TheBusinessDesk.com SME Interview – Jim Hart
Persistence and a talent for languages have helped Jim Hart, managing director of Saltaire-based Europlus Direct, build his company into an award-winning £3m turnover firm employing 30 staff in just three years. In TheBusinessDesk.com’s latest interview we get an insight into how.
What aspects of your job/profession do you enjoy the most?
I particularly enjoy seeing employees progress and develop within the company – I believe this is one of the most important elements of growing a business. I also enjoy learning from other business people who have had more experience than myself and find it hugely beneficial to share ideas and experiences. In turn, this helps me generate new ideas to push the company forward and plan new ventures for the future – something I enjoy immensely. Being a linguist, I enjoy all the international aspects of our business, including the travel when it is not too excessive – and as our whole strategy is based on international business, I am very lucky!
What key challenges do you anticipate will affect your sector/profession over the next six months?
I anticipate that the challenges will be similar to the last few years and the main focus for our company will be on increasing existing business in the IT Services arena. I also plan to launch a new business, The European Marketing Agency, which will help UK businesses break into Europe.
What key skills do you think every entrepreneur should have?
A real vision of what you wish to achieve, a real passion for what you do as a business and tenacity to keep pushing on through thick and thin to achieve that vision. Also, the ability to continue developing your existing business and never standing still or becoming complacent.
Why do you think Yorkshire is a good place to start up/operate a business?
Because I live here! And because we have the perfect mix between big cities and countryside, which means you can do your work and still enjoy life as well.
If you could improve anything in the region what would it be?
I would like to see even more Yorkshire companies exporting their goods and services.
Do you think that red tape is hindering business growth in the UK?
In my experience red tape is not massively onerous.
What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
Goethe himself didn’t give me this advice! But I think what he once said is really pertinent to starting your own business: “Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back – concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth that ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one’s favour all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamed would have come his way. Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin it now.”
And the worst?
Spend a great deal of time on market research. If you plan excessively in my opinion you will never take action.
What barriers have you had to overcome in growing your business/developing your career, and if any, can you explain how you overcame them.
I had several barriers in setting up a UK business and initially only sold into the French market. Most suppliers in France were however reluctant to work with a UK company so we overcame this by employing a French person. There were also difficulties ascertaining the correct way to charge VAT and we received differing sets of advice from accountants in France and the UK. We resolved this by working with a good firm of accountants in Leeds. We also had several banking issues; when we first started we were given appalling advice by the banks in the UK as no-one seemed to be able to help a company that was intending to sell across Europe. So we moved banks. We also had great difficulty opening up bank accounts in local markets as our turnover was not deemed to be sufficiently high. But with persistence we managed to “persuade” the banks to allow us to open an account with them! Recruiting native language speakers has also occasionally been challenging although this is now becoming easier as we have our own recruitment agency specifically for languages speakers. Lastly, it has been difficult getting involved in areas, which are not my areas of expertise – the solution here is obviously recruiting the right staff to manage those divisions.
What was your first job and what did you spend your first wage packet on?
My first job was a barman at a pub in Baildon. I bought myself a beer with my first wage.
If you could choose to start your career over again would you do anything different and if so what?
Yes – I would say that I probably stayed with one company a couple of years too long but my problem was I couldn’t find an appropriate sales position where I could use my languages. Otherwise I wouldn’t change anything because I felt I have always taken calculated risks and usually gone for the more difficult but exciting option. Sometimes this has been not so good and sometimes really good!
