our story

Our founder, Iain Hemington, was most interested at school when he was making things in metalwork and he subsequently qualified as an engineer.  However, as manufacturing was hard hit during the recession in the 1980s, he went on to become a Technical Sales Engineer with General Electric under Jack Welch’s leadership.   After setting up the national sales team in the UK, he moved to South Africa to set up and lead GE’s automation businesses.  “South Africa is a beautiful country but one which was divided after years of previous governments poisonous policies so there were many lessons about leadership and team building”.  

4 Years later, Iain moved to Luxembourg working at GE’s European HQ from where he led their business development in Eastern Europe, and the Middle East.  However, upon reaching 40, a few things happened.  Firstly, (apart from his back giving way on his 40th birthday) he met Clare and she lived near London and secondly, he wanted to run his own business.   So, to be near Clare* and to start a business, he left the security of a well-paid job and moved back to the UK. He started a business in 2002 working with the owners of small and medium sized businesses (SMEs) and he found the businesses were not working - the owners were.

This was because they were the best in their business at the skill, profession, or trade upon which their business was started and so most of the high value tasks and relationships were dependent upon them.  It was difficult to differentiate between the owner and the business. 

As a member of the world’s largest team of Business Coaches, he became Coach of the Year a few years later and worked with over 200 businesses in many different sectors including Manufacturing, SaaS, Engineering, Construction, Professional Services, Telco and IT and Logistics to name a few.  Many benefitted from a brief intervention with others working with him for 10+ years whilst growing their business by 10 times and the business evolving into ones which no longer requires the owners and founders continued presence. 

Iain says “there is real satisfaction in seeing the performance of the business improve each year, but the biggest reward is seeing this because of the changes in behaviours by the owner and their senior management team or family. Plus, retirement, a sale or passing it onto other family members is possible.”

*yes, he did marry Clare!