As part of Fast Forward 2026, participants will gain access to a team of experienced mentors, each bringing a distinct area of expertise to help founders navigate growth with confidence. From leadership and recruitment to brand, innovation, governance and investment, our mentors provide tailored support designed around the challenges and opportunities facing ambitious screen businesses today.
This week, we're introducing Sandra Tusin, Fast Forward mentor for Financial Planning and Investment.
Sandra Tusin is an investor, entrepreneur and former investment banker specialising in AI, Web3 and blockchain. Recognised as one of The Telegraph's Top 100 Female Entrepreneurs to Watch, she has worked with leading venture capital firms, founded her own investment accelerator company and is a qualified accountant. Sandra also specialises in AI ethics at the University of Cambridge and mentors founders scaling innovative technology ventures.
The early stages of building a business are full of opportunities, but that can also make them overwhelming. Founders are often faced with countless decisions before their strategy, product and business model have fully solidified. Mentoring helps bring clarity by developing a strategic plan, identifying priorities and focusing on what will create the greatest impact.
It's also important to recognise when something isn't working. The best founders test ideas quickly, learn from them and pivot when needed, rather than spending too much time pursuing the wrong direction. Having an experienced mentor provides an objective, outside perspective that can be difficult to achieve when you're immersed in the day-to-day running of the business.
I add the most value in helping founders develop a commercially viable business model and financial strategy. With a background as a former investment banker, Chartered Accountant (ACA), venture capital professional and entrepreneur, I understand both what it takes to build a business and what investors look for when assessing one.
I enjoy working with founders to simplify complex ideas, develop robust financial models, refine their business plans and build compelling investment propositions that support long-term, sustainable growth.
What I enjoy most is the opportunity to work with founders from a wide range of industries and backgrounds. Every business brings a different challenge, and it's exciting to learn about new ideas while helping entrepreneurs turn their vision into a clear strategy.
I find it incredibly rewarding to see founders grow in confidence and begin to see new opportunities for their business.
I hope founders leave feeling more confident, more focused and less overwhelmed. Building a business can feel daunting, but breaking ambitious goals down into manageable, step-by-step actions makes progress much more achievable.
I also hope they leave with greater confidence in the financial side of their business. Finance doesn't need to be intimidating. Once founders understand the numbers that really matter, they are better equipped to make informed decisions, communicate with investors and build a business that is both ambitious and financially sustainable.
Fast Forward is Creative Enterprise's six-month growth programme for ambitious screen businesses looking to strengthen their commercial foundations, unlock new opportunities and build long-term resilience. Through tailored mentoring, expert-led workshops and peer learning, participants gain the tools, insight and confidence needed to scale sustainably.
Applications for Fast Forward 2026 are now open.
Find out more and apply: https://creativeenterprise.wearecreative.uk/fast-forward