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Behind the Best: The Pitch 2011 special - Boozeberries, Northern Ireland

This month we’re introducing you to the finalists in this year’s The Pitch awards, run by SiftMedia in association with Yell. The Pitch 2011 supports and celebrates small businesses from start-up to success.

Today we meet the Northern Ireland finalist Barbara Hughes, co-founder of Boozeberries Artisan liqueurs.

For any of our readers who aren’t aware of you, can you give us an intro to the business?
Boozeberries is a premium Artisan Berry Liqueur naturally enhanced with the infusion of whole wild fragrant berries. Hand-crafted in small batches, supreme selected berries are infused in a rich mellow blend of Irish grain spirit to give a clean delicate taste of summer fruits all through the year!
‘Ireland’s 1^st Fruit liqueur’ can be served chilled, over ice or added to Champagne, Prosseco or other sparkling wine to create amazing Champagne cocktails (it’s a real treat to watch the berries dance in the bubbles) It can be used to create innovative cocktails and sumptuous desserts… - Check out our free Boozeberries cocktail recipes
Boozeberries has picked up a clutch of awards at food and drink shows, and has been honoured with celebrity chef and 5 star restaurant endorsements:

Boozeberries Liqueurs are Available in 3 flavours:
Wild Cranberries, Zesty Blackcurrant and Wild Blueberries.

Where can we find you, and why did you choose to set up shop where you did? - What attracted you to that area?
We currently work from home; however we are searching for suitable premises close to home in the Banbridge area in Co Down.
Our stockists include The Drink Shop, Tesco NI, and other independent off licenses and restaurants.

What inspired you to start your business?
Both I and my husband Stuart wanted a better work/life balance and wanted a way to use our skills to create a better life for our family. We pride ourselves on high quality unique products and service.

What’s your philosophy in a nutshell? What would you say makes you stand out from the crowd?
Firstly commitment and determination to succeed in a very competitive market dominated by giants, then the niche we have focused on – high-end specialist Liqueurs, 100% natural and 100% delicious.

Can you explain how your business works and what differentiates it from your competitors’ in the industry?
We have created a culture that treats alcoholic drinks like food, the barman has become a chef and is searching for high quality ingredients. People appreciate what we are doing, the Mixologists and key players in the industry have told us our products are what they have been waiting for. Our Liqueurs are described as Fresh they are not sticky or sweet and allow the bartender versatility with his carefully balanced flavours.

Do you have a signature product you could tell us about?
All our liqueurs are created and flavoured naturally from whole Berries; the berries become a delicious garnish in your drinks, cocktails and desserts, and the little boozy berries add to your experience.

What would you say is the secret to a successful independent business? 
Don’t let negative people put you off! When you have researched your business and are confident in what you are doing – Go For It! It’s not easy but it’s incredibly rewarding.

Can you share a few of your favourite local, independent businesses with us?
My favourite local business are
Slice of Heaven - one of my very best friends Heather makes amazing desserts.
Harnett’s Oils - Jane is making natural and healthy oils rapeseed, hemp and flavoured from her own farm.
Fluid Voodoo - Richard is educating people in the art of cocktails both for fun and for the professional bartenders.

How does it feel to have won your heat of The Pitch?
Really good! But the pressure is on now not to let Northern Ireland down on the Final!

Are you confident about the final?
Yeah – pretty confident if I can keep the nerves at bay… Just one to beat I think (not telling who though lol)
All great wee businesses but think there are only 2 of us that are global brands.

If you could give one piece of advice for an Entrepreneur considering entering next year’s Pitch competition, what would it be?
Go for it and focus on what makes you unique!

Finally, following The Pitch, what can we expect from you in 2011/2012? Anything our readers should be looking forward to?
Better distribution and new brands – our Facebook page is a good place to keep up to date with our progress

The Pitch 2011 final is on 18th November.
The four region finalists will be joined by a fifth, chosen by live public vote for the Wildcard Award - Voting ends 6th November. 

The overall champion will win a package of business products and services worth £50,000. We wish them all good luck!

Behind the Best: The Pitch 2011 special - Rocktails, Wales

This month we’re introducing you to the finalists in this year’s The Pitch awards, run by SiftMedia in association with Yell. The Pitch 2011 supports and celebrates small businesses from start-up to success.

Today we meet Naomi Kibble & Helen McAvoy whose pre-packaged, bar quality frozen cocktails, Rocktails, won them the Welsh heat.

For any of our readers who aren’t aware of you, can you give us an introduction to the business?
ROCKTAILS are born wild and fruity. Captured inside each double-serve Rocktail pod is our lovingly created, unique fusion of fruits and vodka, blended to create a spectacular frozen cocktail like no other. At 10% ABV, they come in 3 distinctive launch flavours; Frostberry, Coolcumber and Arctic Passion..

Where can we find you, and why did you choose to set up shop where you did? - What attracted you to that area?
Available from November in selected Sainsburys. Also available online. 
We are a national brand but out offices are based in South Wales – we love the Welsh. No other reason! The Welsh Assembly are really supportive with grants, the living costs are really low and it’s only 2 hours to London on a train.

What inspired you to start your business?

Helen and Naomi, the Co-Founders of ROCKTAILS, met through a leadership development organisation, AIESEC, and soon after formed a social enterprise in Cardiff whilst studying at the University Business School. Both Co-Founders later went on to work in London, Naomi for a FTSE 250 company and Helen for AIESEC.

We had always enjoyed busy social lives in London, and spent more than enough time in cocktail bars around the city. However, we had a real problem re-creating this bar experience at home when we cooked for friends or organised parties; the ingredients were expensive, crushing ice was messy and no-one wanted to spend time in the kitchen away from the craic (as Helen would say). We sat on the idea for quite a while and nothing came to the market which filled the gap. It was only when Naomi started planning a little summer money spinner (selling alcoholic slush-puppies out the back of an ice-cream van on the beach in Cornwall) did it occur that what we should really do was actually create a cocktail which met this need for being able to enjoy bar quality cocktails at home and with a little bit of research, the idea quickly evolved.

The big leap came at the end of August; after copious weekends and evenings spent planning the business and juggling full-time jobs, we decided to move out of London and work fulltime on the business. On 7 September 2010 we opened the office, where we set about turning our ideas into a reality…this was the start…

What’s your philosophy in a nutshell? What would you say makes you stand out from the crowd?
We have found that people don’t have access to premium, bar quality cocktails at home as they need a lot of spirits, time, effort, skills, knowledge, equipment, and be willing for their kitchen to be turned upside down in the process! ROCKTAILS solves this problem by providing cocktails that are;
Full and Fruity – ROCKTAILS have a powerfully fruity and authentic taste, making them incomparable to the synthetic cocktails currently offered.
Frozen – No other pre-mixed cocktail currently in the UK market which is frozen– this instantly differentiates us.
Chillingly Impressive– there’s no cocktail prowess needed. ROCKTAILS are perfectly mixed every single time as everything is included. When decanted into a glass they create a frost on the outside of the glass which is only seen in bars.
Wildly Convenient - super easy, minimal mess, no waste. Simply FREEZE, LEAVE, SQUEEZE. 
Free From - artificial flavourings and colours. Pre-mixed cocktails are full of rubbish. Ingredients don’t have to be disclosed on the label, so manufacturers get away with murder, some cocktails are even made with fortified wine rather than proper spirits.
Responsibly Transparent - Clear unit measure, calorie content, and nutritionals are listed on every pod– this promotes responsible drinking and makes sure consumers know exactly where they stand. This isn’t a common and legal requirement on alcohol products but something we have found consumers really value.

What would you say is the secret to a successful independent business? What advice would you give to someone looking to follow in your shoes?
Satisfying customers, cashflow and forward planning make a successful business.
• Make sure you have the time and the money to launch your business. You can’t have one without the other – and one can’t be substituted for the other.
• Plan, plan and plan some more. Make sure you plan every step of your start-up journey. If you miss a stage or go about things in the wrong order it could cost you dearly. And remember – a plan is useless without action.
• Have fun. It’ll be harder work than you imagined, so make sure you’re enjoying it or you’ll never survive.

Can you share a few of your favourite local, independent businesses with us?
Not local but still fab - Righteous all-natural salad dressings and cooking oil.
Big Mouse Productions - Managed by 2 absurdly talented audio/video guys, Sam and Jamie. Their approach to their work is fantastic. They are a joy to work with, they listen to every detail of your brief and always over deliver. The work they create is just brilliantly creative and extremely high quality.
Huw Jones Photography - another hugely talented guy with a real eye for quality. He’s a onestop shop for all things photography and his work in food and drink, really does make your mouth water. He has a great setup, a studio bigger than your house and its really comfortable if your on a long shoot.
Also, Gower Cottage Brownies, Cartridge Mate and Empire Events.

How does it feel to have won your heat of The Pitch?
Great – it has provided some great exposure and it’s always nice to hear other people talking about it with the same passion that we have.

Are you confident about the final?
There are some fantastic businesses in the other regions and we feel honoured to be competing alongside them. We’re confident in the product..I guess the rest will take care of itself!

If you could give one piece of advice for an Entrepreneur considering entering next year’s Pitch competition, what would it be?
Do it – you have to be in it to win it!

Finally, following The Pitch, what can we expect from you in 2011/2012? Anything our readers should be looking forward to?
There is loads going on! We will be increasing our reach, and the amount of stores currently stocking ROCKTAILS. Running some fab competitions for people to win cases of ROCKTAILS and most likely bringing ROCKTAILS to a festival near you!

The Pitch 2011 final is on 18th November, you can buy tickets here.
The four region finalists will be joined by a fifth, chosen by live public vote for the Wildcard Award - Voting ends 6th November.

The overall champion will win a package of business products and services worth £50,000, we wish them all good luck!

Behind the best: Pitch 2011 Special - Kibosh Ltd, Scotland

For the third year running, Yell is a major sponsor of BusinessZone.co.uk’s The Pitch, Britain’s biggest small business competition, which supports and celebrates small businesses from start-up to success. This year has seen finalists chosen from 4 regional events in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

Over the next month we’re going to introduce you to those finalists, starting with Ross Dickinson, Owner/ Director of Emerald Plumbing & Heating and MD of Kibosh Ltd, to discuss his win in the Scottish heat, with his unique Kibosh pipe repair tool.

For any of our readers who aren’t aware of you, can you give us an intro to the business?
I am Ross Dickinson. I have invented a product called Kibosh™ which is a unique, instant and simple temporary repair for ruptured or burst water pipes. It requires no tools or training and can allow the pipe to be kept in use till a plumber can make a permanent repair. It can even be applied when water is still gushing out of the burst or rupture. In my everyday work and especially in the winter, I needed a product like this, but there was nothing on the market, so in December 2007 I had my eureka moment.

Check out the Kibosh demo videos on YouTube.

Where can we find you, and why did you choose to set up shop where you did? What attracted you to that area?
I am based in Walkerburn in the Scottish Borders and have always lived here. The Kibosh is being made by Cademuir Toolmaking in Selkirk, also in the Scottish Borders. I would like to see the manufacture and business staying in the local area and UK as much as possible.
Kibosh can also be found on Facebook and Twitter.

What inspired you to start your business?
I already own and run a successful plumbing business which employs two people. I enjoy being my own boss and when the Kibosh project started I found I had the energy and drive to see it through. I have learnt so much over the past few years and there have been many challenges. The emergency pipe repair will be the first of a family of products in the Kibosh brand and I look forward to building a good strong company and hopefully becoming a global brand.

What’s your philosophy in a nutshell? What would you say makes you stand out from the crowd?
I’m just a normal guy/ plumber who likes to succeed and see others succeed. Treat others as you would expect to be treated yourself!

Can you explain how your business works and what differentiates it from your competitors’ in the industry?
Being a plumber I see at first hand the scenarios people find themselves in, particularly the vulnerable and elderly. Some people are left without heating or water for up to a week and in commercial situations this can lead to reduced or loss of production and financial loss. Plumbers call out fees can be reduced or eliminated too. A Kibosh can be fitted instantly requiring no tools in the middle of the night or on Christmas Day by the home owner and the plumber can call to repair at a more convenient time leaving the pipe in use. On the flip side the plumber can fit a Kibosh and return when more convenient, especially in situations where water cannot be turned off. It is simple enough for unskilled people to use and trustworthy and attractive enough for professionals!

Do you have a signature product/specialism you could tell us about?
The Kibosh Emergency Pipe Repair is the signature product but other products will follow bearing the Kibosh branding. Mainly other inventions so watch this space. They will all be simple to use and mainly in keeping with the no tools idea!

What would you say is the secret to a successful independent business? What advice would you give to someone looking to follow in your shoes?
You have to work very hard because no one will do it for you. Go with your gut feeling and google people you meet ( Be diligent! ) You have to take some risks and don’t be scared to delegate or you’ll burn yourself out!

Can you share a few of your favourite local, independent businesses with us?
I have been very lucky to acquire a good team of people in my journey. They are all in external companies, very good at what they do and really want to see Kibosh succeed which is very important!

My accountant and Kibosh secretary Karen Graham and Rhiannon Barton, both from Braidwood Graham CA 

My Lawyer, Craig Stirling. Partner with Davidson Chalmers LLP
Colin McMillan, Cademuir Toolmaking
Norma Corlette (My Mentor) Educator, Board Director, Entrepreneur
Angela Neal, Angela Neal Media
Alan Milne, designer at Lemon Digital Design
Dr Stephen Blake, Gordon Stark from Murgitroyd Patent Attorneys
Richie Connor and John Harkins from Scottish Enterprise
Lorna Watson at Borders Business Gateway
Wolseley UK
Toolstop
Home Hardware

How does it feel to have won your heat of The Pitch?
It feels great to have won the Scottish pitch finals. It is such a great prestigious competition to get this far in. If I can win in London the timing couldn’t be better for me as we will be launching then too which would be amazing!

Are you confident about the final?
There will be a lot of pressure because it means so much and the benefits of the prize package are invaluable. If I can deliver the content well I will know I’ve given it my best shot. It is a great strong product but it’s up to me to “Pitch” it well!

If you could give one piece of advice for an Entrepreneur considering entering next year’s Pitch competition, what would it be?
It is a great competition to enter because you learn a lot about the business. The judges are top of their game and very successful so you make yourself ready for the questions learning on the way. It is good for public speaking confidence and experience too. It was a great networking benefit too on the night and I made good connections. Running your own business and being an entrepreneur, it benefits you talking and connecting to like-minded people and that is what The Pitch is all about. People who like business and want businesses to grow. It would be a benefit even being in the audience at one of the competitions!

Finally, following The Pitch, what can we expect from you in 2011/2012? Anything our readers should be looking forward to?
I’m looking forward to the launch. It’ll be a great feeling seeing the Kibosh in the shops. My local University and College are looking into prototyping Kibosh work wear as the branding is very well received so watch out for that next year. I believe Kibosh will be a successful brand with a great range of products and feel very positive about the future. Hopefully it will be a good boost for the economy which will be good for everyone.

The Pitch 2011 final is on 18th November, you can buy tickets for £20.
The four region finalists will be joined by a fifth, chosen by live public vote for the Wildcard Award - Voting ends 6th November. 

The overall champion will win a package of business products and services worth £50,000, we wish them all good luck!