• Who are you?

My name is Catharine Anderson and I am the founder and Managing Director of Vouch for That Ltd.

• What does your business do?

We enable independent businesses to sell gift vouchers online by creating personalised online shops that businesses link to from their own websites. Their customers can then order gift vouchers online with ease, while we handle everything from setting up the listings to distributing the orders by email or post, making it a seamless process for all businesses involved.

• Where are you based?

We currently operate the business from the Entrepreneurial Spark Hatchery in Glasgow, and have been part of the business accelerator programme for 18 months.

• How did you get started?

Vouch for That was born from a personal frustration at not being able to buy gift vouchers online for independent businesses. I found ringing businesses, giving card details over the phone and waiting long periods for vouchers to arrive a frustrating customer experience. It was after the birth of my second child, and during many sleepless nights, that I formed the business idea and applied to Entrepreneurial Spark to make it a reality.

• What is your background

I have a BA Hons in Tourism Management and spent my early career working in hotels and resorts across the UK and Australia. I then went on to run exclusive use country house event venues in Essex and was the sales manager for a national student accommodation company. My final position before starting the company was as sales and marketing manager for Little’s - a global chauffeur drive company based in Glasgow that I am proud to still be involved in on a consultancy basis.

• What is your top tip?

Don’t have a fixed mindset and be opportunity-hungry.

• How long has your business been running?

We tested the market and incorporated the business officially in April 2015, and have been developing and growing our business since.

• Has anyone helped you get started and how?

We have been lucky to have been supported by Entrepreneurial Spark, and other agencies in Glasgow. Business Gateway has been a huge support, and last year we were awarded £10k in grants to help fund the development of our system. We have also been supported by the Scottish Enterprise Innovation Service, Interactive Scotland and RBS.

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

I wish I had made use of the different support agencies earlier on in the business journey. There is so much help out there but you do really have to search for it, and some of the application processes seem like onerous tasks. But it is so worthwhile to see it through because there is a wealth of funding and expert advice available which can really support your business growth in the early stages.

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

We are looking to grow the business using the Business Improvement District (BIDs) network and, with around forty BIDs in Scotland and over two hundred UK wide, there is a great opportunity to get in front of big groups of independent businesses and sign them up to Vouch for That. In five years’ time, using this network, I would like to have achieved my vision to be the go-to for gift voucher purchases, supporting independents across the UK. On the hospitality side of the business, we are forecasting conservatively that two new small to medium sized hotel groups will outsource their gift voucher sales and distribution to us annually.

• Useful contacts

Entrepreneurial Spark – www.entrepreneurialspark.com

Business Gateway – www.businessgateway.com

• Contact Details

www.vouchforthat.co.uk 0141 301 1171 hello@vouchforthat.co.uk Twitter: @vouchforthat