Stuart Walton

A Staffordshire businessman is set to more than treble the size of his business just two years after its launch. 

Stuart Walton, a former corporate Finance Director, launched Business for Breakfast Staffordshire with around 30 members in April 2010. 

An estimated £500,000 worth of business was generated between the 130-plus Staffordshire BforB members in 2011. 

Now Stuart is expanding into an area stretching from the southern borders of Manchester to Bristol. 

“After years in the corporate world working on major projects including Euro Tunnel and Rolls-Royce Aerospace gas turbine programmes, I wanted the challenge of building a business,” said Stuart, of Milford, near Stafford. 

“I was told the BforB model would not work as people see a depressed economy in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent.  

“But I knew that there was creative and entrepreneurial spirit among the area’s small businesses and that they would appreciate a new networking model.” 

BforB was launched at the Moat House Hotel, Festival Park, Stoke-on-Trent, with just two groups. 

There are now seven groups across Stoke-on-Trent, Leek, Stafford and Penkridge averaging around 20 members each. 

A further expansion is planned in Staffordshire and Stuart plans to grow new networks in counties such as Warwickshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire. 

He is also taking on the Cheshire area which has several established groups in Nantwich and Chester.  

James Miller, of Wolstanton based amb insurance said: “Our business has grown alongside BforB. We generated around £19,000 in new business in 2011 using the BforB referral marketing groups.” 

ENDS

 For further information contact Stuart Walton on 07706 161 851  

Notes to Editors:

Business for Breakfast was developed by John Fisher in 2001 through a direct need to generate increased level of sustainable business referrals while he was working for a major international insurance company.

 In 2006 John developed the franchise model that can be seen today. The company has grown rapidly and now has over 30 franchisees.  With its head office in Manchester the company provides strategic, marketing and administrative support to its franchise base and breakfast club members via a bespoke IT system. To find out more log on to: http://www.bforb.com/ 

Stuart Walton operates the Staffordshire Business for Breakfast franchise. Meetings are held fortnightly at venues across North and Mid Staffordshire. 

These are the Moat House, Stoke-on-Trent, Hatherton House Hotel, Penkridge, the Tillington Hall Hotel, Stafford, and the Retreat Health and Beauty Spa, Leek. Along with the breakfast groups there is a women’s only lunch time meeting in Stoke-on-Trent.