My working life..

Jul 4 2008

Nick Webber, founder of hospitality firm Splendid

From an early age Nick Webber has been seeking out good business opportunities.

At school he funded his music collection by selling album copies to his classmates, then at university he started a catering business hosting lavish dinner parties with his friends roped in as waiting staff.

He founded Splendid while still studying in 1997 after spotting a gap in the hospitality sector for a staffing agency which provided young and helpful front-of-house teams.

From that beginning the company now supplies staff for corporate events, film premieres, celebrity bashes and even royal parties with offices in Edinburgh and London.

He said: "When I first started Splendid, aged 21, I found myself making business deals on the way to lectures and attending business meetings during my lunch break.

"It was very exciting and a real ego boost. None of my friends were remotely commercially-minded, they were still struggling to figure out what they wanted to do with their lives."

Relocating to Edinburgh in 2001 to open up the second office was a daunting experience.

The 32-year-old said: "I arrived not knowing anyone. My life was built around my business and the people I got to know became my clients.

"It's still not unusual for me to be managing an event on a Saturday night while my friends are out drinking, but to be honest I enjoy the buzz."

Diversifying into property management in Scotland's capital to provide an accommodation service for waiting staff has also paid off. In the past three years, Splendid Property has built up a portfolio of 90 properties and boasts a 100 per cent landlord retention record.

The former Great British rower is also formulating a new business plan of providing an exclusive hosting service to the hunting and shooting elite.