After being made redundant in 2013, Nathan Oldfield decided that it was something that he never wanted to experience again. During his previous career in sales, Nathan had developed key skills in communication, management, approachability and most importantly, the drive to succeed.
This, coupled with completing his Door Supervisor Badge, made Nathan determined to realise his dream of starting a security business. With inside knowledge on the security industry, Nathan had been planning his business for over a year before he reached out for support to take his idea to the next level.
Optimum Security Services was launched in June 2015, providing large scale security services for pubs, clubs, the film industry and sporting events. The business was also successful in a bid to provide transport management for the Rugby World Cup, reinforcing their position in the market.
The ethos behind Nathan’s business is quality over quantity and he ensures that every member of his team undergoes training in vital areas such as first aid, team building, customer service, communication and problem solving. Nathan says that the strict training programme is to assess role suitability and maintain professionalism throughout his team. Optimum Security Services is based in Penzance, Cornwall but operates across the UK.
Nathan first heard about Start & Grow through his business mentor, in addition to a number of other businesses that pointed him towards the programme. Initially, Nathan didn’t have a clear direction of what he wanted to achieve through Start & Grow, aside from general business knowledge and guidance on securing finance. The guidance that Nathan received was above and beyond what he had originally anticipated,
“The support that I received was definitely more than I thought was possible. During the Start & Grow programme I was never pestered, forced to change or told that I was wrong, instead, I was provided with moral and financial support. The Start & Grow programme has become like a friend to my business and is my back bone of support.”
Nathan Oldfield, Optimum Security Services
Support from the Start & Grow team enabled Nathan to create detailed business and financial plans and to secure a SWIG Finance loan of £9,900. This financial boost has allowed Nathan to grow his business in the right direction and has also allowed Optimum Security Services take steps towards becoming a SIA Approved Contractor, a recognized business management qualification.
This qualification will allow Nathan to create full time roles on PAYE contracts and provide his new workforce with the training and equipment required for the larger jobs that the business will receive in the future. This financial support has also allowed the business to bolster its promotional campaigns and 2016 will be the year that they push their promotion more than ever before.
This new promotion includes a business calendar that will reach an audience of 10,000 people in addition to radio advertising. Nathan has also been active in giving back to his local community, using his business to sponsor charities, focusing on anti-bullying in schools.
The future looks bright for Optimum Security Services, in the next year Nathan is aiming to double businesses turnover and expand with a new service offering. A key market that Nathan is looking to expand into is alarm response and he is currently developing an improved service and competitive pricing plan to appeal to the existing market.
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