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Jack meets... ‘The Shropshire Lad' - Paul Sherratt
Paul may now have lost his Head, but his journey to finding it in the first place,certainly proved the way to his heart,writes Jack Lynes, whose meeting with him allowed some timeto mull overdays gone by but lots more for looking at trends today and reasons for optimism to all who are prepared to remove blinkers, face up to the real world, and keep focussed. From time to time it is good to have an objective look at how one operates, what one is selling, and how to keep one's head above the water. It is even possible to grow when one is slimming down. This month's ‘Jack meets.....' may give you the incentive.
Paul Sherratt is a Shropshire lad through and through. His parents still live where they - and he - were born. His father only recently retired from the family business, Sherratt Farm Supplies, which installed milking parlours. Milking cows was an occupation in which Paul participated in his early days, an activity which was to come to my attention several times as we talked about times past, present and future. He learned, as he put it to me, to ‘pull and squeeze', though I did not get a straight answer as to from which nozzle came the condensed milk.
Paul was born in 1970 at Clive, a small Shropshire village about ten miles north of Shrewsbury. He went to the local C of E Grinshill Primary School and then to the Rural Wem Thomas Adams Secondary Comprehensive. Sports-wise he was very much an all-rounder, representing his school in rugby, football, badminton, volleyball, hockey, athletics and tennis, the last two for Shropshire County. Where he really went up in the world, was in the Pole Vault events, in 1984 coming sixth in the English Schools National Championship and County Champion 1982-87. His personal record of 3.30m is no mean achievement. ‘Elth an Safetee' may not have approved or even tolerated the ground conditions on sports days which always took place after the harvest on the stubble fields left behind. The egg and spoon race, as with the three-legged and sack races, earned the winners a red ribbon held on by a safety pin. Black plimmies, he recalls, were the order of the day and while taking part was important, winning was what it was all about. Tending to be of slight build, while athletic and strong, success depended a good deal on technique so it is not surprising that after he was 14 his position as a rugby player where he had always been able to assume positions not so readily available to the more portly youths, became rather less comfortable making a transfer to the soccer scene sensible where his speed and agility were a useful contribution to his position as striker. I was reminded of the influence that interested and enthusiastic teachers so oftenhave as he described with obvious satisfaction how one member of the PE department, Dave Young, his athletics coach,had encouraged him, starting with his skill as a long jumper where he may not have quite been in the Jesse Owens class but...
Life was not all play for Paul as is evidenced by hisfour ‘A' Levels and nine ‘O's. His strongest subject was Geography, with an emphasis on the human aspects with a particular interest in ‘people and populations'. He left Manchester University with degrees in Town and Country Planning (BA Hons.) and ‘BPI', Bachelor of Planning. Wait long enough, it is said, and everything comes round in circles. The late 1980s property crash (all too familiar today) meant a scarcity of suitable opportunities to use his qualifications so there followed two years of travel and work experience. He certainly kept on the move including in his itinerary working in a San Franciscan T-shirt shop, and visiting Canada, Tahiti, Cook Islands, Fiji, New Zealand, Bali, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, China and Poland. For four months he lived and worked in Sydney, Australia, in telesales where he learned the art of ‘cold calling', and seems to have found his English accent (surely the English are the ones without an accent, aren't they?) very useful. From being the one non-native 'backpacker' in the team of six, his bosses were quick to see the advantage, and when he continued his travels, the situation had reversed, with only one ‘local' employed. As we spoke about his early days, there were constant instances in his life that were obviously contributing to his later successes and knowing one's target was just one such example.
It was a chance meeting with a lass he met in Fiji who was then working for Wilson Sporting Goods' PR division that spurred him, as he puts it, to "put my telesales script together and sell myself into the sports trade". No mean player and with a strong interest in tennis, he naturally targeted the racket companies. It was his call to Head (at the time distributed in the UK by Sportline) that was to change his life for ever. Time now for a romantic insert in the ‘Jack meets...' series. Let's call on the script-writer:
Paul (on phone) "Is that Head?"
Young Girl replies: "Yes. How can I help you?"
Paul: "I'd like to speak to the Marketing Director."
Girl: "That is not possible."
Paul: "OK. Please tell him that I am faxing my CV over and that I will call back in one hour to discuss it." Within the hour Nigel Green of Head had phoned him back. Persistence had won the day. Paul, however, did not simply get a job progressing quickly through the ranks to the highest echelons, but also, have you guessed it, married Karen. Karen, that young girl in the script whom Paul described to me as ‘the gatekeeper', soon to become his PA in the office conveniently next door, was destined to become Mrs. Sherratt. They married in 2000 (there had to be something good in the Millennium) and have so far been responsible for two little Sherratts, James (four) and Oliver (two).
In 2000, Paul became co-founder of Sweatband.com. the UK's first multi-sports eCommerce proposition coinciding with the launch of LTAShop.com with a licence to produce LTA rackets and balls. This was the time of the dot.com boom; Sweatband was the first multi-sports shop to go on-line. In having ‘hard to find on the High Street' product and was turning over in excess of £2 million after only two years. Today there can be few retail outlets that are not taking advantage of online selling and many find the combination of a real shop and an online presence very attractive.
In 2004 Paul moved to the Cotswolds and as McDavid's Country Manager launched the brand into the UK and Ireland. Always conscious of the important part that add-ons play in the profitability of the sports (and outdoor) retailer, the sales of protective gear take on increasing importance. But would another brand be accepted and make good? Confident that here was a product that did far more than duplicate what was already on the market but one that had that extra something, the brand has gone literally from strength to strength and it is simply (not always so simply) a matter of persuading the retailer to take it on board but to become informed and informative about it. Moisture management is nothing new in sports clothing but when applied to protective next-to-the-body product, its advantages are quickly understood. McDavid's literature clearly states ‘McDavid - Protect your body'. With its patented 'Hexpad' technology allowing cool air circulation, being lightweight, having athletic foam which conforms to and moves with the body, it is hard to argue with its claim to be the first in the field. Quite apart from the expected items, I was particularly impressed with the Skully, a one-size skull cap that, fitting beneath a helmet like a second skin, will keep sweat out of the eyes. So many McDavid products have that little bit extra and I was convinced that adding the brand to any specialised sports shop would add even more than that little bit extra to sales and reputation.
When he was only ten years old, Paul John Sherratt, to give him his full name, already imagined himself having a sports company called, in line with his initials, PJS or Paul John Sports. His success in bringing in McDavid to the UK market (and there is still some way to go) and an objectivelook at how brands are marketed in the UK has resulted in the first addition to the portfolio, namely Uhlsport.
I promised him ‘no names' when I listened to his take on the way that several overseas brands operate in the UK. We discussed the replication of warehouse facilities and the attendant personnel expenses when delivery from abroad is often at least as quick and efficient as it would be from a home base. There was no doubt that the empire-building of some distributors was wreaking havoc with profit potential or indeed having product available at affordable cost. Notwithstanding that, there must be a clear understanding of the specific and often unique requirements of the UK market. Thus the distributor must not only have constant contact and a good relationship with those at the product's source, but also be "immersed in the market place and in touch with the constantly changing and evolving situation". Not so long ago the name Uhlsport was synonymous simply with goalkeeping, but a glance at the somewhat sumptuous 166-page catalogue now reveals an amazing array ofteam wear, much innovative footwear some featuring a ‘total contact lacing system' for improved ball control and many with newly-designed sole plates. I hope that no other brand will take offence if I suggest that this might be one brand with which the Independent might cock a snook at some of the ‘big boys' (presuming they are still around when this goes to print...). Incidentally, Uhlsport have certainly not taken their eyes off the ball or their gloves or their pads. A quick glance at the glove range finds a ‘new removable adjustable support frame technology for an optimized stabilization of goalkeepers' hands.' And this being a journal that may perhaps be seen by a junior member of the family, I will refrain from detailing the bladder technologies associated with the Uhlsport ball production.
Like himself, Paul runs a fit and lean operation. I am sure that there is still room in his ‘bag' for more product and it is likely that he has recognised the way forward for himself and a handful of enterprising brands. No longer milking cows, he looks set to continue to produce good results for those who have entrusted him with their product. And equally much-needed profits for those retailers who take advantage of giving them a ride in their stores. He is an ardent fan and member of the STAG operation and is looking forward to another good show. And talking of shows, does anyone out there remember ‘Opportunity Knocks'?
Paul, I believe I can hear it knocking again, right now.
Jack welcomes your comments and is always glad to discuss your ideas, problems and concerns, either person to person, or in print.
If there is anyone you would like him to meet or any product to write about please contact The Editor or Jack (writeawayjack@aol.com).
His articles do not necessarily reflect the views of the publishers and are not ‘advertorials'. They are not seen prior to publication by any person or firm to whom they may refer.
