Tiina Carr at Brocco on the Park. Photo © Jamie Veitch
Many of us have experienced the all-consuming nature of launching a business. Now imagine your launch also involved project managing all aspects of a complex building refurbishment, on top of creating a brand, recruiting an operational team, marketing to your first customers and growing a customer base and a reputation.
The latest episode of my Business Live radio programme, first broadcast on Sheffield Live radio on Friday 14th October, includes a comprehensive interview with Tiina Carr, owner of boutique hotel and restaurant, Brocco on the Park.
Brocco on the Park opened in 2014 and has just been named City Hotel of the Year by the Good Hotel Guide, the independent guide to the UK’s best hotels. It’s a tremendous accolade from the Guide, which only awards 10 of its César Awards each year to “the most celebrated hoteliers who have demonstrated excellence in their field.”
In the interview, Tiina gives a detailed account about the rollercoaster ride of launching Brocco on the Park, covering her attention to detail, her brand philosophy, and her approach to developing the business, along with tips and advice for other business owners. You can hear it on the podcast of the show, below.
Another of my guests was celebrating this week too. Dave Colclough is Global Director of Operations at Dialogue Group, an application-to-person SMS messaging specialist. And this week Dialogue Group was crowned the Gold Medal Award winner at Insider’s annual Growth 100 Awards.
The Growth 100 Awards recognise businesses which are achieving sustained rapid growth, with Yorkshire Business Insider editor Adam Lovell revealing that the companies which have made their list this year have added a collective revenue increase of £3.88bn to Yorkshire. Dave explained how Dialogue – a business operating globally and with its roots firmly planted in Yorkshire – helps its clients to communicate effectively with their customers, and gave his own insights about how investment in systems and processes have enabled the business to scale.
Also joining me in the studio this week was Steve Buckley, discussing Social Enterprise Exchange, a new initiative providing “a comprehensive programme of support to social enterprises across the Sheffield City Region to promote social entrepreneurship and contribute toward job creation, growth and social inclusion.” Their launch event is Thursday 20th October and Steve explains how the programme aims to support both startup and growth social enterprises.
Here’s the podcast:
Timings:
- 0 – 10:55 introductions and updates: Yorkshire has made a successful bid to host the 2019 UCI Road World Cycling Championships; reducing the gender pay gap could “add £150bn to the UK’s economy by 2025” according to new research from The Fawcett Society; Sheffield Business Awards shortlist published; the UK Powerhouse report, produced by law firm Irwin Mitchell with the Centre for Economic and Business Research; changes to the National Minimum Wage rates which came into effect on 1 October; applications open for the next Sheffield SOUP; Rotherham’s young entrepreneurs encouraged to enter the Young Entrepreneur of the Year Awards; forthcoming events including the Sheffield Business Conference, SheffEX, the MADE Entrepreneurship Festival, Social Saturday and the Social Enterprise Exchange Launch Conference.
- 10:55 – 23:17 Dave Colclough
- 23:17 – 45:24 Tiina Carr
- 45:24 – 53:45 Steve Buckley
- 53:45 – end wrapping up
More about the Business Live radio programme.
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