Page 31 - Business Insights 2012-2013
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Do you have a business start-up success story? If so please tell us about it and get your business listed on the Business Directory.
It is open to all Business School alumni who have started their own business.
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For more information and to request for your company to be listed, please email us:
NEWS
Michael Barker (Executive MBA 2002) launched
in October 2011. The company is
a niche healthcare marketing and brand strategy
business and is a direct result of Michael’s clinical
career as well as his time spent in healthcare
marketing and brand development for various
organisations over the past 11 years. “Saffron
Steer assists clients in achieving their growth
ambitions and creates value through brand
development which is clearly focused on patients
and customers,” says Michael. “In fact, that is how
Saffron Steer got its name: the term ‘branding’
originated from cowboys branding livestock to
differentiate one from the other (Steer) and Saffron
is the colour of the dawn which represents new
opportunities and growth.”
Saffron Steer works with both private and NHS
organisations. “We are actively involved with the
client teams in shaping and delivering initiatives
that create sustainable value.”
was set up by Full-Time MBA 2009
alumnus Karl Harder in early 2012. It is the first
community finance platform, which allows small
investors to invest directly in UK renewable energy
projects from as little as £5. “This is a new form of
democratic finance and we’ve built on the success
of peer-to-peer lending and other forms of ‘people-
powered finance’. It opens the door for ordinary
people to support and participate in the benefits of
renewable energy.”
Karl came up with the idea for Abundance
during his MBA, when doing the Innovation,
Entrepreneurship and Design project. The start-up
has so far received great interest: “We’ve had a
whole range of investors, with one person gifting
their wind farm investment to a friend, and another
who invested a lump sum of £50,000.”
And Karl’s advice to other budding entrepreneurs:
“Nothing is impossible and don’t give up. When
you come across a problem, there will always be a
way around it, just take your time and work it out.”
In April 2010, Hatty Fawcett (Executive MBA 2002)
directed her skills in marketing and PR to set up
her own business.
is an online
boutique that sells handmade homewares and
accessories, direct from British designer makers.
The interactive website allows you to find out more
about the production of the products and meet the
artists who make them.
“SeekandAdore.com is a place that brings together
the work of designer makers with people looking to
discover and buy unique and beautiful things.”
Capitalising on this country’s love of food, Utku
Toprakseven and Andreas Grammatis, both
Full-Time MBA 2011, saw a gap in the market to
modernise our eating-out experience and ensure
a more interactive mealtime.
is
aimed at the dining industry to help restaurants
increase revenues, profitability and customer
satisfaction, and improve customer loyalty. The
product, GustoTouch, is an interactive digital menu,
which allows customers to order food, customise
it, sort and filter the menu and pay their bill on
a tablet computer, as well as play games, read
newspapers and use social media.
“GustoTouch also acts as a Customer Relationship
Management (CRM) system for restaurants,” says
Utku, “whereby they will be able to conduct loyalty
schemes, promotions and competitions through
the user accounts. It supplies them with invaluable
information about their customers.”
Saffron Steer Ltd
Abundance
SeekandAdore.com
Gusto Interactive
31
BUSINESS
INSIGHTS
2012 – 2013
