Inspiring Business by Sharing Success

Steve Megson – Business Strategist

Working with companies of all sizes, from giants like LG Electronics to niche manufacturing companies and operating in markets as diverse as private medical fertility to pedigree racing pigeons, Steve has a unique and diverse insight into what works in business.

With two businesses of his own, Quiet Storm and Megson Associates, his insights have helped organisations innovate, improve productivity and develop systems and processes which give them a tangible competitive edge over their competition. His specialist skills combine behavioural psychology, process improvement and digital transformation. As a result, his business strategies are ‘real world focused’ and he has a successful track record stretching back over three decades.

 

History with Love Business

The Love Business Expo was Steve’s brainchild, born out of the frustration of traditional media channels not supporting business without some form of backdoor fee for advertising.

Months before the London Olympics, Quiet Storm had secured an internationally tendered contract which saw them winning the pitch for over 100 websites representing the International Paralympic Committee across the globe. Steve felt sure this would be newsworthy, but it failed to get any media coverage despite his valiant efforts.

With the realisation that the traditional media routes were focused on money or misery, Love Business Expo was created. It’s key objective - to help the region’s businesses showcase their successes. Love Business Expo has grown in reputation year on year since and is recognised as the region’s best annual business expo.

 

Local Connections

Born in the Derby, Steve grew up in Chaddesden and is a Rams supporter through and through.

He isn’t a fan of the schooling he experienced, having attended Spondon School, then Green Lane Art Collage to study an HDN in Graphic Design.
However, with a strong worth ethic, he worked from the age of 11 at the local newsagents, at 16 in a local pub, and from 19 on building sites every summer (while continuing with his evening and weekend bar work). This is where he attributes much of his understanding and expertise of human behaviour.

 

Career Journey

Ever the entrepreneur, Steve was creating logos for local printers from the age of 15. While at college, he a completed a week’s work experience - where he continued to work for the next four years alongside his Derby College graphics courses.

At the age of 19, he was developing national advertising campaigns for famous brands like AGV Helmets, Freixenet Cava amongst others.
His unofficial apprenticeship developed both is technical skills and business acumen. After finishing college in 1987 he immediately started his own business freelancing, with the aid of the then, Enterprise Allowance.

By 1988, the business was based in a small office above a screen-printers. It grew rapidly and by 1990, Steve purchased premises in Ashby de la Zouch. With marriage, children and a growing business working for brands like Grolsch, Christian Salvesen plc and Hotpoint life was hectic.

In 1996, Steve took the decision to move the direction of the business into websites, employing programmers to work alongside designers. By 1997, Quiet Storm was creating multi-industry award winning websites, the business continued to grow and moved into its current premises in Whitwick, near Coalville, in 2001.

 

Current key business focus

With a wide portfolio of services Quiet Storm could provide a wide and varied array of services. Driven by word of mouth and recommendation, clients and contracts continued to grow.

Projects included a browser-based web portal for Culina Logistics at £250,000, to a £450,000 three-part contract to help LG Electronics develop a Europe-wide formula for showrooms, and client engagement events.

All the time continuing to work with businesses and help business owners understand the principles the larger businesses worked to, to maximise efficiencies. Steve recognised the need for focus and set about evolving the businesses to where it is today. Leaders in sophisticated websites and browser-based software. Quiet Storm specialises in the optimisation of business process to reduce cost, increase productivity and provide measurable accountability.
January 2020 saw them presented with an Award from Davidsons Homes as their Consultant of the Year, for their work on their digital transformation of the house builder’s business.


What you may not know?

Supported by a hunger for self-development Steve continuously invests time, money and energy into increasing his skills, learning from audio books to residential courses, he views life as a huge learning opportunity.

He met his wife Kathy at 21, married her at 27 and has two grown up children Josh and Libby. His passion is boating and he’s sailed all of the Channel Islands and much of the south English coast. Plus sailed his boat from Poole to Spain, through the French canal system with his son, where it now resides in Denia.
He’s friends with an astronaut, loves his Defender and enjoys sampling and collecting rare single malt whiskies.