Leeds Catalyst

Member Spotlight: Laura Butler, Ringlit

Name: Laura Butler

Where do you live? Hyde Park, Leeds

What is your business? Ringlit sells unique Ladies clothing, also offering bespoke items, commissioned on request. Each piece made and sold under the Ringlit label is original and has a fashionable edge. Ringlit is suitable for any age and size, giving women the right to feel liberated and feminine, through wearing fresh and affordable clothing.

What influenced you to set up this business?
A variety of different things have lead me to the stage I am at currently. Having an interest in business and art & design from being a teenager, taking A-levels in business & art was possibly the initial catalyst. Since then I have studied further taking a degree in Fashion/clothing, cornering my artistic skills into garment design & manufacture.
Along the way I have been influenced and encouraged by others who have experienced running their own business. This has helped me discover what I ultimately need and want to do and therefore motivate me to continue striving for my dream.

What challenges/goals are you currently facing?
The main challenge is my financial situation, as for the first time in 3 years I do not have the security of a salary.
Keeping organised and efficient in terms of the order of doing things is also appearing to be quite challenging. It does take a lot of thought and consideration to ensure nothing is missed out, overlooked or finished too late.

Your greatest moment:
Seeing my final show collection on the catwalk when finishing university. The final show was held at The Royal Armeries.

Your worst moment:
Starting on the ladder. Working as a junior garment technician, going through the process of having to prove to management that I wasn’t the imbecile.

What is the best advice you have ever received?
To get experience in the Industry before proceeding into business and as much as possible.

And the worst?
To stay in a job as its more secure.

What is one of your special talents?
Finding materials and having an eye for how to construct colours, fabrics & prints together.

What is your definition of success?
Going from failure to failure and never loosing enthusiasm.

What is your pet hate?
People that judge to easily without even speaking to the individuals involved.
Following the crowd and not standing by your morals.

If you could have dinner with two people (living or not) who would they be?
River Pheonix and Kurt Cobain, they both died when I was a teenager.

Member Spotlight: Ian Thomas, Digital Plus

Your names: Ian Thomas

Where do you live?         
Kirkstall

What is your business?   
Digital Plus
Our aim is to always exceed the customer’s expectations. Here at Digital Plus we can produce banners to your exact specification, regardless of size. We produce indoor and outdoor signage using a variety of printing products, printing onto almost any material. We are a leader in printing direct onto almost any substrate and with using new UV cured silicon-based inks, there’s no need for mounting and lamination.
Whatever the product, whatever the occasion, Digital Plus can help your business to succeed.

How long has the business been in operation?    
8 years

What is your role in the business?     
New Business Development Manager
My role in the business is to make sure the customers are happy and that they are satisfied with the quality and price of the products produced.  At Digital Plus we tailor our service to your needs, regardless of size, from postage stamp to billboard and what ever the quantity.

What obstacles have you encountered during your time with the business?
Learning everything about all the products we sell, as well as the needs and desires of our clients.

For more info contact [email protected] or visit www.digitalplus.co.uk

Member Spotlight: Ben Storey, Courtley West

Name: Ben Storey

Where do you live?
Methley, near Rothwell and Woodlesford.

What is your business?
Courtley West, Accountants & Business Advisors.

What influenced you to set up this business?
I sincerely believe that every business, director and manager deserves a service which is specifically suited to their needs and expectations. It’s getting harder to find good customer service but I really believe that if you get that right then the rest will follow. I’d been advising clients for years in how to run their own business and so I thought I’d better put my money where my mouth is. I quit my job with it’s secure salary and put all my energy into this business.

What challenges / goals are you currently facing?
I’m trying to get my head around the marketing; it’s not something I’m particularly familiar with so I’m learning as I go. I generate most of my business through referrals from existing clients or from other professional such as bank managers, however I would like to build on the brand and increase the general awareness of the business in the local area.

What is the best advice you have ever received?
You can do anything if you put your mind to it. (Professor Hill, University of St. Andrews.)

What is your definition of success?
Making my kids happy!

To find out more visit www.courtleywest.co.uk

Member Spotlight: Jo Densley, About My Area Community Website

Name: Jo Clair Densley

Where do you live?
Chapel Allerton

What is your business?
AboutMyArea LS7 is a Community website for the Chapel Allerton, Chapeltown and Meanwood areas.  The aim is to be the primary source of community and business information for the LS7 postcode.  The website covers local news, events and features and also includes a Business Zone.

What influenced you to set up this business?
A desire to become more involved with the community where I live.

What challenges/goals are you currently facing?
Trying to find the time to do everything I want to do on the website.  LS7 is such a vibrant, diverse community and there are so many organisations, clubs, businesses that I want to involve.  I have to accept that I can’t do everything at once!

Your Greatest moment
Completing the 10k Abbey Dash – I am not a natural runner!

What is your Pet Hate?
Waste.

If you could have dinner with two people (living or not) who would they be?
Billy Connolly and Anthony Hegarty.

If you would like to find out more, please contact Jo at [email protected] or 0772 335 1884 or visit www.aboutmyarea.co.uk/LS7

Member Spotlight: Andrew Smith, Giant Steps Life Coaching Ltd

Name: Andrew Smith

What is your business?   
Giant Steps Life Coaching Ltd which offers personal life coaching in all areas of life (ie health, relationships, vocation, money, personal development, spiritual and emotional).

What influenced you to set up this business?   
A desire to meet people where they are and help them arrive where they want to be, to enable  people to have and experience the best possible life.

What challenges/goals are you currently facing?
Having originally worked alongside new insights as one of their master coaches, helping to mentor new life coaches up until September of last year, I am now seeking to build up my own clientele.

Your greatest moment:   
When I first realised how effective my life coaching  skills were in the lives of my clients.

Your worst moment:   
Being unemployed for 12 months in the mid  1980's.

What is the best advice you have ever received?   
Believe in your dreams, believe in yourself - you can achieve all your heart desires!

And the worst?   
Get yourself a proper job!

What is one of your special talents?   
According to my clients - being an inspirational life coach.

What is your definition of success?   
To be truly happy in being who you are and doing what you've always wanted to do.

If you could go back in time and witness one event in history what would it be and why?   
To be present when Dr. Martin Luther King Jnr gave his "I have a dream" speech, to see inspiration up close and personal and at it's best!

What is your pet hate?    Unthinking motorists.

And if you could have dinner with two people (living or not) who would they be? 
Dr. Martin Luther King Jnr and Muhammad Ali.

If you would like to find out more, please contact Andrew by email [email protected] or call him on 0114 251 4951 or 07931 582 485.

Member Spotlight: Gemma Povey, Future Arts

Name: Gemma Povey

What is your business?
My organisation is Future Arts. We are a new group delivering music and media technology projects in economically deprived areas in Leeds. We use creative technology as a means to develop people's skills, to build confidence and self esteem and to tackle social issues by give people a platform for their voices to be heard. At the moment we operate as an outreach service delivering in community centres and a variety of other venues. Along side this we also take contracts to work with both private and social sectors where our expertise and equipment and required.

What influenced you to set up this business?
From already working on a project that delivered an outreach programme for technology I saw how well it was received, how much the users got from it and what a shame it was when that funding ran out. Me and my colleague Paula Temple saw this massive gap for informal, fun and creative learning that no one was stepping up to fill. Understanding how much of an influence music has had on our own lives and seeing the benefit for others first hand we decided that we would begin our journey to creating an organisation that could offer something really special and lasting in the community. What has been the influence in keeping us going, perhaps when we haven't had the results we wanted, or fast enough has been talking to people who we worked with in the past and will in the future. It keeps reminding us the gap is still there and the service is needed.

What is the best advice you have ever received?
Quite simply, Listen

What are your pet hates?
Hoovers that don't suck!
People who don't listen!

Who in the world do you most admire and why?
Thom Yorke of Radiohead.  What an amazing man - beautiful voice, amazing melodies, a very talented guy. But beyond that quite politically active. He has a dig at the world with his songs but follows it up by campaigning for changes with regards to global warming (the big ask) and the Iraq war.

Also the controversial dig at the music industry and the big wigs that call the shots. I love the fact that he and the band gave the music-buying public the right to choose if and how much they would pay for their album. It opens up doors and flies the flag for DIY music and musicians, proving that if it is good people will pay. I feel that the industry is trying to keep a tight hold of the reins and not flexible enough concerning music availability over the net, they aren't moving with the times.

If you want to know more about Future Arts, members can find Gemma's contact details by logging into the Catalyst system.

Member Spotlight: Jonah Ulebor, Webstrat Consulting Ltd

This week's featured member is Jonah Ulebor of Webstrat Consulting Ltd.

Many of you will already know Jonah as he has been working from the Beeston Basecamp for the past few months.  Webstrat is now expanding and Jonah moved out of Basecamp and into his own premises today.  He will of course continue to be a network member and we hope he'll pop into Basecamp from time to time to see us!

So here's to Jonah and here is his Member Spotlight...

Name:  Jonah Ulebor

Where do you live?
I live in Beeston and also my business is based in the Beeston area.

What is your business?
We are a website design company passionate about providing professional, effective and affordable websites and internet solutions for our clients. We help our clients look at the big picture by designing websites and helping create a strategy to promote their websites so that in the end it makes a positive impact on their business. So we design websites, implement email marketing campaigns, search engine optimisation, per-per-click advertising and graphics design. We also promote innovative website tools like Constant Contact (Small Business Email Marketing Tool), Sitepal (Online Dynamic Talking Characters) and Live Person (Offering online chat to increase sales or improve customer service)

What influenced you to set up this business?
Passion, Passion, Passion. The initial thought was that the internet was for the “big guys” (Big sized companies with huge market), or for “egg heads” (those who could come up with great internet business ideas like “You Tube”) but I am passionate about how the internet can help small businesses and create success for them. This passion drove me to do a masters in e-business and innovation AT Lancaster University and straight after that, Webstrat Consulting was born. So in a way while I am interested in new internet technologies, I am also much more interested in what works best for small businesses and how they can integrate this into their business strategy to enhance their success.

What challenges/goals are you currently facing?
Moving from the one man band to becoming a more successful and sustainable business. We have just recruited 2 full time staff and we have to effectively blend together to create a more effective company. We were recently based in the Catalyst Centre run by Camberwell in Beeston but have now had to move into a bigger office space and now trying to work harder to grow the company and offer better and faster service. Doing this is clearly more challenging as it involves a range of new skills.

What is the best advice you have ever received?
Create a database for all leads, work through your leads funnel and do something about converting them to clients.

What is your pet hate?
Dishonesty and people who blame everything on every other person apart from themselves.

And finally, if you could have dinner with two people (living or not) who would they be?
Nelson Mandela and Richard Branson

You can find out more about Webstrat by visiting the website www.webstrat-uk.com.

Member Spotlight: Jeremy Morton, Tiger 11

We have introduced a new feature on the blog...

Starting this week, each Friday you can get to know other Catalyst members and find out about their products and services in our 'Member Spotlight' feature.

I cannot think of a better person to feature on our first week than longest-standing Catalyst member, Jeremy Morton.  So here goes...

Name:  Jeremy Morton

Where do you live?
In Beeston. I've lived here since 1984 and never regretted it. It's a vibrant community with loads going on and many many good friendly people. It's got its problems, but we're working on those!

What is your business?
Tiger11 is a development trust so we will respond to the needs of the community. Our first business is to refurbish the former Hillside Primary School, so i guess we are property developers and buildings management. The difference is that we will re-invest the profits back into the community and we care about who takes space in the building so hosting the Beeston Catalyst is fantastic. 

What influenced you to set up this business?
I've been involved in the regeneration of Beeston for the last ten years, but as a resident I've had enough of it being done to us by other organisations - the council, housing associations, etc. Tiger11 is about people in Beeston deciding on our priorities and having the financial independence to do what we think is right.

What challenges are you currently facing?
Redeveloping a listed building! Initially it seemed pretty straightforward, but issues keep popping up. People keep saying  "No you can't do that", or "You just have to do this extra thing before you start". And they never tell you in advance that there's another hurdle coming up so that you can programme the extra work to fit your timetable.

Your greatest moment:
Getting the job as Director of Tiger11. I got the project going, but I was terrified some clever clogs would come along and take the job.

What is the best advice you have ever received?
It's better to make the wrong decision than not make a decision at all.

And finally, if you could be any animal, what would you be and why?
What am I? Not sure. I'm a marathon runner not a sprinter, I'm tenacious, sometimes grumpy, loyal, dependable - what does that make me?

Answers on a postcard please!?!?

A big thank you to Jeremy for being our Member Spotlight 'guinea pig'!  To find out more about the work of Tiger 11, click here.

Next week it could be you!!!

If you would like to feature in next week's Member Spotlight - an opportunity for you to promote yourself, your products and services - please email [email protected].