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Second Year Entrepreneur Makes A Splaat With Photography Business

Greg McClarnon is a second year student studying Business Studies and an entrepreneur. With his own successful business, Splaat Media, Greg tells his University of Hertfordshire story.

The business

Splaat Media provides school show photography to schools across the south of England. Starting his business in 2010 whilst in sixth form, Greg explained how it began: “I had taken photographs of my secondary school show the previous year and found that there was a strong demand from parents to take away a photograph of their child performing.”

He continued: “Other local schools heard about what I was doing and asked me if I could take photographs for their shows. It snowballed from there and now I’m actively promoting across Sussex, Surrey, Hertfordshire, London and Essex.”

Going into schools free of charge, Greg and his team at Splaat Media take photographs during dress rehearsals and create displays of these images for audiences to browse on the nights of the shows. Parents then have the opportunity to purchase these photographs. Greg said: “Parents love what we do. It gives them the opportunity to take away a lasting memory and a permanent record of their child’s achievement.”

As well as being popular with parents, by taking the photographs free of charge, the service proves very popular with schools. Greg explained: “We work around the schools timetables and provide a complimentary set of five digital photos. This often means that there is no need to hire an external – and often expensive – photographer for publicity shots.”

A university to help a business

When Greg started looking at universities, he wasn’t that inspired to go. He said: “I didn’t know if it was for me as my business was my first priority. Nevertheless,I went to an open day at the University of Hertfordshire and started speaking to a member of the Herts Entrepreneurs society. He told me all about the extra opportunities and facilities that the University has for student businesses and it sounded fantastic. I applied to come to Hertfordshire as my first choice and started the following September.”

After settling in Greg took advantage of the various enterprise workshops that the University offered and applied for the University’s free office space. Greg continued: “The workshops were brilliant. I thought it was great how external businesses and business mentors came in to talk to us and it provided very good networking opportunities.”

He added: “One of the best benefits in coming to the University is the office space. Alongside the mentoring, it’s allowed me to have a business address, a meeting room to meet my clients and the best thing of all; it’s given me the opportunity to employ staff.

"I am so pleased I chose to come to University of Hertfordshire. I’ve been able to run my business alongside my studies, employ other students and grow my business into a new region.”

University experience and advice to students

Greg has really enjoyed his time at the University so far. He said: “The social life, environment, friends and opportunities I've had have been brilliant.”

He added: “Coming to UH has really motivated me to grow my business. I've learnt so much and benefited far more than I would have done if I‘d have left sixth form to work on my business full time.”

Greg has also found specific modules within his Business Studies degree also very useful. He explained: “I have found in particular Legal Aspects for Business, Business Analysis Tools, Methods and Systems for Business Decisions vital to my business’s development. The modules that I can practically apply to my business and the real world have been best.”

As advice, if you’ve got a business idea Greg believes in the early days it is important to test that your idea works. He said: “Then get yourself a logo, business cards and a website and start to earn some money. If you find that it's working, then look at writing aims and objectives, separate business banking, book keeping etc. Creating a website really helps you to lay your product or service out and make it clear what you're doing.”

He concluded: “You need to be determined and motivated if you're going to succeed. If you've got an idea and you're motivated to be successful - just do it!”

Future developments

Hoping to expand further into the surrounding counties, Greg also wants to increase the products on offer to schools and parents. Greg is also going to start working full-time at his business in September as part of his placement year.