Global training provider toasts decade in business with sales landmark

Lifelong friends and owners of global training provider Nine Dots Development are celebrating their 10th year in business after hitting the £2 million sales mark for the first time.

Set up by Jordan Burke and James Davison, who have been friends since they met at nursery aged one, Derby-based Nine Dots delivers apprenticeships, fast-track leadership courses and bespoke development programmes to companies worldwide, including BAE Systems, Fred Perry, Scania and Associated Press.

Jordan and James credit their hard-working team for successfully harnessing the growing demand for leadership and management training, HR training and apprenticeships.

The Nine Dots team of 25 staff and 50-strong consultant network help companies upskill their employees so they can become effective managers and leaders.

James said: “Our courses have been transformative for thousands of people.

“If we look back to why we started, this feels like an incredible achievement.

“In our first year we turned over £73,000 and in the early years we were seeing 75% annual growth.

“We’re so proud of our growth and it’s testament to the hard work of every single member of the Nine Dots family.”

Nine Dots was formed after James experienced first hand how damaging a lack of management training can be.

Having started his career firstly for a food delivery chain and then as a talented software engineer, he found himself promoted while not being provided with support and training in how to manage a team.

He said: “That experience I had as a young employee turned me from a productive and happy worker to someone who was disillusioned and wanted to leave.

“So many people perform well at a job and get promoted, only to find that management is a completely different skill.

“It’s actually not one that a lot of people have naturally. There’s a lot of bad management around because people manage in a way that suits them and doesn’t necessarily work for the business. At Nine Dots we aim to change that.”

While James was struggling, Jordan was employed in a commercial role within the training sector and spotted gaps in the market.

They merged their skills to form Nine Dots – and they have not looked back since.

Jordan said: “We were determined that Nine Dots would help people and businesses to reach their full potential.

“We wanted to deliver training that turned work days, which can feel like swimming through treacle for people without the right support, to productive days driving commercial and personal success.

“We have seen first-hand what a lack of training can cause and also, happily, what the right training can achieve.

“We are beyond proud of our growth and look forward to seeing what the next 10 years will bring.”