Direct Voice & Data

He’s risen through the ranks from administration assistant to managing director.

Now Dave Henderson is developing the vision of the expanding group of companies making up Skelmanthorpe-based Direct Telecommunications Systems Ltd, which trades as Direct Voice & Data.

Dave joined Direct Telecom in 2002 and became sales manager at the time of a management buy-out in 2005 – afterwards becoming managing director.

At the point of MBO, Dave was just 21 years of age and – despite having no previous business background or business management qualifications – has led the business through the worst global recession in living memory.

All the while, the company has continued to grow and maintain its vision for the future.

In 2010, the company’s trading name was changed to Direct Voice and Data and a re-launch was undertaken to establish the business as a true “unified communications” provider for telecoms and IT.

Said Dave: “During the recession years, not only did Direct Voice & Data continue to grow, but the directors launched three further companies with their own trading models, each headed up by dedicated management teams.”

Dave was selected to take part in the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business Programme – from which he recently graduated – and has developed a supported bus growth plan that details how Direct Voice & Data will increase operating profit more than ten-fold from last year’s total over the next five years.

It’s an ambitious growth plan, but is already ahead of target just six months in.

Direct Voice & Data serves businesses in areas including telephone systems, IT support, data, power and security and texting services with clients in sectors including estate agency, furniture manufacturing, dental practice, education, car dealerships and hotels.

This autumn has seen the appointment of a corporate finance partner who will work closely with the directors to identify acquisition targets ahead of the first acquisition being planned for mid-2015.

Meanwhile, Dave will continue to develop and maintain the vision of the group companies and is supported by experts and advisors for growth and acquisitions – thus ensuring that the growth is managed with key interest on its staff and customers.

Frame-Tech Structures Ltd

Jamie Atkinson, commercial director of Frame-Tech Structures Ltd in Ravensthorpe.

He’s helped build up a successful business providing timber products for the construction industry.

Jamie Atkinson, sales and commercial director of Frame-Tech Structures Ltd, has played a key part in the growth of the company he launched with two colleagues in 2008.

Jamie, who lives at Slaithwaite, had been with Howarth Timber in Huddersfield for 10 years – rising to the role of sales manager – before he was part of the three-man team setting up Frame-Tech.

The company started in rented premises at Darton, Barnsley, before buying its current property at Lock Way, Ravensthorpe.

It now employs 42 people and designs, manufactures and builds timber frame structures for all manner of buildings – from self-build houses to schools, care homes and multi-storey high rise blocks of flats.

The company incorporates modern methods of construction to provide timber frames that meet the most challenging of design and construction criteria – and for a sector that remains very much a growth industry.

The firm has seen more and more developers, contractors and architects recognising the advantages and benefits of timber-frame over traditional brick and block construction – with quicker build times, increased logistical efficiencies and greater cost controls.

Said Jamie: “Over the past 12 months, we have encountered rapid growth and seen our profits double. We have also completed the purchase, set up and move to our new site at Ravensthorpe. We are lean, ambitious and driven. We strive for perfection and this has led to repeat business from a number of blue-chip clients.

“We aim to settle and refine the layout of our new factory and drive efficiencies and innovation into the business through a number of collaborative strategies.”

He said: “Establishing our company at the start of a recession resulted in us having to be highly efficient and cost conscious from day one in order to prosper. The learning curve was steep, but we stuck to our game plan to ensure we provided the best service in the industry, designing and manufacturing a quality kit and carefully delivering quality erection on site. Our strategy worked and we quickly developed a strong customer base, leading to repeat business with our success being spread by word of mouth within the industry.

“The market has substantially picked up and we quickly realised the need to increase our production capacity to meet the growing demand. To that end, we moved into our new larger premises, enabling us to turn over in excess of £10m a year. We are encouraged and excited by these recent developments.”

Rubies Hairdressing

Louise Hunter of Rubies Hairdressing, Heritage Lofts, Wellington Mills in Lindley - with apprentices Millie McKean and Samantha Rickwood.

Louise Hunter is a hairdresser with big ambitions.

After her father gave her a “terrible basin cut” when she was 11, Louise vowed to become the best hairdresser she could be.

Now she runs Rubies at Heritage Exchange, Lindley, and is making a name for herself as a hard-working businesswoman with great technical skill and immense product knowledge – as well as being a passionate supporter of high quality staff training.

She said: “Rubies is a different kind of hairdressing concept. Rubies aims to be a hairdressing brand that will make a real difference in the sector.

“The Rubies dream is to build a chain of town salons to rival even the biggest and most prestigious town centre brands centred on a creative and cutting-edge philosophy that will inspire our clients’ imagination and totally exceed their expectations and aspirations.”

Since Louise founded Rubies in February, 2012, the business has achieved all its business plan targets, boasts a 100% client satisfaction rating and is establishing itself as a dynamic brand offering employment opportunities for local people.

Louise personally trains all her apprentices through her own bespoke training scheme complemented by college day release, NVQs and personal development plans for reception staff and stylists.

The salon now has six full-time staff and has recruited a colour technician as well as recruiting and training two new stylists, a receptionist and a general assistant.

In October last year, Louise flew the flag for Huddersfield in Tuscany, Italy, at the Sensus International Annual Hair Competition. Out of 78 entrants, Rubies came first with the highest score ever recorded.

Louise has been chosen from hundreds of applicants to join the National Hairdressing Federation’s Trailblazer Group, which is designing the new industry standard for hairdressing apprenticeships. In June this year, all the Rubies stylists made the final of the La Biosthetique Stylist Awards in Birmingham.

Over the next 12 months, Louise aims to further improve the salon environment with refinements based on customer feedback and comments.

She said: “This will include incorporating a ‘style bank’ of high end fashion ideas and inspirations for clients to peruse and consider.

“We will also be evaluating the possibility of developing an initial range of Rubies ‘own brand’ products.”

Louise said she was also keen to create an on-site Centre of Excellence Training Academy for the next generation of hairdressers as well as delivering training and team away days for the Lindley team.

Said Louise: “The Rubies experience is to relax clients, to pamper them, to inspire and excite them with our ideas and creativity but most of all to delight them with an outcome that will leave them feeling happy, positive and totally special.”