Business Lessons & Experiences

My business career started when I joined my father’s (Mick Bailey’s) company, Essex Business Machines Ltd, in Witham, Essex.

From humble beginnings, Mick had spent the previous 25 years working as an engineer, repairing and servicing photocopiers and printers.

We had a small customer base of around 35 companies, and I quickly realised we needed more sales. So, in between my GCSE exams, I put on a suit and began attending sales meetings and cold-calling door to door to generate business.

The proactive sales approach began to pay off, and the business started to grow. We moved into new premises, doubling the size of our office and warehouse space, which enabled us to take on our first employees. Following Mick’s example, we would install our printers wherever they were needed — in one case, even in a pub cellar.

At 17 years old, I joined a BNI networking group, becoming the UK’s youngest member. Based in the Braintree chapter and visiting many other BNI chapters across Essex, it was my first introduction to the world of business networking. I don’t miss those 5 a.m. mornings!

Our existing branding (which I had designed using a free Microsoft Publisher template) started to look tired. We undertook a rebrand to reflect what the business was becoming and to attract the right type of customer. Enter the ‘EBM flower’ logo.

During this time, we purchased a plotter to create our own signage. However, to generate additional income for the business, I began making signs for other companies. I learned an important lesson: while these signs brought in revenue, they distracted us from our core business model. It wasn’t a complementary product, and in hindsight, I should have used that time to develop the core business instead. Stay focused and grow in line with your vision.

The neighbouring premises became vacant, and we were quickly running out of space. At the time, it was a big decision — it would stretch our cash flow, but the additional space would put us in a strong position to grow the business further. We decided to take on the lease and began the renovation.

To celebrate our expansion, we held a BBQ open day inviting all our customers and suppliers. Our premises were officially opened by Witham Town Mayor, John Goodman and Rt Hon MP Priti Patel.

As the business continued to grow, our mini-fleet of vans started appearing on the roads. We took the opportunity to support our local charity at the time, Brainwave, by providing printing services and advertising them on our vans.

With increasing press coverage, 3D printers were gaining traction within our industry, and the product was complementary to our existing portfolio. We became the sole UK distributor for BotObjects, a start-up company led by a British philanthropist. Unfortunately, the final working printer never came to fruition, and we moved on from 3D printers 18 months later. Lesson learned: When you’re an early adopter of any technology, not all opportunities pay off. However, you do have some fun along the way — we were treated to a weekend in Nantucket Island, USA.

Our rented offices were becoming tired and no longer supported the business we aspired to become. Therefore, we set out to find our own premises — and in 2015, we did just that, transforming a warehouse on Eastways Industrial Estate, Witham, into our EBM home.

After nearly a year of refurbishment and relocation logistics, the Rt Hon Priti Patel officially opened our new home. In true tradition, we held an open day BBQ, with customers and suppliers in attendance.

Major manufacturers such as Epson began to invite EBM to join their reseller programmes. As an early technology adopter, I recognised that their new technology would significantly change the market and became one of the first resellers in the area.

After many years with the EBM flower, our business had evolved — and so had our marketplace. To present ourselves to larger SMEs, we undertook our second rebrand to reflect what the business had become.

To develop our recruitment process and foster a positive culture, we asked our team what values they saw in our business and in themselves. Using our team’s ideas and feedback, we created our very first set of values. These values ran through every part of the business, from recruitment to customer aftercare. Lesson learned: Build a team with strong values and ethics — and never deviate from them.

Charity fundraising became a tradition. In 2018, a fellow Director and I rode 65 miles and raised over £2,000 for the Helen Rollason Cancer Charity.

Through competitor analysis, I found that the industry wasn’t very strong on sustainability. This created an opportunity for us — firstly, because doing the right thing is a core part of my values. Secondly, if we could do the right thing and create a better USP, it would be a win-win situation.

The first goal was to achieve carbon neutrality. Once that was achieved, we pushed ourselves further and created a Green Print Programme, enabling our customers to benefit from carbon-neutral printing.

Lesson learned: Always look for USPs.

This year, it was Mick’s turn to raise money for charity. His chosen charity was Mind, and he decided to jump out of a plane! The skydive was a great success, and Mick raised over £1,500.

To further gain an advantage over our competitors, I launched a guarantee to give prospective clients peace of mind when choosing to purchase from us rather than their incumbent supplier. It was a great success and helped catapult our growth.

Lesson learned: In the buying cycle, a guarantee is a strong commitment for the business to deliver on — but it gives the decision-maker greater confidence to buy from you.

For the second time, the EBM cycling team and I assembled to raise money for the Helen Rollason Cancer Charity. With branded shirts and good cheer, we set off for a four-hour pedal around the Essex countryside.

Throughout my career, I’ve been approached by several resellers looking to exit their businesses. In this case, it was a micro-entity in Norfolk, which would have supported our expansion across East Anglia.

Lesson learned: I’ve been offered — and turned down — multiple businesses to purchase. Unfortunately, many SMEs are owner-operated, and owners often value their businesses far higher than the market is willing to pay. If the numbers don’t work in your favour, walk away. Fast!

After maximising every inch of space, our home on Eastways Industrial Estate had simply become too small. In February 2022, a new premises on Crittall Road, Witham, came on the market.

By July, we had moved in — and with 6,000 sq ft of space, there was plenty of room for the business to grow.

We partnered with businesses that shared our sustainability ethos and commitment to culture. Kyocera was one of these partners — a Japanese manufacturer that takes these shared values as seriously as we do. Lesson learned: collaborate and partner with those who share your values and have aligned goals.

Continual investment in your team helps the business grow by boosting morale and strengthening culture. At every opportunity, I acted on this by using ideas and feedback from the team. One team member suggested we provide private medical insurance for all staff. I loved the idea, and within a few weeks, we had onboarded Vitality.

Lesson learned: Keep investing in your team.

In 2024, after 19 successful years of trading, immense enjoyment, and significant learning curves, Mick and I decided to exit our family business. Mick was looking to take early retirement, and I wanted to explore new sectors and industries to continue my personal development.

We were approached by another family business, AngloTech Ltd, and the fit seemed right. The business remains in Witham, with employment continuing to be provided to the local area.

Mark Bailey Consulting begins — using my 16 years of business experience to help family businesses achieve the goals and results they aspire to.

Bailey Capital Partners — investing in commercial property and in companies seeking a proactive investor with experience in growing and exiting an SME.