Member in Focus: fantheflames (Eve Scragg) - The marketing expert igniting your business growth

In this month's Business Member in Focus we speak to Eve Scragg (fantheflames), the entrepreneurial force behind Fan The Flames Marketing & Design. She shares the story of starting her business six years ago, a venture born from a rich background in marketing directorship and charitable board memberships.

Initially a one-woman operation, Eve tackled everything from social media management to web design. Her dedication soon paid off, leading to rapid business growth, necessitated by an expanding clientele and the accumulation of 12 industry awards. This success prompted the formation of a diverse team of 22 specialists, enabling the company to offer a comprehensive suite of marketing and design services to small and medium-sized businesses. Eve reflects on the steep learning curve of business ownership, the unexpected challenges, and the triumphs of building a business that has surpassed her expectations. With an eye on future expansion and a commitment to excellence, she also shares invaluable advice for fellow entrepreneurs on building a trusted team, ensuring personal well-being, and the importance of seeking guidance.

How did you start your business?​

I started Fan The Flames Marketing & Design around six years ago. Previously, I had done a number of Marketing Director and BDM-type roles for other companies, as well as being on the board for some great charities. I'd loved and learned a lot from these opportunities, but knew I had always wanted to build my own company instead of working for someone else - it just took me a while to take the leap and go for it!

Back then, it was just me doing everything from social media to graphic design to websites on a freelance basis, which was a lot to manage! Thankfully, things grew quickly though as we started picking up industry awards (we've now got 12 of them!), and it became evident that I needed a team behind me to allow me to deliver at the level I wanted to for all of the new clients that were coming in. Now, I have an amazing team of 22 specialists in different areas of marketing and design, and I feel incredibly lucky to be able to work with such a great team and clients from around the world.

What products or services does your business offer?​

We try to look at our role as being to provide everything that is needed to market your business successfully, so you can focus on doing what you love - the real reason you started your business!

We work mostly with small to medium-sized businesses, and the main services we deliver for our clients are:

• Social media management
• Paid ads (Google/LinkedIn/Facebook/IG etc.)
• Copywriting for blogs/websites/email sequences/marketing materials
• Email marketing
• SEO
• Marketing strategy and funnels
• Graphic design
• Branding
• Web design

What were the main challenges you faced when setting up your business?​

One of the big ones was just how many things I realised I didn't know about setting up a business!

I think as a business owner, you have to learn quickly, and you'll end up doing a lot of things you initially feel a little un-equipped to understand fully. I knew how to market a business, design a great website, manage a team, do my accounts etc... But there are so many things that come up, especially over the first year that you're bound to have questions about, and it can be hard to know who to ask if not many of your friends are also business owners.

The reality is though, there are thousands of other people out there who have already walked the path you're on and are actually happy to help. That's why communities like this are so powerful.

How would you rate the success you've achieved?​

It's certainly far beyond what I had hoped for. It's been nice to get some industry and press recognition for what we do, but to me, the greatest measure of success is the impact we've had for the businesses we work with.

A lot of the business owners we work with end up being good friends, and it's amazing to see their businesses going from strength to strength, in part because of the support and services we've provided.

Why should customers and clients use your services?​

It's easy for marketing (and especially areas like social media) to feel like they're taking up every minute of your day and more money than you can afford... and still not see the results you need to grow your business. That's why working with experienced professionals who know what really works for businesses like yours is such a key part of ensuring your company succeeds.

Our team have worked with businesses small and large from a really diverse range of sectors, and have seen first-hand the strategies that have got the best results for others in your position and with your target audience. So when you work with us, you get the combined experience of 22 specialists who know exactly how to help you hit your growth goals, and when we're covering these areas for you, you get so many extra hours in your day to focus on doing what you do best in your business.

How has UK Business Forums benefited your business?​

I've made so many great connections in this community - it really is an amazing resource for SMEs.

Several of the companies I have used for a really wide range of services have been because of recommendations in the forum, and I have also gained clients myself as a result of conversations in here.

It's also always so encouraging to see how supportive it is - if I ever have a question or a doubt, there are always multiple members waiting to help. I hope I'm able to give back to the community by supporting with advice on marketing questions too!

What are your plans for the future?​

Over the past few months, I've really been focusing on training my team and putting into place strong processes and guidelines to ensure all of our clients get the highest quality support possible. But as we're now almost at capacity again, I think it's time to start hiring again - especially specialists in lead gen services as we've been getting a lot of incoming enquiries around them, and also expand our web design/content team as that side of things has been so busy recently!

What are your three tips for business success?​

1. Build a team you can trust. My Mum always used to tell me you should only ever hire people who are better than you are at the area they're covering, and she was right! If you have to check and re-do half of their work, it only ends up taking more of your time and energy, so even if it means increasing your budget a little, go for the best team mates possible.
2. Give yourself time off! It's really easy as a business owner to take on everything and never give yourself a minute where you're not thinking or worrying about work. But at the end of the day, if you're stressed and exhausted, you don't do your best work, so those extra hours at the evenings and weekends really aren't helping.
3. Don't be afraid to ask for help! I used to struggle with imposter syndrome a lot, tried to do everything myself, and worried far too much about people 'finding out' that I wasn't up to scratch. The reality is, you don't have to be great at everything! We all have our strengths, but if there are areas you're not so confident in or aren't getting the results you need in, it's no bad thing to seek some advice from someone who is great at that.

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How can UKBF Members get in contact with you?​

Email: [email protected]
Call/WhatsApp: 07747740760
Website: fantheflames.co.uk
Or you can get in touch on UKBF.

Would you like to be a future Member in Focus?​

The Member in Focus feature is provided to members with an active Business Membership. Read more about the benefits included in Business Membership of UKBF Here.