A businessman who has built a longstanding signage company in Hull has called for others to not to be afraid of failure when it comes to starting up.
Rob Daysley left school at 15 and did a two year apprenticeship before deciding to strike out on his own, starting Designs at the age of 18 in 1993. The entrepreneur, who comes from a working class family in East Hull, originally set up in his parents garage and has since grown his company into a 50-strong operation providing signage for ambulances across the UK and Europe, sets for darts competitions and branding at the MKM Stadium, among other clients.
“For me, a customer came along and it presented a great opportunity for me to set up on my own,” explained Mr Daysley. “My parents said, ‘you’re at home – you’ve got no bills or dependents and now is the time to do it. If it’s not successful, what have you lost?’ So I started off with a car, a box of pens and that’s what I did. Fast forward and the business will be 32 years old on August 1 and its just slowly grown over that time.”
Designs now works with high profile clients such as B&Q, Kwik Fit and ScS and it was the Innovation Drive-based firm that wrapped the open-top bus for Hull Kingston Rovers’ Challenge Cup celebration parade. Mr Daysley said its repeat customers who have given him the most satisfaction since setting up his company and remembers those who helped him out as a youngster, including well known Hull figure Chris Coyle who gave him one of his first jobs.
Now, Designs employee of 12 years, Mark Blanchard, has taken on the role of managing director with Mr Daysley taking up the title of founder and focusing on strategy. Despite his years at the helm of the firm, Mr Daysley’s says the decision to relinquish some control of the business was a straightforward one.
He said: “It’s recognition of Mark’s drive and ambition and that’s what the business needs to take it to the next level. My intention was for someone to make the progress that Mark has. Normally it would have taken two or three years but he’s well ahead of that.”
Mr Daysley added: “I’m proudest of having built such as great team around me and Mark’s a great advocate of that. He joined the business 12 years ago and he’s grown himself into that position. Mark’s one of many people we’ve had in the business who worked for us for a long time – some as long as 20 years – and there have been some great people who have stayed with the business and others who have gone on to other things but the highlight for me is the quality of people who have helped me along the way.”
Having worked as a mentor and with UK charity Young Enterprise, the entrepreneur says he is a big advocate of people setting up their own businesses – and says there should be more people doing so in the area. He says had he got support at a younger age, he would have succeeded a lot quicker.
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Mr Daysley said: “I think there are people who have that entrepreneurial spirit that are not necessarily using it. I think they’re scared of failure, to be fair. They don’t want to fail but for me, failure is good and it’s how we learn.”
He added: “When opportunities come my way, I grab them with both hands – whether I can do them or not, but I make them work.”
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