Julia Blackman is a serial entrepreneur with a passion for helping business leaders turn their frowns into smiles by bringing clarity, focus and growth to the businesses they run.
Over her career, Julia has built, backed and grown businesses across a wide range of sectors, including film finance, professional services, property development, book wholesale, education and hairdressing. Along the way, she has had the privilege of playing a part in some remarkable success stories. She helped a struggling school become an award-winning one, with its Headteacher named Headteacher of the Year and awarded an MBE. She also invested in and mentored Trinder Hair Studios, winner of the British Hairdressing Business Awards 2026.
Today, Julia works with the leadership teams of entrepreneurial businesses that have hit a ceiling: turnover has plateaued, the team isn’t pulling in the same direction, growth is rapid and the team can’t keep up or the owner is working harder than ever and enjoying it less. Using the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS®), a simple but powerful set of tools, she helps business leaders build clarity, accountability, team health and traction, so they get more of what they want from their businesses. Having seen growth from the inside in so many different settings, she is delighted to be judging the Vistage Growth Business of the Year Award.
Julia is passionate about education and is a Trustee of the Advantage Schools Trust. Away from work, she is a proud mum, a film lover and a keen but very mediocre golfer – and therefore an expert in recovering from setbacks.
