Case Studies
United Kingdom
Mainland Marketing Ltd
Coaching and consultancy, Isles of Scilly
Sol d'Or, grown on the Scilly Islands, has a distinctive fragrance and this together with its golden yellow appearance marks it out as a unique flower. A major problem was inconsistency in quality and low prices achieved by a large number of small independent producers.
In order to rectify this, Andrew devised and facilitated the introduction of a new business model. This comprised a minimum quality standard, acceptable to buyers and producers, quality assurance, changes in production, collection, grading, packaging, marketing and account management. With a new look product and brand producers achieved a 100% increase in price. Andrew developed and implemented similar models in the other produce sectors in the UK, Poland, Russia and Ukraine - all returning similar price premiums!!
They said...
"I was really impressed with the way that you helped us achieve our objectives resulting in enormous price returns. The marketing plan and operational strategies that we put in place to market our flowers really worked. The promotions went off well and our contacts with our buyers improved too. It was so useful to have someone devote that kind of input: I really felt that I and other producers more than fully benefited from the programme and that our future is more than assured."
Andrew May, Managing Director, Mainland Marketing Ltd, for Isles of Scilly Producers
Freeminer Brewery
Coaching and consultancy, Gloucester
Freeminer Brewery is a privately owner micro brewery now supplying supermarkets as well as local outlets with a range of high quality specialist beers. At the time of Andrew's involvement the business had reached a critical stage of its development. During a series of strategy workshops, involving the owner and key staff in a process of innovative thinking led by Andrew, the business identified the assets that it could best use to create new value and customer preference. The result was a business model that put the company's product range into national distribution.
They said...
"Since our meetings we have better focus and better relationships with our customers which has helped us increase our turnover by £35,000 per month."
Don Burgess, Managing Director, of Freeminer Brewery, in Gloucestershire
Mack International
Coaching and consultancy, Southampton
Mack International Ltd, a fast growing produce distributor, applied Andrew's ACTIVEInsightTM business assessment programme, at a 'pinch point' in its growth. Outputs from the programme enabled the MD and his team to identify the tasks, processes and behaviours in strategic, operational and organisational areas of the business and confidently implement them to take the business effectively from a fast growing micro business into a medium sized growth business.
They said...
"The ACTIVEinsight consultancy has been extremely useful to me, highlighting areas for attention and confirming some of my beliefs as to ways in which our business could be improved. In particular, the table of proposed action points has proved very effective for us. If I may, I would like to point out how professionally your consultancy was carried out and would be delighted to recommend the process to other potential clients if that would be of assistance to you.."
Simon Harvey, Divisional Director, Mack International, Southampton
LI Group
Seminars and workshops, Coventry
Simon Collyer was one of a number of delegates that attended one of Andrew's one day workshops on Gorilla Marketing. This was an event sponsored by The Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce. The programme showed how companies are creating new profits through demand innovation. It focussed on recognising opportunities that surround a product and how to develop them, instead of improving the product, and them deploying strategies to achieve customer preference and thereby achieve profitable and sustainable growth
They said...
"Having attended Andrew's excellent seminar on Gorilla Marketing for SME business, I have no hesitation in highly recommending Andrew. If you get a chance to attend one of his seminars or spend some time one to one then grab it with both hands, he is a wealth of great marketing secrets built from years of experience in the corporate world and has a knack of making these tools accessible to the small medium business owner in a practical way that drives margin and revenue."
Simon Collyer, Group Manager, UK time Managers LI Group
CORE Food and Drink
Research, West Midlands
Headed by CORE Food and Drink, a consortium backed by local funding, Andrew undertook research to assess the feasibility of building a food and drink park in the West Midlands to support innovation and growth in food and drink. Work identified the model for food and drink park development and benchmarked this with other food parks world wide. The project identified demand and as well as a potential users market together with the product and business mix and the size and type of facilities required.
They said...
"Andrew was selected to conduct the feasibility study to research the need, character and structure for the development of a Food and Drink Park in the West Midlands. We were in any doubt as to the rightness of our choice we have made.
The feasibility study not only clearly established the need for food and drink parks but in addition it has defined the strategy and structure for food and drink park development within the region. Andrew and his colleagues also offered a total concept of technical assistance to facilitate the achievements of food and drink manufacturers within the cluster. The results, if adopted, will help stimulate rural and urban business development in the West Midlands and greatly add to the economic development of the region.
Andrew has demonstrated an ability to grasp the issues concerned and bring research techniques and people together to materially assist develop a very practical outcome. In particular, I have appreciated the sensitive and practical approach he took when managing some difficult issues that emerged during the life of the project. 'The study has been undertaken in a most accurate, objective and efficient manner. RDI have been extremely helpful throughout and have demonstrated that they are a highly professional and totally committed team. I was always kept informed of developments that impinged on the outcome. I would have no hesitation in recommending Andrew further."
Peter Mitchell, Head of CORE Food and Drink, Pershore, Worcestershire
British Association of Landscaping Industries (BALI) South East
Speaking, Surrey
The members of British Association of Landscaping Industries (BALI) South East invited Andrew to provide a talk on innovation entitled 'A Romp Around Innovation' at their annual Christmas dinner. The object was to show the members how creative thinking could improve the sustainability and performance of their businesses. The talk involved getting members to participate in a number of activities to challenge their current perceptions on business development and encourage them to look at their businesses from different perspectives to foster new ways of thinking about - and doing - business.
They said...
"Your presentation at our Christmas regional BALI dinner gave me some real food for thought! I like the way that you got us up out of our chairs to learn something really practical about creativity and how it could help us be more innovative in our businesses. It was also a lot of fun!"
Nick Coslett, Marketing Director, Palmstead Nurseries, Kent
The Manager's Net Workshop
Seminars and workshops, Oxford
Andrew's seminars and coaching on business strategy contend that the essence of business strategy is to allow a company to create a unique strategic position. Peter Gabler attended just such a workshop. Andrew showed how companies can invent new ways to better serve their customers, capture value, and create strategic control in their industries and markets with innovative business designs even though they sell similar products to their competitors. He presents a dynamic approach to strategy; a view that emphasises questioning the established rules of the game and that puts innovation and creativity back at the heart of strategy.
They said...
"I know Andrew as a tutor and a business associate. Andrew is one of those rare personalities who are able to capture your interest from the second he walks through the door. His greatest strength lies in his capacity to bring the numerous strands of strategic management thought together. He never teaches 'just' strategy, 'just' marketing, or 'just' management - because he knows that these are pure academic distinctions which have no place in real businesses. The breadth of his knowledge and the clarity of his focus are quite enlightening and these are the key elements that make up "The Andrew Pearson Experience."
Peter Gabler, CEO, The Manager's Net Workshop, Vienna, Austria
Channel Express
Acquisition for market development, Southampton
Channel Express Ltd, a logistics provider, undertook a business strategy review to find the means to improve market position and revenue. The review demonstrated that the Company could transfer its strengths to UK produce distribution but that it required additional competences and fast access to produce distribution to circumvent emerging barriers to entry.
Andrew's research determined an acquisition target and the resources and actions which lead to the acquisition of Fowler Welch. Within five years Channel Express, trading as Fowler Welch, acquired Cool Chain, an acquisition that Andrew was also involved in, and went on to become a major player in produce logistics raising its turnover from £20 million to £65 million within four years for a small initial investment.
They said...
"I found Andrew to be a consistently innovative, hard working and creative consultant who has made a major contribution to the acquisition of Fowler Welch and the development of our business. He has excellent interpersonal and partnership building skills and takes a conscientious and professional approach to all aspects of his research and development work."
John Adams, Chief Executive Officer, Channel Express Ltd, Bournemouth, Dorset
Hartley's Nurseries
Management and organisational development, Liverpool
Andrew was asked by Bill and Ann-Louise Hartley, of Hartley's Nurseries, a major florist in the north west of England to address issues of management development. The work comprised two initiatives. The first was to enable the managing director to delegate key responsibilities to staff members so that she could direct the development of the business more effectively and the second, an allied initiative, was to identify and implement systems to enable the MD to effectively devolve specialised work to staff members.
The actions and outputs from this work included a major overhaul of the value chain, work station design, flow stock management, forecasting, product design and procurement to match demand all leading to a reconfiguration of capacity to achieve a leaner productive cycle. Also included were a series of interventions to obtain management and team members to contribute to issues of delegation including the role and responsibilities of team members' as well as matters of communication and planning.
They said...
"Over a 15 month period I had the opportunity to work with Andrew in supporting a drive to improve our approach to business management. I have found Andrew to be an innovative, conscientious and resourceful professional with a good grasp of management and operational practices. He has a high level of professional integrity and interpersonal skill coupled with a determination to help others through difficult periods of change."
Bill Hartley MBE, Director, Hartley's Nurseries, Liverpool
Italy
Resinex Spa
Business development, Brescia
Aged 24 Andrew established a business to import and export industrial marine equipment. He together with family members created a business with a turnover of £11m within six years. Resinex Spa, one of his principals was a manufacturer of high quality flotation equipment. As the application of this material was enormous, Andrew working in conjunction with his principals enabled Resinex to win a contract to line the Suez Canal with 1000 market buoys.
They said...
"Thank you for all your work in creating a platform for us to market our products in the UK and overseas. Your enthusiasm, determination and professionalism in opening up new business for us have been major factors in our ability to raise our reputation as a major supplier of navigational and floatation equipment throughout the world."
Bernard Zuurbier, Managing Director, Resinex Spa, Brescia, Italy
Holland
Mampaey Offshore Industries B.V.
Business development, Dordrecht
Aged 24 Andrew established a business to import and export industrial marine equipment. He together with family members created a business with a turnover of £11m within six years. Mampaey BV, one of his principals was a manufacturer of high quality mooring and towing equipment. Responsible for gaining access to UK and foreign markets, Andrew managed to assist Mampaey achieve pre-eminence as the leading supplier of mooring equipment worldwide.
They said...
"You showed a great ability in building trust and forming relationships with high level managers in major specifying and procurement companies. Your work has helped us to make the move from a small Dutch player in the oil industry to a global one "
Hans Mampaey, Managing Director, Mampaey Offshore Industries B.V., Dordrecht, Netherlands
Poland
Sir William Halcrow & Partners
Business development, Gdansk
As project leader, managing an Anglo-Polish team of consultants, Andrew masterminded and managed the feasibility study to assess the practicability of building for a food and drink distribution centre in Gdansk, Northern Poland. Work identified the business model and benchmarked this with other distribution centres worldwide. The project identified demand, a potential users market together with the product and business mix and the size and type of facilities required.
They said...
"We found the opportunity of working with Andrew in supporting our project tremendously rewarding. We appreciated his enthusiasm and professionalism. He took over a local team and quickly motivated it to help him carry out an in depth analysis of the demand as well as the character and size of the facilities required for the new centre. This gave our architects a great start in designing and erecting the requisite facilities and infrastructure."
Dr Nicholas Murray, Sir William Halcrow and Partners, Swindon, Berks
Plunkett Foundation
Business development, Kielce
Andrew was appointed to the team to give direction and momentum to the commercialisation of a number of newly formed and forming farmer owned producer groups. The work required a team player working across cultures who could help the managers of farmer controlled businesses with training and coaching in business and marketing.
They said...
"Your willingness to go the extra mile to help our clients, combined with an infectious joie de vivre, which set the commercial and business policies of their businesses, was of material benefit in ensuring the sustainability of the first five farmers' controlled marketing and procurement companies in the region."
David Button, Chairman Plunkett Foundation, Oxford
Ukraine
Cargill
Business development, Lviv & Odessa
Cargill, a multi-national, is a major player in the rejuvenation of Ukrainian agri-business. The task in which Andrew was involved was to establish and manage two sustainable and replicable resource centres, in west and south Ukraine that would serve as a model of business development throughout other parts of the country. Andrew was responsible for locating the businesses, devising the strategies, organisation and operations as well as managing each centre.
They said...
"The actions of Andrew Pearson, in charge of two Centres for Agri-Business Development in L'viv and Odessa, represented a major input to our business development actions in Ukraine. Andrew recruited the personnel and developed the structures and systems required for operation. He has very successfully managed the two local Ukrainian managers in a concept of total technical assistance to facilitate entrepreneurial activity in support of the government's agrarian reforms. The upshot is that the government now has two very good strategic platforms representing replicable models with which to implement its policies in the future."
Fiona Cubitt, European Technical Manager, Cargill Technical Services
Russia
ADAS
Business development, St. Petersburg
Andrew's work enabled ADAS to facilitate initiatives to support the development of the micro bakery sector in St. Petersburg. His work was to assist locate a central training and development facility and develop the materials to train trainers and delegate bakery managers to become effective managers.
They said...
"Andrew did a really good job in appraising site locations for the training centre and course requirements for micro bakers in St Petersburg."
Geoff Sansome, Manager Eastern Europe, ADAS, Worcester
Lithuania
Brian Shorney & Associates
Business development, Vilnius
Andrew's work enabled a consortium of interests led by Brian Shorney & Associates to facilitate initiatives to support management development within key processing sectors of Lithuania's agri-business sector. He developed the course to assist senior managers to acquire skills in marketing and its application in their businesses.
They said...
"You showed a good grasp of marketing planning and led some high level managers in major companies with a light touch helping them address a period of change by giving them a sound appreciation of the value of strategic and tactical marketing"
Brian Shorney, Drew Associates, Swindon, Berks
Libya
Dart PLC
Business development, Tripoli
Andrew went out to Tripoli on a short term assignment to assess the practicability of setting an air freight business to carry produce and fish to UK markets. Andrew's task was to assess the opportunities, constraints, infrastructure and capabilities of Libyan producers to create customer preference and value in UK produce distribution.
They said...
"Thank you, Andrew. You undertook a difficult assignment extremely well. The upshot was that you gave us an extremely useful overview of the feasibility of setting up a hub in Tripoli for our air freight business as well as giving us a great picutre of the demand for Libyan produce in the UK"
Philip Meeson, Chairman and Chief Executive, Dart Group PLC
China
A.P. Moller
Workshops and seminars, Xiamen
A. P. Moller's operations managers gathered from around the world in Xianmen, China for a workshop on business strategy. The programme included elements on strategic innovation, discovering new business models, managing competitor disruptive innovations, achieving innovation organisational creativity and commitment to innovation as well as implementation.
They said...
"It was good to meet you. I really liked working with you and much. Your workshop provided an excellent opportunity to re-think and focuses on business strategy. I particularly liked the way you encouraged us to think about a practical approach to strategy development and drawing on real live examples, and applying these thoughts and our own lateral and creative thinking to develop new ways of approaching strategy formulation."
Jack Xunjie Luo, Operations Manager, A P Moller Terminals, China
New Zealand
AAMD
Business development, Auckland
Andrew acted as the liaison and business development officer for a small group of Ukrainian business men, from Odessa, Ukraine, on an outward mission to New Zealand. Andrew's work was to assist in facilitating meetings with potential buyers and distributors and identify opportunities and develop opportunities to deliver benefits to Ukrainian industry.
They said...
"Your work to bridge the gap between enabled us to make some very valuable contacts in Auckland for entrepreneurial development in Odessa province."
Youri Dmitiev, Manager, AAMD, Odessa, Ukraine
Management
How to Build a Business that Works Without You
Literature, Brackley
Andrew's book on business management, 'How to Build a Business that Works Without You,' provides managers and business owners with the basics for successful business development and ultimately the confidence and certainty of what it takes to be an effective manager of business.
They said...
"I thought that your insights into management were right on the ball - the distinction between strategy and opportunity, the importance of true customer insight, sticking to the things that you can do best, having a cunning plan and differentiating your service and offer sufficiently from the competition. Good stuff. 'How to Build a Business that Works Without You' is a useful addition to the various' heavy' tomes available...providing an accessible summary to some of the techniques that are relevant to assist owner managers."
Paul Hebblethwaite, Group Technical Director, Cadbury Schweppes Plc
Contact Andrew
Contact us to have Andrew Pearson facilitate your next development programme:
Tel: +44 (0)1280 844966
andrew@uniquebusinessstrategies.co.uk