In this podcast season, curated in partnership with Somerset Chamber of Commerce, hgkc are exploring Somerset with prominent business leaders who have built businesses and their careers in the county. 

In this episode, Sarah Chilcott speaks to Martin Thatcher, the 4^th generation cider maker at Thatchers. Martin talks about his pride in his family business, which started when his great-grandfather moved to Myrtle Farm in 1904. He talks about how the business evolved from being a shop where people could taste before they bought their cider to the innovative business it is today, influenced heavily by long term planning for the 5^th and even 6th generations of cider makers ahead. 

He also recognises that there must be a balance between the sophisticated automated production of the business, and the importance of retaining the craftmanship and the heritage – all the things they have learnt over the last 122 years. 

His genuine love for the land, for Somerset, and of course for cider, shines through. 

If you would like to find out more about Thatchers Cider, you can do that here.

If you would like more information about how hgkc help clients prepare for their exit, pivot to a new market, grow through innovation, or develop their leadership teams, please contact us here.

In this podcast season, curated in partnership with Somerset Chamber of Commerce, hgkc are exploring Somerset with prominent business leaders who have built businesses and their careers in the county. 

In this episode, Sarah Chilcott speaks to Neil Douglas, Co-Founder and now Non-Executive Director at Viper Innovations in Portishead, North Somerset. Viper Innovations is a global engineering business, which delivers intelligent electrical integrity solutions that help organisations optimise performance and prevent failures in land, sea and sub-sea assets. Headquartered in the UK, it also has offices in the US and employs 90 specialists worldwide.

Neil talks about how connections with several of the local educational establishments have helped to drive innovation in the business, alongside the importance of understanding their customer’s challenges and a gated process to manage cash risk in a bootstrapped business. He also explores the step-by-step exit by him and his co-founder from the business, and why preparation was key to the success of their relatively less well-known VIMBO (Vendor-Initiated Management Buy-Out).

If you would like to find out more about Viper Innovations, you can do that here.

If you would like more information about hgkc help clients prepare for their exit, pivot to a new market, grow through innovation, or develop their leadership teams, please contact us here.