Steven Rawlingson, SKI
Steven Rawlingson founded Samuel Knight International (SKI) in 2014.
After securing seed-stage support, SKI faced serious scaleup challenges in its third year when it saw exponential growth. Revenues increased 400% to hit £10m but back at the office, support functions needed to be strengthened.
He said, “It looked like we were going to be a ‘could have been special’ business. I had grown it too quickly and was in a bit of a pickle.”
To learn more about sustainable growth, Steven joined the Scale-up Leader's Academy (SULA).
"SULA allowed me to reassess and learn how to keep the four key plates of my business - people, strategy, execution and cash - spinning in the right way.
"Every day I was practising what I was learning on the course. They really changed my mind-set and helped me get the business back in line. I learned to think like a CEO. I can’t tell you what it did for me."
Starting with an intimate team of four, in 6 years, SKI has grown dramatically into a 70-person team, with an estimated turnover of £17m - firmly moving towards their 5-year plan of achieving £100m turnover. In 2019, SKI secured further investment to finance the next phase of growth, including developing larger headquarters in Newcastle and building SKI’s presence in the US.
If you're ready to elevate your business and leadership skills to the next level, join the Scale-up Leaders’ Academy. Apply now and take the first step toward unlocking your full potential.
