Fusion MemberUseful Links
4QL
Mike Robertson 4QL, 13 Hatston Park, Kirkwall, KW15 1UB 0131 208 0015 www.4ql.co.uk Mike Robertson was born in Edinburgh, lived in Bathgate and then moved to Orkney. Mike attended Heriot Watt University and got a degree in Electrical Engineering and then headed off to London and Ipswich for BT. He married a Shetland lass and moved to maintaining Schlumberger’s oil-well logging equipment in Shetland. After 5 years with Schlumberger Mike was attracted to getting into business on his own. He was briefly a partner in home computer firm but soon joined up with another colleague to set up a new business concentrating on computer systems for small business. After 20 years of this, for personal reasons and so he could concentrate on software Mike span out a new company, 4QL Limited. 4QL’s niche is developing custom software for SMEs but it also has web content management product, OctEportal, to help small and micro businesses build and manage their own Internet presence with little technical knowledge. Their hardest challenge is identifying new markets for this, tailoring the product to suit this market and then selling into. 4QL would be interested in connecting with anybody who could help them with this marketing challenge. 4QL has customers in Shetland, Orkney and Glasgow at present. Mike Robertson has been involved in Fusion since it started and has attended a number of conferences and events. He has an extensive network of contacts so for anyone planning to do business in Orkney Mike Robertson should be one person they should look up.
Mike Robertson 4QL, 13 Hatston Park, Kirkwall, KW15 1UB 0131 208 0015 www.4ql.co.uk Mike Robertson was born in Edinburgh, lived in Bathgate and then moved to Orkney. Mike attended Heriot Watt University and got a degree in Electrical Engineering and then headed off to London and Ipswich for BT. He married a Shetland lass and moved to maintaining Schlumberger’s oil-well logging equipment in Shetland. After 5 years with Schlumberger Mike was attracted to getting into business on his own. He was briefly a partner in home computer firm but soon joined up with another colleague to set up a new business concentrating on computer systems for small business. After 20 years of this, for personal reasons and so he could concentrate on software Mike span out a new company, 4QL Limited. 4QL’s niche is developing custom software for SMEs but it also has web content management product, OctEportal, to help small and micro businesses build and manage their own Internet presence with little technical knowledge. Their hardest challenge is identifying new markets for this, tailoring the product to suit this market and then selling into. 4QL would be interested in connecting with anybody who could help them with this marketing challenge. 4QL has customers in Shetland, Orkney and Glasgow at present. Mike Robertson has been involved in Fusion since it started and has attended a number of conferences and events. He has an extensive network of contacts so for anyone planning to do business in Orkney Mike Robertson should be one person they should look up.
Agenda Events
Jim Brown started off his working life as a vet, a career which stemmed from an interest in science, in particular biology, cutting things up to see how they worked, and why disease processes happen. He qualified in Edinburgh and worked at several practices in the West of Scotland and North of England before moving back to the Inverness in the 1990’s, where he was partner in a practice for 10 years. Having felt he had hit a bit of a glass ceiling, he embarked on a change in career. In practice he became intrigued - and sometimes frustrated - by trying to figure out exactly what his different clients wanted and building a service around it, something which eventually led to an MBA at Strathclyde University - and his eyes being opened to new business opportunities. On completion of the MBA he realised there was a niche for him and Agenda Events was born. Jim found many of the skills he used daily as vet transferred easily over to events – particularly his knack of establishing trust with people and turning their thoughts into feasible projects. Agenda concentrates on Association, Medical and Research work, which makes the most of his background. He specialises in project managing events rather than simply running them, so gets very involved with the organisations he is working with. As a consequence, Agenda tends to deliver conferences to audiences of 150-200 people, many of which happen in the Highlands, although it also has customers in Aberdeen, Edinburgh and South of the border. Agenda Events has grown since it was founded in 2006 and of course Jim has organised the last 2 Fusion annual conferences and the Fusion Ideas for Growth series in 2009. This year he will once again be delivering another great conference and is currently working hard on getting the right mix of speakers to suit the audience.
Jim Brown started off his working life as a vet, a career which stemmed from an interest in science, in particular biology, cutting things up to see how they worked, and why disease processes happen. He qualified in Edinburgh and worked at several practices in the West of Scotland and North of England before moving back to the Inverness in the 1990’s, where he was partner in a practice for 10 years. Having felt he had hit a bit of a glass ceiling, he embarked on a change in career. In practice he became intrigued - and sometimes frustrated - by trying to figure out exactly what his different clients wanted and building a service around it, something which eventually led to an MBA at Strathclyde University - and his eyes being opened to new business opportunities. On completion of the MBA he realised there was a niche for him and Agenda Events was born. Jim found many of the skills he used daily as vet transferred easily over to events – particularly his knack of establishing trust with people and turning their thoughts into feasible projects. Agenda concentrates on Association, Medical and Research work, which makes the most of his background. He specialises in project managing events rather than simply running them, so gets very involved with the organisations he is working with. As a consequence, Agenda tends to deliver conferences to audiences of 150-200 people, many of which happen in the Highlands, although it also has customers in Aberdeen, Edinburgh and South of the border. Agenda Events has grown since it was founded in 2006 and of course Jim has organised the last 2 Fusion annual conferences and the Fusion Ideas for Growth series in 2009. This year he will once again be delivering another great conference and is currently working hard on getting the right mix of speakers to suit the audience.
Aquascot
A visit to Aquascot gives you the feeling that this is a company that operates differently right from the get go. At the top of the reception stairs is a large notice about togetherness which is signed by all the employees of the company. On walking into Dennis Overton’s office there is a clearly African theme in the decor and there is also a large bookcase packed with great books about different management techniques, new ways of doing business and enterprise. On top of the bookshelf a stuffed owl keeps an eye on proceedings. Aquascot is a business that believes in doing things differently at all levels of the business. This is obvious not just from the feel of the business, but through the way they operate and right through to their website. How many businesses have an article from one of their employees about their experience of working at their company? Lots of businesses come up with core values but I am not sure as many are as dedicated to implementing them as Aquascot whose core values are effective teamwork, commitment, respect and trust. Of course in typical Aquascot style these values were created by the employees themselves. If you are not familiar with Aquascot it started in 1987 when salmon farming was a relatively new activity. In 2000 the business was sold and in 2003 a few business colleagues bought back the processing division of Aquascot. Their plan was to build a community of people linked in purpose and belief in sustainably farmed fish. In 2008 the company started laying the foundations of Aquascot becoming an employee owned business which will complete around 2015. The future for Aquascot looks bright – they currently work in partnership with Waitrose who are a great fit. Waitrose looks to build long term partnerships with suppliers and it is a partnership in every sense of the word too. This partnership policy of Waitrose looks to be paying dividends as in 2010 they were the fastest growing multiple retailer in Europe. Aquascot supply all the trout and salmon for Waitrose and figures are nearly three times higher than the predicated market share proving that customers are happy to pay for quality, consistency and values. Dennis also spends time each year in Rwanda chairing the board of an organic essential plant oil agri-business. He finds the working environment very stimulating and learns a great deal from his colleagues and experiences there. The business works with 800 growers producing oils and it is expanding rapidly. Dennis predicts great things for Rwanda – a country that has a zero-tolerance policy towards corruption and which has an entrepreneurial approach, modelled on the SE Asian model of states like Singapore, Vietnam and S Korea. Dennis practices what he preaches and has been an active member in local food groups and organisations for many years. He is also on the board of the Soil Association. He puts back into the local community too and has been found at a community energy event handing out low energy lightbulbs and is also working with a school to help them grow organic produce. Dennis is a quiet fount of knowledge not only on the aquaculture business but on ways of doing business.
A visit to Aquascot gives you the feeling that this is a company that operates differently right from the get go. At the top of the reception stairs is a large notice about togetherness which is signed by all the employees of the company. On walking into Dennis Overton’s office there is a clearly African theme in the decor and there is also a large bookcase packed with great books about different management techniques, new ways of doing business and enterprise. On top of the bookshelf a stuffed owl keeps an eye on proceedings. Aquascot is a business that believes in doing things differently at all levels of the business. This is obvious not just from the feel of the business, but through the way they operate and right through to their website. How many businesses have an article from one of their employees about their experience of working at their company? Lots of businesses come up with core values but I am not sure as many are as dedicated to implementing them as Aquascot whose core values are effective teamwork, commitment, respect and trust. Of course in typical Aquascot style these values were created by the employees themselves. If you are not familiar with Aquascot it started in 1987 when salmon farming was a relatively new activity. In 2000 the business was sold and in 2003 a few business colleagues bought back the processing division of Aquascot. Their plan was to build a community of people linked in purpose and belief in sustainably farmed fish. In 2008 the company started laying the foundations of Aquascot becoming an employee owned business which will complete around 2015. The future for Aquascot looks bright – they currently work in partnership with Waitrose who are a great fit. Waitrose looks to build long term partnerships with suppliers and it is a partnership in every sense of the word too. This partnership policy of Waitrose looks to be paying dividends as in 2010 they were the fastest growing multiple retailer in Europe. Aquascot supply all the trout and salmon for Waitrose and figures are nearly three times higher than the predicated market share proving that customers are happy to pay for quality, consistency and values. Dennis also spends time each year in Rwanda chairing the board of an organic essential plant oil agri-business. He finds the working environment very stimulating and learns a great deal from his colleagues and experiences there. The business works with 800 growers producing oils and it is expanding rapidly. Dennis predicts great things for Rwanda – a country that has a zero-tolerance policy towards corruption and which has an entrepreneurial approach, modelled on the SE Asian model of states like Singapore, Vietnam and S Korea. Dennis practices what he preaches and has been an active member in local food groups and organisations for many years. He is also on the board of the Soil Association. He puts back into the local community too and has been found at a community energy event handing out low energy lightbulbs and is also working with a school to help them grow organic produce. Dennis is a quiet fount of knowledge not only on the aquaculture business but on ways of doing business.
Black Isle Bronze
Most of us who have visited Inverness have seen the work of Black Isle Bronze without realising it – the Mercat Cross in Falcon Square with it’s beautiful birds and sundials calibrated to Inverness’s latitude and the bronze figure in the centre of the Eastgate Centre. Black Isle Bronze Ltd is a family business – originally started at Kinkell, hence the Black Isle name, but now employing 8 people and based at the Balmakeith Industrial Estate in Nairn. Farquhar Laing’s Father was a sculptor which sparked his interest. Farquhar did an apprenticeship down south and then worked at a foundry in London. Luck smiled on him and he got a large contract enabling him to leave the foundry and go straight into business on his own. Black Isle Bronze Ltd is the largest bronze foundry north of Birmingham and the largest bronze foundry in the whole of Scotland able to melt ¼ tonnes of bronze at a time. Whilst labour and overhead costs may be lower in the Highlands these are offset by the cost of shipping – no small amount when figures can weigh 5 tonnes! Black Isle Bronze specialises in one off commissions and recently completed their biggest commission to date which was casting a sculpture by artist Gerald Laing. This 5 tonne piece shows a rugby line out and it stands at 27’ tall outside Twickenham. Current projects include a commission for the Duke of Northumberland – a figure which will be displayed in Alnwick town centre. . A more whimsical piece is the Owl and the Pussycat figures which will be delivered to a private client in Antigua. This sculpture is very detailed and both figures are in a life size bronze boat complete with a bronze sail. As with much of their pieces all the parts are cast individually and then welded together and finished by hand. A modern sculpture of a human figure sits in the office waiting to be shipped to another private client in Monaco. Black Isle Bronze Ltd uses wax moulding for the high definition work that it does and casts a full size figure in 2 or 3 pieces for example. They have recently invested in a sand moulding machine. A large hopper holds up to 8 tonnes of sand and these are used to cast pieces with less complex designs. The sand is then reused for the next piece. Everything Black Isle Bronze Ltd produces is to a customer design. Not only do they do architectural and heritage pieces but they also do simpler items such a map of the Somme battlefield which Farquhars’ family participated in. A copy of this map hangs at their premises. Farquhar is very appreciative of the help and assistance of HIE who have helped him grow and continue to do so. He is also very appreciative of his wife who looks after their family allowing him to concentrate on his business although he admits juggling things is still testing at times.
Most of us who have visited Inverness have seen the work of Black Isle Bronze without realising it – the Mercat Cross in Falcon Square with it’s beautiful birds and sundials calibrated to Inverness’s latitude and the bronze figure in the centre of the Eastgate Centre. Black Isle Bronze Ltd is a family business – originally started at Kinkell, hence the Black Isle name, but now employing 8 people and based at the Balmakeith Industrial Estate in Nairn. Farquhar Laing’s Father was a sculptor which sparked his interest. Farquhar did an apprenticeship down south and then worked at a foundry in London. Luck smiled on him and he got a large contract enabling him to leave the foundry and go straight into business on his own. Black Isle Bronze Ltd is the largest bronze foundry north of Birmingham and the largest bronze foundry in the whole of Scotland able to melt ¼ tonnes of bronze at a time. Whilst labour and overhead costs may be lower in the Highlands these are offset by the cost of shipping – no small amount when figures can weigh 5 tonnes! Black Isle Bronze specialises in one off commissions and recently completed their biggest commission to date which was casting a sculpture by artist Gerald Laing. This 5 tonne piece shows a rugby line out and it stands at 27’ tall outside Twickenham. Current projects include a commission for the Duke of Northumberland – a figure which will be displayed in Alnwick town centre. . A more whimsical piece is the Owl and the Pussycat figures which will be delivered to a private client in Antigua. This sculpture is very detailed and both figures are in a life size bronze boat complete with a bronze sail. As with much of their pieces all the parts are cast individually and then welded together and finished by hand. A modern sculpture of a human figure sits in the office waiting to be shipped to another private client in Monaco. Black Isle Bronze Ltd uses wax moulding for the high definition work that it does and casts a full size figure in 2 or 3 pieces for example. They have recently invested in a sand moulding machine. A large hopper holds up to 8 tonnes of sand and these are used to cast pieces with less complex designs. The sand is then reused for the next piece. Everything Black Isle Bronze Ltd produces is to a customer design. Not only do they do architectural and heritage pieces but they also do simpler items such a map of the Somme battlefield which Farquhars’ family participated in. A copy of this map hangs at their premises. Farquhar is very appreciative of the help and assistance of HIE who have helped him grow and continue to do so. He is also very appreciative of his wife who looks after their family allowing him to concentrate on his business although he admits juggling things is still testing at times.
Business Technicians
Business Technicians has been on the go for 5 years – set up to deliver start up services and assistance for small business such as payroll support. In 2011 Jennifer Macdonald-Nethercott joined her husband and the business now offers marketing support to small and medium businesses as a result. Jennifer has attracted new customers to the business and also works with existing clients of Business Technicians. Jennifer managed to keep in touch with lots of her previous business contacts and these have been a great source of work. She networks regularly and is a keen advocate of keeping up a good presence in the local community. Marketing support from Business Technicians includes writing and implementing marketing plans but it also includes revisiting websites. “Websites are something that people often do and put plenty of thought into at the time” says Jennifer “but they are often then put on a back burner and not reviewed to make sure they reflect the current business” she continues. Jennifer has reviewed several existing websites recently, given them a makeover so that the customer has ended up with a smoother operating, more up to date website with better search engine results for a much lower cost than having to build a new website. Jennifer also designs email marketing campaigns for clients – helping craft the message so that it is tailored to the audience and will therefore be more effective. Jennifer’s background is Hospitality and tourism having gained at BA in Leisure Management at Glasgow Caledonian University and more recently gained Chartered Marketer status. She has worked with Landmark Press and Macrae & Dick locally in marketing roles and also worked as Membership and Events Manager for Fusion before handing over the reins to Paula Kirby. She was on the team at the Macdonald Aviemore Resort when they opened for their first big conference and remembers it being all hands on deck to get everything done in time. This experience means Jennifer has a great understanding of the local market in the Highlands, with a great background in hospitality, leisure and tourism. However, Jennifer is now using that experience to work with a wide range of businesses and organisations who are keen to see their marketing deliver results. Business Technicians currently offers a free marketing audit which covers 2 hours of Jennifers time. During this audit she will review an organisation’s marketing activity and will provide them with 5 key improvements to get the most out of their current activity – now that’s an offer that no one can refuse!
Business Technicians has been on the go for 5 years – set up to deliver start up services and assistance for small business such as payroll support. In 2011 Jennifer Macdonald-Nethercott joined her husband and the business now offers marketing support to small and medium businesses as a result. Jennifer has attracted new customers to the business and also works with existing clients of Business Technicians. Jennifer managed to keep in touch with lots of her previous business contacts and these have been a great source of work. She networks regularly and is a keen advocate of keeping up a good presence in the local community. Marketing support from Business Technicians includes writing and implementing marketing plans but it also includes revisiting websites. “Websites are something that people often do and put plenty of thought into at the time” says Jennifer “but they are often then put on a back burner and not reviewed to make sure they reflect the current business” she continues. Jennifer has reviewed several existing websites recently, given them a makeover so that the customer has ended up with a smoother operating, more up to date website with better search engine results for a much lower cost than having to build a new website. Jennifer also designs email marketing campaigns for clients – helping craft the message so that it is tailored to the audience and will therefore be more effective. Jennifer’s background is Hospitality and tourism having gained at BA in Leisure Management at Glasgow Caledonian University and more recently gained Chartered Marketer status. She has worked with Landmark Press and Macrae & Dick locally in marketing roles and also worked as Membership and Events Manager for Fusion before handing over the reins to Paula Kirby. She was on the team at the Macdonald Aviemore Resort when they opened for their first big conference and remembers it being all hands on deck to get everything done in time. This experience means Jennifer has a great understanding of the local market in the Highlands, with a great background in hospitality, leisure and tourism. However, Jennifer is now using that experience to work with a wide range of businesses and organisations who are keen to see their marketing deliver results. Business Technicians currently offers a free marketing audit which covers 2 hours of Jennifers time. During this audit she will review an organisation’s marketing activity and will provide them with 5 key improvements to get the most out of their current activity – now that’s an offer that no one can refuse!
Calico
Calico was set up in 1994 in Cromarty when dial up internet services were the norm. Calico was one of the first to set up ‘free’ internet web and email services in Scotland, with Ecosse.net. The company prides itself on being innovative and adaptable. They have shown this with the changes it has made as technology has changed over the years. Kirsty Pryer joined from college in 1998. On New Year’s Eve 2004 she and three other employees bought out Calico and Kirsty now heads up the team– although often people mistake her role in the company. Calico’s main business is in domain names registration, website hosting and email hosting. But it is not limited to these areas, and also provides online backup and anti spam services. They also manage servers for a few clients. They are able to do this because 13 years ago they invested heavily in getting a fibre connection put in which gives them a high speed uncontended broadband connection. The team members pride themselves on their friendly helpdesk and support service. The personal touch and the quality of this is their unique selling point. Customers are on first name terms with the team and they keep in contact with the same person whilst the problem is being resolved. The personal service means that when customers move abroad they often keep dealing with Calico, so the company now has customers in Australia, Africa and Europe as well as plenty in England. Their long customer retention proves the value of their customer service and their low staff turnover means that their employees are happy too.
Calico was set up in 1994 in Cromarty when dial up internet services were the norm. Calico was one of the first to set up ‘free’ internet web and email services in Scotland, with Ecosse.net. The company prides itself on being innovative and adaptable. They have shown this with the changes it has made as technology has changed over the years. Kirsty Pryer joined from college in 1998. On New Year’s Eve 2004 she and three other employees bought out Calico and Kirsty now heads up the team– although often people mistake her role in the company. Calico’s main business is in domain names registration, website hosting and email hosting. But it is not limited to these areas, and also provides online backup and anti spam services. They also manage servers for a few clients. They are able to do this because 13 years ago they invested heavily in getting a fibre connection put in which gives them a high speed uncontended broadband connection. The team members pride themselves on their friendly helpdesk and support service. The personal touch and the quality of this is their unique selling point. Customers are on first name terms with the team and they keep in contact with the same person whilst the problem is being resolved. The personal service means that when customers move abroad they often keep dealing with Calico, so the company now has customers in Australia, Africa and Europe as well as plenty in England. Their long customer retention proves the value of their customer service and their low staff turnover means that their employees are happy too.
Capella IP
Getting to grips with what intellectual property is about, and how to benefit from it, is not an easy thing to do. However, a brief visit to Capella IP educated me to see that everyone has intellectual property of some sort of another, although often we don’t realise it or assign value to it. Dr Kate Macdonald has been working with intellectual property for nearly 18 years and it is clear she is passionate about her subject. She describes herself as an “IP Strategist”, first getting to grips with the business and then deciding the intellectual property strategy. Scotland of course is a ripe place for inventions, creativity and ideas. However, Kate described how organisations in Scotland should “keep their arms around” their products/ideas so that they benefit from them if they are then sold elsewhere. There are numerous cases of course where the great idea has been created in Scotland only for the benefit to be earned elsewhere. So what can Kate do for businesses? Firstly she can give you an initial consultation, free of charge. This begins to look at what IP you have in your business, future development plans, your business strategy and then she then makes suggestions on how to get the most benefit from your IP. She then gives you a detailed quotation about her pricing from this point forward. Kate has a PhD in Physics and has years of technical experience. She works in life sciences, medical devices, subsea renewables and a host of other areas. She is a Chartered UK and European Patent Attorney and a European Designs Attorney. This, combined with her business experience, means she can give businesses the whole package of advice relating to IP. Another area Kate is enthusiastic about is individual learning and the fact that each of us has our own personal intellectual property – it’s our knowledge built up through experience, education and life. There is a value in this that most people don’t even consider. Imagine what it would be like if it was possible to enthuse children about this at an early stage in their life! Intellectual property, intellectual assets, patents, trademarks, registered designs and copyright can be confusing terms and areas of business. Clarity can quickly be reached however by involving Capella IP in your business – you and your business may well be more valuable than you think! As Kate says Capella IP is all about leveraging the promise of intellectual property.
Getting to grips with what intellectual property is about, and how to benefit from it, is not an easy thing to do. However, a brief visit to Capella IP educated me to see that everyone has intellectual property of some sort of another, although often we don’t realise it or assign value to it. Dr Kate Macdonald has been working with intellectual property for nearly 18 years and it is clear she is passionate about her subject. She describes herself as an “IP Strategist”, first getting to grips with the business and then deciding the intellectual property strategy. Scotland of course is a ripe place for inventions, creativity and ideas. However, Kate described how organisations in Scotland should “keep their arms around” their products/ideas so that they benefit from them if they are then sold elsewhere. There are numerous cases of course where the great idea has been created in Scotland only for the benefit to be earned elsewhere. So what can Kate do for businesses? Firstly she can give you an initial consultation, free of charge. This begins to look at what IP you have in your business, future development plans, your business strategy and then she then makes suggestions on how to get the most benefit from your IP. She then gives you a detailed quotation about her pricing from this point forward. Kate has a PhD in Physics and has years of technical experience. She works in life sciences, medical devices, subsea renewables and a host of other areas. She is a Chartered UK and European Patent Attorney and a European Designs Attorney. This, combined with her business experience, means she can give businesses the whole package of advice relating to IP. Another area Kate is enthusiastic about is individual learning and the fact that each of us has our own personal intellectual property – it’s our knowledge built up through experience, education and life. There is a value in this that most people don’t even consider. Imagine what it would be like if it was possible to enthuse children about this at an early stage in their life! Intellectual property, intellectual assets, patents, trademarks, registered designs and copyright can be confusing terms and areas of business. Clarity can quickly be reached however by involving Capella IP in your business – you and your business may well be more valuable than you think! As Kate says Capella IP is all about leveraging the promise of intellectual property.
Cole Hamilton & Co
Simon Cole-Hamilton started out as an engineer – a gas engineer in fact - but not long after qualifying he realised his path lay in a different direction and he became a chartered accountant as well. Simon has had lots of experience in both the public and private sector and one of his early roles was working at Highlands and Islands Development Board looking after businesses in Skye and Lochalsh. There he met lots of new and growing businesses and was able to assist them with finance applications. He spent 9 years at Moray Firth Maltings, a spell which included floating the company on the London Stock Exchange, did a short stint at Macrae and Dick, and found himself commuting from the Highlands to Edinburgh for five years when he became the Finance Director for a national design group. In 1995 he set up Cole-Hamilton & Co, Chartered Accountants. At the same time as he was appointed a part-time position as Chief Executive of Inverness Chamber of Commerce. Under his stewardship the Chamber grew significantly to 320 members, the Highland Business Dinner was introduced, as was the annual Highland Spotlight exhibition, networking lunches, and a series of lunchtime events called Nuts and Bolts of Business. Simon was at the Chamber of Commerce for 12 years and saw huge changes in the area during this time. This combination of public and private sector experience has given him a wide area of expertise. Simon enjoys working with businesses where he can use his experience to make a positive contribution to growth, and he always looks to build a good working relationship with clients rather than just appearing once a year to produce their accounts. As Simon says “Making sure good reporting is available throughout the year can help businesses make informed decisions and choices.” Cole-Hamilton & Co like to keep things as simple as possible – numbers should be a help not a hindrance. His mantra is that clients should view Cole-Hamilton & Co as an extension of their own business. Simon does a lot of background work too – he was recently involved in the council’s spending review panel, he is doing work on Business Improvement Districts, and he attends renewable events to keep up to date with trends in this area too. Simon feels his biggest business challenge has been to balance the demands of growth with his desire to maintain service on a personal level. He strives to get across to other business the benefits good financial reporting can bring. As to networking, he strongly feels his business wouldn’t have started or developed as well as it has without the valuable contacts he makes at the events he attends. Simon Cole-Hamilton is a director of a number of successful companies and treasurer for several charities – and is an elected member of the Fusion board.
Simon Cole-Hamilton started out as an engineer – a gas engineer in fact - but not long after qualifying he realised his path lay in a different direction and he became a chartered accountant as well. Simon has had lots of experience in both the public and private sector and one of his early roles was working at Highlands and Islands Development Board looking after businesses in Skye and Lochalsh. There he met lots of new and growing businesses and was able to assist them with finance applications. He spent 9 years at Moray Firth Maltings, a spell which included floating the company on the London Stock Exchange, did a short stint at Macrae and Dick, and found himself commuting from the Highlands to Edinburgh for five years when he became the Finance Director for a national design group. In 1995 he set up Cole-Hamilton & Co, Chartered Accountants. At the same time as he was appointed a part-time position as Chief Executive of Inverness Chamber of Commerce. Under his stewardship the Chamber grew significantly to 320 members, the Highland Business Dinner was introduced, as was the annual Highland Spotlight exhibition, networking lunches, and a series of lunchtime events called Nuts and Bolts of Business. Simon was at the Chamber of Commerce for 12 years and saw huge changes in the area during this time. This combination of public and private sector experience has given him a wide area of expertise. Simon enjoys working with businesses where he can use his experience to make a positive contribution to growth, and he always looks to build a good working relationship with clients rather than just appearing once a year to produce their accounts. As Simon says “Making sure good reporting is available throughout the year can help businesses make informed decisions and choices.” Cole-Hamilton & Co like to keep things as simple as possible – numbers should be a help not a hindrance. His mantra is that clients should view Cole-Hamilton & Co as an extension of their own business. Simon does a lot of background work too – he was recently involved in the council’s spending review panel, he is doing work on Business Improvement Districts, and he attends renewable events to keep up to date with trends in this area too. Simon feels his biggest business challenge has been to balance the demands of growth with his desire to maintain service on a personal level. He strives to get across to other business the benefits good financial reporting can bring. As to networking, he strongly feels his business wouldn’t have started or developed as well as it has without the valuable contacts he makes at the events he attends. Simon Cole-Hamilton is a director of a number of successful companies and treasurer for several charities – and is an elected member of the Fusion board.
Craggan Outdoors
Craggan Outdoors is based right beside the River Spey, and the Clubhouse at the heart of the site enjoys fantastic views of the Cromdale Hills and Cairngorms. The centre has one of the largest ranges of activities available at any activity centre in Scotland. These include archery, clay pigeon, climbing (indoor wall and outdoor crags), golf, gorge walking, high ropes, kayaking, massage, mini-quads, mountain biking, paintball, pony trekking, quad treks, raft building, River Spey canoe trips, team-building, white water rafting, yoga and a zip wire. The target areas for growth at Craggan Outdoors are school groups and corporate events. Craggan Outdoors already attracts corporate business from a wide area, Aberdeen, Inverness & the Central Belt, but is keen to develop this side of the business. There is also opportunity to make strategic partnerships with hoteliers and other industry supplier. Business is growing which is surely a great achievement in the tough economic times and Craggan Outdoors regularly compares their progress with the same trading weeks in the previous year. Keith views the new Government's review of what are often over-zealous health and safety policies that Councils adopt on top of Health & Safety Executive's universal Adventure Activities Licensing Service (AALS) as potentially a very positive thing for the outdoor sector & his business. He hopes that a more common-sense approach will make it easier and less bureaucratic for schools to organise visits to activity centres and other similar trips. It could also potentially save public money by removing costly 'paper trail' duplication by Councils of the AALS role. Keith has lobbied The Treasury to this effect to advise that an opportunity exists for savings to made. The new Curriculum for Excellence, which places increased emphasis on experiential & shared learning experiences, is also potentially a good driver to push more schools to include outdoor activities in their timetables. Craggan Outdoors is certainly ideally placed to give children great experiences in a fantastic environment. Craggan Outdoors ended 2009 as TripAdvisor.com’s top rated “thing to do” in Scotland, & remains in that position as the 2010 season progresses. Craggan Outdoors was also the only activity centre to be shortlisted for 'Best Visitor Experience' in the prestigious Highlands & Islands Tourism Awards 2009. Craggan Outdoors also support Water for Kids which is a small charity providing safe water, sanitation and health education to children in developing countries. To raise money for this great cause Craggan Outdoors is holding a Corporate Challenge Day on the 12th of September. Teams of six can enter for £150 per team which includes a BBQ lunch and sessions are available during the morning or the afternoon. Just contact Keith to book your team and look forward to a morning or afternoon filled with challenges.
Craggan Outdoors is based right beside the River Spey, and the Clubhouse at the heart of the site enjoys fantastic views of the Cromdale Hills and Cairngorms. The centre has one of the largest ranges of activities available at any activity centre in Scotland. These include archery, clay pigeon, climbing (indoor wall and outdoor crags), golf, gorge walking, high ropes, kayaking, massage, mini-quads, mountain biking, paintball, pony trekking, quad treks, raft building, River Spey canoe trips, team-building, white water rafting, yoga and a zip wire. The target areas for growth at Craggan Outdoors are school groups and corporate events. Craggan Outdoors already attracts corporate business from a wide area, Aberdeen, Inverness & the Central Belt, but is keen to develop this side of the business. There is also opportunity to make strategic partnerships with hoteliers and other industry supplier. Business is growing which is surely a great achievement in the tough economic times and Craggan Outdoors regularly compares their progress with the same trading weeks in the previous year. Keith views the new Government's review of what are often over-zealous health and safety policies that Councils adopt on top of Health & Safety Executive's universal Adventure Activities Licensing Service (AALS) as potentially a very positive thing for the outdoor sector & his business. He hopes that a more common-sense approach will make it easier and less bureaucratic for schools to organise visits to activity centres and other similar trips. It could also potentially save public money by removing costly 'paper trail' duplication by Councils of the AALS role. Keith has lobbied The Treasury to this effect to advise that an opportunity exists for savings to made. The new Curriculum for Excellence, which places increased emphasis on experiential & shared learning experiences, is also potentially a good driver to push more schools to include outdoor activities in their timetables. Craggan Outdoors is certainly ideally placed to give children great experiences in a fantastic environment. Craggan Outdoors ended 2009 as TripAdvisor.com’s top rated “thing to do” in Scotland, & remains in that position as the 2010 season progresses. Craggan Outdoors was also the only activity centre to be shortlisted for 'Best Visitor Experience' in the prestigious Highlands & Islands Tourism Awards 2009. Craggan Outdoors also support Water for Kids which is a small charity providing safe water, sanitation and health education to children in developing countries. To raise money for this great cause Craggan Outdoors is holding a Corporate Challenge Day on the 12th of September. Teams of six can enter for £150 per team which includes a BBQ lunch and sessions are available during the morning or the afternoon. Just contact Keith to book your team and look forward to a morning or afternoon filled with challenges.
Crown Vets
Caring vets for precious pets is the headline on the Crown Vets website and from walking through the door it’s obvious that this is not just a marketing strapline but actually the heart of the business. It feels welcoming, it feels friendly and it feels like a great place to take your pet. It is clear from Keith that he loves animals and when discussing his career his interest was always to become a vet, then a great vet and then an excellent vet. He says he never really planned to have a practice and that it was a bit of accident infact. Crown Vets is busy and Keith estimates that 500 new puppies and kittens came through the doors last year. However Crown offers a unique “Vet2Pet” service which means visits can be arranged at home for pets if need be and with no extra charge or mileage fee, making an encounter with a vet less stressful for the pet. This together with the practice focus on customer service, pet health plans and great facilities mean that Crown Vets have plenty of long term clients. For those of you thinking, like me, that salaries for vets are quite high think again. Vets salaries are the lowest if you wanted to compare them with those in the medical profession – GPs and dentists for example have an average salary of £100,000 but for vets the average salary is £32,000. There are lots of costs in running a veterinary practice and the recession has meant a change in people’s spending. Crown has responded to the changing situation of some of its clients by offering interest free payments and payment plans to help. They also work with the Homeless Trust to give veterinary assistance to dogs whose owners are homeless and they run a charity scheme to give free assistance to those in severe financial difficulty. The ethos at Crown is to be able to provide veterinary care one way or another whatever the financial status of the owner. Crown operates across several sites and has recently taken over the practice in Fort William which it is now integrating in the business. Keith’s focus is on making the business better and they are currently investing heavily in training for staff. Interestingly the staff mix at Crown is 95% female and 5% male, which reflects the decision making process regarding the care and treatment of pets at home which largely falls to the female of the household. Crown is also investing in some new equipment with specialised keyhole surgery equipment due to arrive shortly. Once again this has been ordered with the pet in mind, as with humans, keyhole surgery is less invasive on pets and leads to quicker recovery times. For those of you who live in the Inverness and surrounding areas or indeed Fort William how envious those of us who don’t are that you have a great veterinary practice on your doorstep where your pet really does come first.
Caring vets for precious pets is the headline on the Crown Vets website and from walking through the door it’s obvious that this is not just a marketing strapline but actually the heart of the business. It feels welcoming, it feels friendly and it feels like a great place to take your pet. It is clear from Keith that he loves animals and when discussing his career his interest was always to become a vet, then a great vet and then an excellent vet. He says he never really planned to have a practice and that it was a bit of accident infact. Crown Vets is busy and Keith estimates that 500 new puppies and kittens came through the doors last year. However Crown offers a unique “Vet2Pet” service which means visits can be arranged at home for pets if need be and with no extra charge or mileage fee, making an encounter with a vet less stressful for the pet. This together with the practice focus on customer service, pet health plans and great facilities mean that Crown Vets have plenty of long term clients. For those of you thinking, like me, that salaries for vets are quite high think again. Vets salaries are the lowest if you wanted to compare them with those in the medical profession – GPs and dentists for example have an average salary of £100,000 but for vets the average salary is £32,000. There are lots of costs in running a veterinary practice and the recession has meant a change in people’s spending. Crown has responded to the changing situation of some of its clients by offering interest free payments and payment plans to help. They also work with the Homeless Trust to give veterinary assistance to dogs whose owners are homeless and they run a charity scheme to give free assistance to those in severe financial difficulty. The ethos at Crown is to be able to provide veterinary care one way or another whatever the financial status of the owner. Crown operates across several sites and has recently taken over the practice in Fort William which it is now integrating in the business. Keith’s focus is on making the business better and they are currently investing heavily in training for staff. Interestingly the staff mix at Crown is 95% female and 5% male, which reflects the decision making process regarding the care and treatment of pets at home which largely falls to the female of the household. Crown is also investing in some new equipment with specialised keyhole surgery equipment due to arrive shortly. Once again this has been ordered with the pet in mind, as with humans, keyhole surgery is less invasive on pets and leads to quicker recovery times. For those of you who live in the Inverness and surrounding areas or indeed Fort William how envious those of us who don’t are that you have a great veterinary practice on your doorstep where your pet really does come first.
Drive Business Services
Donald Mackenzie has a background in accountancy and has been a Finance Director at a number of organisations. His clients are varied and wide ranging – sometimes he simply assists with a tax return or for other clients he can spend several days a week working with them. His works pro-actively on their behalf not only responding to situations as they arise but looking ahead to be prepared for issues. He works with clients to really help them use their business figures to their best advantage. Donald is also an inventor. Having spent 15 years retailing baby products he was in the ideal position to think of a solution to a problem that occurred whilst out walking in Wandsworth Park one day. It started raining and his young son was on a tricycle. He found it very hard to help his son who by now was tired and in need of some parental assistance. He found a tricycle in a skip and several versions later a rather natty device was born – an easy to tow two wheeled device that his son loved and that parents could easily pull along. His son loved it so much that Donald had to pretend it was broken to encourage him to get out and walk more. An updated version is about to be launched and they are suitable for children aged 9 months to 4 years. Look out for the next generation “Tug” which weighs an incredible 2.5kg! Donald is also working on a tidal project. This came about because Donald is of the firm opinion that wind and wave power are not as predictable or as reliable as tidal power/river generation. He is keen to develop smaller pieces of equipment that are easier to manufacture, transport and install. He is aiming to produce equipment that costs around £2.5 million rather than the £6 million per megawatt of electricity for the larger installations that have been produced to date. He credits his “inventiveness” with the fact that he came from a farming background so was used to making bits of equipment when things broke down – clearly though Donald is someone who likes solving problems and would be a valuable asset for any business looking for astute, accurate business support backed up with years of experience.
Donald Mackenzie has a background in accountancy and has been a Finance Director at a number of organisations. His clients are varied and wide ranging – sometimes he simply assists with a tax return or for other clients he can spend several days a week working with them. His works pro-actively on their behalf not only responding to situations as they arise but looking ahead to be prepared for issues. He works with clients to really help them use their business figures to their best advantage. Donald is also an inventor. Having spent 15 years retailing baby products he was in the ideal position to think of a solution to a problem that occurred whilst out walking in Wandsworth Park one day. It started raining and his young son was on a tricycle. He found it very hard to help his son who by now was tired and in need of some parental assistance. He found a tricycle in a skip and several versions later a rather natty device was born – an easy to tow two wheeled device that his son loved and that parents could easily pull along. His son loved it so much that Donald had to pretend it was broken to encourage him to get out and walk more. An updated version is about to be launched and they are suitable for children aged 9 months to 4 years. Look out for the next generation “Tug” which weighs an incredible 2.5kg! Donald is also working on a tidal project. This came about because Donald is of the firm opinion that wind and wave power are not as predictable or as reliable as tidal power/river generation. He is keen to develop smaller pieces of equipment that are easier to manufacture, transport and install. He is aiming to produce equipment that costs around £2.5 million rather than the £6 million per megawatt of electricity for the larger installations that have been produced to date. He credits his “inventiveness” with the fact that he came from a farming background so was used to making bits of equipment when things broke down – clearly though Donald is someone who likes solving problems and would be a valuable asset for any business looking for astute, accurate business support backed up with years of experience.
Dynam Events
In 1979 Dynam Graphics was born, a marketing and advertising agency. Towards the latter end of 15 years steady growth Eleanor Neilson arrived to work with Dynam whilst one of the partners was off travelling the world. On his return he decided to retire and Eleanor joined with the existing partner Karen Green to form a partnership that continues strongly to this day, with a complimentary mix of skills and experience. This new partnership meant a relaunch as Dynam in November 2000. Many people will of course associate Dynam with events and again this is part of their complete package of services that they offer to clients. They will be working with Highlands and Islands Enterprise again in 2012 at the All Energy show for example, ensuring that their stand communicates key messages to visitors effectively and continue to be involved in many of the highest profile events in the Highlands to date. Strong and last lasting relationships with clients is a key part of the success at Dynam – many people say they work in partnership with clients but this is abundantly clear at Dynam. Many well known names have been clients for many years with Tulloch being just one of them. Arriving at Wester Inshes Farmhouse the signage says Dynam – Clear Thinking. This is what underpins Dynam. They deal with everything a company needs to communicate with the world – branding, marketing materials, web design, web building and social media. They have always been involved in graphic design and this is still a key part of the business but it’s not the main focus. Dynam can deal with everything a company needs to communicate – ensuring everything is harmonised giving the best result for the client and making use of all the skills of the 10 people based at Wester Inshes. The business remains flexible and adaptable to suit the changing world of communication – social media is of course a relatively new development. They are currently developing a communication package for smaller companies – giving them access to the experience and talents of the Dynam team for the benefit of their business. Dynam is about so much more than logos – it’s about looking at the way in which your business communicates, how it should communicate, what it should communicate, where it should communicate and then tailoring a package to suit. With such a great collection of skills packed into one company Dynam really is a one stop shop for anyone thinking about any marketing activity.
In 1979 Dynam Graphics was born, a marketing and advertising agency. Towards the latter end of 15 years steady growth Eleanor Neilson arrived to work with Dynam whilst one of the partners was off travelling the world. On his return he decided to retire and Eleanor joined with the existing partner Karen Green to form a partnership that continues strongly to this day, with a complimentary mix of skills and experience. This new partnership meant a relaunch as Dynam in November 2000. Many people will of course associate Dynam with events and again this is part of their complete package of services that they offer to clients. They will be working with Highlands and Islands Enterprise again in 2012 at the All Energy show for example, ensuring that their stand communicates key messages to visitors effectively and continue to be involved in many of the highest profile events in the Highlands to date. Strong and last lasting relationships with clients is a key part of the success at Dynam – many people say they work in partnership with clients but this is abundantly clear at Dynam. Many well known names have been clients for many years with Tulloch being just one of them. Arriving at Wester Inshes Farmhouse the signage says Dynam – Clear Thinking. This is what underpins Dynam. They deal with everything a company needs to communicate with the world – branding, marketing materials, web design, web building and social media. They have always been involved in graphic design and this is still a key part of the business but it’s not the main focus. Dynam can deal with everything a company needs to communicate – ensuring everything is harmonised giving the best result for the client and making use of all the skills of the 10 people based at Wester Inshes. The business remains flexible and adaptable to suit the changing world of communication – social media is of course a relatively new development. They are currently developing a communication package for smaller companies – giving them access to the experience and talents of the Dynam team for the benefit of their business. Dynam is about so much more than logos – it’s about looking at the way in which your business communicates, how it should communicate, what it should communicate, where it should communicate and then tailoring a package to suit. With such a great collection of skills packed into one company Dynam really is a one stop shop for anyone thinking about any marketing activity.
Harvey MacMillan
Jo Adams is the smiling face of HR in the Highlands. Together with a colleague she runs Harvey McMillan Associates providing HR support to micro, small and medium businesses. This is done in a variety of ways – they can purchase whatever HR function they don’t currently have or they can buy in support for things like taking on an employee, managing absences etc. Packages start from 1 hour of HR support per month so there really is something for everyone. A free HR audit is included in any package but Harvey McMillan works the same way that Jo Adams Coaching does – it’s all about relationships. Getting to know clients whether to support their HR or to offer them coaching is key to tailoring support and advice to exactly what they need. Jo Adams has worked at all levels in HR but has been involved in various businesses so she knows not only the HR and coaching bit but the business stuff too. She works by a set of values and one of her key operating values is Yarak. This is the ability to be alert, keen and ready - to keep looking ahead. Her role is to do this for clients and advise them accordingly. Coaching and HR are a perfect partnership. Jo can give coaching sessions on supporting teams, managing change and managing conflict for example. However, her coaching skills are backed up with experience and professional development. Jo is Chair of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development in the Highlands. Coaching programmes are available to individuals also and in March and April 2011 Jo is working as part of a group programme called Spring Forward. This event combines personal image and impact with health, fitness, goal setting and taking action. It’s aimed at ladies and the first session takes place on the 5th of March. She put together this programme as the result of making key contacts networking locally. Jo feels that networking is the best way for her to develop her business contacts and she can be frequently found at business events. Jo’s advice to anyone involved in business is to keep learning and to keep looking at their business to see what they can do differently and of course everyone should be doing some “yaraking”.
Jo Adams is the smiling face of HR in the Highlands. Together with a colleague she runs Harvey McMillan Associates providing HR support to micro, small and medium businesses. This is done in a variety of ways – they can purchase whatever HR function they don’t currently have or they can buy in support for things like taking on an employee, managing absences etc. Packages start from 1 hour of HR support per month so there really is something for everyone. A free HR audit is included in any package but Harvey McMillan works the same way that Jo Adams Coaching does – it’s all about relationships. Getting to know clients whether to support their HR or to offer them coaching is key to tailoring support and advice to exactly what they need. Jo Adams has worked at all levels in HR but has been involved in various businesses so she knows not only the HR and coaching bit but the business stuff too. She works by a set of values and one of her key operating values is Yarak. This is the ability to be alert, keen and ready - to keep looking ahead. Her role is to do this for clients and advise them accordingly. Coaching and HR are a perfect partnership. Jo can give coaching sessions on supporting teams, managing change and managing conflict for example. However, her coaching skills are backed up with experience and professional development. Jo is Chair of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development in the Highlands. Coaching programmes are available to individuals also and in March and April 2011 Jo is working as part of a group programme called Spring Forward. This event combines personal image and impact with health, fitness, goal setting and taking action. It’s aimed at ladies and the first session takes place on the 5th of March. She put together this programme as the result of making key contacts networking locally. Jo feels that networking is the best way for her to develop her business contacts and she can be frequently found at business events. Jo’s advice to anyone involved in business is to keep learning and to keep looking at their business to see what they can do differently and of course everyone should be doing some “yaraking”.
Plexus Media
Colin and David have really worked with the web since it started and have seen it grow into the dominant force it is today. The two joined forced in the 90’s and one of their first projects was an interactive CD which was required for a job in California. Disaster almost struck though when the shipment of CDs was confiscated by the US customs who thought it was a load of pornography being shipped into the country. Lots of explaining later meant it all turned out well. Their experience has given them hugely valuable insight into all the developments that have taken place regarding website design too. Anyone speaking to them is left in no doubts they know what they are talking about but information is delivered in a non-technical way. They have worked on many projects during their partnership including touch screen televisions which were potential public information points and virtual reality. Spanglefish is another joint development. It is a website available to people free of charge if they are happy to have Google Ads on the site and for a modest payment if not. 20,000 people signed up and there are now 14,000 Spanglefish sites around the world. Plexus believe this low cost/free website means they have helped more businesses to get started than local business organisations. Spanglefish 2 is on the agenda. Plexus gets all its clients from word of mouth and referrals – this speaks volumes about their care and service. They jokingly say they frequently under-price and over deliver which is why they are busy. They also harness key partnerships and work with Calico, a local hosting company, local photographers and a local PR partner. They clearly love being in the Highlands and see the web as developing a new breed of “digital crofter” able to work from home. They originally worked from home themselves but now work from their offices in Cromarty, around a custom built table where there is usually some buns available for visitors (they are next door to the Cromarty bakery so this is another key local partner!). The bun theme runs through their website where you can see who likes what buns and there is also a very interesting rant section (don’t mention the words “cool” or “entrepreneur” to David). It’s not all profit and loss for Plexus as they also use their expertise to help their community too – Cromarty was the first community, smaller than Chicago, to do a virtual reality tour and David is a key figure in the Cromarty Film Festival.
Colin and David have really worked with the web since it started and have seen it grow into the dominant force it is today. The two joined forced in the 90’s and one of their first projects was an interactive CD which was required for a job in California. Disaster almost struck though when the shipment of CDs was confiscated by the US customs who thought it was a load of pornography being shipped into the country. Lots of explaining later meant it all turned out well. Their experience has given them hugely valuable insight into all the developments that have taken place regarding website design too. Anyone speaking to them is left in no doubts they know what they are talking about but information is delivered in a non-technical way. They have worked on many projects during their partnership including touch screen televisions which were potential public information points and virtual reality. Spanglefish is another joint development. It is a website available to people free of charge if they are happy to have Google Ads on the site and for a modest payment if not. 20,000 people signed up and there are now 14,000 Spanglefish sites around the world. Plexus believe this low cost/free website means they have helped more businesses to get started than local business organisations. Spanglefish 2 is on the agenda. Plexus gets all its clients from word of mouth and referrals – this speaks volumes about their care and service. They jokingly say they frequently under-price and over deliver which is why they are busy. They also harness key partnerships and work with Calico, a local hosting company, local photographers and a local PR partner. They clearly love being in the Highlands and see the web as developing a new breed of “digital crofter” able to work from home. They originally worked from home themselves but now work from their offices in Cromarty, around a custom built table where there is usually some buns available for visitors (they are next door to the Cromarty bakery so this is another key local partner!). The bun theme runs through their website where you can see who likes what buns and there is also a very interesting rant section (don’t mention the words “cool” or “entrepreneur” to David). It’s not all profit and loss for Plexus as they also use their expertise to help their community too – Cromarty was the first community, smaller than Chicago, to do a virtual reality tour and David is a key figure in the Cromarty Film Festival.
RhueArt
Rhue Art is based in Rhue just North of Ullapool. The premises is actually a complex comprising James’s studio, a gallery and a framing area – all perched on a hill with stunning views across the sea and out to the summer isles. Rhue Art as an oasis of natural and artistic beauty. James and Flick Hawkins moved to Ullapool in 1978 and then in 1980 to Rhue where they set up Rhue Studio. James Hawkins paintings have been sold to collectors across the world and his work also forms part of the Gallery of Modern Art collection and the City Art Centre in Edinburgh collection. When Flick joined the business in 1992 it was renamed RhueArt – James was then able to paint full time. Flick brought to the business the wealth of experience gained whilst employed as a consultant to Highland Arts (Hi-Arts) where the brief was to “promote visual artists from the Highland region”. This 12 year role enabled her to establish a network of professional relationships with arts and venue directors which is now proving invaluable for RhueArt. RhueArt work with a range of artists and their passion is showcasing the talent that exists in Scotland and of course the Highlands. They describe themselves as ambassadors for the region and they are – not only for the Highlands but also for Scotland. Passion and enthusiasm for the artists they work with come across completely when discussing art with either of them. Rhue Art opened their exhibition space in August 2011 and they also exhibit at events through the UK with plans to exhibit internationally in the future – New York and Toronto are top of the list. RhueArt has received funding and support along the way. They have been account managed by HIE which Flick describes as “extremely useful” and they also received funding for a wood boiler and heat accumulator which keeps everything toasty and is also of interest to their clients keen to buy into the greener lifestyle. RhueArts’ markets include top end hotels looking for art to display that will appeal to their customers and company boardrooms as well as private individuals. RhueArt work with a range of artists and their passion is showcasing the talent that exists in Scotland and of course the Highlands. Their exhibition space opened in August 2011 and they also exhibit at events through the UK with plans to exhibit internationally in the future.
Rhue Art is based in Rhue just North of Ullapool. The premises is actually a complex comprising James’s studio, a gallery and a framing area – all perched on a hill with stunning views across the sea and out to the summer isles. Rhue Art as an oasis of natural and artistic beauty. James and Flick Hawkins moved to Ullapool in 1978 and then in 1980 to Rhue where they set up Rhue Studio. James Hawkins paintings have been sold to collectors across the world and his work also forms part of the Gallery of Modern Art collection and the City Art Centre in Edinburgh collection. When Flick joined the business in 1992 it was renamed RhueArt – James was then able to paint full time. Flick brought to the business the wealth of experience gained whilst employed as a consultant to Highland Arts (Hi-Arts) where the brief was to “promote visual artists from the Highland region”. This 12 year role enabled her to establish a network of professional relationships with arts and venue directors which is now proving invaluable for RhueArt. RhueArt work with a range of artists and their passion is showcasing the talent that exists in Scotland and of course the Highlands. They describe themselves as ambassadors for the region and they are – not only for the Highlands but also for Scotland. Passion and enthusiasm for the artists they work with come across completely when discussing art with either of them. Rhue Art opened their exhibition space in August 2011 and they also exhibit at events through the UK with plans to exhibit internationally in the future – New York and Toronto are top of the list. RhueArt has received funding and support along the way. They have been account managed by HIE which Flick describes as “extremely useful” and they also received funding for a wood boiler and heat accumulator which keeps everything toasty and is also of interest to their clients keen to buy into the greener lifestyle. RhueArts’ markets include top end hotels looking for art to display that will appeal to their customers and company boardrooms as well as private individuals. RhueArt work with a range of artists and their passion is showcasing the talent that exists in Scotland and of course the Highlands. Their exhibition space opened in August 2011 and they also exhibit at events through the UK with plans to exhibit internationally in the future.
SFG Software
sfG is a name many of you may be familiar with if you have passed The Green House in Inverness and seen the big signs in the window. It stands for “small friendly Giant” and that is exactly what sfG aims to be – small enough to offer the flexibility that their customers need, friendly to ensure they have great relationships with their clients and retain them, and they also offer a giant service. Whilst some organisations pay lip service to their values and mission statements, and promise to be excellent at customer service, you get the feeling that if you cut into any member of the sfG team you would, in fact, find that small, friendly and giant is at their very core. A demonstration of this is that when asked for a reference they don’t select one or two favourite clients, they offer their complete customer list – surely an indication of satisfaction. One of their key services is their out of hours support – it is invaluable to clients such as Jacobite Cruises, whose businesses also operate out of traditional business hours, and if the customer has an issue then it’s important that it’s sorted quickly. A key difference between sfG and many other IT support organisations is that they don’t prioritise clients’ issues themselves because they firmly believe that clients are best positioned to know what is important to their businesses. Other IT organisations will for example say that getting a new password created for an employee is not urgent and so can be dealt with in 2/3 days – however, if the employee is starting work at short notice this would be inappropriate and costly if it weren’t done more quickly. The business grew out of a partnership formed with Aquascot – a fantastic Fusion member company based in Alness. sfG originally operated from some space rented from Aquascot and the business was in fact set up by David, as well as Robert from Aquascot, both of whom had extensive experience in building businesses. Both also had considerable experience of being on the receiving end of IT Support organisations and it is this that they feel gave them a fresh approach. They looked at what they thought the business should provide, did some market research and went into business. Their customer list is impressive and they now have 5 full time employees. Management operates on a part time basis which keeps the overhead low. The company is moving towards an employee owned model in the future. The other side of sfG is the software development part of the business – they create a variety of bespoke software for clients. They have recently developed a chalet booking system for a self catering business and then adapted this software into a booking system for Caley Cruisers. The software development complements the IT support side of the business very well, and clients often cross between the two sides of the business. So, anyone looking for IT support or software development should get in touch with the team at sfG Software. Their business really is built around their clients and customer service, and they really are small and friendly.
sfG is a name many of you may be familiar with if you have passed The Green House in Inverness and seen the big signs in the window. It stands for “small friendly Giant” and that is exactly what sfG aims to be – small enough to offer the flexibility that their customers need, friendly to ensure they have great relationships with their clients and retain them, and they also offer a giant service. Whilst some organisations pay lip service to their values and mission statements, and promise to be excellent at customer service, you get the feeling that if you cut into any member of the sfG team you would, in fact, find that small, friendly and giant is at their very core. A demonstration of this is that when asked for a reference they don’t select one or two favourite clients, they offer their complete customer list – surely an indication of satisfaction. One of their key services is their out of hours support – it is invaluable to clients such as Jacobite Cruises, whose businesses also operate out of traditional business hours, and if the customer has an issue then it’s important that it’s sorted quickly. A key difference between sfG and many other IT support organisations is that they don’t prioritise clients’ issues themselves because they firmly believe that clients are best positioned to know what is important to their businesses. Other IT organisations will for example say that getting a new password created for an employee is not urgent and so can be dealt with in 2/3 days – however, if the employee is starting work at short notice this would be inappropriate and costly if it weren’t done more quickly. The business grew out of a partnership formed with Aquascot – a fantastic Fusion member company based in Alness. sfG originally operated from some space rented from Aquascot and the business was in fact set up by David, as well as Robert from Aquascot, both of whom had extensive experience in building businesses. Both also had considerable experience of being on the receiving end of IT Support organisations and it is this that they feel gave them a fresh approach. They looked at what they thought the business should provide, did some market research and went into business. Their customer list is impressive and they now have 5 full time employees. Management operates on a part time basis which keeps the overhead low. The company is moving towards an employee owned model in the future. The other side of sfG is the software development part of the business – they create a variety of bespoke software for clients. They have recently developed a chalet booking system for a self catering business and then adapted this software into a booking system for Caley Cruisers. The software development complements the IT support side of the business very well, and clients often cross between the two sides of the business. So, anyone looking for IT support or software development should get in touch with the team at sfG Software. Their business really is built around their clients and customer service, and they really are small and friendly.
Wright Johnston & Mackenzie
Wright Johnston and Mackenzie (WJM) have recently arrived in Inverness but they are certainly not a young company – in fact existing for 157 years. Legal services over the years have increasingly specialised but Wright, Johnston and Mackenzie have deliberately kept high levels of expertise in a wide range of services so that they are able to get the global picture of any of their clients’ businesses and be in a position to help whatever the client needs. Their aim is to not just react to clients’ problems but to help them avoid problems in the first place, and apply this through their “Client-Centric”™ approach, which developed from the firm’s market-leading practice in advising family businesses. 15 years ago WJM became involved in the Centre for Family Enterprise and co-sponsored the Centre for a while. This involvement set the firm on the road to a unique and detailed understanding of why family businesses are different - and why they need and deserve a different approach from their advisors. Family businesses do of course face many of the same issues as other businesses, but the involvement of a family dimension means the solution is not always the “usual” one diagnosed by advisors – a more sensitive and creative approach is required. You could be mistaken for thinking that all their clients are small family businesses but they in fact deal with private individuals, entrepreneurs of all kinds, family businesses of significant scale, major PLCs and some well known names such as Vodafone, E.on, Npower, KPMG, HSBC, Clydesdale and Lloyds TSB. Angus himself has a background in intellectual property, having worked with Roslin Institute helping to commercialise its cutting edge genetics and genomics research (think Dolly the Sheep.) He is the head of the WJM franchising team, having taken it to the number 1 team in Scotland for 5 years in a row, to date. Angus was originally from Inverness, attending Millburn Academy and then heading off to Glasgow University. He then spent 19 years in Glasgow and joined Wright, Johnson and Mackenzie in the early stages of his career. In 2005 he became a partner and moved into mergers and acquisitions, private equity and commercial contract work, and then became head of the firm’s Corporate group before moving to Inverness to open the firm’s office there. It is clear that Wright, Johnston and Mackenzie like to do things differently – since moving to Inverness they have become actively involved in the local business network. Angus has been described as the “perfect boss” who always has a smile on his face. It’s clear he loves his work and that he has a genuine enthusiasm for working collaboratively with clients to steer around upcoming business obstacles rather than crashing directly into them. The legal service provision in Inverness is surely improved by the addition of such a great asset and of course the back up of an experienced and valuable team.
Wright Johnston and Mackenzie (WJM) have recently arrived in Inverness but they are certainly not a young company – in fact existing for 157 years. Legal services over the years have increasingly specialised but Wright, Johnston and Mackenzie have deliberately kept high levels of expertise in a wide range of services so that they are able to get the global picture of any of their clients’ businesses and be in a position to help whatever the client needs. Their aim is to not just react to clients’ problems but to help them avoid problems in the first place, and apply this through their “Client-Centric”™ approach, which developed from the firm’s market-leading practice in advising family businesses. 15 years ago WJM became involved in the Centre for Family Enterprise and co-sponsored the Centre for a while. This involvement set the firm on the road to a unique and detailed understanding of why family businesses are different - and why they need and deserve a different approach from their advisors. Family businesses do of course face many of the same issues as other businesses, but the involvement of a family dimension means the solution is not always the “usual” one diagnosed by advisors – a more sensitive and creative approach is required. You could be mistaken for thinking that all their clients are small family businesses but they in fact deal with private individuals, entrepreneurs of all kinds, family businesses of significant scale, major PLCs and some well known names such as Vodafone, E.on, Npower, KPMG, HSBC, Clydesdale and Lloyds TSB. Angus himself has a background in intellectual property, having worked with Roslin Institute helping to commercialise its cutting edge genetics and genomics research (think Dolly the Sheep.) He is the head of the WJM franchising team, having taken it to the number 1 team in Scotland for 5 years in a row, to date. Angus was originally from Inverness, attending Millburn Academy and then heading off to Glasgow University. He then spent 19 years in Glasgow and joined Wright, Johnson and Mackenzie in the early stages of his career. In 2005 he became a partner and moved into mergers and acquisitions, private equity and commercial contract work, and then became head of the firm’s Corporate group before moving to Inverness to open the firm’s office there. It is clear that Wright, Johnston and Mackenzie like to do things differently – since moving to Inverness they have become actively involved in the local business network. Angus has been described as the “perfect boss” who always has a smile on his face. It’s clear he loves his work and that he has a genuine enthusiasm for working collaboratively with clients to steer around upcoming business obstacles rather than crashing directly into them. The legal service provision in Inverness is surely improved by the addition of such a great asset and of course the back up of an experienced and valuable team.
Your Event Expert
Mixed is probably a good way to describe the career history of Melanie who started off her working life in trucks and transport, spending 8 years travelling the country selling truck mounted cranes. One of her favourite trips used to be to the Black Isle Show, despite the long drive from Peterborough – little did she know then that the Highlands would later become her home. After working with cranes she moved into organising events and also started working as a tour guide – a job which took her overseas to live in Italy for 2 years and has also taken her to Australia, China and most of Europe too. A period of illness forced her to give up travelling for a while and Melanie set up a 24 hour call centre dealing with emergency breakdown calls. This involved running a team of over 20 people in Birmingham. It was then back to breakdown trucks when she worked alongside her father operating a breakdown service in Grimsby. There she drove her beloved Mercedes slidebed truck and was often out in the early hours collecting cars from ditches and such like. It was then she moved up to the Highlands and helped her husband start his business as a small machine operator – building up to 2 mini diggers and two trailers operating from their renovated home in Alness. During this time Melanie went back to organising events and combines this with project management now in the Highlands area. Melanie loves the Highlands and has now managed to move all her family up to the area. They all enjoy a much higher quality of life, with fantastic scenery all year round and friendly people too. Melanie recently completed work on Living Food at Cawdor Castle. The brief was to make the event sustainable and put in place measures to secure it’s long term future. She is also working on an arts regeneration project in Invergordon, together with a tourism marketing project in Ullapool as well as working as the Membership and Events contact for Fusion. Melanie is a keen networker and enjoys meeting new businesses. “We have a wealth of truly fascinating businesses in the Highlands and I am lucky enough to meet some of the most interesting in my role working with Fusion – I am constantly surprised and amazed by the talent we have and have found the Highlands one of the best places to do business too”.
Mixed is probably a good way to describe the career history of Melanie who started off her working life in trucks and transport, spending 8 years travelling the country selling truck mounted cranes. One of her favourite trips used to be to the Black Isle Show, despite the long drive from Peterborough – little did she know then that the Highlands would later become her home. After working with cranes she moved into organising events and also started working as a tour guide – a job which took her overseas to live in Italy for 2 years and has also taken her to Australia, China and most of Europe too. A period of illness forced her to give up travelling for a while and Melanie set up a 24 hour call centre dealing with emergency breakdown calls. This involved running a team of over 20 people in Birmingham. It was then back to breakdown trucks when she worked alongside her father operating a breakdown service in Grimsby. There she drove her beloved Mercedes slidebed truck and was often out in the early hours collecting cars from ditches and such like. It was then she moved up to the Highlands and helped her husband start his business as a small machine operator – building up to 2 mini diggers and two trailers operating from their renovated home in Alness. During this time Melanie went back to organising events and combines this with project management now in the Highlands area. Melanie loves the Highlands and has now managed to move all her family up to the area. They all enjoy a much higher quality of life, with fantastic scenery all year round and friendly people too. Melanie recently completed work on Living Food at Cawdor Castle. The brief was to make the event sustainable and put in place measures to secure it’s long term future. She is also working on an arts regeneration project in Invergordon, together with a tourism marketing project in Ullapool as well as working as the Membership and Events contact for Fusion. Melanie is a keen networker and enjoys meeting new businesses. “We have a wealth of truly fascinating businesses in the Highlands and I am lucky enough to meet some of the most interesting in my role working with Fusion – I am constantly surprised and amazed by the talent we have and have found the Highlands one of the best places to do business too”.
1. Fusion in South of Scotland
Wherever you are in Scotland, you are not far from Fusion activity. See here what's happening in Borders, Dumfries & Galloway.
Wherever you are in Scotland, you are not far from Fusion activity. See here what's happening in Borders, Dumfries & Galloway.
10. The Entrepreneurial Exchange
Leading the drive to make Scotland a more entrepreneurial and confident society for the benefit of all.
Leading the drive to make Scotland a more entrepreneurial and confident society for the benefit of all.
11. Patent Office
Responsible for Intellectual Property (Copyright, Designs, Patents and Trade Marks) in the UK.
Responsible for Intellectual Property (Copyright, Designs, Patents and Trade Marks) in the UK.
12. hisez
Social Enterprise in Scottish Highland & Islands
Social Enterprise in Scottish Highland & Islands
2. Useful information
Just about everything that you needed to know, legal and regulatory and up to date too
Just about everything that you needed to know, legal and regulatory and up to date too
3. UHI Millennium Institute
Higher Education institution providing university-level courses and research opportunities throughout the Highlands and Islands of Scotland
Higher Education institution providing university-level courses and research opportunities throughout the Highlands and Islands of Scotland
4. Highlands & Islands Enterprise
HIE aims to build sustainable economic growth in all parts of the Highlands and Islands
HIE aims to build sustainable economic growth in all parts of the Highlands and Islands
5. Inverness Chamber of Commerce
Business organisation developing a strong local economy.
Business organisation developing a strong local economy.
6. Caithness Chamber of Commerce
One unified business voice directly contributing to the economic growth of Caithness and the individual members working in partnership with key economic agencies and the wider community
One unified business voice directly contributing to the economic growth of Caithness and the individual members working in partnership with key economic agencies and the wider community
7. The Highland Council
Providing a wide range of services to people in the Highlands.
Providing a wide range of services to people in the Highlands.