Q4 2020 Also in this issue: Accountants That Care Lexarox Accounts The story of British heritage brand ELLE and CEO Anja Kahn
Best Online Workforce Development Training Provider 2020 APeducation Online is a UK-based skills development institute and consultancy that provides training, assessment, and credentials in professional development, vocational training, and higher education qualifications. The firm provides a high-quality learning environment to a diverse range of individuals and organisations. In order to learn more about its superiority within the industry as an online workforce development training provider, we profile the firm. Abhinav Mujoo (pictured) “People are and always will be our greatest asset. The success of our organisation is the direct result of our valued team. Their dedication and commitment have played a vital role in the success of our company” E M S n e w s
Q4 2020 | 3 Contents A note from the Editor... Welcome to the Q4 issue of SME News Magazine, providing you with all of the latest news, announcements and features about up-and-coming enterprises across the UK. This year has certainly tested the capabilities of business across the UK, from all sectors, regardless of their size. Whilst there have been challenging times which have unfortunately resulted in businesses shutting their doors for good, there has also been countless moments where companies have excelled all expectations. This bumper issue, we celebrate a diverse group of businesses who have had remarkable success in recent times, as well as showcasing how they have overcome the obstacles this year has created. For example, we take a closer look at APeducation Online which is a UK-based skills development institute and consultancy proving training, assessment, and credentials in professional development, vocational training, and higher education qualifications. The recent pandemic has created new trends in the way we work, and APeducation Online have identified and addressed these trends in meaningful ways. This is just a sample of what features in this bumper edition. But, for now, I hope you have a safe yet wonderful Christmas. See you next time in our Q1 edition in 2021! Jessica Daykin | Editor +44 (0) 20 3970 0037 [email protected] 4. The story of British heritage brand ELLE and CEO Anja Kahn 8. Best Online Workforce Development Training Provider 2020 10. Changing The World Of Work 12. Experts in Customer Service 13. Best Marketing Consultancy of the Year Award 14. Raising The Bar 16. Decades of Experience 17. Finding The Perfect Solution 18. Sound The Alarm 20. Slice of Success 21. Ignite The Spark 22. Focusing On The Individual 23. Delivering an Innovative & Insightful Approach 24. Great Gas Engineers Secure Success 25. Delivering an Innovative & Insightful Approach 26. Safety First! 28. Building Sustainable Change 29. Painting Perfection 30. Making A Difference 32. Burning Bright 33. Executive Coach Secures Success 34. Experts in Acceleration 35. Experts In Flexible Working 36. Animating Solutions Through Visual Problem Solving 37. Perfect Match 38. Building Partnerships 39. Innovation Leads to Online Success 40. Transforming Care 41. Innovation Inspiration 42. Engineering Excellence 43. Fantastic Financial Services From Focused Firm 44. Rapid Rise To Success 45. The B.I.G.ger Picture 46. Accountants That Care 48. Hair That Empowers 49. Not So Black and White 50. Winners’ Listings
4 | Q4 2020 Dec21271 The story of British heritage brand ELLE and CEO Anja Kahn The Covid-19 response by ELLE UK Ltd is truly an exceptional achievement. Like many manufacturers during the pandemic, ELLE switched production from hosiery to PPE, however they did it in their own unique style; firstly, not wanting to exploit the crisis for commercial gain, the company manufactured face masks on a not-for-profit basis, and secondly, the ELLE team did what they do best, they researched and innovated to bring about a PPE range which was effective in its purpose of protecting against Covid-19, launching a face mask with the capability to deactivate and destroy SAR-COV-02 (Covid-19 virus) within minutes of it landing on the surface. The dedication to innovation, and the experience and ability to quickly bring about the best solution for a problem is the basis for ELLE winning the Northern Enterprise Award for ‘Best UK Covid-19 Face Coverings Manufacturer’. ELLE’s technology and innovation, with a strong focus on eco and environmentally friendly & sustainable manufacture, has been at the cutting edge of smart textiles for many years with products in a range of brands including ELLE, Atom Compression Wear, Ms Shape (ELLE’s US and global sister brand), and the newly launched 2P1E anti-viral brand. Products across the brands include medical grade hosiery, performance compression, anti-viral PPE, antiviral linens, and soft furnishings as well as the core offering of high-end luxury tights, leggings, and stockings in an all-inclusive range of sizes from 6 – 36, every size manufactured to fit perfectly irrespective of shape or size. That’s a big ask of a hosiery company, so we went to speak to the innovator behind it all, CEO Anja Kahn, to give us an insight into the workings of the organization. Based in Cheshire, the ELLE brand went from almost a century of producing luxury hosiery to producing milk fibre medical grade compression socks, and then to producing Covid-killing face masks and now to anti-viral hospitality linens and soft furnishings under the new brand. ELLE is a recognized household hosiery brand, synonymous with quality, design, and a very
Q4 2020 | 5 The story of British heritage brand ELLE and CEO Anja Kahn loyal customer base appreciative of ELLE meeting their needs. What is also interesting is the innovation the company is becoming fast recognized for, with the design and manufacture of products targeted at a range of sectors, products which look good, and do good. In 1845 ELLE’s founder William Wileman’s grandfather Richard Wileman, claimed to be ‘the oldest hosiery manufacturer in the kingdom’ and that tradition of being the first has been carried strongly by those who have overseen the brand over the last 100 years, and current CEO Anja Kahn has added science and technology to the brand’s vision. Anja has become globally recognized in the industry for innovation with fibres, specialist knitting techniques and the treatment of articles with a concoction of organic solutions to realize products which have benefits for the wearer beyond the esthetics, and her ‘firsts’ are quite impressive. She was the first to bring to the market a revolution in graduated compression socks, at medical grade levels and made from milk, yes that’s right, fibres extruded from excess drinking milk, resulting in a patent pending compression sock with a massage sole mapped to the pressure points of the foot. The socks are soft, easy to put on and take off, and the 22 mmHg of graduated compression can boost circulation by approximately 40%. ‘The milk fibre has many inherent properties which are great for the wearer’ says Anja, ‘it’s naturally antimicrobial, it’s moisturising, cooling and moisture wicking, the PH is similar to our skin’s PH so there is very little scope for irritation, and its biodegradable.’ It took the team two years of research and testing to develop the socks. Deep Vein Thrombosis education specialist Mr. Paul Moore, who 20 years ago was part of the team at Saphena in the development of graduated compression socks to be used by the NHS, said of Anja Kahn’s development, ‘On analyzing Anja Kahn’s product range, even with my decades long experience of this specialist field, I was totally blown away by the concept, the product, the presentation and most importantly how you could make a compression garment from milk fibre. This was one of the most innovative products I had seen so far in my quest to find the perfect compression garment. The product Anja developed made all the problem areas of compression garments seem to go away in one product. They were Anti-Fungal, AntiMicrobial, soft to touch, a natural product and all made from WASTE MILK! How green and environmentally friendly!’ This strive for form and function using technology has been something Anja has made a signature for new product development. The company’s compression wear brand, ATOM, with the innovative and vibrant Retrain & Rejuvenate shape wear, has gold nano particles with moisturising infusions designed to help retrain body shape and smooth skin texture, looking and feeling good for everyday living while helping the body heal during rehabilitation. Anja attributes ELLE UK’s continued success by not remaining complacent and investing in research and innovation, ‘When many a British hosiery manufacturer has gone by the wayside over the 30 years I have been in this industry, we have managed to survive and expand due to our dedication to quality manufacture, with an ethos of sustainability and environmentally conscious manufacturing, where possible organic raw material sourcing, and the commitment to not just be focused on aesthetics but to seek new innovations to create ‘smart apparel’; our Covid-19 response is testimony of the unique specialist nature of our manufacturing capability. However, our “It’s been the most touching experience of my career, and I personally felt the warmth of the British people coming together to support their communities at the local level as they shared their Covid story with us.’” ...our innovation doesn’t stop at manufacture, it’s embedded into the culture of the company and you’ll see it in every aspect of our work...
6 | Q4 2020 Anja Kahn looks back on the development, ‘for me it’s imperative to not produce run of the mill products, and my background in manufacturing innovation means that we analyze every new concept and ensure it’s the best it can be for the end user. The team were amazing, job roles became fluid, and it was all hands-on deck; and again innovation didn’t stop in the product manufacture, we had to think outside the box on how to keep the logistics moving when the world was in lockdown and courier networks had impossible bottlenecks. After the first week or two of courier hiccups the operations & logistics team secured distribution such that on average 99% of orders were being delivered next day, enabling customers to receive their masks when they needed them’. ELLE took the drive to help the community to heart and setup customer service support for those facing difficulties with the way everything had moved to online shopping, and Anja didn’t stay in the background ‘as our phone number was on the website, we were getting large volume of calls, so I joined the front-end customer service team and took many calls – although my chatting to consumers on average 30 - 40 minutes per call meant I wasn’t the most productive member of the team! But it was a humbling experience to speak with people who were under lockdown, worried, facing overwhelming challenges for routine life. We had many say they were buying for relatives who didn’t or couldn’t shop online, so we decided to reach out with adverts in the national papers, not something we’d done for almost two decades! On the first advert going live, our lines did not stop ringing from 7am to 10pm, we were routing calls to staff in their homes, even those who were not in the customer services team, and over the run of that first long weekend, our youngest caller was 72, and the oldest a lively, cheeky, 94 year old! The common theme in the calls was how grateful people were that we’d run the ads as they had struggled to get effective face masks. It’s been the most touching experience of my career, and I personally felt the warmth of the British people coming together to support their communities at the local level as they shared their Covid story with us.’ The achievement with the face mask innovations has steered Anja Kahn to use her expertise and expand the company into the protective textiles sector; ELLE UK Ltd has recently launched its new brand, 2P1E, for Anti-Virus Hospitality & Healthcare Linens, towels, and soft furnishings (subject of global patent applications), with a specific focus to support the hospitality industry as it tries to deal with the aftereffects of the lockdowns and allay people’s fears over safety of hotel stays. As the head of a successful company with a recognized household brand name, we asked Anja if being a woman had posed any challenges that maybe her male counter parts would not have. ‘I was exposed to a business environment from quite a young age, with a strong entrepreneurial father who respected and encouraged my achievements in the business world. Many women say they grow stronger due to strong female influences or mentors; however, I think for me being around strong male influences who acknowledged and supported my ability took away any sense of being at a disadvantage as a woman. As the brand developed and my reputation grew, I was lucky enough to have enough autonomy to not be a target of any gender related negativity. Within the company, I have a horizontal leadership style rather than a top-down approach, working as a team with a vested interest and pride in our achievements, and self-monitoring and setting own goals. I worked with Investors in People many years ago, and their philosophy and HR culture are ingrained in me, and I reflect this in our organization. I’m focused and driven, probably too much at times, but this rubs off on people, and I think every member of the team can see their impact on the business, and this motivates them.’ ‘About 20 years ago I was recruited for the Manchester Chamber of Commerce’s Executive Board, and ended up serving for a couple of years, thinking I probably ticked a lot of boxes for them – woman in business, from an ethnic minority and a small northern business! All I can say is I am proud of every sector and community I represent, and I hope I do justice to each one!’ ‘Where is ELLE UK’s future headed’ we asked Anja Kahn? ‘We have our exciting developments in the PPE products. The potential is not only to aid the recovery out of Covid-19 pandemic, but to also be at the forefront to meet head on any future threats. We are geared for the challenges to take the anti-viral hospitality linens to a global market. We’ve taken our hosiery, shape wear and athleisure wear to the US, and we are refocusing on our core products at home. Covid took a toll on all business, however each day we see increases, so the light at the end of the tunnel is definitely visible, and we are confident of a successful return to pre-Covid levels of our core lines over the next few months. The not-forprofit face mask manufacturing has left a desire in the team to continue to give back, and we are now working with international bodies to provide PPE donations to countries who are still battling to bring the pandemic under control’. Fashion items, compression wear, PPE, hospitality & medical grade products, it sounds like an unusual mix, ‘we have the know-how and ability to make a difference, and so we do, it’s as simple as that’, says Anja; and that is the crux of it - see a problem, create the solution, and manufacture products which are fit for purpose, and aim to exceed expectations – simple straightforward vision. Headed by a woman with a track record for thinking outside the box, ELLE UK Ltd is a British firm proving it can rise to the global challenge in the modern world; for form, for function and if required, for humanitarian cause. innovation doesn’t stop at manufacture, it’s embedded into the culture of the company and you’ll see it in every aspect of our work – have a look at our milk fibre campaign at www.atom.fit and you’ll see what I mean!’ ‘Just producing a face covering would never have been an option for ELLE’ says Edward Watson of London based Prew PR who acts as Commercial Director for the company, ‘Anja Kahn knew her knowledge and expertise with fibres, knitting techniques and treatment applications could be used to bring about a face mask which was truly effective in its purpose. It was a fast-paced timeline, huge challenges with most of the world under lockdown, but the ELLE team’s determination was strong, and the company became the first to bring face masks to the market which had properties proven to destroy over 99.9% SARS-COV-2 within minutes of it landing on the surface of the mask, and they were developed to be washable, so the environment was not held hostage.’ ‘About 20 years ago I was recruited for the Manchester Chamber of Commerce’s Executive Board, and ended up serving for a couple of years, thinking I probably ticked a lot of boxes for them – woman in business, from an ethnic minority and a small northern business! All I can say is I am proud of every sector and community I represent, and I hope I do justice to each one!’
Q4 2020 | 7 The story of British heritage brand ELLE and CEO Anja Kahn Elle UK LTD The Colony Altrincham Rd Wilmslow Cheshire SK9 4LY [email protected] www.elle.co.uk www.2p1e.com White Gold LLC 2629 Townsgate Rd Suite 235 Westlake Village California 91361 [email protected] www.msshape.com www.atom.fit
8 | Q4 2020 Jun20390 36 | UK Enterprise Awards 2020 APeducation Online is a UK-based skills development institute and consultancy that provides training, assessment, and credentials in professional development, vocational training, and higher education qualifications. The firm provides a high-quality learning environment to a diverse range of individuals and organisations. In order to learn more about its superiority within the industry as an online workforce development training provider, we profile the firm. Best Online Workforce Development Training Provider 2020 229 Since its establishment, APeducation Online has been committed to developing the professional and personal skills of diverse individuals and encourages them to develop a self-reflective approach in all aspects of their lives and work. The firm’s approach focuses on encouraging innovation, creativity, productivity, and competitiveness, all whilst equally balancing academic concepts with their practical applications. APeducation Online is on a mission to build and foster a culture of quality, learning, and empowerment, and therefore inspire people to rediscover and transform themselves. With an abundance of integrity, innovation, positivity, respect, transparency, and desire to excel, APeducation Online is certainly one of the finest learning firms out there. Learners come from all walks of life and varying sectors. APeducation Online works with all of them, be they teachers, police officers, social care workers, nurses, accountants, or any other type of worker. For them, the firm specialises in offering qualifications in management, leadership, business, teacher training, health and social care, aviation, and so much more. The qualifications that the firm offers are ideal for workforce development, as they are practical training programmes which encourage individuals to apply concepts and approaches to their own work practice. Learners with APeducation Online are based both in the UK and internationally, and every course has been designed for maximum flexibility, including content, delivery, time, and assessment. What makes APeducation unique is that learners have access to programmes that focus on the Abhinav Mujoo “People are and always will be our greatest asset. The success of our organisation is the direct result of our valued team. Their dedication and commitment have played a vital role in the success of our company” APeducation Online is on a mission to build and foster a culture of quality, learning, and empowerment, and therefore inspire people to rediscover and transform themselves. The firm’s approach focuses on encouraging innovation, creativity, productivity, and competitiveness, all whilst equally balancing academic concepts with their practical applications.
Q4 2020 | 9 UK Enterprise Awards 2020 | 37 application of knowledge, rather than just the theoretical side of it. Upon successful completion of a course, learners are also accredited with certifications that are nationally-recognised. During the current pandemic, there is no better time to train a workforce to be better for when business resumes as normal. Future educational issues may not be able to be predicted right now, but APeducation Online has made sure that it has robust systems in place that can aid the provision of good academic support to learners, right through to exactly how effective the teaching and learning is. Trends have also played a key role in the development of the education sector, mostly brought about by the pandemic of COVID-19 and its varying impacts on the United Kingdom. APeducation Online has identified a number of these trends, and worked to address them in meaningful ways. Firstly, there has been a great amount of emphasis placed on collaborative learning, case learning, and project-based learning. There has also been emphasis on enhancing the human factor and connectedness in online learning, as well as a focus on online pedagogical approaches now that online learning will become more widespread. APeducation Online has addressed these trends, by seeking to provide more personalised teaching and learning, and various group forums within the online learning environment to encourage communication, proper online etiquette, and behaviour. Being based in the United Kingdom has its benefits, especially when working within the education sector. APeducation Online has benefitted from the UK have a good academic reputation for lifelong learning and developing skills, irrespective of an individual’s background. A lot of employers in the UK are also very forward-thinking, and very keen to ensure that staff engage in professional development so that they can prepare for the future. APeducation Online has a large number of its learners who are sponsored by their employers, who themselves are ready to invest in their employees’ professional development. Best Online Workforce Development Training Provider 2020 Other benefits to being based in the United Kingdom include the fact that training providers running courses are usually audited by awarding and professional bodies, and are based on rigorous standards. This way, learners can be assured that they are getting quality education from certified bodies in the education sector. The systems and processes for obtaining approvals from UK-based awarding bodies are relatively straightforward and easy to follow. The internal culture at APeducation Online is just as exceptional as everything else about the firm. Every member staff is made to feel valued and supported in a process of continuous learning and improvement, as the firm believes that culture is the character and personality of APeducation Online. By fostering a culture where individual and team successes are celebrated with recognition and staff are given credit when credit is due, everyone gets a sense of accomplishment. In the firm’s onboarding programs for new staff, APeducation Online always makes sure that their needs are accommodated for, and that they receive information on how they will be supported in their professional development with the firm. Staff regularly have access to training and resources for teaching in the online environment, and APeducation Online also provides them with flexible working options that facilitate a good work-life balance. Encouraging transparent and open communication is a key area for the firm, and just a small part of what makes working for the firm so appealing. When it comes to recruitment, the processes that APeducation Online uses do not simply focus on academic and professional credentials, but also an individual’s passion for the subject. Although these are key considerations, given the diverse and widespread nature of the learners, the major qualities that APeducation Online looks for in candidates are responsiveness, flexibility, openness to feedback, good time management, patience, compassion, and the ability to motivate learners. Ultimately, it is an accumulation of dedication, experience and a passion to make a difference that has enabled APeducation Online to have the extraordinary success it has had throughout the years. APeducation Online is an outstanding firm when it comes to online training, and the people are what makes it that way. They, and the firm itself, deserve every success both now, and in the future. Company: APeducation Online Contact: Abhinav Mujoo Website: www.apeducationonline.co.uk Prasitha “Achievements and success are not by accident. It is an outcome from years of dedication, service excellence, innovation by people who care. Our achievements are nurtured with the talents and corporation of our team with a common vision.” With an abundance of integrity, innovation, positivity, respect, transparency, and desire to excel, APeducation Online is certainly one of the finest learning firms out there. What makes APeducation unique is that learners have access to programmes that focus on the application of knowledge, rather than just the theoretical side of it. Upon successful completion of a course, learners are also accredited with certifications that are nationally-recognised.
10 | Q4 2020 Aug20646 Changing The World Of Work Putting people first is at the heart of what The Chrysalis Crew does and its progressive, forward-thinking approach is helping to change the world of work. Despite lockdown restrictions, the consultancy is thriving and founder, Kelly Swingler, tells us a little more about what make the firm so successful. Change is often scary, and adopting new methods and approaches to people management is often something which is overlooked by businesses in favour of the old ‘tried and tested’ measures. The Chrysalis Crew is a People and Change Consultancy specialising in helping leaders to put their people first. It encourages and assists start-ups, scale-ups and Corporate in removing the policies and procedures, working with their people like adults, creating trust, accountability and agile ways of working, and to become employers of choice. Indeed, the company name was chosen for its evolving nature as Chrysalis describes a ‘transitional state’ and the firm is highly-skilled in assisting its clients through the often tricky process of change. The Chrysalis Crews’ mission is to change the world of work and this has been its guiding ethos since it was founded in 2014 by Kelly Swingler. Following her own disappointing experiences, she realised there was a better, more ethical way to deliver change. Passionate about the wellbeing, development and the empowerment of HR professionals, and with more than 20 years’ experience in HR and people development, Kelly has led HR teams from between 5 to 40 during her career with retailers Waitrose and John Lewis before moving to Times 100 and IiP Ambassador Luminus Group and then award-winning Genesis. She has worked in a range of sectors with varying strategic and operational people and HR requirements. Kelly’s approach really is unique and innovative - she believes in ripping up the rulebook and designing and creating what’s best for clients, not simply applying the one-size-fits-all mould. “What makes the Crew successful is our straight-talking and honest approach,” she explains. “We know we are different. We test and push boundaries, we take leaders and HR out of their comfort zones and we partner with them to create what’s right for them, not their competitors.” Whilst The Chrysalis Crew does have competitors, Kelly does not believe in comparing her firm to them. Instead, she is much more forward-thinking and likes to challenge the ‘old ways’ of working, metaphorically removing the red tape that inhibits growth and creates boundaries between leaders and the people. Kelly has an incredibly diverse portfolio of skills and qualifications including psychology, neuroscience, psychotherapy, NLP, Empowerment and Executive Coaching; has completed various CIPD qualifications, breathwork, fire walking and meditation; and is currently completing a PHD in Organisational Change. It is clear to see why she is an innovator in leading people and, whilst The Chrysalis Crew encourages others to rehash people management, Kelly’s refreshing approach is implemented at the firm and is living proof that such strategies do work. For example, the team work a four-day working week, Tuesday to Friday, which follows the four-day work week principles of paying its people 100% of their salary for 80% of the hours worked, whilst maintaining 100% productivity. There are also monthly blank paper days when everyone comes together as a team to create plans, direction, strategy and development and health days are provided for when any of the team need to take a day to look after themselves, hopefully preventing illness and fatigue. “Our approach is different and so too are the outcomes our clients achieve because the old ways are no longer working and we know there is a better way,” enthuses Kelly. “Some of the things our ‘competitors’ talk about are performance appraisals – well it’s been 12 years since I designed and implemented a new approach to performance management, and it works!” Kelly has also abolished company values. The rationale behind this move is that, as individuals, everyone holds different values. “When re-assessing our company values in 2018, there was alignment in what we were saying, but we all wanted to use different words,” she says. “We work in a very agile way and company values and behaviours could have been holding us back. What became important for us was allowing our people to work in line with their own values, and as long as we all deliver what is best for us, then it’s also best for the wider business. “Everything we do is created with and for our people and in turn this helps us to create greatness for our clients.” It’s been a tumultuous year in 2020 for businesses the world over and The Chrysalis Crew is no exception. Kelly and the Crew were planning for their best year on record since beginning in 2014, however the Covid-19 pandemic had other ideas. Prior to the first lockdown, many of the firm’s global clients “Our approach is different and so too are the outcomes our clients achieve because the old ways are no longer working and we know there is a better way,” enthuses Kelly.
Q4 2020 | 11 Changing The World Of Work had already postponed or cancelled projects, and whilst some have reached out and picked up again, so much has still not yet resumed, however they did begin to work with a number of new clients on exciting projects as the year progressed and are already looking forward to all of the projects, workshops and development already booked in for 2021. “Thankfully we have always worked as flexibly as possible and we don’t need to be on location with clients as we utilise remote working tools and work around time differences,” says Kelly. “On-site time has always been minimal, and so Covid-19 didn’t hit us as much as some others who all work face-to-face. “What we hope, is that because of our different, forward-thinking and flexible approach that we can continue to work with companies who want to embrace a different way of working post lockdown.” Regarding the future, Kelly sees growth of the team and of the client base, plus continued work with leaders and HR to help them find different solutions, to truly change the world and to thrive from the result of lockdown. “Overall, we truly believe that leaders who put their people first will thrive, they will be the leading companies that customers and people alike want to work with and they will go from strength to strength and we can help them to make this happen.” Contact: Kelly Swingler Web Address: www.thechrysaliscrew.com
12 | Q4 2020 Jun20285 Experts in Customer Service The property market is experiencing somewhat of a boom lately and Sam Smith, Managing Director of hybrid estate agency Yooodle, tells us more about its unique offering and how it is poised for further growth. Founded in 2017 by Benjamin Willmore, Yooodle is what is known as a hybrid estate agent meaning it conducts business digitally and from their very unique offices but no physical high street presence. Focusing on residential sales, letting and property management, Yooodle benefits from both founders having extensive knowledge and experience of working in the corporate and independent side of the estate agent industry. It was their recognition of a gap in the market for an agent to use customer service and cutting edge technology to provide a smoother, and more positive, customer experience, which led the firm to come to fruition. Sam Smith, half of the dynamic duo who is spearheading the business, tells us more about what sets the firm aside from competitors. “Not operating on the high street means we can be digitally focused on the marketing of our clients properties, what we save on costs we pump back into our marketing. Gone are the days of agents having loads of people walking into the branch to register, 95% of all enquiries are via online mediums,” he begins. “We place the customer at the heart of everything we do and the experience they have in using us is really important.” The firm’s focus is to provide exceptional service and to deliver results that exceed customer expectations, something they provide with award-winning marketing to ensure it can secure the very best sales or letting price for properties. So far, this strategy is proving to be the key to success as recent Google reviews show that Yooodle is ranked as the top estate agency in its geographic area of Weybridge – a location known for having some of the most sought-after postcodes in the UK, with excellent transport links to London and Surrey, plus a number of exceptional independent and state schools. Yooodle’s top-notch customer journey comes from having experienced leadership at the helm and a stellar team of dedicated staff to help drive the business forward. The two directors have a combined career spanning more than 40 years, whilst the firm’s employees have more than 100 years’ experience behind them. “It is all about being able to add that personal touch. Local knowledge is key too and our team are all Weybridge residents, so they know the best schools, restaurants and places to visit – there is an awful lot to be said for that.” It goes without saying that there have been challenges over the last three years since Yooodle was created. Since the business opened its doors, the firm has had both Brexit and Covid-19 to deal with, both of which have had an effect on the house sales market. “I don’t think anything could have prepared us for 2020 and the effects of lockdown,” explains Sam. “There was so much uncertainty, but as a dynamic independent business we have managed to navigate this positively” Since lockdown restrictions have eased, the lettings market has continued to hold its own, with lots of applicants moving into the Home Counties from the capital city of London, looking for more value for money, outside space and having more room to work from home being top priorities. “Obviously the stamp duty relief introduced earlier in the year has had a positive effect on the market, but we are seeing challenges with the first time buyer market, mainly around the lending criteria changing as banks are nervous in this side of the market unless they have a minimum of a 20% deposit, which is a stall ask especially in our local market with house prices in Weybridge and the surrounding area already being some of the highest in the UK. “We are being cautious, our lettings business continues to see consistent record performance and we have a seen a 20% increase on the sales side YTD from 2019, however with the Stamp Duty relief due to end in March 2021 we need to be sensible as tough market could be on the horizon post March.” Sam explains that the pandemic has proven that Yooodle’s way of working didn’t require any sudden changes to how they operate and, although a little more cautious, the firm is still planning growth, especially in the lettings and property management sector. In fact, it has recently launched a bespoke PRS and Buildto-Rent department to support the portfolio and institutional landlord side of the industry. “Going forward, we are looking at further technology solutions for the sales and lettings side, improving the process and streamlining our services to ensure we are a business set for the future.” Contact: Sam Smith Company: Yooodle Web Address: www.yooodle.co.uk
13 | Q4 2020 Best Marketing Consultancy of the Year Award Smart Thinking Consultancy was founded by marketing expert Maggie Robinson over 8 years ago so she could break free of office politics and restrictions and provide a personal, consistent and reliable marketing service for small and medium sized businesses. With over a decade of corporate experience behind her, Maggie wanted to put ethics and values at the core of what she does, so she decided to focus her attention on businesses across the UK who need marketing support. She prides herself on giving a personal, bespoke service to her clients – she takes on the work herself rather than being the salesperson for a team. Maggie uses her knowledge of the marketing sector to make sure her clients have a consistent and cohesive approach to their marketing and aren’t missing out on key marketing opportunities. Part of Maggie’s approach involves staying up to date with the fast-moving marketing industry through constant training and learning. Maggie has also helped others to do this through serving on the South West Committee for the Chartered Institute of Marketing, helping other professionals keep up to date with CPD and has also contributed to government support programmes assisting other businesses. Maggie is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing due to her industry experience. She said: “So many people pass their qualifications and then do no further training, so they’re still applying theories based on what they learnt years ago. The marketing landscape has changed so drastically, even within the last few years, so it’s essential to keep up to date with the way the market is moving in order to be able to provide the best service.” With recent events proving challenging for many businesses, Maggie offered free marketing consultations to SMEs affected by Covid-19 to make sure businesses focused on both their short-term survival and their long-term planning to secure their future. Smart Thinking Consultancy is also sponsoring a site close to Maggie’s home to contribute to the upkeep of the local area. Another key part of Smart Thinking Consultancy is the opportunity to provide wider support to good causes and the local community. Maggie is currently supporting Team Anna Victorious, a team of four men rowing across the Atlantic to raise money for Victoria’s Promise - a cancer charity which supported crewman Ed’s wife Anna as she battled cancer. Maggie said: ““I felt a need to help, and can use my marketing expertise and contacts to help spread the word and raise funds for Victoria’s Promise. It will take a huge effort just to get the money needed to get on the water, so I was keen to offer the help that I could.” Ed said: “We are so excited to have Maggie as part of the team helping us to achieve our goal of rowing across the Atlantic Ocean. The journey starts a long time before setting off on the 3000mile journey from La Gomera to Antigua. Some say the hardest part is getting to the start line so having Maggie’s expertise in marketing is amazing. We are really looking forward to working with her whilst raising the profile and money of this amazing charity, Victoria’s Promise, who did so much for Anna and my family during her cancer diagnosis.” As well as supporting charities and her local community, Maggie provides effective, relevant and reliable marketing advice ranging from full traditional and digital marketing strategies, to advertising campaigns and search engine optimization. Based in the beautiful market town of Marlborough, in Wiltshire, Maggie works with businesses across the UK. One of the major changes across the business world has been the increasing reliance on online communication, which makes client meetings easier than ever. However, nothing beats a face to face chat and Maggie happily travels when appropriate and fits her working hours around her clients’ schedules – so evening phone calls and weekend updates aren’t a problem. Many businesses have found the recent circumstances challenging and Maggie has been helping companies adjust their focus and the way they communicate with their customers to strengthen their chances of survival. Her main piece of advice is to keep things simple. She said: “Businesses now understand that they have to get clear messages out there to their customers. Understandably, budgets are coming under scrutiny, so it is important that any marketing budget is spent wisely. “I have been helping businesses analyse where they spend their money and the return on their investment. It helps companies decide if they’re spending their money in the right way, if they should outsource their marketing or whether it’s more cost-effective to have a role in-house.” Maggie’s ethic-led approach leads to her clients getting a level of attention not normally experienced through a consultancy – her jargon-free, open and honest approach, ties to her local community and charitable causes, plus dedication to the sector all combine to make Smart Thinking Consultancy stand above other marketing consultancies. Maggie’s dedication and passion for helping others and ability to provide a joined-up and valuable service for SMEs in need of help makes Smart Thinking Consultancy an obvious choice of winner for Best Marketing Consultancy of the Year 2020. To find out more about Smart Thinking Consultancy, visit www.SmartThinkingConsultancy.co.uk or contact Maggie Robinson at [email protected] Nov20184
14 | Q4 2020 Aug20015 Raising The Bar Specialising in business support and advice for organisations throughout Wales, Landsker Business Solutions has a winning combination of commitment and tenacity. Jeremy Bowen Rees tells us more about the firm and how it is weathering the Covid-19 storm. As a multi-award winning independent management consultancy, Landsker Business Solutions Ltd provides business support and advice to small, medium and large enterprises, throughout Wales, to the private, public and 3rd sectors. Landsker is approved on a range of Welsh Government support programmes, including Farming Connect, Arts Council of Wales Resilience programme, Business Wales Accelerated Growth Programme, Wales CoOperative Centre, The Social Business Wales programme, Food & Drink sector framework agreement, Superfast Wales and the Cywain programme. Having such accreditations allows the firm to quickly identify where and what business support is applicable to enquiring clients, and all of this means that Landsker can work on either a private fee basis, or by accessing the schemes outlined above, enabling many clients to access services on a discounted basis or for free. The firm helps both pre-start and established businesses with turnover up to £30million and has supported over 2,500 businesses, helped raise funds in excess of £120 million for clients, and directly assisted the creation of over 4,000 jobs in Wales. Landsker places huge emphasis on being customer focused and delivering value, with its mission being to ‘help clients make the best business decision’ in order for them to grow and prosper. Its values ensure that the work it undertakes is high quality, bespoke and relevant to each of its clients. Managing Director, Jeremy Bowen Rees, tells us more about the consultancy and its commitment. “We care about each and every client,” he begins. “The decisions we encourage our clients to make can make or break their lives and we take this responsibility very seriously.” “In addition to this, we also adopt a pragmatic and honest approach to all that we do. We always advise our clients on what they need to know rather than what would be easier to accomplish – or indeed, what they may want to hear!” With extensive experience of assisting new and established enterprises seeking financially sustainable outcomes, Landsker’s cross-sector and multi-programme work means that it knows the trading patterns, people, organisations, funding schemes and policies which influence business activities. Operating pan-Wales allows Landsker to share and apply best practices seen elsewhere and working with a diverse range of clients across many industry sectors better enables it to define and deliver successful business solutions for its clients. Landsker also believes that all third sector businesses should, ideally, be financially sustainable from their own activities, although this can be difficult to manage if it conflicts with aims and objectives. Understanding such challenges enables Landsker to identify practical solutions, which allow social businesses to fulfil their social aims, whilst improving their financial sustainably in the medium to long-term. Jeremy describes Landsker’s internal culture as being deliberately crafted to be fair, informal, provocative, and meritocratic. “Prior to lockdown we worked in a frenetic, open plan environment which encouraged team interaction, quick decision making and having a constant stream of flowing idea,” he explains. “We have managed to transfer much of this online where all employees have daily group catch ups using Hangouts and Zoom. Working remotely has so far not diminished our “esprit d’corps” but it has changed how we work, and we are still adapting to this.”
Q4 2020 | 15 Landsker intend to remain in the former category and to help as many clients as possible to adapt to the ‘new world’ and be ultimately more resilient. “Landsker is already a different business now to what it was pre-Covid; if anything, the pandemic has accelerated our pace to progress in several key areas which we had already earmarked to progress. All we can say is that we will grow and strive to improve. Our mindset also is that there will be further opportunities arising from Covid-19 which we aim to capitalise on - both for ourselves and but also for our clients.” Contact: Jeremy Bowen Rees Company: Landsker Business Solutions Ltd Web Address: www.landsker.co.uk Raising The Bar Despite the impact of Covid-19, and challenges that may have arisen due to the pandemic, Jeremy is quick to praise his committed team and their hard work, and attributes much of the firm’s success to this. “As a service based organisation our staff are our biggest asset. Although we have a hierarchy in the business, we are very much a meritocracy, and everyone is encouraged to contribute daily to how we may improve services and develop the organisation. We have very diverse talents and operate with a very strong team ethos.” When it comes to recruitment, Landsker knows exactly what it needs in terms of staff and finding the right fit for the business is key. The firm has an experienced HR consultant who not only looks after clients’ HR needs but also looks after the needs of the Landsker team. “We set the bar high in terms of the calibre of staff we appoint. We focus on three key areas: Skills, Knowledge and Behaviours. We can develop the first two but how someone behaves in themselves and how they come across to others is the person you are; we take great care to ensure that whoever is recruited has the right Landsker behaviours and will fit into an already cohesive team.” In recent months, Landsker refocused some of the professional support it offers to ensure that rural businesses throughout Wales are able to navigate the complexities of the current Coronavirus crisis. From sole trader to larger SMEs, understanding how to access the host of support schemes available can be and has been challenging for many. To that end, the Landsker team has provided critical advice to over 300 Welsh businesses to help them receive both financial and practical support. Despite the effects of Covid-19 and the fact that the country is in recession, Landsker has achieved year on year growth of about 15% and has also won numerous awards this year, including being Best Rural Professional Services Business in The Rural Business Awards for Wales and Northern Ireland and we were finalists in both West Wales Business Awards and the FSB Wales Awards. There will always be organisations and individuals who will thrive as they will struggle or fail during such times. Jeremey and the team at “We have managed to transfer much of this online where all employees have daily group catch ups using Hangouts and Zoom. Working remotely has so far not diminished our “esprit d’corps” but it has changed how we work, and we are still adapting to this.”
16 | Q4 2020 Family-run firm, DropJaw Ventures, may be small but it is certainly mighty. We talk to the founder about its valued-added portfolio and how dreaming big has paid off. Founded in 2007 by Roy Shelton, DropJaw Ventures Group is an multi-award winning company based in Chester, which provides access to capital, interim management, and advisory services to scale up businesses and to companies in distress or in need of turnaround. Roy, an MBA graduate, and award-winning senior executive, has more than two decades worth of experience along with a wealth of longstanding senior relationships on a national and international basis within IT, fixed line and mobile telecommunication providers, law enforcement, financial services, government departments and the venture capital/private equity and analyst communities. Roy’s track record of consistent over-achievement is just one of the things that has helped the company to become so successful, however, he tells us a little more about what distinguishes DropJaw Ventures from its competitors. “We enjoy the ability to act quickly deploying our own funds as the lead investor or insolation and/ or alongside other SME focused tech investors,” he begins. “We focus on the SME tech sector and take a hands-on role with all of our portfolio companies, and also create a market place for them to trade along with an immersive learning and support framework.” All of DropJaw Ventures’ clients are SMEs with revenues between £100,000 to £11m, head counts of 2-60 people and they are predominantly in the technology or professional services space. Approximately 90% of the firm’s work comes through existing portfolios and advisor referrals, with the remainder being inbound leads from social media or its website. The team itself is small, focused and committed. Being a family-run company, all staff members work well together and feed off each other in terms of transactions, thus adding value to its portfolio. Remaining small like this was a strategic decision due to the nature of the industry and time being a challenge. “Being small has its benefits,” states Roy. “We have learnt to manage and be proud of how we Decades of Experience create increased shareholder value and our small but progressive tech and professional services portfolio continues to perform.” With regards to the future, Roy and the team at DropJaw Ventures know exactly where to aim their focus to ensure continued success. “For the next 12 months we will focus on increasing our performance and returns. We expect that to slow slightly but we will focus on driving and fuelling acquisitive growth. “Additionally, we will also continue to make a difference because we have been founders, investors, non-execs, turnaround and exit entrepreneurs. We have the grey hairs, the war stories and the battle scars. Ultimately, we have enjoyed both success and failure. It is all of these experiences we bring to our portfolio and allow them to learn and scale quickly.” Contact: Roy Shelton Company: DropJaw Ventures Group Web Address: www.dropjawventures.co.uk “We focus on the SME tech sector and take a hands-on role with all of our portfolio companies, and also create a market place for them to trade along with an immersive learning and support framework.” Sep20001
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