Monthly Archives: August 2021

coleg cambria

Groundbreaking gardener reflects on life in North Wales after TV success

THE blossoming botanical career of a ground-breaking gardener featured on a national television programme.

Martin Duncan, Head Gardener and Landscape Designer at medieval Arundel Castle in West Sussex, featured on the latest series of Channel 5’s Great British Gardens.

A former student at the Welsh College of Horticulture in Northop – now Coleg Cambria – Martin has travelled all over the world creating, managing, and developing gardens for more than three decades.

He was Head Gardener to the late King Hussein and Queen Noor of Jordan at their private palace, Senior Superintendent for Bermuda Botanical Gardens and national parks, and has tended to land in France, Northern Ireland, London, Audley End – an English Heritage stately home in Essex – and in his homeland, Zimbabwe.

But Martin cites his time in North Wales, where he arrived as a 26 year-old mature student in 1989 to study Advanced Landscape Construction and NEBS Management, as one of the best periods of his life.

“I loved it at Northop, the things I learned there have served me well over the years and played a big part in my career,” said Martin, a recipient of the Kew Guild Medal for distinguished services in horticulture in 2018.

“I had worked on game parks back in Zimbabwe as part of my National Service and really took to it, so from there I studied at Greenmount College in Northern Ireland and went on to Wales where I met some great people who are still friends to this day.

“We had an amazing community there and I was lucky to have been able to live with a local family on their nearby farm, who I am still in touch with to this day thanks to social media.

“We would go rock climbing, wind surfing and walking in the countryside, and we had a pretty handy rugby team – they were great days.”

Having been at Arundel Castle for 12 years, Martin has had a major impact on the gardens and landscape.

He is currently working on a project that will incorporate a dipping lake after unveiling new Water Gardens designed using the original footprint of the castle’s medieval fish ponds, a scheme which won them the Sussex Heritage Trust Award for Gardens and Landscapes in 2020.

There’s also a new stumpery and Martin is proud to have founded one of the largest annual tulip festivals in the country.

Now aged 60, he plans to continue pushing the envelope with innovative and sustainable green developments and says his recent appearances on TV and radio have been an enjoyable experience.

“As they filmed the Great British Gardens series across four seasons, we had the opportunity to try some interesting things, and given the Coronavirus pandemic our tours were taken online, so I would present them virtually – a new experience for me,” he said.

“I hope we get to do more TV in the future as it is important to demonstrate the work we do here, and to encourage future generations of budding gardeners.

Martin added: “I’m fortunate to have had a fantastic career, travelling all over the world, and meeting the most incredible people along the way.

“The Welsh College of Horticulture laid the foundations for what was to come – especially how I draw and design gardens – so I will always remember it fondly.”

Great British Gardens is now available to watch on My5: www.my5.tv

Visit www.cambria.ac.uk for more on the wide range of courses and qualifications available at Coleg Cambria.

Business & Property News, Business News, Wales News

Outstanding Year of Growth for Welsh Cleaning Company

Bridgend-based cleaning company, A&R Cleaning sees growth of 133% in the last year, the fifth consecutive year of growth, despite a challenging time for the industry.

The award-winning company was established in 2010 by Rayner Davies and her husband Ashley. Together the pair have grown A&R Cleaning to employ over 300 staff members across South Wales and the South West of England.

Celebrating its ten-year anniversary in 2020, A&R Cleaning completed a record-breaking year, which saw over 133% in growth and included creating new positions for people across Cardiff, Swansea and Newport, further expanding their footprint across South Wales.

Rayner Davies, Managing Director, said:

“We are delighted to have seen the business thrive throughout what has been a challenging year for many and we are so proud of our hard-working team. A&R Cleaning truly is one big family and it is our family-business ethos, and the exceptional effort of our team, that has been pivotal to our success.”

Diversifying in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, A&R Cleaning has adapted their offering to include bio-misting and other services to ensure that workplaces are safe to return to during and after the pandemic.

Continuing to build on their success, A&R Cleaning is projected to see a further 66% growth in 2021 and are currently on target to exceed £5m turnover, with the intention of exceeding 400 staff members by the end of the year.

Ashley Davies, Finance and Sales Director, added:

“We are incredibly proud to have seen continued growth over the past 5 years, and are on target to exceed our goals for 2021. We know that all businesses have faced challenges in recent years, and we are ever grateful to our valued clients, both new and long-standing.”

With employee happiness at the heart of the company, A&R Cleaning are proud of their excellent staff retention rate, with a staff turnover of only a fifth of the national industry average over the past year. Rayner concluded:

“We have some exciting plans in the pipeline for A&R Cleaning and we are on track to double our staff this year. Even with our continued growth, it is important for us to keep our family-business ethos at the centre, including a key focus on our team’s mental health and wellbeing.”

Absence Management, News

Absenteeism Set to Soar This Winter as Britain Heads Back to Work

Experts in the field of microbiology and infection control are predicting there will be higher-than-usual rates of workplace absenteeism in 2021, not just down to coronavirus. As the Government aims to roll out an aggressive flu vaccination programme to support the coronavirus vaccine programme, a leading microbiologist has warned that flu vaccines could be ineffective due to the low rates of flu transmission in 2020.   

Dr D. L. Webber, a microbiologist with over 50 years’ experience, believes flu could take hold in unprecedented levels this winter, driven not just by lifting restrictions but a lack of information about prevalent influenza variants. The latter could mean the Government’s flu vaccination programme announced this week, which is offering 35 million doses, could be largely ineffective.  

Seasonal rises in colds, influenza and other respiratory viruses, including rising coronavirus cases mean it’s likely that struggling businesses will see very high levels of employee absence during the winter months.  

“It is inevitable that when people begin to mix as the COVID-19 restrictions are lifted, that there will be an increase in people catching and spreading other respiratory viral infections associated with Influenza A + B, Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), Metapneumovirus, Rhinovirus, Parainfluenza, and Adenovirus,” begins Dr Webber. 

“As the range of responses intended to fight the COVID-19 pandemic — from lockdowns to mask wearing, social distancing and reduced international travel — are relaxed, respiratory viral infections (including COVID-19) will undoubtedly increase. These responses have had a huge impact on the spread of other common respiratory illnesses too.” 

Dr Webber continues: “The main effect of coronavirus restrictions on other airborne viruses is the reduction in influenza. Heading into the back of the year, I would expect a significant rise in flu cases driven by international travel, which may lead to potentially severe seasonal epidemics.  

“The main reason for this is because low transmission rates last flu season mean we have a lack of information on which flu variants to include in any vaccine programme. Furthermore, a low-flu season might kill off less-common variants of influenza, making the choice of strains for future vaccines more difficult. We also do not know if the COVID-19 vaccines confer any immunity to similar human coronaviruses associated with respiratory infections (although the reverse has been suggested). 

“Pair this with the usual seasonal rise in infection rates of common colds, I would expect a bigger than average rise in absenteeism.”  

Steve Whittall, Group Research and Development Director at Airdri, suppliers of SteraSpace air sanitisation systems, is an expert in the field of infection control. He added: 

“There’s an expectation that once restrictions are lifted, we will all go back to ‘business as usual’, but infection control is something more businesses are (and should be) looking into, especially given that coronavirus rates are rising. Coronavirus has shifted employee wellness up the priority list; we’ve seen that reflected in the rise in enquiries for our air sanitisation units.  

“Personally, I think there has been a shift in consciousness too. Where previously there was the expectation that we should just ‘grin and bear it’ if we had a minor cold or flu, bosses have been forced to introduce proper procedures around attending work when feeling unwell. And if predictions are true, that’s going to be really important as we head into winter.” 

Steve continued: “When looking to reduce absenteeism in the workplace, it’s helpful to consider why illnesses like colds and flu tend to spike in winter. The most obvious is that when it gets colder people spend more time indoors, which has three effects: 

“Crowded spaces promote the spread of virus-laden droplets/aerosols. 

“Air conditioning/central heating reduces humidity in the air, increasing the survival of enveloped viruses such as influenza and coronaviruses. Reduced humidity can also dry out nasal passages making them more vulnerable to infection by respiratory viruses.  

“Reduced ventilation due to closing windows and HVAC systems operating with decreased air intake (to keep heating costs low) lessen dilution of aerosols and contribute to the spread of respiratory viruses in domestic and office environments. 

“Enveloped viruses survive longer under winter conditions as the low temperatures help to protect the structural integrity of the envelope, guarding the virus. 

Steve continued: “A solution would be the installation of air sanitisation units such as the SteraSpace range from Airdri, which effectively remove viruses, bacteria, mould, fungi and odours by combining three technologies to emit a stream of disinfecting plasma into the air. When used in an office environment and independently tested, the units were found to reduce bacteria and pathogens by 78%.” 

Finance and Banking, News

AML and identity checks: Lessons learned from the NatWest case

Experts share advice to implement watertight AML systems

NatWest’s landmark money-laundering case has dealt a huge blow to consumer trust in online banking; an industry that more than three quarters (76%) of UK consumers already admit they don’t fully trust, according to research from anti-money laundering specialists, SmartSearch1.

The ongoing lawsuit being faced by the high street bank has put others on high alert to the threats and scale of money laundering in the UK, but experts warn this case is the tip of the iceberg when it comes to financial crime in the UK. 

So, what can businesses learn from NatWest to avoid the same costly pitfalls? John Dobson, CEO at SmartSearch, shares his expert insight: 

Customer trust is shaken 

Among the high street banks there really are no two ways about it, your customers must trust that their money is safe with you. Never has this been more prevalent either, with the pandemic forcing many into online banking after the closure of more than 200 branches around the country last year2.

With NatWest now facing criminal prosecution3 after the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) accused them of failing to appropriately scrutinise numerous suspicious cash payments, this scandal has not only damaged the bank’s reputation but has also impacted consumer trust across the industry. 

We know from our research that trust is paramount, so it’s more important now than ever that businesses do everything possible to instil trust among their customer base.

Better electronic identity verification

This isn’t the first time we’ve seen a case of this scale in recent years. Australia’s Commonwealth Bank fell into similar difficulties in 2018 and ended up paying £400 million in fines as a result of failing to adhere to the strict AML regulations4. 

Even in pre-pandemic times, AML procedures and regulations would frequently change and update to ensure they were as robust as possible, which unfortunately makes way for human error. Over the past year, the use of electronic verification has accelerated, as has the need for more rigorous online security checks.

Developing the right procedure before implementing it is key. By adopting a watertight, multi-layered identity check process, you will eliminate the chances of fraud and ensure any suspicious activity is flagged.

Combine the right technology with robust training 

Utilising this kind of system whilst ensuring all staff are kept up to speed on AML law and policy will go a long way to preventing any shortfalls in the process, which will ultimately safeguard against failings. 

At SmartSearch we have developed an innovative TripleCheck system, requiring all customers to complete a three stage ID check, including documentation checks, facial recognition and digital fraud and data referencing checks. 

This approach makes it easy for businesses to identify and eliminate fraudulent activity, helping them to stay AML compliant at all times to avoid sanctions.

To support businesses which are thinking of strengthening their current AML framework with electronic identity verification, John shares the key steps to take: 

  1. Given how easy it is to create forged copies of hard documents, it’s vital to implement a framework that requires no more than a name, address and date of birth to carry out a full, global search to verify the customer’s ID.
  2. When looking at online solutions, a single platform with multiple database searches is more streamlined and effective than having to check with multiple platforms, such as Equifax, Experian, then another separately. 
  1. Check how the business stores customer details. Not all solutions automatically update the database when changes occur, such there are updated PEP lists and so implementing a system that is aligned to make these changes makes the process more fool proof. 
  2. You don’t necessarily have to invest huge amounts in new IT infrastructure to submit and receive data. The quickest and simplest access for users is through the browser on your company laptops and desktops, which are safeguarded by heightened security and protection.
  3. It’s vital to check how easy it is for anybody in the company to use. The most advanced technology should be easily accessible for people who need to use it day-in day-out, and not the just IT dept, to avoid any confusion or mistakes when handling personal information.
  4. Ensure the ID verification system you implement includes FCA compliant data records automatically. If your business is required to provide an audit, having a system designed to incorporate detailed records which are fully compliant will save you time.
  5. Using technology such as facial recognition will further enhance the level of certainty when checking an ID. If integrated with global database searches and document verification you can be sure you have a watertight system that meets all regulations.

For more information on SmartSearch’s TripleCheck system, visit: https://www.smartsearch.com/triple-check  

News

New ‘Pay as you go’ service to help SMEs support employee health

In recent weeks, the Government has recognised the importance of SMEs having access to effective occupational health support, reporting that SMEs are 80% less likely to offer access to workplace health advice and interventions to their employees.

Health Management, a Maximus UK company, is meeting this requirement with the introduction of a range of ‘Pay as you go’ occupational health services, aimed at small and medium-sized businesses.The new service is intended to place quality occupational health provision within the reach of SMEs, who are unable to subscribe to contracted services.

Speaking about the new support service, Dr Mark Simpson, Chief Medical Officer at Health Management, said;

“While businesses of all sizes have experienced increased demand for occupational health support during the pandemic, many smaller businesses have been struggling to survive, and have therefore been unable to take on an additional financial burden. Health Management’s ‘Pay as you go’ service is a potential lifeline – allowing smaller firms to easily access occupational health services as and when they’re required, without the need for an ongoing financial commitment”.

Matt Wood, Managing Director at Health Management, said;

“Currently, we provide high-quality contract workforce health services to over 400 businesses and support over 2.25million of their employees in the UK. By providing this pay-as-you-go service, SME businesses can access the same high-quality service as and when they need it”.

The service provides a quick and seamless user experience, allowing managers to refer employees and pay for occupational health services online. These include support for common workplace health complaints such as musculoskeletal problems and mental health conditions.

In addition to the pay-as-you-go service, Health Management recently expanded its suite of mental health training courses, with the introduction of a new Mental Health First Aid refresher course, designed to enhance employee knowledge with new insights in the field of mental health.

For more information about Health Management’s ‘Pay as you go’ service, click here.

 

 

News

Five UK start-ups shortlisted for inaugural TTI Global Impact Awards

Awards ceremony featuring top DJs takes place 17 August 2021

Five innovative UK start-ups have been shortlisted for the Top Tier Impact (TTI) Group’s inaugural Global Impact Awards, celebrating entrepreneurs around the world at the cutting edge of sustainability and positive impact.

The UK Shortlisted companies are:

  • Wefarm – a small scale farmer-to-farmer community
  • Library of Things – the items and tools renting platform
  • Recycleye – AI and automation to close the loop on waste
  • BFB Labs – digital therapeutics to improve children’s mental health
  • Beam – empowerment, retraining and career matching for homeless people

The first awards of their kind globally, the TTI Global Impact Awards recognise the most innovative companies delivering sustainability for net-zero emissions and equality across eight categories: agriculture and food, consumer and retail, financial services, education and media, energy and environment, healthcare and wellbeing, sustainable cities and real estate, diversity and inclusion.

The awards are now open for public voting until 4 August 2021. The award ceremony will take place in an immersive virtual environment featuring rooftops and personal avatars on 17 August 2021. It will include special guest speakers, curated networking and performances by Burning Man DJ Goldcap and electro house DJ Sander Kleinenberg. Tickets are available on a first-come-first-serve basis.

The public’s favourite three sustainability trendsetters in each category will go forward to the expert panel of judges, which includes Billy Zane, impact investor and Hollywood actor, Melchior de Muralt, microfinance pioneer and founder of the multibillion dollar asset manager BlueOrchard, Katharine Hayhoe, climate scientist named one of Time’s 100 most influential people, and Arizona Muse, model and sustainability consultant.

Alessa Berg, TTI Founder and CEO, said: “From producing energy from thin air, empowering labour, turning waste into resources, detecting wildfires and improving youth mental health, it’s been incredible to see the talented entrepreneurs working tirelessly to reset the path of our planet.

“We received hundreds of entries from 45 countries, all dedicated to building a sustainable and fair paradigm across economic sectors. Our ceremony will bring together world-leading impact investors and famous personalities with global impact start-ups for an evening of celebration. These are the companies that are going to address the most important and pressing environmental and social issues of our time.”

The awards are supported by family offices such as Swedish Formica Capital, along with companies such as sustainable data centre developer TerraScale and Singapore property pioneer CDL.

With partners including the World Economic Forum and United Nations, Top Tier Impact is a global ecosystem of investors, entrepreneurs and professionals focused on solving the most critical issues of our time. With over 500 members across 40 countries, its mission is to accelerate the adoption of best practices in impact and sustainability in the running of companies.

News

Further Success for Fabulosa

Fabulosa, the fragrance-led home and lifestyle brand is celebrating yet another monumental  milestone, as the latest Kantar data* reports that the brand has achieved a larger volume** market share of the household disinfectant market than mature household cleaning brands Zoflora and Dettol.

Adam Burnett, Marketing Director comments: “This is something we are incredibly proud of after only 2.5 years in existence. Our two main cleaning brand competitors have an enormous amount of history behind them, however our meteoric growth has proved that consumers are hungry for new fragrances and choice, looking for their cleaning products to lift more than dirt alone. They want their spirits to be lifted, so they can feel invigorated and be proud of the finish they have achieved, delivering a grime / germ-free result, and a wonderfully fragranced home to be proud of. They want excitement. With every product launch, we have delivered this over and above for our customers, and now the figures speak for themselves.”

Moreover, Fabulosa states that over the next 12 months and beyond, the brand has no plans to rest on their laurels and slow down.

Adam continues: “We will continue to be fanatical about fragrance and continue to revitalise our core proposition via new scents – but that’s not all. We have some exciting plans within totally new categories which will truly complete our transformation from cleaning brand to lifestyle fragrance brand. We already have some exciting plans in place for 2022 with a clear focus on even more Seasonal-led Collections, Calendar-led Collections, Trend-led Collections and Charity-led Collections.

“Our ethos is simple – we want to smell good, look good and do good and will continue to wholeheartedly focus on being the best versions of ourselves via fantastic fragrance, fantastic products and design – as well as entertaining, empowering and motivating our amazing community of loyal fans – which continues to grow by thousands and thousands each month.”

Launching only the previous year, Fabulosa achieved sales of £30 million in 2020 and a substantial EBITDA of £5 million.

References

*Kantar – Worldpanel FMCG – w/e 11th July 2021

**Volume defined by number of litres sold

For more information, visit: www.myfabulosa.co.uk

News

Copy House Grows 250% in Q1

Technology and FinTech content marketing agency adds 24 more companies to client list in 2021.

Copy House, an award-winning content marketing agency specialising in technology and FinTech, has grown during the pandemic, from a 60% annual growth rate to a projected 280% annual growth rate for 20/21.

In addition to this annual growth, since launching the company’s specialised marketing services in 2019 and pivoting to its technology specialism and agency model the UK-based content marketing agency Copy House has also grown 900%.

Kathryn Strachan, Copy House’s Owner and Managing Director commented: “I’m so excited by our growth. Our success was a direct response to our actions during the early pandemic. While others stood still, we went hard by zeroing in on what made us unique and investing in our marketing. We had originally worked with clients across a range of sectors, but when COVID knocked more than 50% of these clients off our books we had some hard decisions to make.

“We sat down, looked at our books and saw a real opportunity within the technology and FinTech space. We invested heavily in our marketing, sales efforts and team to propel our business forward and slingshot us out of the pandemic. After a lot of hard work, I’m delighted to see that our plan worked and we’re reaching for the stars.”

Since Copy House first opened its doors, its team has grown from one person to 21 people. In the last four months alone, Copy House has added 14 new team members and secured several large client wins with noteworthy brands. The company has sourced some of the best talent from across the UK to deliver high-quality content and driven its growth through these technology and FinTech content marketing experts.

Copy House also added 24 more clients to its global client base in 2021. These UK and European-based companies include Klarna, Travelex, Cigna, Nutmeg, FICO and more. Copy House prides itself on its 56.56% annual client retention rate, which includes projects as well as retained clients.

The company’s success is further highlighted by awards nominations and wins. In 2021, Copy House won the Prestige Awards for Best Content Marketing Agency of the Year, having been recognised for its passion, support and keen eye in the technology and FinTech fields.

Managing Director and Owner of Copy House, Kathryn Strachan, has also been shortlisted for the ScotlandIS Unsung Hero 2021 award and Global Women in Marketing Award in the Best Leader in Marketing Category 2020. Kathryn was shortlisted for the Unsung Hero award due to her pro-bono work with Winchester Creatives, a non-profit on a mission to help graduates get into the creative space during a very difficult year. This is in addition to the thought and care she puts towards both people and the planet, with the company recently announcing a move towards B-Corp status. Kathryn’s Best Leader in Marketing award celebrates her efforts of driving the success of Copy House during the pandemic.

Copy House’s values reflect Kathryn’s personal passions and she ensures the company practices what she preaches. For example, Copy House boasts an innovative Work From Anywhere Scheme as well as an Employee Assistance Programme that ensures the team’s mental wellbeing is cared for at all times. The company also regularly donates to charitable causes, including participating in the Race for Life event, and has launched a graduate programme to build students’ SEO skills and increase their ability to secure employment.

Copy House has also recently launched its new graphic design service, uniting together experienced designers with knowledgeable technology and FinTech writers and content producers. This service enables leading technology brands to produce highly personalised, engaging content that makes even the most complex of deep-tech topics understandable.

Discover more at https://copyhouse.io

Food & Drink, News

Speight’s Gin Launch Shibden Valley tipple inspired by Anne Lister

The team behind Halifax’s award-winning gin brand, Speight’s Gin, has launched a Shibden Valley gin, featuring special edition Anne Lister-adorned birthday celebration bottles.

The Speight’s family has worked closely with the Calderdale Museums team at Shibden Hall to research the history of Anne Lister and Shibden. The family has produced the special edition gin, which will be available to purchase in-person at the Shibden Hall gift shop and on the Speight’s Gin website.

Shibden Hall was home to Anne Lister, the 19th-century diarist from 1791-1840. Anne Lister’s life is the focus of the popular BBC drama series ‘Gentleman Jack’, written and directed by Sally Wainwright. The series explores Anne’s life and the lives of those who lived in the Hall and Estate. Suranne Jones stars as Anne Lister in Gentleman Jack, with Shibden Hall featuring as one of the main filming locations featured in the show.

Peter Speight, owner of Speight’s Gin commented: “We are delighted to be working with the Shibden Hall team, it is truly a fantastic honour to be associated with such an iconic building which is part of our heritage”.

The Speight’s Gin brand is a family affair, with Peter Speight running the business alongside his son-in-law Daniel, his wife Angie, daughter Victoria. Each family member plays a different role within the company, with Daniel managing the distillery operations, and the rest of the Speight’s team pitching in with branding, events and marketing.

The Shibden Valley Gin officially launched this month at an exclusive event in the grounds of Shibden Hall, complete with a mobile gin bar, performance from local Band Scars on 45, canapes provided by our outside catering manager Ben Cole, live music and a performance from Brighouse Theatre Productions. Calderdale’s Mayor and Mayoress were also in attendance, along with several local business owners and residents.

Richard Macfarlane, Calderdale Council’s Museums Manager, said:

“The rich history of Shibden Hall and the beauty of the Shibden estate has provided inspiration for many people and we’ve been happy to share our knowledge with the team at Speight’s Gin to help support research for their latest creation.

“The popularity of Gentleman Jack and Anne Lister’s fascinating story has really increased interest in Shibden. We’re pleased to be able to welcome more visitors back to the Hall and support local companies, like Speight’s.”

Crafted in a purpose-built distillery in the Speight’s lush, floral family garden, the small-batch gin is made using a traditional copper still, blended using locally sourced ingredients and a secret concoction of 12 finest botanicals. Speight’s artisan gin is available in five unique flavours, including bilberry, huckleberry, pear, rhubarb and a signature floral gin.

Speight’s Gin has already received global recognition, with the Signature Gin being awarded ‘Best Distilled Gin’ out of entries from thirty-two countries at the Gin Guide Awards 2020, and their rhubarb gin winning a Silver in the World Gin Awards 2021.

News, North of England

Yorkshire digital agency with humble beginnings marks three years in business with new client wins

Huddersfield-based Beanie Media, a web design and development, video and social media agency is celebrating its third birthday with two new client wins.

Marking the anniversary, the team are celebrating winning website maintenance contracts for two large e-commerce brands, which will see projected growth over the next twelve months rise by 680 percent from its £57k start in year one.

Melissa Roberts, Beanie Media’s managing director explained: “Selling products and services online is a growing market, accelerated by the recent pandemic.

“We work closely with online retailers to ensure their products are seen and importantly, sold. We understand the importance of providing a positive first impression when customers visit a client’s website, and we provide the all-important tools to ensure this.

“Winning two clients whilst celebrating our third birthday is the icing on the cake, and we can’t wait to grow the Beanie Media team and client base further.”

Melissa and Dan Atkinson started the business from Starbucks with £30 in the bank in 2018, both leaving their jobs to take the plunge and launch Beanie Media. They were 18 and 19 at the time and spent the first six months building a reputation, networking and saving enough money to rent their own office space. Beanie Media has been built from the ground up, with the entrepreneurial co-founders using money from sales to reinvest into the business as it grows.

Beanie Media specialises in supporting e-commerce businesses and believe that a web agency should consist of more than just creating a website, helping their clients implement the right marketing strategy to increase customers and profits.

The digital agency works on marketing projects with clients in the UK, recently completing a design and web development project for the West Yorkshire Consortium of Colleges and working with Hello Huddersfield – a project funded by Huddersfield BID.

Beanie Media also handles the paid advertising for an online furniture company, driving a 32x return on their advertising spend and decreasing the cost per lead for a Yorkshire-based, electric gate company by over 60 percent, following a takeover from another agency.

Looking to the future, Melissa has ambitious plans to grow Beanie Media and is focused on expanding its technical capability for website development and design projects. This will support the company in servicing its growing portfolio of e-commerce clients and attracting new customers.

She’s also joined the board for the Mid Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, after being a patron for the last year, and a member since Beanie Media launched three years ago.

Beanie Media has recently added two new employees to the team, welcoming Anna Coleman as a social media executive and Harry Howells joining the business as a paid media specialist. The company is currently recruiting for an e-commerce assistant and junior web developer to join their expanding team.