CEO City Car Club, Business Angel and Entrepreneur
London, United Kingdom
- Current
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- CEO at City Car Club
- Non Executive Director at EC One Ltd
- Non Executive Director at One Small Step One Giant Leap Ltd
- Owner at James Finlayson Business Consulting (Sole Proprietorship)
- Past
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- Business Consultant at Personnel Hygiene Services Ltd
- CEO at Greenscene Limited
- Connections
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8
connections
- Industry
- Management Consulting
- Websites
James Finlayson’s Summary
Business angel directly involved with 3 early stage, high growth companies - City Car Club (CEO): pay-as-you-go hourly car rental, One Small Step (NED): childrens shoe retailer and EC One (NED): designer manufacturer and retailer of precious and semi precious fashion jewellery.
City Car Club has close to 400 cars in 7 UK cities. Cars are locally parked near to where people live and work offering self serve 24/7 car rental by the hour. Cars are booked online, accessed with smart enabled membership cards (no keys required), on-board computers log time and mileage and members receive an itemised monthly invoice. Membership (both private and business) offers a practical alternative to car ownership, saves considerable amounts of money, reduces motoring hassle and has considerable environmental benefits by reducing the number of cars on the road (every car placed replaces at least 8 privately owned cars). www.citycarclub.co.uk
As City Car Club is a practical solution to saving businesses and private individuals money, the company is very much "recession proof" and is thriving in the current difficult economic climate.
One Small Step One Giant Leap is the UK's first chain of quality, specialist children's shoes with around 15 outlets primarily in London - including the flagship Harrods shoe concession. Childrens Footwear Retailer of the Year in 2004, 2005 and again in 2007. www.ossogl.co.uk
EC One has three boutique London stores and has won the UK Jewellery Awards "Fashion Retailer of the Year" in both 2006 and 2007. We show case our own range of precious fashion jewellery - Jos Collection and EC One - alongside 50 other designers. These designers range from recent start-ups to industry leaders such as Stephen Webster, Shaune Leane and Neissing. Online store at www.econe.co.uk
Founder and CEO of horticultural services company Greenscene Ltd for 19 years prior to sale of the business in 2005 to PHS plc.
James Finlayson’s Specialties:
Turn arounds, raising finance, non executive roles, business consulting, practical business advice, sounding board to owner managers, troubleshooting, profit enhancement, sales & marketing, exit strategies, business valutions, acquisitions, retail, operations, fleet.
James Finlayson’s Experience
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CEO
City Car Club
(Privately Held; 11-50 employees; Transportation/Trucking/Railroad industry)
August 2007 — Present (1 year 6 months)
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Non Executive Director
EC One Ltd
(Privately Held; 11-50 employees; Luxury Goods & Jewelry industry)
September 2006 — Present (2 years 5 months)
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Non Executive Director
One Small Step One Giant Leap Ltd
(Privately Held; 51-200 employees; Retail industry)
August 2006 — Present (2 years 6 months)
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Owner
James Finlayson Business Consulting (Sole Proprietorship)
(Sole Proprietorship; Myself Only; Management Consulting industry)
October 2005 — Present (3 years 4 months)
Business consultant offering cost effective, practical advice to SME's based in and around London. This is something I have been doing for some years prior to the sale of Greenscene but am now in the position to expand more on this. No specific industry sector.
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Business Consultant
Personnel Hygiene Services Ltd
(Privately Held; 1001-5000 employees; Environmental Services industry)
May 2005 — September 2005 (5 months)
Ensuring successful integration of my former business, Greenscene Ltd. Merging of operating bases, closing of operating bases, merging of staff, advising clients and troubleshooting/business enhancement measures. Still working with PHS at present on a part time basis as a consultant working on strategic acquisitions
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CEO
Greenscene Limited
(Privately Held; 51-200 employees; Environmental Services industry)
May 1986 — April 2005 (19 years)
Founder and CEO of this business to business horticultural services company. Greenscene supplies and maintains interior and exterior plant displays nationwide as well as grounds maintenance services. Clients included Local Authorities, hotels, restaurants, pubs, housing associations, leisure and shop chains. Greenscene is now a division of the PHS Group (formally PHS plc until taken private in 2005).
