Alan Leightley, former fleet manager for one of the North East’s biggest energy efficiency companies, has seen his career shift up a gear after starting his own company.

Alan worked for North East-based Eaga for two years, managing and coordinating its transport requirements.

The eaga Trust supports those who worked for the company between 2000 and 2011 to further their career prospects, either through re-training or in setting up their own company.

It offers its members a range of benefits, including self-development courses and start-up loans and guidance for those planning to start their own, employee-owned businesses.                                                                                             

Now, with help from the eaga Trust, Alan has founded Birtley-based Global Fleet Solutions; providing and maintaining vehicles and plant for companies across the region.

“We’ve just reached the end of our first trading quarter,” said Alan, “and the business has really taken off.

“Not only have we secured a couple of sizeable contracts but our clients are recommending us – which gives us great confidence that we are providing a necessary service to the right price and standard.

“The Trust’s help was invaluable,” he added. “I was able to access a business funding Loan but, equally invaluable, were the practical advice and support they gave me.”

Richard Marr, chief operating officer at the eaga Trust, said: “Alan’s is a genuine success story.

“Global Fleet Solutions is going from strength to strength thanks to his experience and skill and the Trust is delighted to have played a part in that – we wish every success for the future.”

Kayleigh Roberts Amy Mcardle Gareth Todd Liegh Faulkner, Miller Homes

Miller Homes has welcomed four new faces to its North East sales team as the leading housebuilder prepares to launch a number of new developments this year including Clairville Grange in Middlesbrough and Portland Wynd in Blyth.

The new sales advisers, Kayleigh Roberts, 28 from Washington; Gareth Todd, 35 from Shotley Bridge; Amy Mcardle, 31 from Dunston and Liegh Faulkner; 44 from Teesside, each bring with them strong backgrounds in property and customer service.

Andrew Somerville, regional sales manager at Miller Homes North East, said: “It’s been an exciting start to 2015 for Miller Homes in the region as we welcome four new recruits who join our talented regional sales team, delivering the great customer service that Miller Homes is renowned for.

Denis Warner, Lee Clarke, Stephen Lundell, Colin Famelton and Tom Hill, Perfect Image

Perfect Image, a North East-based IT consultancy has announced a further five appointments into the Managed Services division of the company, a matter of weeks after unveiling the new senior management team of the arm of the business, and says it is still actively recruiting for a further 5 roles.

Denis Warner, Lee Clarke, Stephen Lundell, Colin Famelton and Tom Hill have all joined the company at its head office on the Cobalt Business Park, in roles ranging from Service Desk Analysts to Application Support and Infrastructure Engineers.  The new additions now take the headcount to over 70 people, and with further positions to be filled, it is anticipated that Perfect Image will soon employ over 80 members of staff.

Commenting on the team expansion, Andrew Robson, CEO of Perfect Image, said: “The announcement of our new appointments is testament to our unique offering in Managed Services. Our clients understand the business benefit of taking a truly consultative approach to designing, delivering and maintaining IT infrastructure, rather than providing a simple break-fix contract as you often find with other companies."

Hans Moller, North East LEP

Hans Moller, Chief Executive of Sweden’s Ideon Science Park, is the North East LEP’s first innovation director, overseeing the delivery of more than £125m worth of investment to create a globally competitive innovation eco-system in the region.

This is one of the key pillars of the North East LEP’s strategic plan to deliver “more and better jobs” for the region.

With more than 25 years experience of leading innovation at IT companies, creating start-ups and establishing Ideon as Sweden’s first and most successful science park, he is ideally placed to lead the strengthening of the innovation structures in the North East.

Jenna Graham, ICE

The new chair of the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) North East’s Graduates and Students Committee (G&S) is the first engineer from a technician background to hold that role.

Jenna Graham, who works for A-one+ Integrated Highways Services, has been appointed to the position, having previously been the G&S Committee secretary.

Jenna, from Chester-le-Street, became involved with ICE in 2012, after she was awarded a QUEST Technician Scholarship, which provides financial assistance for those studying towards an engineering technician qualification.

Jenna said: “I became involved with ICE and the Graduates and Students Committee after receiving the scholarship in 2012, something which really helped me to drive forward in achieving my qualifications. Having been secretary of the G&S, I am very happy to have taken the next step and been appointed chair of the committee.

Ailsa Monaghan, BHP Law

It is a case of homes sweet homes for a solicitor who has moved back to her first love of residential conveyancing with regional legal practice BHP Law.

Ailsa Monaghan, who studied to be a barrister and was called to the bar in 2003, is leading the service to home buyers and vendors at the firm’s Durham office to meet growing demand following the upturn in the housing market.

Ailsa, who is also working nearer her own home in Chester-le-Street, said: "After a long time working on a personal injury cases I wanted to return to private client work and, in particular, residential conveyancing. Things are moving again in the housing market so it’s a great time to be coming back to it.

Chrs Bews, Survivex

North East training provider Survivex has made a key managerial appointment.  Following an internal promotion, Chris Bews takes up the position of Business Development Manager.  Tasked with day-to-day responsibility for leading the sales team and meeting pre-defined revenue targets, he takes the role at a crucial time in the company’s development.

Chris has extensive experience in energy training having been with Survivex as a member of the business development team since its inception in 2011.  

Chris has played a fundamental role in identifying business opportunities, growing the customer base and securing sales.  

“Chris was the ideal person to take up this challenge”, said Survivex CEO Andrew Green, “he knows the business inside out, is a well-respected member of the team and has developed good relationships with many of our major clients”.

Steve Arthurs, Tiger Hornsby

A Tyneside cocktail expert, who earned his stripes at two of Newcastle’s busiest nightspots, is roaring to success after landing a top role at another.

Steve Arthurs, 28, from Heaton, who cut his teeth as Bar Manager and Trainer with national retailer Novus Leisure’s Tiger Tiger, on Newgate Street, has been appointed Bar Supervisor at the super stylish Tiger Hornsby on the regenerating Quayside.

A trip to Vancouver inspired entrepreneur Lucy Serafi where she noticed the growing popularity of terrariums, mini gardens in glass containers.

After realising the potential in the market, she invested £55k via money from family and a small bank loan into her business the Urban Botanist.  

Despite only trading for 18 months, the business is blooming with a turnover of £100k for this year.  

Named as one of the Telegraph’s female entrepreneurs to watch in 2015, Lucy spoke exclusively to Bdaily on managing her workload, plans for growth and keeping her business lean.

Lucy said: “I manage my workload and I’m a mother to two sons aged 5 and 7.

“I face several challenges, managing my day to day tasks, working smartly and managing cashflow.  

“We need large volumes of stock to keep up with international growth but we also need to keep lean and manage our overheads as a new business.

“I’m not committed to overheads, I don’t have an office but I don’t need one, we’re different we really question ‘is that value to the business’.

“I never began by working in my house but started straight away using a warehouse, so it was scalable and I could meet supply demand.

“Different people all advised us not to do things on our own so we have had third party warehouse from the start.

“The easiest thing is the product sells itself and it is perfectly viable for a web based business.

“We’re looking to grow and nothing will stop us, we will find a way to come across any technical issues.  We are quite practical.

“We want offices regionally across Europe and I feel there is a huge potential in the Middle East.

“In the next 12 months I’m aiming to grow the ecommerce side of the business and move into international markets.

“The company is very energetic and progressive, everyone works hard and plays hard.

“We enjoy what we are doing.“

The Urban Botanist is an ambassador for the Business is GREAT Britain campaign. Visit www.greatbusiness.gov.uk to find out more about how government support could help your business.

In the busy little village of Grasmere, entrepreneurial husband and wife team, Richard and Angela Barker set up a confectionary shop, Grasmere Chocolate Cottage.

The couple invested £15k of their own money and with additional help of a £9,900 Start Up Loan the company launched in August 2013.

This years profits are over £40k and 40 % up on year one, turnover for its first year was £110k.

The company employ the husband and wife duo as well as two part time staff and it handmakes all of its chocolate.  

Following on from the company’s success so far the dynamic duo are planning a range of chocolate workshops, upgrade to their website and stocking their products within hotels in the area.  

Richard said: “We believe every customer is so important to our business, customer service as well as consistent quality are extremely high on our agenda.

“It costs nothing to smile and say hello!

“There are many challenges like having enough hours in the day; making enough chocolate to keep up with demand; balancing progress with continuous quality; not losing our ‘Handmade Lakeland identity’; keeping abreast of all areas of business, finance, marketing, staffing, expansion,modern social media and marketing. I could go on….

“The easiest thing about doing business is dealing with the public and making chocolate probably, but when time permits I love planning, developing and marketing but as most new business owners will tell you time is at a premium.“

Chester-based architectural, building surveying and planning consultancy, Cassidy+ Ashton, has made two additions to its team in response to growing demand for its town planning services.

Planning consultant, Andrew Hale, has relocated to the firm’s Chester office to bring extra resource to the Chester team, which is currently progressing planning applications for more than 50 projects across the UK.

The firm has also appointed planning consultant, Amy Aspinall, to its Preston office. With more than nine years’ specialist experience, Amy is a graduate of Liverpool John Moores University and has held previous roles as council planning officer at St Helen’s Council, Fylde Council and Cheshire East Council.

Guy Evans, chartered town planner at Cassidy + Ashton, said: “In addition to huge demand for residential schemes, we’ve seen growth in the number of commercial projects that are coming to fruition.

“Amy and Andrew are real assets to the business and will add to our already extensive experience and we now have a five-strong planning team which will enable us to continue growing and providing expert advice to our expanding client portfolio.“

Changes in the planning team follow the recent appointment of senior architect, Susan McBain, who has bolstered the multi-disciplinary practice with more than 12 years’ experience. 

Fiona Halliwell, CBRE

The Manchester office of CBRE has appointed Fiona Halliwell as Director of Lease Consultancy for its North West team.

Previously a partner at Gerald Eve, Fiona has over eighteen years’ experience and specialist knowledge in dealing with rent reviews, lease renewals and regears on all types of commercial property. Fiona acts for both landlords and tenants with clients including funds, private landlords, retailers and occupiers. 

Additionally, Fiona is an expert witness and is on the RICS panel of independent experts appointed to deal with rent review disputes on property in the North West as well as being an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.

Fiona said: "Joining CBRE presents a fantastic opportunity and I am looking forward to working with a company that provides access to a huge and varied client base. The well established lease consultancy team provides an excellent platform on which to build upon, and I am excited about its potential growth going forward."

Heather Stockton, Champion Accountants

Chester-based business advice specialist, Champion Accountants, has appointed Heather Stockton as audit and accounts senior to support the firm during a strong period of growth. 

The group, which employs more than 100 staff in five offices across the North West, has brought Heather on-board to expand its business services team at its Chester office following an influx of client wins.

Heather brings fourteen years’ experience and joins the firm from a leading chartered accountancy practice where she spent seven years in a variety of roles including management accounting, audit and payroll.

Director at Champion Chester, Sue Harris, said: “Heather’s breadth of experience, as well as her friendly and supportive approach, complement the Champion culture perfectly.  She will be a valuable asset to our Chester office and further enhance the depth and scope of our client offering.“

Tim Austin, Chris Hughes, Matthews & Goodman

National commercial property advisors Matthews & Goodman has bolstered its Northern Management team with two new senior appointments.

Tim Austin and Chris Hughes join the firm from Lambert Smith Hampton as head of management and senior associate respectively. They join an eight-strong team, based across Matthews & Goodman’s Manchester and Liverpool city centre offices.

Tim has over 15 years’ extensive experience in Property and Asset Management Consultancy, working for a range of clients in the private and public sector. He specialises in lease advisory, agency, rent reviews, and re-gear opportunities.

Chris has over 20 years’ senior management experience, delivering facilities management services to industrial estates, business parks, retail parks, offices and mixed use buildings.

The appointments reflect an increase in management activity over the past 12 months and support the firm’s ambitious plans for 2015; the year which sees Matthews & Goodman celebrate its 150th anniversary.

Property Management partner Richard Beaumont commented, “We are delighted to welcome Tim and Chris to the firm. Their skills and experience will prove to be invaluable at this crucial time for Matthews & Goodman, as we enter a phase of growth.“

Ian Johnson, Biofortuna

UK based molecular diagnostics company Biofortuna has appointed a new chairman to lead the next phase of growth.

Life sciences expert Ian Johnson will take on the role at Biofortuna with previous chairman Mark Hurley remaining on the board as a non-executive director.

Biofortuna, based in the Wirral, specialises in proprietary freeze dried diagnostics and contract services. It recently announced a £1.5m funding round for the company to further develop its diagnostic assays and invest in its freeze drying production capability.

Former chairman Hurley said: “Over the years I have thoroughly enjoyed being chairman and seeing the company grow and mature. I would like to welcome Ian Johnson as our new chairman who has relevant significant experience and will lead the company into its next phase of growth.“

David Mosley, Nisyst

Bolton-based Electronic point of sale (EPoS) software specialist, Nisyst, is continuing to recruit in preparation for further growth with the appointment of David Mosley as a technical help desk support engineer.

The appointment brings the number of help desk engineers at Nisyst to 11, demonstrating the company’s impressive expansion, particularly in the charity sector where its CHARiot EPoS system has quickly become a market leader.

David is the latest in a number of new recruits to join Nisyst following a series of new contract wins, including Cat’s Protection, St Luke’s Hospice, Wirral St John’s Hospice and Queenscourt Hospice.

Bob Chunilal, managing director at Nisyst, added: “As we continue to expand our customer base, building our team is critical to maintaining the excellent service that lies at the heart of our success.

“We’re delighted to welcome David to the team and look forward to announcing more new appointments soon.“

Julie Mogan, Excello Law

Excello Law, the fast-growing commercial law firm, has appointed leading Liverpool corporate lawyer, Julie Mogan to spearhead its growth in the City and the North West region.

Liverpool born and bred, Julie studied at Liverpool University and the College of Law in Chester and qualified with Chaffe Street, now Brabners, before joining Walker Smith Way in Chester, where she spent 17 years, latterly as commercial group head.

Excello Law is growing its presence across the UK and internationally. Its deliberately lighter technology-driven infrastructure offers a more cost-effective way for businesses to access highly experienced lawyers.

The firm‟s managing director, George Bisnought, said: “It‟s testament to what we are building in Liverpool, and across the UK, that a lawyer of Julie‟s renown has opted to join us. It‟s clear to see that she shares our entrepreneurial vision to create a firm that gives businesses real access to some of the UK‟s most accomplished lawyers at far greater value than many traditional law firms, while still delivering real freedom for lawyers to practise. I expect further experienced hires of Julie‟s calibre to join us throughout 2015.“

Sharon Mars, Andrew Baird and Bryan Garvie, The BIG Partnership

Head of the North West division, Sharon Mars, has been appointed as a director to the firm’s board, as it eyes further expansion into England, as well as increased investment in digital services.  

Sharon has been promoted along with Scotland-based Andrew Baird and Bryan Garvie, joining founders Alex Barr and Neil Gibson, as well as existing directors Zoe Ogilvie, Allan Barr, Graham Leitch and Marjorie Calder. 

Liverpool is home to BIG’s English headquarters, from which the company acts on behalf of clients in Manchester, Yorkshire, Lancashire, Teesside and London. 

The Liverpool office continues to expand since its launch three years ago, winning significant new business in the area and securing several new appointments. 

Alex Barr said: “We have a very stable core of senior people and the latest additions to the board have each played key roles in our continuing growth. In the case of Sharon and Bryan who both joined us at a junior level several years ago, these appointments to the board also underline the tangible opportunities we provide for long-term career progression. 

“We’re also accelerating the expansion of digital capabilities across the business and, combined with our long track record in delivering compelling editorial content, we’re helping clients reach and influence online audiences more effectively than ever.

“It’s been our best-ever start to the year and we feel the market is definitely moving in our direction, with increasing synergies between content, digital and SEO/PPC opening up real opportunities for clients.“

Tony Heague, Duncan Shimmin, Sheila Rodgers, Pavis Financial Management

Pavis Financial Management has made several additions to its team in a matter of weeks as the Liverpool-based firm continues its impressive growth.

Chartered insurance practitioner Tony Heague has joined as a consultant and brings with him more than 40 years’ experience in the financial services sector, including 20 years running his own practice.

Sheila Rodgers has also joined the firm in the role of adviser support following a career in financial services spanning more than 20 years.

Their arrival comes just weeks after Pavis appointed former Touche Ross advisor and SG Hambros private banker Duncan Shimmin as a director.

The raft of appointments is in response to a period of unprecedented growth which has seen client funds under management double in 18 months to almost £150m and led the firm to relocate to larger offices in Water Street.

Pavis managing director Bob Newton said: “We have enjoyed an incredible spell of growth, with client income and the size of our team both doubling since 2013.

“We relocated to our new offices less than a year ago with the express aim of supporting our development strategy. We are already looking to expand our footprint here, which speaks volumes for what the team continues to achieve.

“What’s even more satisfying is that our clients clearly trust us to serve their best interests and word of mouth is very positive.

“These three appointments add further to the rich seam of skills and experience we have within our team, which is now unrivalled in all but a few firms across the UK.

“That ability is matched only by our shared determination to keep pushing the boundaries of what is possible for the firm and achieving even greater outcomes on behalf of our clients.“

Sean Mitchell, BDO North West

Accountancy and business advisory firm, BDO LLP, has welcomed Sean Mitchell as a Tax Director to its growing North West team.

Sean joins BDO after 17 years with Grant Thornton in Manchester. He specialises in advising entrepreneurs and mid-market firms on UK and international corporate tax matters, with specific expertise in the real estate and construction sector.

Ian Bingham, partner and head of tax at BDO in the North West, said: “The entrepreneurial mid-market is thriving. We’re witnessing an increasing demand for strategic tax advice from clients thathave set their sights on growth in both domestic and international markets.

“Sean’s appointment further reinforces our commitment to attracting top talent following significant growth and new client wins. We’re delighted to have him on board.“

The Entrepreneurs’ Forum has added its voice to growing business support for the County Durham Plan.

The organisation has more than 300 members from across the North East and believes the blueprint for growth should not have been “shot down in flames” by a planning inspector.

Entrepreneurs’ Forum Chairman, Nigel Mills, said: “By necessity, and through the drive of the unitary authority, the County Durham Plan was ambitious in its aim to create 30,000 jobs over the next 15 years, but not, as the inspector stated, ‘excessively optimistic’.

“I think it is wrong that the inspector should suggest that a county the size of Durham cannot create growth in these numbers, and research conducted among the Entrepreneurs’ Forum membership shows optimism remaining high.

“Our most recent survey showed 87% of respondents to be confident in the economy and they are proving it with investments in their own businesses.

“Local confidence is demonstrated by the drop in unemployment in County Durham, which outpaced that across the rest of the country in the time since the plan was submitted, in April 2014.

“We are a region of entrepreneurs and growth creators, and County Durham plays a major role as our largest County.

“The Entrepreneurs’ Forum is fully supportive of the growing campaign to urge the inspectorate to re-think its views from a more considered and informed standpoint.“

Data, compiled by online secretarial service, Inform Direct has shown that 2014 was a record year for company formations in Greater Manchester.

There were more new companies than any area of the UK except London, 25,381 start ups were registered in Greater Manchester throughout the year, compared with a previous best figure of 22,362

The City of Manchester had the most new companies formed with 7,544, however there were also 2,999 new companies in Trafford, 2,639 in Stockport and 2,565 in Salford.

On the other end of the scale, 18, 007 companies dissolved in Greater Manchester in 2014.  However this still means that there are 5.4% more companies in Manchester in 2014 compared to 2013.

CEO of Inform Direct, Henry Catchpole, said: “It is great to see an entrepreneurial spirit flourishing.

“There is lots of support out there for fledgling businesses and it seems people are putting their ideas and dreams into action more than ever before.”

Ripon entrepreneur, Jennifer Feltham, who formerly worked at Deloitte, has set up Mia & Dom Organic Skin care, which specialises in handmade herbal products for mothers and babies.

Jen’s business came from her desire to use only natural products on her own children Mia and Dominic.

She has had experience of marketing and business development having spent 15 years working for professional services firms Deloitte and Addleshaw Goddard in Leeds.

She explained: “I have been making what my father dubbed ‘lotions and potions’ since the age of eight and I have always had a passion for natural medicine and herbal products. This passion has led me to gain experience – and qualifications – in herbal medicine and aromatherapy.

“As a result I started creating soothing creams and balms in my own kitchen, and once I had perfected them, the time was right to launch Mia & Dom Skin care.

 “My objective, which is instilled throughout the company, is to use the very best ingredients to provide our customers with beautiful, organic, natural and safe skin care for their family. My organic, natural mother and baby products are gentle on delicate skin, eczema-friendly and free from harsh chemicals,” she said.

“Our skin care range is aimed primarily at pregnant mothers, new mothers and babies, as I feel there is a major gap in the market there.

"But that does not mean that they cannot be used by younger women and older men, or older women and young men, who want to look after their skin naturally or treat conditions such as eczema or psoriasis,” Jen explained.

“The business will be primarily mail order and, working from home, I will be utilizing social networking sites as a primary source of marketing.

"The huge popularity of sites such as Netmums and Mumsnet graphically underlines the power of the Internet when it comes to mothers, and these sites specialise in providing advice on parenting, pregnancy and baby care products.

“I also feel the time is absolutely right to launch Mia & Dom Skin care. Women are having babies at an older age than previously, when they are more financially secure, which has provided a significant boost to the mother and baby product market."

Jen is also keeping Mia & Dom Skin care in the family. Apart from naming the company after her two children Mia and Dom, step-son Tom has been instrumental in developing the website, www.miadomskincare.com 

Dom Hodgson, a Sunderland-based small business owner, has witnessed his dog walking walking business gain national attention from former Dragons’ Den star Theo Paphitis.

Dom’s business Pack Leader Dog Adventures was the first dog walking business in the country to be recognised by Theo Paphitis as part of his Small Business Sunday feature that runs weekly on Twitter under the hashtag #SBS.

Moreover, Theo awarded Dom with the prestigious Small Business Sunday award.

Last week Dom was invited to receive a certificate personally from Theo as part of the SBS 2015 event in Birmingham on the 30th of January.

The event was covered by The Sun newspaper and attended by over 700 small business owners from all round the UK.  

Dog Walker and Trainer Dom Hodgson from Sunderland quit his job in 2011 to pursue his dream of running his own dog adventure business for stay at home dogs in Sunderland and East Durham.

Many dog owners who work full time are unable to provide the time to exercise their dog during the day and Pack Leader Dog Adventures provides the service to fill that need and provide the dogs with exercise and training sessions that keep the dog tired and content.

Dom said: “It was an amazing experience to meet Theo and receive the award as recognition for the hard work we have put in.

“The opportunity to meet and talk with other passionate small business owners was inspiring has given me a real boost, I was proud to be there representing the City of Sunderland at the event’

“When thinking of getting a dog many potential dog owners are drawn to handsome pedigree breeds.

“These can be very high energy dogs and if not given the right amount of exercise the dogs can become frustrated and then behavioural problems can occur.

“We provide the exercise, training and training on our adventures to ensure that doesn’t happen.

“We work with our clients and give advice on diet and training to help them have the best relationship they can with their dogs.“

West Yorkshire-based management training consultancy Aspire Development has expanded its offices to accommodate its next phase of growth.   

Based in Holmfield Mills, Halifax, the management training company has experienced rapid growth since July 2012 and this has recently expanded its office facilities.

The business has seen a year on year increase in turnover of up to 50%, approaching their 10th year in business. 

They now include a fully equipped training suite from where they now deliver open management and leadership programmes to local businesses. 

Founded by managing director Trevor Wheatly, Aspire Development has been a successful management training business since it was founded in 2005.

Commenting on the office expansion, Trevor Wheatly, said: “Expanding our premises has given Aspire the space to grow our business, we have a number of exciting new projects which will see the business develop its portfolio into online training and development tools and HR services which will transform the way we work with our clients.“ 

The expansion has enabled Aspire to offer their high quality services to local businesses in their brand new training suite. This has come as a result of Aspire launching their Open Management and Leadership programmes in September 2014 where they have seen a real need for the development of the managers within local businesses. 

Aspire has recently expanded their team to deliver on their increasing client contracts. They have appointed Development Consultant Sally Turgoose who has many years’ experience within the training and development sector. Followed by the appointment of Tracy Hilton as Senior Business Administrator and giving their Apprentice Administrator Katie Clegg a permanent contract undertaking the role as Business Administrator supporting internal operations. 

Leeds entrepreneur Steve Pritchard has laucnhed a new startup, focusing on matching companies to the best suppliers, using an advanced scoring algorithm to rate each and every supplier.

So far up to £15k has been invested in the site, but founder Steve is looking for another £25k to further the project.

Proovide.com is still in beta and currently only hand picking a selection of UK suppliers within a controlled number of sectors, but is allowing companies to submit their supplier needs in the form of projects.

Steve Pritchard founder of Proovide says, “The business idea came from my personal struggle to find good suppliers. It was taking a lot of valuable time researching, evaluating and short listing potential companies and I believed that with all of the data available, I could make this process more efficient and transparent for customers and also deliver a cost effective channel for suppliers to find new clients”.

“Along with the company information we also enable suppliers to find new business leads from customers proactively looking for their products or services, rewarding suppliers who provide more transparency with higher scores."

The Proovide dashboard details a supplier’s score based on 140 different third party metrics, including social media networks and credit rating services like DueDil, providing a wealth of information to customers about the supplier, their history and previous experience.

A customer simply uploads their project need and a supplier applies to be considered, only when this application is approved does the system pass on customer contact information, helping to improve customer privacy and reduce cold calls and spam.

Proovide is currently accepting projects from customers looking for new suppliers of marketing, digital marketing and digital media solutions, but welcomes any customer looking for a new supplier.

Proovide will continue to adapt the interface and scoring algorithm based on live data and user feedback and launch a number of new updates over the coming months to help improve user experienc

The School of Business Management and Economics (BMEc) at the University of Sussex has witnessed the highest ever number of placements, with over 100 student student seeking professional work experience.

From a small-scale pilot in 2012 demand has rocketed and BMEc students are now able to take advantage of University’s Sussex Choice initiative which allows undergraduates studying any subject to apply for a placement with an external organisation.

Business minded students are also boosting their chances of success by taking full advantage of University’s Careers and Employability Centre employment preparation programmes which are made available to all students from when they first arrive as freshers.

Claire Colburn, senior placements and work experience  officer at the Careers and Employability Centre said: "We have seen an increase in student interest in placements across the University.  

"As Sussex has strong links with a range of businesses and public sector organisations, we’ve been able to find internship opportunities for our students across Britain and everywhere from Mexico and Canada to places in Africa, Asia and Continental Europe.“

Sussex spends over £2 million a year boosting the employability of its First Generation Scholars.

The cash goes on funded internship for students who are between the second and third years of their degrees.

Besides internships, First Generation scholars, who now account for roughly half of all undergraduates at Sussex,  receive extra coaching in leadership, careers, and studying.

They are also given work placement and work/study opportunities and act as mentors in schools supporting children from similar backgrounds.

The University’s placements last a minimum of 40 weeks and students must be paid at least the upper national minimum wage and be given graduate level work to do.

But BMEc and the University’s Careers and Employability Centre have also begun working with the Catalyst Scheme run by Sussex Innovation Centre  (SIC) which is more flexible.

The scheme lets small companies and start-ups benefit from the students’ skills for shorter periods of time.

These students are on the SIC Catalyst pay roll and work on a short term basis with a number of different employers in the Innovation Centre over the course of their placement year.

The School also plans to build up its programme of employers invited to give guest lectures on campus and to develop short work-place projects for students to undertake during vacations or on a part-time basis alongside their studies.

Image source: Jynto

West Yorkshire is the 4th best region in the UK for the number of startups is has produced, according to new research. 

There were a total of 15,924 companies formed in the region in 2014, behind London (191,915) in first place, Greater Manchester (25,059) and the West Midlands (25,059). 

In the nation as a whole, 586,784 businesses were formed in 2014 that were registered with Companies House, whilst 368,012 were dissolved.

This is according to research from business information platform Inform Direct.

Commenting on the latest research, Finance Yorkshire chief executive Alex McWhirter said: “Start-ups and early stage businesses represent a key growth area in the Yorkshire and the Humber region, which has a long-standing reputation as a hotbed of entrepreneurialism.

"As early stage investors with many years’ experience, Finance Yorkshire helps young businesses protect their innovations while providing a solid foundation for growth.

“Enabling these innovative companies to thrive and grow in turn helps to grow the regional economy.”

Finance Yorkshire will be exhibiting at Venturefest which showcases Yorkshire’s most inspiring science, technology and innovative entrepreneurs. The one-day event takes place on Thursday, 12 March at York Racecourse.

Image source: Images_of_Money

Manchester based Business Finance Solutions (BFS) has reached a milestone of funding £6 million of Start Up Now loans to over 1000 entrepreneurs.

The funding has enabled 1100 businesses to launch across the North West, creating thousands of new jobs in the region within a wide range of businesses from manufacturing to breweries.  

1100 BFS Start Up Now recipients in the North West are now running their own businesses, creating employment and economic opportunities across Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Merseyside, Cheshire and Cumbria.

Start Up Now is available to everyone over the age of 18 in the North West.

Director of Business Finance Solutions , Paul Breen, said: “Delivering £6 million worth of loans to businesses in the North West is a fantastic achievement.

“Start Up Now is all about unlocking the great entrepreneurial spirit that this region has become famous for and we know that the low cost finance, mentoring and business support that the programme delivers is filling a real gap in the market for start ups.

“Working with our partners such as NatWest has also had a big impact on the number of applications this year as the bank refers companies on to us if they are unable to provide all the funding they may need.

“This means that we are creating thousands of businesses and jobs that would otherwise simply not exist.“

Entrepreneurs Debbie Pomfret and Lisa Hulton have doubled the size of their dog boarding and walking business by launching three new franchises.

Debbie established Bury-based Digs for Dogs in April 2012.

The pair expanded the business as demand grew and set up three franchises covering Bury, Whitefield, Prestwich, Rossendale and Harwood in Bolton.

Digs for Dogs’ latest expansion sees mother-and-son duo Wendy Curnock and Michael Allen-Stephens take on the Bolton West, Chorley and Leyland patch.

Former teaching assistant Emma Croft is covering Oldham and Rochdale, while mum-of-two Andrea Cummings is the new franchisee for Worsley, Swinton, Salford and Leigh.

Digs for Dogs offers home boarding with a network of host families as an alternative to kennels while a dog’s owner is away.

Franchisees transport the dogs in liveried vans to and from their host families.

Other Digs for Dogs services include dog walking and house visits, taxis to see the vet or to visit a grooming salon, and summer day trips to the seaside.

Debbie said: “All of our boarders are carefully selected and vetted to ensure they provide a loving home environment for the dogs.

“This is a business designed by dog lovers for dog lovers. Both Lisa and I each have two dogs, and all of our franchisees are passionate about dogs.“

“We’re excited to be growing our franchise network and plan further expansion across Greater Manchester and beyond, while also looking to add to our range of services.

“We operate a successful business model providing comprehensive training, IT and business support for our franchisees.

“Often they have been seeking a career change and are ambitious to grow a successful business of their own.

“We did the same – I have a background in retail and sales management, while Lisa previously worked in customer services at a building society.“

Best friends Aran Bates, Sam Hussain and Jeff Pole set up Dapper Dry Cleaners after spotting a gap in the market for digital dry cleaning solution for busy professionals in the Capital.

Dapper Dry Cleaners offers businesses of all sizes a corporate service, giving employees the chance to schedule their dry cleaning with pre-booked pick-ups and drop-offs every week.

The website also offers a solution for individual customers in search of a flexible dry cleaning service that can be managed on-the-go via mobile or tablet.

Bdaily spoke exclusively to co-founders, Aran and Sam, who are currently working on growing their customer base and developing the brand.

Aran told Bdaily: "A few years out of university, I found myself working late nights in the office and still having to think about ironing my shirts and dropping suits to the dry cleaners while they were still open.

"Just like other time-poor Londoners, I was already using other on demand / home-delivered services and wondered if something existed for dry cleaning. When I saw that there was very little out there, it was just a case of convincing Jeff and Sam, two close friends, to join me."

Sam commented: "We’ve actually been completely self-funded so far. Our model was to stay as lean as possible from the very beginning, inspired by ideas from Eric Ries’s “The Lean Startup”. We managed this for quite a while, getting work done ourselves and calling in favours from friends. Our costs are still relatively low, apart from Marketing!"

The company takes a unique approach to dry cleaning, offering both a corporate and individual service. Aran explained: "One of the major things is the nature of our corporate service. We make it possible for any business, large or small, to offer an in-house service to their employees, with scheduled pick-up and drop-off days every week. As employees manage their accounts and pay online, there is no overhead or admin for the company.

"However, it isn’t just on the corporate side that we are differentiating. For individual customers, we offer the flexibility to pick-up from one location and deliver to a completely separate one. For instance, you could have your suits picked up from home and delivered to your office, or vice-versa."

The pair are hyper-aware of the growing power of digital technology and are keen to tap into the growing need for on-the-go services, Sam said: "Dry cleaning is following a much wider trend; the move from the high street to the internet and now to mobile.

"We’ve seen industries adapt to this one by one, from consumer goods (e.g. Amazon) to takeaways (e.g. JustEat) and taxis (e.g. Uber).

"We’re staying ahead by looking at what’s happening in faster-moving industries and by listening closely to our customers. In the short term, we’ll be releasing our own app to complement the mobile site. Most importantly, we are very aware that quality can’t be compromised on in this industry."

Sam continued: "Last year, we focused on creating the product and fine-tuning the user experience. This year will be all about growing our customer base through heavy marketing efforts."

Vantage Motor Group has completed the acquisition of David Ian ŠKODA in Morecambe – its first ŠKODA dealership – boosting group turnover by £8 million from £215 million to £223 million and increasing its network of sites to 21.

The move sees ŠKODA join Toyota, Kia, Citroen, Honda, Hyundai and Lexus in Vantage’s range and follows hot on the heels of the Group extending its Honda penetration last month with the acquisition of Honda Bradford.

The ŠKODA brand has undergone a major transformation in recent years to become a value premium marque. It hasexperienced five years of record growth, culminating in sales of 76,027 cars in the UK last year (some 10,000 more than in 2013), and over one million cars worldwide.

The dealership will be rebranded as Vantage ŠKODA later this year and will undergo significant redevelopment to reflect the manufacturer’s new corporate identity. All staff are being retained.

Mark Robinson, managing director of Vantage Motor Group, said: “We are delighted to acquire our first ŠKODA dealership. The ŠKODA brand has gone from strength to strength and its increasing appeal in the eyes of buyers complements the strong values and focus on customer service that are consistent with the Vantage name.“

Heidi Cartledge, the head of Customer Quality and Network Development for ŠKODA UK, commented: ”ŠKODA UK is delighted to welcome Vantage into our network. 

"We believe that there is a great fit between these businesses as we have both enjoyed an exciting period of growth built upon delivering great customer service. 

"We are also really looking forward to seeing the site in Morecombe when the redevelopment and new Corporate Identity is complete later this year. 

"This will give customers the perfect environment to experience exciting new products like the What Car, Car of the Year Fabia and the stunning new Superb which arrives in September.“

Vantage was advised by Walker Morris Leeds, Grant Thornton Leeds and Colliers CRE. The deal was brokered by UHY in Manchester.

Paul Daly, partner at UHY said: “The deal continues the growth of Vantage with their first acquisition of a VW Group brand. Based on other transactions we are working on at present it appears the sector consolidation will continue strongly through 2015.“

Over the past year Vantage Motor Group’s turnover has grown from £65 million to more than £220 million. The group employs 500 people and has increased its number of sites from seven in Yorkshire and Lancashire to 21 across the North of England and the West Midlands.

Sharp Consultancy, which specialises in financial and HR recruitment, is to create 10 new jobs at its offices in Leeds and Sheffield during the coming year.

The newly created positions will see the firm add to its team of consultants working within financial and accountancy recruitment as well as the expansion of its recently established HR division which was launched at the beginning of the year.

Mark Wilson, managing director at Sharp Consultancy said:  “As the economy shows positive signs of recovery across a number of sectors and industries we are seeing an increasing number of organisations invigorate their recruitment activity. 

"Candidates are also much more confident about their future prospects; where previously they may have exercised caution and been reluctant to move from their current positions, we are now seeing much more movement as confidence begins to return.“

"Recruitment, particularly within the areas in which we operate, is not simply about filling vacancies but requires an in-depth understanding and appreciation of the needs of both clients and candidates; each placement must enable an organisation to meet its business objectives and satisfy the career ambitions of the employee. 

"Knowledge and experience within sales does play a part however it is this solutions-focused consultative approach has ensured that – even during challenging times - we have continued to go from strength to strength and invested in our team with training, development, rewards and incentives.“

Sharp Consultancy was established in 1992 opening its first office in Sheffield before expanding into Leeds, Doncaster and Manchester.

Two North East businesses that met via Twitter are now harnessing the power of the web to help each other out, and it’s all based around their shared passion for fashion – and Stockton-on-Tees.

Stockton-based gemstone jewellery maker, Marianne Robson, and retail marketing expert Graham Soult, who runs Gateshead-based CannySites.com, are running an online competition via Graham’s Fashion & Style Directory website. Marianne is supplying one of her unique handmade necklaces as the prize, while Graham is leading the marketing push.

There’s a wider Stockton-on-Tees connection, too. While Marianne’s shop, Made by Marianne, is located on Stockton’s High Street, Graham has been a longstanding champion of Stockton’s charms. A judge in the Stockton Town Centre Business Awards back in 2011, he has subsequently provided support to many of the town’s independent retailers, and runs the Twitter account @stocktonshops, helping to raise awareness of what he sees as the town’s increasingly strong retail offer.

“People still like to be able to come into an actual shop, to see and feel my jewellery”, explains Marianne, “But selling online, via both my website and the Etsy marketplace, is becoming increasingly important.

“And it’s not only about selling online – I find social media is a really valuable way of letting people know that my shop is here on Stockton High Street, and encouraging them to pay it a visit!

“However many online followers you’ve got there’s always a need to reach more potential customers, and Graham’s Fashion & Style Directory has built a great following in a short time among women who love fashion and jewellery.

“It is a pleasure to be able to offer a prize for a competition on the site, and in turn benefit from the extra exposure that it will bring my business.“

“Made by Marianne is, quite literally, one of Stockton’s hidden gems”, says Graham. “And like many independent retailers these days, Marianne’s business is based on combining a physical shop on the high street with an online store that serves shoppers all over the world.

“My Fashion & Style Directory site has a reputation not only for showcasing interesting shops and products to fashion lovers across the UK, but also for giving its readers some great competitions to enter.

“The competition to win Marianne’s beautiful necklace, handmade from pearls and quartz especially for the giveaway, is a fantastic way to drive even more traffic to the Fashion & Style Directory, and encourage the site’s visitors to keep coming back.

“At the same time, it’s a pleasure to be able to showcase Marianne’s unique creations, and hopefully help her – and the wider delights of Stockton-on-Tees’ fantastic independent retail offer – reach a bigger audience.“

Entry to Graham and Marianne’s competition is via Twitter or Facebook, and runs until 16 March. For all the details, visit www.fashionandstyledirectory.co.uk.  

A businesswoman who shot to fame on hit TV show The Apprentice will be the key speaker at the region’s biggest expo event taking place next month.

The North East Expo is being staged at Kingston Park, home of the Newcastle Falcons rugby team, on Wednesday April 29 from 9am-4pm.

The theme throughout the day will be social media and marketing, and Katie Bulmer-Cooke will speak to delegates about growth, sales and retention in an attempt to offer guidance on taking business growth to the next level.

Katie set up her own business at the tender age of 16 with a series of exercise classes in her home city of Sunderland and 12 years on she is now selling her fitness DVDs in America, Australia, Japan, South Africa and Mexico.

Former Olympic gymnast Craig Heap, now a motivational speaker, and ex-GB athlete Derek Redmond will also speak.

Samantha Lee – managing director of Publicity Seekers and former chairman of the North East Football Writers Association– will be speaking about her experiences in the media having worked for the national and local press in a 20-year career in journalism and PR.

Samantha will pass on tips and advice for firms keen on raising their profile by getting into the press and online media.

There will be more than 200 companies and around 1,500 delegates in attendance at what is recognised as the North East’s biggest b2b event, with seminars, masterclasses, workshops and networking running throughout the day.

Marc Gordon from Exposure Events, who runs the twice-yearly seminars at Kingston Park, said: “We are really looking forward to this event, and it has certainly created a lot of interest.

“The event we hosted in November was probably our biggest one yet, but this one has generated interest through the social media and marketing theme which will run alongside the main Expo event.

“It is geared towards anyone who wants to do more marketing, raise their profile and gain more exposure through the media.

“There will be lots of support and advice on hand from plenty of people who are experts in their field.“