TGtB Meets? Huw Jones

Following the prestigious Bath Chronicle Business Awards 2014, held at Bath Racecourse on the 11th of September, we caught up with Huw Jones, partner at Bath-based management consultancy Nine Feet Tall, who bagged the 'Bath Business of The Year' award.

Congratulations on your win! Tell us a little bit about your business?

We’re a management consultancy specialising in sustainable business transformation, project and change management, and values-based training. We deliver our projects with passion, openness and accountability and take businesses from where they stand today, to where they need to be tomorrow. We are personal, fuss-free and believe in excellence, sustainability and real results.

What does winning this award mean for you and your company?

We’re really happy to have been recognised for our commitment to training and developing our staff. We take pride in what we do and what we can offer clients, and this is in part due to our strong belief that support and training are essential to developing happy, talented staff. To win the award is a nice way to prove to ourselves and our clients that we’re doing the right thing and to continue with our training schemes.

Why do you think you won?

We believe every staff member contributes to the success of the company and its founder, Esther McMorris, has focused on creating a business environment where staff share the same values around what it means to work and grow together. Nine Feet Tall’s success is down to its eager graduates as much as its experienced staff and senior management team. Our 9Start graduate programme is all about keeping local talent in the city and the South West of England.

How are you planning to celebrate your victory?

We’re very busy at the moment so celebrations may have to wait. We’ll probably celebrate with a trip to cheer on our favourite team Bath RFC – hopefully we can have a double celebration – a win for Bath RFC and a win for us!

Business is clearly booming, why do you think so many people visit Bath?

Bath is such a diverse city. It has so much to offer, from the history and heritage to great shopping and an awesome spa - it’s the perfect mix to attract people from all over. We’re a big coffee drinking company, so we personally love the amount of independent coffee shops there are in Bath.

What's your favourite thing about Bath and why?

Like the question before, we love the coffee shops, but we also love the musicians that busk all over the city. From bluegrass bands to Spanish guitar players to the old crooner who sings and plays trumpet. Where else in the world could you get all of that while walking down the high street drinking an awesome cup of coffee?

Tell us a little bit about the role that you play within the business?

I’m a Partner at Nine Feet Tall and manage a number of client projects. I also head up the 9start graduate recruitment scheme so am pleased to see our 9start training and development scheme gain recognition.

What advice would you give to someone looking to succeed in your industry?

Work hard, enjoy what you’re doing and make sure you commit some time to finding out what makes you unique as a consultant and where your strengths lie. What can you bring to the client to help better their business? Always be open to learning and developing yourself and your skills.