I’m a firm believer in practising what you preach, so I’m hijacking my column today with my own scaleup tale.
Last week I was chuffed to bits to win a three way pitch and join the team at GlenWyvis Distillery as their social media strategist.
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This morning I’m on a train to Dingwall to visit the construction site.
You see, GlenWyvis hasn’t actually started production yet. It’s a unique – and perhaps quintessential – scaleup story.
From a field to a 100%-community-owned distillery in just two short years.
Read more – [insert page=’major-interest-second-share-offer-glenwyvis-community-owned-distillery’ display=’link’]
Huge money is involved. They’ve raised nearly £3 million from crowd funding and share offers so far and they’re still open for investment. The impact on the surrounding area is far-reaching, not only as a source of jobs but as a magnet to the region and an engine for local investment. Can you tell I’m excited to be involved?
It’s funny because the thing that’s struck me most about being involved in a scaleup like this is speed.
The pace of work is going to be nuts. I’ve had the position for a week and I’ve met the MD, coordinated a press trip, outlined the social plan to Christmas and made the 170 mile trip north.
Everyone pitches in. I’ve had a lot of questions and everybody’s been quick to answer, help, copy me into emails and generally share information. This is where scaleups really shine. Imagine if every business had this level of cooperation? How productive would it be if every team was unified by a single clear goal?
As a community benefit society they are absolutely focused on delivering value, both for their investors and for the wider community.
This way of working is going to suit me very well, I think. I like to get stuck right in to projects, I enjoy working across teams and feeling like I’m helping to build something.
I might even get a wee dram at some point.
Tomorrow, I’ve got a brilliant story to share with you, of a couple whose decade of persistence has paid off as they secure half a million pounds of investment.
Kim McAllister is a Journalist & Communications Consultant and director of Impact Online
