Roland Dransfield

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“Be nice to people. It costs nothing.”

Lisa reflects on how Roland Dransfield helped shape the agency:

"Roland came from a poor background and through grit and charm, became the first entrepreneur I knew – before I understood what that meant. He met my dad when dad was a young man working as a door to door salesman. I think dad knocked on his door and tried to sell him a Hoover! Seeing an entrepreneurial streak in him, he brought him into his business – Roland Dransfield Engineers – which they ran together very successfully and which dad continued long after Roland’s death.

He was a father figure and mentor to my dad. Roland changed our family’s life and made me believe at a very young age, that anything is possible. He always had a story to tell, a wise word and a twinkle in his eye.

When I was eight, Roland bought me a bucket and a sponge and set me up in my first business venture – a car washing round. I went out on knocked on the doors of the neighbours who had a car, came back soaking wet and paid him for the bucket and sponge. I was in business – and in profit.

Roland obviously wasn’t alive when I set up the business in 1996, but I hope he would be happy that his infectious enthusiasm, charisma, style, humour and above all, kindness, led to a business called Roland Dransfield which I have always tried to run with his values and outlook in mind. I think he would be happy that under his name some really great work, ideas, innovations, plans and friendships have been created. I am."