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Thames Valley SME 100 Growth Index: CEO insights


The past year was a kaleidoscope of experiences for business owners and leaders, filled with challenges but also with successes. The Business Magazine asked the CEOs and leaders of companies on the 2021 Index, the following three questions:


• What were your toughest challenges over the past year? • What were your biggest wins? • What are your wildest ambitions for the coming year?


Regardless of sector, the business leaders that qualified for this year’s Thames Valley SME 100 Growth Index said their biggest challenge was responding to Covid-19. They struggled to maintain their company culture while working remotely, finding ways to support the mental health and wellbeing of their team members and reacting to the uncertainty brought about by the pandemic. While company leaders were united to an extent in their struggles, each celebrated different types of successes with their teams and had different ambitions for the coming year.


Brief extracts of the answers are detailed here:


What were your toughest challenges over the past year?


“Timing of decisions, which should not be confused with actually making decisions (running a business is just a series of decisions that need to be made anyway).– Matthew (Matt) Joy, co-owner of Conveyancing Data Services, a conveyancing search provider based in Reading and number 18 on the Growth Index.


“As a small business, S4labour has developed a great working relationship with the team. It was challenging to maintain team engagement and communication while being furloughed or working from home.” – Alastair Scott, CEO of S4Labour, a labour management software company based in Bradbury and number 37 on the list.


“Managing the health and safety issues around working during a pandemic was a huge challenge.” – Simon Newton, managing director at Darke & Taylor, a building services company based in Hanborough, listed number 30 on the Growth Index.


What were your biggest wins?


“If there’s one positive or overall win from our collective experience over the past 12 months it’s seeing how societies are again understanding the value of the human and, for businesses, the need to place their people (not automation) at the very heart of their economic recovery.” - Sabby Gill, CEO of Thomas International, a talent assessment platform based in Marlow and number 39 on the list.


“Growing the business 75% through a pandemic while also gaining Private Equity Investment to fuel our growth overseas.” - Anthony Young and Scott Nicholson, co- CEOs of Bridewell Consulting, a cyber-security company based in Reading and number 8 on the Growth Index.


“Retaining our team so we could deal with the influx of business in Q4 of 2020.” – Simon Schnieders, founder of Blue Array, a search engine optimisation company based in Reading, number 50 on the list.


What are your wildest ambitions for the coming year?


“Seeing the UK’s vaccination programme completed, having a maskless Christmas party with the whole team and going on holiday.” – Joanna Jensen, founder and chairman of Childs Farm, a children’s toiletries company in Basingstoke, number 55 on the Growth Index.


“Continue to grow as a business in line with our company values: be brave, commit, be fair and enjoy it. We aim to deliver inspired working environments for businesses to thrive in.” – Michael Potter, owner and managing director at Curve Workplaces, a company that specialises in office, warehouse and laboratory design based in Bracknell, number 26 on the list.


“Have all staff return to work in our respective offices and be able to travel safely to see customers, partners and employees around the world.” – Nick Earle, CEO of Eseye, a company that empowers businesses to embrace IoT without limits, number 68 on the list.


Read insights from CEOs of companies on the Growth Index


businessmag.co.uk JULY/AUGUST 2021


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