We Are AV - Case Study

How We Are AV found out about the Starting a High Growth programme

Emily first heard about the SHG programme through Network Cornwall. Cornwall thrives on its many networks and Network Cornwall is a network for business and professional women. The female members of Oxford Innovation’s Grow Cornwall team, the team responsible for delivery of the programme, are members of Network Cornwall, and used it to broadcast details of the launch event, “Wonderland”, held at the Caerhays Estate in October 2009. Emily attended the event and signed up for a one-to-one session to find out more about the programme and how it could help her.

The Start-up Challenge

The challenge for Emily and Mark, having decided that they wanted to start their own company, was “how to do it” and “what it would look like”. They had developed some early stage ideas based around their skill sets, mostly creative, but were not sure how to develop their ideas or their business. Youth on their side provided the energy and enthusiasm required for the road ahead, but the lack of business knowledge threatened to slow them down.

How has Oxford Innovation’s Grow Cornwall Team Helped?

The Oxford Innovation team has assisted, and continues to support in a number of ways. Lisa, the lead coach, provided the initial hand holding required to build confidence, encouraging Emily and Mark in the development of their business ideas, challenging their thought processes and offering input when required. In the early days this involved questioning the business model, the structure of the company and encouraging a longer term vision so that We Are AV could succeed in being one of Cornwall’s successful growing businesses rather than a lifestyle business that could easily be threatened by incoming competition. Indeed, the business model has developed from a “tourist attraction website” to one whereby the original concept of the “Sideways Guide” being the company is now one of the “Sideways Guide” being a product that demonstrates the capability of the company.

Other Grow Cornwall team members are contributing their specialist skills in the areas of finance, marketing and sales strategy, and customer identification, to support the development of a credible business capable of substantial growth and to help Emily and Mark understand the requirements for business success.

What is happening now?

A ‘big break’ for the company came when Emily offered to support Cornwall Twestival local 2009 with a free film, enabling their work to be viewed. To further demonstrate the capability of their expertise the company produced a video for the Scarlet Hotel which has increased the average time spent on the hotel’s homepage by 43% and is watched on average for 3+ hours every day! Building on these successes We Are AV now has a number of customers for their services and is building the demand amongst the vibrant Cornish business community for the production of high quality online video.

Emily and Mark are examples of a growing number of Cornwall’s young, up and coming, entrepreneurs and are set to be a good role models for the talent coming out of Cornwall and its colleges.

Currently WE ARE AV is preparing for the next phase of development to offer an exciting new service to Cornish businesses, which will launch mid 2010. They are also gaining an increasing reputation for the standard of videos they produce within Cornwall, with more and more businesses wanting to work with them. The Grow Cornwall team continue to provide support and help with development of the business strategy.

CONTACT DETAILS:

Lead Coach/Mentor: Lisa Mynheer

Entrepreneur: Emily Anderson

www.sidewayscornwall.com