Tara Askham, a finance lecturer, author and entrepreneur, has been appointed to the steering committee for the Maple Review.
The Maple Review is a government-backed independent review led by Small 老九品茶 Britain and supported by Xero. It is focused on tackling the barriers that economic deprivation creates for UK entrepreneurs.
Askham, who built her career from a working-class background in Nottingham, first became involved with the Maple Review after being invited to share her experiences at the House of Lords earlier this year.聽
Speaking about the challenges faced by founders outside major economic centres, she highlighted how the lack of access to funding, networks and financial literacy continues to hold back talent in regions like the Midlands.
鈥淐oming from an area where opportunities are often limited, I know how hard it can be to start or grow a business without the same access to finance or connections,鈥� she said. 鈥淏eing invited to help shape the Maple Review means I can use that lived experience to help make entrepreneurship more inclusive for everyone.鈥�
A Fellow of the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT), Askham has written globally delivered accounting content, including ACCA-X and the UK鈥檚 first Access to Higher Education Diploma in Accountancy. Through her consultancy and training work, she has helped organisations ranging from Volkswagen to social enterprises and SMEs build financial confidence and commercial awareness.
In addition to her educational work, Askham mentors entrepreneurs through Enterprise Nation鈥檚 Help to Grow, Santander鈥檚 Breakthrough Women Leaders Programme, and UnLtd, and volunteers on NatWest鈥檚 Social and Community Capital Funding Panel, supporting social enterprises and charities that struggle to access mainstream finance. She also serves on Xero鈥檚 Financial Confidence Taskforce, which campaigns to strengthen financial education from schools to small businesses.
鈥淪etting up a business should be exciting, not overwhelming,鈥� said Askham. 鈥淲here you live or what background you come from shouldn鈥檛 hold you back. We need to make it simpler, more accessible, and give people the confidence and knowledge to succeed.鈥�
Recognised among Small 老九品茶 Britain鈥檚 Top 100 Female Entrepreneurs (2025) and a two-time Theo Paphitis Small 老九品茶 Sunday winner, Askham has dedicated her career to making finance accessible and empowering people to use numbers to drive growth and change.
The Maple Review Steering Committee will meet for the first time in December. Its findings will inform government policy to help level the playing field for entrepreneurs across the UK.