Nic Hopkins is the Founder of Up & to the Right and a former VP of People who’s helped startups scale from Series A to post-acquisition. She’s known for helping founders and People leaders see around corners—spotting and solving the kinds of People debt that quietly derail scaling companies. With 17+ years’ experience across SaaS, fintech, and D2C, Nic now advises fast-growth teams on building sustainable People functions that truly partner with leadership.
People leaders don’t always hear the full story from their CEO—but it’s still their job to act on it. In this session, Nic Hopkins shares what founders *really* want from their People team and how to spot the subtext. Drawing on experience as a VP of People turned advisor, Nic shares practical ways to decode unspoken expectations, influence from the inside, and get to yes faster. This is about levelling up your strategic impact—even when no one explicitly asks you to.
What happens when People leaders stop going it alone? In this panel, Ashleigh Loughnan, David Ky, KP Ponti, and Nic Hopkins share how external perspectives — fractional execs, coaches, operator-advisors, and agency partners — sharpen strategy, challenge assumptions, and unlock clarity. Ashleigh draws from her COO role at Hutly; David brings a systems lens from Airwallex; Nic shares lessons from scaling as a VP of People; and KP adds experience leading Humankind, advising organisations on how to scale humanity and performance side-by-side. Together, they explore how outside expertise helps founders and People leaders cut through complexity, avoid blind spots, and move with more confidence. This is a conversation for anyone feeling stuck in the weeds — and ready to see further.
With five tracks running across the first‑ever Startup People Summit, even the most committed note‑takers couldn’t catch it all live.
Now, you don’t have to miss a thing.
The SPS 2025 On‑Demand channel is ready. Packed with 40+ session recordings from every track, game‑changing ideas from all our speakers, and 12 months to watch, rewatch, and take notes at your own pace.
But SPS was never just an event. With the All Access Bundle, you’ll get everything in On‑Demand, plus join our new private SPS Community—a year‑round space where startup People professionals share challenges and wins in real time, swap fresh ideas and frameworks, collaborate on solutions, and know they’re not doing this work alone. Because the real value of SPS isn’t just in what we heard, it’s in what we can build together next.
Just a reminder: If you’re a Unicorn Pass holder, you already have On‑Demand and SPS Community access included. No need to purchase an add‑on — you’re already all set!
Get access to every single session recording from the summit—all five tracks, all speakers, all the insights. Learn on your schedule and replay your favourites any time over (and over again).
40+ session recordings from every track
12 months to watch, rewatch, and take notes at your own pace
The ultimate post-event pass. Unlock all session recordings and join our exclusive SPS Community. One year of growth, connection, and inspiration—on your terms.
40+ session recordings from every track
12 months to watch, rewatch, and take notes at your own pace
Private SPS Community for year‑round connection and support
Peer‑led advice and collaboration on real challenges
Ongoing ideas, resources, and opportunities to level‑up all year
Startup People Summit 2025 was made possible with the support of our major sponsors
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