In the run up to World Entrepreneurs’ Day on August 21st, we secured an exclusive interview with our 3 Directors here at S&G Response, Andy Whatmough, Nik Griffiths and Nick Stone, to hear all about their personal experiences in the industry and how they have each elevated their careers since day one.
Q. Hi Andy, Nik and Nick – thank you all so much for joining us! Could you start off by letting us know how long you have all known each other, and how you met?
Nick: Andy and Nik met at school, and I actually went to primary school with Nik. We all met up again at our previous employer ‘Call 24-7’, and even though I aimed to work there for 6 months after finishing university it ended up being 4 years all together!
Andy was the person who interviewed me and so I worked in his area at first – it was a real sliding doors moment for sure, and it’s crazy to think how all our paths crossed at the exact right time.
Q. What made you decide to go into business together?
Andy: The business where we all worked together was bought out and the culture changed which just didn’t feel right to us any longer. By this point, we’d all been working in the industry for a few years and between us we had built a good network, so we knew we could build something special.
We’d all historically been hampered by systems, but we had some really good people who we didn’t want to lose, so we sat down, and all decided that we wanted to create a business and solution which combined leading edge technology with great people, who really wanted to make a difference.
All 3 of us felt there was a gap in the motor insurance market for this solution, so we saw and opportunity and took it.
Q. How did you feel about starting a new business?
Nik: We were all in our mid 20’s without mortgages or families, so the thought of launching our own business was exciting. We were all confident, but looking back, pretty naïve too.
We thought the journey would be quicker, but life doesn’t always work out like that! Luckily though, the 3 of us are resilient, entrepreneurial and always willing to learn, so we persevered.
15 years later, we have a business and culture that we are very proud of.
Q. Thanks all. Now, what was most important to each of you when creating S&G in 2009, what did you want to do differently to others in the market?
Nick: As mentioned, we wanted to run a business which blended technology with people.
We knew we were starting up in a time when people were talking about all things ‘automation’, and although that was an important development, we knew that in the motor industry, you had to balance it with an empathetic, helpful human interaction too.
Customer service to us was not (and still is not) a one size fits all approach, and this has always been something we’re all passionate about. It also gives us a competitive advantage as well, particularly as we’ve embedded this ethos into a culture right from the moment our doors open, and throughout every single employee at S&G too.
Q. What were some of the biggest challenges you faced in launching a new business, and how did you overcome them?
Andy: The biggest one is that we started the business during the 2009 financial recession. Times were really tough financially and people weren’t lending to new businesses, so there wasn’t much hope and a lot of people thought we were mad.
Luckily, we had a good relationship with RBS who liked our business plan and helped supplement our own initial funding, plus a little angel investment from our parents too!
Initially, we struggled with getting the opportunity to prove our concept to our previous customers and relationships. It was difficult due to the size and age of us – we just didn’t have the credibility. So, we worked hard to get work in and the engine revving, and used this time to select key people to join us and to improve our processes and systems.
Today though, we look back fondly on the times we had. We always knew when we won a contract, we could service it, so the focus was winning the first ones – it just took us a while to get there.
Q. How did it feel to watch your business succeed?
Nik: The of us have never been very good at looking back and congratulating ourselves. Don’t get me wrong, it’s brilliant to see us do well, but we’re always striving for the next objective to overcome!
Looking back, there have been so many exciting junctures through the years that fill us with pride. Everything from receiving our first cheque in 2009, our first recruit in 2010, our first award in 2013, our first fleet account in 2014 and our office expansion in 2018, to our expansion to a second site in 2021 and continually adding blue-chip, household name clients to our customer base.
But above everything, my favourite moments are watching our people develop.
We’ve been active supporters of apprentices since 2016 and we now have 2 previous apprentices in our management team and 6 amongst our team leaders! Our last 4 promotions within the operational management team have been from within and that is down to a combination of the right people and giving them the opportunities and support from our excellent HR team to learn and develop, and I can safely say that there’s no better feeling than seeing your team grow, succeed, and enjoy the job at your business.
Q. What have been your very best moments with S&G, what’s made you most proud?
Andy: As a business, we always want to help others, whether that’s through the £200k+ we’ve raised for charities, or through our wonderful partnership with the Children’s Adventure Farm Trust.
It’s not just about the donations for us, it’s about providing our people with the best experiences through our volunteering scheme, which enables them to enhance and broaden their skill sets, as well as give back to their local communities too.
Q. Excellent, thanks all. We are now in the run-up to World Entrepreneurs’ Day on August 21st, so we’d like to know, are there any entrepreneurs who inspire you, and why?
Andy: Tiger Woods is a truly inspiring figure, and his career in golf is a perfect example of relentless innovation and excellence. He literally revolutionised the game with his skill, work ethic and focus, but beyond the course, he’s also ventured into business with his Tiger Woods Foundation and TGR Ventures, showing his ability to translate his success in sports into impactful entrepreneurial efforts.
Nik: To me, Henrik Fisker really is an inspiration in the automotive world because despite him facing significant setbacks with his first venture, Fisker Automotive, he didn’t give up. Instead, he leveraged his experience and lessons learned to establish Fisker Inc., which focuses on creating high-performance, environmentally friendly vehicles.
He adapted to the changing market conditions, and proved that setbacks aren’t the end, but are just a stepping stone to better.
Nick: Ratan Tata is an incredible entrepreneur who has influenced the automotive industry, particularly through his leadership at Tata Motors, and Tata’s vision to make a car accessible to the masses.
His dedication and drive shows a deep understanding of customer needs and a commitment to creating value for everyday people, and because it went so well, Tata Motors expanded its global footprint and introduced innovative models that meet diverse consumer demands.
Q. Describing each other, what would you say your best entrepreneurial traits are?
Nick: We’ve got a really great balance as a leadership group.
Nik and Andy are more naturally entrepreneurial and risk takers, whereas I tend to be a little more cautious and more interested in the detail, or what the unintended risks and outcomes might be.
This can sometimes lead to lively debates, but we’re always aligned in our overarching aims and goals, so we know there’s always a solution and a compromise to be made.
Overall, we’re all very solution driven and always aim to support our customers and provide a real value-added support. We’ve been there and done that, so we’re willing to make the decisions which will always allow us to do better, and go that extra mile.
Q. What are the most important lessons you’ve learned in your entrepreneurial journey?
All: Listen to each other and those around you when giving you advice. You are not expected to know everything especially when you are first starting out, and it’s okay to ask for help by those with experience.
And believe in your convictions. If you don’t uphold your own standards and ethos, why should anyone else?
Q. And what would your advice be to any new entrepreneurs out there looking to launch their own business?
All: Surround yourself with good people, ones who can add variance to your thought process or experience and share similar personal values.
We’d also all recommend an element of coaching and mentoring. Setting up a new business will always have ups, downs and unexpected hurdles, but being able to bounce ideas off someone or use someone’s experience of similar situations is invaluable.
And finally, back yourself, and enjoy it.
