CASE STUDY
Inoplas
Moulding out a bright future — escaping the day-to-day to focus on strategy, acquisitions and growth.
Key Improvements working with James
Increased turnover
Self-sufficient team in place
Acquiring complementary businesses
Better work-life balance
About the business
Inoplas is an injection moulding company with a strong track record in precision manufacturing. Jon Brooks bought the business with the intention of using his experience in private equity investments to grow it strategically — focusing on customer development, business strategy and acquisitions. Instead, he found himself drawn into the day-to-day operations of the business.
Inoplas was in a healthy position, but Jon believed that with some extra energy and the right guidance, it could grow significantly. Having met business coach James Akin-Smith at a networking event previously, they reconnected and Jon realised it was a conversation with James that had given him the perspective and impetus to take action on his management team. In early 2017, Jon signed up for weekly business coaching sessions with James.
Initial improvements
Jon had bought Inoplas to apply the experiences he’d gained from working in private equity — for himself, in his own business. He had begun recruiting for a couple of new roles to build the team, but James encouraged him to take a step back and review his plans more carefully first.
Together, they looked at short-term, five-year and ten-year goals, and how Jon would need to structure the business to achieve them. As Jon explains: by articulating a target, you create a framework to recognise what resources you need — and once your team is in place, it gives them targets to help inform their own decision-making.
James encouraged Jon to spend time with the management team to agree on KPIs and targets, so that everyone was pulling in the same direction. Jon reflected: “I don’t see myself as autocratic, but if you’re making decisions and acting on them without communicating properly with your team, then you look autocratic whether that was your intention or not.”
Ongoing coaching
Increased turnover allowed Inoplas to invest in equipment, improve outputs and efficiencies, and position the business well to begin acquiring complementary businesses.
After six months of structured coaching, the sessions shifted to a more conversational style — reviewing progress, discussing what was on Jon’s mind, and identifying the next priority project, whether that was recruitment, systems improvement, or something else entirely.
James is good at recognising blindspots and how they could be affecting the business. He is particularly strong in sales and marketing — Jon’s self-acknowledged weakest area — but rather than simply ploughing ahead in that direction, they first put plans in place to build capacity to cope with more orders, before generating them through new sales and marketing strategies. The nature of Inoplas’s business means actively processing and maintaining a great deal of information, with departments needing to communicate effectively both in person and through systems.
The results
Inoplas is now growing at a steady pace, and Jon is far more comfortable spending time away from the business — because the team has become more resilient and self-sufficient. He is now able to focus on the things he originally had in mind when he bought Inoplas: customer development, business strategy and acquisitions planning.
His personal life has improved too. He has got better at accepting invitations from friends, comfortable in the knowledge that the business has its own momentum even when he steps back for a while.
In less than a year of coaching, turnover increased by £500,000. The five-year goal was to double turnover from the £2 million starting point — and the business is now on track for a projected turnover of £5.2 million.
In Jon’s own words
“James is well connected in our regional business community which brings other benefits. I know I’ll be able to harness the value of the useful introductions he’s made as I develop Inoplas and other business interests in the years to come. James has given me the freedom to mould the future of my business and helped to offer a bright future to the people I employ and their families. If you are prepared to work hard and make things happen then working with James can take your business to the next level.”
Jon Brooks, Owner, Inoplas
Looking ahead
Beyond the one-to-one coaching sessions, James is well connected in the regional business community, which brings additional benefits. Jon knows he’ll be able to harness the value of the introductions James has made as he develops Inoplas and other business interests in the years to come.
As Jon puts it: James has given him the freedom to mould the future of his business — and helped offer a bright future to the people he employs and their families.
Find support to steer your business forward
Are you looking for a way to move your business forward? James has worked with a wide range of businesses to help leaders gain the perspective they need to make better decisions. If you’re ready to gain experienced support and guidance, get in touch to start the conversation.
