Scale Up Network

John Young, Executive Director of The International Network for Advancing Science and Policy (INASP).

INASP is an international development charity working with a global network of partners with projects spanning across 25 countries in Africa, Latin America and Asia. Their vision is of research and knowledge at the heart of development – where decisions are informed by relevant and rigorous evidence, and where knowledge is created with the communities it is intended to serve. John shares:

"When I joined INASP in late 2018 it was clear that while the work the organisation was doing was important and it was doing it well, we would have to change the way we do it if we were to survive the next 5-10 years. Having the chance to discuss our evolving strategy with a wider peer-group from different organisations, and having to answer the searching questions they asked during the action-learning process strengthened the strategy and gave me confidence that we are going in the right direction."

Jennifer Schivas, Managing Director at 67 Bricks.

67 Bricks is a software development consultancy who build information products for the data-driven world. Their custom-built solutions enable publishers to increase the value of their content, support existing and new business models, enable better reuse of content and deliver increased revenues from digital products. Jennifer says:

"Upon joining the programme we were entering a dedicated period of planned change and growth. Many of the challenges we face are related to managing the transition from “agile startup” to established small-medium business. For example, how to retain the culture that early employees loved and made us unique as we grow, how to implement appropriate lightweight processes without stifling the creativity, autonomy and agility of our staff and how to hire the best people in the extremely competitive software development space.

We joined the group with an open mind and as it was a new initiative we were not sure what to expect, we were hoping to gain:

• The opportunity to meet and learn from business leaders in the local area who are grappling with similar issues.
• More formal knowledge of best practice and thought leadership around business and management from the staff at Oxford Brookes
• Some practical ideas we could take and put into action

And I am pleased to say we have gained all three. The sessions are a safe space to discuss the challenges and opportunities faced by our businesses openly; this allows members to ask the right questions and really help each other get to the root of their issues.

We’re already making positive changes as a result of being part of the Scale Up group. For example we have taken specific steps to improve our hiring process, to help us retain top talent and to ensure our financial processes are robust. I have an increased confidence that as a company we are caring about and prioritising the right things and have the skills and drive to make the changes we need to grow."

Donna Rogers, Partner at Rogers Metal Management.

Rogers Metal Management source, recover, process and trade all metals such as copper, iron, steel and aluminium, operating from our scrap yard in Oxfordshire. Services include site clearances and they are able to offer competitive prices for your end of use scrap metals. Donna shares:

"Scale Up Network is a supportive space to express frustrations and challenges. This has helped me to develop my confidence to tackle things head on and steer the business going forward. I have also found there is a common thread in all the businesses, despite the diversity of them. It has been a great learning experience to listen to what other people have done to remedy problems that you perhaps might not have heard of or looked at." 

Dave Smith, Chief Executive Officer at The Oxford Artisan Distillery.

The Oxford Artisan Distillery is a organic grain-to-glass craft distillery, uniquely using populations of heritage grain which are grown on farms within a 125 mile radius of Oxford. Dave says:

"An old dog learned some very new tricks. I've been really impressed by the group, and some that I've seen is brilliant. As a group we've explored ways to scale and that having an open mindset to where growth may come from, is key. Applying an open mindset to business growth is the big asset I've taken out of this whole experience."