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The co-founders of a fast-growing business have praised the “pivotal” role an award-winning coach has played in helping drive forward their success.
A flurry of new contracts has helped GeoAccess’ senior management team expand from five people to 25 – with the company on track to post a record turnover of £13.6m.
That figure has almost trebled since the Staffordshire-based company started working with scaling-up coach Ian Kinnery, a previous European Business Coach of the Year who has helped grow dozens/hundreds of businesses over the past two decades.
Managing Director Mark Coleman first contacted Ian via LinkedIn around three years ago and said both he and the business have “grown beyond belief” due to the coach’s help.
“From the moment we first spoke we just hit it off, and there was something about Ian that just clicked,” said Mark.
“He has helped us grow exponentially, while as a person, I’ve grown beyond belief and that’s transpired into the business also growing beyond belief.
“He’s played an enormous part in scaling this business, which now has 24/25 (Needs checking) people within the core team and 175 people in the wider team.
“Before we worked with Ian, we were turning over between £3.5 and £4mand now we are set to hit £13.6m – and a massive factor has been Ian’s help and input.
“Our processes have also become more robust and mature and given I don’t have a traditional business background; he provided the invaluable guidance and support I needed to get the company where I knew it could be.”
The business launched in 2014 following a chat in a hot tub between Mark and his business partner, David Frost, while the pair were working for a different company.
Realising they could do a better job, they launched GeoAccess, a bespoke asset management company specialising in surveys and inspections which has several large clients including Network Rail and drone specialists, Coptrz.
Given the business has been on a natural growth trajectory over the past decade, Operations Director David admits he was “sceptical” about involving a business coach in the business but after Mark convinced him over a pint to try Ian, the results have been transformative.
“At the time I thought why do we need a business coach – we have client, we know our industry and I felt we know what we are doing so I was sceptical,” said David.
“However, since then we’ve been proven very wrong. Both Mark and I are technicians by trade, but I feel Ian became 100 per cent embedded within the business and thanks to his vast experience, helped us with the other side – numbers, people management and ensuring we were doing the basics right.
“This helped give us a solid foundation to grow, and even now as we eye up further growth, he continues to challenge us and show us what is needed to reach that next level.”
Having enjoyed a successful business career in the North East as a Managing Director, Ian moved into coaching back in 2005 and is a multi-accredited coach.
“Mark and David’s business was successful, but they knew it had potential to become extraordinary,” said Ian.
“As both will say, running a business can be lonely. It can impact your mental health and often you need someone experienced you can turn too for that much-needed support in order to continue that growth journey.
“The results we’ve enjoyed together have been incredible, and GeoAccess is now firmly on the right path towards even more growth in the future.”
For more information on GeoAccess visit https://geoaccess.co.uk/. To see how Ian Kinnery can grown your business and to schedule a call, visit https://kinnery.co.uk/
