Documentaries
Investor ERIC COLLINS is on a mission to help struggling British businesses
Including The Money Maker and The Battle for Britney
BRITISH BUSINESS HAS taken a battering during lockdown, but help is at hand in the form of entrepreneur and investor Eric Collins, who will be assisting four
struggling UK businesses to navigate the post-pandemic economy in new
C4 series The Money Maker.
With bags of experience and his own cash to invest, Collins, who is the CEO of a venture capital firm, is offering game-changing investment and advice that could help turn ailing firms around.
‘There’s never been a moment in history like it, and even previously successful businesses are facing unprecedented challenges,’ says the 54-year-old American, who was a peer of Barack Obama’s at Harvard Law School. ‘My role is to provide real advice and connection to organisations and individuals who have tried to be creative and frugal and, through no fault of their own, are still struggling.’
The companies featured in the series include Birmingham-based Winny’s Meals, specialising in Jamaican food;
London hair-cutting business TRIM-IT; and artisan breadmaking business The Sussex Kitchen. In this week’s first episode, Collins travels to Manchester to meet Jasen, the CEO of repair and restoration company Prymo.
A NEW VIEW
‘Jasen has done everything he can in order to maintain his business, support his loyal employees and raise a family at the same time,’ says Collins.
And while TV tycoons such as Lord Sugar trade on being fearsome, Collins’ demeanour is firm and calm as he introduces significant – and in some cases, unwelcome – changes.
‘All the companies are very personal businesses, which means net worth and self-worth are very much intertwined,’ says Collins. ‘It makes things tricky, because you’re effectively saying,“this is your baby. You think your baby is cute, but I don’t agree.” That’s a hard message for any parent to hear.’
However, the rewards can be huge, as is proved when Collins’ techniques and overhauls start bringing in the cash.
‘My aim was to get these companies not just to tick along, but to transform them into real powerhouses,’ he says. ‘The most rewarding moment is when the entrepreneur turns to me and says, “I didn’t understand why, but now I see how.”’