About me
How did I end up here?
I've been incredibly fortunate to have worked for the last 30 years within businesses that have gone through a huge amount of change and ultimately been very successful. That is not to say there were not difficult times, because there were!
At the age of 15 I was thrust into the family business, working from 5am in the morning in our bakery. As much as I enjoyed being part of it, I knew there was more in life that I wanted to accomplish and that's when I found my way into photocopiers.
In 1998 I set up Midshire Business Systems in Stockport. We specialised in providing photocopiers to all manner of organisations, including schools, Universities and businesses.
We built the business up from just myself, to a team of 100 across multiple sites. We were widely recognised for our work and I was fortunate enough to be named Northern Businessman of the Year in 2015.
Guiding the business for 30 years, culminating in the sale of Midshire to Sharp in 2018, I have learnt an incredible amount. I've built up fantastic contacts across the whole of the UK.
Building on the same values that made Midshire so successful, I'd like to share my knowledge with other entrepreneurs to help them on their own journeys.
I'm not here to lecture, it's about helping guide where necessary and push when appropriate!
“The guidance, support, advice, and mentorship I have received from Julian over the past three years have been truly invaluable. In all honesty I do not know how I would have survived without his thoughtful insight during a difficult period of my life.”
Michael Greenwood
Managing Director, Nutz About Netball
Free discovery call
How I can help
Business Growth
From understanding sales tactics to looking at how you can leverage your marketing better. There's lots that can be done and navigated to ensure your business/organisation experiences growth. Through my own experiences we can discuss this and I can also introduce you to trusted friends and experts who can offer even deeper insight.
Navigating Finance & Funding
Finance clearly plays a key role in the success of any business. I'm not here to replace an accountant but if you'd like to chat to me about the financial side of your business then we can walk through things from a more practical perspective. As we all know, spreadsheets and forecasts are only part of the story.
Building and Managing a Team
Putting together an amazing group of people is integral, however it is hard. Managing people, relationships and ensuring team cohesion is one of the toughest things I think is associated to business. I'm here to guide you through any scenarios that may occur but can also provide you insight into how I built an incredibly loyal, family atmosphere.
Building to Sell
Having been through an exit, the complexities are something that need guidance. If your hope is to sell your business, I can work with you to get things set up to make them more attractive to potential suitors and support you through the sale process.
Business Growth
From understanding sales tactics to looking at how you can leverage your marketing better. There's lots that can be done and navigated to ensure your business/organisation experiences growth. Through my own experiences we can discuss this and I can also introduce you to trusted friends and experts who can offer even deeper insight.
Navigating Finance & Funding
Finance clearly plays a key role in the success of any business. I'm not here to replace an accountant but if you'd like to chat to me about the financial side of your business then we can walk through things from a more practical perspective. As we all know, spreadsheets and forecasts are only part of the story.
Building & Managing a Team
Putting together an amazing group of people is integral, however it is hard. Managing people, relationships and ensuring team cohesion is one of the toughest things I think is associated to business. I'm here to guide you through any scenarios that may occur but can also provide you insight into how we built an incredibly loyal, family atmosphere.
Building to Sell
Having been through an exit, the complexities are something that need guidance. If your hope is to sell your business, I can work with you to get things setup to make them more attractive to potential suitors and also support you through the sale process.
Want to know more?
“Julian’s support went far beyond technicalities. Meetings would explore much wider social, budget, finance & educational areas: his vision was broad and inclusive and very much appreciated. Unsurprisingly his company grew and never, in my experience, lost the drive to make its clientele and the “worlds” in which they operated better, more productive and inclusive places. What a mentor and partner: knowledgeable, inspirational and effortless to work with and so rewarding!”
Peter Banks
Deputy Head of St Matthews RC High School in Manchester
Free discovery call