Warwickshire marketing consultancy hires first ever staff members after advice from business support programme

A young Warwickshire marketing consultancy has marked its second anniversary by hiring its first members of its team with backing from a business support programme.

Collective Companion, which assists clients with social media, content creation, copywriting and more, has hired two part-time social media and marketing executives two years after founder Harpreet Stevenson created the business.

And through the help of business support programme Business Ready – run by the University of Warwick Science Park, on behalf of Warwickshire County Council and Warwickshire’s five District and Borough Councils - Harpreet has had invaluable access to an extra layer of support that gave her the confidence to make the hires.

Harpreet had steadily grown Collective Companion from her home in North Warwickshire after deciding to go it alone following a successful marketing career at both SMEs and larger corporates.

After reaching a point where the business was rapidly growing with new enquiries and work coming in regularly, before allowing her time to reach full capacity, she knew she had to get people in to allow the business to continue to expand.

While Harpreet had experience in hiring people in her previous roles, she had never done it for her own company.

She reached out to business support programme Business Ready after attending another business workshop.

Steve Tipson, Business Support Adviser at Business Ready, got back to Harpreet and set about understanding the biggest challenges she was facing at the time. Helping her to complete the recruitment process and progress through the sorting of the hundreds of CVs she had received was only the start of the journey.

Harpreet said: “When it came to hiring the first members of the team for my own company – especially with blind spots around changing HR policies and employment law – I was looking for reassurance that I wasn’t going to make a mistake.

“I decided to contact Business Ready about the support they were offering to Warwickshire-based businesses like mine, as there is a lot of support out there but it can be difficult to find the right fit.

“Steve offered a sounding board that has allowed me to consider angles I hadn’t yet thought of, guiding me through this period of change. His coaching style has been extremely supportive but has also pushed me out of my comfort zone. Whilst my interview processes were underway, Steve was able to make introductions to agencies that provide support around HR and employment law, which has been a great help in ensuring the hiring process was done correctly.

“In addition, Steve was able to offer up the use of the Venture Centre in Coventry as a location for my final interviews, instead of using my home, a café or hotel reception, and this is all thanks to Business Ready’s link with the University of Warwick Science Park.

“Many of my contacts in business have echoed the same message throughout this process, that ‘the first hire is always the most difficult.’ And when the buck stops with you, it can feel daunting. Access to the Business Ready business support programme has given me the confidence and reassurance I needed to make two great hires in time for our second anniversary.

“The first people to join a business are crucial, so I’m really pleased Business Ready has given me the boost I needed to help me follow through on that all-important decision.”

Steve Tipson added: “Harpreet already had extensive experience in marketing and business, but making the first hire to a business you have founded can be incredibly overwhelming.

“We talked Harpreet through the best way to assess candidates according to the criteria she’d laid out in the business, and made sure she had HR expertise during the process.

“It’s great that she’s been able to hire not one, but two members of her new team. We hope they will help Harpreet and Collective Companion reach new heights.”

Warwickshire County Councillor, Tim Sinclair, said: “We want Warwickshire to have a thriving economy and it’s great to see how the support from Business Ready has enabled Collective Companion to grow their workforce and employ their first team members.

“We’re proud of the impact the Business Ready programme has on Warwickshire’s small and medium sized businesses, allowing them to access dedicated support to help them overcome their barriers and grow their business.”

David Wright, Leader of North Warwickshire Borough Council, added: “As a council we are committed to supporting business growth and I am delighted that this North Warwickshire based business has been able to flourish due to the support of the Business Growth Warwickshire programme.”

Business Ready forms part of the Business Growth Warwickshire programme. It is delivered by University of Warwick Science Park on behalf of Warwickshire County Council and Warwickshire’s five District and Borough Councils. The support is part funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (via the District and Borough Councils), and Warwickshire County Council.

Find out what other support is available to your business by calling Coventry and Warwickshire Growth Hub on 0300 060 3747 or visit the Coventry and Warwickshire Growth Hub website.