Expansion plans underway at leading digital marketeers Alphageek
An award-winning digital marketing agency is expanding by recruiting up to eight new team members to support its recent growth and ever-increasing client portfolio.
The new roles are being advertised by Alphageek Digital, based in Cubo in Victoria Street, which offers a whole range of digital marketing including online advertising, pay-per-click campaigns, web design and development, SEO, content creation and brand amplification services.
The recruitment drive comes on the back of new national and international client wins for the company, which was launched in 2019 by three friends, and currently employs 20 people.
The firm is looking for a new senior SEO specialist to assist in planning effective strategies to drive organic traffic to client websites as well as a full stack web developer, and photographer to join their content team.
In addition, Alphageek has recently added to its team with a technical lead, a paid marketing executive and an organic social media manager. Aside from these specific roles, the agency is growing fast and constantly on the look-out for new talent.
The company, which is also recruiting two apprentices, has a host of big-name clients across four continents and a range of industries, including watch brand Casio, Derby high-end sportswear firm Huub and popular city doughnut bakers Project D.
Co-Founder Alex Mills said: “This is such an exciting time for us, we’ve landed some amazing clients, that we will shout about when we can, but that means we need to recruit new talent to support the existing team.
“The fact that we are so busy is testament to the continued hard work from everyone in the team. All our business comes from referral and we’re receiving enquiries almost daily. We’re keen to grow fast, but we want to make sure this growth is sustained and manageable hence the new additions.
“We always knew that 2023 was going to be an important year for us in terms of scaling, but even so we are far exceeding our expectations at the moment. We have ambitions to move into different cities this year too, so the future’s looking bright.”
New recruits will benefit from Alphageek’s recently launched co-operative-style profit share which will boost their earnings every month with a share of 10% of the company’s profits.
They will also have access to employee Paycare benefit scheme, which covers everyday health and well-being, round-the-clock GP support and discounts on a wide range of everyday purchases.
Alex added: “We are a really close-knit, young team and we know that happy people do great work, which is why we’re insistent on maintaining this family-like environment as we grow.
“We’re looking for driven people, with a burning desire to grow and a high attention to detail. Alphageek is on a rocket ship trajectory and with the right people on board we’ll only accelerate this growth.”
NBS launches global project to help ESG-driven businesses become more profitable
A team of world-leading experts in business transformation are teaming up to empower environmental, social and governance (ESG) driven businesses to thrive more by making sustainability even more profitable through a global project funded by the British Council.
Leading the charge is the Centre for Business and Industry Transformation (CBIT), at Nottingham Business School, part of Nottingham Trent University. They are joining forces with Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU), one of the top-50 ranked universities in the world, and industrial partner Think ESG, a top ESG auditing company appointed by the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.
As part of a £160,000 grant, this disruptive team is poised to change the “norm” by co-delivering a series of workshops with business leaders and co-creating and testing a range of More Sustainable More Profitable (MoSMoP) business models. The team will develop a toolbox and manuals to guide businesses through iteratively improve their existing business models to be MoSMoP, as well as providing a foundation for performance benchmarking.
The CBIT team, which is responsible for the UK’S top ranked entrepreneurship course, will bring their educational and research best practice into a range of co-creative workshops internationally: one in-person workshop in the UK and one workshop will be run in-person in China by SJTU. A further three collaborative workshops will be delivered online. Topics will include competence mapping for business sustainability, creating new value proposition, and business model innovation.
The project takes place over two years and up to 30 businesses – located in the UK, China and globally – will be chosen via an application process which seeks out organisations operating in the sustainability industry and leading, or looking to lead, transformation in this area, along with natural innovators who want to be more involved in sustainability.
Xiao Ma, Professor of Entrepreneurship and Management at NBS and director of CBIT, is an internationally recognised thought-leader and educator in entrepreneurship, business transformation, and digital economy.
He said: “Typically, ESG criteria and standards are viewed as a ‘compliance’ issue and are only addressed from the supply-side of the business. However, ESG can also be a profit-making force if it is treated as a demand-side requirement. By incentivising firms to proactively innovate and develop more sustainable offerings with better profit margins, ESG can become a driing force for profitability.
“Targeting leading businesses with a strong ESG drive, the MosMop workshops will enable us to support these businesses in co-creating and testing new business and economic models that align with sustainability goals. This approach will ultimately result in new products / services and business models to empower greater profitability for these businesses, as they better meet the demand for more sustainable offerings.”
CBIT has a proven history in business transformation. The Centre runs an established and reputable venture builder which supports innovative and sustainable start-ups, and also boasts a team of researchers with expertise in the area of sustainability. Their combined expertise will allow them to co-develop new business models with businesses.
UK SMEs expect to increase workforces in the face of skills shortages, survey finds
More than half of the UK’s SMEs expect to increase their workforces by the end of 2023, despite nearly two thirds claiming their sector suffers from skills shortages, new Paragon Bank research has found.
Carried out by Opinium on behalf of FTSE250 specialist bank Paragon, the research of over 600 firms found 55% expect to grow employee numbers during the remainder of the year.
Increases to staffing levels coincide with rising confidence in the SME sector, with prior Paragon research finding that 62% of SMEs expect higher turnover in Q1 2023 compared with the same period last year.
While staffing levels are set to improve, the research also identifies challenges faced by SMEs in finding and retaining suitable employees, with a majority citing a skills shortage (64%) as a barrier to recruitment and a need to offer higher salaries to attract candidates (65%).
Meanwhile, six in 10 employers said they have introduced flexible working practices to attract potential recruits, whilst 70% of SMEs said they had increased wages to retain existing employees.
John Phillipou, Paragon’s Managing Director of SME Lending, said: ““After the challenges of high-inflation and rising energy costs it may come as a surprise that over half of all SMEs are planning to increase their number of full-time staff in 2023 – but with low-levels of unemployment and concerns over skill shortages, SMEs are set to prioritise recruitment to help them deliver on their growth ambitions.
“If SMEs are to fulfil their growth and recruitment goals it is essential they can access the support necessary to make them possible. As a specialist SME lender, the Paragon team is talking with businesses daily to understand their requirements and deliver funding packages that will allow them to achieve their goals.”
Great British Rail HQ decision is fantastic news for Derby, says Chamber Chief Exec
The Government decision that Derby will be the HQ for Great British Rail cements the city’s reputation at the heart of the UK rail industry according to East Midlands Chamber Chief Exec Scott Knowles.
He said: “This is fantastic news for Derby, cementing the city’s position as a national centre of the rail industry while delivering a huge boost to the local economy.
“Derby and the rail industry go hand in hand, with a 200-year legacy as the centre of UK rail remaining highly relevant today as the home of the country’s largest train factory, alongside the many small businesses in the supply chain that have established one of Europe’s largest rail clusters.
“Bringing the Great British Railways headquarters to Derby builds on this expertise, further developing the skillsets from its industrial heritage and shines a spotlight on the city’s economic strengths.
“When combined with other exciting regional projects such as the East Midlands Freeport, this will help to attract new investment from companies that may wish to be located near a national centre of excellence and create jobs for these skills to thrive – benefits that will be felt across the wider region and all relevant to the Government’s levelling up agenda.”
Glowfrog Video Production have expanded their crew
To keep up with increasing demand, Glowfrog Video Production have expanded their filming crew by hiring an additional Production Assistant. Alex Tyburska will now be assisting on larger scale client projects to help maintain the high levels of service and video production quality that Glowfrog provide.
If you’re interested in knowing more about professional video production and how it can generate more sales for your business, Glowfrog are considered amongst the East Midland’s best rated video production companies.
Print Co launches in Nottingham
Three of the most highly respected figures in the region’s printing industry have joined forces to launch a full production print firm, based in Lenton.
Print Co has taken a unit at Lenton Business Centre to house the creative, production and print elements of the new business, which is headed up by directors Justin Hallam, Helen Gaunt and Andy Middleton.
Justin Hallam leads on fitting, whilst Helen Gaunt heads up the production management element of the business.
Sales and marketing director, Andy Middleton, an industry veteran of some 35 years, who is also the regional director of Nottingham-based Catena Network, the business dating network, explains;
‘Helen, Justin and I have worked together in various roles throughout our careers and have explored different career paths over the last 5 years or so. We felt that the time was right to reunite and offer something a little different for companies looking to increase their brand awareness.
‘Whilst digital media seems to grab all the marketing headlines and is hugely powerful, print media and physical assets still have their place, especially when they dovetail with these campaigns and are integrated.’
In his role as director of Catena Nottinghamshire or “Nottingham Too” as it has been dubbed, Andy has been working directly with SMEs across the region and the wider UK and feels that a decent percentage of work will also come from businesses seeking to add a physical asset into their client campaigns.
‘It shouldn’t be a battle for budgets between digital and physical marketing assets – they can work wonderfully when they are aligned or they can operate very nicely in isolation too when crafted with care and executed with flair and expertise.
‘Our core work will typically see us working on physical marketing pieces such as printing, signage, vehicle graphics and promotional merchandise but we are also getting a lot of enquiries from companies and office design firms that want to add a little “oomph” to their receptions, boardrooms and creative areas in terms of impactful graphics on a large scale.
‘Gone are the days of relying on tired old offices. Forward-thinking firms are proactively creating workplaces that employees, both current and future, will want to be in. They need to feel energised about coming into the office, especially post-lockdown and with the rise of remote and hybrid working.’
As for the future, Andy forecasts a doubling of staffing levels by the end of the year for Print Co.
East Midlands start-ups hit regional high
The number of start-ups in the East Midlands has hit its highest monthly level for over twelve months.
This is according to latest research from the Midlands branch of R3, the insolvency and restructuring trade body, which shows that there were 2,691 start-ups in the East Midlands in February, which is the highest recorded figure for the region since R3’s records began in January 2022.
R3’s figures, which are based on an analysis of data from business intelligence provider Creditsafe, also show that the February statistic is 61.23% higher than the 1,669 recorded at the end of 2022, and a 19.23% increase on the number for February 2022, which was 2257.
R3 Midlands spokesperson Stephen Rome, a director at Thursfields Solicitors in the region, said: “It is encouraging to see such a strong entrepreneurial start to 2023, despite the hugely challenging trading conditions we are currently experiencing.
“These start-ups should be able to create jobs for the region as well as new business opportunities for their suppliers, customers and clients. They will also help to balance out the high level of corporate insolvencies we have seen across the UK in recent months.
“It’s important to note, however, that businesses can be particularly vulnerable in their first few years of trading, particularly in the current turbulent economy. It’s therefore imperative for entrepreneurs to seek help as soon as any issue arises.
“There are many potential solutions available for struggling businesses, but they become far fewer if a problem is left to spiral out of control. It can be helpful to know that R3 members offer a free initial consultation to those who are looking for support and want to explore their options.”
Nottingham-based Renato Software Ltd acquires Improve Productions Ltd
The UK’s leading provider of safeguarding and class monitoring software has acquired online training platform Improve Productions Ltd – with plans for “substantial growth”.
Nottingham-based Renato Software Ltd, which operates as Senso.cloud, works with schools and global companies to protect users with its industry-leading cloud software.
The business is now expanding with the acquisition of Improve Productions Limited – formerly known as Peritus Productions – an online training provider for small- and medium-sized businesses.
The acquisition, which was completed alongside advisors from Knights, will not affect existing customers of either brand – with Sam Merrall and Steve Walker joining Renato Software from Improve’s leadership team.
Michael Payne, Director of Operations at Renato Software Ltd, said: “We are delighted to have acquired Improve Productions Ltd. We have been working with Peritus productions Ltd – now Improve Productions Ltd – for a while and this partnership allowed us to understand their platform in depth.
“It made sense to work much closer by acquiring the company, enabling us to add real value to our existing customers and to continue to grow exponentially.
“It was great to work with Knights on this deal and they enabled us to make this a really smooth process.”
Steve Walker, Director at Improve Productions Ltd, said: “This acquisition will enable substantial growth for Improve Productions Ltd as Renato come with a wealth of experience, some new routes to market and a team of marketing and sales staff to support the business and drive it forward. I am really looking forward to being part of this journey.”
Renato Software Ltd worked on the acquisition with advisors at Knights. The team was led by Partner Rachel Bennett with support from Hannah Jones, Sam Swiatkiewicz and Will Dennis – with accountancy advice provided by Doug Perry at Clayton and Brewill.
Rachel Bennett, Partner at Knights, said: “This is a great move for Senso, and we were really pleased to help them make sure everything is a good fit for their long-term plans.”
trentbarton’s Tom takes group role
trentbarton Group Commercial Director Tom Morgan has stepped up to his new role as Managing Director for all the bus operators in trentbarton’s parent company Wellglade.
The move follows last month’s retirement of trentbarton and Kinchbus Managing Director Jeff Counsell, after almost half a century in the bus industry. Wellglade bus operators also include Midland General, Notts & Derby and TM Travel.
Tom said: “It’s an honour to lead our wonderful teams, fronted by our friendly local drivers. Working across the group, benefits all the operators and enables us to take advantage of closer cooperation.
“There is more and more crossover between fully commercial and supported services, and the group structure now means we are best placed to take advantage of all new opportunities regardless of their type.
“trentbarton and Kinchbus will remain a major focus for me and I will also be supporting the great managers who run all our operators. I want all our teams to be empowered to think of their team as their own business that they can develop and improve, enhancing their key role within the communities they serve.
“We are not afraid to innovate, and we will capitalise on technological advances to keep our offering simple and to enhance our customers’ experience from the moment they leave their front door.
“The number one challenge remains getting more people back on buses, so we will be building on our really strong relationships with our local councils to overcome the biggest obstacle we face – congestion.
“We can’t solve that problem alone but we can, and will, work with local authorities to identify the biggest traffic pinch points and come up with solutions and cooperate with them to implement those answers.
“Less congestion means quicker journeys which means we can boost timetables, invest in the fleet and retain value for money fares.
“We will also focus on cleaner transport and explore the potential of electric and hydrogen buses. Wellglade’s board are local bus people through and through and that, combined with our size, means we can be quick to make decisions and try new things.”
Wellglade chairman Brian King said: “Tom has a wide experience of the bus companies in our group, having held various positions over the last few years from operating depots to heading up our commercial and marketing functions.
“We wish him well in his new role as managing director of those bus companies. Alongside the recent arrival of John Bickerton as group engineering director, the group is now better positioned for our operators to create synergies and seize new opportunities.”
Tom Morgan joined Wellglade in 2009 to work on the Nottingham Tramlink project and has subsequently been trentbarton’s Assistant Operations Manager for Derby and the General Manager at Kinchbus before taking on Directorial roles across operations and then commercial.
Work starts on site at housing development in Worksop
Construction works for a new housing development in Worksop, Nottinghamshire will soon be taking place.
Leading midlands-based contractor, G F Tomlinson, has been appointed to construct and design 90 houses on the vacant site off Radford Street, which has been procured through the Pagabo Framework for Major Construction Works.
The Manton Development will comprise of a mix of two, three and four-bedroom houses, built over two and three-storeys, as well as two-bedroom bungalows. The site will also include green and open spaces, cycle routes and places for play and social interaction.
All homes will benefit from energy efficient air source heat pumps, solar panels, highly insulated walls, floors, and roofs, and in addition – electrical vehicle charging points will be installed for residents, contributing to the reduction of fossil fuel usage.
Planning permission was originally granted in spring 2019 for the site, with future plans for the project to seek further permission for a scheme of one and two-bedroom apartments – taking the final development up to approximately 120 homes.
The first phase of the build will see the council deliver its very first low-carbon modular homes which form a key part of its vision to increase housing stock, contribute to net zero ambitions, and encourage growth and investment within the local economy.
Chris Flint, Managing Director at G F Tomlinson, said: “It’s fantastic to be working with Bassetlaw District Council on this high-profile development and we look forward to starting on the low carbon modular housing scheme in Worksop, which will see 90 homes brought to the market town.
“The scheme forms a key part of the council’s vision to significantly transform the local economy, by encouraging growth and investment in the area, allowing more people to live and work in the region. We look forward to seeing the development take shape over the next few months.”
Councillor Steve Scotthorne, Cabinet Member for Housing at Bassetlaw District Council, said: “This project will deliver a modern, innovative and energy efficient housing scheme that improves neighbourhoods, supports local jobs, and continues our ambition to increase the amount of Council Housing in our District.
“This is the Council’s first modular home development, which will provide future residents with well insulated and energy efficient homes that are powered by low carbon energy, and work on this exciting first phase is expected to begin in June.
“I am looking forward to seeing how this project grows over the coming months and we are delighted to be working with G F Tomlinson who has a fantastic track record of delivering projects of this kind.”
