Kirkbright

Specialmoves

Darrell Wilkins at Specialmoves said:

"Kirkbright has helped us to transform our growth prospects as a business. Our Kirkbright business mentor has worked with us to create a clear plan - and to become more disciplined and professional as a management team in order to execute that blueprint. 

In a friendly, insightful and structured way Kirkbright has supported us in getting to grips with some of our big issues  - clarifying our overall strategy including better understanding our unique position in the marketplace (and how that relates to the competition), improving our sales processes, analysing issues around project profitability and linking them to long-term financial strategy.

We now work on two levels with Kirkbright - firstly, month-to-month with our business mentor who helps us stick to the long-term plan. Secondly, with specialist Kirkbright Associates who help us improve in specific areas we have collaboratively identified as a team.

Working with our business mentor is like having a knowledgeable (and persistent!) head coach urging us on to big and better things who brings in specialist trainers as-and-when needed to help us to achieve our goals".

 

Circle

Claire Livesey at Circle said:

"Kirkbright offered a potent blend of management development and strategic advice. It gave us a chance to stand back from our small business and see the wood for the trees.  We were taken through a structured process to crystallise our strategy but most importantly to think about an action plan.  Kirkbright offered a balanced mix of sound business thinking combined with a sensitive understanding the emotional and people issues.  It was bespoke to our needs, tangible and importantly, realistic".

Outline Productions

Laura Mansfield a Outline Productions said:

"Kirkbright worked closely with our senior management team to facilitate a structured and collaborative debate aimed at clarifying our Big Questions as an independent television production business. They bought to the table impressive experience at diagnosing the internal strengths and weaknesses of growing businesses, a deep understanding of creative industry issues, and a constructive focus on the unique circumstances of our company. The experience was extremely valuable fo us as a team, and the output was a great starting point for building our company strategy as well as a clear and actionable 'to-do' list."  

Oxford University's Saïd Business School

Gay Haskins Dean of Executive Education at Oxford University's Saïd Business School:

"We had a big challenge. We knew we had the germ of an idea for a great and innovative joint venture  executive education programme between two of Europe's leading business schools - HEC Paris and Oxford University's Saïd Business School. What we were missing was a clear articulation of the programme's unique positioning and benefits to potential delegates. We invited Kirkbright to help us find the way. They started by interviewed all the parties on both sides of The Channel who had contributed to the original idea. From a huge mass of information they successfully crafted a mutually agreeable solution which led to a compelling strategy and marketing plan. We were delighted with the results from their structured, facilitative and collaborative approach."

 

Channel 4 News

Gay Flashman, Managing Editor, Channel 4 News said:

“Our big challenge was to stand back and consider our options in terms of our operational production strategy. The team came in and helped us do just that. They interviewed key stakeholders, gathered information both internally and externally, and collaboratively offered us a series of options to take forward. The output proved very useful to us.”

DCMS

Shaun Woodward, Minister for Creative Industries & Tourism, DCMS said:

“Greg Orme has made a valuable contribution to my Department's Creative Economy Programme.”

JWT

Kate Bruges Professional Development Director, JWT London said:

“Greg was able to combine his considerable business school and entrepreneurial skills with his empathy for the creative process to provide feedback that was illuminating and robust but also a lot of fun.”

Accidental Managers Programme

"Great course. Filling a gap in my knowledge - looking forward to the other sessions!"
- Rhodri Williams, KMP Digita

"We were engaged rather than swamped with information.”
- Jon Turner, Kilogramme

"This course was first class. I rate it as the most useful and insightful I have ever attended.”
- Andrew Butterworh, Idaho Technology

"Well delivered, professional, motivating.”
- Jo Cartwright, Corporation Pop

"It was enlightening and thought provoking.”
- Keryy Brierley, Nine Lives Media

"I felt very relaxed and the course completely held my attention - it generated great group discussion.”
- Elizabeth Leadbeater, Milky Tea

Building the Creative Business Programme

 The following testimonials are for the Building the Creative Business Programme which Kirkbright founder Greg Orme launched at the Centre for Creative Business.

"The first day's learning alone justified the entire course fee.”
- Richard Tierney, Managing Director, BrainStore UK

“I could not recommend the course more....best investment I have ever made in myself and my company.”
- Caraline Brown, Midnight Communications

“If I hadn't attended the BCB Course... I would feel a lot less confident in my ability to lead the company.”
- Suzanne Linton, Freestyle Interactive

“The course has been just fabulous.”
- Rebecca Boyle, Artis

“The BCB course is stimulating and intelligently structured – there is plenty of time for debate and discussion and the opportunity to share with peers in a safe environment was superb – the lecturers are world class and it is a privilege to be selected for a place.”
- Tina Catling, Outside the Box

“If we hadn't attended the BCB course... we would not have the same levels of confidence we have now and we would not have developed as good a network in the same period of time.”
- Darrel Wilkins, Special Moves

“The really great thing about the course is that its impact has been much longer term. I find myself referring to the notes and thinking back to the sessions almost as a reflex action as we plan and develop our business. As a result, the positive impact of the course gets greater over time, which in my experience is a unique benefit.”
- Fred Bassett, Blue Latitude Network Limited

“If we hadn’t attended the course...we’d still be making the errors we were making, we’d be lacking focus and direction.”
- Mark Davies, Outside the Box

“If we hadn't attended the course... we wouldn't have reflected as much on where we are at now and we wouldn’t have thought as much about what we have to do to move forward in the future.”
- Davie McGirr, Illumina Digital

“The course turned on a number of light bulbs .... And made both of us realise that we urgently need to make some strategic moves to realign our company.”
- Billy Grant, 2Point9

Design Council

David Kester, Chief Executive, Design Council said:

“Inspirational - thank you for making our Competitiveness Summit a success.”