What we'vedone
Stearman enjoys great relationships with clients from most markets.
What some of our clients say
We like to get close to our clients, to the owners and the Leadership Team. This helps us understand both what the client wants to achieve, as well as what is possible. No off-the-shelf solutions from us. We are always client-led, always listening, always focused on actions geared to growth. Here is what a small sample of our clients say:
Results
We can’t think of a market or niche in which we haven’t had an involvement with at least one client, often many more. Typically, we like to build long term relationships with our clients, but it all begins with a clear understanding of what the client wants to achieve. Understanding the market in which a client operates is vitally important of course, as part of the plan will be how the client can penetrate that market more effectively.
The thrust of our support though is geared to help develop the client’s strategy, organisation and proposition to fully enable them to maximise performance almost irrespective of market. Rather than say what we do, why not let our clients speak for us...
OSE European
OSE is a logistics/transport specialist specialising in a full range of transport and warehousing services. In 2009 the business had an excellent reputation for same day/net day services across Europe but was struggling to grow and be profitable in the prevailing trading conditions. Now OSE has expanded in all areas and is seen by its loyal customers, many of whom are blue chip multi-nationals, as providing partnership or outsourced transport services capable of reliably and competitively meeting all of their transport needs, particularly the most challenging ones. The business now has a steep growth profile and having doubled in size in recent years is now set to double again over the next 2-3 years. Financially sound and profitable OSE has ambitious expansion plans both in terms of capacity and capability.
‘OSE European first started working with Keith Stearman in 2009 and the business at that time was struggling in a very tough economic market due recession and the financial crisis. Working with Keith we were able to put together a new more sustainable business model alongside a new strategic business plan that we still work on and adapt today six years later. Keith has offered board mentoring to myself to assist in my personal development as a Director and used his (150 years!) vast business experience to help and advise us through challenging trading conditions. The business has doubled revenues over the last few years and we have ambitious growth plans over the next 3 years to double turnover again. Much of this growth can be attributed Keith’s strategic input and his help in creating effective sales and marketing plans and an integrated sales and marketing process. Keith is now non-executive director of OSE and works closely with the whole leadership team within the organisation to help mentor and support them and the business achieve personal and business goals. Keith has been a positive influence both on myself as Managing Director and would now count him as a close friend, as well as a friend to my business as a whole. We benefit greatly from his past experience working at board level but also from his experience working with many small and medium sized businesses in variety of sectors who also have ambitious plans for growth like ourselves. We don’t even hold it against him the fact he is a Man Utd fan!!’
Cast Media Group
Cast Media Group is a full service marketing agency specialising in the construction, housing association; retail and leisure markets. Working with the directors a full strategic review resulted in the development of a strategic business and marketing plan, and supporting process, to allow for business planning to be a continuous, self-supporting process. Further support has also been provided with Board and senior management re-structuring; organisation change; opening of a London office and ongoing marketing and sales planning and implementation. Cast Media has also added to core organic growth through several acquisitions geared to adding to the service offerings offered by the Group and to geographical coverage. The ongoing role with Cast is very definitely geared to mentoring the board and coaching the executive team to deliver the ambitious growth plans agreed.
‘In 2010 CAST appointed Keith to develop a sales and marketing strategic plan and to assist the directors in developing an active growth plan. Today’s CAST is fundamentally different; with two active offices in London and Leeds and a strong portfolio of clients for the business to continue to grow from. Keith continues to support the CAST board providing critical guidance and as importantly mentoring and coaching for both directors and the senior executive team across the business"
Tutor2U Ltd
Tutor2U is known as The Online Education Publisher. The business is a specialist provider to schools and students, and provides unique (online and print) resources geared to assisting teachers with their continual professional development (CPD) and students with targeted support to get them through GCSE and A level exams. Tutor2U also operates a highly successful Events business, supporting teacher CPD and running hugely popular sell-out (500 + attendees at each event) student events. With 24 million visitors to the website in the last 12 months, Tutor2U has an enviable reputation with teachers, students, parents, school management and exam boards and in fact the market in general. In 2013/14 the business launched overseas in Middle and Far East with resources for the International Baccalaureate. Strategy plans now incorporate a vision for Tutor2U to have a presence globally. Tutor2U has doubled in size over the last two years and plans to more than double again over the next two years. Strategy review, strategy and business planning as well as ongoing non-executive mentoring support has and will be there throughout the journey.
Running a business can be a lonely job, which is why effective mentoring for CEOs and senior management teams is so crucial. I gain an enormous amount from my regular mentoring sessions with Keith Stearman as we work together on strategic direction. Keith encourages, supports, probes and challenges in equal measure. The result is that our strategy is properly evaluated, with sensible choices made and our growth momentum sustained’.
Architecture 519 Ltd
Over the course of the last 5 years since inception we have been closely involved in getting the Architecture 519 business established and helping achieve meteoric growth from 14 architects and technical specialists at the outset, to today with a team approaching 40. This growth has been achieved through a period where market conditions have been at their worst and many practices have either contracted or gone to the wall.
Andrew Brown, director at Architecture 519 explains it much better than we could:
“Keith has been closely involved in the business from its formation in 2009 and has been integral to its success in delivering on the growth strategy he assisted in developing. He has mentored us throughout the last five years and been an integral part of our overall effort. His assistance with regular strategic reviews, developing a robust and achievable business growth plan has been invaluable. His mentoring and leadership coaching role is also critical for us as a business. Business growth has meant structural changes throughout Architecture519 and Keith has provided invaluable mentoring and development for the executive and leadership team. This mentoring role will continue and now cascade down to our developing management team. The last five years have been a steep learning curve for us all and Keith’s experience has been invaluable. We have now doubled in size within 5 years and continue to grow. The strategic direction and development of the team will continue to benefit from the valuable support Keith provides and we are looking forward to continuing success in the years to come.”
Awesome Merchandise
Awesome Merchandise
When Keith first began working with us at Awesome Merchandise, we were on a growth trajectory that was quickly getting out of control. We knew the ins and outs of our business, but we didn’t know quite how to bring all of our ideas to fruition, and pass on our passion and knowledge to the rest of our (rapidly growing) team. Keith has been fantastic at helping us to bring rigour to our processes and procedures here at Awesome Merchandise. He has helped us to build a thriving leadership team, and has given us the tools we needed to get the most out of that team. In the time we have been working we Keith we have doubled our staff, doubled our turnover, and doubled the size of our business premises! We are a vastly different company now than we were when we were first introduced to Keith, and his patience and good humour have helped us become a coherent management team poised to lift the company to new heights.
Andrew Geoghegan
Andrew Geoghegan is a well established jewellery designer producing high quality, high value and high design pieces. Short listed a number of times in recent years, 2014 has proved to be a breakthrough year, with the award of UK Jewellery Designer of the Year 2014. Well recognised by designers and by the industry, and supplying loyal customers across the UK through more than 60 retail partners, 2014 has been a breakthrough year for the business. AG also launched in to Europe in 2014 Now in high growth mode, Andrew Geoghegan brought us in to review the business; examine existing strategy; build a new strategic business plan and assist with ongoing mentoring and broad support to the implementation of the plan.
“Working with Keith has been a tremendous benefit to my company and me personally. As a small business owner, to have someone to advise me, bounce ideas off, bring ideas to the table and also to bring a wealth of experience has been very well received! During challenging times, the calm and level headed Stearman was nothing short of necessary!”
Remlive
Remlive, founded by Bryan Rollason came into being as the direct result of the rise in deaths and serious injuries caused by electrocution in the workplace.
15 years later Remlive have developed a unique range of safety warning indicators that are installed in most industrial and commercial markets around the world. Remlive enjoys long term relationships with blue chip multi-national companies, many of whom have made Remlive part of their global safety specification. Remlive helps companies make their safety procedures even more robust even in the most challenging of environments including gold and coal mining; quarrying; oil & gas and all forms of manufacturing. Keith Stearman is non-executive director of Remlive and has provided long term support in strategy development and implementation; business planning; funding and investment and marketing to deliver rapid growth in multiple markets across the world.
We have been associated with Stearman and SPS, Keith Stearman in particular, for several years and with their experience and expertise at corporate level our business has blossomed world-wide. If you need help in marketing towards business growth they are definitely the people to talk to.
An example of a Remlive installation in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, Gold Fields
Innergy Group
Innergy LPG is a leading bottle and bulk liquid petroleum gas and industrial gases distributor based in Leeds. On a steep growth path Gez Walsh, owner and managing director had a clear vision for his business; he was ambitious and knew where the significant planned growth was going to come from; he had also appointed a very effective leadership team and was committed to investing in their training and development. Help with a strategic review and updating the business plan and assistance with one or two structural and ownership issues was the starting point, but ongoing business mentoring helps to ensure the business stays on track with the plan; sanity-checks thinking and introduces new ideas to contribute to the growth plan
“Keith has become an invaluable sounding board who helps me work through many of the challenges that face a fast growing SME. He provides clarity and the perspectives gained from his extensive experience. His guidance helps me focus on the important issues and gives me the confidence to push the business forward”
BNH Associates Ltd
BNH Associates provide a comprehensive range of legal and investigative support services to solicitors, insurance companies and the finance industry throughout the UK. The business is skilled in the areas of investigation, statement taking, document service, customer sign-up and document collection. A leading and rapidly growing provider to a range of large and demanding markets, we were brought in to assist in both helping with the growth plan for the core business and to assist with setting up a new division of the Group.
“Mr Stearman has proved to be the consummate professional, most perceptive of our requirements, tolerant of our inexperience etc., and these qualities, together with his unbounded personal enthusiasm have made our dealings with him a pleasure. We found the broad spectrum of expertise and solid business experience provided by Stearman to be invaluable in these early stages, with appropriate advice and guidance on tap at any time. The Stearman-completed Business Plan was instrumental in BNH Ltd obtaining investment from Investment Finance, and now places us in a very strong position should we have the need or desire to attract further investment down the line”.
Just Desserts Ltd
A successful and well established baker supplying retail and leisure outlets across the North Just Desserts has an enviable reputation for innovation, quality and service, but were keen to drive the business to a new level. Strategy review, business planning and ongoing board support was provided to help the ambitious directors and owners to deliver the growth desired.
“We first started working with Keith when our business had reached a plateau but clearly needed to do more. What he brought was a sense of clarity, order and focus to the review process, which helped us to sift through our options, enabling us to arrive with a workable business plan. Keith continues to work with us, providing invaluable encouragement and mentoring support as we grow our business.”
Mvue communications
Helping to get new ventures off the ground is an established part of what Stearman does. Mvue was established to offer a range of marketing communications and event management services primarily to the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries. Founded by two experienced industry professionals, Mvue sought help with their ‘go to market’ strategy and in addition to strategic planning and funding requirements, ongoing board mentoring support also proved to be of real benefit to getting this ambitious new venture up and running
“Keith was very professional & approachable with a passion to understand MVUE’s core business. He provided valuable objective advice and feedback and was not afraid to challenge our thinking, processes & strategies. Overall Keith’s strategic approach provided a platform for MVUE to clarify our overall Vision, Aims, Goals (Short & long term) and more importantly what actions are needed to achieve them.”