Business Articles

TIYB interviews CreaCom Design

March 2006 - TIYB interviews CreaCom Design



This Is Your Business's Site Editor - Glenn Watson interviews Jacqui and Christele - Creative Directors of CreaCom Design

TIYB
With over 17 years experience in design between you, you're well positioned to provide a quality service. What inspires you both to go to the office each morning?

CreaCom
The buzz. We’ve talked about this before and come to the conclusion that there is a certain buzz that you get every morning that maybe only other business owners know. It can come from a lot of different things, pleasing clients, meetings, getting new clients. Running your own company makes you see every aspect of business and if you can get that buzz from doing things like filling in your VAT return correctly or going that extra step for a client then you know you have made the right decision to set up your own business.

TIYB
Your team speaks fluent English and French and have connections in both the UK and Europe - how has this benefited your company, and what steps can UK businesses take to compete in the European marketplace?

CreaCom
The fact that Christele is French has certainly helped open a few doors for us. When we started CreaCom we didn’t think we would target the French market. But Christele’s ex employer saw how good our services are and now uses us for all their design projects. This then led to other contracts with other companies. The distance isn’t a problem because between webcams, Skype, telephone and email we can be in constant contact. It certainly does help if you have a foot in the door already but its not impossible for a small business to target other countries.

TIYB
Has basing your business in Scotland led to benefits not generally enjoyed in England or Wales? or has the remoteness hindered this?

CreaCom
Being up North hasn’t hindered anything to be honest. People look for quality service thesedays and I don’t think the postcode of their supplier is as important anymore. That can be seen by the fact that the vast majority of our clients are outwith the Highlands. We are 30 mins by car from the fastest growing city in the UK, Inverness. So there is a lot of potential there too which we are aiming to explore this year !

TIYB
Young Entrepreneurs have access to more advice than ever before. Do you think this information will reduce the number of businesses failing in Y1?

CreaCom
No. The problem is that a lot of young entrepreneurs seek advice and help at the start of their venture. Then from there they go it alone. This can be a big and costly mistake. The first 2 years are crucial and you need to surround yourself with people with experience and who can offer some objective advice.

TIYB
What essential advice would you like to give to anyone considering a career in design and marketing?

CreaCom
Plan, plan, plan. Your business and marketing plans are essential. There are 1 million and 1 design agencies out there and you need to have clear objectives on how you are going to compete against them. Get advice, ask questions and read up on other people’s experiences in the industry. Do your best to get a portfolio together. Even if it’s just a few designs. Your website and portfolio will be your showcase.

TIYB
What business red tape (if any) prevented you from growing or starting earlier than you did?

CreaCom
Looking back, none. Everyone we contacted and met with was very helpful. From our local enterprise company to the VAT office ! It was important for us to be VAT registered as the vast majority of our clients are too. This was something that even the mere thought of used to terrify us !!! But, I can’t stress enough how friendly and helpful the VAT office has been.

TIYB
You've used bartering to your advantage, volunteering your services in return for a stall at a trade show. Has using a cashless alternative helped drive growth within CreaCom? and could you suggest possible ways other companies can benefit from bartering to create awareness?

CreaCom
That trade show was an excellent opportunity that generated a lot of business for us. By exchanging a few hours of time we had a stand in a prime position at one of the most important marketing events of the year in Scotland ! It’s certainly something that new businesses should consider. Be it to help build up your portfolio or open new doors. But at the same time you have to be very careful and make sure you are actually getting something valuable in return. We are in no way suggesting that you go out there and offer to do loads of things for free ! This is your income afterall. But there are benefits to be had from volunteering sometimes.

TIYB
Do you have a business mentor? and if so - how have they played a part in Creacom's success?

CreaCom
From the business plan stage our local enterprise company provided us with a mentor. As well as helping us look at our business plan differently we bounced our ideas off of him. Now 1 year down the line we are still doing that and we give him monthly updates on our progress and plans. In our eyes that has been essential. We have over 17 years experience in the industry between us but you still need to have an outside opinion and a fresh pair of eyes from time to time.

TIYB
What does the next 12 months hold in store for you?

CreaCom
New offices, helping more clients. We are also thinking about taking on another designer. The new offices and recruitment stages have to be taken at the right time and of course when you have your own company you need to know when the time is right. We could leap straight in right now, but we are going to hold on for a few more months yet. We are also going to break into the local market a bit more. We are already starting to see some very positive results from the marketing and networking we have done so far this year.

About CreaCom Design

 

 

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