The circumstances behind Stalker’s entry into the haulage and logistics industry is certainly a unique one, as Paul Andrews found out when speaking to their Managing Director, Karen Stalker. “Strange as it sounds, the company as it exists today originally came about after Eddie Stalker was involved in an incident with a drunk driver in Jersey, using the compensation money from that to buy his first heavy goods vehicle, which was a T.K. tipper, in 1968. With this, he carried stones from the quarries throughout Cumbria for use in the construction of, what was then, the new M6 motorway, “ explains Karen. Together with his wife Rene, the pair ran the business under the name of E.T & I. Stalker, trading in that first tipper for a 17 foot Ford D2000 flat-bed and securing a significant contract with The Inveresk Paper Company, based at Denny in Stirlingshire, to haul paper. This contract helped kick-start a period of steady expansion for the business, which coincided with Eddie’s sons Hughie and Gerald joining the company, which soon rebranded as Stalkers Transport. The 1980’s was a decade of important change for the business. “By 1985, the family came to realise that they had outgrown their existing infrastructure, and this led to its relocation to its present site at Townfoot Industrial Estate in Brampton, Cumbria,” Karen continues. “It was around this time that the company officially became a limited one, continuing to be family-owned and now run by my father Hughie. Under him, Stalkers grew even stronger, becoming a founder member of the Pall-Ex palletised freight network in 1996, servicing a sizeable area covering the whole of Cumbria, The Borders and up into Edinburgh.” By the end of 2001, the company had purchased an additional 14 acres of adjacent agricultural land, much of which has since been developed to further expand and improve the site through the addition of extra warehousing, the increasing in size of its truck and trailer park, and so forth. Now a genuine third generation family business, Stalkers has made it of paramount importance that it maintains what it calls ‘good old-fashioned family values’, strongly emphasising the ideals of hard work and reliability. “We have always strived to do things a little bit differently from most other haulage companies,” Karen explains. “Any company can run up and down roads with full loads from point A to B, but Stalkers is unique in that we have come to be recognised as experts in groupage and multi-drop deliveries, offering a guaranteed next day delivery service between Scotland, the north west and south east of England.” “As well as groupage and multi-drop deliveries, we also specialise in national full load distribution, just-in-time deliveries, ex-works collection and part load services, and just-in-time warehousing. We enjoy working in partnership with like-minded, quality companies and these collaborations have also helped all of us reduce empty running, reduce turnaround times, and massively improve our carbon footprint, another issue close to Stalkers’ heart.” “The Brampton depot acts as an onward distribution hub for companies not wishing to travel in to Scotland. The third party hauliers drop their goods into Stalkers, can get their trucks serviced and maintained whilst their drivers have a break and then they are loaded back to an area of their choosing.” Going that extra mile for its customers is something that Stalkers takes great pride in, yet this would not be possible without the work of its valued employees. “The dedication and loyalty of our staff of almost 70 men and women over the years has undoubtedly been key to our success,” Karen enthuses. “Many of them have been with us through the tough times and the good, and it is because of that continuity that we have been able to come through periods of difficulty and move the business forward. We have worked very hard to make our employees feel like they are part of one big family, and I think this is reflected in the fact that we have individuals with us today who first started when they were 16 years old. Our six traffic planners alone have some 114 years of service with us between them, which is truly amazing and, I believe, speaks volumes for Stalkers.” In order to support the efforts of its employees, Karen and the rest of Stalkers management team have made it their priority to invest heavily in the company’s infrastructure and fleet of vehicles. “By putting back into the company, we have been able to give it a complete overhaul, modernising our site and maintaining a regular replacement programme for our trucks, which currently ranges between every three-to-five years,” she reveals. This programme has contributed to the quick adoption of technologies such as Euro 6 engines, which has helped achieve massive savings in fuel costs, and has allowed the company to provide their overnight drivers with a comfortable and accessible environment to operate from, which has no doubt aided in the retention of a workforce that is becoming ever-more few and far between. The newest additions to the company’s fleet, six new DAF trucks, also happen to represent an impressive milestone event for Stalkers, namely its 50th birthday which it is celebrating this year. The arrival of the new trucks also marks the re-emergence of the company’s original red, white and blue livery. “These new vehicles are incredibly eye catching, you can see them coming down the road a mile off, and follow a successful rebranding of the business a few years back,” Karen adds. “We understand the importance of brand recognition and our newest trucks and trailers will really help to advertise the Stalkers name to more people.” As Karen goes on to state, the celebration of 50 years of operations has also allowed herself and the rest of the family to reflect on just how far the business has come. It was this that led to Stalkers doing something it historically had not been known for, and that was applying for inclusion in several local industry awards. The outcome of this amazed even Karen. “The feedback we received, and the interest we had in our story was nothing short of incredible, and culminated in us winning the Transport and Logistics Category of the Cumbrian Family Business of the Year’ award at the Cumbria Family Business Awards 2018, and in early June we went on to win the same category in the National Final of the Family Business of the Year awards hosted by Family Business United in a glittering ceremony held in the prestigious London May Fair Hotel. As you can imagine, such an incredible accolade means everything to us and is particularly well received on this our 50th anniversary. It’s a huge pat on the back and massive thank you to our amazing people that all contribute to making this company as great as it is. We are so proud of them all.” “Cumbria is often regarded as a distant backwater but the county came away with no less than six awards across a variety of industries which made us very well represented and reconfirmed how fortunate we are to live and work in such a beautiful part of the country. ” When it comes to what the future holds, Karen is very optimistic about the company’s ability to grow steadily as it makes greater use of the assets that it has invested in. What she is concerned about, however, is about the need to raise the profile of the transport and logistics industry, particularly amongst students and young adults. “I myself have six children, and having spent time with some of them as they go about their adult education it soon becomes clear how little attention is given to logistics, and how few people have an understanding of what it is all about,” she states. “This is something that we, as an industry not just as a company, need to address and put right.” “Together we need to push for more effort to be made in developing awareness, training and apprenticeships, as this will be the best way of attracting the next generation of men and women into this incredibly rewarding and diverse industry.” Visit www.stalkers.co.uk to find out more

Vigne Marina Coppi was established in 2003 in the town of Castellania, the birthplace of Marina’s father Fausto Coppi, one of the greatest cyclists of the 20th century. Fausto was the first man ever to win the Giro d’Italia and the Tour de France in the same year! The family has taken the traditional heritage of the area and applied a modern approach in the winery to produce wines of excellent quality concentrating on the native varieties of Timorasso, Favorita, Barbera, Nebbiolo and Croatina. Timorasso has been cultivated in this area since the middle ages and is the hallmark of this corner of Piemonte whilst Barbera has always been cultivated in the Tortonese area. Marina Coppi is the daughter of the legendary cyclist and with her husband Giovanni works closely with son Francesco and his wife Anna, using sustainable methods in the vineyard and employing great expertise in the winery to produce their wine. Though vines have always been planted at Castellania, a small village in south eastern Piemonte, it was only when Marina’s son Francesco, along with his wife Anna, took over the property that they began bottling their own wine. They focus on the native varieties of grape; Barbera, Nebbiolo, Croatina, Freisa, Favorita and Timorasso to make wines that are vibrant and well defined. The vineyard is only a few hectares in size and allows the family to grow and harvest directly, thus focussing on quality throughout the process. Their wines are the result of modern, careful and respectful winemaking based on local knowledge of the peculiarities of the area. Productions is only about 25.000 bottles per year and can be called ‘artisanal’ allowing them to manage directly each step of the process and produce wines that reflect their ‘will and personality and the strength of the land.’ The human factor is the key to the philosophy of this winery and is only by understanding Francesco, a true viticulturist, that you can also understand the wines and their relationship with the market. His vineyard and ethical choices are essential to the production of high quality grapes and great wines. His wife Anna, mother of their three daughters, has been on his side since the first harvest in 2005 and contributes to the management of the property whilst Giovanni and Marina, Francesco’s parents contribute to the workload, adding the level of wisdom and input that you only achieve with age and experience. A great family of wines with a great story behind each one of them, the legacy of one of the greatest cyclists of the 20th century too. Fausto – This wine of character and a great personality, an expression of the land which is dedicated to their grandfather Fausto. It is `made from Timorasso grapes and highlights the natural qualities of this rare grape variety. complex, elegant aromas, red blood in the body of a white, minerality, flavor, warmth and freshness. It can grow over the years and likes to excite those who will have a little `patience’! Marine – This white wine is dedicated to the two Marinas in the family: Marina Coppi the grandmother and Marina Bellocchio, her grand-daughter, who was born on the eve of their first grape-harvest. It is made from Favorita grapes which are harvested late so as to attain high sugar content and a particularly intense aroma. Their structure and bouquet are highlighted by a prolonged contact with yeasts and manual batonnage. Its bouquet is fine and intense with distinctive hints of rennet apple, peaches and meadow grass. It is full on the palate, round and balanced and has traces of the sapidity of a sea breeze. I Grop – This name comes from the local dialect and is the name given to the calcareous and fossil-rich boulders which characterise a particular area of the vineyard. This important ‘Cru’, made from Barbera grapes embodies both structure and elegance. I Grop is aged in big barriques, according to Piedmontese traditions, so that it keeps its balance between the merits of refinement and its fruity bouquet. After two years in the cellar, it gets ready to emerge but we have to wait just a while longer before imbibing in this long-living wine. Sant’Andrea – This wine is named after the locality of Sant’Andrea in the village of Castellania. In fact, at number five via Sant’Andrea, which is close to the centre of the hamlet, you will find the Vigne Marina Coppi winery. This is predominately a Barbera with a harmoniously small percentage of Croatina. Its simplicity, the intensity of its bouquet and its pleasantness to the palate make this young red wine pleasant to drink, even when served at a low temperature. A legacy of one of the cycling greats that lives on through the generations on the family vineyard.

Whilst many new businesses are founded each year it is not often that you find one that has been created by a number of siblings. Check out the trio behind this fishing innovation. It is three brothers, Daniel, Harry and Kane, working together that are the team behind the recently launched business, Dangler. Paul Andrews spoke to them to find out more. The idea for Dangler originated back in 2017 when Daniel Hughes was rummaging through the garden shed looking for something and soon realised that he had loads of fishing tackle that he no longer used. He thought about selling it and uploading it to the current second hand sites such as eBay or Gumtree. At the same time, he was selling clothes on Depop, a marketplace app for clothing, where he was taking pictures from his phone and uploading straight to the app, which is full of people wanting to buy clothes. Depop was a simple but effective buying and selling community around clothes. But nothing like this existed in the fishing industry. As Daniel explains, “the birthchild of Dangler was created. The aim was to create a social marketplace to buy and sell fishing tackle, and with all 3 of us brothers being very passionate anglers it seemed the perfect fit!” Dangler is a social media marketplace app that provides a platform for the everyday angler, alongside retailers and manufacturers to buy and sell their second hand and new fishing tackle. Dangler will provide a social platform that includes lower costs, buying and selling protection and the opportunity to build a social profile and communicate with other fellow anglers. Dangler’s aim is to create an innovative community that enables anglers to share their passion for buying and selling fishing tackle. Dangler is founded by 3 brothers, who are dedicated to revolutionising the way that anglers buy and sell their fishing tackle, by creating an online marketplace in every angler’s pocket. Like most start-up businesses there was a lot of up-front commitment from the brothers to create their vision and start building the dream. As Daniel continues, “from the beginning of Dangler, we worked mostly on weeknights and weekends, fitting it around full-time jobs and studying, but when we began working with Shout About Suffolk (a Suffolk based incubator) it meant we had the freedom to allow Harry to work full time throughout the summer on the business.” This proved a turning point for the business as it allowed them the time to prepare to raise funds and when they successfully gained ‘seed funding’ for Dangler it allowed all three brothers to go full-time in the business. As Daniel continues, “this was a great time for us as momentum was gaining but of course, this meant having specific job roles. To be honest, it was fairly easy to decide. With Kane being an experienced chartered accountant and experiences of working with VCs, he walked straight into the CFO job title and focused on the numbers and technical operations. My role is the CEO and management of the companies marketing and general strategy. Harry is the COO and therefore handles the daily operations of the company such as legalities, recruitment, development etc, and this is done mostly in conjunction with Kane.” “For us, selecting these roles became relatively easy, Harry comes from an academic background and is research and ‘document’ focused, hence the suitable decision for him to become COO. I am very creative in my thinking, and so it made absolute sense for me to have the vision around the public persona of Dangler and the role for executing this too.” Setting out on a new venture is not always easy and as Daniel explains, there have been a few challenges along the way. “Even in our ‘short’ lived start-up life so far we have had to deal with finding a suitable partner to develop the app with us and then also finding someone who can work on Danglers’ behalf to ensure we are doing things right with the development and processes. This in itself was a challenge that we didn’t foresee, but we now have an amazing interim CTO, and we have often mentioned that we wouldn’t have half of the knowledge and correct processes in place without him, purely because of his experience,” continues Daniel. “I would also say our biggest current challenge and one that we are dealing with daily is recruitment. Being a tech company means we need to begin fleshing out our own internal development team, but the current market is massively in demand and lacking supply, and is something we are spending a lot of time trying to get right too,” he adds. Working closely with siblings is not always easy. As Daniel continues, “We were warned numerous times by people when we started out that family business is often a bad idea, and will turn toxic in the end. But we are stubborn individuals, and we are good at putting our emotions aside, so any decision or ‘formal’ conversation is always business first, and I think that is so key to keep a family business on its feet.” “We work with great synergy, and although we may operate in very different ways, our general thought processes and outcomes are very similar, and so we balance each other out really well and we all want the same outcome at the end of the day. It is a rare opportunity to work closely with your brothers or your family, and so I think we are all very fortunate to be embarking on this journey together,” he continues. Dangler is on a journey and the energy and drive of the brothers who are collectively working towards a shared vision is palpable. Clarity of vision is clearly helping them turn the idea into a reality and they have a clear goal in mind. As Daniel explains, “in 10 years’ time, Dangler will be the number 1 global marketplace for Anglers. Becoming a one-stop app that all Anglers will use to buy and sell any fishing tackle they have, and who knows what other features we may have by then.” “But our mission statement is to revolutionise the way anglers buy and sell their fishing tackle, by creating a direct anglers’ marketplace in your pocket, anywhere in the World. And that is where we expect to be in 10 years.” A bold aim, but one that is clearly within reach and these brothers have identified a niche, have passion for the end result and a collective skill set that is driving change and bringing innovation to the angling world. We look forward to seeing the continuing evolution of Danglers. To find out more please visit www.dangler.co.uk

RS Clare was founded in Liverpool in 1748 at the start of the Industrial Revolution and they are the longest established company manufacturing lubricants in the United Kingdom. Despite their age the company is innovative, dynamic and constantly pursuing new ways to improve the services and products they offer. Paul Andrews met the sixth generation of the current family owners, David Meadows, who is the Head of Customer Services and Marketing. Richard S Clare founded the business that started out as a chemist, druggist and dry-salter in 1748, during the dawn of the Industrial Revolution, an exciting time for the North West of England. It was the first time that wealth creation was generated from commerce rather than land ownership which presented plenty of opportunities and from small beginnings provisioning ships in the growing port of Liverpool, Clare began to distil raw turpentine imported from the Carolinas in North America. Fifty years later, tar distillation began along with rosin manufacture. Apart from trading tallow as a lubricant, the company focused on tar derivatives such as phenols for disinfectant, creosote for wood preservation, naphthalene and road tar. At the start of the twentieth century, Clare’s ‘Tarco’ became renowned as the most effective dust laying compound and was manufactured for local authorities under licence throughout the UK. This continued until 1947 when nationalisation of the gas works made the production of tar uneconomic so that it was superseded by bitumen. By this time, the first ‘Tarcoline’ road paint, followed by ‘Plastaline’ which was the world’s first thermoplastic road marking material became the major product lines of the business. Despite its invention back in 1933, thermoplastic road marking is still the predominant form of road marking toady across the UK and beyond. Lubricants were developed as a result of the first mineral oil being imported into the Mersey River in 1889, the year that the Meadows and Wilson families bought out the company from the remaining members of the Clare family. A whole range of oils and greases were developed with approvals gained from literally hundreds of engine and gear box manufacturers. The brand name ‘Clargine’ disappeared when the company refocused on own-brand grease manufacture from 1925. Since then, long term relationships have been established with a number of major oil companies to manufacture greases for them. RS Clare is an innovative business and continues to consider the future as it has done throughout the long lifespan of the business. 25 years ago it was decided to re-establish the Clare brand and focus on speciality greases that would solve operational problems, thereby delivering significant benefits and cost savings to clients operating in the Rail and Upstream Oil and Gas sectors. Conscious of their responsibilities, RS Clare has always been aware of the environment too. Today, more than ever before, the company take this seriously with water recovery, ground source heating and photovoltaic panels in place to generate renewable energy and biodegradability a feature of the advanced lubricant ranges. As Ian Meadows, the current company Chairman explains, “The ‘pursuit of excellence’ is as important today as when my chemist grandfather used it in our sales literature back in the 1900’s.” David Meadows is the sixth generation of the family to be involved in the business and is fully aware of the history, family involvement and the role of the generations that have gone before too. “I gained work experience in the business from a young age but unsure of what I wanted to do, went off to study. I am a chemical engineer and gained a masters in Chemical Engineering so my skill set and education has been aligned to the business,” he explains. “I have also always been close to Ian and the family business. I had always been interested and intrigued and it may well be that the nature of the business influenced my degree choice.” David continued, “I kept in touch with Ian during my studies and he was insistent that I followed what I wanted to do, gaining experience away from the business.” After graduating, David travelled and ended up in New Zealand where he worked in a number of roles including a food hamper business before returning to the UK to look for chemical engineering roles. “Shortly after I returned to the UK, I received a call from the CEO of the food hamper business I had worked for in NZ and was offered a position in Canada as National Logistics Manager. This presented a crossroads as to what I was going to do next, either stay in UK and look for Chemical Engineering graduate jobs, or take this exciting opportunity in Canada” continues David. “My wife was born in Canada and logistics was not the career I had thought I would pursue, but we took a risk and moved to Vancouver and I lived and worked for three years until the business was sold. I was then offered a position in Sydney and spoke to Ian about the opportunity and he encouraged me to get the right experience to develop personally so we moved to Australia and I took on a more senior and challenging role which included setting up an online retail operation from scratch,” he adds. Prior to returning to the UK in 2016 David and Ian spoke regularly about ‘opportunities’ within the family business and eventually agreed that returning to RS Clare would be good all round. “My wife and I hail from the Wirral and our parents live on the Wirral and with two young children and a good opportunity at RS Clare, we decided to move home after a decade living and working abroad,” he continues. “My role began as Head of Marketing and Customer Service which enabled me to apply skills learned elsewhere within the business, and to get a good understanding of the different aspects of what we do. With the retirement of the sales manager in 2017 I took on responsibility for sales to the Australian rail and oil & gas sectors and my role has continued to grow since then.” As for family involvement, David is the only next generation involved in the business as his older brother has moved and settled happily in New Zealand, an younger brother is a qualified medical surgeon. A non-family MD has been running the business with Ian, Paul Vann, and has played the role of mentor to David too. As David adds, “Paul has been a great mentor to me, helping and guiding me so that in time I am in a good position to take over the reigns and drive the business forward.” RS Clare continues to evolve over time and sets its mission to globalise, innovate and solve critical problems, thereby contributing to the success of their customers. This is a mission that David embraces each and every day with the core values that drive the development of a family firm that has been around for nearly three centuries. As he explains, “Back in 1998 for our 250th anniversary, we asked the staff for words that resonated with them about who we are as a business. ‘People, Partnership, Progress’ was their response. This truly resonates with us as a family firm as we have people at the heart of what we do, treat all our stakeholders as partners, and the whole raison d’etre for us is to continue to make mutual progress,” he adds. Awards have come to the long-standing business with one of their proudest moments being recipients of the Queens Award for International Trade in 2011. As David confirms, “This award really helped to put us on the map. It really means something to us and to our customers and is recognition for all that we have done, do, and will continue to do, in building a global business.” “We have prospered as a business since 1748 by adapting our company, products and services to best satisfy the evolving needs of our customers. We have built an enviable reputation based on our ability to align with the markets we serve, whether supporting major multinational oil companies or local users of speciality lubricants, service treatments or road markings,” concludes David and “it is a privilege to be the sixth generation of our family to be involved in shaping our future for generations to come too.” Growing from small beginnings to the global operator that it is today, RS Clare is one of Liverpool’s oldest manufacturers and although it has not always been plain sailing they have navigated the tricky times and are building for the future. This is a business that was founded during the Industrial Revolution and survived two World Wars, countless recessions, the birth of the internet and is now focusing on the future. Their pursuit of ‘excellence through innovation’ has certainly stood the test of time and they continue to put Liverpool firmly on the map, as we hope they will continue to do for many years to come. To find out more please visit www.rsclare.com

Established in Great Britain in 1998, Ribeye Boats has been committed to building luxurious performance RIBs and as a family business continues to build its brand. Ribeye was formed in 1998 and it changed the way the leisure user approached the sea. From humble beginnings in the beautiful seaside town of Dartmouth, Devon (UK), Ribeye was formed with the clear ambition to manufacture the best leisure RIBs in the world and are now a renowned global boat brand. Ribeye have engineered the best handling hulls in the market and are inspired to build luxury, high speed boats that are safe, dry and truly deliver for whatever their purpose. Ribeye embodies capability and exemplify performance challenging individuals to go beyond what they thought was possible. Ribeye combine the ride quality and safety of a commercial grade hull with the refinement of a luxury RIB. Every Ribeye is different and each one is instilled with iconic British design cues. Ribeye have become the pinnacle of refinement in the RIB world and are underpinned by British design and craftsmanship. The current generations of Ribeye build on its legacy and the new generation go beyond this.

Based in the heart of Stockport for almost two centuries, and owning around 260 tenanted and managed pubs, inns and hotels across the North West, ‘Robinsons’ is one of oldest and most respected names in British brewing history. A proud family of independent brewers, Robinsons is one of the most advanced and sophisticated breweries in the UK, with a worldwide reputation for real ale. It’s also home to the largest hopnik in the world. From here they apply decades of experience to create exciting new varieties and choices of flavour that will lead them towards our next award-winning beer. Combining original recipe heritage brews such as Old Tom (first brewed in 1899) and Unicorn (legendary since 1896) with innovative young ales such as Dizzy Blonde, Wizard and TROOPER (created with Iron Maiden) is what differentiates Robinsons… forward thinking with the very best traditions. It’s an award winning formula which has earned Robinsons real ale recognition for almost 180 years. To maintain their exceptional consistency and beer excellence, the brewing methods are a carefully controlled combination of temperature, timing and flow rates. This helps them reduce variation and save on time, materials and utilities. The end result is the unmistakable taste of Robinsons beer. Robinsons – brewing perfection since 1838.

Family businesses should trust in next generation leaders to thrive in digital age according to the latest research. Family business NextGens view themselves as agents of change for digital transformation but are looking for greater support and trust from current generation leaders, according to a new report by PwC. PwC’s Global NextGen Survey 2019 has found that a majority of NextGens are already deeply engaged in the family enterprise, with nearly half (48%) reporting that they already run significant internal operations. A quarter (26%) are already in an executive director position. This level of engagement is also matched by future ambitions to lead, with 41% seeking an executive director role within the next five years and nearly a third (29%) looking to be a majority shareholder. Confidence is also high amongst NextGens about the value they can bring in terms of skills. Over two-thirds of respondents see their strongest attributes (problem-solving and leadership) to be essential skills in the future business landscape. 64% say they can add value to ensure future business strategy is fit for the digital age. Peter Englisch, Global Family Business Leader, PwC Germany says, ‘The survey findings highlight the positive news that NextGens are ambitious and deeply committed to the family business. They see a clear role in securing the family legacy in an age of profound disruption and transformation. Yet they also see themselves as being held back and frustrated by a lack of opportunity.” ‘We should recognise, however, that these frustrations are realistic and pragmatic. What NextGens are looking for is support in terms of developing the expertise and experience they need to succeed. Their view can be summed up as: “Help me unlock my potential so I can gain the skills and experience I will need to take on the leadership roles I aspire to.” “They are a diverse group in terms of their needs and ambitions. NextGens require an approach that is built around understanding their needs and ambitions and this survey provides an important guide to the next steps they should take.” The survey identifies four key personas of NextGens, based on their views of their skills, contributions and career goals. These personas are: 1 - Transformers: Self-confident future leaders (46% of respondents) Transformers aim to lead change in the family business and are more likely to aspire to executive roles within five years (56% of transformers said this vs. 41% of all 956 respondents) 2 - Stewards: Keeping to tradition and existing networks (26% of respondents) Stewards are more likely to be over 35 than other NextGens (42% vs. 36% of all respondents) and to be in a management role (44% vs. 39% of all respondents). 3 - Intrapreneurs: Proving yourselves by running ventures under the family’s wing (20% of respondents) Intrapreneurs are more likely to feel the need to prove yourself before presenting ideas for change (27% vs. 21% of all respondents). 4 - Entrepreneurs: Following your own path outside the family business (8% of respondents) Entrepreneurs are less likely to see themselves as future leaders of the family business — though they want to lead their own business — and are more likely to aspire to a governance role in the family business (for example, on the family council). The survey provides specific guidance for each persona in how they should approach their professional development. Vicki Huff Eckert, US and global leader, PwC New Ventures says, “It’s vital to understand the importance of a cross-generational approach. In some family businesses, there may be up to five generations all working together in one company. Each generation tends to have characteristics that can clash with those around them — but they also have insights, experiences and skills that can benefit the business.” “Weaving in the best traits from each generation — knowing when to let the young take the lead and when to rein them in — can make the difference between simply surviving and passing on a thriving enterprise to the next generation.”

William Santus and Company have been making a variety of sweets for over 100 years. Paul Andrews visited them in Wigan to find out more. Their survival may be surprising in itself but what is more remarkable is the legendary status that has surrounded their ‘Uncle Joe’s Mint Balls.’ These sweets have been immortalised in countless articles, cartoons and poems and there has even been a song written about them and they are synonymous with Wigan, the town of their production. Uncle Joe’s Mint Balls is a privately owned family business that was established in England in 1898 by William Santus. Ownership has passed down through generations of the family and is currently owned by John and Antony Winnard, William’s great nephews. They are joint MD’s of the business now but entry into the business can certainly not be described as straight-forward. John and Antony both have early memories of working in the factory for their father who they describe as a hard task masker, carrying 50kg bags of sugar, making lollipop boxes. There was even a two year stint for a fellow confectionery business in Bolton filling licorice tubes with sherbet! As John explains, “it was all character building stuff and eventually we registered to undertake a City & Guilds course in Sugar Baking with the caveat that should the fail to pass the exams, there would be no place for us in the business!” Clearly things worked out well as 42 years on and they are both still actively involved in the business. Sadly, their father passed away at the age of just 55 back in 1990 and from that on their futures were set. John became responsible for the external face of the business, sales and marketing whilst Antony took responsibility for everything to do with the factory, a delineation of roles and responsibilities that has served them well over the years. “Of course we discuss things and have been known to disagree but we always work things out,” adds Antony, “and we have lots of friends in good businesses locally that we can sound ideas off and canvass for input into decisions too.” John agrees, adding that “we know how the other works and where boundaries lie and that works well for us too.” Uncle Joe’s Mint Balls are still manufactured using the same traditional methods as when Mrs Santus originally made the sweets in her kitchen back in 1898. The completely natural ‘secret recipe’ has been passed down through the generations and today, the sweets still contain no artificial colours, are gluten free and suitable for the vegan and vegetarian markets. Today, the sweets are produced in the same, careful manner as they were all those years ago, over gas fires and hand-made. The craftsmanship is apparent as you walk around the factory and the team are very skilled in what they do. As John explains, “we are a small business with a small but incredibly loyal and dedicated team. We work hard and have employed a flexible working matrix so when things are quiet people can take extra time off although we are committed to a 34 hour week as minimum. The business is seasonal so we tend to work more hours in the winter months and not work Friday’s during the summer. It works for the business and is great for the staff who get time off during the warmer months to spend more time with their families as well.” Over the years the brand has grown and it is the desire of the current generation to continue to grow and to increase the availability of Uncle Joe’s products to consumers in the UK and overseas. Running next to the Mint Balls’ proposition is the Uncle Joe’s Favourites range which helps to supplement and augment their position in the market place. Antony and John are agreed on the way forward, to continue to build a long term and sustainable brand within the sugar confectionery product category. They appreciate that it is not an easy challenge but relish the future and enjoy special moments as and when they happen. As Antony explains, “one of our proudest achievements is the fact that we have made it successfully to the fourth generation and beaten the odds, unlike many other family firms that have fallen by the wayside, and to be over 100 years old as a family manufacturing business is something that we are rightly proud of.” John agrees, adding that “We are also immensely proud of the recent visit from Prince Charles, not only reflecting on the 100 year anniversary of us being in the current factory but also the recognition of surviving as a fourth generation family firm. It was a truly great moment for us and one that cemented our pride and place as an ambassador for Wigan too.” The business has been on quite a journey since they took over the mantle following the death of their father. John explains that “we had to really change the fortunes of the business because when we took control of the Company it was making a trading loss. It has been challenging at times but our staff have always been, and are, great , and an integral part of what makes this business what it is today.” Today Antony and John employ local people and produce a product that can be found in many corners of the globe. As they continue, “How many Wiganers at the turn of the century could ever have imagined that the delicious minty sweets they enjoyed would become legendary, not just locally but worldwide, a real symbol of Wigan around the world?” “This really does fill us with a deep sense of pride, borne from our family and a traditional recipe and we look forward to what the future holds,” continues John. “There is currently no next generation in the business but they have worked here and are now off following their own careers and dreams,” adds Antony, “and although we would love one of them to get involved in due course, we will have to see what the future holds in terms of succession at a later date.” For now the focus is on the business with continuing investment in machinery and processes to drive the business forward. Who knows what the ‘wonders of Wigan’ have in store… To find out more please visit www.uncle-joes.com

The festive season is nearly upon us and a focal point for many homes is the Christmas Tree. Paul Andrews spoke to the second generation of Sholach Christmas Trees to find out more. As Kelly McKintyre explains, “The McIntyre family have farmed at Wester Essendy for around 100 years. William McIntyre bought the Sholach in 1995, adding to the land he had inherited from his father. Following the raspberry growing history of the family he diversified into growing Christmas Trees in 1992 and ran the business with his wife Jean.” “We are an established family run business based near Blairgowrie, Perthshire and have been selling Nordmann Fir and Norway Spruce direct to the public and via wholesale partners for over twenty years.” Until 2012 the business had been Willie’s concern but things changed dramatically with his death that year. Following his death, the family, Jean and their son Willie and daughters Sarah and Kelly came together and took the collective decision to continue the growth and sale of Christmas Trees as a legacy to him with the trees being grown in Scotland on the family plantation and being sold locally as well as through the family connections in London. As Kelly adds, “The first few years were a struggle. We didn’t have enough mature trees so we had to plant more small trees. It was a huge learning curve as we had to learn how to grow and tend the trees and at that time we only selling via the wholesale route and the business was not making financial sense.” “As a next generation we have all lived in London at some point in our lives but my siblings, Sarah and Willie, have lived there for nearly 20 years. It was Willie who came up with the plan to ‘miss the middleman’ and sell directly to the public in London last year and we added the direct to public sales side to the wholesale business.” Living in Crystal Palace Willie found a great pitch at Crystal Palace Park and as a result of offering a tree in a local pub, they secured a pitch in Tooting and the supply to their pub chain. This was a turning point for the business. As Kelly explains, “Off we trundled with an artic lorry full of trees and Sholach Christmas trees London was born. It was scary! It was a new venture and we invested a large amount of time, energy and money into the planning and execution of it. Thankfully all the hard work has paid off but we still have a long way to go!” As a family firm business revolves around the wholesale of trees locally in Blairgowrie and Perth together with the pop-up shops at Crystal Palace Park and the Graveney and Meadow in Tooting, London. Kelly is justifiably proud of their achievements which are made all the more real by the fact that the siblings all have other ‘day jobs’ besides working in the family business. “It’s a real family affair. My mum, Jean, does the finance and accounting side of thing whilst I do the social media, website and photography as well as running the Crystal Palace site. Willie does the management and works on the trees and general logistics of everything from London.” The nest generation, G3 are also getting used to roles in the family firm because since leaving school, Kelly’s son, Conall has started seasonal work and as well as having a job with an accountancy firm in London her nephew helps out distributing marketing fliers and putting up banners.” Sister Sarah helps out after her work in London and so do friends and family. Firm favourites are the Norway Spruce, ‘The Traditional Christmas Tree’ which is back in fashion and provides the classic smell and memories of Christmas Past so if you’re ‘pining’ for the nostalgia of Christmas past this is the tree for you. Overwhelmingly the most popular choice is the Nordman Fir, the non-needle-drop-variety that has a fine symmetrical, pyramid shape and strong branches. It’s big, glossy green needles are soft to touch, and it is often the tree of choice for all the family to decorate. Sholach Christmas Trees embodies the very essence of what being a family firm represents. Commitment, shared vision and strong values at their core with a next generation demonstrating real purpose and desire to continue a legacy in memory of their father. As Kelly concludes, “It’s hard work running a family business the way we choose to do so as we all have our ‘day’ jobs but we’re passionate about continuing dad’s legacy an creating something sustainable in his memory. The Sholach really is a magical place and we have a lot of enjoyment there throughout the year in spite of the hectic two months around the harvest and selling period!” A family firm with real purpose that truly embodies the sentiment of this time of the year. Visit www.sholachfarm.com to find out more.

Porrelli’s have been making award-winning ice cream since 1925. Family owned and run the business now serves over 60 delicious flavours. Paul Andrews met the third and fourth generation in the family business, Enzo Durante, his wife Ines and daughter Serena. It was back in 1925 that Gerardo Porrelli emigrated from San Biagio in Italy to Scotland. Along with his family Gerardo settled in Paisley and to this day the family are still Paisley based, fully integrated into the local community. Gerardo began to produce delicious ice cream using traditional Italian recipes and was also operating ice cream vans servicing the housing estates in Paisley and surrounding areas. The next phase of the business was to start wholesaling and delivering ice cream, sorbets and frozen desserts to the catering market, restaurants and cafés. “It has been a wonderful journey,” said Enzo, “and we are all extremely proud of what we have achieved so far and excited for what the future has in store.” “Although much has changed in the world since production began all those years ago, we still make luxury ice cream using our own original recipe the way we did when the business started with little having deviated from the original recipe over the years, it is with pride that I can say that we still make one of Scotland’s favourite ice creams today,” he adds. Enzo is the grandson of Gerardo and has worked in the business since 1978 when he started learning the business from the ground up. He worked in stores, production, had a period as a multi-drop driver, then settled into production and eventually took up the role of Production Manager then Operations Director in 1989. His wife Ines joined Porrelli’s in 1991 in an administration role before becoming Finance Director and their daughter Serena became marketing manager in 2010 ensuring that this remains very much a family business. There is a real passion for ice cream within the family and a pride in what they do, constantly driving innovation and investment to ensure that quality products are made from the best locally sourced ingredients with a production team that are constantly developing new and exciting flavours and making sure that the quality and consistency remains exceptional. Over time the business out-grew the original production facility which led after much deliberation to build a new custom built factory in 2008. As Enzo explains, “We had a number of choices such as leaving the Paisley site and moving to a new facility or developing the existing factory to enable us to expand production and move the business forward. We decided that what began in Paisley should remain in Paisley and decided to invest in the existing site and build a new state-of-the-art ice cream factory.” This resulted in a new factory, upgraded equipment and processes and a production capacity in excess of 6,000 litres of their delicious ice cream every day. That equates to over 1.4 million litres of ice cream a year! As Enzo explains, “We also have the capacity as a niche manufacturer to custom blend any flavour of ice cream requested and can make small batches too which is a real differentiator for us in the market. We also have an innovative production team who come up with new flavours all the time such as Nutty-Ella, Iron Brew and Malty Teaser but the most popular flavours remain Traditional Double Cream Vanilla and everyone’s favourite, Scottish Tablet ice cream” The business has come a long way since Enzo joined the firm in 1978 and he reflects fondly on the early days too as the third generation now at the helm. “I was fortunate to be introduced to the business at a young age which allowed me to learn and adopt the strong family values from my uncle and family involved at that time.” “As an SME the team are really important to the business and we have a core of staff that have been with us for many years who live and breathe Porrelli’s just like we do as a family,” explains Enzo adding that “they care about the products and know what needs to be done even before being asked to do it!” Porrelli’s have a diverse and loyal customer base from independent restaurants, hotels, cafés, bars, ice cream parlours and wholesalers and also supply a retail range to Asda and Sainsbury’s in Scotland. They have a fleet of refrigerated vehicles that allows them to make deliveries to over 450 direct accounts within a 70 mile radius of their base. Quality and provenance are important and a lot of the ingredients are locally sourced while some pastes and inclusions are still sourced from Italy, retaining the historical family links to the country that Gerardo left all those years ago. This is a family business success story built on an entrepreneurial vision, unique recipes and hard work, underpinned by a strong ethos and family values. Decisions are evaluated and the long term plan considered. As Enzo explains, “I have always been cautious and fairly old school not to overstretch the business and only spend what you can afford without putting the business under too much financial pressure. The investment was a big step for the family and the business but it has allowed the business to move forward and build for the future.” The next generation is already actively involved in the business and Serena although responsible for the marketing of Porrelli’s is bringing her own stamp to the business with a degree of diversification too. Along with her husband, the family have created a new consumer experience in Glasgow, Loop and Scoop, where there are opportunities to enjoy churros and ice cream, Porrelli’s of course! As Serena adds, “Loop & Scoop is the UK’s first ice cream & churros bar. A love of ice cream, great coffee and the desire to create something a little different for Glasgow inspired us to develop the concept with a unique menu includes a range of handmade ice cream and churros produced onsite using the highest quality ingredients.” As for the ice cream, it really is delicious, full of flavour and velvety smooth. As Enzo concludes, “Our ice cream is a reflection of who we are as a family firm. It needs to be honest, consistent and of a quality that reflects our desire and drive to produce an exceptional product. Being a good employer is also important to us as a business and our staff are truly integral in all that we do. For us as a family firm, quality is the name of the game.” It is true to say that generations of Paisley families have indulged in Porrelli’s ice cream and with the next generation already involved, the future looks bright although they are still playing it cool!

We spent time with family business Director Steve Gaskin on his journey from Scotland Yard Detective to Director of Team Building & Team Development Company Right Angle Corporate Ltd. Why did you get into CSI? What attracted you? Following a great career in the Met Police I re-trained as a teacher, I ended up as head of learning and skills in the prison service. The combination of policing and education brought me to this point but I found it was a world I didn’t particularly want to remain into I was thinking of what I could do to run my own business. Initially I was teaching maths, hence the company being called ‘Right Angle’, but very quickly I found people kept asking me what it was really like to undertake an investigation. That was the spark of the idea to give people the opportunity to have an experience but with decent outcomes. Was there a moment when you were a kid that you decided it’s what you want to do? Any good anecdotes? My father was a policeman and living in central London and hearing his stories, I was determined that I was going to join the police. But where he was a uniform officer, I always wanted to be in the CID. To be a detective was everything I hoped for. I even left behind a girlfriend in France to come back and join, she wanted me to stay in France but I was so determined. What did you get from it? It would be hard to find a job that was so varied, everything from big adrenaline hits with the excitement to mind numbing periods of surveillance. I turned from a boy into a man, I extended my knowledge both academically (became a graduate etc), but also of life generally both good and bad. My specialism for many years was in relation to drugs and money laundering. The mental agility required in thinking like ‘the baddies’ was brain stretching and thought provoking. What do people like about the events you put on now – what attracts people to this kind of thing? TV in the UK includes an endless diet of crime programmes, people are fascinated by investigation and the criminal mind, I think it is those aspects that attracts people to the type of events that we run. We have won awards for team building event of the year. The flexibility of the events from ‘intelligent jollies’ to formalised team building and team development makes them an attractive proposition to many of our clients as they have measurable outcomes. What are the misconceptions about the job? Do people think it’s like the TV? Many people think it’s like the TV that all CID DCI’s are grumpy, swear at everybody and are ‘plod’, the reality is very different in terms of education, intellect and finely homed interpersonal skills. What memorable moments did you have? There are so many it is difficult to mention just one. From undercover work to following drug money from the UK, to Jamaica and the States, probably feature quite highly. Being involved in the arrest of Johnny Rotten from the Sex Pistols, to searching Buckingham Palace looking for an intruder and the Queen asking us to hurry up, all are part of wonderful memories. What are the best things and worst? The best things must be the variety and excitement, and the worst being the distress of victims and ‘man’s inhumanity to man’. What memories do you have from running the company now? Since starting the company there have been so many interesting things. Going from the public services to the world of the entrepreneur certainly took me up a large learning curve. I have met some amazing people, worked with wonderful companies including Toyota, TUI, Iceland, Gumtree, Suzuki, Intu etc, won awards, had media coverage, learnt about the world of digital marketing and employed a great team of people. What advice would you have for anyone wanting to do the same career? Policing or business? In truth for both, I would give the same advice, go for it, be determined, hold on to your integrity, care about other people and enjoy yourself. For more information - Steve was in the Metropolitan Police for 25 Years and has been an Adviser to BBC's Silent Witness. Steve also runs motivational and after dinner talks from the family events business. Please contact the team via their website here

Family business near Ipswich is celebrating 125 years in business under the fourth generation accompanied by the fifth generation who are fulfilling their apprenticeship. When it comes to family business milestones, the evolution to date over the past 125 years of Phillips Brothers is fascinating. Today, Phillips Brothers is a major bedding supplier of sawdust, straw and wood shavings to the poultry market and a brand leader for equestrian bedding throughout East Anglia and beyond. Who would have thought that back in 1894 when Harry Phillips who at the time was a fish carrier at Billingsgate Market was asked to supply oak sawdust for the smoking of fish that the business would have become the award winning family business that it is today. Phillips Brothers who operate from Raydon in Suffolk is a great story of a business that has grown from an entrepreneurial spark and one that continues today in 2019 where they are celebrating 125 years in business and under the management of the fourth generation accompanied by the fifth generation fulfilling their apprenticeship. Over the years the business has grown and continued to develop structures and governance to help it stand the test of time. Four successive generations have strengthened the business which is now run by the great-granddaughter of the founder, Jane Knapp with her brother Paul Phillips and their cousin Ian Phillips. The fifth generation is also now represented within the business as Rhys Knapp, Jane’s son is responsible for running the day-to-day operations. As a family business they continue to go from strength to strength, constantly investing in new machinery, new working methods and enhanced production methods to make sure that the business remains at the top of their game. With this investment and continued growth comes success, such as winning the East Anglia Family Business of the Year Award in 2015 in the national awards organised by Family Business United, the support organisation that champions the family business sector across the UK and beyond. Awards give recognition and for Jane it was a special moment for the family firm. As she explains, “With many of the statistics highlighting that many family firms fail to make it past the third generation, recognition of a long standing business like ours was particularly special , showing what can be achieved given hard work, dedication and the right approach to the business and the family over time.” For Phillips Brothers the focus has always been on a tireless and unrelenting commitment to embracing change, learning, continuous self-development and leadership. Putting the business first and taking proactive steps to make sure the business is well placed to meet the needs of the customers is key and one of the underlying reasons for the move of the business from London to Maldon in Essex in 1994 and then subsequently to relocate to their current home in Raydon. As Jane adds, “Being closer to our core customer base and having the space to expand and grow strategically has always been important and for a family firm that has been around for many years it is important to look at the needs of the business and to react accordingly. The move to Raydon near Ipswich has provided the ideal location for the next stages of growth for our business.” Jane and the team are focused firmly on the future, investing in the needs of the business at all levels. As Jane adds, “We try to provide opportunities for all our staff to grow and develop with us, as we have done with the development of our HGV 1 drivers, made all the more pressing due to the overall shortage of drivers in the UK.” Looking forward is always on the agenda which requires focus of the future leaders and managers of the business. As Jane adds, “Business is business first and foremost and for a family firm in particular it is important not to become complacent. We are always looking for future leaders and not just amongst family either. We need to have the right people in the right roles going forward and make sure that the time is invested to help people achieve their full potential, something that in the long run can only be good for the business too.” As a fifth generation family firm, Phillips Brothers have seen four transitions from generation to generation, something that many family firms struggle to discuss openly, let alone successfully manage. As Jane reiterates, “Succession planning can be a taboo subject for many but it needs to be addressed, discussed openly and in readiness for the next generation to have the time and responsibility to drive the business forward. For us, it has always been important for the next generation to have the skills they require in order to continue the legacy.” Jane is also a firm believer in networking and peer-to-peer learning to bring in vital ideas and frameworks too. As she adds, “It is important to see things from different perspectives and to seek input and ideas from outside too, helping to challenge what may have become the ‘norm’ over the years. It can be incredibly rewarding to hear from fellow family business owners and to hear their stories and how they have overcome some of their challenges, especially as they are often the same challenges faced by other family firms. Knowing that you are not alone is great but even better is the fact that you can learn from a peer group and get really practical insights into how to address things.” As a family firm, Phillips Brothers are celebrating a key milestone in 2019 – 125 years as a family business, and whilst the celebrations are ongoing, investment continues in a business that has continued to grow, develop its brand and generate increased loyalty and support from its customer base. As Jane concludes, “2019 is a year of tremendous pride for the entire family, an achievement that could not have been reached without the support of our loyal and dedicated team now and in years gone by. Previous generations built on the business that arose from the market all those years ago and we continue now as a fifth generation family firm with goals of our own. We continue to build on the work of previous generations as we aspire to being recognised as the number one supplier of animal bedding to the poultry and equestrian markets.” A great example of an innovative and entrepreneurial family business that continues to invest, focus on the future and develop frameworks to enable it to continue to flourish into the 21st century and beyond. History is important but focusing on the future is the key. We look forward to following their journey for generations to come. Find out more at www.phillipsbrothers.co.uk