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- When we were setting up >

"When we were setting up, again with the support of the region, we went to a lot of networking events. We managed to..." Satish Shewhorak

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- You have the responsibility of... >

"You have the responsibility of financial debt. You need to service that debt and pay your loans back. Use the..." Keith Miller

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- I think in order to be successful you... >

"I think in order to be successful you need to do something that you passionately believe in, then all the difficulties..." Anne Curtis

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- If you’re not having the right... >

"If you’re not having the right relationship with your bank, look elsewhere. There was a time when Newman Scott lost us..." Steven Bell

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- You can find that you’re doing a lot of... >

"You can find that you’re doing a lot of work for a big contract, but for low profit margins. We went to see one of our..." Jamie Greenwood

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- Surround yourself with positive people >

"Surround yourself with positive people. If you come across anyone negative who says it’ll never work, it’ll never get..." Derek Curtis

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- The best piece of advice I’ve received... >

"The best piece of advice I’ve received so far has been to research your market well before you start. This sounds..." Michelle Taylor

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- You need to have a long term view on... >

"You need to have a long term view on where you want to go as a business, but remember to always to work in the short..." John Elliott

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- You need to have stickabilty >

"You need to have stickabilty. You need to think, “This is what I want to do in my life, and I’m going to make it..." Sheila Stokes-White

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- When you’re first starting out in... >

"When you’re first starting out in business, you can’t delegate anything. You’ve got to understand the pain and..." Keith Miller

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- You have to be on top of your overheads >

"You have to be on top of your overheads. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a small business or a big business, your..." Steven Bell

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- I believe that loads of people will go... >

"I believe that loads of people will go to their graves not realising they could be very good entrepreneurs. The..." John Elliott

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- For me the secret to success is strong... >

"For me the secret to success is strong moral beliefs, with my business the customer comes first every time and keeping..." David Shannon

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- I think the secret behind my business... >

"I think the secret behind my business was seeing the potential in a concept that no-one else saw and successfully..." Anne Larvin

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- When I was setting up >

"When I was setting up, I tried to get an idea of what ‘good’ looked like. We studied how people bought things, what..." Sir Peter Vardy

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- People are very honest about their... >

"People are very honest about their mistakes, and very generous with their time. I’ve picked up great advice from..." Angela Brown

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- In order to survive in business >

"In order to survive in business, you have to stay close to your customers and understand what their needs are. To go a..." Steven Bell

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- I didn’t have a detailed plan >

"I didn’t have a detailed plan. I had an idea, I had a thought process. It was nothing documented, it was all in my..." Keith Miller

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- I wouldn’t recommend anyone to go into... >

"I wouldn’t recommend anyone to go into a business that they don’t have a passion for. I think it would have been a..." John Hays

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- Leadership is key >

"Leadership is key, but only in the sense that you’re able to work with a group of people that you like and respect...." Simon Pearson

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- I try to spot things early on >

"I try to spot things early on and patch them up. If it’s not going to work in the long run, it’ll just get harder and..." Jamie Greenwood

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- When I was setting up – a very long... >

"When I was setting up – a very long time ago - I went to my bank manager. I didn’t borrow any money, I just needed..." Lorna Moran

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- The best advice comes from the people... >

"The best advice comes from the people you want to sell to. If a customer says, that’s a bad idea, it probably is. If..." Jonathan Wells

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- I went >

"I went and spoke to customers and said, “I’m thinking about doing this and if I did would you be interested? And would..." Keith Miller

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- If you’re considering starting your own... >

"If you’re considering starting your own business, be specific of what you want to achieve and where do you want to be..." Nancy Haughey

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- My weakness is accountancy. I’m... >

"My weakness is accountancy. I’m absolutely hopeless. It doesn’t matter if I work for the next ten years to be an..." Sir Peter Vardy

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- I think in order to be successful... >

"I think in order to be successful you’ve got to be very honest with yourself and very honest with those around you...." Christian Cerisola

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- In order to become an entrepreneur >

"In order to become an entrepreneur, you need to get yourself an education that prepares you 1) to see the opportunity..." Sir Tom Hunter

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- I think one of the things I’ve learnt... >

"I think one of the things I’ve learnt specifically about selling the business is that lawyers get paid to tell you what..." Alan Timothy

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- A lot of small businesses can’t afford... >

"A lot of small businesses can’t afford an accountant, especially a qualified one. But from personal experience having..." Steven Bell

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- When you’ve got the right team >

"When you’ve got the right team, you can really go places and achieve great things. If one of the team is wrong, you’re..." Sir Peter Vardy

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- I’ve got a friend who works in a... >

"I’ve got a friend who works in a merchant bank in London and their corporate policy is to always charge the most..." Alan Timothy

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- I’ve got a business partner >

"I’ve got a business partner, Sheldon, but we don’t have a 50/50 split. I’m not sure about other businesses, but I..." Chris Quickfall

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- I knew I had to get the image right >

"I knew I had to get the image right and I got a logo created in those eleven months to write to prospective investors...." James Robson

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- My family have been a great support >

"My family have been a great support but I would advise anyone wanting to start their own business to seek independent..." Alison Stanley

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- You need to do some preparation when... >

"You need to do some preparation when you go out to talk to people. I never go into a meeting without reading..." Lorna Moran

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- We like to build a relationship with... >

"We like to build a relationship with our clients. We’re very open and honest with them; we like to make it fun for..." Antonia Clifford

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- If you’re thinking about starting your... >

"If you’re thinking about starting your own business go for it, but lay down strong foundations first. Get help with..." Kaye Winship

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- If you have great plans >

"If you have great plans, or hairy, audacious goals, you can inspire people to come and be part of the journey. It’s..." Sir Peter Vardy

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- You can’t be too precious about things >

"You can’t be too precious about things, saying that’s not the way you would have done it. If the company’s going to..." Sir Peter Vardy

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- It all comes back to staff satisfaction >

"It all comes back to staff satisfaction. Are we inspiring the troops to go that bit further than anyone else’s? If..." Sir Peter Vardy

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- It’s important to have vision >

"It’s important to have vision. You need to know what’s achievable, you need to know where you’re going and how long..." Sir Peter Vardy

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- We had to get up every day wanting to... >

"We had to get up every day wanting to do things better than we did them the day before. It was a constant passion for..." Sir Peter Vardy

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- I would really advise going out >

"I would really advise going out and talking to as many people as possible about your idea, preferably individuals..." Mark Ions

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- Getting to the market is unique to that... >

"Getting to the market is unique to that product; there isn’t one formula to fit all. You need to sit down and say..." Sir Peter Vardy

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- I would especially suggest sourcing... >

"I would especially suggest sourcing yourself an experienced ‘know- it- all’ who can at least put you on the right road..." Ann Oliver

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- Try >

"Try and find someone to talk to who’s already in business. They’re great people to bounce ideas off, and you get a lot..." Steven Bell

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- I learnt a lot out of selling my... >

"I learnt a lot out of selling my business. When I started the business I had a minority partner. When he saw the..." Alan Timothy

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- I would urge people interested in... >

"I would urge people interested in starting their own business to check out the competition and what they are doing..." Linda Winship

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- I think the two main success factors... >

"I think the two main success factors have been honesty and reliability. I provide a fair service to my customers that..." Leanne Hodgson

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- I think that in order to be a... >

"I think that in order to be a successful entrepreneur you have to be able to work with people. There are plenty of..." Phil Cronin

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- Make sure you get your bills paid on... >

"Make sure you get your bills paid on time. The old saying, cash is king, is still relevant. Profit is great, and you..." Keith Miller

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- I always think you should do business... >

"I always think you should do business with people. Don’t do business with a flyer, a business card, or any kind of..." Carol Metcalfe

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- I can cite bits of work that we’ve done... >

"I can cite bits of work that we’ve done where the culture of our workforce has swung the decision between someone..." Fiona Cruickshank

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- You must know >

"You must know and understand your strengths and weaknesses and who you are as a person. This is important not just..." Nicole Race

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- What I wanted to change was massive >

"What I wanted to change was massive; it was a better outcome for children. But if you’ve got something that you..." Angela Brown

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- In terms of exp >

"In terms of expanding the business, it’s important to study the data, to study the opportunity, and study the needs to..." Keith Miller

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- If you’ve come up with a new idea or a... >

"If you’ve come up with a new idea or a new invention, the obvious is that you’ve got to get it patented and go through..." Keith Miller

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- When you’re starting your own business... >

"When you’re starting your own business you should only have a short term plan, but ensure that you can make it a..." Keith Miller

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- The more you can learn >

"The more you can learn and the more knowledge you gain, the more you can put into your own work. People will take less..." Sarah Taylor

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- In terms of dealing with growth it’s... >

"In terms of dealing with growth it’s important to have the right people. Some employees might not be in tune with the..." James Robson

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- Hire the best possible people >

"Hire the best possible people. It isn’t down to money or even the brightest person, you’ve got to look for people with..." Steven Bell

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- I think the secret behind being a good... >

"I think the secret behind being a good entrepreneur is having that get up and go attitude. You have to be really..." Lindsay Hogg

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- I think the secret to success is... >

"I think the secret to success is keeping high standards and having staff who feel the same way." Linda Winship

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- The most important thing is to be good... >

"The most important thing is to be good with people. Not just customers, but with people who you employ too. Take an..." Pete Hunt

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- I would say my enthusiasm for my... >

"I would say my enthusiasm for my business has been a key factor in its success. If you’re thinking about starting your..." Chris Emery

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- The biggest support you need is on the... >

"The biggest support you need is on the financial front. So many people say they can’t afford an accountant, they can’t..." Sir Peter Vardy

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- Most entrepreneurs aren’t financial... >

"Most entrepreneurs aren’t financial directors, so what you need to know are Key Performance Indicators that are..." Sir Peter Vardy

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- Fully research your idea or service >

"Fully research your idea or service. I’m not an academic myself so I’ll not necessarily say you have to dig out loads..." Steven Bell

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- You don’t need to be five times better... >

"You don’t need to be five times better than anyone else, just a bit better, then in the end the customers come to your..." Jonathan Wells

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- You’ve got to think >

"You’ve got to think, as I did, right, I’m going to do this and just go for it, and make sure the people around you..." Nickie Gott

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- If I’ve learned one lesson in life >

"If I’ve learned one lesson in life, it’s to be decisive. You can’t expect every one of your decisions to be right...." Lorna Moran

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- It’s important to take an interest in... >

"It’s important to take an interest in what everyone else is up to in your sector. I log onto the financial times and..." Fiona Cruickshank

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- Motivating staff isn’t just about... >

"Motivating staff isn’t just about paying them more than anyone else is. It’s about creating an environment where they..." Sir Peter Vardy

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- For the entrepreneur >

"For the entrepreneur, the biggest question you’ve got to ask yourself is, what are you not good at? We’re all good at..." Sir Tom Hunter

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- Never stop learning >

"Never stop learning. I try to read a book once a month because I think that whatever I’m doing, there’s always a..." Alan Timothy

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- I think you need to be prepared for... >

"I think you need to be prepared for things to take longer than you might think- especially when it comes to the..." Rona Askew

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- You’ve got to be able to take risks >

"You’ve got to be able to take risks, and to stand right back up again whenever you get knocked down. Business isn’t..." Chris Quickfall

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- I think you need to be flexible >

"I think you need to be flexible and open minded. If your mind is too set in one particular direction, that could be..." Antonia Clifford

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- It’s not going to be plain sailing >

"It’s not going to be plain sailing. Maybe it’s just me but I’ve never yet seen a business plan that has done what it..." Roy Stanley

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- The key piece of advice I was given by... >

"The key piece of advice I was given by a couple of people who run their own businesses was to not be afraid to park one..." Kari Owers

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- If something’s our fault >

"If something’s our fault and we’ve got something wrong, it’s important to be honest and analytical. We have to ask..." John Hays

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- Give people the best training you can >

"Give people the best training you can, and give them constant support whilst they’re carrying it out. We put a lot of..." Steven Bell

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- In terms of making mistakes >

"In terms of making mistakes, it’s all about recognising them and taking them on the chin. You need to solve your..." Steven Bell

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- While you’re building the concepts... >

"While you’re building the concepts behind your ideas, whether it’s a new product or a new service, or whatever you want..." Ross Cooney

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- To succeed in business I think you have... >

"To succeed in business I think you have to be incredibly resilient. No matter how many times you’ve been kicked on the..." Simon Pearson

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- The majority of our customers speak... >

"The majority of our customers speak directly to Matt who’s our graphic designer; they don’t have to go through an..." Paul Bell

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- One lady went with one of our... >

"One lady went with one of our competitors for a while. When I asked her the reason, she said that they sold holidays..." Alistair McLean

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- In the back of my mind I always thought... >

"In the back of my mind I always thought that to be an entrepreneur you needed to have some kind of a spark of an idea..." Derek Curtis

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- I’ve never had some wonderful plan >

"I’ve never had some wonderful plan and I don’t try and predict the future too much. You should always have a gut..." John Hays

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- If you’re thinking of starting your own... >

"If you’re thinking of starting your own business, I would ask if you’re prepared for what it’s going to involve; it’s..." Louise Allcroft

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- Entrepreneurship is all about having... >

"Entrepreneurship is all about having the right product or service and then getting it to market. That often involves..." Lorna Moran

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- I don’t think there’s a magic secret >

"I don’t think there’s a magic secret; I think people have different qualities. It’s certainly not down to intelligence..." Greg Phillips

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- In 1991 when we were going through the... >

"In 1991 when we were going through the recession, I was advised by my bank manager, my accountants, professional bodies..." Keith Miller

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- With a great team we can not only... >

"With a great team we can not only continue to grow our own business, we can support and nurture new businesses that..." Lynn Gate

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- I believe that loads of people will go... >

"I believe that loads of people will go to their graves not realising they could be very good entrepreneurs. The..." John Elliott

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- If you’re thinking about starting up... >

"If you’re thinking about starting up your own business venture, all I would say is get a mentor. Find somebody who can..." Alistair McLean

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- The secret of being a good entrepreneur... >

"The secret of being a good entrepreneur is to always be on alert, looking and thinking of new ideas, markets and..." Tom Bivens

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- Remember inspiration and support... >

"Remember inspiration and support shouldn’t be and isn’t just centred around money; real value comes from people..." Sean Gerrie

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- I’m the eternal optimist of the business >

"I’m the eternal optimist of the business. My job is to say this business is capable, and then just go for it. You’ve..." Lorna Moran

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- I think the secret behind being a good... >

"I think the secret behind being a good entrepreneur is to maintain a belief in what you’re doing and be totally aware..." William Ingram

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- When I got to 100 dealerships >

"When I got to 100 dealerships, it was a real issue trying to deal with that. I was managing dealerships from Aberdeen..." Sir Peter Vardy

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- I think if you start your own company >

"I think if you start your own company, you need to love what you do as you will be eating, breathing and living in the..." Melanie Cornish

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Entrepreneurs>

Roy Stanley: Tanfield Group Plc

"My first ever business venture was when my dad won enough money playing cards to buy a television. I was about six at..."

view Roy Stanley's story

Peter Nixon: Recruitment Now

"I joined Nixon Hire, my family plant hire company from school at age 16. Having worked my way up through all..."

view Peter Nixon's story

John Elliott: EBAC Ltd

"I believe that loads of people will go to their graves not realising they could be very good entrepreneurs...."

view John Elliott's story

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For more information please contact stephen@ifwecanyoucan.co.uk or call 0191 226 7491