Entrepreneurs Forum

How big do you want to grow?  How big can you grow?

 

The ultimate aim for the entrepreneur is almost invariably growth – arguably the ‘holy grail’

 

Spotting the opportunities, building the model, proving the concept, establishing the principles, finding the right people, creating the right culture, nurturing a devoted customer base – they’re all essential, but they won’t guarantee growth.

 

During this open event and Q&A our panel of experts will shed some light on achieving growth from single site to multi-site, from the lab to the real world and from the driving force of the individual to the concerted commitment of the team.

 

As the evening draws to a close guests can enjoy a light supper and tap into the experiences of fellow guests, as well as having the opportunity to ask further questions of our panel and facilitator more informally.

 

This exclusive collaboration event with Durham Business School will be hosted by Jeff Grout business author and independent business consultant and will be held within the Business School’s MBA lecture theatre.

 

Learn more about our panel members.........

 

Ian Baggett is the man behind the success of Adderstone Group, one of the most dynamic property businesses in the North East of England.  In just over a decade, Ian has built the business from a balance sheet of zero, to one with a £50 million asset base, more than £200 million assets under management.  Prior to the credit crunch, the main trading company, Adderstone Group Ltd, achieved Journal’s North East Top 250 and Fastest 50 status on the back of £2.6m profit against £28m turnover.  More than 100 people are now employed within the Group.

Starting the company with a small financial inheritance of £2,000, Ian, a Durham University graduate, has built the Newcastle based property company up into something much, much bigger. 

 

With seemingly limitless levels of energy, determination and passion, Ian won The Entrepreneurs’ Forum Entrepreneur of the Year recipient in 2007. Now aged 36, Ian has managed to chalk up a Doctorate in Political Geography, a stint as an officer in the Royal Navy in Hong Kong, a valuer and consultant with chartered surveyors Sanderson Townsend and Gilbert in Newcastle and has even attempted a career as a full-time professional tennis player.  Most recently Ian completed the UK Ironman Challenge in Bolton, combining a 3.8km swim, 112 mile bike ride followed by a marathon.

Nigel Mills, is the Group Managing Director of Mills Group Ltd, a chain of 85 supermarkets, convenience stores and newsagents, located in the North East of England, forecasting turnover at the 24 year old firm to around £100m this year.

 

Under Nigel’s leadership, the company have diversified into a number of other markets to keep ahead of the ever changing convenience store industry, including Insurance, fresh and chilled food and the National Lottery.  The Group are currently undergoing a refurbishment programme across many of its stores, in order to create a more pleasant shopping experience.

With the help of his father and support from other family members, Nigel set up Mills Newsagents in 1986 and purchased 11 newsagency businesses.  He sought to raise investment through the sale of his home and mortgaged his parent’s and grandmother’s houses to buy the chain.  However, the recession in the late 80’s hit hard and with the banks closing shop on loaning the funds he required to purchase his stock.

 

Fortunately, Nigel secured a deal with the business seller to accept payment for the stock over a period of months, which allowed him to start trading.

 

Though growth for this North East success story has been fantastic and something Nigel is rightly proud of, there have been numerous challenges along his journey he has had to overcome, with the help of a committed and valued team of people around him, to become one of the major retailers n the UK within the convenience stores and newsagency businesses.

Rebecca Howard is the ambitious owner of Stokesley communications and events agency Cynergy, a substantial small business which works exclusively in the public, health, not for profit, CSR and voluntary sectors, undertaking major national and regional initiatives for a range of organisations including the Department of Health, Sector Skills Councils, NHS Trusts, voluntary organisations and charities.

 

Named as both North-East Woman Entrepreneur of the Year and Best Small Business for 2009 at the Annual WIN awards, Rebecca has a clear vision of her business aims and its core values. All Cynergy’s work seeks to engage its audience in a fresh, innovative way – thinking differently in order to convey important messages, change mindsets and ultimately contribute towards improving our communities. Rebecca has amazing enthusiasm for her team and a solid ability to attract outstanding talent to the North East.

 

Her company has grown quickly and now employs 17 full-time staff with specialist creative talent and a unique approach, implementing its social responsibilities in its everyday work in order to make a lasting and positive difference to society. Now based in its own 5,000 sq ft design-and-build offices with room for expansion, Rebecca’s vision for Cynergy’s future includes further growth and development of Cynergy’s services.

 

Rebecca has recently been nominated by One North East to take the role of region’s ‘Enterprise Champion for Women’s Enterprise’ providing advice and guidance to Ministers at the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and RDAs.

Max’s path to high growth entrepreneurship, at the cutting edge of imaging technology, is probably not the text-book journey. After realising that the corporate world of the English Electric research labs didn’t suit him, Max spent time as a teacher, completed a PhD (he’d earlier failed his 11+) and did a stint in the Royal Navy.

 

But he returned to the world of research and found a niche in 3D imaging that would open up opportunities with the security services around the world – opportunities that would require him to develop business skills alongside his academic capabilities.

 

Looking back he admits to being ‘unconsciously incompetent’ at the time but learnt lessons about business quickly (and often the hard way), although ultimately the incompatibility between business and academia at the time presented insurmountable challenges.

 

And so to Durham University, where Max was able to develop a technology that he knew had huge commercial potential and there lies the origin of Kromek (formerly Durham Scientific Crystals) which is now capitalising on opportunities in global security and medical markets and tackling the challenges that come with scaling up to cope with demand.

 

Respected, executive coach, independent consultant, business author, commentator and columnist Jeff Grout is a regular host of the Forum events.

 

Jeff was, until 2000, UK Managing Director of Robert Half International, the largest specialist recruitment consultancy in the world. A graduate of the London School of Economics, he joined Robert Half International as a recruiter at the age of 28, after an eclectic career as a van driver, passport office administrator, cleaner, world traveller and local government town planner! He remained with Robert Half International for almost 21 years and built up the UK operation from two offices and 12 staff into a business with a domestic turnover of £65 million, 19 offices and over 350 staff.

 

Formerly Business Manager to Sir Clive Woodward from 2002 – 2006, Jeff holds a number of corporate advisory and executive coaching appointments and is also a successful author. Jeff also provides “Effective Presentation Skills” coaching and has worked with former England rugby captain Martin Johnson.

With limited places, we urge you to book as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

 

 Attendance for Forum members is included in their membership package.

 A light supper will be served following the main panel discussion, allowing further time to chat with our panel members and event guests.

 

Venue: Durham Business School, Durham

Time: 6.30pm – 9.30pm