The Kent Foundation Awards Evening 2021

Celebrating the successes of 2020

2020 was a challenging year for everyone, the way we delivered our service completely changed, as well as how businesses have had to adapt to the new world we find ourselves in with COVID-19. All of the businesses who received support through our mentoring program demonstrated a real innovation and resilience to make the best of what could be done, and we are very proud of theirs successes, and the commitment of our volunteer business mentors. This is why we wanted to publicly celebrate with them, and recognise their achievements.

The business community of Kent gathered online for the annual Kent Foundation Awards.  We were once again overwhelmed by the quality of nominations this year and delighted to make awards to such worthy individuals.  The virtual room was buzzing with conversation after the awards ceremony and a great sence of acheivement was felt concidering how difficult 2020 was for so many people and businesses.

If you wasnt able to join us, please watch it here…..Enjoy!

It was a pleasure for everyone there to see the recognition given to both Kent Foundation Members and Volunteers. So much has been achieved in 2020 by the businesses that were nominated, and, through the support and appreciation of their Kent Foundation Business Mentors.

The Awards went to

Spirit of The Kent Foundation – Nominations and Winner

Adrian Wenn

Julie Flower

Liz Jenkins

Mario Berti

John Newcombe 

Richard Larkman

Tunde Daczo

Stephen Wise – Winner

The Big Impact Award – Nominations and Winner

Stephen Wise

Rebecca Daniel – The Jigsaw Company

Adrian Wenn

Julie Flower

Aden Lane

Alex Cachia

Digital Beans- yourlocal.delivery 

Katie Hawkins – Winner

Innovation in Business Award – Nominations and Winner

Angie Everett-Penfold

Kimberley Hicks

Roxanne Thomas

Terri Wright

Amy Kolsteren – Winner

Acknowledgement of success

Dunk Cookies

Fond Company 

Lily Rose Macarons

Alex Cachia 

Cressida- The Real Bodies Coach

Bloomfield Sustainability

Ones to watch

Laura Hackett

Jade Scammels

Fabia Goff

Elena Smitherman


Spotlight Business

TN Accountancy – Jack Sales

Let us introduce Jack, he recently shared with The Kent Foundation some really useful information for the Kent business community entitled Coronavirus – Where are we now? So we thought we would share a little more about him, and his business.

Hello, my name is Jack Sales, I am a Chartered Tax Adviser and I am the owner/director of TN Accountancy based in Tunbridge Wells. Outside of work, I am passionate about motorsport and used to race karts and Caterham 7 cars until the end of 2017. I set up TN Accountancy in September 2018, having previously worked at other accountancy firms (including a ‘Big 4’ accountancy practice and another top 10 firm) since 2011.

One of the most frustrating things working elsewhere was being hamstrung by inefficiency; too much time was being spent on administration and red-tape, meaning less time was being spent on providing clients with the service they pay for.

I therefore set up TN Accountancy to be extremely efficient, so that as much time is spent serving clients and providing all important tax advice as possible. Rather than being fixated on annual financial targets (as is so often the case in the industry), the wider picture is considered; I firmly believe that if we do a great job for clients and offer great value as a result, this will benefit our business in the long term.

Biggest success to date

I would have to say that the biggest success to date was making the final in the Tolleys Taxation Awards in 2019, where we were listed as one of the top 5 best new tax practices in the UK.

Biggest challenge

For me, the first 6-9 months were extremely challenging trying to get clients onboard, which then turned into a cashflow challenge. What I would say off the back of this to anyone looking to set up their own business is to be patient and to budget for a slow start; it took me 3 months to raise my first sales invoice, but now after 18 months, TN Accountancy has over 100 clients and is continuing to grow.

Plans for the future

My plans for the future are simply to grow the business. So far I have gone from working from my mum & dad’s kitchen table to operating out of an office in the High Street in Tunbridge Wells (although now due to Coronavirus I am back on the kitchen table, but not at my parents!).

The next steps will be to build a team of people as the client numbers continue to grow.

Tips for other young business owners

As alluded to above, as a general rule, be patient and allow/budget for a slow start; it takes time to get going.

More specifically to current times with Coronavirus, it is imperative to make sure that you fully understand what government support you might be eligible for in the current climate, as most businesses have been affected by the Coronavirus outbreak in some way.

Contact

If you would like to find out a bit more about us, please visit https://tnaccountancy.co.uk/ where you can also find information on the government’s Coronavirus business support.

If you would like any more information, please do not hesitate to contact us on enquiries@tnaccountancy.co.uk or 01892 576550.

Jack Sales – TN Accountancy

Business of the Month

Abbott Media – Ben Abbott

Hey – my name is Ben Abbott and I run a creative marketing agency called Abbott Media (I know… original right?) we specialise in helping businesses to increase their revenue through innovative marketing strategies and consistent social media content. To put it simply, we help you make more money.

My business started when I was in my last job, I started getting the itch to do my own thing and within a month I had a business plan put together and I was raring to go! I decided to hand in my notice December 2017 and I launched Maximum Media (now Abbott Media) back in January 2018, after noticing a large gap in the marketing industry for the use of podcasting and marketing techniques that focus on return on investment rather than likes. But aside from that, I’m really passionate about marketing and I love what I do. It’s what keeps me going in the tougher times!  

What’s been my biggest success/proudest moment to date? Making it to 2 years trading, this is when sadly most start-up businesses have failed, and I can see why! I should celebrate this stuff more really, but even with the struggles you get. 2 years is a win!

My biggest challenge has been CASHFLOW! I’m sure every young business has the same problem, it’s something that you have to look after. I’ve learned to manage it by implementing a better process but it takes time. 

My plans for the future? To grow the business and work with larger companies, but also to help the small business community too. I’m really excited about a new Marketing Mentorship for small businesses that we will be launching shortly, it provides support and training consistently, on a monthly basis without the cost of actually employing an agency for your business.

My top tips for other young business owners

Whenever you are having a moment that feels like you want to give up, remember why it was you started in the first place to refocus you and don’t be afraid to ask for help. It can seem daunting and even embarrassing sometimes, but it’s key to growing as a business owner.

Oh, and before I forget (again) celebrate every win. Running a new business is hard at any age and sometimes we get so focused on where we want to be we forget to celebrate the wins along the way! I have only just started to do this, it will make you put the losses into perspective and keep you pushing for success!

Find out more about Ben’s business by having a look at his website.

https://www.abbottmedia.co.uk/

Business of the Month

Pretty Please by Katie – Katie Hawkins

Hi I’m Katie from Pretty Please by Katie, and it’s my job to transform women from their everyday self into the most beautiful of brides. I provide bespoke hair and make-up services on their wedding morning, which means they can rest assured, not only look amazing, but they get to feel it too!

Quote “I don’t need to make you look ‘different’ to make you look and feel like ‘a bride’. Together we simply create the very best version of you for your big day so that you can not only look amazing but feel it too. “

Many years ago, when I was first asked if I did wedding hair, I had no idea where this journey would take me! Now, several years later I can proudly say that I’ve styled hundreds of brides, countless bridesmaids and lots of excited mums! Being a wedding hair and make-up artist means that it’s my job to make my clients look and feel beautiful, so that they know as they step down that aisle they are stepping out as the very best version of themselves.

I often tell people ‘I don’t go to work; I go to weddings!’ and that’s so true. I take great pride in my work; I love what I do, and it really is something special to be asked to share that wedding morning.

Wedding hair and make-up is all about the detail. I really believe that on the big day it’s the little things that matter, and it’s only right that I put as much love and care into everything I do as my clients have into the preparations of the whole wedding day.

As well as being a wedding hair and make-up artist I’m also wife and mummy. We live in the beautiful Kent Countryside with our cute white fluffy dog and our very cute five year old daughter. When I’m not playing with peoples hair or trying to recruit people to let me decorate their faces with all the new make-up I like to buy, then you’ll find me walking the dog at the beach or hiding away somewhere in a coffee shop.

My top tip for other business owners is ‘don’t forget to clap for yourself!’. Sometimes we get so caught up in what other people are doing or what we think we should be doing, and we don’t stop to look back and congratulate ourselves on just how well we have done and just how far we have come. Be proud of yourself! Business is hard and in a world where it’s so easy to be impressed by someone else or something you see on social media , don’t forget to stop and take a moment to appreciate all the things that YOU have achieved no matter how small they might be. It’s the little things that make a big difference. You got this!!!

To find our more about Katies business and follow, see below

www.prettypleasebykatie.co.uk

www.facebook.com/prettypleasebykatie

www.instagram.com/prettypleasebykatie

Business of the Month

Optimum Performance – Jamie Bird

The Kent Foundation has got to know Jamie really well over the last year, and I am sure many of you will of met him at our Kent Foundation events, and a few networking groups too. To see his business journey first hand has been a privilege, and what he has achieved with the business has demonstrated to us how much it means to him, and ultimately providing a great service for his clients.

I’m Jamie, a sports performance and injury specialist personal trainer and my business is Optimum Performance. I work with athletes of all abilities who are aspiring to get to the next level.

Optimum Performance is still very much a new business. I say new because for the past two years we have been trading as ‘Bird Fitness’, a personal training company. To keep it short, most of our client base had goals surrounding either recovery from an injury or improving their performance in sports. So, the rebrand came about naturally and here we are today.

Optimum Performance is more than just personal training. In all cases we try to work with other experts to create a complete training programme that’s going to, firstly, excel our client forward and, secondly, complement any additional training that coaches, physios or massage therapists bring to our attention. We have created our OP Model and use this to train our athletes. This is what separates us from our competitors, a training model designed specifically for athletes.

On a personal level, there is nothing better than seeing someone succeed and knowing that you were a part of their journey, a part of a team that have helped them move forward. Our most recent success story is a competitive golf player Mark. He had great success in the US Pro-am Pebble Beach tour, coming 2nd in both his individual and team event. Check out his testimonial on our website.

I want athletes to have access to the best physical training that they can, to help with injury recovery, as well as keep injury away. Working with athletes there is a commitment level that is already firmly embedded; they want the best and will work very hard to achieve it. Looking to the future I aim for Optimum Performance to be the go-to place for sport performance and injury recovery.

Running the business at the start was quite challenging, as I had lots of ideas. The excitement and reality of being your own boss is very rewarding. If I was asked for some advice I would 100% recommend a mentor as an extra set of eyes that have the best intentions to help you succeed. Someone with the experience to be able to talk things through. I feel the Kent Foundation has greatly helped me gain clarity.

If you’d like to find out a bit more about us, check out our website www.myopfitness.com or socials @myopfitness – we’d love to hear from you and build some connections. 

Business of the Month

H&BAI – Sam Davey

The Kent Foundation likes nothing more than when a young person following in the footsteps of their Family. Sam Davey is one of them! Growing up in a family of business people it was inevitable he was going to take his own step into business at some point.

Sam Davey – From a very young age I have been surrounded by ironmongery and its many topics! Growing up the only boy in my family with a Granddad, 3 Uncles and a Dad that are all involved in the family business, Hinges & Brackets ironmongery stores. I was quizzed on a pretty much daily basis. So it was only right that I did my share by becoming Ashford’s Saturday boy when I started secondary school in 2005. I have been lucky enough to have the opportunities and guidance to try new things, and explore paths in the industry that most don’t get to. I believe with my lifelong involvement in the industry and the guidance from my relatives and colleagues, I am the perfect product for my environment. My abilities come from knowing how to tackle jobs and projects with a personal service that the internet can never beat.

I started my own company H&B Architectural Ironmongers Ltd in 2018 with a strong idea of what I want to provide, and what I want to achieve, satisfied customers is my business strategy. Two major factors in achieving that are service and products. I’ve always been a “proper ironmongery” nerd and thrive when I work independently. Coming from a retail perspective I could see that purely having a retail premises was not enough in a changing market. I supply good quality locks, doors and window fittings and uniquely I provide a fix and install service. With the ever-changing retail market in a state of flux worldwide and the continuous flood of information available on the web.  A new strategy is needed from most modern businesses that wish to keep up. What I believe is needed is an innovative new approach to the way we do business, combining old fashioned personal service and hands on experience that builds trust and relationships with the help and efficiency of the web to communicate and relay important information and ideas.

With deep knowledge and understanding of this industry I have gained expertise in the products that I favour to specify. I always recommend the best product for the situation depending on many factors that become vital; Quality, Design, Price, Lead time, Mechanical function, Finish Quality, Product guarantee, Product support and recognition.

Some quick fire questions from The Kent Foundation

What’s been your biggest success/proudest moment to date? My biggest success so far has been designing and supplying high end British made bespoke brass ironmongery for Rochester Brewery development.

What’s been your biggest challenge? Gaining and maintaining cash flow.

What are your plans for the future? I aim to continue growing and developing my business as the market determines.

I do want to give credit to, Stuart and my business mentor Bryan for making me confident enough to realise I can do it, and do it well! Meeting the Kent Foundation has given me the confidence to believe I can achieve everything I want to in and out of work. This last year, I built a business, bought my first house, got engaged. A helpful pat on the back has sent me into a sprint.

My business tip for other young people in business is find your passion, then look for the opportunities within it, stay committed, and focus on your own vision and dream.

Find out more about Sam’s business here