IWCYC Challenge Update: Greg Phillips

IWCYC Challenge Update: Greg Phillips

When Greg Phillips of North East Bakery won the If we can, you can Challenge for the Evening Chronicle, he was excitedly planning to his launch his retail brand Nichols across the region, following an asset transaction with Milligan’s Bakery. As well as inflicting luscious cake and pastry treats upon us with his own retail stores, he was continually developing the wholesale side to his business, supplying to sandwich makers, caterers, hotels, restaurants, distributors, shops and cafes.

Six months on, Greg tells us about how things have progressed: “It’s been a real whirlwind of a year for us! Part of the prize package I was fortunate enough to win from the Challenge was a business mentor, which was the most appealing part of the prize package for me. I’m always looking to develop myself as an entrepreneur and learn from people who have been there and done that, so I was thrilled to be given this opportunity.

I was introduced to Stephen Silvester of P & A Food Management Services and I couldn’t have asked for someone more relevant or with a bigger wealth of experience. He has run 11 bakery sites and has worked with brands such as M & S and Costa Coffee, so it took a very short amount of time for me to realise what a fantastic source of inspiration and knowledge base he was to me at North East Bakery.

We immediately got on well together; Steve’s a very open and honest guy and one of the things that I really like about him is that he’s not afraid to point out things that could be improved. In doing so, he’s introduced to us a bigger business mentality, whereby things are being done in a more procedural and structured way.

To be perfectly honest up until now I’ve done a lot of things by thinking and learning on my feet and using my gut instinct. Whilst I don’t regret that at all, I’ve learnt from Stephen and the benefit of his experience about how I can best make the transition from being a small progressive business, to a bigger and more professional business.

My relationship with Stephen is fantastic too- very quickly we progressed from a mentor/mentee scenario. He was constantly ringing me up saying, “Have you thought of this, and what about that?...” He told me he was really excited about the business and once woke up at 3 o’clock in the morning and couldn’t get back to sleep- his wife asked him what was wrong and he said, “I can’t stop thinking about North East Bakery!”

This was a long time before we discussed the possibility of him investing in the business, and it was vital for me to know that his passion was genuine. We signed on the dotted line a few weeks ago, and now we’re both really excited about combining our ideas and taking North East Bakery to the next level.

We always had a very ambitious agenda, but now we have Steve and his energy, knowledge and expertise on board we have an extra opportunity to really ramp it up. We’re exploring new sites, upgrading our machinery, and doing more and more market research. We’ve just appointed a Senior Marketing Manager who has experience in the public sector and tendering, so we’re developing all the different aspects of the business in addition to the retail and wholesale side.

And how does Greg manage all of this, and a season ticket?

“Well I work seven days a week so that helps! I have quite a lot of energy fortunately and I really love what I do which I think is very important. I won’t say it doesn’t feel like work because obviously at times my patience is tested.

Fundamentally though, I get up in the morning and look forward to the challenges that lay ahead of me. There are more people in the business now so I’ve been trying to empower them and delegate roles a lot more, and the only way we can take the business forward is by having good people around us.

Fortunately I never get that Sunday afternoon feeling where I think, damn I’ve got to go to work tomorrow. Money isn’t the driver at all, it’s seeing what we can do with the business, and driving to work in the morning and seeing a car park with 50 cars parked. We employ 130 people in the North East, and that gives me a lot of pride. I’m certainly going to keep enjoying being on this rollercoaster!”

We wish you the best of luck Greg! Any samples going spare....?

Greg popped into our office this morning and surprised us with this fabulous cake...delicious!!

For more information on North East Bakery, visit www.northeastbakery.co.uk and read Greg’s story by clicking www.ifwecanyoucan.co.uk/entrepreneurs/Greg-Phillips

IWCYC Challenge Update: Matt Stirland

IWCYC Challenge update: Matt Stirland

When Matt won the If we can, you can Challenge for the Middlesbrough Gazette in June, he was trying to gauge interest for his business idea, Playhouse. The proposal centred on re-designing a warehouse space into a fun keep fit area for kids. Six months on, things have progressed extraordinarily.

Matt says, “Playhouse was going to be a stand-alone unit, an all-encompassing facility to promote kids’ fitness, similar to that of an adult health club. However, it proved not to be financially viable enough for me as a start-up business and I found it very hard to find investment for what was a substantial lump sum.

I’ve since re-branded. Streetlife Youth Fitness works as a unit that transports the latest children’s interactive fitness equipment to schools, youth clubs, sports centres, and anywhere else to be honest. We’re going directly to the user rather than the user having to come to us.

It’s a much more financially viable business now, with low overheads and low cost start up costs, but my ambitions are still as big as ever. The potential for the business is incredibly scalable.

Streetlife has three main strands underneath the one brand- Streetlife Business Brains, Streetlife Youth Fitness and a Technology side where I’m working in partnership with an international company called FitLinxx on a product called the Lifepod, which tracks your activity. I’m also planning something for Adult Fitness in the future.

This month I’m placing orders for new equipment and looking at leasing vans to transport it all. In January I’m planning on doing a launch event for Streetlife which will include a demonstration by kids using the equipment, so people can see what Streetlife is all about.

So I’m in the stage of bringing it all together now, and creating partnerships across the region. I’ve just had a meeting with the Managing Director of two of the Primary Care Trusts within Tees Valley, who straight away loved the idea and I’ve managed to get a lot of work for Streetlife with the organisation which is fantastic- I’m on a real high about that right now!

I also have to thank Simon Brown of Calm Asylum who introduced me to that contact. Simon and his creative agency did my re-branding design and logo, and we got on so well that he is now my business mentor. He took the time to ask me where I wanted to go with the business, and he’s been an invaluable support; I think having a mentor has moved me on so much quicker and he has given me a real underlying confidence in the vision I have for Streetlife in terms of its structure and potential."

I asked the incredulous question, “And you’re a fire-fighter as well? How the heck do you find time to tie your shoelaces?!”

“That’s an excellent question, and I haven’t the foggiest how to answer it. My fire-fighter shifts are very good and flexible, which gives me a lot of spare time to work on my business. I suppose hard work has always been drilled into me, and sometimes it can actually be a bit of a stress reliever to be working on something like Streetlife. I love it. I think if you have a passion for something, you’re able to find more energy."

For more information on Streetlife visit http://www.streetlifeyouthfitness.co.uk/, and see Matt’s profile page by clicking www.ifwecanyoucan.co.uk/entrepreneurs/matt-stirland

IWCYC Challenge Update: Rosie Willett

IWCYC Challenge Update: Rosie Willett

Over the coming weeks we’ll be featuring regular articles concerning the exciting developments of all of our If we can, you can Challenge finalists, finding out where their entrepreneurial journeys have taken them over the past six months. First up, Rosie Willett of Rosie Willett Designs.

When Rosie won the If we can, you can Challenge for the Northumberland Gazette, she was working hard on developing her fashion-led individually hand crafted tiara range, and working out ways to contact stockists of high end bridal boutiques across the country.

Upon catching up with Rosie, she said, “Everything’s going really well. I have five stockists now, and my aim is to have ten so I’m half way there. It’s an exclusive product and it’s only me making it so it’s not something I’m going to pitch to loads of shops. I’m really thrilled because my designs are being sold amongst the best gown designers in the wedding industry, so I’m absolutely over the moon with how my products are being received.

My first stockist is in Northumberland which is where I’m from, and the other four are in Cheshire, Staffordshire, Preston and Sheffield. I’ve mainly concentrated on the North and the Midlands up until now, but I would definitely like to have my tiaras showcased in the south of the country and I’m about to pitch down there.

I finished my brochure just as I was announced as the If we can, you can Challenge winner, and I made sure I spent a lot of time and energy getting the look and feel of it right for the market I want to target. I think it has definitely helped me to get my product into boutiques because rather than just cold- calling buyers, they can see the quality and branding of my work. The feedback I’ve received from the brochure has been extremely positive so that has given me a really good introduction whenever I go to an appointment.”

When I asked Rosie what’s been the biggest highlight over the past six months, she struggled to come up with a definitive answer- “I can’t decide! When I got my tiaras stocked in the boutiques it was a truly fantastic feeling. I got a real confidence boost because all of the stores stock incredibly exquisite collections in the wedding industry, and the fact that my tiaras sit amongst them is simply amazing.

I also managed to get one of my tiaras showcased on ITV1’s Coronations Street for-"

“WHAT??!”

[Laughing] “Yeah I can’t quite believe it either. I sent them my brochure and the costume designer, Lance Milligan, got back to me and said he loved what I was doing, and they were really keen to work with northern based designers. He said there was a character getting married in December, and would I design a tiara for her?

So for Carla’s Scottish themed wedding I designed a tiara that was based on a heather design and coordinated it with her amazing purple gown. I had quite a lot of contact with Lance and we’ve developed a really good working relationship. They’ve even asked me back to design something else for a character getting married in January."

Cue my Coronation Street obsession: “Who’s that for then?”

“I don’t think I’m allowed to say yet!”

Hmmph...

“I’m also really excited because I’m designing something at the moment for a few characters in Hollyoaks for a wedding on Christmas Day- don’t ask me who though!”

Upon asking Rosie where she saw herself in the next six months, she replied, “I’m going to be concentrating on getting the rest of the stockists on board, and then I have plans to launch a wedding stationary range that would coordinate with my headpieces.

I’ll also be designing my next collection and I have some really good ideas on what this will look like, but I’ve had to hold back a little because I know I’m going to be really busy in the spring and summer months. I’m looking forward to it all though!”

We wish you all the best of luck Rosie!



To view Rosie’s collections and for more information, head to www.rosiewillettdesigns.co.uk, and you can visit Rosie’s profile page by clicking www.ifwecanyoucan.co.uk/entrepreneurs/rosie-willett

Seeded Seo blooms in Credit Crunch

Seeded SEO blooms in credit crunch

If we can, you can member and technology graduate from Northumbria University Sean Gerrie is watching his business grow from strength to strength, despite the difficult economic climate.

Local boy Sean started Seeded SEO in April this year after graduating from Northumbria University with First Class Honours in Internet Computing. Since then, he has signed a significant number of clients.

Business is currently booming for the Search Engine Optimisation specialist who works on boosting a company's website to the top of Google when key words are searched. Sean prides himself in offering ethical, effective and affordable SEO, especially with so many less scrupulous companies exploiting corrupt techniques expensively.

Human Resources and employment law specialists Deminos were one of Sean's first clients. Currently experiencing high demand for its redundancy services and advice due to the recession, Seeded SEO has helped to raise the amount of business gained for Deminos by internet search engines.

Speaking about his first client, Sean said: "Deminos has been a great client from the outset and it's good to know I'm having a positive, sustained impact on Deminos.co.uk's online visibility.

"My optimisation work ensures Deminos is found in highly relevant search sites as well as fine tuning its web pages to improve its ability to generate more leads and increase its effectiveness."

Neil Atkinson, managing director of Deminos, said: "In the time we have worked with Sean at Seeded SEO, I have been really impressed with the effort that he has put in to the Deminos site. Both our rankings and the total number of pages ranked have grown every month.

"Although Sean's suggestions are not always quick or easy to carry out, the end result is always worthwhile. Seeded SEO does not provide a ‘miracle fix' but something much better - a steady programme of continuous improvement."

Visit http://www.deminos.co.uk/, and to contact Sean visit http://www.seeded-seo.com/, or click on his page www.ifwecanyoucan.co.uk/entrepreneurs/sean-gerrie

Congratulations Sean!

Invate set to soar

Chris Quickfall, Managing Director of assistive technology suppliers Invate Ltd, and a fantastic ambassador for If we can, you can and the Entrepreneurs' Forum, has recently fulfilled several exciting developments with his company. We caught up with Chris to get the low down:

"I established Invate in early 2006 to support people with Dyslexia in Higher Education. Since then we have repositioned the company to become a Disability Services company. We’ve expanded the business to support all types of disabilities including Autism, Muscular-Skeletal, Mental Health, Visual Impairment, Mobility and Dexterity, and we have over the past 12 months began supporting complex needs also.

Within this remit we also built the North East’s only Assistive Technology Training School to train people in the use of the products we supply, the School is now exceeding all expectations.
After expanding the products and services offered by Invate I then wanted to the move into new markets; Further, Secondary and Primary education and well as Employment, Healthcare and the general public.

After conducting a lot of market research I found that the people buying these types of products were not sure what was available to support their needs. As such we designed a filtering mechanism within our website so that users can input their personal challenges and the site proposes solutions aligned to their needs.

In simpler terms we reverse engineered the online selling process so that instead of pushing products we ask for challenges and then suggest which products are more likely to help. It meant a lot of complicated algorithms but it is the only such facility in our industry. The site is also the most accessible website in our industry gaining 97% Triple AAA and 100% Double AA accreditation.

However, as a new entrant into a lot of these markets I knew that to make a strong and immediate impact we would be better positioned if we could bring something to the industry that has never before been attempted – a business weapon.
After nine months of development we are now in the final testing phase of a product that will propel Invate into Europe’s most technologically advanced Assistive Technology business. We are due to launch this at the world’s largest Education Exhibition in January... So watch this space!"

We wish you the best of luck Chris! See the new site at www.invate.co.uk and to read Chris' If we can, you can story, click www.ifwecanyoucan.co.uk/entrepreneurs/chris-quickfall

Indian packed lunches and fitted balconies claim top business prize

The entrepreneurs behind a novel Indian cuisine service and an innovative balcony concept have claimed their prizes after pitching their idea to some of the region’s top entrepreneurial figures.

The four week ‘Make It Happen’ competition, part of the ‘If we can, you can’, campaign in partnership with Metro FM and TFM, urged anyone in the North East to enter an enterprising concept in a bid to claim a prize package worth £5,000.

Shamim Ahmed, from Newcastle, came up with the unique takeaway Tiffin Service concept, set to provide Indian cuisine to the lunch time market, by delivering practical containers of finger food to offices and workers across the region.

Tony Harrop, who runs Workshop Supplies, an engineering supplies company based in Newton Aycliffe, Country Durham, also claimed the prize package for inventing a new concept that allows a balcony to be fitted onto any flat faced building.

Shamim Ahmed said “The opportunity to discuss my business idea with a panel of experienced entrepreneurs has proved to be a highly unique and rewarding experience. I found that within minutes we were developing and bouncing ideas off each other. Utilising the ‘If we can, you can’ community has also opened my eyes to how valuable this resource of experience and knowledge is for any budding or existing entrepreneurs.”

Tony Harrop said of his success: “We have been sitting on this idea for a while now and when I heard about the competition I felt it was a great opportunity to potentially move it forward. The prize package and my consultation with the panel will enable me to tackle the problem of how to market the product.”