In times of uncertainty people want help , Piers Bearne founder of Collingwood Advisory says . Alongside their M & A practice they hold media ideas meet ups and virtual roundtables they help small companies grow and scale . The advice side of their business has grown during the pandemic . But the global network of entrepreneurs they work with have fared better than many , by turning their entrepreneurial spirit to their advantage . |
“ We have seen our clients do really well because they ’ ve been really digitally savvy , they ’ ve pivoted quickly , they ’ ve created customer-led value propositions .
“ In terms of the advisory side we doubled our business last year and I think we ’ re going to treble it this year . We tend to work with companies who want to think quite long term about where they are going . We ’ ve been associated with companies that have done really well and that ’ s probably the secret of our success .”
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Collingwood ’ s forums have become a sounding board for the best ideas to come from independent organisers . Across his members ’ WhatApp groups , the best emerging brains in exhibitions are sharing their ideas and hedging their bets on scenario planning .
“ There ’ s been a lot of discussion around what everyone thinks of Q1 ,” says Bearne . “ Nobody felt good about January and why would they ? But there are quite different attitudes towards March . Some think it will all
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be over by March and others are moving well into Q2 when postponing . We ’ re seeing quite a divergence of opinion . Some of that is to do with audience profiles , some is different people have different attitudes to risk . My personal view if if you ’ re going to postpone something postpone well into the safety zone . Don ’ t be clever about it .
“ Where does the money come from ? Exhibitors . And what would an exhibitor in your market think is an acceptable move ?”
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February — 15 |