Sporting Edge has been a valued customer of HIC since the beginning when founder Jeremy Snape moved the company into the building on its first day of opening.
“I wouldn’t say we brushed past the cement mixer on the way in,” said Jeremy, “because it was probably wheeled out five minutes before we arrived, but we were the first in.” In the years since Jeremy has grown Sporting Edge into one of the country’s leading providers of sports psychology and business consultancy services. The list of clients is impressive and includes BMW, Barclays, McKinsey, GSK, England Rugby and the South African cricket team.
So did Jeremy envisage building a premium consultancy that would become a market leader? “It’s what I aspired to,” he said. “Has it been a straightforward journey to creating it? Definitely not. Have I needed every ounce of resilience and networking and persistence and negotiation to get to where we’ve got to? Definitely. But it makes me proud to say we’ve worked with and are trusted by some of the world’s best brands.”
Jeremy’s interest in psychology began during his first career as a cricketer. Having experienced the highs and lows of his chosen sport, he formulated the idea that, however good they are, everyone has a psychological breaking point, and that being able to get over that is the key to success.
“I started to look at how to train in that area because I thought that to be able to coach people and help them deliver success under pressure would be a great service, and one that wasn’t being offered at the time,” he said.
After studying for a master’s degree at Loughborough University and retiring from the game, Jeremy established the business. And moving into HIC was an integral part of the process. “To begin with, it was just me and a PA,” said Jeremy. “I started the business at home in the garage and then moved here.
“For me, as an entrepreneur, you need a clear head and a clear space to be able to come up with the ideas, make the decisions, make the phone calls. So to have a designated office is much better than working from home because there are obvious distractions there.
“Having a professional place where you can host clients, where people can park, eat in the restaurant, and there are meeting rooms is invaluable. We also use several services providers from HIC and it’s a lively hub for people to collaborate. We use web and brand design, legal support, promotional materials and exhibition manufacturers, so it’s been very helpful.”
Sporting Edge is looking to grow even further, and HIC could play a part in that. Jeremy has already had talks about moving into the grow-on space. Jeremy concluded: “For me, Harborough Innovation Centre is a great environment in which to think, to make great decisions and collaborate with other entrepreneurs to help your business grow.”
Harborough Innovation Centre is owned and supported by Harborough District Council (HDC). As the building owner, HDC also funds the Centre’s business support provision, providing the basis for expert business advice, mentoring and workshops.