I am Stephen McGowan ( owner of Elevate): I have been in the construction industry all my life from the age of 16 to now (41 years), starting as a joiner and working my way up the ranks throughout a long career, where I have worked at different management levels, culminating in MD and Consultant to companies, where I identified the risk to the companies and looked at the companies process in depth to see where the company was at most risk. I then formulated a business plan and instigated this into the business.
In addition, I also played professional rugby league for 14 years for Bradford Northern now Bradford Bulls and Wakefield Trinity. I am very driven but am also fair but firm when it comes to management.
What are you planning? In my years within the industry, a lot of time was spent working around projects as a trouble shooter. Working on and turning around projects that were in trouble, with either budget, progress, programme, quality, design. In some cases, all the fore mentioned were in trouble.
I would go onto the project identify the risk and then formulate a recovery for the project eliminating where possible as much risk for the company.
The Plan is to automate the construction process from Design to completion guiding all in the same direction and assisting where possible. This has been my main focus for the last 12 years of development, to make life easier for people, to be helped and guided through all the interfaces within a project,weather they re a professional company or people who would just like to build there own , extensions, house etc,at the same time giving protection to everyone in this contractual world we live in.
Where did the idea come from?
After many years within the industry and dealing with many problems, I released that the same problems were arising all the time, sometimes it was 1 section that was in trouble, the other times it could be all, but the remedies were all the same.
In turn this also highlighted further issues regarding all the different sectors, all the different sectors were acting independently of each other and not relying on each other as a team. For example, a decision made by finance may have saved a small amount of income at the time, but cost time and money plus additional risk to the construction phase.
This can relate to the design stage and revised drawing stages, payment stages, cash flows for all concerned with the project, the list is endless. If anything effects one single process it could be design, any finance including payments, tenders, quality, productivity this can put a project at great risk and great stress for the operatives.
With the above in mind, I realized it would be possible to enable a software which will make all the different sectors within the industry dependent on each other but more importantly will also guide all the employees associated to the project. A true dot to dot of construction.
To help further with the process, in addition all items would be automated where possible, and duplication of works would be eliminated. All to ensure the reduction in stress for the work force which in turn increases productivity for the company. A Win Win situation.
After 12 years of development the software is now completed as in stage 1, the last 2 years have been spent continuously testing the software ensuring all items work correctly. The software has been self-funded, and I have spent in the region of £245,000 developing the software, brochures, web sites, I took the software to inter build which was at the time the biggest building show in the UK, where the software was shortlisted for best newcomer in show (even though it was not completed).
Download a free brochure at elevate-software.co.uk.
The next stage is to take it to market, this can be done with software shows around the UK, a full marketing campaign, and finally approaching a company to run it side by side, giving them some incentive to undergo the proper trial, this will then achieve the seeing is believing scenario which elevate deserves. Elevate has already had a full system live test and achieved a cost saving of 43% on site management alone, the software proved very efficient and assisted all with clear direction instruction.
What is the Schedule?
Stage 1 (Max 6 weeks)
Online marketing campaign approved for live commencement end of week 6.
Approach Construction Companies with offer of a trial, either financial incentive, or future reduction in over cost of software.
Continuation of R&D development, increased to take in different sectors.
Stage 2 (3-6 Months)
Monitor Online marketing performance and adjust where required.
Monitor performance on live construction site. (Contract duration to be no longer than 6 months)
Use data from live construction site for marketing.
R&D on going: Start process of extending into other sectors.
Budget:
Marketing: 65k
R&D: 155k
Construction Company incentive, plus management (Max): 40k.
Total: £260k
Why are you so passionate about Project?
I see that people are getting more and more stressed as more and more workload is passed on. Elevate will improve many lives and make it a pleasure to go to work. Elevate will help bring a smile back to peoples faces. Elevate will grow into other companies and eventually change the way works are carried out.
I could never fully understand the pressure on business until I realized that companies are driven by profit mainly for shareholders, we need new companies that are not shareholder driven, however they do need profit, but profit that can be spread into the community and be good for all not just the few.
I have self funded all the works at present which is one reason why it has taken so long. However i know realize that I need help, help to accelerate and complete my journey, show that companies are there and can help ALL.
I have never given up and never will, until I have shown the way forward and how everyone can benefit from a company that knows why it is in business, and that's to serve the community it does business in. If the company trades in England it helps England, If it trades in America it helps America and so on, Elevate becomes the beacon to which all companies will follow. As they say I have a dream, my dream has been going for 15 years, I know need help to complete it.
A full financial forecast for the company business plan with time lines covering the 1st 5 years are available on request. [email protected]