Solomon Associates Ltd - Theatre Company

After graduating in engineering, Forest Paget spent 10 years working for a German electronics company ending up as Director in the UK and Germany. A postgraduate degree in business helped make the transition to the world of the arts.

Forest founded Solomon in May 2003 to satisfy the demand for powerful theatrical and musical pieces that tackle difficult issues, such as distraction burglary, drugs education, alcohol and sexual health education and environmental issues. The main target audience has been the elderly and school children, and the shows have been sponsored by local education authorities, local councils, banks and the police.

In 2005 Solomon Associates presented nearly 200 shows to a combined audience of over 25,000 people.

Forest found out about Dorset Business Mentors when Mick Waite attended a performance of “Einstein’s Pants” which was being sponsored by Lloyds TSB.

The Role of Dorset Business Mentors

After three years, the business had survived! For two of those years the business had generated a modest profit, but in between the loss from one particular project had dragged the business down.In the current year turnover is likely to grow by 25%, year on year. The business has taken on new administrative support, and will need more actors in the New Year.

As Forest says, “I didn’t realise that the first two years would be that hard! However, having a mentor has given me the focus to do the right things at the right time. I am much more structured in the way that I go about running the business, and much more critical in the way I review the business issues. I am more commercial in my outlook – a simple example is the fact that I have reviewed the terms and conditions around which I operate. I have reviewed my pricing structure and have introduced a cancellation clause which I did not used to have.

I have changed the way I run the business. My staff are much more involved in the decision making process, and as a result far more motivated. I also have the confidence now to be more adventurous. Bill has “taught me how to farm, not just given me the seed and told me to get on with it!” It has been a huge benefit to have support from someone who has been there and done it, who has a track record in business and who is able to give me a different perspective because they are further down that track. I think that I will look back in ten years time and say that having a mentor was the defining moment in the history of this business.”