In The Company Of Matt Cheshire, the managing director who arranges private jets for music stars, celebrities and the Royal Family

1. In a nutshell, what does your company do and how did it start?I started my career looking after artists at festivals, driving them round in golf buggies. This led to a career in broadcasting, eventually working on programmes like Heartbeat, Countdown and Emmerdale before settling into live news.

Taking redundancy, I set up on my own still working within broadcasting, but eventually building up a festival portfolio and managing tours for international artists. This developed into covering all the needs for artists at concerts/festivals including private jet and helicopter transport – which is what we now do, but also for corporate clients now too.

2. What's the most surprising thing about it?

The vast areas we cover and the relationships we build globally with clients.

We very much take a hands-on approach, ensuring a personable service built on trust. That is how our reputation has been built and why our company has grown based on word of mouth.

3. What do you do in the business?

Literally everything from booking the flights to overseeing the team.

As much as we want the business to grow, it is important we stay in touch with clients, so I will even be there before take-off, to ensure everything is plain sailing for them.

4. How did you end up here?

My background in broadcasting led me to form The Needs Group as I saw a gap in the market. Over time this has changed from solely working with artists to corporate clients now too.

The impact of the pandemic has resulted in companies using private transport as much as the rich and famous, for health and security as much as anything else, but the company has evolved with the times.

5. If you weren't doing this, what would you be doing?

I love flying and want to get my commercial helicopter licence.

My job can keep me away from home a lot, especially in the European summer, but I even flew back to ensure I didn’t miss my daughter’s first ballet performance, and then had to fly back to the festival we were delivering, so will always prioritise family including my wife’s cheese business Celebration Cheeses.

6. What motivates you?

Knowing that we provide a value service compared to many of our competitors and provide genuine value for our clients.

I don’t want people to be ripped off, which often happens in this line of work, so we have built our reputation on trust.

7. What one thing do you wish you had known when you started out in business?

I wish I had started with a business partner, as without one everything falls on my shoulders.

Just someone for holiday cover, or to bounce ideas off and divide the workload who can understand the direct risks and rewards a company throws at you.

8. What excites you about business?

The scope of people we work with from celebrities to people who have won the lottery, or even flying people who are ill and need the transport.

There is also the excitement from back-stage at an event, especially when we did the Coronation concert for the King earlier this year.

9. What is your pet hate in business?

Cold calls. Being pestered about services and enquiries that lead nowhere – definitely my pet hate.

10. What advice would you give to people just starting their careers?

Don’t get too tied up in the world of education, feeling like you need a degree to get anywhere. There is no one size fits all but pick a route that makes you happy.

I have a lifetime of memories from festivals like Glastonbury or doing charity events. It is more important that you love what you are doing.

11. Who in business do you most admire, and why?

From my own business perspective, working with Mark Gillespie who founded 360 after finding Calvin Harris on MySpace and taking his local talent to an international superstar level I have always admired and respected.

12. What moments of your career so far stand out?

Working with people who have come from nothing but have made it. I have also had great opportunities working with everyone from the Royal family to celebrities and music stars.

13. What sets your company apart from the competition?

Our personality and value – giving the personal touch to everything we do.

14. What is the most difficult challenge your company has faced? And what challenges are you experiencing at the moment?

Covid placed a huge amount of pressure on the festival side of the business, as did the bad weather this summer and spiralling travel and personnel costs. However it also resulted in a boom in the private jet and helicopter side, with people not wanting to risk being on a large plane full of people.

Cost of living is also having an impact, but generally as one side has faced challenges, the other has thrived.

15. Have you got a five-year plan for the company?

No, after the last few years we just react to the changes as they happen and are currently looking to expand the aviation side of the business.

While there is an environmental impact of flying, we have also built the business to enable people to offset this using Sustainable Aviation Fuel, with the option of offsetting flights for others too.

16. Why is it good to do business in Harrogate?

We have a significant number of clients across the Harrogate area, looking after successful families and business owners.

The opening of Leeds East airport will also provide us with additional opportunities and avenues, with it being an easy access location.

Factfile

Name: Matt Cheshire.

Age: 41.

Birthplace: York.

Job title: Managing director.

Company name: The Needs Group.

Company address: 9-10 Park Square E, Leeds, LS1 2LH.

Website address: https://www.theneedsgroup.com/

Company founded: 1999.

Turnover: £5m.

Number of staff: 5.