Holding court

Start up a conversation about business start-ups and you’ll immediately grab Rob Binns’ attention. The 49-year-old serial entrepreneur is passionate about the subject.

It is a passion that has enabled him to build up a varied portfolio of ventures based in his home city of Preston, while supporting others looking to following in his path.

A well-known figure in Lancashire’s business community, Rob is managing director of Cotton Court, a stylishly converted city-centre mill that is home to a burgeoning number of young and growing enterprises.

He also has interests in tech and telecoms businesses, as well as property and energy companies.

His latest venture involves the development, manufacture and marketing of a natural hair product range for mixed race and curly hair, inspired by his three-year-old daughter Lydia.

He is excited about the potential of the business that he’s set up with two partners and which launches in September. And he stresses its manufacturing and sales operations are both Lancashire-based.

Rob has clear ideas on what is needed to encourage more people in Lancashire, particularly from its less affluent parts, to harness their entrepreneurial spirit.

That includes taking the county’s business support services out to those communities - making them more accessible to more people and creating pathways for them to begin their journey.

He also believes people can make a difference and inspire others through leading by example. “It’s not where you are from,” he says. “It is what you do”.

Rob was brought up in Deepdale, in Preston’s inner city. A son of the Windrush generation he went to school locally before leaving at 16 to become an apprentice at what is now BAE Systems.

It gave him an education that included studying mechanical and production engineering at the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) while working full time.