From apprenticeships and qualifications to professional development and employability skills. Supporting learners, partners, and centres with tools to deliver, assess, and grow.
Join a professional community committed to excellence in management and leadership. Access exclusive resources, and recognition pathways including Chartered Manager.
Connect, celebrate, and lead with CMI’s vibrant community. From events and awards to networks and campaigns, get involved and help shape the future of management.
Stay informed with expert insights, thought leadership, and the latest in management. From in-depth features to practical guidance, explore the ideas shaping today’s workplace.
Learn about CMI’s mission, values, and impact. From our Royal Charter to governance, careers, and sustainability commitments, discover who we are and what drives us.
12 November 2015 -
When I was 23, I was made redundant for the second time. I turned to the bank for a loan to fulfil my dream of starting my own business. Unfortunately, our family home had been repossessed when I was younger and, without a job, I had no way of securing the loan. The Prince’s Trust came to the rescue with a £3,000 loan and a £500 grant; that gave me enough to start Clock.
Today, we employ a talented team of nearly 50 people, designing and building websites and mobile apps for clients such as The Times, Wall Street Journal, Sony, the British Film Institute and the Royal Institute of British Architects. Attracting and retaining good people is what building a business is all about. My job is to provide an environment for people to be brilliant.
Most people start businesses because they’re really good at something and think they can do it for themselves. I couldn’t (and still can’t) build websites. And I was a mediocre designer at best. So my main challenge was to get people who could do these better to buy into my dream. I finally managed to get a web design project that enabled me to take on our first employee.
I had little experience working for other companies and no experience of starting and running a business. I had no points of reference for setting up policies or building a culture. I read books and asked people for advice.
I knew that I had to build a business that I would want to work for. I introduced flexible working policies and an early finish on Fridays. We have continued to add new benefits and we detail them on www.littlebookofbenefits.com.
This has made us very attractive as an employer and we have been able to build an exceptionally talented and hard-working team. If you surround yourself with brilliant people, everything else will look after itself.
But to be successful, brilliant people still need to be part of a team – so having a clear and shared vision is essential.
In the early days, I used to talk about being the ‘Best On The Planet’. We still hold our BOTP awards every year to recognise contributions from the team as well as having a bit of fun. It’s a great time to reinforce the vision.
Industry awards aren’t a fool-proof measure of success but they are great to win – and we have won several. However, I’m particularly proud of being recognised as running the best placement programme in the UK at the National Council for Workforce Education (NCWE) awards. Our placement programme has been a resounding success. It’s not just the right thing to do; it’s also been responsible for 40% of our team.
There are other indications that we are doing something right: the average number of sick days per employee is 1.7 days against a national average of seven. We have a number of staff who have been with the company for more than ten years. While it’s good to have natural attrition and new talent, it’s also great to show continuity and consistency for clients and to maintain the culture.
› The persistence of presenteeism and other nuanced nonsense
› A new age of vulnerability: why inclusive leadership matters more than ever
› Ask yourself: "How do I make my employees feel?"
› Finance and the Diversity Dividend
For more information or to request interviews, contact CMI's Press Team on 020 7421 2705 or email press.office@managers.org.uk
› The 5 Greatest Examples of Change Management in Business History
› Four companies that failed spectacularly, and the lessons of their premature demise
› 6 companies that get employee engagement – and what they do right
› 4 Signs That Racism May Be An Issue In Your Workplace
› How to build an Effective Team: focus on just 3 things