"Having started on a graduate training programme with Allied Domecq in 1991, running pubs in East London and Soho (in London’s West End), I was asked to leave the company as I was too much of maverick. I then joined a start up called Waterfall Holdings which had a great idea around American Pool Bars - but failed miserably on execution. After a year with Waterfall Holdings and many failed interviews, I ended up at Wizard Inns which was a pub and bar start up backed by British Venture Capitalist, Guy Hands. With the help of his financial support, we built the business up from nothing to a 65 strong pub and bar company which we sold to Marston’s Pub Co for £90million in 2004.
Ayant pris goût à l'esprit d'entreprise, j'ai fait équipe avec Charlie Mowat et j'ai participé à la mise en place du Cleanspace Partnership. Parallèlement, j'ai créé une société de conseil commercial, Coolerking Resources, qui s'est spécialisée dans l'obtention des meilleurs contrats d'approvisionnement possibles pour les petites et moyennes entreprises de débit de boissons.
Malgré tout cela, j'ai ressenti le besoin de faire mes preuves dans le monde de l'entreprise et j'ai donc rejoint une grande entreprise de pubs appelée Laurel Pub Co, soutenue par Robert Tchenguiz. Dès le premier jour, j'ai su que ce n'était pas ce qu'il me fallait, mais je suis heureux d'avoir persévéré, car c'est là qu'a germé l'idée de Serve Legal.
En l'espace de quelques semaines, Laurel Pub Co a vu au moins deux ou trois de ses licences suspendues pour cause de consommation d'alcool par des mineurs, ce qui représente un manque à gagner potentiel de plusieurs millions de livres sterling en termes de revenus et de bénéfices. Nous devions trouver quelqu'un pour nous aider à éviter que ces établissements ne soient définitivement fermés ou que leurs licences ne soient soumises à de sévères restrictions lors de leur réouverture. Tout ce que nous avons trouvé, c'est un policier à la retraite qui demandait beaucoup trop d'argent. Les bars ont rouvert avec de sévères restrictions et des revenus désastreux. Mon futur associé, Julian Sargeson, et moi-même avons été invités à quitter l'entreprise peu de temps après et, alors que nous réfléchissions à l'avenir, nous nous sommes souvenus de nos problèmes liés à la fermeture des bars et à l'impossibilité de trouver quelqu'un pour nous aider. Nous avons identifié un problème et cherché une solution. Serve Legal était né.
Serve Legal set out to offer a service that offered retailers a chance to demonstrate due diligence and responsible retailing when selling age related products such as alcohol, knives, vapes, tobacco, lottery and gambling products, pharma products and on line services. The business has now grown to be valued at £30 million and has no debt. Not bad considering we started the business in our bedrooms!! More importantly, over 18 years the business has given work opportunities to over 40,000 18/19 yr olds some of whom are now part of the Senior Management Team. Proudly, one became my Sales and Marketing Director at 26 years old - whilst over half of the overall team are former auditors. I am now the oldest person remaining as my business partner has retired. The company is now very young with most of the team under 30 which gives me incredible insights into how they approach work and how they interact with their colleagues. Gone has the cynical mistrust and assumptions about colleagues which I was used to, now to be replaced by a far more positive and consensual working environment which looks to involve everyone in the business. As a result Serve Legal is a far more robust organisation which is ready to expand rapidly in 25/26."
Ed Heaver, Co-Founder of Serve Legal
'Ed spoke to our Lower Sixth students and was engaging throughout. His story from university to becoming an entrepreneur had them captivated from start to finish. He shared honestly, both the successes but also the challenges and failures that he has faced in his business and life. Their enthusiasm in the Q and A at the end showed how much they had got form his talk. I can wholeheartedly recommend Ed as a speaker for young people.'
David Doran, Wimbledon College.
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