Interview with Enterprise Exchange

We caught up with new members Enterprise Exchange. Enterprise Exchange help people with additional barriers to start their own business doing something they love.

Tell me a bit about Enterprise Exchange, how did it start?

Phil and I met a few years ago when we were working for different organisations doing similar work in East Sussex. Unfortunately, we were both made redundant at the same time, so decided that as we had so much in common and there seemed to be such a gap in our specialist market, that we would set up in business together.

After carrying out a focus group in HMP Lewes, where we had both worked previously, we managed to gain funding from Serco to work on what turned out to be a successful 18-month programme.

That programme then led on to working on a Management Development Program with Legal and General, and we have gone from strength to strength ever since.

How has the business grown over the years?

Since starting, we have worked with almost 40 organisations and supported over 1000 clients. We plan to work with many more in 2018 when we will also be expanding our team and developing some exciting new programmes with a range of new partners!

What differentiates Enterprise Exchange from other organisations?

As experts in the field of dealing with people with additional barriers, we are extremely passionate about what we do. We want the best for our clients, and strive to achieve that with, and for them. To be honest, you can’t work in this industry and not become advocates for those who struggle or face difficulty – often through no fault of their own.

Working as closely as we do with our clients, we have developed a high level of understanding of their challenges and, as a result, have honed our programmes over the years to fit their exact requirements. We ensure that we offer precisely the support that each individual requires, delivered to the highest of quality and with measurable outcomes and high impact.

We believe that it is our person focused delivery and high quality, alongside our strong social ethics, that differentiates us from other organisations.

How do you inspire your team?

Phil and I work on separate parts of the business, as most business partners do, but we always meet regularly to discuss developments, measure our progress, and to ensure that we keep to our consistent and clear view of where we are headed.

We share the same vision and purpose, focused on helping others to achieve their goals, and are both really inspired by each other’s commitment to that.

What are your top 3 tips for success?

Our top 3 tips for success are:

1.    To persevere, even when you think you can’t carry on (it is often when we are at our lowest that the best results come)

2.    Be innovative in your thinking, and in your actions

3.    Be passionate about what you do

What are the biggest challenges you face as an organisation?

In common with other social enterprises in our industry, we work on a range of government contracts aimed at the hard-to-reach groups we specialise in supporting. There have been cumulative cuts to government funding for several years now and, as a large proportion of our client base are in receipt of government benefits or are ex-offenders, this is our biggest challenge.

However, as an innovative and forward-thinking organisation, we are continuously exploring new ways to support our clients, away from government contracts, and are excited to be working on some new projects in the coming year that corporates, and others, can get involved with.

Do you find it hard to achieve a healthy work/life balance?

Like all business owners, we have times where our work/life balance is impacted by workload pressures. However, we aim to keep this to a minimum; not least as we teach our clients about keeping a healthy balance between work and home life, so need to be seen to do the same!

What’s your favourite thing about doing business in Brighton?

Brighton is a brilliant place to do business, and we feel very fortunate to be able to work by the sea.

Our favourite thing has to be the people – we have made great partnerships enjoy being part of a thriving community, and love meeting and working with the many diverse businesses that also see the benefits of being based in Brighton.

Thanks to Benna from Enterprise Exchange for writing this blog.

If you want to contribute to the Chamber blog, contact us on hannah@brightonchamber.co.uk