Enterprise Nation member Wayne Ellison explains the story behind his Pontefract-based web and print design business, 

Member stories

Enterprise Nation has helped thousands of people start and grow their businesses. Led by founder, Emma Jones CBE, Enterprise Nation connects you to the resources and expertise to help you succeed.

Meet the member: Wayne Ellison, Twilo Creative

If you'd like us to profile you and your business, 

What was your motivation to start your own business?

Ultimately I wanted to build something that was my own and have full control over client projects.

Whilst you were starting up how did you balance home life with work?

It was very difficult, because as well as starting business and having a home life, I also had a full time job. I was working as many hours as I could from Monday to Friday and then seeing friends and family at weekend. It was very tiring, and still is, but the hard work is now showing signs of paying off.

Twilo

What is your top tip for effective sales and marketing?

Just be the best at what you do. Put in the hard work, don't take any shortcuts, and word will soon spread.

Which tools could you not live without in your business?

What movie, song or book offers you the most business inspiration and why?

In terms of reading it's mostly industry related websites. Things move so quickly in the web industy that books are out of date as soon as they have been printed.

Twilo Logo

What has been your biggest business success to date?

I suppose the way I have built my client base, which has been word of mouth. It won't last forever and at some point markleting will need to take over, but it's got me this far and I'm grateful for that.

If you had to live on a desert island with one entrepreneur who would it be and why?

If I'm stuck on a desert island, an entrepreneur wouldn't be at the top of my list for company.

What are your ambitions for the next five years?

Different things for different people. Sure I have plans to expand and take on more permanent staff, but I take each day as it comes. If you focus too hard on one thing you may miss opportunities along the way.

If you'd like to join Liz and become an Enterprise Nation StartUp or Small Business Classic member to access exclusive benefits, 

 and we'd be happy to profile your business.

You can meet lots more Enterprise Nation members 

Enterprise Nation continues is the most active UK small business community and a leading campaigning voice for small business. Joining Enterprise Nation connects you with resources, community and connections you need to reach your business goals.

How to be the number one in your market

The masterclass was broadcast live on&nbsp;25 August at 12.30pm and&nbsp;hosted by <a title="http://www.quentinpain.com/" target="_blank" href="http://www.quentinpain.com/">Quentin Pain</a>&nbsp;focusing on how to build the number one business in your market.&nbsp;

As Enterprise Nation's small business community manager, my role is to guide our members through every stage of their user journey, developing and improving their experience within the Enterprise Nation community, and arming them with the knowledge and resources they need to start and grow their business.&nbsp;&nbsp;

I have over 20 years of experience working in customer and B2B support. Having also managed a small business for many years, I understand the struggles that they face am passionate about helping them grow. I love to hear member success stories, particularly those in the food and drink sector.&nbsp;

Head of community

StartUp 2022

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&lt;p&gt;In my early career&amp;nbsp;I was national sales manager and&amp;nbsp;board director&amp;nbsp;within private and publicly&amp;nbsp;owned businesses,&amp;nbsp;before forming my own consultancy practise in 2003,&amp;nbsp;where it was my aim&amp;nbsp;to bring professional support for meticulous planning and development&amp;nbsp;to other independent companies. I&amp;nbsp;became a full member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing and the Levitt Group in 2006,&amp;nbsp;becoming&amp;nbsp;Chartered in 2009.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Since 2003, I have worked with Royal Warrant holding businesses&amp;nbsp;allied to the construction industry&amp;nbsp;in manufacturing, wholesaling&amp;nbsp;and services,&amp;nbsp;whilst also working with non-Warrant holding companies in the retail and leisure sectors.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;In 2012&amp;nbsp;Enterprise Nation invited me to help support members like you through&amp;nbsp;the&amp;nbsp;accredited Growth Voucher scheme;&amp;nbsp;this work saw me recognised by those clients who had benefitted from my support and in 2015 I was honoured to be named, &amp;#39;One of Britain&amp;#39;s Top 50 Small Business Advisors&amp;#39;.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;In 2013&amp;nbsp;I was invited to join an executive board&amp;nbsp;to support the management and shareholders of that company as an NED and more recently&amp;nbsp;I became an ambassador for a financial services firm which&amp;nbsp;works together with me to support business owners expand and ultimately sell their businesses. &amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Throughout the many years my practise has been running,&amp;nbsp;I have received some truly wonderful endorsements&amp;nbsp;which have all been generously written by my clients, all&amp;nbsp;of whom I&amp;nbsp;can now count as friends. If you believe my experience and skills can help you with the&amp;nbsp;hopes and desires you have for your business and you would like to read these endorsements, I&amp;#39;d be happy to share them with you, so please get in touch.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Away from work,&amp;nbsp;I&amp;#39;m a keen&amp;nbsp;yachtsman and dinghy racer (unfortunately, due to&amp;nbsp;time and my age I&amp;#39;m prevented from doing this other than for the fun/challenge of it!).&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Best wishes&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Nigel Davis, MCIM Chartered Marketer&amp;nbsp;(07963-187091)&lt;/p&gt;

Voted 'One of Britain's Top 50 Small Business Advisors'

EU transition support - free advice

&lt;p&gt;If your business operates across the &amp;#39;West Midlands Cluster&amp;#39; i.e.&amp;nbsp;in any of the following regional areas (Coventry &amp;amp; Warwickshire, Greater Birmingham &amp;amp; Solihull, The Black Country, Worcestershire, The Marches or Stoke-on-Trent &amp;amp; Staffordshire) and you&amp;#39;ve questions about any of the following areas as a result of the UK&amp;#39;s Transition from the EU, you are able to receive some professional help;-&lt;/p&gt;

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Cerub PR provides insight-driven PR and communication solutions to ambitious businesses and entrepreneurs who want to be seen and make a difference in their industry.

As our client, you will benefit from strategic and creative campaigns which help you stand out from the competition, manage your profile and engage with your audience. We are focused on developing effective PR strategies and implementing tactics which deliver real results that can be measured and evaluated.

Founder

Ceri-Jane Hackling

I’m Ceri-Jane Hackling, Managing Director and founder of Cerub PR, an award winning Buckinghamshire based PR and communications agency. Established 17 years ago, we work across sectors including veterinary pharma, medical devices, well-being and professional development. Our clients include Heartstyles, TVM UK, Royal Canin, Vetoquinol and Mind Over Matter. Our clients benefit from strategic, creative and effective campaigns which help them stand out from the competition and eng

Meet the member: Wayne Ellison, Twilo Creative

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