‘It’s been a privilege to lead the company’
THE founder of a multilingual digital marketing agency is stepping back from the role of managing director to focus on ‘other projects.’
Gabrielle Hadley has been at the helm of Stone-based Extramile Communications since she set-up the business with her husband and company chairman Nick Evans in 2000.
Now she has announced that she is stepping back from the role after more than 20 years.
Gabrielle, who will continue to be a majority shareholder in the business, said: “Extramile has been my baby for over 20 years, and the company has now grown up and needs a new leader to take it forward into the next stage of its development.
“It’s been a privilege to lead the company and I have thoroughly enjoyed this challenge, but I now want to turn my attention to other projects, although I shall continue to be an active member of the board of directors.”
Well-known business consultant Amanda Brooke – whose background is in business growth and coaching – has now been appointed as Extramile’s new managing director.
Amanda will work closely with sales and marketing director James Roberts to grow the business going forward.
She said: “This is an exciting time to take this dynamic company to the next level. Extramile has a marvellous culture, a great team of highly skilled individuals who work with major companies around the world, and a growth plan which we have developed to take the company on the growth path it’s planning.
“I’ve worked with many great companies over the years, but when the opportunity arose at Extramile to build on the foundations of the work that I had done with them, it was just too good to miss.”
To find out more, go to www. extramilecommunications.com
AFAMILY-RUN construction firm has secured a £150,000 funding boost to help it bounce back from the pandemic. Silverdale-based Trades and Labourers secured the loan via the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) to kickstart growth plans after scaling back its operations during the first lockdown.
The cash-boost has helped to safeguard four roles at the company and is expected to support the creation of 10 new jobs in the coming years.
Managing director Lynn Sanders – whose husband and three sons are also involved in the business – said: “With new funding in place, the company intends to continue fulfilling existing contracts that were previously on hold, whilst also having the working capital required to secure new contracts in the coming months.
“After an incredibly challenging 2020, whereby our company had to put a number of contracts on hold due to the coronavirus and temporarily furlough staff – retaining a small number for emergency work required by our clients – we are delighted to be firmly looking to the future now by completing existing client contracts and looking to expand the business.”
Trades and Labourers specialises in maintaining and repairing buildings for a range of public and private sector clients, completing residential and commercial construction work and groundworks.
The firm approached alternative lender BCRS Business Loans, which was established almost 20 years ago to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMES) in the West Midlands that are unable access finance from traditional lenders, such as banks. Andrew Hustwit, business development manager for Staffordshire and Stoke-on-trent at BCRS Business Loans, said: “We are delighted to have provided the funding that Trades and Labourers required to recover from the interruption inflicted by coronavirus and work towards growth in the coming months. As a lender of social and economic impact, we are also delighted that 10 jobs will be created thanks to this loan.”
The loan was facilitated by the Community Investment Enterprise Facility (CIEF), which is delivered on a local level by BCRS Business Loans and managed by Social Investment Scotland.
Alastair Davis, chief executive at Social Investment Scotland, added: “The Community Investment Enterprise Facility aims to provide investments to SMES in communities across the country, to bolster their local social and economic impact. We are delighted that Trades and Labourers have secured this loan from BCRS and wish them every success as they rebuild their business following the challenges related to the pandemic.”
AN APPRENTICE from Newcastle has been promoted to a permanent role at business consultancy Strategi Solutions.
Joshua Cooper, aged 19, has been working as a finance apprentice at Newcastle-based Strategi while completing an accounting apprenticeship with Newcastle College. Now Joshua has now been awarded a full-time business analyst role at the company.
He said: “Doing an apprenticeship has been a great decision. I’ve been able to get qualified, gain real life experience and earn money while doing so.
“It’s fantastic that my hard work has paid off and I’ve been offered a permanent role. I’m looking forward to continuing to learn and grow as the company expands and contributing to its continued success.”
Wendy Dean, CEO at Strategi, said, “Since Josh joined Strategi a year-anda-half ago, he has made great progress, completing his apprenticeship, and gaining a promotion to a new role. His success is a credit to his hard work, and his contribution makes a real difference to the team, and the company. Congratulations Josh – the future is looking bright.”