Fuckup Nights EXETER // Vol 04

Most people fuck up at some point...and most people live to tell the tale.

Fuckup Nights is a global movement and event series that shares stories of professional failure. Events across the globe get 3 or 4 people to get up in front of a room full of strangers to share their own professional fuckup/mistake. The stories of the business that crashes and burns, the partnership that goes sour, the product that has to be recalled, stories like these will all be told.

Welcome to our fourth event for Fuckup Nights Exeter, which will be held at Bootlegger, Fore Street, Exeter on Thursday 23rd October 2025.

Join us for a welcome drink and canapes and the sharing of some incredible Fuckups!

At this event we will have three fabulous speakers who are going to share their mistakes. 

We are looking for speakers for this and future events, if you'd be interested in speaking, please complete this form.

Let's change the narrative, let's #ShareTheFailure and learn from it.

Our Speakers:

* Martin Crump shares his story of how he almost lost his business and home due to procrastination and complacency.

* Lucy Smith - Have you ever been told "don't sign anything - you are making a mistake?" thats what a business advisor told Lucy just before she signed the lease on a shop unit that she believed would become a training venue for neurodivergent young people and change the world.

* Matthew Porter built a £5 million business portfolio — then watched it all unravel. A self-inflicted legal dispute and taking his eye off the ball led to failure of the buisness. At home some questionable decisions (including a very expensive night at a strip club), saw Matt navigating divorce, driving bans and personal bankruptcy. Now rebuilt, remarried and surgically enhanced along with a boat, a dog, his own business, Matt shares the raw, funny, and very human story of screwing up big—and the good that came out of it.

What's Included

All tickets include a welcome drinks and some nibbles.

Timings

6:00pm - Doors open & networking

6:30pm - Canapés

7:00pm - Presentations start. Each presentation is 7 minutes with 5 minutes Q&A

8:00pm - Networking & drinks

9:00pm - Close

Sponsors

This event is sponsored by Bootlegger Exeter. We are looking for food and drink sponsors, get in touch if you'd like to be involved.

Promoter

This event is organised by John Harvey, Owner of The Samphire Club.  The majority of John's 30-year career had been spent in the corporate world, primarily logistics, but it was always his interest in people that came first: “I recognised, very early on, that no matter what business you're in, success is built on the relationships you develop with the people you meet.”