News | 08/07/2024

Made in Huntingdonshire: Cambridge Support

Cambridge Support is a multi-award winning IT Services company based in St Neots. Founded by Philip Mashinchi in 2019, it has gained recognition as the ninth Fastest Growing SME IT Company in the UK within just five years. From their offices in Huntingdonshire, they provide a broad range of IT services, from infrastructure support and cloud services, to consultancy, system audits and security. It serves clients across a wide range of sectors including charities, manufacturing, recruitment, finance, recycling, printing and technology. With a strong client base already established across Cambridgeshire, Cambridge Support has clients in London, Glasgow and have now exported their services to Singapore. Of their clients, 99% come from a referral or personal recommendation – testament to the high quality of their customer-focused service delivery model.

Reinvestment, regional growth and easier commuting - The unexpected benefits of relocation from Cambridge to Huntingdonshire

When Philip Mashinchi set up the business from a small office at the St John’s Innovation Centre in Cambridge in 2019, a rapid growth strategy wasn’t at the forefront of his mind. “I set it up as a lifestyle business, without any real intentions to grow. I wanted to be flexible and work when I wanted to work and for the whole thing to be enjoyable. ”

But the team and client base soon grew and larger office space was required. Retaining a small presence at the Innovation Centre in Cambridge, the business was able to find the space it needed in St Ives and a 2000 square feet unit was secured for both office and warehouse use.

Financially, it made sense to move the main office away Cambridge. As a rapidly growing but small business, a big attraction was the ability to reinvest the savings made from lower rent and business rates, straight back into the business. When the company opened offices in St Ives and St Neots, they were also able to benefit from the strong local transport links. The close proximity to both the A14 and the A1 enabled expansion into new regions, making Peterborough, Bedford and Milton Keynes just as accessible as Cambridge. Today, their head office is located in St Neots, alongside other offices in Cambridge and Bury St Edmunds as well as trading addresses in Stevenage and London.

The move out of Cambridge has also provided positive changes for employees, taking advantage of cycle ways and public transport. Those driving enjoy the experience of commuting in the opposite direction to the traffic bound for the centre of Cambridge.

The secret to creating a strong company culture

Philip describes the culture at Cambridge Support as an extended family, crediting his team with playing a key role in the company’s success.

“Our focus is to help the companies we work with. Everyone goes the extra mile for each other and more specifically for our clients.”

Maintaining a carefully crafted company culture through periods of growth can be a challenge, but it’s clear that it’s a real strength for the business and one which Philip is very keen not to lose when future growth plans are rolled out.

“I want my employees to love working for us and I want them to look forward to work. If someone tells me that their job has becomes less enjoyable, I will find them another job on the team or a job elsewhere. Everybody goes out of their way for one another, not just at work, but beyond. I’m really proud of the loyalty the team show one another, it’s amazing really.”

By creating a supportive and tightly-knit team culture, in turn, Cambridge Support’s clients enjoy a very personal service from the team. The reputation of their excellent and very transparent client service has clearly contributed to business growth, apparent when Philip explained how they secured their client in Asia. “Our client in Singapore came from a referral. We had been highly recommended to them and they were adamant that they wanted to work with us, even though we are clearly not local!”

Recruitment challenges and the power of apprentices

Like many businesses, at times recruitment has been a challenge for Cambridge Support. However, a strategy to find people that fit the culture rather than those with the exact experience and technical skills is working well. Philip said, “We look for people that are hungry to learn, who we can then help develop. That’s actually helped us grow.”

Philip is also a big advocate of apprenticeships. “It’s really important for all businesses to look at apprentices. Although we are a small company, we have always taken on an apprentice. They are a really great way of finding good talent and people who can grow with us.”

Why Huntingdonshire?

“Cambridge Support is thriving and in part that’s due to Huntingdonshire being the perfect location for my business. We’re able to offer services across the UK thanks to the proximity of major transport links, the availability of robust business support and the fact that there is a thriving community here. Affordability of this location has also been a big factor. I know we can achieve more by being located here, than we could somewhere else.”

- Philip Mashinchi, Managing Partner, Cambridge Support

Interview with: Philip Mashinchi, Managing Partner
Interview date: 10th May 2024