Two SW businesses see huge growth after taking on external expertise

SouthWestfd, a team of consultant finance directors, are helping to nurture financial growth in Cornwall. Two companies that have experienced that growth are Mackerel Sky Events and Radix Communications.

Claire Eason Bassett, Managing Director of Mackerel Sky, a Creative Events Agency, heads a team of 12 with 3 offices spread across the south of England. Mackerel Sky started out with a traditional management structure and a small team of 5.

Back then Claire felt isolated as a director, she felt there was no one she could delegate to or turn to for advice. She added ‘I was at the point of my capacity’. This is when she reached out for help. ‘That’s where SouthWestfd came in. In particular, Jeremy Kirk, who has now been working with us for 5 years’.

Claire adds ‘We have a great working relationship, which is crucial to delivering the stuff that we do. Jeremy is core to that. What we needed was that strategic knowledge, and an accurate view of our finances, so we could get a grip on them and make proper decisions … It wasn’t as good as it could be and that’s where Jeremy came in and helped us deliver’.

Jeremy not only helps Mackerel Sky to deliver the right choices he is also able to understand the challenges they face and the opportunities that exist for them.

Claire says ‘He is always supportive, always challenging, throws in a curve ball as and when, and that’s part of the brilliance of having that external input. Seeing where there is an opportunity’.

As a result of SouthWestfd’s support, Mackerel Sky are now showing a 10% profit.

’Impact of that kind is huge and worth much more to us as a business than the rate we pay for Jeremy’s input’. Claire adds.

Fiona Campbell-Howes, founder of Radix Communications has found the support of SouthWestfd invaluable in helping her copywriting agency’s profits grow. She says ‘I would recommend SouthWestfd to anyone that needs financial support.’

Fiona approached SouthWestfd in 2013. She says ‘… work kind of fell off a cliff… it was then we decided to get in some professional experience so it didn’t happen again, that’s when we got in touch with SouthWestfd and Jeremy started working with us.’

Jeremy initially worked with Radix intensively. Now, his work with Radix is based around a monthly finance meeting with the management team.

In 2013, Radix’s turnover was £300,000, increasing to £400,000 in 2014, their current forecast for 2015 is an impressive £580,000.

Fiona credits much of that significant growth to working with Jeremy. She adds ‘We would never have been able to afford to take on a full time Financial Director with the kind of experience Jeremy has.’

‘SouthWestfd have just brought us so much value, not just in turnover growth, Jeremy makes us focus on profitability’. Fiona adds ‘…he has paid for himself over and over again. I would recommend him to any business with no financial or business management experience’.

Radix and Mackerel Sky directors have experienced the personal and corporate benefit of reaching out to SouthWestfd in terms of both personal support and growth in corporate value.

Watch these case study videos and find out more from Claire and Fiona. http://southwestfd.co.uk/cornish-case-study/

SouthWestfd focus on helping you and your business grow. We will not only support you on your financial journey, we are there every step of the way.

SouthWestfd are a team of experienced Finance Directors providing flexible and accessible support to SMEs across Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and Dorset.