Made In Essex

Can an Essex firm open doors across 34 African markets and win a King’s Award along the way?

In this episode of Made in Essex, Jill Willis, co-founder of Attract & Engage, sits down with Bolaji Sofoluwe MBE, Founder and Managing Director of ETK Group, the Colchester-based international trade advisory firm helping British businesses enter new markets across Africa and beyond.

Bolaji shares how ETK turned COVID and Brexit into a turning point, why emotional intelligence is the real strategy when trading across borders, and why she believes Essex can compete on the global stage.

Hit play for an inspiring conversation about trust, resilience and building a business with a purpose far bigger than yourself.

Can a business grow quickly, win a King's Award and still stay true to its values? 

In this episode of Made in Essex, Jill Willis, co-founder of Attract & Engage, sits down with Mike McLellan, Managing Director of KOcycle, the Braintree-based circular technology business helping organisations securely extend the life of their IT assets.

Mike shares how a bootstrapped startup became one of the UK's highest-rated tech B Corps, why hiring for attitude beats hiring for experience, and what it takes to scale a purpose-led business without losing sight of people, culture and impact.

Hit play for an honest conversation about growth, resilience and building a business designed to do good. 

What does it really take to hand a family business from one generation to the next - and make it stronger? 

In this episode, Co-Founder of Attract & Engage, Jill Willis sits down with Wes Crawford, Managing Director of Crawford’s Group, the Writtle-based agricultural and commercial vehicle business founded by his father back in the 1980s.

Wes shares the realities of succession planning, a major health scare that changed everything, and how he’s building a business designed to outlast him - with his wife and sons now part of the journey. Expect honest reflections on leadership, resilience and legacy.

Hit play and join the conversation. 

Jill Willis meets Jeff Dewing, CEO of Cloud - the Colchester-based FM disruptor that grew from a garden shed to a £70m turnover business. A story of bold mindset shifts, bouncing back from rock bottom, and building a culture-first company by doing the opposite.

Jill Willis meets Paul Kelly, MD of KellyBronze Turkeys, the family-run farm that turned the humble turkey into a festive icon. From surviving market crashes and fires to building a global premium brand, it’s a story of resilience, reinvention and staying true to your values.

In this episode of Stories of Essex Limited, we’re joined by Doug Bentley and Adam Jones to reflect on the 2025 Essex Ltd Report and uncover what’s driving growth across the county’s Top 100 businesses.With turnover up 12.3% to £16bn, EBITDA up 16%, and 23 new entrants added to the list, Doug and Adam unpack the stories behind the stats, from the rise of private equity and employee ownership to how Essex firms are borrowing big to invest in future growth.We explore the biggest challenges on the horizon, including the ongoing battle for talent, and why culture, values and leadership succession are fast becoming key differentiators. Plus, we revisit standout guests from the series and examine what they reveal about Essex’s entrepreneurial edge.This episode is part of a collaborative mini-series created by Grant Thornton UK LLP, Birketts LLP, and Attract & Engage Ltd to amplify the voices of Essex’s privately owned businesses.

Jill Willis meets Paul Bleck, MD of Bartech Marine, the family firm that grew from a Mersea Island garage to a £10m engineering powerhouse. A story of legacy, leadership and scaling with purpose.

In this episode of Stories of Essex Limited, we sit down with Darren Locker, Managing Director of BEW Electrical Distributors, to explore how a second-generation family firm climbed to No. 41 in the Essex Top 100 and No. 17 in the Fastest Growth list. From leading an eight-figure management buyout to expanding into solar, site lighting, and heat pumps, Darren shares how people-first leadership and steady diversification have powered BEW’s transformation into one of the UK’s fastest-growing independent electrical wholesalers.

This episode is part of a collaborative mini-series created by Grant Thornton UK LLP, Birketts LLP, and Attract & Engage Ltd to amplify the voices of Essex’s privately owned businesses.

Colin Horton went from earning £14k in a bank call centre to running a multi-million-pound surveying firm and starring on Channel 4. In this episode, Jill Willis lifts the bonnet on Colin’s journey, from bootstrapping Project & Co with just £3k, to becoming one of the property industry’s most outspoken and recognisable voices. Honest, gritty, and full of Essex charm, this one’s for anyone building a business from the ground up.

Jill Willis meets Pod Crowther, co-founder of Tuffon Hall Vineyard, the family-run business putting Essex wine on the map with creativity, courage and diversification baked in from day one.