MARKETING STOCKPORT AND MEMBERS FINALISTS IN EN AWARDS

Marketing Stockport and its members have been announced as 2015 finalists in the prestigious North West Entrepreneur of the Year Awards and heading the field for both the Technology Entrepreneur and overall North West Entrepreneur of the Year award is Midshire’s Julian Stafford.

Avensure founders Chris Garner and Andrew Hennessy are shortlisted in the Financial & Professional Services category and will be fighting it out with Marketing Stockport for the title of Most Entrepreneurial Company 2015 and Trust’s Stuart Bradley is hoping for success as Media Entrepreneur of the Year.

Julian (left) set up Midshire Business Systems Northern back in 1997 with just three staff and today employs over 65 staff across three office locations: Stockport, Sheffield and Pontyclun. Originally just a photocopier sales and service provider, Midshire has expanded its product portfolio to now supply IT support and telecommunication solutions; enabling them to provide a full-service office technology offering to customers across the UK. This year the company is anticipating a turnover of over 8 million pounds.

As well as driving Midshire’s success, Julian works hard to support the local community through sponsorship, charitable fundraising and technology support.

Founding and Gold member of Marketing Stockport Hallidays nominated both Marketing Stockport and Trust commenting:

“It is fantastic to be able to nominate for awards such as these, helping them attain the recognition they deserve. Marketing Stockport and Trust are great examples of entrepreneurial businesses that have achieved growth through their unique approach to business. I wish them all the best of luck.  We look forward to continuing to support them in the future.”

Left: Richard Higginson and Helen White – Marketing Stockport

Marketing Stockport promotes, connects and showcases the diversity of the area’s businesses, increasing trading opportunities regionally, nationally and internationally. Funded entirely through levels of membership, they have achieved growth of 65% over the past 18 months returning a positive ROI for their members while gaining a reputation as the ‘Institute Of Directors of Stockport’.Richard Higginson and Helen White – Marketing Stockport 

Trust is a Stockport-based design agency who build brands based on values.  Last year they achieved their most successful year ever. They have worked hard to maintain their existing 100% levels of customer satisfaction and engage impressive new clients like Pioneer DJ and Retrak, while retaining and growing existing clients like Hallidays.

Left: Stuart Bradley – Trust

The winners will be announced at the awards gala dinner on the 21st October at The Mere Golf Resort & Spa, Cheshire.   The event will be hosted Lord Sugar’s former right-hand man on BBC’s The Apprentice, Nick Hewer. 

The 2015 Judging Panel comprises of:

• Rachel Elnaugh – Award winning entrepreneur who starred as a Dragon in the first two series of BBC’s Dragons’ Den, founded Red Letter Days and co-founded SourceTV.
• Michael Kenyon – CFO at The North West Fund, a £155m investment fund established to provide finance from £25,000 to £2m to small and medium sized enterprises in the North West of England to start, develop and grow.
• Mark Mills – Former winner and highly regarded entrepreneur who is best known as the founder of cash machines network Cardpoint, Mark is now a sought-after business consultant and non-executive director.
• Dave Costley-Wood – Advisory partner at KPMG specialising in privately owned companies and heading up the enterprise consulting division in the North.