Recycling guru and rising TV star Max McMurdo got a taste of Teesside when he was guest speaker at a packed business networking event.
Max – star of Channel 4’s Shed of the Year, and Kirstie’s Fill Your House For Free – was special guest at the Redcar and Cleveland Business Forum.
And to make sure he got a real taste for the town, Redcar ice-cream family the Pacittos sent along some of their famous lemon top.
“It’s delicious, I can see why it’s a big hit,” said Max.
The free business forum is a monthly event organised by Redcar and Cleveland Council’s Enterprise Team, a group providing free advice and support to more than 250 companies across the borough.
More than 100 businessmen and women took their seats at the event at Tuned In to hear Max share details of how he went from design student to car designer and eventually entrepreneur before appearing on TV’s Dragons’ Den, where he secured £50,000 of investment from Deborah Meaden and Theo Paphitis.
Owner of highly-successful furniture upcycling company ‘reestore’, Max set up his business in 2003 after being concerned about mass consumption in the economy.
Famous for his bathtub sofas, shopping trolley chairs and the Formula 1 wheel coffee table, Max’s innovation has inspired a generation of designers, crafters and ‘upcyclers’ – those who give new life to unwanted items.
Cllr Mark Hannon, Redcar and Cleveland Council’s cabinet member for economic development, said: “It was a fantastic event and it was reassuring for many people there that Max, for all his success, faces the same challenges as any entrepreneur.
“The business forum, which is held each month, is part of a raft of free help and support being provided by the Enterprise Team, and is a great example of how the local authority is playing a key role in job creation across the borough by supporting local businesses.”
Max, who’s about to start filming for George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces, said: “As an entrepreneur, with all the challenges that brings, it’s easy to focus on the negative, but those brave enough to be in business should always believe in what they are doing.
“I think about giving up at least once a year – always February for some reason – but then I’ll come up with a new idea and my enthusiasm returns and off I go again.
“Sometimes I find running a business the most stressful thing in the world but then other times it’s incredibly rewarding - the positives definitely out way the negatives overall though!”
The Enterprise Team is made up of skilled business coaches, and is focused on helping companies in Redcar and Cleveland to achieve their goals, including moving premises, increasing their turnover, improving profitability and reaching more potential customers.
The scheme offers Redcar and Cleveland businesses at least 12 hours of free, tailored support and in the last year more than 250 companies have been helped, leading to the creation of more than 150 jobs.
The business coaches have also held scores of free pre-start workshops, enabling hundreds of residents to realise their dream of running their own business or exploring the possibility of self-employment.
To find out more about the Enterprise Team visit http://ift.tt/1xDeXqA or call the team on 01642 438500.
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