UK Enterprise 2020

138 | UK Enterprise Awards 2020 Jul20561 Best SME Coaching Firm of the Year 2020 Forge Management (London) Ltd redesigns business coaching and consultants by introducing personable, honest management partners who provide real-world knowledge, experience and input. All while providing a full support mechanism for dealing with the clients business challenges fast. Reducing pressure and overwhelm to increase clarity and productivity. Forge is dedicated to creating successful and sustainable growth for SMEs across the UK. What originally began as a one-man- band management consultants in the international video game wholesale market ten years ago has undergone a great deal of transformation since its inception. Now, Forge Management operates as a boutique management support partnership for SMEs, facilitating successful and sustainable growth by alleviating the stress and time consuming Administrivia for owners and management teams through innovative back-office support, consulting, coaching and getting involved in a hands-on manner. This business consultancy and coaching service does not just advise, but offers honest, real-world expertise based on the team’s own experiences. Rather than simply informing clients how to grow their business, Forge is able to explain why these methods are conducive to growth and, having learnt from their own errors in the past, ‘how not to do it’ too. The Focused Organised Results Growth Engine, or F.O.R.G.E, is the inhouse term for the methods employed by founder Elliot Browne and his team to help their clients to ‘Pivot’. Establishing strong relationships, managing expectations through honest and integrity and conscientiously listening to clients has been paramount to the business. One such strategic partnership saw a client increase a half a million-pound investment into a 19-million -pound turnover company in a little under three years, illuminating the benefits of delegating tasks to external companies such as Forge. Having a helicopter view over a business plays a prominent role in the Forge process, as it enables the team to establish the roles and tasks that drain time and resources and overwhelm staff and the management of the businesses. Forge likes to operate as an extension to their clients’ organisations or management teams, establishing an efficient way to take the pressure off clients as quickly as possible. In order to continue operating this way with more clients, Forge is currently launching a new branded service, ‘Pivotoolz’, a suite of specific services to provide as many entrepreneurs and Micro and SMEs with the help and support to enable them to ‘pivot’ in the new, post-COVID world of business. Having been tried and tested in its Beta stage and throughout the pandemic, this new service has been proven to provide at least 30% growth in profit and, in one case, approximately 70% growth to client in the business overall. The impact COVID-19 has had on UK businesses has been unprecedented, but many have been able to quickly adjust, including Forge. As demand increased for e-commerce and businesses to move online, so has video and audio marketing. Becoming more important than ever to get yourself out there, Podcasting has been recognised as one of the most successful and viable means for many professionals and businesses. Having already established ‘Essex Business Radio’ prior to lockdown, Forge was well equipped to Pivot here too. As podcasts grow in popularity, particularly during lockdown, Essex Business Radio is fast becoming a soft media platform with its introduction of other ‘Edutainment’-style podcasters in the Business, Personal and Professional development arenas. In September 2020, the podcast will undergo some exciting developments, including a 24-hour streaming channel that features podcasts alongside the UK Top 100 hits. It is an exciting prospect for both the business and the promotion of businesses operating in Essex. It is concepts such as the Essex Business Radio that demonstrate the fresh innovation applied to all aspects of Forge. In addition, by working with people on an equal playing field, whether it be clients, guests or colleagues, Forge are able to find the most effective, efficient and impactful way of creating beneficial solutions as a team. Listening and engaging with everyone involved in the process ensures the right tools and systems are used to fulfil projects, and all successful projects are celebrated to encourage a passion for business, whether that be for the client or a member of the Forge team itself. As Forge continues to deliver high quality service, they are crafting plans that will enable them to continue Improvising, Adapting, Pivoting and Improving. With a new suite of services, the virtual team is growing in order to help as many PAs, administrators and back-office staff who now find themselves out of work, by placing them in the growing client base which presents job opportunities. This service will prove undoubtedly vital over the months to come. Company: Forge Management (London) Ltd Contact: Elliot Browne Web Address: www.forgemanagement.co.uk