Tuesday May 7, 2019

Businesses encouraged to seek inspiration at free seminar

The James Legal InspiringBusiness2019 campaign to support SMEs across the region enjoyed a cracking start back in March with the announcement of the 2018 competition winner at a seminar that was bursting at the seams with inspiration from keynote speakers Tony Bowler, who runs premier business club The Business Culture Hull, and internationally renowned hypnotherapist Sheila Granger.

And now the Hull-based law firm is taking bookings for the second event of this year’s campaign, which is due to take place at the Hallmark Hotel on Wednesday June 19. Two more fascinating speakers will be sharing the story of their personal journeys – former Mr Universe and fitness entrepreneur Mark Bowering, and Beverley Building Society Chief Executive Karl Elliott.

Nick Miller, Solicitor and Managing Director of James Legal, said: “Our speakers always give the audience some real food for thought in sharing the lessons they have learned on their path to business success.

“Local business-people are encouraged to come along to the seminar to hear their stories, network with other businesses, and maybe even enter our InspiringBusiness2019 competition.”

Hull-born Mark Bowering believes having a cause is the single most important factor in business success. And if anyone has lived the dream, he has. Having come up with a crack business idea in his 20s, he rode the rise of the internet in the late 1990s to build his patented fitness supplement brand PhD into the leading product of its type in the UK, then sold it to Boots in 2015 to make his fortune.

Some might have expected him to give it all up at that point and opt for an easier life. Not Mark. He carried on working on what he loves – in fact, the very things that inspired his early win in the first place: his Peak Physique gym and Monster Supplements health and fitness store on New Cleveland Street in Hull.

Mark said: “I think being successful in business ultimately comes down to knowing what motivates you and remaining true to that – for me, it’s about helping people to live better, more fulfilled lives.”

In 2017, after a 25-year career in the world of finance, Karl Elliott proudly stepped up to the top role at Beverley Building Society.

Brought up in a working-class area of north east England and the first member of his family to go to university, Karl almost accidentally found himself in a graduate trainee role at a building society, with zero knowledge of what a ‘mutual’ even was.

He said: “I had no desire to be a banker, I just needed a job! But the values of a mutual organisation felt absolutely right to me then, and they still do now. I’m motivated by trying to do right thing for customers, connecting with people and making a genuine difference to their lives.” 

Karl’s story entails a rollercoaster of highs and lows both in his work and personal life, with a catalogue of pivotal lessons that perhaps didn’t make much sense at the time but now –  with the benefit of hindsight – he understands were crucial steps towards his current success and happiness.

To hear more from Mark and Karl on June 19, attendees should book their free seats via Eventbrite. The event will begin at 10am at the Hallmark Hotel, Ferriby High Road, North Ferriby, HU14 3LG.

The InspiringBusiness2019 campaign

First launched in 2017 as James Legal’s way of contributing to the vibrancy of the Yorkshire and Humber corporate community, its InspiringBusiness series has so far brought together hundreds of professional people to hear the personal stories of some of the region’s most inspiring ones, as well as offering one lucky business per year a support package worth over £20,000.

And this year it is building on that, with a wellbeing theme designed to help those taking part achieve a better work/life balance.

Nick Miller said: “Many of the speakers we have lined up for this year’s seminars have powerful insights into things like mindfulness, physical fitness and nutrition, which we hope will help those involved become not just more successful, but happier too.”

This year, another six partners are joining forces – cbaSadofskys Chartered Accountants; The Business Culture Hull; Peacock Finance; Mobius; Sheila Granger, and Peak Health & Fitness Gymnasium – to offer a prize package worth more than £20,000.

Nick added: “The reason we hold this campaign is because we want to inspire and connect local businesses and business people, we believe in giving back and supporting our local community.

“We’re delighted to be embarking on the third year of the campaign. The talent we’ve unearthed through this competition is remarkable, as are the inspirational stories we’ve heard from our speakers, and the connections that have been made among the businesses that have participated.”

If your business is doing something special and you’d like to enter this year’s competition, request your application form from info@jameslegal.co.uk

The first seminar of 2019 took place in early March, where the winner of the InspiringBusiness2018 competition – pioneering Hull company BIMsense – was announced. BIMsense was formed in 2016 by a chartered engineer and a bricklayer who had a burning desire to change the way buildings are designed, built and managed using a revolutionary new process of ‘building information modelling’ (BIM) digital solutions.

BIMsense Co-founder Scott Pilgrim said: “We’re really thrilled to be chosen as winners. Our business development will require a lot of support so every element of the prize will be incredibly useful. We’re very much looking forward to working with all the partners.”

ENDS

Photo: Nick Miller (far right) from James Legal, with Scott Pilgrim and Alison Rolfe from BIMsense, winners of the InspiringBusiness2018 competition

Please contact Tracy Fletcher of By Tracy Fletcher Limited PR if you have any questions or interview requests related to this media release, via 07983 633385 or tracy@bytracyfletcher.com