Scotland was "crying out for a broker with a fresh approach" when insurance industry chief Tom Aldridge founded Blackford in 20919.
Mr Aldridge says the Glasgow-based insurance broker, which also has offices in Aberdeen, Edinburgh, and London, takes an approach that prioritises values over sales.
And while he admits it can be hard to recruit staff from the big global players, they never look back when they do.
What is your business called?
Blackford.
Where is it based?
We’re headquartered in Glasgow, with offices in Edinburgh, Aberdeen and London.
What does it produce/do?
Blackford is a commercial and private client insurance broker. We work with businesses and private individuals to assess their risks, and provide advice on the kind of insurance they need to mitigate against it. We work with a range of insurers to make sure we get the right cover for each client.
To whom does it sell?
We love working with clients with complex risks, whether those are businesses or individuals. Our team is really experienced in getting to know our clients and understanding the best way for them to manage their risk. Typically our clients are looking for quality of service and cover rather than the cheapest insurance available.
What is its turnover?
Since we were founded in 2019, we’ve grown every year – this year we’ll place more than £10 million of insurance premiums for our clients.
How many employees?
We have a team of 22.
Why did you take the plunge?
I felt that Scotland was crying out for a broker with a fresh approach and which was values-led rather than sales-led. I wanted to create a broker business which put client interests first instead of shareholder returns. That’s been a big part of our growth and why we have a very strong client retention rate in comparison to other brokers.
What were you doing before?
I studied environmental science and meteorology at uni before embarking on my insurance career. I started off as a graduate working for a global broker before leading a couple of offices and the sales and marketing for Scotland’s largest independent brokerage. Having exposure to both the global and independent approaches has helped me define what I think fits best for the Scottish business community: have a team that knows its onions and never loses focus on excellence in service!
What do you least enjoy?
Being stuck behind a desk and dealing with what I suppose I should call essential admin isn’t my idea of a great day at work. As we’re growing I’ve been able to ask others to take some of the admin burden from me but you can’t escape it all.
What are your ambitions for the firm?
To have a happy team with clients who appreciate they are adequately protected and well looked after. I’d like us to have a strong, recognisable brand for businesses and private individuals who want an insurance partner they can trust.
What single thing would most help?
Being a small broker has plenty of challenges but the biggest one is probably having to persuade people that a career move to Blackford is a whole different ball game compared to the big global players. Quite a number of our team have made the move and they’ve never looked back.
What is the most valuable lesson you have learned?
You have to delegate. It’s not something I’m naturally good at but I have more people around me now who remind me I need to work on it – and they’re not always particularly subtle!
Where do you find yourself most at ease?
From a work perspective I’ll always enjoy meeting people, whether it’s clients, potential team members or new contacts. It’s easily the best part of the job. Away from work it’s probably the same answer, but I also love being in the Scottish outdoors.
If you weren’t in your current role, what job would you most fancy?
I’ve often found myself coveting Matt Baker’s TV presenting career. I could see myself presenting Countryfile or Landward. That would be a lot of fun.
What phrase or quotation has inspired you the most?
My dad always told me you should shut up if you have nothing to say, which I still think about. I sometimes think there are plenty of people out there who should take his advice…
What is the best book you have ever read? Why is it the best?
I struggled to pick one. I like anything by F. Scott Fitzgerald but The Great Gatsby is a classic. I also really enjoyed City Boy by Geraint Anderson, which is a pretty eye-opening take on some of the more hedonistic aspects of a career in the City.
What has been your most challenging moment in life or business?
I lost my best friend, Mac, to cancer when I was at university. That really put things in perspective and I don’t think I’ll ever lose that sense of what’s really important in life. It inspired me to get involved with Business Beats Cancer in Edinburgh, which is a business charity event raising money for Cancer Research UK.
What do you now know that you wish you had known when starting out in your career?
Attitude is way more important than qualifications. As a graduate I always thought you needed a 2-1 or more to get anywhere, and I think a lot of employers are now coming round to the idea that there’s more to a person than their exam results.
We talk a lot about ‘people who get it’ – that’s about attitude and approach. For our team it means we try to find people who really care about their clients and make the effort to build genuine relationships. We don’t have individual sales targets which means people don’t feel the pressure to see clients as prospects who need to be converted. It’s about the personal touch and that’s been a huge driver of the success of our business.
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