The Interview – Printing chief talks about effectiveness and efficiency

IAN Whitfield began his career trained as a chartered accountant and went on to head up numerous Yorkshire firms including a popcorn factory and a Yorkshire pudding factory. Today, he is managing director of printers Alpha Media Solutions. 

What aspects of your job/profession do you enjoy the most?
Generally I just love being in, and part of a business. From dealing with the everyday challenges that come with running a business to managing people, I really do enjoy pretty much all aspects of my job. I also like the way that in business the more people you meet, the more you learn. Through time you actually acquire the ability to pass on and share this knowledge with others.

What key challenges do you anticipate will affect your sector / profession over the next six months?
I think that I’ll be faced with the same challenges as all business leaders in the coming months; I will be challenged to push efficiency and ensure that long-term relationships with clients are strengthened – It’s going to become essential to produce marketing collateral which shows a direct return on investment (ROI), but if we can fulfill the opportunities which come from these challenges I think we’ll see business flourish dramatically.

What key skills do you think every entrepreneur should have?
It’s essential to have good all round business acumen, financial skills are vital, but without the right product or service a business just won’t work. It’s the important balance between attention to detail versus blue sky thinking. If a businessperson can find this balance there’s every chance they’ll become a successful entrepreneur.

Why do you think Yorkshire is a good place to start up / operate a business?
Yorkshire is a region that has everything. Its host of business services teamed with fantastic countryside and the great attitude toward life Yorkshire people have in both work and ‘play’ make it ideal for setting up a business. For me, the idea that Yorkshire has always celebrated being a leader and innovator of the Print Industry means the support network is already there for my specific business.

If you could improve anything in the region what would it be?
I love the Yorkshire region, the fact I’ve rarely strayed from here is testament to how much I enjoy it. For me there’s very little I feel is essential for improvement at the moment. I prefer to think about the fact that 15-20 years ago there’s no way that businesses and tourists would have chosen Yorkshire as a base for their company or holiday destination. That in itself is improvement enough for me.

Your views on the recession…
I think the recession presents many opportunities for businesses.
At the end of the day, the recession streamlined the print industry, For me, it has been distressing to see so many printers go under from the pressure the current climate has brought, however, with the billions of pounds of credit floating around in the economy, the recession was in my mind inevitable. Irresponsible lending on weak business plans has been the downfall of many a company.

What’s the best piece of business advice you’ve been given?
During my time in business, I’ve seen countless examples of good practice in the workplace, many of which I’ve coined for my leadership skills. If anything I’ve been taught that being firm but fair in all aspects of business is what will get you the furthest.

And the worst…
I try to ignore bad business advice, although I’m a great believer in ‘what goes around, comes around’ so I suppose bad advice would be the kind that resulted in this saying coming to fruition in a negative way.

What barriers have you had to overcome in growing your business / developing your career, and if any, can you explain how you overcame them?
The biggest barrier in any business is choosing how to successfully move forward at the right time and in the right way. In terms of overcoming this I’ve found that you need to have the right people in place, you need to ensure you’ve got structured money coming in, plus, if you have a vision, you need to ensure that those around you understand and share this vision. Barriers in business are often a blessing in disguise; they ensure you reappraise things regularly.

What was your first job and what did you spend your first wage packet on?
It was cutting grass for the parks department. I absolutely loved it, we had proper summers back then and my friends and I would spend all day outside just messing around. Given the age I was I probably wasn’t at all keen on saving my money, so I imagine I blew my first wage packet on going out!

If you could choose to start you career over again would you do anything differently and if so, what?
I wouldn’t change anything about my career or how it’s all worked out. I’ve moved around jobs and sectors and met some great (and not so great) people. Life is a little like a pin ball machine in that if you don’t hit one buffer, you’ll hit another. I do believe in fate and although there’s obviously mistakes I wish I could have avoided I imagine I would only have made different mistakes in avoiding others.

Name one item / hobby / gadget you couldn’t give up
I can’t deny my absolute love of fast cars and watches.