Let’s Grow Together

In this challenging economy James Cannon, MD of Ransomwood Estates looks at how local entrepreneurs in Ransom Wood are doing business to grow together and develop our micro economy. We focus on  A Star Media and Focus Management For Business to look at how businesses can benefit from each other’s Support at Ransom Wood.

The poem below by James Weldon Lane represents the theme of this article which is about doing business together.

If we can fight together, we must strive together
If we can play together, we must pray together
If we can plan together, we must stand together
If we can cry together, we must try together

We must strive together, if we can fight together
We must pray together, if we can play together
We must stand together, if we can plan together
We must try together, if we can cry together

The future of man is built on a plan
Of working together whenever we can
So “if” must stand so tall
And “must” alone, cannot fall
For together, forever we bring
The best, the good of it al

In the current climate more and more businesses are focusing on doing business together locally to drive the micro economy forwards. This is the trend all over the UK  – we have even heard talk of micro currencies being developed – like the Bristol Pound  – You never know, one day we could have the Mansfield Pound.

It’s the SME’s – the companies in this room – you and me –  that are doing this local business Together and as they make up 50% of the UKs GDP, its a force to be reckoned with. SMEs can make a real difference to the economy and especially to our local economy here in Mansfield.

So today I want to focus on how this trend of doing business together is happening at Ransom Wood Business Park.

Ransom Wood has seen some interesting changes to the makeup of its business population in recent years which illustrates my point about the importance of SMEs. – The park has gone from a domination of big organisations like the NHS to a much larger spread of SMEs.

These businesses have begun to develop strong relationships with each other on site, doing business together which helps develop Mansfield’s micro economy. We now hear from A Star Media and Focus Management who are both based at Ransom Wood.

A Star Media

Hello I’m Katrina from A Star Media, I started the business back in 2008 with John Starkie, a friend from university, and took it full time in 2009. We’re a film production company specialising in films for the web.

Our first ‘office space’ was the study at my mum and dad’s house. And by study I mean a little alcove off the living room with a desk in it which John used and a camping table that I used. By April 2009 we were getting a little bit too big for the study, not to mention my dad is mostly deaf and a big fan of Jeremy Kyle, so it was often confusing for clients calling us and overhearing ‘I’m not the dad’ being shouted in the background.

We moved into an incubation unit run by Mansfield District Council, and while it was great to get our business started I knew that we needed something a special something to help us grow.

I first came to Ransom Wood at a 2020 after hours event, and I was so impressed coming down the drive I thought ‘I could really see A Star Media here’. After that I made it my secret mission to get us here!

John is very cautious so I knew I would have to convince him, but after his first visit to what would be our new office he was completely converted! I also brought 2 other tenants from the incubation unit with me, so apologies to Mansfield District Council for emptying the place…

We moved in on the 31^st October 2010 and since then we haven’t really looked back. The benefits to our business of working from Ransom Wood are really threefold. Firstly, we’re happy here, we know our kit is secure, it’s a lovely place, and we’ve made some really good friends. We work long hours, and like any business, sometimes it can be stressful, so working in a nice place just makes it that bit easier. We set on our first employee earlier this year and on his second day he said ‘I just love this office!’

Secondly it really impresses our customers. Ransom Wood really does have the ‘wow’ factor when people come and visit, and it makes us memorable, when our clients come they always want to come back.

Finally, and most importantly really, being at Ransom Wood has helped our business to grow. From generating more contacts, networking with other businesses on the park or just getting sound advice from our neighbours. Since our move to Ransom Wood our turnover has increased five-fold, we’ve expanded our provision and we often use the space we have as a studio.

Our aspiration is to continue our growth, and the team at Ransom Wood give us the space and support to do this. Since moving in we’ve already expanded our office space and I’ve already got my eye on some more!

Focus Management

Hello, I am Malcolm Yates from Focus Management for Business Limited and we are based at Ransom Wood too.  We are a training and development company specialising in people development. We provide bespoke training solutions to all sorts of businesses large and small.   We can develop management skills in people, a lot of people think it comes naturally, well in some it might but for the majority it doesn’t and need to be learnt.  Sadly some learn the hard way through failure or some never learn at all! We often promote our best worker into our worst manager.

Like many businesses when we started in 1993 we were working from home and over the years my wife Sue and I discovered that the business was gradually taking over the whole house and also that the work was getting too much for the two of us.  Then in 2003 we moved out into a single office at Edwinstowe and the business continued to grow. As we grew we needed more space and our if possible our own training facility.  We moved to Ransom Wood in 2007 and occupied part of the ground floor of Oak House B where we still are. In 2009 we expanded in to next door and we now occupy both Oak house a and b.

We find the relaxed and tranquil environment at Ransom Wood super for working in and more importantly it provides a great training environment for our learners. The fabulous surroundings of Ransom Wood with its majestic drive through the trees gives one a great feeling and that’s before you have got to work!

We have managed to trade with other tenants on site too, our very own Sam here at 2020 has benefited from our training and holds the prestigious level 5 diploma in Management and is one small step away from gaining her Chartered Manager status, also we have Jane from RWE going through the level 5 diploma too.  We work with Katie and have benefited from her and John’s expertise in the video and media world.  Another tenant on the park is now one of our clients – Monsal.

We enjoy our home in the trees watching the squirrels running around, we also get on with some work too!

To Conclude

So we’ve looked at how local business can drive our micro economy forwards by looking at Ransom.  Our company also benefits from the diversity of businesses on our park and in turn drives our local economy through doing business with them.

I have a network of organisations that can all help ransomwood estates develop based within a few strolls of my office.

I have a fantastic training organisation that is currently developing my key staff with management training. I regard Focus Management as my in house training department.

For video work, I am lucky enough to have A Star Media as a neighbour – they have developed videos on Ransom Wood and Forever Green including a Bond Trailer for our Christmas parties.

On the business promotion side I  have the lovely Sam and Mansfield 2020 on site – Mansfield 2020 is all about developing these relationships and the support of its members shows how important the local economy is to all of you here today.

For marketing design I have shout PR – I even have a cake maker, IT specialists and more – And if I want to source an apprentice, Vision West Notts are a brief stroll from my office.

I hugely value all these relationships and In short, I believe we are all in this together and the best way for us to grow is to grow together.

Some of you here will have visited Ransom Wood before, but I would encourage those of you that haven’t to take a moment and come and see our site so you can understand what makes it so special. If you are looking for office space in a unique environment then take a look at our current availability.