Member Magazine: Spring 2020

SPRING 2020

FAIRLEY AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY PLUS TIPS ON RAISING FINANCE, CELEBRATING ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND MEET OUR EXCHANGE MEMBERS

#NEENTREPRENEURS

WELCOME FROM JAMES

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CONTENTS 04.

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS

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FORTUNE FAVOURS THE BRAVE

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THE 2019 NORTH EAST ENTREPRENEURIAL AWARDS

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THE BIG QUESTION

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RECOMMENDED READS

2020 marks my third year as Chairman of the Entrepreneurs’ Forum and with each new year, I’m reminded that there is no other network quite like it.

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IT’S TIME TO TALK ABOUT MONEY

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OUT OF OFFICE

Each year, our network grows stronger as we welcome new members, connect North East business leaders through our mentoring programme, and host inspirational events filled with advice and wisdom.

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ENTREPRENEWS

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WHEN YOU SAY JUMP

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DELOITTE REVEALS TECHNOLOGY FAST 50 AWARD WINNERS

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A NEW ERA FOR TIER ONE CAPITAL

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BURNING BRIGHT

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WAY WITH WORDS

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AGILE DOESN’T HAVE TO BE AGONISING

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CLASS OF 2020

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THIS DIAMOND IS A REAL GEM

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FACE OF THE FRANCHISE

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YOUR BUSINESS AND FINDING OTHER PEOPLE’S CASH

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FAIRLEY AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY

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IDENTIFYING AND NURTURING WOMEN LEADERS

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ANNOUNCING OUR LATEST EXCHANGE MEMBERS

Welcome to the Entrepreneurs’ Forum spring member magazine.

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I think it’s fair to say that as entrepreneurs, we all need people to learn from, no matter what stage of business we are at. Last year, we heard from over 40 business leaders, from Jonathan Warburton to Heather Mills, learning how to successfully build and lead growing, innovative and dynamic businesses.

In 2020, we’re continuing with our fantastic programme of events and helping you in whatever way we can. We have a brand-new calendar of events ready for you including events with David Soley of Camerons Brewery, Harry Swan of Thomas Swan & Co. and Tony Cleary of Lanchester Wines to name a few.

The truth is that no one can do it all on their own, but sharing knowledge, learning new skills, and making valuable new connections is what the Forum is all about and what you’ll see featured throughout this magazine.

The news and stories we’ve shared on the following pages prove that the North East is an enterprising place, full of positivity and innovation, with opportunity for collaboration and support. If we can celebrate all of our successes, and work towards a common goal of improving our regional economy, then together we really can take on the world.

James Robson MBE Chairman of the Entrepreneurs’ Forum

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See reverse for dates for your diary: Entrepreneurs’ Forum Events Calendar (January to July 2020)

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WELCOME TO OUR NEW MEMBERS

FORTUNE FAVOURS THE BRAVE Our latest entrepreneurs’ conference revealed that, despite political and economic uncertainty in previous months, North East business leaders remain optimistic about the future.

Speaking during our Fortune Favours the Brave conference, our Chief Executive Jonathan Lamb said entrepreneurs by their very nature are resilient and remain upbeat about the future business landscape.

He said, “There are many exciting developments and opportunities within the North East, including the emerging software and technology industry, advanced manufacturing, health and life sciences and subsea, offshore and energy technologies.

Douglas Dinwiddie White Digital

Ian Fraser eastQuayIT

Richard Pattinson The Northumberland Arms

Jason Brand The Sands Group UK

Sarah Greenwell Big Little Toys

Rebecca Philipson Custom Gateway

Louise Brooks Elsdon Consulting

Francis Jones The Sparta Group

Pete Watson Atlas Cloud

Kimberley Cattin WestBarn Co

Jason Maguire Frank’s the Flooring Store

Tim Wilks Lane 7

David Crossman Black Hills Products

Alison McGee Durata

Hilary Dunne The Brand Activators

Greg Newlands Greg Newlands Fitness

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“This region has a proud history of producing world-beating innovators and industries and once again it is developing key sectors that can grow and drive the economy forward.”

James Robson MBE, Chairman of the Entrepreneurs’ Forum, added: “This conference is all about being brave and courageous and standing by your convictions.

“There are many exciting developments and opportunities within the North East.”

“Entrepreneurs are expert at navigating the highs and lows and overcoming the inevitable challenges. That’s why North East business leaders display resilience and remain optimistic.”

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AS IT HAPPENED People joined the conversation online throughout the day using the hashtag #NEentrepreneurs.

Lisa Eaton, Unwritten Creative Great day at the @entforum annual conference. Highlight of the day was the incredible @jojosams of @greenandblacks on building a brand that’s cooler than Prada! #brandgoals #fortunefavoursthebrave

Alisdair Beveridge, The Build Directory Great to have been fed the library of experience and the chocolate from the charming @jojosams at the @entforum then refreshed with @Beer52HQ. Fantastic examples of digging in rough or smooth sailing with a world record multi crew tail

Joanne Warren, Lumo.Tax Great scale-up panel with @word_nerdy, @FSuperstoreUK and award winning @elmtronics! Some amazing stories about their growth journey. @entforum #NEentrepreneurs #business #inspirational An audience of more than 250 business leaders attended the conference at Wynyard Hall - one of the highlights of the Forum’s calendar of events - to hear a series of inspirational keynote speakers.

“For us, the most important aspect is the ethics which underpin our brand. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel to have a successful business, you just have to do things well.”

They included Chris Cathey, a director of Rivers Capital Partners and a senior training mentor for the Institute of Trading and Portfolio Management.

Embodying the conference theme ‘Fortune Favours the Brave’ was North East businessman Phil Kite, who at 53, departed as CEO of Reece Group to found rowing team Team Tyne Innovation.

He was followed by Jo Fairley, who in 1991 co-founded Green & Blacks before selling the upmarket chocolate brand in 2005, now worth an estimated £100m.

Jo, whose expertise lies in branding and journalism, shared the key factors to Green & Black’s success.

“Growth is growth, and business is business, and all businesses have challenges. From my perspective, the keys to success are the product itself which includes branding and design, PR, customer service, innovation and always putting yourself in your customer’s shoes.

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He was accompanied by Claire Hughes, part of the victorious crew who in January completed the world’s toughest row, the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge in 42 days 10 hours and 26 minutes, a record time for a mixed four.

Additional speakers included James Brown who established Edinburgh-based online beer subscription service Beer52, which has achieved a turnover of more than £11m.

James discussed Beer52’s business journey and his tips on leading a subscription-based service, “There are 5 things that I think worked for Beer52. They are to give loyal customers the best experience and deals; to test, track and scale-up marketing; to investment in great photography and design; value add investors and a great team will do more for you than just cash; and always reinvent yourself, never rest on your laurels.”

Graham Robb, senior partner at Recognition PR, hosted a panel of young North East entrepreneurs, including Dan Martin of Elmtronics, Steve Erdal of Wordnerds, and Dan Foskett of Connection Flooring, who shared their experiences of scaling up their businesses.

The conference was compared by BBC journalist and presenter Charlie Charlton and supported by Recognition PR, Lumo.

Tax, Park Commercial, FW Capital, British Business Bank and Sapere Software.

Bryony Gibson, Bryony Gibson Consulting “Change - there will always be uncertainty in the world, don’t press the pause button” love this quote from @jojosams business as usual, don’t stop, seize the opportunity. #change #takerisks

Kari Owers, O Communications Looking forward to a great lineup today @entforum conference starting with some of the region’s top scale-up success stories #NEentrepreneurs

Vikki Jackson-Smith, J&B Recylcing We’re having a fantastic day at the annual @entforum conference, Fortune Favours the Brave. It’s brilliant to hear stories from some of the best entrepreneurs in the #NorthEast.

Sarah O’Mahoney, Bradley O’Mahoney Public Relations Great to be at @entforum conference today. Looking forward to hearing about the Green & Black’s journey. #chocolate #NEentrepreneurs

Andy Smith, Intimation Intimation are attending the Entrepreneurs’ Forum today and we look forward to hearing other entrepreneurs’ stories and how they landed on the road to success!

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THE 2019 NORTH EAST ENTREPRENEURIAL AWARDS

Raising £5,000 for local charity COCO (Comrades of Children Overseas), around 400 people attended the celebratory diner at the Hilton Newcastle Gateshead and the five categories of the Awards, held in partnership with Fairstone Group, were supported by Ward Hadaway, The Malhotra Group, IA Growth, North East Growth Hub and Brewin Dolphin, with Ithica Films and Westray Recruitment supporting the brochure and networking.

And the winners are…

SCALE-UP AWARD Hosted by British athletics legend Steve Cram CBE, the 2019 North East Entrepreneurial Awards honoured the many business success stories in the region, recognising those who are driving growth, creating jobs and ultimately making the North East a place of prosperity where successful companies are established and scale-up.

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Toby Bridges The 2019 Scale-up Award was presented to Toby Bridges of the NBT Group. Toby took over the 111-year-old family business during the recession of 2008 and has led the company through an extreme transformation. Once a wholesale distribution company, the NBT Group are now a supply chain management tech company. Since 2015 turnover has increased from £3m to £14m while the number of employees has jumped from 12 to nearly 50.

EMERGING TALENT

ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR

Dan Martin

Tony Cleary

Dan Martin was presented the Emerging Talent award for his success so far with Elmtronics. An electrician by trade, when Dan discovered the rising market of electronic vehicles, he quit his day job and launched Elmtronics in 2014 with just a van for an office and £500 investment. In just five years, Dan has grown the business from a small start-up supplier into a UK-wide operation, working with some of the largest councils, NHS Trusts and private companies across the UK.

Tony Cleary was presented with the Entrepreneur of the Year award for his business, Lanchester Group. Tony and his wife Veronica set up Lanchester Wines in their living room in 1980 and have since grown it into one of the UK’s leading suppliers of quality wine and spirits to the trade. Over the years, the Cleary’s portfolio has expanded and includes several leading businesses including Greencroft Bottling and Lanchester Gifts.

MENTOR OF THE YEAR

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT

Graham Sleep

Lorna Moran OBE

Graham Sleep was presented with the Mentor of the Year accolade in recognition of his work with multiple North East entrepreneurs and business professionals. Those who have worked closely with Graham described him as a ‘fantastic mentor’ and a ‘great visionary’ whose support and guidance has enhanced career progression and overall business performance.

Founder of NRG, Lorna Moran OBE, was presented with the Lifetime Achievement award. Lorna began her working life as a recruitment consultant before founding Geordie Job Finders in 1976, which later became NRG. Lorna also co-founded the Entrepreneurs’ Forum in 2003 with the aim of providing inspiration and a helping hand to established North East entrepreneurs. Her work with cancer charity Maggie’s was also applauded, and in particular, her tireless fundraising for their centre of excellence, the Maggie’s Cancer Centre.

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THE BIG QUESTION What were the initial hurdles to building your business and how did you overcome them?

Samantha Vassallo, Horizon Works

Paul Card, Paul Card Recruitment

Going from just operating by myself to recruiting and building a team was daunting. But from the start, I had a clear vision of where I wanted the business to be, what I wanted to achieve and the values, ethos and culture I wanted Horizon Works to embrace. Because all of that was in place, I was able to recruit the right staff - people who I knew would buy into that vision.

Ensuring we had robust terms in place to protect our business and help us grow. We joined our industry’s leading professional body, the Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC), who provide regularly updated model contracts for all areas of permanent, interim and temporary recruitment, which we can then adapt to suit our business. This was, and remains, a great investment. I still shudder when I recall the 4.30am finish that it took to get everything in place!

Laura Weaving, DUO Global Consulting

Ean Parsons, Parsons Containers

Kimberley Cattin, WestBarn Co

David Porter, Surge Marketing Solutions

I think the biggest challenge, and to some extent still is, is that our business model challenges a lot of the traditional HR, recruitment & business consultancy models. As an example, one of our first service offerings was helping our clients build an in-house recruitment strategy. This requires companies to be more proactive and to really think ahead to predict future recruitment needs for it to work. This change requires a different level of thinking.

In the early stages, raising finance for business without a track record which we overcame by knocking on lots of doors and not taking no for an answer. When we started to expand the business there were internal obstacles to growth, one of which was raising finance again which we achieved through determination and keeping our sights set on the long-term goal. Finding the right talent has been time-consuming but it is an ongoing challenge we are keen to get right.

One of the biggest hurdles we experienced was being underestimated. We were continually told that the competition in the beauty industry was too fierce. Having faith and belief in our brand and unwavering determination has allowed us to break through that barrier. Having an unshakable support network of family and friends was also key to our success.

I started the business in 2011 from home with nothing more than a phone, a PC and a vision of growing a business.

The biggest hurdle was being a one man army and having to be everything myself with no experience in running a business. I made a lot of mistakes but the key to success is not to dwell on the past, learn from your mistakes and they will make you stronger.

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IT’S TIME TO TALK ABOUT MONEY

RECOMMENDED READS

Poor mental health affects one in six workers in the UK every year according to charity Mind, while the cost to the UK economy is somewhere between £74 billion and £99 billion a year.

It comes as no surprise that increasing numbers of employers are looking at their role in staff wellbeing and introducing mental health training throughout their businesses - North East businesses and Entrepreneurs’ Forum members included.

The rationale is obvious: improved wellbeing can result in improved performance, productivity and quality of work and greater job satisfaction.

LINCHPIN: ARE YOU INDISPENSABLE?

by Seth Godin

Recommended by Karen Weir, Weir Insurance I love Seth Godin and ‘Linchpin: Are You Indispensable?’ is my favourite from him.

In it, Seth writes: “There used to be two teams in every workplace: management and labour. Now there’s a third team: the linchpins. These people figure out what to do when there’s no rule book. They delight and challenge their customers and peers. They love their work, pour their best selves into it, and turn each day into a kind of art.” I aspire to be a Linchpin, to employ Linchpins, and to create and bring up Linchpins! This book is a must read for everyone, not just business leaders.

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EXPERT SECRETS

THE POWER OF HABIT

Recommended by Tim Ward, Bid and Research Development

Recommended by Jessica Williams, Just Williams

For me, the main thing I look for in a book is something that I can use, a golden nugget, one little thing that changes the way I think or do things.

I love this book so much as it is absolutely packed with practical advice, teaching us the techniques that Russell has used in turning his customers into a tribe of fans. He provides real value and marketing advice that can be implemented and used in any business. A great read!

The Power of Habit challenges the everyday things that happen in the office that you’ve always done, that you don’t even question - allowing the reader to take stock and consider why. It provides some exceptional examples of how creating new habits within your own schedule and your workforce can improve all aspects of your business. From buyer habits, altering existing processes to challenging embedded personal habits, this book will make you think specifically about your marketing and sales processes. As well as your team’s activities whilst encouraging goal setting and identifying those unsaid habits we all hold as individuals and businesses.

by Russell Brunson

by Charles Duhigg

However, the one area that can be a persons’ biggest source of stress - money - tends to be one that gets ignored the most. This could be because it is a more complex topic than some, or because talking about money can be difficult and uncomfortable.

With a view of taking financial wellbeing seriously, Brewin Dolphin has conducted the study ‘The Family Wealth Report’ to understand what is important in people’s financial lives. Working with Opinium Research, an independent company, Brewin Dolphin surveyed 5,000 people across a range of age groups throughout the UK to look at three broad areas:

1. Amid Brexit, and a decade on from the global financial crisis, how are Britons’ finances faring?

2. What are people’s concerns, their expectations and their aspirations in relation to their finances?

3. What are their attitudes to saving, retirement and passing on their wealth?

“By creating a detailed picture of peoples’ finances, we could fully understand the myriad of financial pressures we all continue to face.

However, this also gave us the wherewithal to help steer people to where the opportunities lie to make their money work harder,” said Gary Fawcett, Divisional Director at Brewin Dolphin.

“Many will have struggled with rising living costs, trying to build their pensions and making sure they have a rainy-day fund for when the car breaks down. All at a time of statistically low wage growth and historically low interest rates giving their savings little help.

“Or what about the struggle faced by younger members of the work force who are trying to get on the housing ladder while often paying down the debt from higher education? This is before they have even considered how they will afford a family or fund their retirement.

This perfect storm of pressures on current and future financial goals has led to personal debt reaching record levels while saving levels have fallen to all-time lows. 34% of the working population regularly run out of money before pay day. The stress of this is untenable.”

The study also reveals that, regardless of life stage, having a financial plan can help you make the most of your opportunities for the future.

Gary continued, “Many of us feel uncomfortable talking about money or find it hard to imagine what the future holds, planning for the unknown is even harder than planning for the here and now.

“While so many of us just don’t quite know what our options are and how we can solve the issues we are confronted with. This means we are prone to putting the conversation off and hoping the problem will go away on its own, which does not ease the stress and anxiety.

“Whether some of these issues resonate with you or not, they are likely to with people you work with. No one should carry this burden around with them, but it is only with knowledge and understanding that we can stop worrying.

That is why it’s important to get people thinking and play a role in people having the conversations that could transform their finances, to be armed them with the knowledge that will help them look to the future with confidence.”

Brewin Dolphin are helping to raise awareness and address the issue of financial wellbeing by working with companies and organisations to deliver programmes that help their staff find financial peace of mind and wellbeing and learn to have those difficult money conversations in a constructive and stress-free way.

Through this, people create their own financial plan to achieve what matters most to them. The team at Brewin Dolphin explore how to reach goals, the importance of revisiting the plan in the future, and how to protect income, making the most of work benefits and some clever money saving tips.

Offering a final comment, Gary said, “Entrepreneurs’ Forum members are renowned for being proactive. They are committed; they strive to be responsible in business and as an employer; and are always seeking to improve.

With support from other firms in the business community, such as Brewin Dolphin, they can more easily achieve those objectives.”

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OUT OF OFFICE David Park might seem a familiar figure to Forum members but if you’re a frequent visitor to the Lake District fells you may see another side - particularly if you’ve ever required rescuing.

The founder and Managing Director of Park Commercial Ltd - Business and Commercial Insurance Specialists, is also a keen member of Langdale Ambleside Mountain Rescue Team (LAMRT).

He added: “One memorable call-out this year involved locating and successfully rescuing an injured climber. The team set out in the early evening and didn’t return until 9am the next morning. No two rescues are ever the same.”

He joined the team, which deals with an average 100 incidents per year, after moving to Windermere nine years ago.

Despite the lure of the high fells, David says most callouts are not the result of walkers being ill-prepared or taking risks in what is an often challenging and ever-changing environment.

David, a member of the Entrepreneurs’ Forum, currently divides his working week between his office in Durham and home office in Cumbria.

This life-work balance and flexibility also allows him to pursue his passion for the fells and to make his contribution to the work of Mountain Rescue, whilst still being able to maintain a firm oversight of the business.

“I’m fortunate enough to be able to use technology to work from home for at least a couple of days each week.

This flexibility means whenever I receive an alert, if I’m in Cumbria I can be at the rescue team headquarters within 10 minutes.”

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“Most people who need our help do so because they have had a genuine accident, such as slipping and injuring themselves or falling ill.”

Many of the injuries involve fractured, broken or dislocated limbs, which often require the casualty to be stretchered or airlifted off the fell.

“I’ve always been drawn to the dramatic scenery of the Lake District since teenage years when I would visit with friends and we would take to the fells.”

He said: “Fell walkers and climbers are normally wellequipped and for the most part experienced. They often require our help simply through bad luck.”

“This area has been a huge part of my life ever since, but taking the decision to uproot and relocate my family here was not an easy one to make.”

“I feel very fortunate to be in a position to have a successful business, a great team, and at the same time to be able to contribute to Mountain Rescue.

“I’m fortunate enough to be able to use technology to work from home for at least a couple of days each week.

This flexibility means whenever I receive an alert, if I’m in Cumbria I can be at the rescue team headquarters within 10 minutes.

“I’m humbled to be part of such a dedicated group of volunteers who make up the Langdale Ambleside Mountain Rescue Team and to know that, when things do go wrong, you are there to make a real difference to people’s lives.”

“Mountain Rescue has become an important part of my life and it’s really fulfilling to contribute to the often life-changing work of the team.”

David estimates that he is personally involved in an average of 40 call outs a year - some 200 in all since he joined the team in 2014.

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ENTREPRENEWS

NORTH EAST SOLICITORS CONTINUES TO GROW

The latest news from the North East entrepreneurial community.

Emma Gaudern, EMG Solicitors Leading North East law firm EMG Solicitors is consolidating its rapid expansion with the opening of a second office in Newcastle.

ARDMORE CRAIG SECURE 300TH CONTRACT

Award-winning EMG Solicitors, with its head office based at Abbeywoods Business Park, Durham has taken over the former Carphone Warehouse store at Gosforth High Street for its first base in the city.

Andy Stevenson, Ardmore Craig

Managing Director Emma Gaudern said that opening a Newcastle branch was the next logical step in the firm’s growth plan.

SURGE IN NEW CLIENT WINS SIGNALS EXPANSION PLANS

NORTH EAST BUSINESS COACH ON TRACK FOR RECORD GROWTH Ian Kinnery, Kinnery Leading North East business coach Ian Kinnery is on track for a record year, following 30% year-on-year growth and 50 new client wins.

Stockton-based entrepreneur Ian established the business 15 years ago but experienced substantial growth over the last three years due to a raft of new business and a focus on scaling up.

Ian said, “I’ve spent the past 15 years helping leaders grow their businesses, it’s not often I stop to appreciate just how far my own business has come.

“It has been so rewarding to work with clients across the North East and I feel a deep personal involvement and a huge commitment to the success of their business - which in turn, has helped my own venture go from strength to strength.”

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Jayne Hart, The HR Dept Newcastle

Engineering consultancy firm Ardmore Craig have secured their 300th contract since the company was established in 2010.

Teesside-based IN-SPEC Manufacturing approached the company, located at Lingfield Point, Darlington, with the concept - to design long-lasting fabricated assemblies for the positioning of fenders on the quayside, alongside a bespoke lifting tool that will install the structures.

The project is being undertaken on behalf of one of the UK’s major port groups, PD Ports, as it continues to invest in its port facilities at Teesside.

Naturally delighted to reach this incredible milestone, Ardmore Craig Director, Andy Stevenson, said, “The company’s continuing ability to put clients’ needs first, and work to their individual requirements and timescales, continues to reap rewards - with several of the world’s largest cable lay contractors placing multiple orders over the last 6 months.”

She said, “We have a clear strategy about where we want to go and opening a second office has always been a part of that. We spent a long time thinking about where our second office should be, but we felt a real affinity for Gosforth and that we would fit into the community well.

“It will make it easier to see clients in the north of the region closer to their base and also should open up a range of opportunities to engage with new clients.”

The HR Dept Newcastle, which has seen a surge in companies outsourcing their human resource requirements in the last 12 months, is now targeting North Tyneside for future growth.

2019 has seen Jayne increase her team to four permanent employees and it is on track to double headcount by 2021, including another graduate trainee.

Jayne Hart, Director of HR Dept, said, “We had a very strong start to the year and we are ambitious in our growth plans.

“We are seeing an increased demand for our services from the region’s scale up and growth businesses. We ensure they have the foundations of good legal and practical people practices in place that will complement and support their growth.”

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LANE7 OWNERS LAUNCH FAMILY-FRIENDLY BRAND

#NEENTREPRENEURS

Tim Wilks, Lane7 Lane7 has entered the family bowling and entertainment market with the opening of its new site Gutterball Alley.

The venue, which replaces the former Star Bowl in North Shields, has been fitted with premium décor not previously associated with older bowling venues and boasts a host of entertainment for children and parents to enjoy.

Tim Wilks, owner of Gutterball Alley, said, “We wanted to bring the soul and flavour of Lane7 paired with a family friendly offer.

O GETS THE GREEN LIGHT WITH ENERGY EFFICIENT CLIENTS

“Gutterball Alley is for the parents who dread a trip to lifeless entertainment venues that cater only for kids. Our new venue is a premium family-friendly entertainment destination that has something for everyone to enjoy.

Kari Owers, O Communications Newcastle creative PR agency O Communications is accelerating growth with new client wins in the clean energy sector.

“We’ve invested in the parent’s experience as much as the children. Expect fresh coffee, local craft beer from Flash House Brewing, access to Sky Sports and much more.”

STATUS DIGITAL GROWS TALENTED TECH TEAM WITH EIGHT NEW HIRES Nick Salloway, Status Digital

Low-emission vehicle adoption, EV charging infrastructure and car-sharing are three new contracts won whose communications strategy is to spark positive change in reducing emissions across the UK.

Newcastle based digital agency Status Digital has strengthened its team of business transformation and customer experience experts, with eight new hires across the business, following a period of accelerated growth.

Status Digital now employs 19 talented individuals, including strategists, developers, creatives, service and user experience designers and marketers. The company has plans to recruit four more team members by March 2020, as well as developing its service offering, with plans for a full rebrand early next year.

Managing Director, Nick Salloway, commented, “We are delighted to have the recruits on board. They bring with them a range of skills and experience to complement the expertise of our existing team. Importantly, they are curious and share our vision to continuously innovate, to think outside the box and find solutions that fit our modern and ever-evolving world.”

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Kari Owers, Managing Director at O, said, “Energy efficiency is an important agenda and we are pleased to be able to work with local companies leading the way both on a regional and national basis making a real difference for our future.”

INVESTMENT MARKS FURTHER GROWTH FOR FLOORING COMPANY Dan Foskett, Connection Flooring Fast-growing independent flooring company Connection Flooring has invested over £2.5 million in new fleet and depots and created over 40 new jobs as demand for its products continues to increase across the UK. The North East-based business has spent £1.8 million opening three new depots, in Stirling, Bristol and Torquay, bringing the number of regional hubs it has to 9.

Dan Foskett, Managing Director of Connection Flooring, said, “We’ve opened 16 stores in the last 2 and a half years and have plans to open many more in 2020.

“There’s no doubt that the retail climate is tough, but there is room to grow for businesses that are doing things differently. We’ve been able to achieve success with our stores by bringing new ideas and concepts to traditional retail.”

In addition, 18 new vehicles, including vans and double-decked HGV curtain-side trailers, have been purchased at a cost of £800,000.

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WHEN YOU SAY JUMP Thirteen years ago, when Lucy Batley returned to the UK after living and working in Italy, it wasn’t long until she and business partner Rob Brown started working together, figuring two heads were definitely better than one.

“Being a positive, passionate role model at work is vital to ensure that the team are behind you and supporting your vision.”

As Lucy recalls, “I graduated in the North East before spending five years in London and another five in Milan. I was working as a consultant in Milan and hated my boss!

“When I returned to the UK, I was having trouble with customers asking for a lot of video production and digital insight. Rob was having the opposite problems to me with his small business. Together we made it work by joining forces.”

Offering both creative design and technology services to clients, Lucy and Rob set up JUMP in 2007. Based in Milburn House in the heart of Newcastle, the team of two has grown steadily over the years to a strong group of 18, consisting of designers and developers.

“A few years ago we put together a senior management team which has worked so well day-to-day and this efficiency filters down to the other teams,” Lucy commented, adding, “Our growth is definitely a result of the people we’ve employed; we have 18 excellent staff.”

JUMP’s unique 50/50 split between digital and design services has kept them at the top of the game. This year, the business will celebrate its thirteenth birthday - and at JUMP, there are no plans of slowing down.

Working with high-profile clients such as the NHS, Lucy explains that the future for JUMP is to continue providing the same high-quality and creative work they’ve built their reputation upon.

“We never wanted to be massive - the key thing for us is quality. We need to keep a good reputation by providing excellent services.”

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And away from JUMP’s offices, Lucy is playing a key role in the North East business community as a board member of the The North East Women Leaders Advisory Board of Newcastle University’s Business School, something which Lucy is extremely passionate about.

“The board is all about helping women both in their careers and as business leaders. I am a huge advocate for helping to support women.

I personally think this is achieved by leading a good example and being a role model. I want to show that women can be confident and ambitious.”

For Lucy, who leads a talented team of developers and designers as JUMP’s creative director, the very essence of being a role model, both to her team and to other aspiring female entrepreneurs is essential.

“Being a positive, passionate role model at work is vital to ensure that the team are behind you and supporting your vision. No one wants to work for someone who is negative and grumpy!”

In fact, building a culture within JUMP where creativity and innovation thrives has been instrumental in JUMP’s growth.

Living by the phrase ‘less is more’, Lucy and Rob have created a working environment which is clean and simple - a place where designers can curate inspiration and ideas, and have a little fun too.

“It sounds cliche but we do have fun,” says Lucy, adding, “After all, if you don’t enjoy what you do, what is the point?”

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DELOITTE REVEALS TECHNOLOGY FAST 50 AWARD WINNERS Deloitte recently announced the winners of the 2019 UK Technology Fast 50 awards which recognise and rank the 50 fastest-growing technology companies in the UK, based on the last four years of revenue data.

The TOC Property Backed Lending Trust PLC (PBLT) has continued to grow its portfolio of property backed loans as part of its strategy to support property investment and development projects.

This year’s cohort of winners represent companies at the forefront of the sector, with more than 8,700 employees across the 50 companies, an impressive average growth rate of 3,878% and total revenues in 2019 of over £650m.

Newcastle-based SoPost ranks at number 37 on the list with a 900 per cent revenue growth over the past four years. SoPost, which helps some of the world’s biggest brands run effective product sampling campaigns, appears in the ranking for the second consecutive year.

Founded by Jonathan Grubin in 2012, it not only allows the likes of Mondelez, L’Oreal, Estee Lauder and Coty to get trial products in the right consumers’ hands, it also harnesses data to help brands measure the precise impact of each campaign.

Over the past year, the Newcastle-based business has almost doubled the size of its team to 34 people. It has also expanded its presence in the US, and a seven-strong team now operates from its New York office.

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A NEW ERA FOR TOC PROPERTY BACKED LENDING TRUST

SoPost’s founder, Jonathan Grubin, said, “We’re over the moon to have been ranked as the North East’s fastest growing tech company for the second year running. Our business has been going from strength to strength and recognition like this really prompts us to take a step back and reflect on all the successes we’ve experienced over the past year. Being in Newcastle gives us a real competitive edge, and my hope is that we see many more North East companies ranked in the years to come.”

“The 2019 Deloitte UK Technology Fast 50 highlights the success being achieved within the sector today, with Fintech businesses showing significant growth in particular.

Stephen Hall, Office Senior Partner at Deloitte in the North East, said, “The Deloitte UK Technology Fast 50 is internationally recognised as one of the most important business awards in the industry.

“The 50 fastest growing UK technology companies, as ranked by Deloitte, generated around £650m in total annual revenues in the year 2018/19 and employed more than 8,700 people. The Deloitte UK technology Fast 50 recorded an average three-year growth rate of 3,878 per cent.”

“The Deloitte UK Technology Fast 50 awards are an opportunity for businesses to gain recognition for their innovation and achievements over the last four years and it’s fantastic to see Newcastle-based SoPost ranked.

Since it was launched on the London Stock Exchange almost three years ago the company has grown its portfolio to £27.5m, representing 18 projects, predominately in the North East.

Ian McElroy, Chief Executive of Tier One Capital Ltd (Tier One), the investment adviser to PBLT said, “The company continues to provide high quality, experienced property developers in the regions with an alternative and robust source of funding, which is delivering positive returns to its investors.

The strong focus on supporting developments in the North East demonstrates the confidence in the region, albeit we must remain vigilant to any potential market challenges as the country enters a new political era following the general election.”

During 2019, Tier One continued its strategy of recruiting highly credible, experienced

and respected business professionals, with Richard McEvoy, Andrew Caukwell and Ross Goldie all joining during the year.

monitor their developments as they progress projects in the commercial and residential property markets.

Jess Swindells, Managing Director said, “We are delighted to have welcomed three very experienced individuals into the Tier One direct lending team this year, and all three will play a significant role in continuing the growth of this side of our business. This fits well with our wealth management and investment management teams, being the other two areas of focus for Tier One and builds upon the opportunities presented to us following our acquisition of Carrick Financial Management in the summer.”

Ross said, “Tier One’s direct lending approach provides an innovative solution to supporting property developers and delivering transparent fixed returns to investors. There is considerable potential in the regions, especially the North East, and I am very keen to play a role in facilitating finance to property developers who require a more personal and common-sense approach to lending.”

Experienced business lawyer Andrew Cawkwell has become an independent member of Tier One’s credit committee and Ross Goldie has joined as Portfolio Manager.

Following his appointment, Andrew said, “I’m delighted to be joining the Tier One team and look forward to contributing to their continued success as one of the region’s leading wealth management companies.”

Ross Goldie is responsible for overseeing the progress of a growing collection of property developments supported by Tier One’s direct lending team on behalf of investors. He will work closely with the borrowing teams to

Brendan O’Grady, Fund Manager at Tier One, said, “Ross’ experience and expertise strengthens the capabilities of our team and continues Tier One’s strategy in recruiting highly credible, professional and respected individuals.

“We are delighted to be able to continue strengthening our professional resource and expertise by providing Ross with a role that has encouraged him to return to the region. He is an experienced relationship manager in the banking and financial services sector, following a successful career with RBS Group PLC, UKAR and Zurich Insurance Group plc, and is a key part of the growth plans for our business.”

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BURNING BRIGHT Andy Trafford readily admits that the mentoring he has received through the Entrepreneurs’ Forum has been crucial in helping him take Sunderland-based MacDonald Martin to the next level.

“The company “Being a positive, then passionate reached a point role model where at work is vital something extrato ensure was required that the - and teamproved that are behind to be the you and supporting Entrepreneurs’ Forum yourIan and vision” Kinnery.”

Fire has always played a central role in Andy Trafford’s life and career and was the inspiration that led him to found MacDonald Martin.

Weeks after leaving school in 1980 he joined the Royal Air Force where he trained as a firefighter and has served as far afield as Germany and the Falklands.

“Life in the RAF really does prepare you for all eventualities, often involving life and death situations, and the training I received ensured I was always able to make the right decision,” he said.

On leaving the service, he spent a brief spell as an offshore safety instructor before joining Northumberland Fire & Rescue Service, later transferring to Tyne & Wear Fire and Rescue Service which saw him based in Gateshead and then Sunderland, where he reached the rank of Station Officer.

It was there that he realised that he wanted to set up his own business with wife Jackie, initially providing fire risk assessments.

Eighteen years later and the fire safety expert, which employs 35 people, has grown exponentially, last year achieving a turnover of £2.1 million.

Having conducted over 15,0000 fire risk assessments, it offers a nationwide fire safety protection package, including fire alarms, emergency lighting, extinguishers, suppression systems and dry risers delivered by a team of experienced assessors and engineers.

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It is also a NICEIC accredited electrical contractor, offering electric vehicle charging point installation and maintenance, PAT testing, fixed wire testing and installation of emergency and LED lighting.

The business also provide CCTV, door access and intruder alarm installation and maintenance.

MacDonald Martin has gained an excellent reputation within the housing and construction sector and counts Tolent Construction, Newcastle, Sunderland and Sheffield councils, Luxury Leisure, Gentoo and McCarthy and Stone among its clients.

The business is always seeking to develop new opportunities and is currently expanding its range of services, including the installation of EV charging points, which it has identified as a major area of growth.

It is currently preparing, post-Grenfell, to develop its passive fire protection services - capable of containing or slowing the spread of a fire within a building.

Andy said, “I’m proud to have grown this company to its current position. It’s fair to say this might have taken much longer or may not have happened at all without the support and guidance I’ve received from the various mentoring services provided by the Entrepreneurs’ Forum.”

He joined the Forum in 2016 after it was recommended to him by a former member.

“From day one I loved it and do so to this day. I initially attended several member events, listening to successful businesspeople who kindly allowed me to learn from their hard-earned experiences.

“I find the best thing about Ian is that he is not just about handing out advice but is prepared to listen. He learns about you and your business and the barriers preventing you from achieving your objectives.

“I was always amazed to find that these people, some of whom headed multimillion-pound businesses, had made some of the same mistakes that I had - but were not afraid to admit it!”

“He provides a valuable outside perspective and while he does produce some fantastic ideas, he helps you to focus on the problem so that you can produce your own solution.

As well taking up the offer of free mentoring sessions, he has also benefitted from the guidance of professional business coach Ian Kinnery, one of just four Gazelles International Coaches in the UK.

“MacDonald Martin reached a certain size almost by default. None of us are businesspeople or come from a business background and we only got as far as we did through sheer common sense.

He recalls, “I met Ian at one of the Forum’s events and worked closely with him for 15 months and am about to re-engage with him for a further three-months.

“The company then reached a point where something extra was required - and that proved to be the Entrepreneurs’ Forum and Ian Kinnery.

“My whole career has been based on the principles of training and risk assessment, which makes obvious sense when it comes to fire.

“But I’ve come to realise this also applies to business. Mentoring has provided me with expert but impartial advice, encouraged me to overcome problems and most of all allowed me to achieve my business goals.”

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AGILE DOESN’T HAVE TO BE AGONISING WAY WITH WORDS Inspired by his obvious passion and enthusiasm for his work, Sarah O’Mahoney followed her father Daniel into the world of PR, joining the family company - Bradley O’Mahoney Public Relations - in 2009.

Beginning as an administrative assistant, Sarah worked her way to the top, becoming a director in 2019. Reflecting on the ten years she’s worked at Bradley O’Mahoney, there’s been successes and challenges as with any business, but Sarah admits her own personal journey is her proudest achievement.

“As the saying goes, our networks are our net worth.”

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“I felt quite out of my depth when I first joined the company 10 years ago but always had a clear focus to never give in.

“I had to fight to prove I belonged and there was certainly no preferential treatment, quite the opposite, and I believe this has made me the individual I am today, both in and outside of business.”

Sarah, who is becoming a familiar face at networking events across the region, ensures the strong reputation and founding values of the company are still at the fore.

“After 30 years operating in the sector, we are more than familiar with the many and varied ways in which PR can have an impact, from assisting companies when they are making redundancies (mitigating bad news) through to developing complex stakeholder engagement programmes.

“The fact remains that the single most important reason we exist - and why the vast majority of clients call upon our services - is to give them a greater share of voice in the market… to make them famous! We create fame for our clients by delivering authentic, enduring brands built on storytelling.”

Sarah explains that the growth has been organic and can be accredited to the business networks in the region - such as the Forum - and even networking groups in Boston, USA which has enabled Sarah to develop a rich peer network.

“As the saying goes, our networks are our net worth. We are members of a number of interesting networks which allows us to rub shoulders with inspiring people from all corners of the business world.”

As Bradley O’Mahoney continues to grow, Sarah is optimistic about the future, acknowledging that while the business world has its “frustrations and knocks”, a positive outlook and a passion for PR has contributed to her personal success.

“We all have to deal with disappointments.

I have faced many and despite the outcomes I will always bounce back. I take positive energy from failures and setbacks and that enables me to come back stronger. Working in business you have to be resilient and develop a thick skin.”

Attitudes to work are shifting at pace. Millennials are demanding and driving changes to working patterns and a four-day working week could soon be the norm. The CIPD, the Chartered Institute that represents HR and people development professionals, called flexible working a ‘Megatrend’ in its 2019 report on the subject.

According to Paul Scope, Joint Head of the Newcastle Employment Team at Ward Hadaway, organisations ignore the changing trends in working practices at their peril.

Paul said, “In the past decade we have seen a huge shift in the expectations of employees, driven initially by millennials entering the workplace and demanding change and then by technology that allows everyone to think flexibly. Today, if you want to attract and retain the very best talent, you need to offer appealing and flexible working terms that meet the needs of your workforce, not the other way around.”

The modern workforce is demanding more work/life balance and that doesn’t include being tied to a desk 9am-5pm, five days week, in a fixed location. Figures from a 2017 Labour Force survey, revealed as many as 63.9% of employees have some form of working arrangement with their employer.

And innovations in cloud based technology and advancing IT are facilitating these changes.

Working anywhere with an internet connection, whether home, at a client site or while commuting, allows employees to be more productive. Not to mention the fact that employee well-being improvements will bring about a better quality of work, with your workforce being in the best possible frame of mind.

But the challenges are manageable, according to Paul, “The onus is on managers to set boundaries and know what colleagues are delivering, work wise. Regular, open communication is key to success. If you balance flexibility with accountability, set clear objectives and then capture evidence of delivery, the rewards can be huge.”

You may need to invest in the right technology solutions to make things work seamlessly and ensure your data and intellectual property is well protected. But once those IT investments have been made, employees can access everything they require and perform all of their work-related tasks from anywhere, at any time, and on any device.

It’s also about setting boundaries and expectations that are bespoke to your business. For example, within the professional services community, once you have a certain level of experience you can work with very little supervision, so 100% agile working is possible. However, more junior members of the team will require additional support from those senior team members, so a combination of face to face and agile practice will work better.

Of course, there are challenges. Remote working can undermine the team ethic and if your colleagues aren’t together every day, those subtle cues picked up face to face can be lost. Often, as you introduce an agile policy, there might also be an inherent suspicion; what are employees doing when you can’t physically see them?

Paul concludes, “Businesses are adapting and providing their employees with agile working opportunities right now. If you don’t offer them, your competitor will, and that helps them attract the best and brightest talent around and gives them the competitive edge. Don’t get left behind.”

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CLASS OF 2020

Diamond Group now has an enormous server farm, with the latest technologies which ensure resilience and security, and allows companies to access their systems remotely. They simply rent a certain amount of space on the server and therefore avoid any security and upgrading issues. If the company needs additional storage capacity, simply contact Diamond Group and rent some more space on their server.

“It doesn’t matter whether you have a small PC at home or a sizeable mainframe computer at work, they all need updating on a regular basis in terms of user software and security,” added John. “We take care of all of that with the server in our data centre which allows companies to always have top computing power.”

The Entrepreneurs’ Forum has unveiled the fourth cohort of its dedicated scale-up programme, the Scale-up Leader’s Academy.

Launched in 2017, the Scale-up Leader’s Academy supports ambitious business owners with their growth journey, helping them to build an actionable ‘One Page Strategic Plan’ to achieve their goals.

As in previous years, the entrepreneurs on the programme hail from a variety of sectors, and include Samantha Read of APM Cleaning, Lee Quarzi of Lumo.Tax, Michael Beaton of DRS, Ben Tansey of Re:Heat, Sally Marshall of the Marshall Robertson Group and Nick Salloway of Status Digital.

They are joined by Kim Binks of Apricity, Richie Gledson of Sky High Sports, Martin Wakefield of Wakefields, Keian Sanchez of A Greener Solution, Alisdair Beveridge of The Build Directory and Dan Parker of Aspect Facades.

Since its launch, the Academy has supported almost 30 entrepreneurs across the North East to focus on achieving sustainable high growth by creating a blueprint for future business success.

The second cohort of businesses, which were the subject of research conducted

by Newcastle University, reported a 140% rise in operating profit, with an average increase in turnover of 13.2% and a rise of 8.6% in employment. A quarter of scaleups participating in the programme also

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increased their level of export sales over the past 12 months.

Among them was Steven Rawlingson, founder of recruitment business Samuel Knight International. Headquartered in Newcastle, the firm has scaled into a £13m-turnover, 70-employee enterprise with offices in Bristol, London and Chicago.

Commenting on the impact of the Academy on his business, Steven said: “The Scale-up Leader’s Academy allowed me to reassess and learn how to keep the four key plates of my business - people, strategy, execution, cash - spinning in the right way.

“Every day I was practising what I was learning on the course. The Academy really changed my mindset and helped me get the business back in line. I learned to think like a CEO.” Jonathan Lamb, Chief Executive of the Entrepreneurs’ Forum, said: “The Scale-up Leader’s Academy is delivering a toolkit of invaluable knowledge to business owners that allows them to prepare for rapid and sustained business growth.

“For each cohort, we refine the programme to reflect our members feedback and to address the key challenges faced by scaleups in our region such as access to talent and leadership development.

“On completion of the Academy, our members are fully equipped with everything they need to grow sustainable companies with the ongoing support of their senior leadership teams.”

With access to talent and markets being the principal barriers for North East scaleups, the Scale-up Leader’s Academy has addressed this in its programme through targeted workshops, resulting in it being named ‘One to Watch’ by the Scaleup Institute in its 2019 Scaleup Review.

The review also revealed the number of high-growth businesses in the North East has surpassed the 1,000 mark.

Jonathan continued: “Taking into consideration the recent reports and statistics on scale-ups in the North East, then 2020 promises to be an incredible year for businesses in the region.

“We’re delighted to welcome the latest cohort to our Scale-up Leader’s Academy and are confident this cohort boasts many of the most promising scale-ups in the North East.”

Diamond Group was originally based in Boldon, but they were bursting at the seams, so John moved the company to Team Valley.

THIS DIAMOND IS A REAL GEM Undoubtedly, your business functions on a mixture of staff, computers, printers and copiers. But when one of these components ceases to function properly, it can bring your whole operation to a standstill.

Diamond’s team of knowledgeable and experienced staff have the expertise to answer any technology problems you may have, which is why they are fast becoming the North East’s go-to-guys in the industry.

Managing Director John Burns started life supplying and servicing photocopiers, but it soon became obvious to him that a more integrated approach to business systems was needed in order to help ensure that companies receive long-term value.

A walk around the building reveals a vast range of photocopiers new and used, which are available to buy or rent. There is also a huge, industrial Ricoh production printer which can print posters, brochures and even allows the provision of watermarks or neon colours which only show-up under infra-red lighting.

“As the years ticked by, I was rolling-up at companies to sort out their photocopier only to find more and more frequently that the machine was absolutely fine but it was something else on the network that was either playing-up or broken,” said John.

“I founded Diamond Group in 1992 purely as a business to service photocopiers but via various acquisitions and spotting some gaps in the market, the company has now grown to include IT support, Telecoms, server provision, furniture and people services. We even have a facility to help companies of all shapes and sizes to finance any purchases or service plans.”

One of his latest ventures is to enable businesses to work smarter, access their data wherever they are and avoid the expense of having to install their own server.

Elsewhere in the building there’s the now integrated IT and Telecoms (ICT) services team, who are experts at pinpointing problems and, crucially, how to solve them. They have a large range of clients who can all have their computer systems and machines monitored remotely. Put it this way, Diamond Group will frequently discover a problem before you do.

Diamond Group have recently added Furniture and People Services to their business solutions, offering a wide range of products to suit any budget, while their People Services offering supports business leaders through transformation and growth by helping them to understand their short, medium and long-term priorities and challenges.

Having made significant investments in its technology, 2020 is looking to be a sparkling year for Diamond Group and John advises anyone interested in their services to get in touch at sales@diamond-group.net

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FACE OF THE FRANCHISE It turns out being dumped by his then girlfriend was the best thing to ever happen to the young Mike Racz.

Heartbroken and determined to find solace through adventure, he left his native Hungary behind and travelled to the UK to search for fresh opportunities.

Fresh out of university, he was focused on mastering the language, earning money and sampling the delights of British culture.

With reality failing to live up to initial expectations, Mike found himself inspecting glass TV screens in a factory in deepest South Wales.

Today he heads up multiple businesses under the banner of North East-based Racz Group Ltd. With a turnover of £33m, it embraces 57 outlets and employs 1,000 people.

The story of his entrepreneurial journey - from TV factory hand to masterminding a business empire from its Wynyard Business Park headquarters - involves a second twist of fate, this time involving pizza!

“For me the key thing is curiosity, always questioning and always wanting to improve.”

He left the TV factory and started working at a Domino’s Pizza in Pontypridd where he suddenly realised a passion for the business.

“Being a successful entrepreneur is all about what excites you and everything about Domino’s really excited me. I loved making pizza, serving customers, even cleaning the shop.”

There he learned all he could about franchising from the owner and quickly worked his way up to become manager and then area manager.

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“To really achieve, you must put in 100% effort which in turn requires you to believe in the product and to enjoy what you do.

Mike is currently hard at work on a major project to double the size of his existing business portfolio within the next two years.

“I made up my mind this was it and that I wanted to run my own Domino’s franchise.

I looked at a map and realised there were only a few outlets in the North East, so that’s where I headed.”

And if that’s not enough, he has even been inspired by his regular trips for a haircut and is examining the possibility of launching his own barber’s shop franchise.

Opening his first franchise in 2006 in Hartlepool, less than two years after arriving in the country, he currently owns 28 Domino’s franchises, 15 Costa Coffee shops, 13 Anytime Fitness gym franchises, the Black Olive Champagne Bar on Hartlepool Marina as well as being an investor in digital firm Viral Effect.

“I receive a great deal of satisfaction in finding the right talent, providing people with the correct opportunities and then watching them develop. It’s a very rewarding aspect of the franchise system.”

However, Mike is a serial entrepreneur and his success is not simply founded on twists of fate, but an eye for an opportunity and the necessary drive to constantly push past his own personal limits.

“It is not difficult, there is always a new challenge, I’m always pushing self-inflicted limits and it is only by doing this that you realise you can do anything.

“For me the key thing is curiosity, always questioning and always wanting to improve.

This grows confidence in your own abilities and you soon realise that the possibilities are endless.

“I have had a number of businesses that have failed - but I don’t count them as failures, as the experience and lessons learned only made my other businesses stronger. It’s only failure if you fail to learn from mistakes.

“I’m still as inspired and motivated as I’ve always have been. There’s no problem there and I still love my Domino’s franchise, I don’t think I will ever be able to sell.”

He’s also due to launch his ‘Man Cave’ project, inspired by the frustrating experience of trying to fit out his own den at home.

“I wanted to create a man cave and fill it with items such as roulette, craps and blackjack tables. They either weren’t available in this country or were extortionately expensive.

“I realised there is a ready-made market and have sourced suitable man cave items at much more reasonable prices and plan to launch this web-based business shortly.”

Mike has displayed such typical entrepreneurial spirit from an early age, starting out selling stickers at school before starting his first business at 13, selling fake designer t-shirts. He eventually progressed to selling insurance and even homes.

“Coming from Hungary to this great country gave me the ignition to succeed. I had the desire to be successful, but the catalyst was certainly the ample opportunities in the UK. I believe some are blind to these, I truly hope one day I can inspire some people to step out of their comfort zone more, take risks and have the self-belief that they can succeed!

“I would just urge everyone to pursue and discover their full potential and see where it takes them.”

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YOUR BUSINESS AND FINDING OTHER PEOPLE’S CASH

By Jonathan Gold, Rivers Capital Partners

Rivers Capital Partners are specialists in growth stage investments, helping to source capital up to £10m or more for businesses with a focus on the North of England. Co-founder and Managing Director, Jonathan Gold, is a specialist in seed and growth investment with a background in technology development and licencing. Here he shares his top tips for securing investment for your business.

Back in 2015 I wrote an article which started out saying “investing is a balance of risk and reward”. Just now with all the political, economic risks and turmoil we keep hearing about, it’s tempting to think investors are not taking risks and not investing. Not true, you just need to know where to look.

1. FUND MANAGERS The North East and Tees Valley have access to UK Government created and EU backed funds managed by a range of Fund Managers. If you don’t know the Managers, search on Google for the “North East Funds” and “Northern PowerHouse Investment Funds”. These are available for loans for businesses from about £50,000 and equity up to around £1m. These funds are a valuable resource for start-ups and growing businesses alike. They are no soft touch, so as ever prepare your business plan and investment proposition with care, take advice and go for it.

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2. ANGEL INVESTORS

3. CROWDFUNDING

5. PRIVATE INVESTMENT

Sadly, the North East still has some of the lowest level of private angel investment in the UK. There are syndicates out there if you are raising up to around £1m and they can come alongside the other funds mentioned above.

Crowdfunding is becoming an increasingly popular option for businesses, particularly B2C businesses, to raise investment.

However, these are not a soft option and most crowdfunding platforms won’t even let you on unless you have already raised or can show at least 30% of the cash is already in place. They do however work for the right business. Banks will still lend too, just be prepared for the conditions they attach and their attitude to risk.

Finally, there’s private investment something which is really going to gain momentum in the new year, especially with the launch of Regional Ltd. Created by Justin Urquhart Stewart and a number of others, including myself, the private investor platform help meet the £1m to £10m market at an affordable cost. The ambition is to be a UK wide platform but Regional will start in the North East first. It will provide investors, angels and funds; a way to invest that will allow them to buy and sell their shares post transaction.

If you are looking for investment of more than £2m but less than £10m the options narrow. However larger syndicates, family offices, specialist venture funds and VCTs do exist but most operate out of London. The trick is to avoid spending too much on advisors on deals, which by City standards are still small. It’s competitive and preparation is perhaps even more crucial than at startup stage.

Also please remember it takes at least 6 to 9 months to raise this sort of cash, although it can be done faster, a lot depends on how ready you are for the investor questions, have your finances and business governance sorted.

4. STOCK MARKETS It’s important not to forget about the stock markets, public capital raising and of course AIM (Alternative Investment Market). The only problem with each is cost and the entry criteria though, to make it worth the cost, AIM is only worth considering if you are hoping to raise more than £10m! It’s also worth noting that of the 5,456 private UK scale-ups out there, only 249 are on AIM.

www.riverscap.com

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FAIRLEY AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY A journalist, magazine editor, author, and entrepreneur, we’re convinced there’s nothing Jo Fairley can’t do.

In 1991, with her husband Craig, Jo founded the uber cool and ethically responsible company Green & Black’s in their flat on the Portobello Road. The business, as Jo explains, was launched after Jo discovered two squares of dark chocolate in Craig’s office.

“I teased him about it as Whole Earth Foods - the company which Craig launched in 1967 - was founded on the principles of ‘No Added Sugar’.

“I quickly ate the two squares and realised it was the most delicious, dark, naughty chocolate I’d ever eaten and feeling all the better about it when I learned it was the world’s first organic chocolate.”

As the organic market was still in its infancy, Jo, realising that she has discovered a gap in the market, decided that she would make organic dark chocolate accessible to all.

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“We wanted something that sounded like it had a glorious confectionary heritage, a brand like Barker & Dobson, Charbonnel & Walker or Fortnum & Mason.

“We were ‘Green’ because we were organic and ‘Black’ because we had the darkest chocolate on the market. Putting ‘and’ in the middle somehow made us sound instantly like we’d been around since 1876!

“Green & Black’s pushed all the right buttons and the minute I said it, we just knew we had it.”

Green & Black’s made its debut in 1991. As Jo reflects on the early days of the company, it’s clear that the rapid and organic growth of Green & Black’s represented a steep learning curve for Jo and Craig.

“It was completely unknown territory for me.

I was a journalist; I was used to writing about other people doing exciting things, never imagining I’d have my own exciting venture.

“We were surprised by how fast we were growing in the first couple of years but a real awareness breakthrough for us was when we launched Maya Gold, using cacao from farmers in Central America which was the first-ever product in the UK to carry the Fairtrade Mark.

“But when I was 16, I bought a postcard in Carnaby Street of a man on a diving board which said ‘If you don’t do it, you’ll never know what would have happened if you had done it’. So I dived in.”

“Because of the longstanding close links between the church and the third world, which we hadn’t really considered, Maya Gold’s launch got a huge boost from unexpected corners.

After deciding on the product - a low-sugar and high-cocoa chocolate - the couple started brainstorming a name which would embody Jo’s obsession for chocolate and the couple’s passion for ethically sourced ingredients.

“Imagine 20,000 young methodists doing a ‘run for Fairtrade’, carrying flaming torches through the streets and button-holing supermarket managers to lobby them to stock Maya Gold!”

Twenty-four years since the launch of Maya Gold, the orange-and-spice flavoured chocolate is still having a tremendous impact on the communities Green & Black’s work with.

“Until we began trading with the Maya, there was no secondary education for children from the cocoa-growing villages. Today, 80% of Maya school children go on to attend secondary school, while some of the eldest have moved onto university.”

With a reputation for quality, combined with its deeply-rooted ethical values, it wasn’t long until Green & Black’s caught the attention of celebrity chefs such as Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall of River Cottage, Jamie Oliver and Della Smith who became strong ambassadors for the brand.

Soon, Green & Black’s products became a regular feature in publications and Sunday supplements with their 70% dark chocolate becoming a benchmark of quality.

With a philosophy that “tasting is believing”, Jo explains that sampling became key to their brand-building strategy and to the overall success of Green & Black’s.

“We bought a fantastic old Citroen van which has made the rounds of cities across the UK, allowing customers to sample Green & Black’s chocolate.

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IDENTIFYING AND NURTURING WOMEN LEADERS A participant who completed the programme in 2019 said, “I greatly enjoyed the two speakers on day one, this was a good introduction to the course and learning about other people’s career journeys. This gave me more confidence in my own path - it can be varied and take different turns and that’s ok.”

“Green & Black’s pushed all the right buttons and the minute I said it, we just knew we had it.”

“Sampling meant that people could experience the quality of our product before buying it which has been so vital to the success. We’ve given away so much chocolate over the years that we sometimes joke that the first bar is free!”

While Jo acknowledges that the Green & Black’s journey “sounds like a fairy story”, there have equally been “moments of Gothic horror” along the way, from difficult buyer meetings to manufacturing mishaps.

“My most stressful sales call was to a buyer who, in our very first appointment, leaned back in his chair and said ‘Why should I eat your chocolate? Tastes horrible, doesn’t it?’.

“I had to resist the temptation to burst into tears or flee from the room. I reached into my handbag and brought out a laminated magazine cutting from Good Housekeeping which had voted us the most delicious chocolate in the UK. “In a different meeting with the same buyer, I thought I’d take a cocoa pod to show him but something hideous happened as I got it out of my bag. The sellotape came loose and I watched in horror as a shrapnel of cocoa beans hit the buyer.

“On that occasion, I really needed the 100g bar of milk chocolate that I ate in the car - the only time I have ever allowed myself to eat an entire Green & Black’s bar in one sitting!”

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Northumbria University programme facilitators provide local and global expertise and experiences from a range of sectors and disciplines, from coaching and mentoring to finance and governance and organisational reputation. Local business leaders provide live case studies and lead discussions and debates on relevant female leadership issues.

In 2005, after growing Green & Black’s into a multi-million-pound brand, Jo and Craig sold their business to Cadbury’s, choosing instead to focus on new ventures.

Jo, who owns The Perfume Society, Judges Bakery and The Wellington Centre, still remains a ‘Chocolate Ambassador’ for Green & Black’s, a role which allows her to travel the world, sharing the story of Green & Black’s, while still being involved with the overall brand.

“We are incredibly proud that we’ve been able to influence Mondelēz (Cadbury’s parent company), showing them that good really is good for business, and the knock-on effect Green & Black’s has had on the rest of the cocoa industry.”

By this, Jo refers to Mondelēz’s £400 investment programme - Cocoa Life - which provides growing opportunities for West African cocoa farmers and their families, as well as Cadbury’s ongoing commitment to Fairtrade.

“If you’d told me on day one that I would sell my company to Cadbury’s, I might well have been too paralysed to take that first bold step into business.

“But we really have helped to change the world through Green & Black’s - one square of chocolate at a time.”

A successful professional development programme run by Newcastle Business School at Northumbria University is supporting the growing numbers of women in leadership roles in the North East.

Launched in 2019, The Northern Women in Leadership Programme is a unique 4-day development programme run over four months. The Programme is designed for women in leadership roles at all levels, including those who aspire to more senior levels of management, entrepreneurs and business owners, and women seeking to refresh skills and knowledge to enhance their professional influence.

The Programme addresses how female leaders in business can advance their career in times of change, maximise business objectives, and manage the demands of modern leadership and strategy.

In each session, delegates gain an enhanced understanding of their own capabilities, develop new skills and knowledge, increase networking, and develop objectives and plans for their leadership roles. The approach blends practitioner experience with the wider evidence-base, to encourage debate, problem-solving, and action learning. As well as benefiting individuals, the outcomes from this course are directly transferable into organisations.

Speaking about the aims and content of the Programme, Executive Coach and Programme leader for Northern Women in Leadership 2020, Angelique du Toit, says, “the overall objective of the programme is for participants to develop self-awareness and clarity of direction in relation to their own leadership development”.

Sessions explore approaches to defining effective working relationships, being ethical and adhering to corporate governance and strategic direction in all areas of the business.

Angelique discusses this further, “whilst many of us would prefer to shy away from the use of political strategies and power at work, it is important to recognise their existence, how to engage and to be confident with them.”

Other aspects of the programme will cover areas such as understanding how organisational reputation, branding and policies are pivotal in attracting future employees, and the power of networking in taking your career to the next level.

For more information about the 2020 programme which starts on Thursday 5th March, please visit www.northumbria.ac.uk/womenleaders

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ANNOUNCING OUR LATEST EXCHANGE MEMBERS

PROUD TO BE PARTNERED BY:

Funky Chunky Furniture, Park Commercial and RACZ Group are the latest businesses to become exchange members of the Entrepreneurs’ Forum, joining EMG Solicitors, NBS, Parkdean Resorts, Ryder Architecture, Ryecroft Glenton and Square One Law as existing members.

Funky Chunky Furniture create handmade chunky wood furniture and shelves from their workshop in Jarrow with an emphasis on creating furniture for real life. Their products are sold online to customers across the UK and Europe.

Park Commercial provide professional and impartial insurance advice to commercial and corporate businesses across the UK. They put clients first, build longterm relationships and develop tailored insurance programmes to ensure their client’s businesses are protected.

RACZ Group are an ever-expanding group of franchises consisting of Domino’s Pizza, Costa Coffee, Anytime Fitness and The Black Olive, with over 1,000 employees spread across the North East.

The Forum’s exchange programme enables the senior teams of companies to develop their knowledge in a wide variety of subjects to ensure they maintain their entrepreneurial advantage.

It supports the development of chief executives and business leaders, allowing companies to expose their senior management to new ideas that will help to drive growth and change and create opportunity.

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Jonathan Lamb, Chief Executive of the Entrepreneurs’ Forum, said, “Creating an environment where business leaders and entrepreneurs can collaborate and exchange knowledge is key to what we do at the Forum. Our exchange programme offers the opportunity to learn from leading industry experts in a wide range of subjects related to business growth.

“We’re delighted that Funky Chunky Furniture, Park Commercial and RACZ Group have joined as members and look forward to welcoming their teams at our upcoming events.”

Kevin Johnston, Managing Director of Funky Chunky Furniture, said, “Continual professional development and learning are at the heart of our business. From the apprenticeships that many of our team have undertaken, to ongoing training knowledge-sharing.

“The Entrepreneurs’ Forum has provided me with a network to like-minded business people, allowed me to widen my knowledge and has supported our business’ growth. To be able to open up these opportunities to the wider team, to benefit both their careers and the business is fantastic.”

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David Park, Managing Director of Park Commercial, said, “With growth comes the need for learning and development, not just for me but also the team here at Park. As we’ve grown we’ve found that the team have a need to develop their own entrepreneurial thinking and skills. Being part of the exchange programme gives us a great another opportunity for this to happen.

“Positivity is key and whilst attending the Entrepreneurs’ Forum’s functions I’ve always sensed the positive outlook in the room. This is something that I know will benefit my team during 2020 and beyond.”

Mike Racz, Owner of RACZ Group, said, “The opportunities and talent opened up by the Entrepreneurs’ Forum are invaluable. The network has brought a fresh knowledge to our expansion plans and we are looking forward to sharing the support with our franchisee groups.”

0191 500 7780 info@entrepreneursforum.net entrepreneursforum.net

#NEentrepreneurs

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