First two businesses outgrow the SSHED
Posted on Friday, June 2004
Small Companies Outgrow SSHED Accelerator
2000% Growth Rate within 12 Months
Two small Sydney businesses have expanded so rapidly they have outgrown leading business accelerator, the SSHED, within 12 months and have had to move out to larger commercial premises.
Data Marketing Services , specialising in SMS and MMS services, has experienced an extraordinary 2000 % increase while Supermodels Pty. Ltd., specialists in 3D architectural modeling, has seen staff grow 300%.
The two companies are the first major success stories for the SSHED, a $2.4 million initiative by Sutherland Shire Council to fast-track business growth, by helping new entrepreneurs expand their expertise and build better businesses. The SSHED currently has 12 businesses operating within their purpose-built complex in Sutherland.
'In both cases, the rate of growth has been quite extraordinary and we're delighted they have reached the stage where they now need to hire more staff and need larger premises,' SSHED Chairperson, Ms Kelly Knowles, said today.
Supermodels managing director, Paul Wilcox, and Data Marketing Services' Steve Taylor both praised the infrastructure, facilities and practical business services, support and mentoring offered by the SSHED and the impact on their companies' growth.
'We went from a $200,000 turnover to pass $1million in a little over six months. The business mentoring and networking, the flexibility, broadband and servers as well as the energy and enthusiasm all combined to help us build Data Marketing Services,' explained Steve Taylor , who will move his business to high rise offices in North Sydney .
Paul Wilcox added: 'The Server infrastructure at the SSHED allowed me to run high volume tests for animation production. These tests proved highly successful and gave me the confidence to purchase more servers. As this investment totaled around $100k, using the SSHED facilities proved to me in advance the efficiencies we could achieve in our production cycle.'
He plans to ultimately move Supermodels to the Serenity Cove movie-studio complex at Kurnell.
Paul added that involvement with the SSHED also gave him contact withgovernment based agencies (federal and state)which provide assistanceto small business. In particular; export, high growth assistance and departmental networking opportunities.
ENDS
Information: Liz Lette, Marketing, SSHED, PH: 02 9545-7777, Email: liz.lette@sshed.com.au
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