Sam Hawcroft hears how sustainability is at the heart of Hull’s leading signmaker

Green by name, green by nature… Lawrence Green is the third generation at the helm of Greens the Signmakers – and some of his earliest memories are of his grandfather painting, using the skills he learned while working on shop fronts. However, it wasn’t until he had begun university that he realised he was in the family business for the long haul. “I worked in the factory straight after my...

Ellie Birch tells Sam Hawcroft how she transformed a hobby into a growing baking business

Flour power It all started when Ellie Birch’s mother gave her a copy of a cake decorating magazine just over 10 years ago. At the time, Ellie was working in sales, as well as being a local club singer – but she knew she needed a change. “I had a young child at the time, Benji, who’s just coming up 18 this year,” she says. “I wanted something to fit in with him. I always dreamed that there would...

Hair @ Hesslewood is East Yorkshire’s newest premier hairdressing boutique – and its owner, Julian Holland, tells Sam Hawcroft why it’s a cut above the rest…

Scenic roots Julian Holland has travelled the world with his scissors and brushed shoulders – literally – with the stars, but he’s now putting down roots in East Yorkshire as he embarks on a new challenge. “Roots” is an apt word, too, for Julian and his wife Sophie have chosen an amazing base for this exciting new hairdressing company – the unique Treetops development at the Hesslewood Office...

Sam Hawcroft looks back at the remarkable career of Malcolm Scott – our Top 20 MIBL winner

A force to be reckoned with “Legend”, “incredible”, “wonderful”, “altruistic” and “awesome” were just some of the words used to describe Malcolm Scott after his untimely passing in September. The outpouring of tributes in the press and across social media was testimony to the huge impact Malcolm had in the worlds of business and culture in Hull and beyond – and there could be no better winner of...

Financial planner Amy Gray has found an intriguing way to combine her two very different businesses

What do you get if you cross knitting with financial advice? It’s not a joke. In combining crafts with counsel, Amy Gray may have just hit on a novel idea that makes money matters less daunting – and most of us need all the financial help we can get in these trying times. But before we explore Amy’s knitting, we’ll unravel the threads of how she came to be in the world of financial advice –...