Case Study
Mike Bagshaw
Company: International Taste Solutions Ltd (I.T.S.)
Role: Managing Director
From an early entrepreneurial career that began by selling Spitting Image characters in his primary school playground, to becoming founder of a multi-million-pound specialist flavour supplier to the food industry, Mike Bagshaw is a man who knows the taste of success. Mike is a passionate and curious foodie with keen interest in everything to do with food with over 20 years experience in food ingredients.
I.T.S. is a Newbury-based business who are growing fast (they plan to have sites all over the world!) I.T.S. stands for bringing innovative, tailor-made and bang-on-trend natural flavours and textures to food and drinks. For making healthy food and drink taste better – and already-delicious food and drink even healthier.
They offer vegan and carbon friendly natural flavourings that are all proudly manufactured in the UK.
Just amazing… so many great ideas and opportunities to learn with like-minded business owners and the team at MD2MD
Mike has known Bob (founder and former MD of MD2MD) for a few years now, when Bob mentored him through the Government run service, Business Link. After the service was disbanded, Bob and Mike went their separate ways, but met again at the Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce awards, where Mike’s business had won awards. Bob told Mike all about MD2MD, and after attending a trial in-person meeting, Mike decided to join – the rest is history!
Mike has found it very useful to meet people from different industries to share ideas and discuss similar challenges in a confidential environment. He has learnt a lot from a wide range of other business leaders and has been able to take back his new insights to his own business and impart his knowledge there. Mike has made many new connections since joining MD2MD, and appreciates the fact that he could continue to do this during the pandemic, through the online meeting options offered by MD2MD. Mike was even able to find a business opportunity involving hand sanitiser during ‘lock down’, when he teamed with MD2MD member John Cardy (Garden Games Ltd) and they did some business together – an opportunity which wouldn’t have been possible without MD2MD!
Mike finds the speaker workshops to be of a very high quality. He used to attend a lot himself but now, as he has become busier he sends members of his team to watch the workshops and share what they have learnt with him. The fact that Mike has the option to send his team to the workshops when he can’t make it is a very useful aspect of MD2MD membership. Mike says that sometimes it can be hard to find time to attend MD2MD meetings and workshops, but that whenever he does, he’s always pleased as he gets a welcome break from the busy everyday life of a Manager Director to sit back, think and learn. He said that it is always worthwhile and interesting and he goes back to work feeling fresh after a break in the day/week.