Signage isn’t something that most businesses need every day, but its impact is vast. Signage surrounds us. We caught up with Cosy Direct’s charismatic CEO, Peter Ellse, to understand the effect of signage on their business. Peter also spoke about our mutual civic engagement, which is going from strength to strength.
Cosy Direct is a Queen’s Award winner for Enterprise 2022. The business supplies schools across the UK and the world and developer products to get children outdoors and active. They have a range of over 4000 products that are frequently updated.
Managing Director, Nik Hardy, welcomed Cosy Direct and Peter to Staffordshire back in 2021 in his capacity as the President of Burton & District Chambers of Commerce. Since then, the relationship with Cosy has strengthened, and our civic commitments have often been aligned.
As Peter explains, he had several misconceptions about signage in general – but his relationship with Nik and the Hardy Signs team eventually helped him pivot with signage. Some modern and environmentally friendly signage is now supplied at Cosy and stands proud in the indoor and outdoor environment.
CEO of Cosy Direct, Peter Ellse, says: ”I think, like many SMEs, I’m not in the market for buying signs, think they are a waste of money – all too expensive. That’s where I started in my journey to understand the power of it. Hardy Signs weren’t trying to pitch me a sign. Their team came along, and I understood the width and depth of their organisation and its marketing capabilities and was able to talk in a safe and unpushy manner. There was no expectation that I would buy a sign, but the more I talked to these extremely experienced professionals, the more I became convinced. They were local, all manufactured in Burton, and the carbon story was light to the touch. Their business was involved in putting something back to the community, which resonated with me.”
”What I’ve come to realise about signage is how much we’re ended up putting it on the back of our pictures and videos. It gives you a platform and a backdrop to reinforce your brand. I hadn’t really realised the power of signage, and it’s the first time ever in my 25 years in business that I understand just how important they are.”
Both Hardy Signs and Cosy Direct are proud to support their young people with memberships with Generation Next.
The current chair of Generation Next and Marketing Manager at Hardy Signs, Daniel Nikolla, has been delighted to welcome six apprentices from Cosy Direct to the network. Finlay Riggot from Cosy eventually signed up to be an ambassador alongside Blu Hardy from Hardy Signs.
Daniel Nikolla said: ”I’m delighted to have been supported by Peter Ellse and Cosy throughout my role as the Chair of Generation Next. They have a great ethos, and I feel proud to have such supportive teams towards young professionals in the region.”
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