The Very People
The Very People was established in 2006 with considerable advice and support from Co-operative Development Scotland, who recommended creating a secondary marketing co-operative.
The Very People is a co-operative of senior and experienced consultants in PR, journalism and marketing.
The marketing co-operative model allows the members of the business to pool their skills to pitch for larger contracts, while retaining their independence as standalone consultancies.
The group came together in the belief that the many practitioners in these sectors working alone could benefit from some form of alliance.
"One of the major trends of recent years has been the growing number of senior people that have left consultancies, companies or the media to work on their own, or to form associations with others of a like mind,"
said Ian Spinney, who is a specialist in business-to-business PR.
"Once they have left, businesses find it difficult to track them down. The Very People creates a single point of contact for this unique group."
Co-director Liz Taylor, a consumer marketing strategist who previously worked for whisky firm the Edrington Group, said: "From a client perspective, it can be immensely frustrating being advised by junior people when senior consultants have won the pitch.
"Our aim is to attract clients that want senior practitioners from start to finish."
The benefits of the co-operative model for The Very People include the ability to deliver high quality work while keeping overheads and administration to a minimum; encouraging debate amongst members; improved decision-making and the opportunity to provide a distinctive service in a highly competitive market.
Visit the Very People website for more information.
For information or advice on starting your own co-operative, contact us or call us on 0141 951 3055.