Influential Businesswoman Awards 2026 | 45 old. I suddenly had to hide being a mum as I saw this as a weakness or a ‘distraction’. I had worked so hard and the business was truly going somewhere. I was terrified to lose it.” Thankfully, these days are mostly behind us, and business platforms like LinkedIn today firmly champion a good work-life balance. Balancing family and work was not the only challenge Sonia had to deal with in starting and scaling her business, however, as she was also chronically shy and filled with self-doubt. It has been the ongoing task of proving to herself that she is capable of all she puts her mind to that has actually been the biggest achievement of Sonia’s career. Events Inc now has two wonderful ladies working alongside Sonia, and she leans on them both for support. As mothers themselves, there is still an emphasis on putting life first within the company, which is refreshing in the wake of a global homeworking pushback. Moving forwards, the aim for Events Inc remains simply to grow. It has recently unveiled a new website and brochure and secured new clients, with 2025 even being a record year for the business. Sonia is keen on continuing to develop herself, an approach that has served her well over the last 20 years and will continue to do so indefinitely. Sonia left us with this advice: “Be kind on yourself and to others. You don’t have to be a hard businesswomen to run a business. It really does take all types. I was often taken for being ‘too soft’, but if you have a goal in sight, work hard, and be fair then you can do this.” Contact: Sonia Dean Company: Events Inc Ltd Web Address: https://eventsinc.co.uk/ Most Influential Event Management Business Leader 2026 (UK): Sonia Dean When Events Inc first started out, it was focused primarily on bringing events to the corporate market. However, the business evolved very quickly and its supplier base continued to grow and diversify. Corporate events got fewer and its presence in holiday parks expanded, with Haven (one of the UK’s largest caravan park providers) having been a client now for 18 years and counting. It supports Haven through numerous holiday park owner events. Today, Events Inc works with more than 60 holiday parks and is growing year on year. Its status as a mobile event agency to the holiday park market is just one of three bases covered by the company, with the other two spanning a very successful wine club and event management in the form of larger conferences and themed events. The team here have also maintained their presence in the corporate sector, with clients including the Gym Group and Inspiro partnering with Events Inc for their annual conferences and bespoke entertainment programmes, respectively. This can be attributed to the long-term partnerships and tailored services provided by this small business. Sonia Dean is the woman behind much of this success, having shaped Events Inc’s journey from the very beginning. Initially working as a PA, Sonia has also held roles in sales and for a large branding agency booking travel and organising events. Her first taste of the experience sector came during her 20s, when the industry was still in its infancy. Sonia has been in love with her work ever since, and has taken on positions including being an account manager selling experience days to brands like Amazon and Argos. Channelling her expertise into a small business like Events Inc has been a rewarding challenge for Sonia, with the nature of her company meaning that every single department has been her right from the right beginning. Luckily, she has worked with great people over the years, and the wisdom they have shared continues to guide her to this day. Looking back, it is clear to Sonia that the industry has changed a lot since she started out. Inspired by innovators such as Martha Lane Fox, who founded lastminute.com, Sonia began her business with an unorthodox approach – working from home in a cabin built at the back of her garden. This was long before homeworking was the norm, and Sonia had to juggle family and work in a way that most people were simply not used to. For instance, Sonia explained: “I was overjoyed to be expecting my first child but also landed a huge contract when my son was ten days Events Inc is an event management company supporting anyone looking to bring people together for an event – be it a corporate conference or an experience day. Celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, the company has massively evolved since first opening its doors. As the company founder and managing director, Sonia Dean has been here since the beginning in 2006, steering the ship every step of the way. Following her recognition in this programme, we caught up with Sonia for more on her journey.
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