Caroline Moore and Phil Churm

Both Caroline and Phil have faced hardship in their lives: Phil lost part of his leg aged just nine months. Caroline lost her father at the age of nine and saw his business go into liquidation, and she battled skin cancer in early 2007. Having faced all these challenges Caroline and Phil are even more focused and determined to succeed.

Their company mission is to constantly update all their products to make them more user-friendly and efficient to manufacture, and to keep up with the markets and customer requirements.

The combination of Phil’s skills in the sheet metal industry and Caroline’s creativity and knowledge of design and marketing has enabled Securit GB Ltd to manufacture one-off designs altered to suit market requirements. The company offers a bespoke service, nationwide delivery, installation and aftercare service.

Their main source of advice and support has come from family and friends. When they first started out no banks would financially back the business, so for the first six months Caroline and Phil personally financed the business with additional financial support from family.

Both Caroline and Phil had limited knowledge in running a business when they began, but they thrive on achievement and perseverance has kept them going.

Over the next ten years Caroline and Phil’s aim is to become a recognised brand name with the ability to expand their product range.

On the question of entrepreneurship, Caroline and Phil say, “there is a limited number of organisations and role models to support young people to set up their businesses. This is why Securit GB Ltd offers in-house apprenticeship schemes, through which Phil is able to pass his skills, knowledge and experience on to the next generation. No one can understand what a life changing experience starting and running a business can be until they try it; we continue to learn something new every day.”

Caroline and Phil’s advice to anyone thinking of setting up a business is to
• talk to a wide variety of business owners
• find a niche market
• carry out research
• talk to as many banks as possible to get the best deal
• locate the best premises
• realise that you will have to work hard
• stay focused
• take the plunge and don’t be afraid to fail
• have no regrets.

In 2007 Securit GB Ltd’s hard work paid off when the company was awarded the Bronze Award in the national Barclays Bank Trading Places Awards.

In February 2008 Securit GB Ltd was invited to the launch of Leonard Cheshire Enabled 4 Enterprise, where Caroline and Phil were one of five companies to speak about running a business with a disability. Their inspirational and motivating speech secured Securit GB Ltd 70th place in the 100 Startup Crimson Business List.