A COMPANY created to help other businesses succeed through increasing sales has expanded after just 10 months of trading.

Richard Few founded Sales Geek to give start-up companies the best chance of becoming established and beating the odds of survival.

And since its launch, the firm has generated £1.6m worth of additional sales for its clients.

The 34-year-old saw the heartache suffered when family and friends’ businesses were not a success.

He realised that many viable businesses were struggling because they could not afford to hire a sales director.

So Richard began working with companies as their part-time sales director – spending as little as a few hours a month putting sales strategies in to place to drive up revenue.

Richard, whose offices are at Halls Arms Business Centre, Clitheroe Road, Knowle Green, said: “I have witnessed first-hand the impact a failing business can have on a family.

“We need to remember that we are dealing with people and running a business has a real impact on their lives.

“These people have mortgages and staff relying on them, and are not faceless multi-billion pound companies.

“It’s all about helping normal people create and achieve extraordinary things and giving them the ability to increase revenue.

“And to generate sales of £1.6 million is fantastic and something we are very proud about.”

Businesses that have benefited from Richard’s expertise include KW Design Solutions, LMG Networks, Ribble Valley Heating and Bright LED.

Richard added: “We are making a real difference to people’s lives, and that is the most pleasing aspect.

“It’s nice to go on that journey with them and putting in the emotional investment for them to succeed.

“In five years’ time, I want the businesses we work with to have achieved their goals and, hopefully, surpassed their expectations.”

Richard, who has a wealth of expertise through a variety of sales roles, has been so successful with this innovative approach, that Sales Geek is opening offices in Reading, Berkshire, which is to be run by Matt Dibben.

Richard said: “I first met Matt during the early part of my sales career.

“It was evident that Matt had a similar obsession with sales and that inspired me to learn more as a young professional.

“Fast-forward 13 years we realised there was an opportunity to work together.

“Sales Geek is moving into the South East and we are expanding the empire one county at a time.

“This move proves to people that what we do at Sales Geek works.

“I love what I do and helping even more small businesses in other parts of the UK makes me very happy.”

Matt, 42, has more than 15 years’ experience working for small and multi-national companies at board level.  He actively mentors start-ups and growth-focused organisations in addition to founding a successful full service digital agency.

Excited Matt said: “It was an easy decision to make.

“Sales Geek’s model is very much about providing a sincere team to create business growth and development but also has accountability at the heart of what it does.

“I hope to replicate what Richard has created in Lancashire and provide strategic growth to business in the South of England.”

He will start with Sales Geek at the end of the month (JAN).

Sales Geek works with small to medium-sized businesses, providing them with the very best sales strategies at a level they can afford.

Sales Geek’s flexibility means they can be involved with a business for a few weeks, a couple of months or until the company is in a position to employ a full-time sales leader.

Richard added: “We just want to help people win.

“It was always about helping small businesses compete against the big boys and that is what Sales Geek is built upon.

“We work with a variety of customers but the science of sales is exactly the same. It is as process-driven as making widgets on a factory shop floor.

“It’s hard not to get emotionally attached to a company when you see your model working well for them.”

Sales Geek has a non-compete policy that prevents it from working with two companies in the same sector and geographical area.