Champions column: Our resilient town is a brilliant place for firms to do business

​What was the greatest achievement for your business or organisation over the past year?

The greatest achievement for me was launching Black Swan and launching our new website.

Although it’s not a new business, it’s a new brand. I’ve been working in IT and cyber security for over 19 years, predominantly supporting schools, but we’re now moving into supporting a lot more businesses in the SME market.

How would you describe Chesterfield using only three words?

Proud, resilient, community.

What are your favourite places to visit in Chesterfield and why?

I love going to watch Chesterfield FC play at the SMH Group Stadium. My family are regular visitors there.

I also love the independent traders in Chesterfield, particularly the small coffee shops like Society, and the newly re-opened Monkey Park on Chester Street.

Why do you love working or doing business in Chesterfield or North Derbyshire?

I love working in Chesterfield because it is a town built on a sense of pride, resilience and community. It’s a brilliant place to do business because companies are very supportive of each other and work nicely together. The borough council are also great, with the development of several enterprise centres. I think that initiatives such as Chesterfield Champions, and support offered by East Midlands Chamber have helped businesses to grow and thrive.

How are you supporting young people in your business?

I think supporting young people is very important. I’m working with the British Computer Society as an associate endpoint assessor, helping apprentices pass their qualifications and gain full-time employment.

In the near future, I’m also looking to work with university students on a project to improve the SEO of my website.

How are you, your business or your team supporting local people?

As a business, we believe that supporting local people is important. We currently sponsor the shirt of Dave O’Hare, Chesterfield FC’s goalkeeping coach. I’m also the chair of the Friends of Monkey Park group, and we’ve been responsible for replacing play equipment in the park. I’ve also advised three other groups who wanted to do the same thing.

Furthermore, I’m responsible for keeping schools and businesses safe with robust cyber security solutions.

What support or advice has your business received recently and how has it benefited your business?

Since launching Black Swan, I have received some excellent advice from local people. I’ve been working alongside East Midlands Chamber, who have helped me secure funding to launch our new website. I’m also working with Adrian Williamson from Chesterfield Borough Council. He has provided me with great marketing advice and helped me in finding new clients.

Which upcoming development do you think will have the greatest impact on the town and why?

The development I think will have the biggest impact on Chesterfield is the redevelopment of the Market Square.

This is important to me, because my first job was at a market stall, selling vacuum cleaner and washing machine spares. That is probably what triggered my interest in computers and IT, so I would love to see Chesterfield back to being a thriving market town.

What is your vision for Chesterfield and North Derbyshire in 2030? What do you think the town needs to achieve this?

I hope that the redevelopment of the marketplace will make our town more family-friendly, and more appealing to visitors. I also would like to see even bigger and better acts appearing at the Stephenson Memorial Hall once the development has been completed!