Many businesses start with a big dream, but this wasn’t the case for Pig and Olive. After quitting the hospitality sector and moving to a small-hold by the sea in North Devon to start a self-sustainable life, partners Rachel Hicken and Simon Harris unwittingly planted a seed for a small business.

In 2015, Rachel and Simon had a surplus of pork, from their livestock, and decided to make use of their produce. A £200 eBay purchase of a wood-fired pizza oven later, and the foundations of a business that now has a turnover of approximately half a million were built.

With a wood-fired pizza oven and a custom trailer built by Simon, Pig and Olive were ready to serve the masses. However, as the years went on, and the business grew in terms of output and headcount, Rachel realised that they didn’t have an overarching strategy for business. This prompted her to look at courses in business management.

‘The business had been running for seven years, but for the majority of that, I was working in the business and focused on the day-to-day. It’s a seven-day-a-week job, and you’re always on call and you don’t get time to breathe.

‘I came to the realisation that we didn’t have the skills to run the business, we were very good at making our pizzas but not so good at the business elements. I started looking for courses and this is when I found the Help to Grow: Management Course at our local business school at Exeter University.’

How the course helped

Once she was on the course, Rachel saw that all the areas she wanted to work on were addressed, ‘I wanted a better understanding of the business, and that’s what the course gave me. As the modules continued there were areas I’d never considered. It was quite humbling to think that we managed to get this business to where it is now without having any of these foundations in place.

‘In some ways, I wondered if I should start the business again from scratch!’ Of course, Pig and Olive didn’t start again, but the modules led to new processes and staff being put in place.

Marketing

The fifth module on the course “Developing a Marketing Strategy” really resonated with Rachel. ‘We'd never done any proper marketing because it's not an area of interest for me and I certainly don't have the knowledge. But the course made me see the value of marketing and particularly digital marketing.’

As a result, Rachel identified the need for skills that weren’t in the business and has gone on to hire a full-time marketer to help generate consistent interest from potential customers.

Operations

Rachel also took a lot from the “Strategy and Innovation” module. She realised that there needed to be processes put in place to create a more sustainable pipeline of revenue and to improve efficiency.

This led to another hire, this time in the operations team. ‘We felt that we needed somebody with a level of understanding of processes and experience so that they could help us make sure we're doing everything properly.’

Following these hires, Rachel feels her own standards have been raised, ‘I’ve upped my game and paid more attention to our business. Working in collaboration with our new team members has allowed me to take on new ideas and make sure that our growth isn’t just coming from the top down.’

This collaboration, as well as the modules on employee engagement and brand, have resulted in a review of the company’s mission statement that has been updated to build morale and create a unified purpose. 

Finance

The Help to Grow: Management Course allowed Rachel to take a step back from the day-to-day and evaluate the financial health of the business.

‘We needed to look at the financial side of the business with costs rising everywhere. Unfortunately, we weren’t quick enough to mitigate the rising costs which caused us a problem last year. I always had a fear of finance, so it was easier to ignore.

‘The course gave me the tools to spot problems quicker, and make sensible changes with our new team members.’

Speaking to a mentor

Rachel wasn’t alone in making these substantial changes. She had a mentor to discuss the changes and work through the information in the course with.

'Having a mentor gave me some accountability, because it’s easy to do coursework and then put it to one side and forget it.'

The impact of Help to Grow: Management

27%

Increase in gross turnover

New hires made to improve operations

A new preparation space being looked at to meet demand

Off the back of the course, and the changes Rachel made, the company has seen more than just a shift in morale and marketing. Pig and Olive has also seen its gross profit go from 12% in 2022 to 39% in 2023.

This financial boost is just the start of future growth for the company. Rachel and Simon are looking to diversify with meat-free options and find a new space for food preparation. ‘This will allow us to be more efficient and meet demand, making a huge difference to how we run. We’re really excited about this.’

Reflecting on the course, and her progress, Rachel comments: ‘I think every business leader will see that the work they’re doing with the Help to Grow: Management Course is the most important work that needs to be done.

‘I noticed that when I took a step out of the business the constant pressure wasn’t helping us move forward. Ultimately, we realised that we aren’t just pizza makers anymore, we’re business leaders.’

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