Channel lead-gen firm Fluent Communication given cash boost

Sheffield business adds ex-Lynx boss Paul Edgeley to help realise plans to treble headcount

A channel lead-generation business aims to make its ambitious growth plans a reality in the coming months after securing a big cash injection and adding former Lynx boss Paul Edgeley to its boardroom set-up.

Sheffield-based Fluent Communication recently benefitted from "a significant cash investment" from the government-backed Finance Yorkshire's Equity Linked Fund. The firm, based at St James' House in the city centre, currently has about 20 full-time staff and plans to treble this number over the coming year.

The company was founded by 36-year-old Jonathan Edgeley two years ago and, to help support his expansion ambitions, he has now appointed his father Paul as chairman. Paul previously served as MD of £50m-turnover VAR Lynx, which was sold to BT in 2007.

"IT lead generation has evolved dramatically over recent years with the adoption of new communication channels such as LinkedIn and Twitter," said Jonathan Edgeley. "Fluent is unique as we fuse traditional IT telesales methods with social media and digital marketing to create extensive yet highly targeted campaigns that deliver a compelling return on investment."

Fluent currently serves about 40 clients, a number it intends to double in the coming months. The business also intends to use the Finance Yorkshire cash to buy office equipment and spruce up its own IT infrastructure.

Andrew Burton, investment director at Finance Yorkshire, said: "Fluent Communication is a young, innovative company that has already attracted several major clients in its first year of trading and is making a name for itself.

"We invested in the company as it has considerable potential to expand its client base, the numbers and types of services it offers and its geographic footprint. Lead-generation businesses are sizeable employers and we are pleased to invest in a young, ambitious Yorkshire company that is planning to increase substantially the number of staff it recruits and trains, most of whom will be young people from the Sheffield City region."