Member Article

Tracy aiming to taste success with new venture

AN ENTREPRENEUR who played a key role in the rise of the North East’s digital sector and has helped hundreds of businesses in the region flourish, has launched a new venture.

Sunderland-based coco. – which offers a wide range of business-boosting services including project management, social media consultancy and coaching and mentoring – is the brainchild of experienced business development expert Tracy Suddick.

Tracy is a well known figure in the region’s business support network, having worked for several years helping fledgling and established firms and education organisations to successfully bring products and services to market and grow their customer base.

As a freelance business development specialist, project manager, social media strategist, trainer and mentor she has worked closely with businesses of all sizes and stages, from pre-start ups to multi-nationals. She has also worked extensively with schools and higher and further education institutions to develop work-based and e-learning solutions across the UK.

Tracy also formerly served as project manager at Codeworks Connect and was responsible for inward investment activities at the digital industry trade association. Here she worked closely with regional development agency One North East to promote the region to International markets.

coco. is derived from COnnect and COllaborate, two words which Tracy believes embody the way in which her new business aims to work with clients and deliver results through long-term relationships.

She said: “Having worked in a freelance capacity for several years, I thought it was about time to take the next step and develop a brand identity that represents the services I offer and build a brand.

“It is challenging to grow a scalable business when operating as a freelancer so I am now more focussed than ever to work on my business and develop content to help grow my training offering. “coco. was established to support my ambitions in business and to work more widely with specific sectors in the UK including education, healthcare, wellbeing and sport.”

coco.’s core services include marketing and social media, business development and project management and are delivered through strategic development, operational delivery, research, interim management, training, coaching and mentoring.

“Our experience in identifying new opportunities, working with people and forging partnerships are key strengths that we can offer the education sector, in particular universities,” Tracy said.

“We network naturally with people at all levels and enjoy building new relationships. We believe that people buy from those they like and trust and rapport is an important ingredient in developing long term partnerships.”

Among coco.’s growing list of clients is Teesside University, which Tracy has worked with for a number of years to help boost its marketing and business development capabilities.

Keith Hurst, Assistant Dean of the School of Social Sciences and Law at Teesside University, said: “Tracy is a true professional and she has had a demonstrable impact upon the use of social networking in the School of Social Sciences and Law at Teesside University – notably our use of Twitter for promoting our service offerings.

“We have set out our aims and objectives in using social media and Tracy has been able to work flexibly in supporting us to achieve those goals. Follow up support from Tracy on implementation plans and acting as a critical friend has also helped us to shape some aspects of our organisational behaviour.”

coco. is a dedicated social media, business development and project management consultancy which works across a range of sectors throughout the UK. It has a wealth of experience within the digital and creative industries, as well as the software and technology sector.

For more information visit www.cococonnect.co.uk

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Harvey and Hugo .