Creative agency snaps into action with Fit4Funding service

James Pinniger is co-owner of a creative agency that specialises in PR photography and video. Following a takeover at his last firm, James found himself working for a well-known global agency but without a great deal of job satisfaction. Looking to rediscover his mojo, he teamed up with old friend and colleague Joe Pepler, and Pinpep Media was launched in July 2017.

“I guess like so many start-ups we didn’t have a business plan or a budget. We were just running on instinct,” said James, who lives in Princes Risborough. “I was looking for some guidance and discovered Buckinghamshire Business First’s Growth Programme and the Fit4Funding service, which looked really interesting.

“I went along to a seminar and I liked the way it was pitched: neither too basic nor too technical. I enrolled straight away and completed the programme within a couple of months. All in all, it was a total of about 12 hours access to some very knowledgeable people.”

James now has a detailed profit and loss account and cashflow report, both with projections, which has given him more confidence about the direction of Pinpep.

“Adam Stronach and Amandeep Dhillon at accountants Harwood Hutton, which is delivering the Fit4Funding, have been incredibly supportive,” said James, “and with the key numbers now in place, I feel we have a greater strategic grip on what we’re doing and where we’re going.”

James expects first year turnover to be around £200,000 and has his eye on £1 million within the next five years.

Fit4Funding is part of Buckinghamshire Business First’s Growth Programme, which is funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).