New Premises 2011

Hello Guys.

Just a quick note to let you all know we have just signed up for our new unit in

Stockton earlier today.

Our new unit is Unit 4, Portrack Court, Portrack Lane,

Stockton on Tees TS18 2HP (Opposite Tecaz Bathrooms)

A huge step but one I think the business requires to expand, being 18 months in the

making and now bursting at the seams in our current location.

Our business to date is still via recommendations and word of mouth so I think

our quality speaks for itself. Together with the new unit we are looking into a new web

site to move into the Ecommerce market.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the organisations, friends and family

who have helped along the way to upport the business and myself and here's to a

prosperous 2011 - I hope

Many thanks Callum

www.fivelamps.org.uk

A huge thank you to the http://www.fivelamps.org.uk/ for the invite to the

25 yr Anniversary Celebration Event on Friday 12th November 2010 was a fantastic event,

mainly learning what other things the Five Lamps is involved with for the local community.

Was totally speechless to hear my name being announced for the "People Matter" award for 2010 - Totally unexpected but fantastic to have two years bloody hard work pay off !!

Many thanks to everyone involved and for your support over the past year.

If We Can Celebrate You Can BBQ - Hoults Yard, Newcastle

I'd like to say a massive thanks to the whole "Ifwecanyoucan" Team and the organisers from the "Entrepreneurs Forum" for a good night to celebrate the 2010 challenge with a BBQ and entertainment at Hoults Yard - Aug 10th 2010

A good night and great presentation for the winners and runners up to the 2010 challenge, and a great picture of me and bottle of bubbly.

The whole challenge has been a fantastic experience and hope to enter again this year, and you never know maybe win?!?

I just goes to show if they can you can, I did ! Many thanks to all involved.

Challenge Results

Second place finalist - Never been so happy to come second lol.

I've spoken to Chris and passed on my congrats to him, as I've said to him that I was more than happy to lose out to him, I'd have been gutted losing to an old lady baking 10 muffins a week.

Just get back from Brittany, blisteringly hot weather, too hot for me, but had a cracking time chilling out for once. Kids were great learning French, I struggled through....

Business is now in a partnership which means I'll be able to get all the inquiries coming in rather than losing loads of them each week being on my own.

All in all the challenge has taught me a lot, and also generated sales and enquiries, more than I'd hoped for. I can't really say I lost anything, and as my 7 year old said when I told her I'd come in second place " thats great, because you came second out of all those people and as you tell me it's the taking part thats counts" I had to agree, this comment coming from a 7 year old means I've taught her well. Also in their eyes I'm now famous as I was in the paper 5 times! Cannot argue with that really.

Time to say a big thanks to everyone involved but mostly to the kids above and my wife for putting up with the challenges over the past year and a half, and also for going without at times due to the business, so we've all had a great holiday and looking forward now to taking the business further.......... And next year I intend to win lol

Many thanks to everyone who voted their support, Callum

Busines updates.

Looks like the business is expanding, taking on a partner next month, had a few people interested. Great for me and the business.

Also been out looking for units, something I've wanted to do for a while as both workshops are bursting at the seams, and the whole thing needs sorting out. This was planned for later in the year but may come sooner. I've been busy expanding the new parts range and tracking down old core to use as its getting rarer and rarer these days to get decent quality - A few things in the pipeline for that too.

Only a few days left to vote, thanks to all who have voted to date, and fingers crossed for the results - My time in this competition has taught me a lot, I've met people I wouldn't have normally and also gained a few leads for sales, more importantly I've been able to help a few people who have got in touch with me who have had similar issues getting started, that has to be the icing on the cake as I know a few are finally on the way to meeting their goal, good luck to you and I wish you all the best.

Hopefully the next post will be to tell you I won the competition, who knows, if I don't I'll still be here as will many doing what we all enjoy - Working for ourselves. Thanks

Evening Gazette

Had to upload this, stubble and all. I had about half an hour to prepare for this, so what ya see is what ya get!! My famous 15 minutes.

Voting updates

Well I think I've exhausted all avenues now, its all down to the count. Wonder what the possibilities are of a hung vote....... No things like that never happen where 2 people don't actually win but then get all the power lol.

Some of the pictures below from the Seven Conference, me in a suit and tie, who'd have thought it, this is me pictured with the world's smallest working turbo..... I did ask them to use photoshop to touch the pictures up to make me look better but it must have been too big a job so they didn't bother!

I've also taken the big step this month to expand the business a little. I'm in discussions with a business partner who is wanting to invest in the business, which will benefit the business with more stock and a larger range. This means that 2010 is already looking very positive for the business, and I think put us on the map a bit more.

We also have a young man working on day release from Thornaby Youthy via Five Lamps and I'm currently looking into a possible apprenticeship program for him to expand with the business. I have made a few enquiries over the past few weeks, I think this challenge has given me a more positive attitude towards things and that things can be done.

I still have trouble thinking of myself as a businessman, I'm just looking after my home and family really, but the business is crying out to expand now from its little cottage industry, and as long as I stay sensible I think it will all be worthwhile.

Seven Conference

Late morning this morning, (Not too late home) 6am start so had a little lie in lol.

Sorry if I didn't say goodbye to a few of you, but you were all in deep conversation with someone when I was leaving and didn't want to disturb you.

The Seven conference yesterday and think I can sum it up in one word really,

WOW!

I expected a lot of snooty posh people, and got totally the opposite - I met a range of people I would never have dreamed of meeting, and everyone one of them was a down to earth person with so much characher, and vision.

I'd like to thank Hazel and Will for keeping us on track and managing to get photo shoots and more video's done through the dinner break, but also for putting the day at ease as this was my first conference of this type but won't be my last. The day was very productive, not just in the speakers with the success stories, but also in their failures.

The whole day was nonstop, the evening was good and light hearted, the food was fantastic,
but I suppose the whole day, while being a business conference of sorts wasn't, it was more like a celebration for the North East to show how good and resilient we are.

It was great to meet all of the other finalists and share the stories, Sat with Amy at the dinner and don't think we mentioned business once, great girl and wish you all the best with your venture, when your up on stage getting your awards next year don't forget my invite!

All in all a fantastic day and really worth it, big thank you all involved

Mainstream Finance

Hello, me again.

I had a phone call the other day from a lovely lady I met while doing a course with HMRC on VAT ( Very exciting?) When we had met up first time she had contacted a few high street banks and had met with the same brick walls that I had.

We talked about the problems I had come up against and I told her to try a few different avenues, I received funding from the Five Lamps Organisation and Entrust recently to expand by business and had passed the contact numbers to her. This lady
had been struggling for about 8 months to get about £1000 to convert a room at home into a proper office to do her home secretary work. Not a large amount but still a requirement to do the job properly.

The main reason for her contacting me again was to say congratulations of becoming a finalist for the IWCYC Challenge but to also inform me that she had received some funding, enough to cover desks and new computers to finally get started! So it proves this can be done, a little chat somewhere for her, turned her dream into reality, and we wish her all the best in her venture.

Again the moral of the story is about not giving up, talking to different people and one day it will fall into place. I have heard a lot of stories about high street banks, apart from experiencing it myself first hand - they all have the lovely glossy mags and leaflets but unfortunately not able to support local businesses, but there are people out there who can. I put in touch with Entrust via Royal Bank of Scotland when they had refused my initial loan with them - Their loss really.

If anyone requires details for the above and can't find them on the internet drop me a mail and I'll happily pass a few contacts your way.

I'm now prepping myself up for the conference tomorrow, washed and shaved AND in a suit with tie, I didn't even wear a tie for my wedding so you are privileged! I feel this is going to be a very good day and a chance to meet all the other finalists and hopefully dodge that camera the best I can!!!

Week Ahead

Looking forward to the 7th Annual Conference on Thursday. Get a chance to meet the rest of the finalists and hopefully get an insight into how others have done this.
My ugly mug was in the paper and on internet, the kids thought it was really funny to see dad on the computer and in the news.

Been pulling in all my contacts for voting, being a one man business I appear to be limited on that front, I suppose others with internet based sites have a better chance of pulling in loads of votes, but will plod on an keep threatening, sorry asking friends and family to spread the word!

All in all this has been a very good experience for me, even to have made it this far. who'd have even thought 18 months ago when I was basically looking at keeping the roof over our heads that I would be in the situation I'm in now. The conference should be great, not sure what I'm expecting, but to hear views from people who have started from nothing and hopefully had the same walls to climb that I've had too, and have still made it against all odds should be uplifting.

If anyone thinking of going into business ever reads this, and you are thinking of giving up, don't. If you are actually thinking of it, then you have your first step done, as you will already have the passion to be your own boss, that is all you need. there are many doors that will be closed to you, but round the next corner you will find one thats open, and then it all falls into place. It isn't easy, and you will want to think it's all over many times, or you may just land lucky. You just need to pick yourself up and crack on. Overall if you believe it and you have the support of your family and they believe it, it will happen one day.

I never in a million years think I would be doing all of this when I was made redundant, I didn't even have a thought of it, I spent a few months looking for work, and offering my services for next to nothing to try and get a job. The trade I am in is expensive to set up, but I have got there slowly. I also spent our last £1200 a month before Christmas to start things off, that was the kids present money and a couple of mortgage payments, totally crazy I know. The main reason was if I hadn't have done it then we would have probably never had £1200 in the account again, so taking a massive risk did actually pay off.

I'm still getting used to this blogging stuff, and will update any information that may arise up to Thursday, and will let your know how the conference goes.

Callum Miller's profile • If We Can You Can

Callum Miller's profile • If We Can You Can

Turbo Connect

This has been a manic week from last week to now really.

From being shortlisted to the "pick ours Brains" Opportunity panel at the Evening Gazette to being told I was progressing into the Final stage of this year’s Challenge!! Crazy.

The Panel was a fantastic time to meet other business people who had I suppose been in my shoes at one time, and look at them now. It is great to hear positive comments on my idea's and not constant negative ones as I'm sure anyone looking into trying to get finance will have heard over and over.

I had 2 banks tell me that my projected cash flow forecast was over inflated and non achievable but in my first 6 months I am almost at the figure I'd forcasted for the whole year with 6 months to go, and yes I've had great pleasure in letting the banks know that!

I have to admit I've done a lot of things over the past 30 years, but I can't ever remember Blogging? So a first for me that you will have to bear with me. I thought I would have a practice go at this..........

Welcome to my blog

Welcome to my blog - more posts soon!