The recession was about to put paid to Patty and Mike Barrow’s kitchen fitting business, but they changed their offering and are thriving Patty and Mike Barrow have been in the kitchen business for over 20 years, but the last three years have seen them change their strategy dramatically. “Our main business since we started has been fitting kitchens on behalf of companies that sell the products,” says Mike, who trained as a carpenter and has since qualified to be an electrician... Read more >

Going mobile was one way of not only saving money, but also improving customer response for Splats Entertainment Splats Entertainment was formed by Mike Redwood and his friend Steve in the early 1990s. The pair, who had been friends since they were seven, decided to make use of their skills – Mike, a graduate of drama school and Steve, a PE teacher with particular interest in circus skills – to form a company that offered circus, theatre and other performing arts events to schools, libraries... Read more >

The recession and the growth of Internet shopping has meant Sunrise Holidays’ Asif Khan has had to radically change his business.           Travel is one of the great passions of many Brits, with millions of us jetting around the world every year. But when finances are tight, luxuries like holidays are often the first to go, causing a huge knock-on effect in the travel industry. British SME reader Asif Khan launched Sunrise Holidays 11 years ago, opening a branch in North London.... Read more >

Government austerity measures are likely to have a severe impact on John Wilkes’ business, but he’s already planning for survival. The biggest issue John Wilkes and his firm ANDS faces is the current cutbacks in the public sector. And while business is good at the moment, he’s  well aware that now’s the time to prepare for a downturn. ANDS offers training and recruitment services to local authorities and their providers. “We tend to work in the areas such as land maintenance, waste management,... Read more >

The recession was both the reason for John Walls’ decision to set up his business, and the reason for its success. Redundancy was the impetus for John Walls to set up his own business, and he says it’s one of the best decisions he’s ever made.   “I worked in IT support for a bank and when the financial crisis started to bit in late 2008, the writing was on the wall. “Everyone in my department was warned that we may lose our jobs and we were invited to apply for voluntary redundancy. We... Read more >

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