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Machiavellian Media Ltd.
1 Link Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham B160EP
WWW
thegrowersguide.co.uk
2 Years in business
WHAT YOU PUT IN,
YOU GET OUT.
If you’ve read Maximum Yield lately, you’ll be
familiar with author Rich Hamilton. What you
may not know is that he is also the director of
Machiavellian Media, which publishes, among
other things, the popular Growers Guide series.
We sat down with Rich to find out more about
what he does when not writing for us.
What did you do before starting Machiavellian Media?
I have a long history (20-plus years) of working in the
horticulture industry within a variety of different roles at
various levels, specializing in the indoor/hydroponic market.
Before starting this business and still today, I work for a major
hydroponics distributor in the UK, Eden Horticulture.
How did you get into this industry?
I always had a keen interest in plants and gardening. I
grew up messing around in my grandfather’s greenhouse
and seeing my own parents garden. I would help them
out all the time, picking up the basics as I went along and
seeing the literal fruits of their labor. Growing up in this
kind of environment, it all felt very organic and natural to
me as I got older to start taking on more responsibility and
to follow my own interests in gardening. I got a real sense
of achievement to discover new and exciting ways to grow
different plants and fruit, as well as maintaining that bond
and common interest with my close family. I had other jobs
when I left school, but nothing really “got me.” So, when I got
the opportunity to combine my passion with a job at a local
hydroponics store, I never looked back.
How did you start your company?
The idea for The Growers Guide books came to me about five
years ago when I was managing a large hydroponic retail
store. I suddenly realized that I had all this knowledge and
was forever talking to customers, advising them and giving
them tips and recommendations when they came into store. It
struck me just how often I would get asked the same questions
and how often we would get customers who were just starting
out, who needed to know so much. Having read the hydroponic
guide books that were available, it seemed like the right time
to put out an easy-to-read, accessible, comprehensive guide
covering everything from seed to harvest for the indoor grower.
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