The Shropshire entrepreneur looking to inspire businesses and the next generation
Dave Hamlet is a busy man. He's an inspirational one too.
An entrepreneur, he has just launched a new business – D&G Consultancy, which offers a range of services from business consultancy, marketing, 3PL, strategic planning, market analysis, digital transformation, and e-commerce optimization.
That comes on the back of successfully established companies like Lyfelinez, Tanki and Mother Nature.
Not bad for a man who didn't like school and left with no qualifications.
He was clearly someone with a natural entrepreneurial flair and, he adds, time in the army also helped him. He served in the Royal Engineers, including in Northern Ireland and learned a great deal.
"The army taught me a lot," he said. "It teaches you about working hard. I also got rid of the 'poor me' attitude, that sense of feeling hard done by.
"You can quickly realise you didn't have such bad upbringing when you meet other people. "For me the army helped build up my character."
Dave, who is on the skills advisory panel at Shrewsbury College, transitioned from the army into the fast-paced world of FMCG, contributing to the success of iconic brands such as Gatorade, Britvic, Monster Energy and Relentless Energy.
He later co-founded Zoom1hr, which achieved a staggering pre-investment valuation of £10 million in just three years, expanding from a £15,000 loan and a team of two to 336 under his leadership.
And now he is running several businesses hand in hand and says he loves his life as an entrepreneur.
"I get to talk to people all the time," he said.
"I like it when someone says you can't do something or 'it's impossible'. I don't believe in that.
"And every new thing has a starting point. For example, you look at a chair. One day that was an idea, it became a thing. It's nice to create things and be inventive."
Shrewsbury-based D&G Consultancy is his latest venture and has seen Dave team up with Gareth Hitchin.
"We plan to be a dynamic new player on the business consultancy and e-commerce landscape," Dave said.
"We want to open the doors to revolutionize the way businesses approach growth and digital strategy."
They intend to offer start-ups and SME’s the best chance to grow.
"We are dedicated to providing cutting-edge consultancy services," Dave added. "And we will combine deep industry knowledge with innovative approaches to propel businesses forward in an ever-evolving digital landscape."
The consultancy firm says it will stand out with its unique “pay as your grow” approach to launching businesses and brands on Amazon.
"With a track record of delivering growth for a portfolio of online sales in the region of £21m, we are true specialists in our field," Dave adds. "We plan to be a true breath of fresh air for budding entrepreneurs and business owners who are already up against it with the challenges we are all facing right now."
As well as aiding business owners, he's also determined toe make a difference to the younger generation.
As well as his work at Shrewsbury College, he is taking on an enterprise advisor role as a volunteer.
The role exists within the Marches Growth Hub and Dave will be working with his former school, Mary Webb School and Science College and will put on workshops and take part in motivational talks.
"I am hoping I can add some value," he said. "I'll be giving lots of advice. One big thing is for people to learn to be comfortable with being uncomfortable.
"I also believe hard work will out-work talent each and every day.
"I also talk a lot about perspective, learning to control emotions and self evaluate a little bit, as well as resilience and how adversity can build character. You have to experience hardships to enable you to push yourself and break down boundaries."
