move forward with real confidence. And I approach every engagement as a learning opportunity, because that's the only honest way to do this kind of work.
Does my approach resonate with you? If so, I’d love to hear what you are working on.
Ready to find your next steps?
If you're not sure whether this is the right kind of support for you, the best place to start is a conversation. Get in touch and tell me a little about what you're working on. I am based in Hastings, East Sussex. I typically work online and in person across London and the South East.
