MEMBER NEWS MEMBER NEWS


Running a new and developing business can be a challenge, but two Devon Chamber members have been succeeding and now support each other in their growth. Mail2Send, run by the entrepreneurial Dan


Russell, is a new concept based in the centre of Plymouth offering mail and fulfilment services to businesses and individuals. Mail2Send has now opened a shop


NEWS FOR & FROM MEMBERS OF DEVON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE


Chamber members growing together


Louis spent a lot of time liaising with larger national


companies, which he found had many expensive shipping solutions, but then came across Mail2Send. Louis got in contact with Dan who helped him to


on Bretonside where anyone can walk in and post anything, from one letter or parcel to an entire shipment. With the closure of the local post office, Dan has found his client base increasing with local residents regularly popping in. Mail2Send offers competitive prices and a personal service that has proven to be popular with clients – especially as 90% of deliveries arrive the following working day as standard. One such client is TurnsPro, a start-up business


‘Louis got in


contact with Dan who helped him to implement a


very simple order and fulfilment system’


implement a very simple order and fulfilment system, where Mail2Send receive a notification of each order and then would subsequently ship a TurnsPro out. This meant Louis could focus on developing the brand and did not have to go to the post office at the end of each day. As Mail2Send is a local company, the TurnsPro team can just drop in more stock when required. Delivery times to customers are quick and efficient – which is vital when competing with large online


suppliers. Mail2Send works with several clients across the UK to provide a complete pick,


pack and dispatch service and also offers an


which designs and develops photography gadgets. Its first product the ‘time lapse camera mount’ was successfully funded through a Kickstarter campaign in April 2015. Louis Le Poidevin, Managing Director, explained


some of the initial challenges and how local business helped to overcome them: “We had spent three years designing, developing and producing a product, but we had no experience in shipping or distributing and the associated logistics.”


evening delivery service for customers. Both companies are looking forward to growing


further. Two new TurnsPro product models are in production, due for release in 2017, staff recruitment is on the agenda and Louis has been working closely with UKTI to develop distributor relationships in Australia. Dan has designed Mail2Send to be a franchise


model and is hoping to roll it out nationally late in 2017, whilst his more immediate ambitions are to open a second branch of Mail2Send in Plymouth.


Devon Triumph with four winners in Venus Awards National Finals


The Venus Awards National Finals saw 70 regional winners compete in their respective categories for a coveted National Venus Award trophy. The deserving National winners


were chosen from 4,846 nominations and 1,333 applications. Devon’s Regional Partner, Alexis Bowater, said: “This is a wonderful achievement for Devon’s finalists, representing our county at a national level and winning in four categories. It just goes to show what an extraordinarily high level of skill, talent and business acumen we have here in the county. Let’s hope we can carry on showing the country, year on year, what outstanding businesswomen live and work here in Devon.”


Venturefest is coming to town


A flagship event for innovators, entrepreneurs and investors in the technology sector is coming to Devon this October. Venturefest South West will be


held at Sandy Park, Exeter on 18 October and will bring together hundreds of talented small enterprise innovators and entrepreneurs from across Devon, Cornwall and Somerset along with investors on the lookout for emerging talent. This is the first time a


Venturefest event, part of a national network supported by Innovate UK, has been held in the region. More details can be found at www.venturefest-sw.co.uk


‘Event in the tent’ makes return to Plymouth University


18 October will see the annual Plymouth Drake Foundation Celebration Evening take place at Plymouth University. The ‘event in the tent’ is a chance


Louis Le Poidevin, of TurnsPro, with Dan Russel, founder of Mail2Send


for people to see the great work the charity does along with highlighting the plight of poverty within the city. The charity will also present three awards to various charities for their work and engagement.


September/October 2016 Chamber Profile 5 IN BRIEF


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