Howard Graham (entrepreneur)
Encyclopedia
Howard Graham BSc FCA FIoD FPC is an accountant
, entrepreneur
, and businessman.
, Graham joined Westbury Accountants in 1985, where he has remained since, becoming a partner in 1987. Graham is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants
and also a member of the IT faculty. He managed the practice's financial-services division, during which time he successfully completed the FPC
qualification. Graham founded The Made Simple Group in 2002 for which he became a finalist of "Business Person of the Year" in 2007. Graham is actively involved in the local business community - being a founding member of Clerkenwell BNI - and also a regular speaker at business events, having regularly appeared on the "Midas Touch" panel at the Business Start up Show with "Dragons" Peter Jones
and Rachel Elnaugh
. Graham also readily shares his experiences with start-up businesses
on the BBC's Small Business Panel of Experts
; KFC
; Masterchef's Gregg Wallace
Graham's main area of professional involvement has been in the area of financial and business development; focusing on strategy and planning. He is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants Faculty of Information Technology and also holds the Financial Planning Certificate from the Chartered Insurance Institute.
, Virtual Offices,Serviced Offices, events, websites, accounting, insurance, contracting, banking,Company Reports, business and legal documents.
The Made Simple Group was awarded ' Best Use of the Internet' by Accountancy Age in 2006.
was obvious; it allowed him to grow his business online while measuring the revenue spent and generated. As Graham increasingly recognized the incremental value Ad words had added to his business, he decided to extend his partnership with Google
further; offering every new company formed an Ad words Voucher As recognition of the innovative way Graham has integrated Ad word’s into his broader marketing strategy, Google
made the Made Simple Group a case study in September 2007. and Graham believes there is a lot more the Made Simple Group and Google can do together: I believe there is a lot more we can do together, and I look forward to expanding the Adword's vouchers into other services throughout of sites in the near future.
of Masterchef fame. Gregg's Veg supplies fruit and vegetables to the hotel and restaurant industry - including Le Caprice, Le Gavroche and Gordon Ramsay at Hospital Road
of MasterChef fame in a new venture Wallace & Co, a cafe/restaurant based in Putney which launched in January 2010. Described as an English Carluccio’s the business concept is based on the provision of fresh, seasonal produce cooked well in a great setting and as View London described it “... with its varied menu and cosy, comfortable interior, this is pretty much everything you could want in a local cafe. Masterchef or no Masterchef, Wallace and Co is a winner”
. His interests include sports; particularly football - he has been an avid Chelsea FC fan and season ticket holder for forty years. He is also a keen cricket fan; being both a member of the MCC
and the Lord's Taverners
. Other interests include most sports, bridge, theatre, music and reading and spending time in Spain
.
Accountant
An accountant is a practitioner of accountancy or accounting , which is the measurement, disclosure or provision of assurance about financial information that helps managers, investors, tax authorities and others make decisions about allocating resources.The Big Four auditors are the largest...
, entrepreneur
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
, and businessman.
Biography
After qualifying with top-20 firm Clark Whitehill in 1983 as an accountantAccountant
An accountant is a practitioner of accountancy or accounting , which is the measurement, disclosure or provision of assurance about financial information that helps managers, investors, tax authorities and others make decisions about allocating resources.The Big Four auditors are the largest...
, Graham joined Westbury Accountants in 1985, where he has remained since, becoming a partner in 1987. Graham is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants
Institute of Chartered Accountants
Institute of Chartered Accountants may refer to:* Institute of Chartered Accountants of Australia* Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales* Institute of Chartered Accountants of India* Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland...
and also a member of the IT faculty. He managed the practice's financial-services division, during which time he successfully completed the FPC
FPC
FPC may refer to:* Fast Patrol Craft, a type of light naval vessel* Federação Portuguesa de Ciclismo * Federal Prison Camp* Flight Paramedic Certified* Flexible printed circuitFresh Pretty Cure,The Animation Show In Japan...
qualification. Graham founded The Made Simple Group in 2002 for which he became a finalist of "Business Person of the Year" in 2007. Graham is actively involved in the local business community - being a founding member of Clerkenwell BNI - and also a regular speaker at business events, having regularly appeared on the "Midas Touch" panel at the Business Start up Show with "Dragons" Peter Jones
Peter Jones (entrepreneur)
Peter Jones, CBE is a British entrepreneur and businessman with interests in mobile phones, television, media, leisure, and property. He became a television celebrity through his appearances on the BBC Two show Dragons' Den and on his American television show American Inventor...
and Rachel Elnaugh
Rachel Elnaugh
Rachel Elnaugh is a British entrepreneur, who came to prominence as an investor on the first two seasons of BBC Two's TV show Dragons' Den, in which hers was the sole female perspective alongside four male entrepreneurs known as the Dragons.-Early life:Her family lived above her father's...
. Graham also readily shares his experiences with start-up businesses
Startup company
A startup company or startup is a company with a limited operating history. These companies, generally newly created, are in a phase of development and research for markets...
on the BBC's Small Business Panel of Experts
Westbury Accountants
Westbury Accountants offer accountancy services across a range of industry verticals; Corporate, Art, Charity, Retail and Restaurants and Catering. Clients have included Pizza ExpressPizza Express
PizzaExpress is a restaurant group with over 400 restaurants across the United Kingdom and 40 overseas in China, Europe, Hong Kong, Japan and the Middle East. It was founded in 1965 by Peter Boizot.In Ireland, PizzaExpress trades under the name Milano....
; KFC
KFC
KFC, founded and also known as Kentucky Fried Chicken, is a chain of fast food restaurants based in Louisville, Kentucky, in the United States. KFC has been a brand and operating segment, termed a concept of Yum! Brands since 1997 when that company was spun off from PepsiCo as Tricon Global...
; Masterchef's Gregg Wallace
Gregg Wallace
Gregg Allan Wallace is an English writer, media personality and former greengrocer, costermonger and farmer. He is probably best known for co-presenting MasterChef, Celebrity MasterChef and MasterChef: The Professionals on BBC Two and BBC One along with John Torode, where he is referred to as an...
Graham's main area of professional involvement has been in the area of financial and business development; focusing on strategy and planning. He is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants Faculty of Information Technology and also holds the Financial Planning Certificate from the Chartered Insurance Institute.
The Made Simple Group
MSG is home to a range of business entities dedicated to providing online business solutions to the start-up and small business communities. Founded in the UK in 2002, the MSG strategy is to deliver low-cost effective products and services to the start up and small business communities throughout Europe. There are now in excess of 11 websites within the group Company Formation, Virtual Offices,Serviced Offices, events, websites, accounting, insurance, contracting, banking,Company Reports, business and legal documents.
The Made Simple Group was awarded ' Best Use of the Internet' by Accountancy Age in 2006.
The Made Simple Group and Google
The Made Simple Group joined Google Adwords as a co -marketing partner in 2007. For Graham, the appeal of using Google Ad word’s to a Chartered AccountantChartered Accountant
Chartered Accountants were the first accountants to form a professional body, initially established in Britain in 1854. The Edinburgh Society of Accountants , the Glasgow Institute of Accountants and Actuaries and the Aberdeen Society of Accountants were each granted a royal charter almost from...
was obvious; it allowed him to grow his business online while measuring the revenue spent and generated. As Graham increasingly recognized the incremental value Ad words had added to his business, he decided to extend his partnership with Google
Google
Google Inc. is an American multinational public corporation invested in Internet search, cloud computing, and advertising technologies. Google hosts and develops a number of Internet-based services and products, and generates profit primarily from advertising through its AdWords program...
further; offering every new company formed an Ad words Voucher As recognition of the innovative way Graham has integrated Ad word’s into his broader marketing strategy, Google
Google
Google Inc. is an American multinational public corporation invested in Internet search, cloud computing, and advertising technologies. Google hosts and develops a number of Internet-based services and products, and generates profit primarily from advertising through its AdWords program...
made the Made Simple Group a case study in September 2007. and Graham believes there is a lot more the Made Simple Group and Google can do together: I believe there is a lot more we can do together, and I look forward to expanding the Adword's vouchers into other services throughout of sites in the near future.
Gregg's Veg
Graham co-founded Secrett’s Direct and Gregg's Veg -a fruit and vegetable website and farm - with Gregg WallaceGregg Wallace
Gregg Allan Wallace is an English writer, media personality and former greengrocer, costermonger and farmer. He is probably best known for co-presenting MasterChef, Celebrity MasterChef and MasterChef: The Professionals on BBC Two and BBC One along with John Torode, where he is referred to as an...
of Masterchef fame. Gregg's Veg supplies fruit and vegetables to the hotel and restaurant industry - including Le Caprice, Le Gavroche and Gordon Ramsay at Hospital Road
Wallace & Co
Howard Graham is a director and founding shareholder in conjunction with Justin Carter and Vernon Mascarenhas together with Gregg WallaceGregg Wallace
Gregg Allan Wallace is an English writer, media personality and former greengrocer, costermonger and farmer. He is probably best known for co-presenting MasterChef, Celebrity MasterChef and MasterChef: The Professionals on BBC Two and BBC One along with John Torode, where he is referred to as an...
of MasterChef fame in a new venture Wallace & Co, a cafe/restaurant based in Putney which launched in January 2010. Described as an English Carluccio’s the business concept is based on the provision of fresh, seasonal produce cooked well in a great setting and as View London described it “... with its varied menu and cosy, comfortable interior, this is pretty much everything you could want in a local cafe. Masterchef or no Masterchef, Wallace and Co is a winner”
Other Business Interests
Howard Graham is also a director, founder and investor in Bizzbug as well as being an investor in Fillaball, the company behind the design of the new Rubik 360 game he is also a director and shareholder in a property company.Business Philosophy
Graham attributes his success to the entrepreneurial philosophy: 'Let's try it and see what happens'Personal life
Howard is married to Lesley and has two children, Claudia aged 23 and Jonathan aged 20. The family live in North LondonNorth London
North London is the northern part of London, England. It is an imprecise description and the area it covers is defined differently for a range of purposes. Common to these definitions is that it includes districts located north of the River Thames and is used in comparison with South...
. His interests include sports; particularly football - he has been an avid Chelsea FC fan and season ticket holder for forty years. He is also a keen cricket fan; being both a member of the MCC
Marylebone Cricket Club
Marylebone Cricket Club is a cricket club in London founded in 1787. Its influence and longevity now witness it as a private members' club dedicated to the development of cricket. It owns, and is based at, Lord's Cricket Ground in St John's Wood, London NW8. MCC was formerly the governing body of...
and the Lord's Taverners
Lord's Taverners
The Lord’s Taverners is a thriving club, the official charity for recreational cricket and the UK’s leading youth cricket and disability sports charity whose objective is to 'give young people, particularly those with special needs, a sporting chance'.The Lord’s Taverners was founded in 1950 by a...
. Other interests include most sports, bridge, theatre, music and reading and spending time in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
.