RECAP
How RECAP Found Its Voice Through Pitch to Convince
When Lucie Wheeler founded RECAP Ltd in 2023, her mission was clear: to help parents, carers, teachers and professionals’ access trustworthy, evidence-based research about children’s education, development and wellbeing, without the jargon.
A researcher, PhD student, first aid instructor and mum, Lucie had spent more than a decade working across primary schools, early years settings, SEND schools and parent groups before moving into higher education research. She could see first-hand the gap between academic research and the real questions families were asking every day.
RECAP was created to bridge that gap. Through podcasts, videos, blogs, training and online content, the organisation translates research into practical, bite-sized insights that parents and professionals can actually use. But as RECAP grew, Lucie realised that having a strong mission wasn’t enough she needed to be able to clearly and confidently communicate it.
That’s where Pitch to Convince came in.
Discovering Pitch to Convince
Lucie first heard about the Pitch to Convince programme through her advisory board, a group of eight experts spanning research, field practice, business growth and sector development, who support her to stay accountable, ethical and focused.
As a solo founder, Lucie values spaces where she can talk things through with others.
“Anybody who’s solo starting and running their own business can really benefit from having the opportunity to talk to other people and just have a sounding board. Sometimes I don’t even need an answer, I just need to say it out loud.”
When the opportunity to join Pitch to Convince came up, it immediately stood out. Run by The Weave and fully funded by the North Essex Economic Board, the programme supports small businesses across North Essex to sharpen their pitching skills, build confidence and articulate their business stories with clarity and purpose.
For Lucie, it felt like the right time especially because pitching wasn’t something she felt confident about.
“I’m always looking for opportunities to get involved where I can. When Pitch to Convince came up, I thought it was a fantastic opportunity because I needed to get better at telling the parents and teachers we work with how I was going to help them, and I thought the programme would give me more confidence to do that clearly and effectively.”
More Than an Investor Pitch
Like many founders, Lucie initially assumed pitching just meant standing in front of investors.
“You think of pitching as very clinical, like Dragon’s Den. I went in thinking I needed support around funding, because funding is hard to get as a business, and it’s very different from academic research funding.”
But Pitch to Convince turned out to be much broader than that.
The programme supports founders to communicate with conviction whether that’s pitching for investment, selling services, or engaging customers and communities. For RECAP, that distinction was crucial.
“Ultimately, if parents and families aren’t engaged, I don’t have a business. It’s for them.”
Through weekly sessions, Lucie worked on different types of pitches, short, long, formal and informal, gradually building clarity around how to explain RECAP’s value to different audiences, from parents and teachers to partners and funders.
By the end, she had a library of pitch snippets she could confidently use across social media, talks, events and opportunities as they arose.
A Format That Works for Busy Founders
One of the biggest strengths of Pitch to Convince, particularly for time-poor founders, was its flexible structure. Sessions alternated between live cohort sessions and recorded webinars, making it easier to commit alongside full-time work and business responsibilities.
“That was a real positive. Being expected to attend every single week for long sessions can be off-putting when you’re busy. The webinars were recorded, accessible anytime, and explained clearly, not just slides.”
The live cohort sessions created space for discussion, practical pitching tasks and real-time feedback from programme facilitators James and Magda, as well as peers.
“We’d go around the room and each share our pitch. The feedback was constructive, kind and honest. It felt really safe.”
Finding Confidence Through Community
What surprised Lucie most was how powerful the cohort experience became. Founders came from a mix of creative, tech, education and entertainment industries, with different confidence levels, ages and stages of business.
“Seeing people who had no confidence in week one absolutely smash their pitch at the end was incredible.”
That shared journey built trust, encouragement and connection, something solo founders often lack.
“It didn’t feel like a programme where someone tells you what to do and sends you away. We felt like a group. We had each other’s backs.”
That sense of community extended beyond the sessions, with founders supporting one another on social media and staying in touch after the programme ended.
From Practice to Real-World Impact
One of the most tangible outcomes for Lucie was confidence. Not just confidence to pitch, but confidence to take opportunities when they appear.
At the end of the programme, she had a polished pitch, a pitch deck, and multiple adaptable scripts. So when she had the opportunity to pitch to “Doorbell of Dreams” for Simon Squibb, she was ready.
“I had a pitch in my back pocket. Months earlier, I would have let that opportunity go. I wouldn’t have had the confidence without the programme.”
What’s Next for RECAP
RECAP continues to grow in reach and credibility. The podcast is now entering its sixth season, with increasing visibility and guest demand. An advisory board is firmly in place, and Lucie is bringing on external contributors, including academics, professionals and people with lived experience, to strengthen RECAP as a trusted, community-led platform.
RECAP has also recently been trademarked, adding reassurance for families that the content they see is credible and transparent. Later this year will also see the introduction of a new traffic-light system, clearly indicating whether content is peer-reviewed research, expert insight or lived experience.
It’s all part of the same mission: making research accessible, relatable and genuinely useful.
A Lasting Impact
Funded by the North Essex Economic Board, Pitch to Convince is more than a skills programme. It creates space for founders to find their voice, build confidence and connect with others on similar journeys.
For Lucie and RECAP, it didn’t just change how she pitches, it changed how she sees herself and her work.
“It’s not about talking yourself up. It’s about understanding who you’re helping and communicating that clearly and confidently.”
And that clarity is already helping RECAP create lasting change for families, professionals and future generations.