EACH week the Evening Times will throw the spotlight on one of the dozens of new businesses determined to succeed.

They are the future for Glasgow and the west of Scotland's economy and are working hard to achieve success in the face of continuing economic hardship.

Many new businesses are struggling to take off because of the economic downturn, and this new column will offer advice for potential start-ups.

Each company will answer the same questions about their business and their answers will appear in the Evening Times each Wednesday.

This week we talk to Andrew Smillie of Crabbit Sparra Productions Ltd

Who are you?

Andrew Smillie,
managing director/creative director/biscuit procurement officer at Crabbit Sparra
Productions Ltd.

What does your business do?

We specialize in audio productions, sound art installations and 'mobile audio' productions.

Where are you based?

Currently based at The Hub at Pacific Quay in Glasgow thanks to the lovely folk at Digital Enterprise Glasgow.

How did you get started?

It all kicked off with a production in Glasgow Central Station called Travelling Voices which delivers an audio history of the station to passengers' mobile devices.

It was initially a temporary production for my final-year
submission at the
University of the West of Scotland, but has proven to be so successful that Network Rail have made it a permanent feature.

The success and feedback from Travelling Voices convinced me to form an audio production company to create similar productions.

What is your background?

I started recording radio programmes (don't do it, it's illegal!) on a two-deck stereo when I was eight, and soon discovered that if you 'paused' the recording, you got a cleaner edit than if you hit 'stop'. I can't tell you how much this amazed me.

Fast forward several years, while washing dishes and working as a powerboat instructor for the National Watersports Centre, I decided to pursue my passion for radio production.

From studying for an HNC in Radio
Broadcasting at Reid Kerr College, I progressed to the Broadcast Production course delivered by the University of the West of Scotland, where I gained my honours degree.

While studying for my degree I wrote, edited and produced the Scottish Media Podcast and I also worked as a scribe for two visually impaired college students studying Radio Broadcasting.

What is your top tip?

Don't be afraid to try something new.

Has anyone helped you get started and how?

Family and friends have been a huge support but the biggest helping hand we've had has been from Digital Enterprise Glasgow.

They have given us
free office space bang smack in the centre of the creative industries sector.

What was your biggest mistake/or what would you do differently?

Probably going to my first business meeting, first time meeting a client, first time doing anything business related ... while wearing baseball shoes and a Hawaiian shirt.

Who was/is your mentor/or inspiration?

I could list a host of folk but it has to be my mum.

She always said that if you want to do something, don't just talk about it. Do it.

Where do you plan your business to be in five years' time?

Hopefully into supplying radio productions for the BBC. That's the big goal and something which we'd love to do.

Useful contacts:

Twitter, Digital
Enterprise Glasgow, Business Gateway, Interactive Scotland and MediaUk