And the winner is…
Last year's winner Tom Joules of Joules Clothing was kind enough to interrupt his busy schedule to say a few words about the award win and where his business is now.
What did it mean to you to win the award?
“I was very proud to win the entrepreneur of the year award, being born and educated in Leicester it meant a lot to me personally. All that hard work and effort had actually paid off and here I was being recognised for it. However it must be said that this was a joint effort and it couldn’t have happened without the board of directors all of whom were also born and educated in Leicester. Our win was a team effort and is testament to their energy and enthusiasm which is carried through our entire operation. It just goes to show that good things do come from Leicester.”
Where are you now?
“Before we won the award we were already a successful flourishing business with a turnover of £10.9 million this year it’ll be £14.1 million. Our growth in the last year alone has been by 25% which has enabled us to expand our distribution channels globally; we have grown personnel by 40 people and opened another four stores in the UK including a prestigious outlet in Harrods Knightsbridge. The online business is really booming with an increase of 40% on last year so all in all it’s been an exceptional time for Joules Clothing.”
What’s the secret of your success?
“Our success can be attributed to having a sound business model, identifying and exploiting a niche market and having a very close relationship with the manufacturer to ensure that the Joules brand delivers real value for money for its customers. Another key factor is our sourcing which is very sophisticated, pretty much inline with any high st clothing brand which gives us considerable strength and leverage”.
What was your greatest challenge?
“As an entrepreneur one of the hardest things to do is to let go. Trying to manage finance, marketing and business development amongst other things is an impossible task. My advice would be to get the support of someone like Vantis who has the right skill set and expertise to take this off your hands to free your time so you can focus on the things that you’re really good at, like being entrepreneurial”.
What does the future hold for Joules Clothing?
“I know it’s a cliché but we are one big family, proud of our heritage and Leicestershire roots so much so that we are relocating our office in Corby to The Point in Market Harborough, Leicestershire. This is the featured building on the site initially earmarked for Golden Wonder its got prime positioning and really puts us on the map. The 15,000 square feet on three floors will house our operations and staff sometime next year so as we grow and recruit new team members it’ll have direct benefit to Leicestershire economy. Its good to give something back to the community but it'll also be good to come home”.
Click here to see what essential business services Vantis offer for entrepreneurs
Click here to go to the Joules Clothing website