Be brave, be confident, because now is the time to leap ahead of the competition

We work alongside 60 of our Gazelles members, many of Yorkshire’s fastest-growing SMEs with turnovers from £250,000 to around £15m. There’s definitely a feeling of renewed confidence as they grow by having robust finances, being specialist, recruiting the right people and looking outside the UK.

The companies that prosper are the ones that forge ahead, are bullish – which most entrepreneurs are – while having the prudence to be in a strong enough cash position to ride out any storm.

Investment is key – it’s nonsense that there’s no money around, it can be hard but the funds are there. Being niche is a distinct advantage – there are plenty of “me toos” but a company offering something unique has a great advantage.

Gazelle members say recruiting good staff is difficult, therefore being a good employer and knowing how to keep, motivate and inspire staff is crucial.

Our Gazelle members are actively identifying and selling into key overseas markets to grow their businesses – the Far East, for example, has huge potential.

There are numerous success stories. Andrew Seal, group managing director of Bradford-based SIL Holdings which operates in the textile industry, said: “We have achieved a bigger slice of a reducing market through acquisition – buying companies with heritage and reputation – giving economies of scale and more robust management.”

A Gazelles “Entrepreneur in Residence” is Hugh Facey, founder of the award-winning Gripple in Sheffield, market leader of wire joiners and tensioners, who champions UK production. Hugh said: “By manufacturing here we can give immediate service, we do not have to order months in advance, wait for product to arrive from overseas and have the problems of currency exchange rates.”

You can have a perfect business model, investment, and a good idea but its the drive and determination that entrepreneurs have that makes the difference.

One of the Gazelles’ USPs is access to many of the region’s top business people – what better way than to learn from the true experts?

Yorkshire has seen the birth of brilliance – innovation, world-class companies, cutting edge technology – there is an abundance of talent, of hard working people with superb ideas, who will succeed regardless of the climate. The time is now to make a mark, in the confidence that the light at the end of the tunnel is getting brighter.

Nick Butler is chief executive of Connect Gazelles, the unique business support group for fast-growing SMEs. Visit www.connectgazelles.co.uk