Meet the young women taking on their family businesses

Martin and Leah Port

LEEDS – July 17, 2025: Workers ditch traditional nine-to-fives in favour of inherited career paths

Holly Thallon Steenson never planned to have a career working for her mother. As a fresh university graduate, she was busy ploughing her own furrow in life, going on to work for events agencies. “I really enjoyed the hustle and bustle,” she says. “But something was missing.”

When the first lockdown of 2020 hit, she moved back home, and the events industry moved online – which was “deadly dull”, she says. Thallon Steenson, now 29, wrote down the things that mattered to her in an attempt to figure out her next step.

“I wanted variety – for no two days to be the same. I wanted to feel passionate about my work, and to feel like I was making things happen, and I really wanted to do more philanthropy, helping charities that aligned with my ethics and concerns about the environment,” she says.

Her perfect job, she realised, could be found working at her mother’s business, Viridian Nutrition, an ethical vitamin company. “I always joked that Viridian was my little sister, born four years after me, and her favourite child!” she says.

Cheryl Thallon founded the company in 1999 and, as a youngster, Thallon Steenson was swept up in the business, answering phone calls and handing out samples. “I walked into mum’s home office and I asked to talk to her about joining Viridian,” she says.

Coincidentally, Cheryl – then 60 – was in the business growth programme at Cranfield University, where she was being quizzed about her exit strategy. “I remember her laughing. She had been hoping I would ask to join!”

Two female entrepreneurs in a warehouse
After lockdown derailed her career plans, Holly Thallon Steenson (left) realised her perfect job could be found working at her mother’s business

Many sons, daughters and family members are now coming to the same conclusion. Back in 2017, Direct Line published research warning that family businesses were in crisis.

It found that 29pc of UK family business owners worried their business would die once they hit retirement age – a third cited lack of interest from the next generation as the reason. A worrying 20pc thought that no family business would exist in future.

However, new research published by the insurer last year shows that small businesses are very much a family affair once more. It found that 41pc of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) now have family members working in the business, up from 28pc in 2017.

Family business has a lot more brand cachet today than in previous years, according to Fiona Graham, chief operating officer at Family Business UK, which represents the sector.

“There is no proper research into this as yet, but there has definitely been a shift in the past 15 years in terms of next generation perceptions of the family business,” she says. “They really value their authenticity. There are too many organisations out there where people feel disposable.”

With unemployment rates rising to 4.5pc in the first three months of this year, according to the Office for National Statistics, and job vacancies down 5.3pc compared to the previous year, it’s no wonder family firms are increasingly attractive.

“Family businesses show strong resilience in times of political and economic uncertainty,” comments Hayden Bailey, partner and head of private wealth at Boodle Hatfield, who advises family business owners on succession. “They take a long-term view, which may be encouraging to the next generation.”

In 2020, Bailey published research showing that family businesses tend to outperform the FTSE 100, generating higher revenues and reinvesting more into the business. “We plan to revisit the research and expect a similar outcome,” he says.

‘Working with my family makes me stronger’

Lola Wind, 27, was ambivalent about joining the family business. Her father, Sebastien Wind, who trained under Gordon Ramsay and Marco Pierre White, started Comptoir Bakery as a stall in Borough Market in 2010.

“My earliest memory of my father was that he smelled like cake,” she says. “We helped out when we were kids, giving customers change at the market.”

After graduating with a degree in hospitality from the University of Surrey, she took a job at Comptoir. “I was 19 and managing four people,” she says. “I loved it but I wanted to travel, and didn’t want the pressure and responsibility.”

Wind left to go backpacking, and spent the next two years working short stints at various companies – first moving to Paris to manage marketing for a fashion brand, then moving into crypto marketing, until finally she was headhunted by a millionaire who needed a personal assistant.

“I ended up running his life,” she says. “You can only do a job like that when you’re young or don’t have a life of your own. He’d wake me up with a text at 4am asking me to send flowers to someone. I had no boundaries because I was scared of losing my job.”

The prospect of managing a team at her father’s business was suddenly less daunting. Then her older brother, Quentin Wind, made her an offer she couldn’t refuse.

“Quentin has been in the business for a while and he opened our café in Southwark Cathedral two years ago,” she says. “There are loads of event spaces in the building, so he asked me to come and build an events business from scratch. I felt that it would be fun and freeing after spending so much time travelling, and being unable to see my partner.”

Wind has been working full-time with Comptoir for two years, managing up to 30 events a month and building the external catering business. The Wind family has also created a new bakery school together.

According to Bailey, she’s a typical example of a next generation who has embraced the opportunity to build a new venture within the family firm.

“We see more interest from the next generation when they can have a significant level of control or influence within the family business,” he says. “If the next generation can put their own stamp on it, that’s very attractive.”

“I’ve built a standalone profitable business,” Wind adds. “It’s still stressful, but healthy stress. Working with my family makes me stronger and the only limits are the ones I set myself.”

‘I’d rather put my all into something family-owned than work for someone else’

“It wasn’t that I didn’t want to work with my dad, it was more that I had my own passions,”

says Leah Port, chief marketer at Build Concierge, the customer engagement software start-up launched by her father, the serial entrepreneur Martin Port, in 2024. “I have always loved fashion and my dad was always in business technology.”

Now 29, Port built a successful career in the affiliate marketing industry, most recently running European and UK operations at the digital beauty giant, Lookfantastic. Over the past decade, her obsession with understanding what customers want, and immersion in marketing technology, meant that the Venn diagram of her and her father’s interests finally collided.

“When my dad sold his last business and started talking about a new venture, I saw an opportunity to use my experience and learn from him.”

Leah Port further commented:

‘When my dad sold his last business, I saw an opportunity to use my experience and learn from him,’

Like Wind, she was galvanised by the prospect of leading her own team and having autonomy within the business.

Leah continued:

“I have spent a lot of my career working long hours and a lot of weekends,”

“I was ready to be part of a start-up and I would rather put my all into something family-owned than keep working for someone else.”

Port’s father, whose previous venture BigChange was sold for more than £300m, never pressured his daughter to join the family businesses.

Martin Port commented:

“I could see how brilliant she was, and saw glowing references from her managers,”

“When we were talking about finding a head of marketing, it was a no-brainer. It’s a very hard role to fill, so we were lucky to get her. If she wasn’t so talented, I never would have taken her on.”

Like many first-generation founders, succession planning wasn’t initially a priority.

Martin continued:

“I was always head down, busy building my business,”

It was only when he had a heart attack last year that he started thinking about empowering the next generation.

Martin concluded:

“When you reach 62, you think about legacy.”

‘I’m not in it for the money’

Financially, joining the family firm isn’t necessarily more lucrative, but there is more job security and the opportunity to take shares in the business.

“I moved over on the same salary but I have equity in the business,” says Port. “My dad didn’t pay himself at all when he started his previous businesses. It’s not about money. We are completely focused on making this business a success.”

As a personal assistant, Wind worked for less than minimum wage, “if you counted all the hours I worked”, she says. “But now I have a normal salary – anybody doing my job would be paid the same.”

Wind has the opportunity to become more invested in future. “I’m not in it for the money. It’s more about the joy of being in the family business and working on my own part of it.”

Thallon Steenson took over as managing director at Viridian in 2024 after three years working in the business. That year, turnover rose 16pc to £13.1m. Her salary remained the same when she first joined.

“I wanted to achieve something before I took a step up financially,” she says – but her pay has since risen in line with the success of the business. “Money was never my mum’s primary driver, and it’s not mine either.”

‘Money was never my mum’s primary driver, and it’s not mine either,’ says Thallon Steenson

Thallon Steenson and her mother were advised on succession by Family Business UK. She has now taken on the role of managing director, while her mother is still an adviser to Viridian. “We wanted to make sure the whole team and our customers were on board, but everyone was thrilled,” she says.

Since joining Viridian, Thallon Steenson has been able to focus on her passions: helping independent stores to grow, supporting charities and pioneering innovation. “We’ve launched the Viridian Training Academy and a new ionic magnesium supplement,” she explains. “And next year we’ll hit £1m in charitable donations.”

Despite the advantages that joining a family business can bring, recent changes to inheritance rules may scupper the current trend.

“It’s made succession planning more complex and financially burdensome,” says Thallon Steenson. “For the next generation, I do think these changes might cause some to hesitate, especially when weighing up a career in a family business versus a more straightforward path elsewhere.”

“It hasn’t changed my own commitment at all,” she continues. “The motivation to be part of something with history, purpose, and emotional significance still far outweighs the challenges. The sense of building on what’s come before while leaving your own mark is incredibly powerful.”

Fuelling Growth: YFM Invests in Panintelligence’s Next Chapter

Fuelling Growth Panintelligence

LEEDS – July 17, 2025: Panintelligence: Supercharging Growth and Innovation with £1 Million Investment and New CEO Appointment.

At YFM, we back ambitious founders and fast-growth tech businesses that are shaping the future of their industries. That’s why we’re excited to announce a further £1 million investment in Panintelligence alongside existing shareholders. — the Leeds-based embedded analytics specialist — together with Comhar Capital, Shackleton and Martin Port of Port Growth Partners, as the business enters an exciting new chapter of growth.

With the appointment of long-time COO Charlotte Bailey as CEO, the company is set to accelerate its roadmap in Agentic AI, expand its international reach, and continue delivering real-world value to its customers through secure, embedded business intelligence.

We’re also pleased to welcome Martin Port to the board as a Non-Executive Director. With his extensive experience in scaling tech ventures, Martin’s appointment adds significant firepower as the business gears up for its next phase.

Why Embedded Analytics is Having a Moment

Data-driven decision-making isn’t new. But the stakes — and the expectations — have changed.

As AI adoption surges and businesses demand more actionable insight from their software, the ability to deliver real-time, secure analytics inside existing platforms has never been more critical. Panintelligence is meeting that challenge head-on with its flagship solution, Pi — a powerful embedded analytics platform that combines data visualisation, predictive modelling and real-time reporting in a highly secure, user-friendly format.

From finance and healthcare to education and the public sector, the Pi platform enables software vendors and enterprises to embed intelligence directly into their products — turning passive data into proactive decisions.

Building a Business Ready to Scale

Panintelligence has long stood out for its clear product vision, strong technical foundations, and customer-first approach. That’s why YFM first invested in 2019 — recognising a real opportunity to support a business at the intersection of AI, data, and SaaS enablement.

With this new round of funding, the business will:

  • Expand its AI capabilities, with a strategic focus on Agentic AI
  • Invest further in talent
  • Scale into new verticals and territories, with a growing international customer base
  • Accelerate go-to-market plans from its new Leeds HQ

Charlotte’s appointment signals a forward-looking focus for the company. Having worked closely with the board and senior team for six years, she brings deep operational insight, team-wide trust, and a clear vision for the company’s next stage of growth.

A Trusted Partner for AI-Driven SaaS

In a noisy tech landscape, Panintelligence continues to distinguish itself by focusing on what matters: security, transparency, and real-world impact. Its embedded BI platform isn’t about hype — it’s about helping customers work smarter, act faster, and stay compliant in a changing regulatory landscape.

This approach is already delivering results. The company was selected for Tech Nation’s Upscale 5.0 programme, and has continued to attract leading SaaS providers looking to integrate best-in-class analytics without compromising performance or user experience.

Why YFM Invested Again

At YFM, we invest in more than just tech – we invest in people, platforms and plans that deliver. Panintelligence has all three. A proven leadership team. A product that solves real problems. And a growth strategy that aligns with global shifts in AI, compliance, and data accessibility.

With this follow-on investment, we’re backing Panintelligence to do what it does best: empower software providers to lead with insight, embed intelligence at scale, and create smarter, more responsive digital experiences.

We’re proud to continue this partnership – and excited for what’s ahead.

Build Concierge raises $5m, appoints industry heavyweights to board

Appoints industry heavyweights

LEEDS – JUNE 19, 2025: Build Concierge, the customer engagement platform, has raised $5.1m (£3.8m) in seed funding from a consortium of private investors. The deal values the year-old start-up at £35m. 

The venture has built an AI-enabled customer engagement platform, helping businesses to automate customer communications across every channel, using email, text, WhatsApp, chat and voice. The software boosts productivity and helps businesses to scale rapidly and profitably. 

Build Concierge is the fourth business from serial founder Martin Port. The Yorkshire-based entrepreneur, investor and philanthropist has been building B2B software for almost 30 years.  Port’s previous venture, the workforce management software platform BigChange, was sold to Simpro Group last year in a deal that valued BigChange at more than £300m. 

Build Concierge has raised £3.8m in growth finance from angel investors, high net worths, and Martin Port himself. Alongside the investment, Build Concierge has announced the appointment of several industry heavyweights to its board. These individuals bring extensive industry experience from Build Concierge’s target sectors. 

Lord Ian Austin, former Labour minister, now the UK government’s trade envoy to Israel, joins Build Concierge as a board observer, bringing decades’ worth of experience in frontline government policy. He is a passionate advocate for tech disruption and automation within the construction sector. 

Robin Proctor brings FTSE 100 experience to our new board. A former Development Director of construction giant Travis Perkins Group, he held executive roles in Travis Perkins, Wickes and Howdens, so really understands our target customers. A proven market innovator having been a board member at market disruptor Toolsation.co.uk during its key growth phase and chairman of Bathrooms.com, he specialises in improving business efficiency, lean supply chains, automation and robotics.  

Charlie Kirk, founder and former managing director of drainage firm Jet Aire, built his business over more than two decades to become the leading supplier of drainage services in the North of England, employing more than 170 people. As a board member, he will help shape the development of AI tools that allow companies in this industry to scale efficiently. 

“We are delighted to welcome these luminaries to our board,” says Build Concierge founder Martin Port.

Martin further commented:

“We have spent the past year refining our business model, technology and approach. It is a testament to the power and potential of our technology that we have attracted such high-calibre people to the board, and that our first fundraising round was oversubscribed, closing in record time.” 

Lord Austin comments:

“Martin’s track record speaks for itself. He has already created two of the most exciting technology software companies in Europe and Build Concierge has the potential to make an even bigger impact. There isn’t a single service business that couldn’t benefit from this AI-powered platform, and no limit to its potential.”

Charlie Kirk comments:

“This is a really exciting opportunity and I’m very much looking forward to working with Martin and the team. Build Concierge’s AI-driven software will be a game changer for many businesses and will help to drive efficiency and growth.”

About Martin Port 

Martin Port is a technology pioneer based in Leeds, Yorkshire. He is a serial entrepreneur, with three successful exits under his belt. Martin founded his last venture, software-as-a-service company BigChange, in 2011. In 2020, BigChange was recognised for its outstanding innovation in the Queen’s Awards for Enterprise, the UK’s highest official awards for British businesses. In 2024, the business was sold to Simpro in a deal that valued BigChange at over £300m. 

About Build Concierge 

Build Concierge is an AI-powered omnichannel customer engagement platform that converts, automates and scales, 24/7. Businesses face rising enquiry volumes, fragmented systems, and manual tasks that drain resources and slow growth. Using proprietary AI tools, Build Concierge manages calls, chats, WhatsApp, SMS, emails, and bookings in real time. It understands intent, responds instantly, and follows up automatically. Seamlessly integrating with existing tools, from CRMs to job management and scheduling software, Build Concierge helps businesses automate without disrupting how their teams already work. No missed steps. No wasted time. Just intelligent automation. 

King Charles: the new monarch and entrepreneurship

Last week, Queen Elizabeth II died, ending an illustrious 70-year reign. The whole nation is now in mourning – as am I. I posted just recently about how I viewed the Queen as an entrepreneurial icon, both because of her support of business owners through the Queen’s Award for Enterprise, and in the way she ran her own estate. Following her death, the British Chamber of Commerce, the business membership organisation of which the Queen was patron, said: “She was a great supporter of business throughout her reign.”

Indeed, when BigChange won a Queen’s Award, it was a game-changer for the company, bringing global recognition and acclaim. I will never forget the impact that award had on the team’s morale, how it delighted our customers, and supported our ambitions to win market share across the world.

King Charles III will now take up the Queen’s mantle. I believe he not only shares his mother’s desire to support the doers and triers of this nation, he has a passion for entrepreneurs that even surpasses hers. I have met him a few times over the years – I’m a board member for the charity Business in the Community, which he created – and I have found him a humble, understated man who prefers to talk up the achievements of others and uses his status and privilege to help those in need. 

His former private secretary Sir Michael Peat once called him the “greatest charitable entrepreneur in the world” because of his ability to identify a need and then set up a charity to meet that need. This may be why our new king is currently the president of 17 charities through The Prince’s Charities, focusing on: the built environment, responsible business and enterprise, young people and education, and international sustainability. The Prince’s Trust alone has helped over one million young people since he founded it in 1976. 

All of these causes are close to my heart and BigChange has supported organisations across most of these core areas in recent years. It is heartening to see our interests so aligned with the King’s, especially with challenging times ahead because of climate change, the cost of living crisis and rising inflation.

The UK may no longer be ruled by its kings and queens but they still have ample opportunity to make a difference, highlight important causes, and direct funding where it best serves the nation. For these reasons, I am heartened by King Charles’ ascension to the throne and I believe all business owners can be confident that he will champion trade and enterprise. I look forward to his coronation early next year. 

King Charles: the new monarch and entrepreneurship

Last week, Queen Elizabeth II died, ending an illustrious 70-year reign. The whole nation is now in mourning – as am I. I posted just recently about how I viewed the Queen as an entrepreneurial icon, both because of her support of business owners through the Queen’s Award for Enterprise, and in the way she ran her own estate. Following her death, the British Chamber of Commerce, the business membership organisation of which the Queen was patron, said: “She was a great supporter of business throughout her reign.”

Indeed, when BigChange won a Queen’s Award, it was a game-changer for the company, bringing global recognition and acclaim. I will never forget the impact that award had on the team’s morale, how it delighted our customers, and supported our ambitions to win market share across the world.

King Charles III will now take up the Queen’s mantle. I believe he not only shares his mother’s desire to support the doers and triers of this nation, he has a passion for entrepreneurs that even surpasses hers. I have met him a few times over the years – I’m a board member for the charity Business in the Community, which he created – and I have found him a humble, understated man who prefers to talk up the achievements of others and uses his status and privilege to help those in need. 

His former private secretary Sir Michael Peat once called him the “greatest charitable entrepreneur in the world” because of his ability to identify a need and then set up a charity to meet that need. This may be why our new king is currently the president of 17 charities through The Prince’s Charities, focusing on: the built environment, responsible business and enterprise, young people and education, and international sustainability. The Prince’s Trust alone has helped over one million young people since he founded it in 1976. 

All of these causes are close to my heart and BigChange has supported organisations across most of these core areas in recent years. It is heartening to see our interests so aligned with the King’s, especially with challenging times ahead because of climate change, the cost of living crisis and rising inflation.

The UK may no longer be ruled by its kings and queens but they still have ample opportunity to make a difference, highlight important causes, and direct funding where it best serves the nation. For these reasons, I am heartened by King Charles’ ascension to the throne and I believe all business owners can be confident that he will champion trade and enterprise. I look forward to his coronation early next year. 

Running a business that’s growing 75% a year is like trying to hold onto a kite on a windy day

“Running a business that’s growing 75% a year is like trying to hold onto a kite on a windy day. BigChange removes all the noise and hassle so we can focus on the growth.” 

I’m always impressed by how quickly and effectively entrepreneurs find solutions to all sorts of problems and challenges. They don’t think: “I’ll wait for someone else to sort that out.” They roll up their sleeves and crack on.

Steve Morris, the founder and managing director of Legionella and Fire Safe Services, is one of these skilful problem solvers. He used to be a sales director and worked for Rentokil for nearly 20 years but when his division was acquired by Interserve in 2014, problems began to arise. “That was the first time in my career that I looked around and thought, ‘I can do better than this’,” he tells me. “At Interserve, all the staff were seen as numbers on a spreadsheet, and shareholder profits were the one and only priority.’”

In 2017, Steve took the plunge and started his own business. He wanted to create an organisation that truly valued its staff. “I wanted to reward the hard-working people in the business,” he explains. “Financially, yes, but also to show that the organisation cared about them in other ways, such as days off on birthdays and care packages for people who were going through a hard time.”

Steve sees himself as an accidental entrepreneur. “I never chose to go into business,” he says. “The opportunity found me.” He started Legionella Safe Services in partnership with Steve Broughton, founder of SafeGroup Services. The business helped organisations of all sorts – from local authorities to hotels and restaurants – to prevent and remove this harmful bacterium from their water supply. “Steve took a bet on me, and I launched the business in January,” he says. “By December, we’d repaid the entire start-up investment and we haven’t made a loss in any month since.”

Another problem plaguing his industry was a lack of transparency. Steve faced that barrier head on. “We are the Ronseal of our sector,” he says. “Even our name says exactly what we do. And we tend to retain our customers because our prices are competitive, and our standard of service cannot be beaten. We’re known as the client pleasers!”

Steve’s business evolved after the Grenfell tragedy in 2018. He saw a new problem that needed to be solved and added a fire safety services division to his business. Today, Legionella and Fire Safe Services is a one-stop shop for these two vital areas of compliance for the likes of Birmingham City Council, the biggest local authority in Europe.

Steve has been using BigChange since his first year in business. “Steve Broughton was already a customer and introduced me to BigChange,” he explains. “It’s been a godsend, driving efficiencies across the company. Running a business that’s growing 75% a year is like trying to hold onto a kite on a windy day. BigChange removes all the noise and hassle so we can focus on the growth.”

Legionella and Fire Safe Services now employs 51 people and turnover has soared from £800,000 in its first year to £5m today. The business environment has been challenging in recent years and, right now, the biggest barrier to growth is people. “Quality of labour and the cost of labour are my biggest worry,” Steve says. “But my commitment to being a great employer has really helped us to attract and retain the best people in a tricky trading environment. And everyone who works here loves using BigChange.”

The next big problem that Steve is setting out to solve relates to rising energy bills and the green agenda; he’s working with local authorities to install hot water cylinders that can reduce bills by a minimum of 37%. “There’s always another opportunity out there, another problem to solve, another way to help people,” he says. “We want to become a market leader in all the sectors we serve, and we’re well on the way there.”

We are living in a leadership vacuum

Leadership vacuum

What good are politicians if they do nothing while this country struggles? 

I look around me and I see many anxious people, worried about the financial hardships winter will bring, with no support in sight. 

The papers are full of terrifying news and predictions: the UK is heading for the worst financial crisis since 2008; interest rate hikes are the highest they have been for 27 years; inflation is estimated to hit 18% next year; energy bills could soar to more than £3,600 a year; half of UK households will be in fuel poverty by January.

Where is our Prime Minister? Why isn’t he using these last days in the office to help people? To support the vulnerable? Instead, he has said that it’s a job for the future Prime Minister. In our time of need, he is washing his hands of us all. 

At a local level, many organisations are doing their bit. While I was in Ipswich this week visiting a More Life Weight Management class taking place at the Castle Hill Community Centre I noticed they have launched the “warm bank” – a place in the centre where people who can’t afford to heat their homes can come and keep warm. At BigChange, we implemented a cost of living increase in March to help colleagues who were at risk of financial pressure. 

Why can’t today’s political leaders use some common sense?

Why can’t Boris Johnson and his two potential successors, Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak, all meet to thrash out a plan right now? Surely they can come to an agreement on how to best serve the people – it all seems so obvious to me. Energy bills this winter should be means tested. People like me, who can afford it, will pay full whack to help support those who would otherwise freeze all winter long. Or they could introduce a windfall tax on the exceptional profits that these energy companies are set to make.

All it takes is a quick Cobra meeting and all these individuals could show the British public that they have our best interests at heart, that they are willing to put aside their political differences for the greater good. We have had to put up with all manner of slights – dare I say, Partygate? It’s time for the ruling elite to show us they can use the power they wield for good.

I guess that’s too much to hope for?

Here’s why you need a Chief Customer Officer

Chief Customer Officer

Customer service. That’s been my number one focus throughout my career. My ability to listen to customers and help them overcome challenges is the ultimate secret to my success.

If you had asked me 10 years ago whether I needed a chief customer officer, I would have said: “Absolutely not. That’s my job.” Actually, I probably would have asked: “What’s a chief customer officer?”

A chief customer officer’s job is to understand the customer. They are responsible for managing a company’s relationship with all its clients, working out what’s going well and what’s not working. The position is relatively new: in 2010, there were only 450 CCOs worldwide.

But the CCO has fast become a vital part of the modern C-Suite. We are living in the ‘age of the customer’ and understanding our interactions with customers is as important as, say, understanding our balance sheet.

Who better to take on the role of CCO than the founder? Well, I have learned a lot over the years and understand that there are people out there who are just as capable as I am – dare I say it, a few may even be better.

When I moved to become chairman of BigChange, I knew I could no longer be the point person for colleagues and customers looking to solve problems or request changes. I had to pass that responsibility – and privilege – to someone else.

That’s when I met Ian.

Ian Burgess has spent 20 years navigating the complex world of customer service and corporate communications within the technology space. He’s a people person; everyone he works with likes and respects him. When he joined BigChange as Chief Customer Officer, I noticed that 350 people left well wishes on his LinkedIn, with almost 450 hitting the ‘Like’ button. 

He shared some of his plans for BigChange here a few months ago.

What I liked most about Ian was his approach to customer service. In a world where most software providers rely on bots and endless ticketing systems, leaving customers desperate to interact with a human being, he wanted to keep things personal. “I don’t believe in hiding behind technology,” he says. “I never want BigChange to become some faceless corporation. The human touch has never been more important.”

I may be a dab hand at customer service but he’s a true specialist. I’d like to talk about two approaches he has introduced at BigChange and their impact on the business.

1. No more kneejerk solutions

When a customer comes to you with a request or a problem, the temptation is to come up with a solution as quickly as possible. The issue with that approach is that you often fail to address the root cause of the problem, and the fix you build is unlikely to be scalable. Ian explains it better than I can:

“My role as CCO is to understand my customers’ customers and walk in their shoes. That’s the only way to ensure that we are building the right tech. If a customer wants a change, I first understand the problem statement, which means that I can not only solve the immediate challenge but perhaps prevent any need for future changes, and ensure the development is useful for as many customers as possible.

2. Transparency and openness

“No company is perfect and the only way to keep improving is to create a vehicle to channel feedback,” Ian explains.

“We do that via two means: our Net Promoter Score (NPS) and our Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) ratings. The NPS relationship survey goes out twice a year. I introduced that so that we had a pulse check of what all our customers are thinking. It’s the single most important measure of customer experience. Then our CSAT surveys go out every time a transaction is completed across Sales, Onboarding and our RoadCrew support desk.

“Those are five-star ratings and show how happy our customers are at every stage of the customer journey and enable us to make sure we are reacting in real time when changes need to be made.

“Most importantly, we take all that feedback, digest it, and create measurable action plans, which we can share with all our customers. We then actually deliver on that plan. There’s no point in receiving feedback if you don’t close the loop and take action.”

It can be hard to an entrepreneur to delegate responsibilities, especially when like me – you love talking to your customers. But making way for Ian has been a revelation. He’s just as obsessed with customer service as I am – and takes it personally. I’m not the only one who is impressed with Ian. We have received so many messages from happy customers praising his empathy, his accessibility, and his ability to find great solutions.

So, if you have a question, or an issue, Ian’s your man. He’s at the end of the phone – or on email:

Ian Burgess

Chief Customer Officer

Mobile. 0787 969 8697

Email. [email protected]

Turning 60: the beginning of a new chapter

Martin Port turns 60

I usually post about business milestones but this week I’d like to talk about a personal one: Today, I turned 60.

There’s something about a landmark birthday. They make you think about the past and make plans for the future.

I’m not very good at looking back but it feels good to be hitting the big six-oh knowing that, over the years, I have managed to build several businesses – three right here in Leeds. During my professional career, I have created more than 1,000 jobs. I feel extremely proud to have been such a significant employer as that was always one of my priorities as an entrepreneur.

Between the ages of 20 and 40, I feel that I was learning all I could about business, building my network, and seizing every growth opportunity I could. Then, between 40 and 60, I began building successful businesses on those firm foundations, and becoming a more considered and strategic entrepreneur. Eighteen months ago, when we raised investment from Great Hill Partners, I really felt like I had reached a new career milestone. The deal showed that people outside the business recognised and valued all we had achieved – it was a great moment for all of us here at BigChange.

I believe that the next 20 years will be about sharing my experience and insight with other entrepreneurs, becoming an active investor, and, of course, building on BigChange’s success.

On my birthday a year ago, I announced that Richard Warley was coming on board as CEO and he has done a stellar job over the past 12 months. When I look at BigChange today, the DNA and culture remain the same, but Richard has had a profound impact on growth and has really helped the business to reach its full potential. I remain committed to helping Richard and the rest of the team to turn BigChange into a unicorn, worth £1bn.

Looking to the future, I honestly can’t see myself slowing down. I still have bags of ambition and I’ve learned the value of working smarter, rather than simply working every hour of the day. Often, it’s the small changes, the little ideas, the smart partnerships, that help you reach your goals, rather than going at 120 miles an hour all the time.

Now that I’m 60, I have a few words of wisdom to share. I hope some of you younger entrepreneurs out there might find them useful. I learned these things by doing – often, I learned them the hard way. I hope to save you time, money and energy!

The three most important things to remember when building businesses are:

If it doesn’t work out, try again

I’m so glad that I didn’t give up when my first business failed to scale. It would have been easy to get a job and abandon my dreams of running my own business. If I had done that, I would have always wondered what might have been. Instead, I kept learning, kept trying, and that’s what has brought me to this point in my career today. I’m so thankful for that stubborn streak in me that insisted I have another go. Don’t give up – just learn from your mistakes.

Cash is king

You hear this a lot when you’re building a business. Just because it’s a cliché, doesn’t mean it’s not true. Always make sure you have enough cash in the business to support your growth. Stay on top of all your numbers all the time. If you suddenly run out of working capital, that could be the end of your business.

Take care of people

As you get older, you appreciate the value of great people in the business more and more. When you’re young and building a business, there are so many things to worry about – so many distractions. As an older founder, you know that every moment you spend investing in your best people is repaid tenfold during the lifetime of your company.  

Top entrepreneurs know when to ask for help

Top entrepreneurs know when to ask for help

Entrepreneurs are good at a lot of things. They have incredible ideas that can revolutionise industries and change the world. They know how to sell their dream and win customers. They understand how to grow their ventures and inspire other people to come along for the ride. Very few entrepreneurs are good at one thing, however. And that thing is process.

Over the years I have seen many talented entrepreneurs struggle to establish reliable, scalable processes within their organisations. For these individuals and their businesses, it’s often the one thing that holds them back, slows their growth, and generates operational risk.

The truth is that most people who run great businesses need operational help. Even companies that are pretty hot on process can always find ways to improve. It’s the number one thing that entrepreneurs tend to approach me about these days. There are sticking points within their businesses that they cannot seem to resolve. I like to do shop floor days with these business owners, some of whom are customers, to help identify operational wins. It’s amazing how powerful an outside perspective can be.

When it comes to operational excellence, you need two things: great advice and great tech. The advice is crucial: you need to know what to change and which processes to prioritise. That’s when technology comes into play. I built BigChange because I passionately believe in the power of technology to streamline processes and save countless man hours (and a lot of money too).

The software we created eliminates inefficient paper processes and allows these founders and their teams to focus on what they’re good at: serving their customers. Whether it’s automated invoicing, recurring contracts, or seamless synchronisation with accounting software, we’ve made life easier for almost 2,000 organisations worldwide.

I’m obsessive about process but I too have help with the fine-tuning. I’m so lucky to have both Diane Fenney, our head of commercial, and Tansy Sheehy, our customer service director, who both bring unique insights and experience to bear. Every single action within our business is rigorously analysed and stress-tested, from how our colleagues in sales approach new customers to how departments share learnings.

As a business owner, you should never be afraid to ask for help. Never shy away from seeking new perspectives. After all, we don’t know what we don’t know. It’s only by asking open-ended questions and constantly seeking feedback that we can learn new ways of working and find those improvements, however small, that will contribute to our future success. A recent study by entrepreneur support organisation Endeavour found that companies whose founders were mentored by a top-performing entrepreneur were three times more likely to go on to become top performers themselves. So, don’t delay, ask for help today. 

BigChange: even more inclusive and successful in 2022

Even more inclusive and successful in 2022

Our government may be falling apart but at least the UK tech scene is thriving. I read that the UK recently overtook China in terms of technology investment, raising £12.4bn in the first five months of 2022, which is amazing news. It is a privilege to be part of the nation’s technology sector and I’m delighted to report that BigChange continues to beat its growth targets while also meeting its ambitious goals around people and corporate responsibility. Here’s a little look at what we’ve achieved so far this year.

Maintaining momentum

We continue to excel in customer acquisition, winning almost 200 new customers over the past six months. That represents around £14m in new contract wins, across a diverse range of sectors.

In building services and property maintenance, we were delighted to welcome both RGE Services and First in Service into the fold. Motivair Compressors bolsters our pumps and compressors division. In plumbing and heating, we have welcomed Boiler Plan UK and Sun Realm Heating. Reflecting the changing world around us, we have seen continued success in the EV charging sector, and are delighted that Muller EV is now a valued customer. Internet provider, FibreNest Utilities, a subsidiary of Persimmon Homes, also joined the client roster this year, and we are still performing strongly in cleaning services, winning JM2 Services. 

Our international business is also thriving. BigChange Canada recently won its first customer with more to follow in the second half of 2022. We now have 200 customers in France, Cyprus and Australia. Our continued success against a backdrop of economic uncertainty proves that our software does exactly what we promise, giving customers the edge they need to navigate difficult trading environments.

We believe that customer wins will only accelerate over the coming months. We have attended eight events across the UK and overseas so far in 2022, where we have demonstrated the power of our technology. We have a further seven planned and it is such a delight to be able to meet prospective customers in the real world again. We have seen really fantastic results from these interactions.

All about customer success

Once a customer joins BigChange, we make it our mission to help them achieve their goals. This is why we have established a 15-person strong customer success team. All customers are automatically assigned a go-to person to help them grow during their BigChange journey.

Customers can leverage the insights from the BigChange University to help them get the most out of our software. BigChange University is now digital, which means our busy customers can access bitesize content at times that are convenient for them. We are also incentivising customers to keep building on their knowledge of BigChange through a new certification system which recognises Core, Advanced & Expert users.

Our BigChange Network exists to help customers to collaborate and support one another on their growth journeys. Over 200 customers have joined the Network over the past six months. 

Our commitment to supporting existing customers is reflected in our renewal rate, which beats industry figures by a significant margin. One of our biggest customer success stories, Sheffield City Council, just renewed its long-term 1,500 licences for tracking and JobWatch, and this is typical of customers’ commitment to BigChange.

People first and foremost

I’m delighted that BigChange has retained its two-star rating from Best Companies, reflecting our strong culture and outstanding levels of engagement. We are not resting on our laurels, however. We always review the Best Companies feedback to look for ways to improve our people strategy.

Growing the team

We are still hiring! The company continues to grow and attract international talent. In the last quarter, we hit 250 people. Our new tech internship, which has just launched and complements our existing internship scheme, will help maintain our talent pipeline and allow us to actively grow the UK’s tech talent pool.

An equal opportunity employer

BigChange is home to a diverse and passionate workforce, and we want to keep on breaking down barriers and providing opportunities for people with different skills. This is why we are actively encouraging people with disabilities and special needs to apply for our opportunities.

A new starter with autism recently joined our customer service team. We have the tools and neurodiversity training in place to help them to thrive here. We have partnered with Lighthouse, a school for autistic young people, and have committed to supporting three young people on supported internships from October 2022 for eight months.

Investing for the future

2022 has been a huge year for development. We have invested heavily in new features and functionality. From improvements in job finance, and updated search functions, to new SMS and alerts features for stock replenishment and expenses, we are listening to our customers and giving them the tools they need to be even more efficient.

We believe that the future of BigChange lies in empowering customers to make our software their own. This is why we are investing heavily in “self-serve” technologies. Our software is becoming more and more intuitive by the day. I’m really proud of everything our technology team has achieved and look forward to bringing you more updates soon!