New ventures compete to be Masters Newcomer winner
A DRINKS company that has clients from the BBC to bars in Ibiza, a high end interior design business launched during the recession and a digital studio venture started up by two former members of a law firm will compete for the Newcomer title at TheBusinessDesk.com’s Yorkshire Masters Awards later this month.
In a highly-competitive category, which saw a strong set of entries this year, the judges selected Zest Mixology Global, Richard Grafton Interiors and calls9 as the three strongest contenders for the prestigious awards.
The entrepreneurs behind the three ventures will be interviewed at the unique awards lunch on June 27 at Aspire before the winner is announced.
To vote for the winner of the Yorkshire Newcomer Award, click here.
Voting is now closed.
Murdo MacLeod, a former national account manager at Bacardi and Britvic, launched Zest Mixology when he spotted a gap in the market for a mobile professional drinks service for the corporate and private markets.
The bespoke cocktail company has since developed into a full event management business with clients numbering the BBC, Mercedes, Barratt and Lloyds TSB.
The company, which uses Yorkshire suppliers, has more than 60 freelance staff in the UK and 12 on party island Ibiza.
Richard Grafton launched his interiors business in Harrogate in March 2012 on the back of 25 years experience as a designer and creative director in the highly competitive sector.
The £1m brand new retail and commercial interior design venture achived turnover of £1m in its first year – 35% ahead of budget – and acquired fellow Harrogate business Janet Sandles Interiors last September.
calls9 was launched by former Eversheds employees Pete Mills and Adam Roney 18 months ago and it specialises in mobile app development, website design and digital consultancy.
During their time at Eversheds, the pair designed and project managed a prototype online services platform which had the potential to transform how the firm could communicate with clients by giving them direct access to their legal spend, legal documents, and lawyers.
The platform scooped an accolade at the Law Society Excellence Awards and Mr Roney and Mr Mills were jointly awarded the Eversheds Global Innovation Award in 2010.
On the back of this success they decided to launch their own venture and calls9, based in Leeds, now boasts a client list which includes Yorkshire law firm Gordons, Bradford Grammar School, Healthcare.co.uk and the Aagrah restaurant group.
