Sponsored by GKN Aerospace
About this Award…
An award to honour an individual or group of individuals linked with the Armed Forces Community who have started a successful new business venture within the last two years (since January 1st, 2020) and who still retain a minimum of 50% interest in the venture.
The judges will be looking for evidence of:
- An engaging story behind the business, the identified needs and quantified demands for the product or
- What start-up challenges (both business and personal) have been faced and how they have been overcome.
- A current and ongoing viable commercial business model; the provision of excellent customer service and value.
- Lessons and skills taken from military service that have been translated to the business world and what makes this nomination special.
This award is suitable for a person, group or team.
Meet our 2021 Winner!
Sam Jeffs – Peregrine Logistics
A regional courier and Amazon delivery partner, the business expanded from ‘a man with a van’ to a firm of 50 drivers in just six months.
Sam Jeffs enjoyed an adventurous career as a Royal Navy submarine navigator until 2014, before continuing his seafaring career as a Superyacht Captain in Mallorca.
Settling back in the UK in 2019, he focused on his new business, Cheshire Quality, which retails Cheshire-based artisan products. When the pandemic hit, Sam moved the business online and set up a sister company to handle the local deliveries: Peregrine Limited.
It quickly became clear that demand for another regional courier was high to support other small local businesses, so Peregrine grew rapidly within just a few months. In June 2020, the business really took off when Sam won a contract as an Amazon delivery partner. By December, Peregrine had gone from ‘one man and a van’ to a firm of 50 drivers and 30 vans geared up to meet the Christmas peak period.
Sam Jeffs said:
“So delighted, thanks so much everyone. Our growing success goes back to me not sleeping really! It’s perseverance, ‘no’ isn’t an option, losing isn’t an option, you just have to keep going.”
Previous Winners:
2020 – Tribal Tracks Ltd
2019 – Network Training Partnership
2018 – Doddl
