Growth Stories: Shows that must go on

Jennifer Davidson doesn’t think she is doing anything out of the ordinary at Sleek Events, which will turn over £22m this year against £15.8m a year earlier. “When I tell someone we are going to deliver, we deliver,” explains Davidson, 39. “A lot of companies are so big and couldn’t care less.”

Sleek’s beginnings in 2014 were modest. Davidson, who read business studies with German and Spanish at Bournemouth University, was working freelance in events when a client asked if she would go in-house and find an agency. “I decided to build one instead and it’s been a very happy relationship,” she says.

That client was Amazon Web Services (AWS). Davidson’s 40 full-timers and 60 freelancers will soon spend six days setting up for the AWS London Summit, hosting almost 20,000 people at the ExCel Centre in Docklands.

As for everyone in events, the past decade has been a game of two halves for Sleek. “Pre-Covid we didn’t pitch for work – everything was word of mouth,” recalls Davidson. Sleek’s startling growth was recognised in The Sunday Times Fast Track 100, where it came in at number 19.

“Then we went down to six staff, including myself,” says Davidson, 39. “We didn’t bother pitching for virtual events – no one was passionate about it.” Following Covid, the business was able to regain some of its momentum.

“We’ve actively made a point of pitching for clients,” she reveals. They include PayPal and Pernod Ricard. Davidson hires staff who won’t run out of steam. “I don’t want to sell Sleek. Eventually, I want to turn it into an employee-owned business.”

She is also proud that Sleek has not had to rely on investment. “I never had a loan. It’s all mine, which makes it easier to give away,” Davidson says. “It’s never really been about the money though. I get a kick out of seeing the team in action on-site.”

Read about more inspirational businesses in our Growth Stories series.