'Everyone has worked so hard for this'

Young businessman Paul Thomas and his colleague Henry Braithwaite had the biggest grins of the night as their firm walked away with the prestigious title of Business of The Year.

The pair, who run the direct marketing and telemarketing company Market Makers, of Portsmouth, were mobbed by their ecstatic colleagues before finally managing to make it to the stage to receive the award.

Then, behind the stage, they were congratulated by Business Personality winner Stuart Cox for their achievements.  Mr Thomas said: ‘It’s not the winning of it for Henry and I.  The important thing is what it means for the company.  It will have massive repercussions for the growth.’

The judging panel was impressed that these two young men had done so well and so quickly, and were an example to young people everywhere of the opportunities that could be grabbed.  Mr Braithwaite said it meant everything to the hard working team to win the award.  He said: ‘This award is all about the guys.  The main thing is everyone has worked so hard over the past two years.  Our guys will go mad for this at work when they see it.  The people at the table mobbed us.  It took us two minutes to get to the stage.  It was unbelievable.  We weren’t expecting this.’

The company, which was started in 2003 when the pair were both 21, has one aim – to help companies looking for help with their growth plans through marketing and telemarketing means.

The pair had an aim when they established the business: to offer a superior level of service and team members and to grow their business as quickly as they promised other businesses would grow.

And since 2003 the company has been going places.  It had consistently taken on more space at its previous offices at the Technopole, in Kingston Crescent, until moving recently to Ameiva Point in Quartremaine Road.

Since 2003 total employee numbers have risen from two to 75, a turnover that went from nothing to £2million, and most recently to a £300,000 profit.

For the financial year 2005/2006 the pair’s investment in their processes and in technology meant the company saw a 680% growth.

Business of the Year

Purpose: To recognise outstanding performance by a business based in or having a significant presence in The News circulation area.

Criteria: Entrants were characterised by excellence in product or service, the achievement of a strong or growing market share in their chosen niche that was reflected in growing profitability and/or enhanced performance.  Essentially, the judges were looking for something special for all to admire and from which all could learn.

Short listed entries: 1st Saxon-Clenmay, Market Makers, Walcon Marine, Bell Microsystems, VT Group, CiMs, Lockheed Martin Smith
Winner: Market Makers

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