History dating back to 1829 makes Lionel Samson Sadleirs Group second oldest family firm in Australia. Lionel Samson & Son was founded in 1829 by two brothers who came to the Swan River Colony on one of the first settlement vessels. In 1936 Lionel Samson acquired R. C. Sadleir, which had opened for business in Fremantle in 1895. Together they continue to be the second oldest family business in Australia. On the 5th August 1829, Lionel Samson and his younger brother William stepped off the Calista barque on South Beach in Fremantle, Western Australia. Purchasing Fremantle town lots 27 and 28, Lionel Samson started a merchant liquor and general import-export business. In the 1880s Lionel Samson and Son was the single largest importer of beers and spirits into Australia. Their import range included numerous British wine, spirits and beers from producers such as J.Jeffrey Brewers, Charles Ashby Brewers, Samuel Alsop Brewers, Gilbey Wines and Spirits. Lionel Samson and Son was also an agent for Richard Johnson and Nephew Limited, an ironmaster and wire drawer. R.C Sadleir was established in 1895 as a Customs, Shipping and Forwarding Agents on the corner of Cliff Street, Fremantle. John Sadleir the firm’s founding father was of Irish descent and had already been in Australia for forty years. By 1898, Lionel Samson’s business had grown substantially, having benefited considerably from its involvement as a major merchant satisfying demand from the Western Australian gold rush. During the 1914-1922 period, the Sadleirs business relied largely on horse-drawn transportation in the Fremantle region. In 1925 Sadleirs moved from horse to a fleet of motor lorries and in 1955 the company fleet consisted of 21 vehicles. In 1923 RC Sadleir Pty Ltd. registered as a company and was acquired in 1936 by Lionel Samson. 2012 saw Sadleirs and Lionel Samson and Son join to become what is now known as the Lionel Samson Sadleirs Group (LSSG) and it continues to be the second oldest family business in Australia.

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!

Bambino Mio are the most widely used reusable cloth nappy brand in the UK with an award-winning range of products that are loved by parents all over the world. Paul Andrews spoke to Founder, Guy Schanschieff MBE to find out more. Bambino Mio, is founded on the principles of quality, convenience, style, comfort and value for money. As a business they are committed to developing products that are better for babies and the environment. Their aim is to deliver a superior customer service and product experience enabling parents to focus on the joys of parenthood with the intention of making reusable nappies commercially acceptable worldwide. Run by husband and wife Guy and Jo Schanschieff, Bambino Mio is based in the heart of the English countryside in Northamptonshire. As Guy explains, “I knew from a young age that I really wanted to run my own business and Jo had been working as a management trainee at Marks & Spencer when she was made redundant so we decided to take some time out to look for our ‘big idea.’” It all began in 1991, Guy and Jo were travelling through India where they met an American at the Taj Mahal. Over dinner they got talking about a reusable nappy laundry service offered in New York, that was it, the seed of an idea was sown. Later on during their travels the concept was brought up in conversation in Sydney and so on returning to the UK, Guy and Jo set up a reusable nappy laundry service from their home in Northampton, and although the laundry service showed slow growth, Guy and Jo were convinced reusable nappies were the way forward. As Guy continues, “It became apparent that reusable nappies were increasing in popularity, but the demand of a laundry service was limited as parents soon realised how easy they were to wash and how much money could be saved by doing so. We understood at this stage that the business was never going to be scalable but had built up a loyal customer base and learnt a lot along the way.” As a result, in 1997 Guy and Jo started to sell reusable nappies and associated products directly to parents through mail order and the business began to grow. As Guy adds, “In 1999 we secured our first national account and then went to the 2002 trade show in Cologne to look for new market opportunities. This resulted in our first international distributors in Spain and Malta. Growth continued over the next few years and turnover rose to £2 million by around 2007 which was split between the UK and overseas markets.” Like many other businesses, in 2010 the recession took its toll. Pretty much overnight the orders from the US and France stopped and the business was facing an uncertain future. As Guy explains, “This was a difficult time for us as a family and the business too and in hindsight, the next few years were tough and involved some difficult decisions. We did manage to turn things around and provide the platform for future growth and this is probably my proudest moment in business to date.” “Nobody saw the dip coming and so there was not time to prepare, we just had to get on with things and so we took the opportunity and delivered growth with the supermarkets in the UK and through a digital marketing strategy too. The digital strategy enabled us to go international directly and changed our business model that had previously been distributor led. As a business we grew by approaching potential customers directly which worked incredibly well for us and led to lots of new and exciting opportunities such as supplying the three biggest pharmacies in Germany,” continues Guy, As a family owned business, Bambino Mio invests for the long term with significant investments over the years coming in the integration of new IT systems and new appointments to strengthen the management team. Currently having 42 employees and turnover of £7 million, the digital marketing strategy has clearly worked and proven to be a worthwhile investment and as a business, Bambino Mio have managed to successfully use digital platforms where others are struggling. Guy is aware of the way that the business is growing and accepts that there are challenges too. “We are on a fast train with exciting growth projections and are moving on constantly. Challenges are always present but we see them as great opportunities going forward such as the integration of new skills to help drive the growth, investing in new social media and ecommerce operations and for a small firm of only 42 and 15 different nationalities, we need to make sure we retain the culture and essence of who we are as a business,” he explains. Growth is on the agenda and as Guy and the team are aware, “It is all about managing the resources and the space that they need to grow. We wake up to a different challenge every day but that is the exciting part about being involved with a business like ours,” he adds. “There is a culture at Bambino Mio and everyone buys into what we are doing. Historically, like other businesses cashflow was an issue but the recession and the attitude of the banks forced us to drive all the borrowings from the business and with no borrowings now we realise how much we are saving each and every day and it certainly helps us to sleep better at night too!” Relationships are key to the business in all areas – management, employees, customers and suppliers and form the core of what the business stands for too. “We do our best to make all the relationships work and have great staff and customers who appreciate what we do and how we do it. As we continue to evolve as a business there will inevitably be change but we’ll always remember the journey we have been on and where the business has come from and continue to build on what we have got now. Who knows where we will be in ten years time but the future is certainly exciting,” adds Guy. In terms of the family and the next generation it is still early days. “All of them have done their bit already, working in the school and university holidays but they range in age from 13 to 22 so there is plenty of time for them all to decide what they want to do in the years to come and there is certainly no pressure from either Jo or I for them to follow us if that is not what they really want to do. We’ll support the decisions that they make,” continues Guy. It has been a great journey to date and one that has resulted in Bambino Mio becoming a well established brand too. Now, 27 years later, since the day they discussed nappies at the Taj Mahal, a wedding, 3 children, an MBE, over 50 awards and products available in more than 70 countries worldwide; Bambino Mio is the largest and most accessible reusable nappy brand in the world. Bambino Mio may have grown in size but the core family values remain the same, to manufacture high quality, simple, reusable nappies and associated products and make them accessible and affordable to all. For more information please visit www.bambinomio.com

Robert Scott is a fourth generation family business with a ‘spotless reputation since 1925,’ with Alastair Scott currently at the helm. Fourth generation family member at the helm, Alastair Scott, is particularly proud of their history dating back over 90 years to when the business was founded by James Scott in a cotton mill. “We are now one of the last working cotton mills in Lancashire and for me, there is a lot that our founder would be proud of – knowing that we are still a champion for the local economy, the community, industrial heritage and British manufacturing. However, we cannot and do not rest on our laurels and need to keep pace with innovation too,” explains Alastair. As a business, Robert Scott is one of the UK’s largest designers, manufacturers, importers and stockists of cleaning products for the professional janitorial sector and probably best known for making mops – they sell over half a million every week which is a staggering 26 million mops a year! With a huge product portfolio of over 4000 products (mops make up less than 30% of the business) the range is designed to keep pace with the very latest cleaning and hygiene innovations, regulations and rigour of the sector too. Their wide range includes everything from microfibre cloths and medical cleaning trolleys to rapid response cleaning systems and mops, much of which is manufactured at the mill in Lancashire where they employ more than 250 staff, many of whom have been working in the business for years and are the latest generations of families that have worked in this family firm. Family firms that survive the generations like Robert Scott not only need to remain current but to move forward with the times and that is something that Alastair is well aware of, feeling a level of responsibility for the business and those that have a stake in it. “We need to be a business that is fit for the 21st century and can remain successful as there are lots of people involved who rely on the business too. I take the position seriously as custodian of a long-standing business in the community, a business that our team has worked to help build over the years, growing from £4.5 million turnover when I became sales director to over £50 million today. I am really proud to have been part of this journey and board knows we have had the support of a great team to work on successfully growing the business too,” explains Alastair. Alastair was not always destined for the leadership role and took a path that many other family business leaders will associate with. His father was forced into the family firm by his grandfather and had no choice about what he was going to do but as Alastair explains, “my father was totally the opposite with the four of us and I was brought up always knowing that there were opportunities in the wider world outside of the family firm.” Alastair seized the opportunity going to college to pursue an education in architecture, media and design but once he had completed his education found that there were few jobs available. A job came up as a sales rep in the family firm and Alastair took it, seeing it as a temporary employment solution initially. As he expands, “I had the advantage of knowing the business because I had been involved over the years, holiday jobs and the like, so I had the knowledge and accepted the role. I took the job as a ‘regular employee’ and with no moral pressure from above and the proviso that I could leave whenever I wanted should another job come up. What started out as a rather temporary role became other things and I am still here today, many years later!” Alastair is aware of the challenges associated with family businesses, in particular, the next generation, and although two of his children are now working in the family firm, a son helping to load the lorries and a daughter in telesales, he is very real about the future. “Who knows where they will end up,” he adds. “Both have taken on roles within the business like I did, possibly as a temporary measure, although that never turned out to be the case for me so we will just have to wait and see what the future has in store for the business, but if we have to introduce professional non-family leadership to guide the business in the future then so be it.” “We cannot simply employ family because of their name and their heritage, we have to employ the right people in the right roles to get the job done – there is too much at stake and it is not fair on each and every employee if we take on the wrong people, and it would not be good for the business either,” he continues. Alastair is also one of the lucky ones – he loves his job and loves to go to work each and every day. “You spend so much time at work and that is great for me because I love it. I do feel that my role is to an extent, a custodian of the business for future generations, and there is a responsibility to the employees too. It is a great business and everyone pulls together to make it work,” he adds. A great example of them coming together was when the mill flooded a few years back which was a tricky time for everyone. The team came together with the directors and the staff pulling together to mop the floors, load the lorries and safeguard the business. A difficult time but the cohesiveness of the team, the loyalty of the staff and the shared values and desire to work through it really came to the fore. As Alastair adds, “It is at times like these that you appreciate that the broader stakeholders really care and want the business to succeed and it reinforces the differentiator that we have as a family business over non-family firms.” Alastair made a silent promise to himself when he took up the lead role, that he would retire when the business was generating £1 million turnover a week but as he is now quick to point out, “I am not going anywhere yet!” Robert Scott is a market leader and continues to deal with day to day challenges, such as competition, rising costs, what the next generation are going to do and how the business is going to expand to the next level. They are currently involved in a rebranding exercise to help them achieve the right balance of heritage and innovation and to prepare themselves for the next 90 years and beyond. Proud of their roots, proud to be a British manufacturer and proud to be based in a mill in Lancashire, Robert Scott is a family firm with a lot to look forward too and is clearly serious about cleaning and over the years has clearly cultivated a much deserved, ‘spotless reputation.’ www.robert-scott.co.uk

Golden Casket is one of the largest and most innovative confectionery specialists in the UK and has been growing successfully for nearly 60 years with brands dating back to the 18th century. The business is now run by the second and third generation of the Rae family. Paul Andrews went to meet them to find out more. It was back in 1959 that the journey began. Douglas Rae, a qualified banker with £100 in his pocket set out to create a business to market confectionery from scratch. His family, friends and colleagues within the banking sector thought he was mad but Douglas had a vision. At that time, young bankers were poorly remunerated and with a young family Douglas was looking for a way to provide for his family and concluding that banking was not the route for him, took the plunge and set up his own business distributing confectionery to the independent retail sector across Scotland literally operating out the back of a van which he christened his Golden Casket. Within a couple of years, the company moved into its first premises in Greenock with the exclusive rights to distribute the Daintee brands, Kunzle Cakes and Bensdorp confectionery. Sales grew over the course of the 60’s especially through the Kunzle Cake brand and by 1968, Golden Casket had 12 salesmen and an annual turnover of over half a million pounds. Then in 1969 Charles Forte acquired Kunzle which was not good news for Golden Casket as it virtually signalled the end of the relationship that had been significant in their growth to date. As Crawford adds, “On acquiring the Kunzle business Forte naturally wanted to have the profitable Scotland operation for himself so in exchange for the Scottish Kunzle business, Forte agreed to give Golden Casket the Scottish agency for Fuller’s, a business that was famous for manufacturing cakes, chocolates and sugar confectionery.” Fuller’s was a sister company of Terry’s of York which was also owned by Forte. Business continued and soon the team had built up sales to replace the Kunzle sales. Two years later and another key moment in the history of the business took place, partly as a result of the values and relationships that Douglas and the team had already demonstrated. Terry’s announced that Fuller’s was to be sold with negotiations already taking place with an American manufacturer who saw the acquisition as a route for their own products into the UK market. This was potentially a devastating blow to Golden Casket so Douglas immediately headed to York for talks with the Terry’s board. A deal was struck that resulted in the acquisition of Fuller’s by Golden Casket. Sales of Fullers Twin Bars and chocolates continued to be manufactured in York and premises had to be found to pack and wrap the Fullers lines in Greenock. Golden Casket signed a 10 year lease for premises at Fort Matilda in Greenock which had been used formerly as a torpedo factory during WW2. The empty units with broken floors and dirty walls with no electricity were turned into offices and a production and packing facility and in 1972 Golden Casket acquired Campsie Confectionery and brought all their manufacturing equipment to Greenock. Terry’s were a real asset throughout as they continued to make products during the period of construction, sending people to train the staff in Greenock once the factory was ready and for the first five years after opening continued to help making products to satisfy demand. This support for Douglas and the team was embodied in the words of Terry’s Chairman and Managing Director, Ian Johnston, “who said that ‘big business’ does not have a kindly face?” In 1976 Golden Casket were approached by old established confectionery manufacturers, Buchanan’s of Scotland, to see if they would be interested in making their extensive range of products under ‘own label’ terms as their Glasgow factory in Shieldhall was being forced to close. As Crawford explains, “I was a bit of a mechanical geek at school and at weekends I was fortunate enough to work with an engineer from the packaging machinery company Rose Forgrove helping him rebuild equipment. That was to be an excellent grounding for the years to come because in 1976 I went into the business to learn the fantastic art of sugar confectionery, manufacturing the unique Buchanan’s lines. This new production boosted the weekly output from our Greenock factory and the Buchanan’s brand became such a significant part of our production that my father negotiated the takeover of Buchanan’s under a unique settlement arrangement that is still in vogue to this day.” Manufacturing continued to expand with new business being added to the mix and new brands acquired. In 1987, the manufacturing company Fuller’s Ltd was sold to John J. Lees Plc and all production ceased in Greenock. All of the manufacturing equipment was removed from Greenock and set up in the new Fullers factory in Port Glasgow. Golden Casket were once again a marketing and distribution company concentrating on the Buchanan’s brands which remained under the ownership of Douglas Rae while being manufactured elsewhere. Sales of Buchanan’s products continued to increase however quality issues and difficulties with supply saw Douglas’s son Crawford leaving his position of Production Director at Fuller’s to start manufacturing once again from scratch at Fort Matilda initially with only 6 members of staff to concentrate on the Buchanan’s products. Two years later the business of Drysdale & Gibb was acquired as it fitted comfortably into the niche market occupied with pride by Buchanan’s. 1995 saw the acquisition of ailing English company, Caramel House Ltd based in Merseyside and the business and production was also moved to Greenock. Another pivotal moment for the business took place in 1990 with the launch of a new range called ‘Millions’ which was the brainchild of Douglas Rae. Millions, the tiny, tasty chewy sweets, available in different fruit flavours, became an instant success through innovative tube packaging developed on specially modified equipment at Greenock, the Millions brand has grown each year with worldwide sales currently approaching 2000 tonnes per year with further expansion in the pipeline. At the same time that Millions was introduced the ‘Half Pounders’ range was also launched, an equally important contributor to the growth of the business. The range encompassed more than 60 varieties of sweets, all with the same price for each variety. Half Pounders has become the private retailers ‘own label’ brand and is now only available through the private sector under the £OnePounder brand post metrication. Further growth came in 1998 with the acquisition of Hills of Hawick whose main product, Hawick Balls, enjoyed a high profile through the constant PR generated by Bill McLaren, the well known rugby commentator. A further and interesting acquisition took place in the summer of 2006 when Scotland’s oldest confectionery manufacturing company, J. & A. Ferguson Limited of Glasgow was purchased. This business started in 1794 and produced some of the finest chocolates manufactured in the UK. Each and every year to date the turnover of Golden Casket has increased and it has become one of the most successful confectionery companies, and the largest, in Scotland. Part of the success is undoubtedly down to the entrepreneurial spirit, determination and drive of its founder, Douglas Rae, but he was the first to admit that the success could not be down ‘to just one man.’ He recognised that the ace card was the fantastic quality and depth of the products and innovation which were produced and headed by his son, Crawford along with his team in the factory as well as recognising the dedication and knowledge of the all the other committed staff, many of whom have worked for the business for years. As Crawford explains, “We are a tight knit family business. Today my two sons, my daughter, my brother-in-law, cousin and nephew all play vital roles within the business. Our primary focus of servicing the independent retail sector through our sales network remains as strong today as it did back in 1959. Our confectionery is manufactured by our family for your family.” My Father Douglas Rae OBE, sadly passed away in June last year and up until a couple of years ago remained extremely active having given almost 60 years building the company. He was a wonderful father and mentor who is sorely missed.” There were so many highlights in his business life, culminating in his OBE two years ago for services to business and sport and then posthumously having a street in Greenock named after him was great recognition and very special for all of us.” Our philosophy has always been to produce the very best confectionery and to deliver best value and service to our customers. Our people very much buy into our philosophy so it’s no coincidence that 35% of our staff have over 25 years of service with us.” We now employ over 150 talented craftsmen and women across our day and nightshift patterns, across 28 production and packing lines from out A PLUS BRC-Accredited, nut free factory” Crawford is the second generation of the family to lead the firm which is already looking to the future with three next generation actively involved in the business in sales, production and marketing. The future is on the agenda because as Stuart Rae, third generation Sales Manager explains, “None of us are immortal and we have a broader responsibility to everyone involved. Douglas was an inspiration, he believed he was immortal, working each and every day and sadly passing away recently. He would be proud of how we are moving the business forward and it is important to plan for the future too. We all have clear roles and responsibilities which helps to ensure that everyone knows what they are responsible for, and whilst our heritage is important and helps top define who we are as a family firm, the future is what really matters. We continue to invest in new plant and machinery and are excited about the continuing journey for the business too.” This is a true gem of a family business, a ‘treasure trove of sweet treats’ with innovation at the heart of all they do. Part of their unrivalled success is undoubtedly due to the determination and entrepreneurialism of the Rae family to continue the business that was set up by Douglas Rae back in 1959, marrying tradition and modernity. This is a family business at the heart of the Inverclyde community, a business that strives to be the best and one that continues to be innovative and push boundaries, investing for the future with a perfect balance of the old and the new paving the way for years to come. As Crawford concludes, “We are proud to be a family owned, family run manufacturing business based in Greenock and it is great to see the next generation already actively involved in all that we do. You would be forgiven for thinking we are an old fashioned company. Certainly, our values are traditional but great attention is paid to keeping the taste and quality consistent and we are always full of new ideas, looking forwards all the time. Innovation is at the heart of our business and we look forward to continuing the business in line with the values, drive and aspiration upon which we have been built by our founder, investing, modernising and making sure we remain fit for purpose for the next generation and beyond.” To find out more please visit www.goldencasket.co.uk

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

There are several ways to provide liquidity to shareholders of privately held family businesses without giving up control of the family business and its legacy. Sean O’Down explains more. One of many challenges facing family businesses is how to address the various liquidity needs of shareholders. With publicly traded family businesses, this issue can be resolved simply by selling shares in the open market. But for privately-held family businesses, alternatives must be considered. Too many family business owners of privately held companies believe that the only way to generate real liquidity is to sell the business entirely. Thankfully, this is not the case. There are several ways to provide liquidity to shareholders of privately held family businesses without giving up control of the family business and its legacy. To identify the right liquidity alternative, we must consider two key factors: the amount of liquidity needed; and the importance of keeping the family business legacy for future generations. The list below highlights high- and low-level liquidity alternatives. In general, higher liquidity alternatives reduce control of the family business. However, only a complete sale of the company results in giving up the family business legacy entirely—a major financial and emotional consideration for multi-generational family businesses. High level liquidity alternatives : Sale of the company Partial sale of the company Initial Public Offering (IPO) Low level liquidity alternatives : Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) Redemption plan Special dividend Dividend distributions In exploring each of these alternatives, we must keep in mind that the time, involvement and cost of outside advisers and legal counsel can vary a great deal. Many family business owners find just the process of identifying, selecting and managing the appropriate adviser daunting. Sale Of The Company If the family business’s shareholders believe now is the time to sell, and future generations are either not interested in, or unable to run the company, then this is the preferred alternative. The sale of the company will not only generate the highest level of liquidity, it will likely generate the highest valuation for the business as the valuation will include a premium for control of the company. The process to sell a business can be time consuming for company managers and will require the hiring of an M&A adviser to run the process. Partial Sale Of The Company In some situations, a family may wish to sell only a portion of the business to generate liquidity and to access capital from a minority partner that can also provide strategic, operational or financial expertise. A partial sale will not generate the highest valuation for the family business but will provide meaningful liquidity. Also, a partial sale can be used as part of a two-step sales process to become better acquainted with the investor/partner before selling control of the business at a later point. A partial sale will require an outside M&A adviser and can take time to find the right partner/investor. Initial Public Offering (IPO) Another alternative that will generate significant liquidity is an IPO, which will allow a family business to sell equity through a public offering on a stock exchange. A family business can decide how much ownership to give up in an IPO and can therefore maintain control if the family desires. However, public markets will now determine the valuation of the company’s shares and a great deal of information related to the family business (SEC filings, etc.) will become available to the public. Investors and analysts on Wall Street will also scrutinise the company’s performance on a quarter by quarter basis. This process can be time consuming and will require the hiring of an investment bank to list the shares and handle regulatory issues. The sale of equity in a family business to an ESOP provides liquidity to the family and allows employees of a family business to participate in the ownership of the company. For some family businesses, a high level of cash on the balance sheet or an under-leveraged balance sheet can provide a one-time special dividend to shareholders to meet their near-term liquidity needs. Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) The sale of equity in a family business to an ESOP provides liquidity to the family and allows employees of a family business to participate in the ownership of the company. The formation and management of ESOPs is highly regulated, and the costs of compliance and management of an ESOP are considerable. Given the specialised nature of this alternative, ESOP advisers are usually hired to handle the transaction. Redemption Plan A redemption plan gives shareholders an opportunity to put their shares back to the company, on a periodic basis (usually annual), at a valuation determined by a third-party valuation expert. Typically, the number of shares allowed to be put to the company is modest (i.e., 2% to 5% of total shares). This alternative provides liquidity to individual shareholders seeking liquidity. Outside advisers’ involvement is narrowly defined and limited in this situation. Special Dividend For some family businesses, a high level of cash on the balance sheet or an under-leveraged balance sheet can provide a one-time special dividend to shareholders to meet their near-term liquidity needs. With this alternative, the family business must have the financial capacity to provide the special dividend and shareholders need to understand that this is a one-time occurrence and distinct from the regular dividend. Dividend Distributions Regular dividend distributions remain the traditional method of how privately held companies provide liquidity to shareholders, however, it is not uncommon for private companies to pay rather modest dividends relative to their publicly traded peers. If shareholders’ liquidity needs are relatively low, then a review of current level of distributions can be done to see if dividends could be increased to meet liquidity needs. These liquidity alternatives do not have to exist on a stand-alone basis and can be used in combination to satisfy the liquidity needs of shareholders of family owned businesses, which are often complex. It should be comforting for family business owners to know that there are liquidity options that do not result in the loss of the family business legacy. Each of these alternatives will require guidance. About the Author - Mr O'Dowd is the Managing Director of Silvercrest Asset Management Group LLC. Silvercrest now has the in-house corporate finance capabilities to address these liquidity concerns and any other related family business issue with the recent hire of Seán O’Dowd as managing director and family business adviser.

At Tewkesbury Park they live and breathe hospitality. Making every moment memorable is truly the raison d’être for the family behind this quintessentially British hotel set in the rolling Gloucestershire countryside. Set back from the road down a sweeping drive, just a stone’s throw from the scenes of some of the bloodiest battles during the Wars of the Roses, Tewkesbury Park is once more vibrant and full of life following the investment and dedication of the McIntosh family who have spent time and money restoring it. The hotel is beautiful and reflects the desire of the family who want to create the ‘top luxury hotel in the region.’ The journey started over three years ago now when Chris, Claire and their mother bought the hotel. As Claire explains, “Just over three years ago I had no direct involvement in the hotel sector but had worked in hospitality before with an operational HR role at Mitchells & Butlers and have always been fascinated by hotels. My Mum, Dad and brother are also keen golfers and lived locally so when we saw the hotel on the market there was an inevitability about the outcome!” This is a family with a vision and a belief in all that they do and it resonates the moment that you enter reception and are greeted by the staff. The family are on hand to oversee the developments and staff are attentive, willing and helpful at every stage, clearly sharing the pride and the warmth that the hotel exudes. As Claire continues, “This has been a real journey for us and we love it. We’re so pleased to have reached this stage with the central areas and all existing bedrooms refurbished, nine decadent historic suites and two new spa treatment rooms created, the health club given a facelift and the stunning new events and conferencing suite, the Cotswolds Suite, opened this summer.“ Tewkesbury Park was already a hotel when the family acquired it but it is fair to say that it needed significant investment and a dose of TLC to restore it to its former glory days. As a family, it took a little time to define roles and responsibilities, but having done so they’ve worked well together… the scale of the refurbishment projects has certainly helped maintain the focus. As Claire adds, “We just had to make decisions and work together to keep to the timetable and budgets. The fact that this was such a large project and we had so much invested in it, we spent hours discussing the plans and working together right from the start. We talked about the hotel a lot, and still do, and spend a lot of time together as a family in and out of work, so it is great that we all get on!” Like many families in business, getting time away from work is key to finding the right balance. For Claire, whose husband is a full time barrister and who has two young children, maintaining that balance is key: “Jack is six and Chloe is seven and they really do help me to switch off. They help to keep me grounded, and at their young ages they remain a priority for me.” This business is going from strength to strength and the family are continuing to find new ways to enhance the overall hotel and the experience for their guests. The long term plan is to build the hotel as a luxury destination hotel , a road that they are already a long way down, but what of the future? Claire is pragmatic in her response, adding that “who knows what the future holds and with the next generation still so young it is difficult to know if the business will pass to the next generation. We will encourage them to follow their dreams, create their own journey, and, if it results in one day them being the right people to work in and lead the business going forward, that would be great. But, we are a young business with lots of plans and don’t want to put any pressure on them either.” Within the hotel sector, people are the key to success, and having a clear vision and set of values at the outset is essential. As Claire explains, “values and tone of voice are incredibly important to us and our team here. We have taken the time to work out who we are and how we want to be recognised. This is really important and as a family we are here to help, on hand to deal with the guests and we really do live out the values that we uphold so dearly.” The staff are key too and like many family firms, the team here do go the extra mile. Family firms invest in their staff the length and breadth of the UK and we come across many that value the contribution of older employees too. One such example is Joyce who is now in her 81st year, has been at the hotel for 27 years and still works in the restaurant on a regular basis. As Claire points out, “the guests love her, as do we, and she is part of the fabric of who we are. Returning guests are delighted to be greeted by her when they sit down to dinner, and they send her flowers to the hotel on her birthday too!” Claire and her brother Chris are at the hotel most days and have clear roles and responsibilities, yet discuss things relating to the hotel on a regular basis. They are also collectively responsible for delivering the broader brand values of Independence, Hospitality and Distinction, which are evident to anyone staying at the hotel. As Claire concludes, “The hotel is a great way for us to work together and has really played to our strengths and skills as a family. I have loved being closely involved with the refurbishment and the proudest moment for me has been how the new manor house suites have come together and represent a real step forward in pursuit of our luxury hotel vision. We are always looking for the next step and the Cotswolds Suite and Berkeley Bar have been a fantastic addition to the hotel. The level of weddings and conferences in the diary going forward continues to increase, so we must be doing something right.” This is a family that have clearly enjoyed their journey to date, a successful one that has created a real jewel in the Gloucestershire crown, and one that is not only steeped in history but luxury too. A quintessentially British hotel in beautiful surroundings, history on the doorstep and clearly with lots more exciting plans for the future, a business that will undoubtedly make its voice heard further and further afield.

The release of the ninth PwC Global Family Business Survey comes at a time of extraordinary transformation. Digital technology is disrupting whole industries; sustainability is becoming central to the conduct of business; in the corporate and financial worlds, winning trust is more important than it’s ever been; and millennials represent an enduring demographic change. We believe that family businesses – often built around strong values and with an aspirational purpose in mind – have a competitive advantage at a time like this. They are trusted more than non-family businesses by a 16-point margin globally, according to a special report in the 2017 Edelman Trust Barometer. And it’s long been recognised that a family firm – ranging from a global enterprise to a business in a small community – is more likely than other companies to treat each day’s activity as an investment in the long term, prioritising broad stakeholder interests over satisfying the quarterly earnings cycle. Yet one consistent finding since we started this biannual survey in 2002 is that many family businesses are not yet turning these inherent advantages into a winning strategy to help secure profitable, long-term legacies. This latest survey suggests there is a great opportunity here. Indeed, a healthy 75% of our survey respondents felt that having a clear set of values created a competitive advantage. There was also evidence that businesses with annual growth of 10% or more tended to be those with a clear sense of agreed values and purpose. This plays into legacy in an important way. Family businesses are being propelled towards a vastly different landscape. The strategies that worked well in the past might not be sufficient to sustain their businesses in the future. How can family businesses harness the legacies of the past and strive for strategic renewal, using their values as a key differentiator? And how should the next generation play a role in tackling digital disruption while preserving the values of the business? There is an enormous opportunity for family businesses to start generating real gains from their values and purpose by adopting an active approach that turns these into their most valuable asset. No global survey of the health of family business in 2018 would be complete without looking at the challenge of digitalisation. There was a marked jump since our last survey (2016) in the number of businesses feeling vulnerable to digital disruption – a trend highlighted in PwC’s latest annual flagship CEO Survey as well. Many family business leaders recognise the digital challenge, and many are preparing for it. But there’s a real opportunity to boost engagement in the digital realm by enlisting the help of the next generation. Overall, our respondents expressed enormous optimism about future growth but also increasing concern about changing business models, digitalisation, cybersecurity, regulation and protectionism. They are thinking carefully about innovation and attracting and keeping the right talent for their business. This suggests that there’s never been a more pressing time to get the fundamentals right. For this year’s report, we surveyed 2,953 companies in 53 territories, covering a wide range of sectors, from agriculture to technology. We would like to thank the respondents for taking the time to participate. We were also privileged to speak with leaders at 10 of the world’s most prestigious and successful global family businesses. We would like to express our sincere thanks to them for being so generous with their time and insights. We hope you’ll find the report valuable and that its insights will help you make better decisions for your family business. Download and read the full report below:

Families in business are unique. While similar to any public corporation competing in the market place, they are fundamentally different in one important and vital regard…their family. Dean Fowler looks at some of the challenges and how a family council might help. As owners and managers, family members – a passionate group – have the power to shape the future success of their family enterprise. The power and cohesive unity of a family provides a distinct strategic advantage to family enterprises – so much so that they outperform the Fortune 500 – with higher profitability, deeper personal passion in their products and services, and more “patient capital” provided by continued family investment in the business. A recent study of successful multi-generational businesses conducted by JPMorgan Private Bank, concluded that the cornerstone for preserving a family legacy across the generations was effective family governance – a process to balance the passions and ideals of the family with the goals and objectives of the corporation. I call this governance process The Family Council . The purpose of The Family Council is to nurture and sustain healthy family relationships while promoting responsible, committed and active stewardship of all the family’s assets including its legacy of values. For successful multi-generational family enterprises, The Family Council is the crucible in which the hard realities of business and the soft complexities of the family are blended into a coherent vision for the future. This ongoing process of creating cohesion and unity involves four major facets (ingredients) which are outlined below: Powerful vision — To maintain continuity across the generations, the family must develop and communicate the central values and purposes that empower the family legacy. The shared vision becomes the cornerstone for enhancing effective communication among family members to build strong relationships through trust and respect. For example, just prior to his recent death, Sam Johnson produced an extremely powerful movie that captured the core values of the business and the dynamics between himself and his father. One of my clients wrote a history of the family showing how the values of the founders have been embodied in the fabric of the family and the corporate culture of the business. Educational development — Future generations must be prepared for their roles and responsibilities as family members and responsible shareholders in the business. In addition, the competencies and strengths of family members must be nurtured through both formal and informal educational opportunities. For continuity, the spirit of stewardship of the family legacy and the family assets must be nurtured in the next generation. Beyond college or graduate school, successful families involve the next generation in the critical issues facing the business, or the family foundation, as a learning opportunity. Balancing family and business — The Family Council provides strategic level guidance to the Board of Directors and/or the management team on issues that impact the direction of the business or the family foundation. For example, how will the core values of the family determine the types of business ventures that should be pursued? During times of inter-generational transition, in particular, the family must lay the basic criteria for the succession process. Should a family member lead the company? The Family Council also establishes the basic rules and frameworks for managing the employment of family members in the business. Responsible ownership — As shareholders, family members must work together to create the necessary legal structures defining their mutual relationships as owners, as well as their appropriate roles in controlling the family business, foundation or other family assets. In addition to designing the primary frameworks for their legal shareholder agreements, including liquidity strategies, formal governance of the corporation, and commitments regarding future investment risk must be addressed for long-term success across the generations. The initial work of The Family Council involves the creation of a comprehensive Family Constitution in order to reinforce the family’s commitment to function as a family, to foster the growth of the business and to assure the ongoing investment in the future of their enterprise together. The family constitution addresses such topics as policies on employment, retirement, and compensation of family members; the purpose, vision and mission of the family; the core values of the family that are the ethical compass for the business; guidelines and procedures for decision making, and finally issues concerning stock ownership, liquidity, and family philanthropy. The ongoing work of The Family Council uses the framework of the family constitution to deal with the complex issues that emerge both within the family, and particularly, the dynamics between the family and its ongoing ownership in the family enterprise.

Haggis and Macsween are world renowned. We spoke to Managing Director James Macsween to find out more about the evolution of this family firm. The Macsween story begins with Charlie and Jean Macsween, the grandparents of James Macsween who is currently involved in the business who opened a retail butcher’s shop in Bruntsfield, South Edinburgh in 1953. Previously they had both worked at Orr’s, the well respected butcher and game dealer in central Edinburgh, which was where they met. Charlie was eventually promoted to store manager while Jean worked in the accounts department. Mr Orr’s business was very much ahead of his time, with segregation of raw and cooked meats, its own slaughter house and even a dedicated engineer to look after the fleet of vans. After the death of Mr Orr the company ceased to trade, so Charlie and Jean decided to set up their own business. Dedication and entrepreneurship was at the heart of the business with strong family values and Charlie’s customers at Orr’s remained loyal to the new business and happily travelled across town to the new shop. Word soon spread and within a few years adjoining space was purchased to accommodate the thriving business and growing workforce. ‘Charles Macsween’ vans were soon to be seen delivering quality meat to private and wholesale customers all over Edinburgh. Like all good butchers of the time, ‘Charles Macsween’ made a range of home-made products such as pies, sausages and the now famous haggis. The business quickly established a reputation for quality, a wide range of all meats and games and the friendly and knowledgeable service from Charlie at the butcher’s block and Jean in the office. The second generation – John and Kate Macsween John was Charlie’s eldest son and had always been passionate about the business. On the day he left school in 1957 he put his passion into practice and started working alongside his parents. Father and son enjoyed a great working relationship and jointly ran the business under the name ‘Charles Macsween and Son.’ John learned all the aspects of retail butchery while developing his natural abilities in the manufacturing potential of the haggis and other company products. When Charlie died in 1975 the business passed to John but dynamic and challenging times were to follow. The growth of the supermarkets started to threaten the independent high street retailers and less time was being spent cooking traditional family meals at home in the kitchen. Being the natural entrepreneur that he was, John and his wife Kate saw opportunity aplenty in the specialised manufacture of haggis. James explains, “Dad (John) met Mum (Kate) at 19 and were childhood sweethearts and they signed up for the same goals, a nice house, a family and a successful business and that is not only what they set out to do, they succeeded.” As James continues, “Dad worked tirelessly to build the business and his devotion to the family firm soon began to pay off.” A chance to present Macsween haggis at a Scottish food fair in Selfridges paved the way for sales across the UK. John’s innovation and acumen for product development saw the introduction of the first vegetarian haggis in 1984 and this was another decisive moment in the company’s continued expansion. Kate’s blue sky thinking and John’s practical ability proved to be a winning combination and soon the words ‘Macsween’ and ‘haggis’ became intertwined. John sadly died in 2006 after a life’s dedication to the business that he loved so passionately. As his numerous obituaries testified, he achieved a very special place in people’s hearts all over the world. As James continues, “He elevated the status of Scotland’s national dish and rightly takes his place as one of Scotland’s inspirational entrepreneurs.” The third generation – James and Jo Macsween John and Kate’s children, sister and brother, Jo and James joined the business in the mid-1990’s. When their father passed away in 2006 they both took on joint responsibility for running the business as it entered the next stage of its journey. Both grew up doing their homework in the offices of the butchers’ shop, inhaling the smells of matured meat and steaming haggis. During the holidays, they served the very particular requirements of Edinburgh’s Morningside ladies and thereby gained very early insights into the challenges and rewards of excellent customer service. On joining the business full time, working with John and Kate, Jo set about nurturing and building the brand, while James started to make operational and technical improvements, ensuring that their haggis was consistently brilliant every day. In 1996, this multi-generation team created the world’s first, custom-built dedicated haggis factory. Since taking on joint responsibility for running the business, Jo and James have driven an obsessive focus on making authentic haggis to the unique family recipe, concentrating on quality, product innovation, employee engagement and sustainability. Their successful microwaveable haggis and black pudding products are testament to this, launched to serve time-pressed customers who do not want to compromise on quality. The company embraced the digital age too and have taken a lead in sustainable management and reporting. The future James Macsween continues to champion and celebrate the haggis in all of its glory, and continued hard work and dedication to continually improve sees new products being brought to market too – Sausages and Gluten Free Haggis for example. As James explains, “Over the last twenty years or so Macsween has focused on excelling in the manufacture of haggis, and I think that the numerous awards and accolades that we have been awarded is testament to us continuing to achieve that goal.” James has the same passion for haggis and the business as the previous generations. “I genuinely love what I do,” he adds, “but am fully aware of where the business began and the fond memories that it provides from growing up in and around the business. I guess being involved in this family business has become instinctive, there is something about it being yours and having your name above the door adds to the pride, and helps keep the eye firmly focused on the business too. “ Working with your parents can be tricky but as James explains, “I never regretted joining the business at all, even in the early days when Dad and I ‘rubbed swords’ due to our similar personalities but at the end of the day it was business first and the business is essentially the common denominator for all of us anyway. The experiences have stood me in good stead and the entrepreneurial flair and dedication to the business and the underlying values have helped me become the person that I am today.” Macsween is undoubtedly a pioneering family firm being the first company in the UK to embrace microwaveable food technology and continuing to embrace opportunities both at home and abroad, where Macsween are hoping that the ban on exporting haggis to the US will be lifted. James, is however, aware of the heritage and history behind the Macsween brand, something that his own children have reminded him of from time to time, such as one visit to the factory when he was asked, “Dad, what are you doing here in Granny’s factory!” There are continued pressures on the business to grow and in order to do so there are plans in place to open a new, purpose built manufacturing operation in 2018 which will see all of the operation under one roof, with space to grow further too. As James adds, “These are exciting times for the business and the brand, but we remain true to our values and our roots, clearly identifying the family company origins dating back to 1953 on our packaging, and we’re proud of who we are a business. Not only is this a great point of difference but it also shows that we are a brand that is real and honest, and as our company strapline says, ‘trust us to be interesting.” A fine Scottish family firm that is continuing to push the boundaries and harness their reputation as manufacturers of fine foods and guardians of Scotland’s national dish.