COVER STORY: HARVEY MORTON ON GIVING BACK TO THE YOUNGER GENERATION

COVER STORY A NEW GENERATION FOR REGENERATION

From schoolboy entrepreneur to award-winning business owner, Harvey Morton is the founder and managing director of self-titled Harvey Morton Digital. Harvey speaks to unLTD’s Rachel Measures all about his early businesses, overcoming challenges and childhood bullying, and how important it is to give back to the younger generation.

When you see the success that award-winning business owner Harvey Morton has already achieved at just 24 years old, it may not surprise you to know he started young.

His business-mind first began working when he was just 13, selling keyrings and greetings cards, before entering a school enterprise competition called the BiG Challenge.

The contest sees teams from schools and colleges across the Sheffield City Region given £25 to start their own business.

But despite his obvious talent and ambitious nature, life at school was not always easy for Harvey.

He said: “I’d been bullied quite a lot throughout school, and teachers were concerned whether I had enough confidence to complete all the Dragon’s Den-style pitches that I had to do as part of the challenge, and I nearly wasn’t allowed to take part.

“However, some of my teachers believed in me, including my form tutor, and I was lucky enough to win prizes at the BiG Challenge Awards in 2012. That inspired me to keep pushing forward with my aspirations.

“I entered again the following year, playing to my strengths, helping individuals and businesses with IT support. Working on my business was an escape for me. As I said, I’d been bullied a lot.

“It started in late primary school - I was born prematurely, so I struggle with hand/eye coordination. Things like P.E. or anything involving fine motor skills were really difficult for me, and when others saw me doing them, they teased me about it.

“This continued through to secondary school when YouTube videos I had made were spread around, and pictures of me were printed and laughed about.

“So, when my dad used to take me around all these different places to help people with their IT, it was a distraction.”

Unfortunately, it wasn’t just at school where Harvey faced challenges – being in business at such a young age presented its own issues.

“When I’d turn up, my clients would be surprised about my age. When I started, it was a big problem,” he added.

“I like to think it was clear from my website that I was school age, but people would question my experience. I’ve overcome that, and now age is, I believe, a massive advantage for me.

“Because I started so young, I already have so many years of experience behind me, and that’s one of the reasons I think the BiG Challenge is so important – to give young people the inspiration they need to be the future business leaders of the city.

“Before the BiG Challenge, I’d present in class, and my legs would be trembling, and I

LETS TALK ABOUT HARVEY... JILL WHITE: JUDGE FROM THE BIG CHALLENGE

“What can I say about Harvey? “I first met Harvey when he participated in the Big Challenge at 14. I met him again when he was a student at Sheffield Hallam University and came through their Enterprise Start-up support programme. As a successful entrepreneur himself, I was present when he financially sponsored The Big Challenge in 2019. I think I cried!

“It’s been an absolute privilege to witness such an outstanding example of just what The Big Challenge is all about. “I don’t think you help Harvey; you point him in the right direction and vroom, he’s off.

“I have recommended him to businesses where I know he has successfully supported them with social media, I have signposted him to a speaking opportunity where I know he wowed the audience, I have listened to his podcasts, passed them onto others, put him forward for awards, congratulated him (a lot) on his progress and achievements and, he doesn’t know this, used him as a role model in a couple of personal cases where I know individuals have been struggling at school.

“I will continue to do this wherever, whenever I can. Harvey is exceptional.”

could barely get my words out. I had to pitch my ideas for the challenge, but my form tutor stood by me through the whole process. I practised over and over again until it became not quite second nature, but until I was more comfortable. “Having to pitch, and even receive awards later on, meant that my confidence grew massively, and that’s the biggest thing that the BiG challenge gave me.” Since then, Harvey has grown his business. After university, he realised that he didn’t want to go around fixing things anymore, so he shifted his focus to content creation and digital marketing, starting with website design in 2016.

In 2018 he was awarded the National Young Freelancer of the Year prize and used the money to rebrand his company to Harvey Morton Digital.

He said: “Many people say I’m lucky to get all of the opportunities that I’ve had, but what they haven’t seen is that all through school and university, I’d miss out on so much because all my evenings and weekends I’d be working on the business – there’s so much that has gone into it behind the scenes.”

“I’ve had many challenges to overcome too. I’ve struggled to be myself and been frustrated with people questioning my abilities.

“I had careers advisers at school discouraging me from following my ambitions to be self-employed because not many people my age wanted to work for themselves. It was considered risky, and I was pushed into a more academic route.”

As well as strict instructions on how to progress in his career, Harvey was also given advice to change the way he looked and how he dressed – something which he refused to take on board.

“When I set up the business, I was advised that I had to look corporate, otherwise people wouldn’t work with me, but I’ve realised that the reason people want to work with me now is because of me and not because of that other stuff,” he said.

“I decided I’m not corporate at all, and I thought - why am I trying to be something I’m not? Why don’t I stop worrying so much about what other people

think?

“Ultimately, if I can’t be myself, how can I expect any young people that I’m speaking to, any business leaders, or anyone reading my articles, to relate to me if I’m not being myself.”

Harvey now uses his own experiences to help others as much as possible.

He visits schools and works with various charities to help people who have been bullied or had a challenging time growing up, as well as working with Youth Employment UK and the Diana Award Charity, who offer help with careers and work experience.

He added: “Young people are our future business leaders, and it’s essential they have the opportunity to do what they want to do and not what they feel like they have to do. Therefore, I believe younger people must be given opportunities to gain work experience early on through activities like the BiG Challenge or work placements.

“It’s vital that young people get that enrichment and work experience that allows them to build up their business skills and figure out what they enjoy and what they want their careers to be.

“There was one work placement I did where I got sent home early because no one in the office had time for me, and I came away really upset because that was my first experience in that sort of environment.

“It might be an inconvenience but taking that time to mentor someone and show them what you do can significantly impact

There was one work placement I did where I got sent home early because no one in the office had time for me

a young person’s early journey to their career.

“I was lucky that while I studied at Sheffield Hallam University, I was given the support to be self-employed and to push forward with my business. Working with the enterprise team gave me so much. I even won the Hallam Enterprise Award during my time there, but it’s this support that I believe children should have access to a lot earlier.

“This is why I do so much work with schools now. It’s an investment in our future business leaders or our future colleagues.”

In March 2022, Harvey was involved with the BiG Challenge from the other side as a judge.

“It was lovely to see the kids get to the end of the challenge and for their parents to realise the world of good, it’s done for their skills and confidence. The young people have been able to learn that nothing is impossible,” he said.

“Even for the teams that didn’t sell much, they can be proud of the product that they have created. Anyone can do an after-school club, but it takes a lot to create a product or set up a business.

“If I could speak to my 13-year-old self now, I’d tell him not to worry about anything and stay in his own lane - focus on himself – and remind him not to compare himself to others. I think that’s the most important advice, but most of all, that everything will be okay in the end.”

Harvey continues to work hard on his business, collaborating with a team of freelancers on content creation. In the future, he would love to be able to hire an apprentice whom he can mentor so that he can help a young person, like he once was, to nurture their skills.

Conscious to always give back and to inspire other young people, Harvey plans to continue visiting schools and Sheffield Hallam University to share his story, but he is now also working on a book all about his experiences and to provide advice to young entrepreneurs.

“There’s a real gap in the market, and when I’ve told my story, such as through work I’ve done with BBC Bitesize, I’ve received feedback from people glad to have modern resources from different people with different backgrounds. It made me think that maybe I should put some advice together myself. So, that’s my goal for the year.

“The pandemic has been so up and down it has made me refocus on different areas of the business, but my personal focus will continue to be just trying to help as many people as possible, so I’m open-minded to whatever the future holds.”

LETS TALK ABOUT HARVEY... ROB KING: BUSINESS START-UP ADVISOR / SHU ENTERPRISE TEAM

“Harvey is someone who has built his business using determination to become successful. Along that journey, it has been a pleasure to support him through the Enterprise Team at Sheffield Hallam on a one-to-one basis and nominate him for the Hallam Enterprise Awards, for which he won best pitch in 2017.

“Harvey has become a great success story for us, and is now someone who gives back to other students and graduates that we help, doing talks about his entrepreneurial journey at events and running workshops that focus on the areas of expertise his business excels in.

“His business always applies an ethical approach, which gives that added value and trust that customers will appreciate. We are always there to support his business needs and it is great that he has become a friend of mine during his journey to where he is today!”

“IF YOU WANT TO BELEADING THE WORLD,

I came across this quote in the Linkedin Workplace Learning Report 2022 and thought how appropriate it was for focussing our minds on the importance of developing a ‘learning culture’ in our businesses.

Most businesses organise training and development for their employees. However, a learning culture is a commitment which comes from the very top of a business and cascades all the way down. It starts with a training policy, a strategy and a training and development plan for every individual in the business. According to Glint data, the number one factor which defines an exceptional work environment is the ‘opportunity to learn and grow’. When the spark of learning is ignited in individuals, the whole business lights up and is successful. As an example, I recently had the pleasure of working with a business within the food manufacturing industry to identify their problems and how to rectify them.

While there, I discovered:

• High staff turnover • High sickness and absence rates • Low staff morale,

motivation and engagement • Not hitting sales or production targets

There was definitely a root cause…

We discovered people were promoted because they were good at what they did. However, once promoted, there was no training for the new job role, just an expectation that they would know how to do it. Four layers of management with no formal training and development. We put a development programme in place, giving them theories, knowledge and an environment to practice what they’d learnt in the classroom, followed by coaching and mentoring, helping them to implement their new skills in their daily roles. As a result, morale,

YOU HAVE TO BE

LEARNING”

DAVID PERRING, DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH AT FOSWAY GROUP

Workforce training and development vs a learning culture - what’s the difference? Christine Lamb (below), Training Manager at Sheffield Chamber of Commerce, discusses. second passion is through my first. Because here’s the thing… your competitors are out there. They can copy your products, your systems, your processes, your procedures and your offers. And they do. But the one thing they can’t copy, the one thing they haven’t got, is you and your people. They are the reasons why motivation and engagement your customers choose to went up, as did sales and buy from you. They are your manufacturing. Food waste, difference and your USP. absence rates and staff turnover also decreased. To learn more on how

Sheffield Chamber can You see, people don’t leave support you and your companies, they leave businesses development managers. needs, call 0114 201 8888,

My first passion is for email training@scci.org. training and development uk or visit www.scci.org.uk of individuals. My second passion is my vision to help and support Sheffield to be the best place to do business. Crucially, the key to my

WORKING BEHIND THE SCENES TO DELIVER MARKETING MOMENTUM

The Backroom Agency return to share their advice on marketing your business to achieve success even in tougher times - and choosing the right people to help you. unLTD’s Rachel Measures spoke to Andrew Brown, co-founder of Backroom, to learn more.

Q&A: The domino effect – and how to achieve it

What have the last couple of years been like for the Backroom Agency?

In 2021, we celebrated our fifth year in business which felt like a huge achievement, against the backdrop of everything else going on in the world.

Our setup meant we were able to adapt quickly to working from home, right from the start of the lockdown. Not having additional staff meant our overheads stayed low enough for us to come through the pandemic relatively unscathed. Our strategy of partnering with the best in the business thankfully seemed to pay off.

As costs continue to rise, many companies are looking closely at their budgets. Where would you recommend they put their marketing spend for maximum impact?

Unfortunately, when it comes to marketing your business, there is no magic bullet. No one activity that will lead to guaranteed success. You often see business coaches and entrepreneurs on the internet telling you that the only thing you need to focus on is SEO, or Facebook ads. This is absolutely not the case. The old adage is true - you should never put all your eggs in one basket, and likewise, you should never put all your marketing efforts into just one channel.

Effective marketing comes from working really hard at lots of things. Social media, brand, advertising, SEO, PR, events, paid search…the list goes on.

It sounds daunting, but when you have all of those elements working in tandem, you create momentum - a ‘domino effect’ if you like, which in turn leads to business success.

Our region is home to a lot of SMEs who are perhaps not big enough to have an in-house marketing team. What’s your advice for them?

The big brands and corporates have whole teams of people working behind the scenes, crafting messages, planning campaigns and paying attention to every detail. Those teams are like the ‘backroom’ – the unseen engine behind the marketing magic.

But here’s the thing we always tell our clients, regardless of size.

You don’t need multimillion-pound budgets to achieve great results. For every one of our clients, we are that backroom. We’re the ones working tirelessly behind the scenes to make their marketing objectives a reality. Think of us as a well-oiled machine, helping businesses to thrive.

With a plethora of creative agencies in the area, why should companies choose to work with the Backroom?

We want you to think of us as an extension to your own team. So, if you could use an extra pair of hands, we’re here for you.

Our sole purpose is to support your business, whether through strategic thinking, great design, transforming your online presence or delivering a social content plan. Most often, it’s a combination.

If you’re looking to build momentum in your marketing and achieve the domino effect, come and see us. The door to the Backroom is always open.

CASE STUDY

CRAFTING CHIMO’S BRAND TO BUILD MARKETING MOMENTUM

Chimo Holdings are world-renowned for their unique blend of traditional Sheffield craftsmanship and modern technology. They manufacture an impressive range of highquality cutlery, gallery trays, silver, giftware and promotional merchandise, and they count some of the world’s best hotels and restaurants as loyal customers.

The family business was established in the 1980s, uniting several independent Sheffield manufacturers, including one dating back to 1750, with the common purpose of creating quality products for a modern world, whilst preserving traditional values and practices.

Their latest line is an exclusive range of giftware in pewter, silverplate and superior Britannia silver to commemorate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. The range includes a set of Queen’s Head teaspoons cast from the original 1977 Jubilee die.

Chimo were the proud winners of the top manufacturing award at the prestigious Made in Sheffield Awards in 2016/2017, which recognised the company’s impact on the steel city’s reputation. They also had the honour of a Royal visit in 2013, when HRH The Princess Royal toured the factory.

Chris Hudson is the director and owner of Chimo Holdings but prefers to go by ‘team principal’. He said: “To put it simply, without my team of highly skilled craftspeople, I’d have no products and no company. I need them just as much as they need me to do the sales and management and take the financial risks. We all bring our own strengths and work together as a team, so I’m the Team Principal.”

In 2018, Chris was awarded an MBE for his work in exports and charities. He is currently the chair of Work-Wise, which encourages young people to pursue careers in manufacturing.

“I run this company with many people who only have a few GCSEs, but they’re brilliant craftspeople. I think the focus on young people is being lost at the moment, and that’s why we need Work-Wise. We need to celebrate everyone’s skills, not just the academic ones,” he added.

The Backroom Agency have been working with Chimo Holdings for over five years. In that time, they’ve developed the company’s branding, built three websites (with the latest being a site dedicated to the Platinum Jubilee line) and delivered a range of communications which work in tandem to create momentum across all their marketing channels.

Chris said: “The relationship we have with the Backroom is fantastic. Their name is exactly right. We don’t need a marketing team in-house, but the Backroom are always there when we need them. They’ve come to know our company so well, it’s almost like having someone in-house anyway - the quality of everything they deliver for us is always firstclass. And in my line of work, you have to be a stickler for quality!”

Revco Workwear is your one stop for Personalised Workwear, Hi Vis, Safety Products.

We’re independently owned and fantastically proud to cultivate a varied customer base of clients, serving businesses across the UK.

We specialise in customers in the Soft Services Sector (Security, Grounds Maintenance etc).

All our equipment is state of the art and in 2021 we have invested over £250,000. We now offer all embroidery, Print, DTF in house. We are totally accountable for your products from order to delivery.

2021 marks 7 years of expertise in full-service custom work apparel. Our existing clients rely on us for amazing customer service, top quality products, prompt delivery and excellent value. Whether you’re a small one-time buyer or blue-chip giant seeking a managed contract, you can ALWAYS rely on TEAM REVCO.

Visit us as www.revcouk.com Tel: 0330 333 0707 Email: hello@revcouk.com

THE unLTD PODCAST

In the new episode of the unLTD podcast, James Marriott takes a look at Corporate Social Responsibility.

It’s become a bit of a buzz phrase and something you’ve probably heard talked about in the last few weeks or months. It’s not just about businesses donating a few quid to charity, it’s become something much bigger.

To find out more, and why it really matters to both businesses and charities in the new normal, we chat to Tchad Western from Sheffield Children’s Hospital Charity.

This episode gives a really interesting perspective from two sides - why it’s so important for brands to ‘do good’ and what impact that help has on the vital work done by amazing charities.

I must admit to not having a clear understanding of Corporate Social Responsibility before talking to Tchad, but he really got across why it matters.

You can find the show by searching for unLTD in the podcast app on your device. THIS MONTH JAMES CHATS TOO TCHAD WESTERN FROM SHEFFIELD CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL CHARITY

New numbers

There have long been complaints in podcasting circles about some of the numbers we don’t get to see.

You can of course find out how many people have listened to your episodes.

But how many people ‘follow’ or ‘subscribe’ to your show in Apple Podcasts, still the biggest podcast app out there?

Apple hasn’t given us access to those numbers, until a couple of weeks ago. Now, podcasters can look up how many followers they have.

So, what’s the significance of this?

Well, it’s a really key metric for mapping out the long term growth of your show. Listener numbers for individual episodes will always fluctuate, but your follower stats should steadily grow.

You can reveal some insights from studying the relationship between the two figures as well and I’ll go into a bit more depth on this in a future column.

In the spotlight

We love to highlight some of the amazing podcasts being produced across South Yorkshire and this month’s spotlight falls on The Irwin Mitchell Podcast.

It’s a fortnightly show and shares some series expertise across a really wide range of legal and financial topics.

Each episode features advice and updates around things like the latest legal changes, financial news, in-depth market insight and much more.

They’ve also put together some special seasons of podcasts, focused on employment law and family matters.

Wherever you are in the business world, you will get a ton of knowledge - just search for ‘the Irwin Mitchell Podcast’ in your podcast app, or you can find the latest episodes in the news section of their website.