P&H Motorcycles: a one-stop-shop that one man built from the ground up

From brewers and bakers to butchers and bridal outfitters: small businesses provide employment, create wealth and fuel the economy. Funding Circle was created to give them the support they deserve, helping them as they make a difference across the country.   

Growth is not an easy thing to achieve, especially in markets that are constantly and rapidly changing. Small businesses are always on their toes, having to shift and adapt to the challenges that are thrown at them. Sometimes, this means slowing things down, taking the long route rather than chasing quick profits. It requires hard work, perseverance, and healthy dose of inner belief.

This month we’re loading up our saddle-bags and hitting the road with P&H Motorcycles: a one-stop-shop for biking enthusiasts that one man built from the ground up.

The Road to Success

Like many great enterprises, P&H began in a garden shed in the 80’s. But this is not a Silicon Valley story: here we are concerned less with processing-speed and more with CCs and horsepower!

Paul Searle has a lifelong and self-taught passion for motorcycles. In 1980 Paul was 20 years old and fed up with education, so he started a motorbike servicing and repairs business at home in the shed.

By 1983 it was time to hit the road and expand. Paul moved the business to a shop in Crawley town centre, ramping up his visibility tenfold. He also did something unique for motorcycle stores, keeping his stock displayed out front rather than hidden away behind the scenes.

Visibility has always been a theme of Paul’s. By the mid 90’s Paul had taken on five major motorcycle brands, allowing for even further expansion, and in 1996 P&H opened a large industrial showroom on Gatwick Road , making them the biggest and most exciting motorcycle destination in the South of England.

What really sets P&H apart is that it offers a ‘one stop shop’.As well as the Ducatis, Suzukis, Yamahas and Kawasakis on display in the showroom, P&H offers services and repairs by a dedicated team of manufacturer-trained technicians operating from state-of-the-art work bays. They also sell sleek branded leathers and top of the range accessories. They even offer training for everyone from budding roadsters to seasoned riders in Paul’s ART Motorcycle Training School.

P&H has grown from strength to strength and is currently building it’s online presence - although Paul maintains that, in this industry, the true experience is found in store.

Our role in the story…

Cashflow is always an issue with seasonal trades like the motorcycle industry, which tends to rev itself up in the summer before puttering to a halt in the winter. Paul needed to be able to speed up and slow down as well as switch lanes if needed. Paul couldn’t get what he needed from traditional lenders, so decided to seek alternative funding…

“Funding Circle were by far the easiest to deal with. Very quick decision. They know where the risk is but happy to move when the credit rating is good” - Paul

As a lending platform with a focus on small business, Funding Circle was better able to understand the individual needs of P&H.  By giving Paul a funding boost, he could manage his cash flow across the seasons and continue to take things in the direction he wanted without having to make compromises on stock.

The simplicity of our application and the speed with which we process funding has given Paul the confidence to come to us for loans on multiple occasions throughout his growth.

We were delighted that Paul has chosen us to be his long-term funding partner, and we hope to be able to help his business continue to thrive for years to come.   

Paul’s Tips:

Know the road you are on:

“The better you start out, the easier it’ll be” - Paul

Paul’s advantage was that he went into business with the expertise that comes from being self-taught. But anyone wanting to start out on their own needs to have an on-point understanding of the marketplace and the industry they are entering. With this knowledge comes the ability to make a solid plan, which is absolutely vital.

Gradual Acceleration:

With the need to plan and assess comes the need to take your time. It’s best to start off slowly rather than rushing into things and having to make forced decisions. Many businesses are killed in their prime due to a lack of understanding in the early stages. Pace yourself!

The Drive to Win:

Nothing comes easy in business. For this reason it is important to cultivate the tenacity and diligence to keep going even when things get hard.

“It’s relentless! It’s like having kids” - Paul

Brexit has been a particular test of small business owners’ mettle. As expected, Paul experienced a drop in sales during the build up to the big vote and the uncertainty it created. But since then, things have picked back up. And Brexit is just one example of the fact that business is not comfortable. Things change fast and there are many obstacles on the racetrack, but in Paul’s words: “You’ve just got to get on with it.”

Highlights:

·         Overcoming the many challenges along the way and watching the business grow and grow. Achieving your goals is always a highlight and always gives you a positive feeling.

·         The feedback from customers. Paul has worked very hard at creating an emotional experience. Generally, suppliers want stores to focus on their brand but Paul is all about customer choice. Finding out first hand that you are succeeding in giving people the experience that you have set out to give them makes it all worthwhile.

·         Having a 40 strong team of employees working in the store; keeping the engines greased and the machine running!