Many businesses will take on business premises for a fixed time period and then only consider important milestone dates once they arrive, sometimes using a reminder from their landlord as a trigger.
Bermans can help you take control of the process and put you in a better bargaining position with your landlord by considering all options. We are offering a FREE lease review service and have created this simple step by step guide to help you.
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We met up with Jamie Knowlson (right) CEO and Lee Struggles (left), Marketing Director at CheckdMedia for our latest Q&A.
1. What is your business?
CheckdMedia is a privately-owned Social Marketing company, operating from Manchester city centre. We look to help brands engage with our established communities. We have several brands within our portfolio which are active across various social media platforms including Twitter, Facebook and Instagram as well as having their own websites. These are the tools we use to advertise our clients.
2. Which solicitors do you use at Bermans and how do we compare to other firms?
We established the relationship with Bermans back in 2012, from our experience of working with them they have been a great support to the business. We acquired Oddschanger in August this year and Robin Hastings & Jon Davage were extremely helpful in making the process efficient for both parties.
3. What are the biggest challenges you face in growing your business and maintaining profits?
Maintaining the growth we’ve achieved Y.O.Y. Each year the company has grown 40% Y.O.Y for the past 5 years. Looking ahead, Lee and I are trying to maintain that number whilst bringing in the right team members to contribute to that magic number.
4. Tell us about your typical working day?
Well each day is usually different but I usually get up at 6:30am and get a train in to work. I grab a bowl of porridge and check my emails before 8am. I like to get into the office before anyone else, just for a bit of thinking time and all that. Then my day is usually made up of meetings with the managers or potential new clients, I like to get involved in most areas of the business. Home for 6:30pm then it’s either, football training, dinner, pub or gym. Repeat 5 times a week!
5. Highlight for CheckdMedia over the last 12 months?
In the last 12 months we’ve seen 40% growth Y.O.Y, increased headcount by 42%, made an acquisition and taken on a number of new partners. We are creating a highly motivated and highly skilled team, and are employing people with great CV’s who can bring experience and make us a stronger unit. Our staff work extremely hard and we reward them with external events, such as a trip to Chester Race Day or Dublin which we laid on in 2017.
6. What are the business plans for the year ahead?
Grow our communities, stickier content/technology and overseas!
7. Is there a sector or industry that you are strong in or looking to develop?
CheckdMedia is very strong on Social Media, it is one of our key channels, but we also have clear development plans for working in overseas markets. We launched our first white label in 2017 with a company in the Netherlands, which has been quite exciting so if that takes off that will be a focus
8. Do you find social media assists with your business and if so, how?
40% of our business is Social Media driven. The company was founded through Social Media and so it is a great asset to us and what we’re doing. I’d encourage all businesses to look at Social Media and see how it can benefit your business goals.
9. If you were chancellor, what single change would you make to help improve the economy and/or your business?
The uncertainty around Brexit is the single biggest “drag” on UK economic growth, it cannot be coincidental that before the Brexit vote, the UK had the fastest growing economy in the EU, and now has the slowest growing economy. The chancellor and the rest of the government should be focusing their efforts on negotiating the right Brexit for the UK, and communicating that to the wider public and business.
10. What are your passions away from business?
We both enjoy a round of golf or game of football. We are keen football fans and go to matches where possible, with one of us being a Liverpool supporter and the other following Sheffield Wednesday. Health and fitness in general is a big part of our lives, but we aren’t adverse to an evening in the pub either!
11. Do you have a business tip for our readers?
Work hard, set clear objectives and KPI’s, break down the key drivers to achieving those objectives, focus on them and how you will deliver them. Looking after the small items, ensures you don’t get distracted by what seems a big and scary objective at the top.
WANT TO BE FEATURED NEXT TIME?
To feature your company in the next issue please contact our Marketing Assistant, Emma Bartram on 0151 224 0506 or email emma.bartram@bermans.co.uk
Continue ReadingWhilst being nothing new to the market place, the Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) introduced over 20 years ago has been the launch pad for many ideas and developments that have gone on to bring great return and growth for small high risk companies that would have otherwise struggled to raise debt or equity finance.
Continue ReadingSuppliers will often not consider on what basis they are contracting for the supply of goods or services. This may be as they feel they can deliver on the contract and so there is no risk. Often, the issue for many is that they do not foresee a potential liability arising. Others may believe that they are contracting on their standard terms of business, though often these are not brought to the attention of the customer, either at the point of contracting, or at all. This note examines the potential issues facing a supplier through lack of a suitable contract.
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In the case of BHL v Leumi ABL Ltd [2017] EWHC 1871 (QB) the High Court required an invoice discounter to refund excessive collection fees charged after the administration of Cobra Beers Limited.
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Article by Andrew Koffman, Litigation Partner
1 October 1987, a typical grey autumn day in Manchester, a far cry from the hurricane-strength winds that buffeted Britain exactly 2 weeks later. But a big day for me; after 6 years of study and training, I was finally admitted as a solicitor. I had a moderately exciting morning serving a search order on a defendant although the location (a block of multi-storey flats) was about as unglamorous as it could get!
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The Law Gazette recently shared this article titled ‘Low-cost Manchester mediation pilot aims to ‘fill a gap’ which discusses a new initiative involving the launch of new a pilot scheme encouraging mediation as a less costly way of resolving civil disputes.
Nick Harvey Partner and Head of Litigation, comments on this recent article, whilst discussing Bermans new dispute resolution product – Escalate.
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Gayle joined Bermans in August 2017 and is a Litigation Executive in the Asset Based Lending team.
She has over 25 years experience of producing and managing court process for a variety of commercial clients and has worked extensively for clients in the asset based finance market.
Gayle predominantly deals with undefended and process driven claims.
e: gayle.dimelow@bermans.co.uk
t: 0161 827 4615
We have in the past been critical of faults in the court system and the drive towards ever increasing fees, so it is only fair that we also give credit where credit is due.
Continue ReadingThe process of replacing the Insolvency Rules 1986 and 28 subsequent amendments has necessarily involved difficult balancing exercises between the interests of numerous stakeholders, but the general consensus among creditors is that The Insolvency (England and Wales) Rules 2016 (SI 2016/1024) (“IR 2016”) which came into force on 6 April 2017 are likely to significantly improve the insolvency process for most creditors.
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