Each month in the Resolve Newsletter we will be showcasing either a client’s company or a company that we work with on a regular basis. If the lockdown has taught us anything it is that we need to support small businesses and so we thought we could do this by showcasing a different company each month. This month we caught up with Sarah Kenny from Gladiator Events Ltd, who creates outdoor challenge events that raise money for great charities. Their events include the award-winning Muddy Dog Challenge for Battersea Dogs & Cats Home – a 5km obstacle race for owners to take part in with their dogs.
What are the pros and cons of running your own business?
There are huge benefits to running your own business if it suits your personality. For me, the most rewarding aspect is my freedom to shape my business to align with my passion and my values. This means that I can do work that is meaningful to me, and that I am always motivated to do, and that makes my work enjoyable and rewarding every day.
Of course, there are challenges that come with running your own business but if you are passionate about what you do, then the challenges are all part of the fun!
What advice would you give to other individuals thinking of starting their own business?
Just do it! Don’t wait for the opportune moment. There will always be more to research and more to prepare, but the sooner you take the leap and start, the sooner you will get it off the ground. I started my business with a loose business plan, but I deliberately did not go into too much depth with the plan as I wanted to have the freedom to pivot and to follow opportunities that may present themselves. This really worked to my benefit in the first few years.
What lessons have you learnt over the years of running your own business?
To learn to separate home and family life. I was completely absorbed by the business for the first two years and didn’t give myself a break. This wasn’t sustainable and I would have burnt out. The thing that forced me to change was getting pregnant! By employing maternity cover, which then turned into a full time role, I was forced to step back and share the workload.
How has your company had to adapt during the 2020 pandemic?
We had to cancel all 20 of our events in 2020. Our focus turned to research, networking and education to make sure that when our events did come back, they were as safe, and as professionally executed, as they could be. We used our resources to help during the pandemic – we donated our company vehicles to a food poverty and homeless charity in Brighton, who used them to deliver food and care parcels to those in need.
How do you ensure a work / life balance?
Having a young family with two boys under 4, it is incredibly important to me to have a balance. I have a schedule for work which I am strict about sticking to, and I don’t open my laptop on the days I’m with my family.
What are the values that drive you?
As a parent I feel a huge drive to use my business as a force for good and a responsibility to leave the world a better place for my boys. I am inspired by the B-Corp movement, which is about balancing profit with people and the planet. We are now working towards making Gladiator Events B Corp certified by 2022. We have also set a target to become Carbon Neutral by 2025.
What is the one piece of advice you always give to clients/customers?
To focus on your reasons why. Our charity clients come to us when they are considering making a big investment in a fundraising event. We work with them to identify why they want to run the event and what they are trying to achieve. By staying focused on the ‘why’, we help them to create an event that is meaningful to them, that engages them with their supporters and inspires their supporters to dig deep and raise as much money as possible for them.
To find out more about Gladiator Events, please visit www.gladiatorevents.co.uk, or email sarah@gladiatorevents.co.uk.
If you would like to be included in our monthly company showcase, then please get in touch.
Our other company showcases can be found here: Stone Survey Ltd, Vision Properties Weybridge, Adam Richards Magic, The Happy Startup School.