A former Sewell Group managing director has launched his own business as he looks to use three decades of experience in regional construction to help other firms build successfully.
Martin Stead introduced Loom Consultancy as part of Humber Business Week. An industry professional with a track record delivering projects ranging from houses and health centres, schools to sports stadia, he turned to a textile trade metaphor for his new venture as he aims to help create a strong fabric within organisations.
The ‘chief weaver’ aims to deploy his unique diagnostics process. He looks at a management team’s understanding and awareness of performance across all aspects of a business, from the established threads of marketing, customers and people to ever-changing technology and the emerging environmental, social and governance risks and opportunities.
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Martin said: “We look at the threads within a business which will only work if they are woven together strongly and effectively, helping business owners and managers deal with the big questions facing their organisations – even if they arise out of the blue.
“In doing that we also explore the difference between accidental and intentional business owners and how they achieve their version of work-life balance – securing satisfactory harmony between their organisation and everything else in their life.”
Martin began his career in and around construction by joining Hull-based Sewell Group as an apprentice. He later worked for other big companies including Birse and Beal Homes, with smaller sub-contractors and in his own consultancy business before returning to Sewell Group as commercial manager of Sewell FM. Within the firm’s facilities management arm, he progressed to become its managing director.
At Birse, Martin had helped to build what is now the MKM Stadium. And he has a lasting link with the stadium, a pair of his muddied, battered old shoes is buried near the east stand, where Loom went live last week.
Based in the city, he said: “Each role brought experience of different elements of business, sometimes commissioning work from various links in the supply chain and on other occasions working as a supplier and sub-contractor on some major developments.
“In doing that I learned a lot about how the strengths and weaknesses in other businesses impacted the success of my organisations. That made me want to find out more about how businesses work, and what happens when they don’t.”
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