Member Article

Superfast North Yorkshire service grows iPrompt business

A reclusive North Yorkshire ‘technophobe’ has been working with Superfast North Yorkshire (SFNY) to help boost his business.

Steve Smethurst, from Reeth near Richmond, recently launched his unique, free app to share management techniques compiled from his 25-year career in the sector and has received huge demand from overseas.

Since its launch in March, ‘iPrompt’ has been downloaded over 300 times by people from countries including the USA, Australia, Italy, France, the Netherlands and the UK and has received five star reviews from iTunes users.

However, having never owned a mobile ’phone, CDs or MP3s and with very little internet experience, Steve was initially unsure of how to get started.

Thanks to assistance from SFNY, the multi-million pound project set up to provide better broadband speeds and technical business support to North Yorkshire communities, Steve has been able to target his specific markets to get his app successfully launched.

SFNY provided Steve with a dedicated advisor and a range of free courses looking at areas such as social media, e-commerce and digital marketing.

In addition, Steve has also received financial support to help with his app’s technological development.

iPrompt, which is free to download from iTunes, combines Steve’s 25 years’ of traditional management training experience with modern technology and delivery platforms and is the first app of its kind providing people with free management advice at their fingertips to help business owners and managers who may not have the time or money to spend on courses and workshops.

Steve said: “Technology is something that I’m just starting to get used to, thanks to SFNY who have been extremely supportive.

“It would have been impossible for me to get this far without their help and support as I’m a complete novice.

“iPrompt has already reached more people in the last month than I reach in a year travelling around the UK, delivering workshops. It’s a very exciting time for me and I’m learning such a lot.”

Steve has become one of the North’s leading business management experts with over 25 years’ experience and runs Reflex Training providing management coaching and consultancy for a range of UK-wide companies.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Mark Lane .