Sophie Cornish & Holly Tucker
About us....
After working together in advertising, magazines and marketing, we launched notonthehighstreet.com in April 2006, recognizing a whole new generation of small lifestyle businesses. Despite having our own small businesses (and very young children!) at the time, the opportunity, and the challenge, to turn them collectively into a significant online marketplace was completely compelling.
How we found SPARK....
By November that year, we’d grown to support over 300 of those small businesses, and were talking to investors. We leapt at the opportunity to meet Tom Teichman after a chance meeting between one of our shareholders and a mutual friend of Tom’s.
The relationship with SPARK....
Natural entrepreneurs themselves, the SPARK team have a steady, comfortable approach to the risk and reward of early stage investment, and make an invaluable contribution all along the way. They’ve consistently worked alongside us to understand the subtleties of our business, supporting us in the less easy decisions, placing high emphasis on mutual respect and fair play. This has made for a productive and enjoyable working relationship, and confirmed to us that their values are well-aligned with our own – particularly important given that notonthehighstreet.com’s own mission is to support small creative businesses.
Experience with SPARK on funding....
It was clear from our initial meeting that investment with SPARK was going to be a far more human and efficient process than we had experienced thus far, and immediately confirmed them in our minds as our first choice. Their genuine interest in our brand and our team, as well as a passion for their own business, quickly revealed exactly what the ‘spark’ is, and we were delighted when Tom Teichman commented that he saw the same in us. The process progressed quickly and unobtrusively, and was completed without unnecessary delay.
How SPARK adds the most value....
SPARK’s magic formula is the belief and excitement they have for the business, combined with a gentle ‘hand on the tiller’ at precisely the right moment. They are incredibly approachable and responsive too, just a call away, wherever they are in the world and whatever the time!
SPARK and raising the new funds....
Since SPARK first invested in notonthehighstreet.com, we’ve been through a second round of fundraising, during which they have been both instrumental and supportive. They made important introductions, encouraged us to aim high, and fully supported those decisions which felt to be right for our business.
The future with SPARK
The entire SPARK team is incredibly friendly, professional and committed to success. We continue to enjoy (to use Tom’s words) a happy and productive marriage whilst working towards very exciting business goals!