HR firm maximises opportunities
off the back of award win The company has expanded across the Midlands, developed its service offering, and added a whole new arm to its brand WORDS BY KERRY SMITH
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ever before was there such a good time for a company providing HR services to expand their business with a franchise model than during a global pandemic. It’s this type of sharpminded foresight that may have secured Nicki Robson the Businesswoman of the Year title at the Niche Business Awards 2021 in September. Specialising in human resources for over 20 years, Nicki Robson owns and runs Breedon Consulting, providing small and medium-sized businesses with “really good support for their people-related stuff.” She’s never won an award for her work before, but has been a finalist in the Enterprising Women Awards 2021. Her Businesswoman of the Year trophy sits proudly on the coffee table at the Breedon head office in Ashby-de-la-Zouch. “I always thought awards were things your mates just voted for you in,” Nicki admitted. “But when I had to go through the process of submitting information and being interviewed twice, I realised how much goes into it. “I’ve never had so many comments on LinkedIn before, and that weekend in September after the ceremony, my phone was constantly pinging with people congratulating 66 | NICHE
me. The team is so excited about it and it gives me a lovely, warm glow every time I look at it,” Nicki smiled. On how being involved in the awarding process has benefitted the company, Nicki commented: “I’m not one for blowing my own trumpet, but when I sat back and looked at what we’ve achieved, I just went ‘wow!’ And that was when there was a global pandemic!” Since Covid-19 hit the UK causing a nationwide lockdown, Breedon Consulting was inundated with calls and emails from companies all concerned about their employees and processes. Being in HR, the pandemic meant Nicki was working 15 hours on average each day talking on the phone to clients about furlough and other ‘people-related stuff’. It was only when she came up for air in late summer of 2020; when she decided to go ahead with a huge plan she’d been warming up before the coronavirus outbreak. Nicki turned Breedon Consulting into a franchise. Brave or crazy you might be thinking at this point, but Nicki states: “Because HR was such an in-demand service, it was the best time to franchise. We’d developed our model and brought in two pilot franchisees in January this year – one in Northamptonshire and one in Buckinghamshire.
