Samantha Harrington-Lowe, Pretty Clever Ltd
Pretty Clever Ltd is an event management company specialising in the corporate market, the main area of business is team building, conferences, incentives, themed parties and venue sourcing. Based in Brighton & Hove, we operate as specialists locally but also trade globally. Sam Harrington-Lowe is one of two directors heading up small team of five together with business partner Samantha Nash.
We created the business simply because we didn’t feel that anyone else was doing the job properly in our geographical area, and we’ve always tried to bring business into the city. This has worked especially well for our London clients, who love nothing more than leaving the smog to have their event on the south coast. But we can operate all over the world and have developed excellent working relationships all over the place!
Although we had both been heads of departments and teams before, managing a business is a completely different animal. It’s not just about getting your people right and maintaining good working relationships; it’s about growing the business, developing at the right pace, making the right decisions, and of course, paying the VAT bill.
Overcoming the fear of failure is a big
step and to be honest, I don’t think that ever really goes away. We’ve been
operating for four years now and I still worry - but it does keep
you on your toes! I feel a key factor when setting up a business is to choose a
business that you have a working knowledge of because just running it is hard
enough without having to learn a new trade.
Be realistic; get some kind of business plan in order, ensure you have funding – not just for the business, but to live on too – and be prepared for the longest working hours you’ve ever experienced!
Inspiration can come from anywhere. Both myself and my business partner have parents who have their own businesses, so perhaps it was inevitable we’d tread the same path. But it could also be the draw of freedom, of not having to answer to anyone else. Just remember with that freedom comes the ultimate responsibility of the whole thing. The buck stops with you!
Having said all those cautionary things, I can honestly say that setting up in business ourselves was the best thing I’ve ever done. There’s a sense of pride in doing the job well, and knowing you’ve set the whole thing up. We’ve just expanded into new offices, taken on more staff and are making that leap into the next area. Over the next couple of years the business should continue to thrive, and then we have plans to launch two more specialist areas. I don’t believe you should stand still or get complacent.
