‘IT MAKES SENSE TO LEARN FROM PEOPLE WISER AND MORE EXPERIENCED IN BUSINESS’

Hovig Yardim, Managing Director of TAG Drinks, tells Sarah Dale why he decided to sign up to GROWTH Hillingdon Business Support Programme.

Hovig Yardim is the first to admit he has not taken a conventional route to running his own business.

From an initial ambition to become a doctor after studying biomedical sciences at University College London to starting his own band, each bend in the road has taken him to the point five years ago when he launched TAG Drinks. He first discovered a love of business in the band – he led the business side as well as being the drummer. And he has always had a passion for science which ultimately led to him creating his own TAG Tea Latte, which is now patented, in his parents’ kitchen and led to his first business, called MASSIS tea, drawing on his Armenian background.

Opening a café just six weeks before the Covid pandemic hit which forced all hospitality venues to close and the UK to go into lockdown meant TAG Drinks had to close before it had even got properly established. But, like he says, if he and his loyal team can get through Covid, they can get through anything.

“Covid was a once-in-a-lifetime event and we always say if we can get through Covid, then nothing can take us down,” says Hovig, who used his experience working in a large coffee shop chain to hone his business model and add his personal twist.

TAG Drinks has 10 staff members, including Hovig, who are “fantastic” and the “heart and soul of the place and the business”.

“The team stood by me and we have become part of the community,” he adds.

“We make colour-specific cookies to raise funds for charity and our current one is Trinity, a homeless charity. We have established a great name and I have a great team.

“I love the name TAG, it stood out to me when we were looking at branding and I wanted something that everyone could pronounce as my first business was inspired by my Armenian background and people struggled to pronounce it.”

Hovig highly recommends the business support programme, run by Hillingdon Chamber of Commerce, which he joined last year.

“I joined the business support programme for several reasons,” he says.

“My background is not in business or accounting. I have a very scientific mind, but that’s not how business works. You can always learn more and accept support. My toxic trait is timekeeping because I try and do everything. My to-do list has enough for three months for four people. Last year, I had a mental health difficulty and felt overwhelmed.

“The programme and having a mentor has helped me to set up a default diary and putting the [task management tool] Eisenhower Matrix into practice. I have got better at delegating and better at determining priorities and taking some time away from the business to spend time with my girlfriend and family. I’ve learned how to diarise a plan for my week/month/quarter. It’s remembering that TAG was not built overnight so it is looking at logistical scheduling.”

Being a business owner is 24/7 but Hovig switches off by spending time with his family and girlfriend and playing his drums in his home studio.

“Music is something that I will always do; it’s my vice,” he says. “And it’s a great way to switch off because when you’re drumming you are focused both physically and mentally on only drumming.”

The hospitality sector has faced unprecedented challenges over the past five years and with the new Budget’s plans for increasing National Insurance contributions for employers, Hovig says the year ahead is going to be a difficult one to navigate.

But he counts himself lucky to have a great team and he has exciting plans on the horizon. TAG Drinks is located in a former bank and as such it has an underground vault.

“At the moment, it is the world’s most secure cup storage,” jokes Hovig, “but we have planning permission to convert it into a boujie after-hours venue where you can get glammed up and enjoy a cocktail.”

The café, which Hovig hopes will be one of many, is also undergoing a menu refresh but regulars don’t have to worry about missing out on their favourite cinnamon buns – they are on the ‘keep’ list!