BEST NEW
BUSINESS
Sponsored by Tees Valley
Combined Authority
WINNER:
ABACUS
BEAN
Bev Goodall thanked the “client army”
who have helped grow Abacus Bean
during a sensational first year and who
also nominated her for the Best New
Business award.
Based in Stockton’s LevelQ, the firm
helps SMEs with tax, VAT and payroll
services and has a growing base of
more than 200 clients throughout the
UK.
“I never planned for this,” she said.
“I was just going to work on my own
a couple of days from home, but it’s
just gone crazy – we’re picking up four
clients a week.
“I think the awards are fantastic and
just to be up for one of the categories
was beyond my wildest dreams. My
mum is going to be so proud. She gave
me the push to start and offered to
cash out her life savings for me to do
this.”
Bev now employs two other staff,
with plans underway to recruit a fourth
team member.
“If we grow at the same rate, we’ll
probably be up to eight or ten next
year,” she said.
“Our little client army have gone out
and got us new clients. We’ll just see
what year two brings because year
one’s been absolutely fantastic.”
FINALIST: FINALIST:
The Sandwich Station Wander Films
Lisa Newton founded the Sandwich
Station in Redcar after being made
redundant from her previous role in
finance. Despite having no experience
of running a business, Lisa quickly
established a reputation throughout
the local area for the quality of her
fresh sandwiches, salad boxes, jacket
potatoes, cakes and desserts and
turnover has increased month by
month. She currently employs one other
member of staff and plans are in place to
hire another. Lisa cites her mother, Irene,
as her inspiration, after she retired from
the job she held for more than 30 years
to assist in opening and establishing the
shop. Based in Middlesbrough’s Boho 5,
Wander Films creates high impact,
engaging videos designed to help
businesses boost their profile. Founded
and led by creative director Chloë Clover
and managing director Lou Tonner,
Wander has made huge strides in
just 18 months, from two backpackers
returning to the UK with a broken GoPro
camera to now working with one of
the world’s biggest games companies.
As well as Riot Games, clients include
Tees Components, Mabo and Teesside
University and there are plans to grow
from six to 10 staff in the next year and
continue proving young women can
succeed in male-dominated industries.
SPONSOR’S MESSAGE
Tees Valley Combined Authority chief executive Julie
Gilhespie said: “It was a hard task to decide on a
shortlist and eventual winner from all of the fantastic
companies which entered the Best New Business
Award.
“We chose accountants Abacus Bean as the winner
as it is an impressive business that has established itself
in an extremely competitive market. It is driven by Bev
Goodall, who is a real inspiration and is devoting a huge
amount of time and effort in ensuring it is successful.”