Grant Ridley - graduate of the Peter Jones Enterprise Academy
and winner of the National Entrepreneur of the Year 2011 award - on
his creative marketing business, GR
Marketing.
0-5 seconds: Sum your business up in a sentence
Creative marketing: "Thinking outside the box is what we do when
we're in it!"
5-10 seconds: What's the business model?
I'm currently a sole trader with the intention to grow into a
limited company within two years.
10-15 seconds: Who are your competitors?
Any marketing company or agency in the world.
15-20 seconds: What's your USP?
I'm an ideas man and the marketing activities I come up with are
innovative and affordable.
20-25 seconds: How have you funded it so
far?
I used my savings before gaining my first customer. As I do a
lot of marketing consultations there is little initial capital
needed.
25-30 seconds: What were you doing before?
I was a student pondering whether to start a business. Now I'm a
graduate of the Peter Jones Enterprise Academy. I won the National
Entrepreneur of the Year 2011 award at the graduation ceremony last
week, as well as winning BTEC Student of the Year 2011.
30-35 seconds: Where did the idea come
from?
While at the Peter Jones Enterprise Academy, we were encouraged
to think about starting a business. I was sitting by the pool on
holiday brainstorming business ideas and looking at my main areas
of interest. I have a passion for experiential and creative
marketing and hence GR Marketing was born.
35-40 seconds: What's the smartest thing you've done
so far?
Networking with the right people - the Peter Jones Enterprise
Academy taught me valuable networking skills. Also setting up a
Twitter account, which is a great networking tool and the power it
has is amazing.
40-45 seconds: What's the stupidest?
I should have checked my initial company name, as I faced a few
difficulties for supposedly copying a similar business name in my
field. As it turned out I didn't copy one, but I changed the name
of my business anyway to GR Marketing.
45-50 seconds: If your business was a biscuit, what
would it be?
It would be a Smarties cookie. Tasty, colourful and stands out
on the shelf.
50-55 seconds: Which idea are you a bit jealous
of?
Innocent Smoothies! So simple yet so effective; a truly
admirable, ethical business!
55-60 seconds: Where are you going to be in 12
months' time?
I will be running my business full time in the North East of
England and making my mark bigger and better than ever before on
the business world.
Find out more about GR Marketing
In association with
If you're interested in a start-up business bank account, contact NatWest
to realise your ambitions.