Dual disruptors share common aim

Two rising stars of the North East business community have found common ground in their bid to challenge the status quo and redefine boundaries.

Dual disruptors Fintegrate and GiveToLocal have embraced a collaborative approach to tackling the coronavirus crisis.

And they are calling on corporates across the region – and beyond – to join a growing community focused on increasing agility in the face of economic pressure.

“Fintegrate is a perfect fit for a period of flux,” explains Lee Parkinson, Chief Executive Officer of the rapidly growing financial planning software firm.

“We’ve been in development for 18 months but there’s never been a better time to bring our product to market.

“We have teams in the North East and North West of England, Zurich and Warsaw working around the clock on what we firmly believe will be the ideal solution to businesses bogged down by the often disjointed and costly elements of the financial planning process.

“We are here to make the life of a financial planner easier. And when we say we want to disrupt a market, we really mean it.

“Too many financial planning solutions have been built with the product in mind, rather than the user. We recognise that and Fintegrate has been built specifically to help the customer.”

It’s an approach which echoes the ethos of sport service GiveToLocal and an attitude which perfectly aligns two North East organisations with a common goal.

“Both GiveToLocal and Fintegrate are here to challenge the status quo and facilitate change in their respective areas,” agrees the former’s CEO and co-founder, Neil Gardiner.

“Lee and his team are trailblazing a new approach to add efficiencies to the financial planning market.

“And at the same time GiveToLocal has created a brand new, exciting and sustainable model allowing communities to engage with their local sports clubs and create mutual benefit.

“With the right approach and ethos, I’m convinced that community-spirited businesses can come together to support clubs and small companies in a meaningful and lasting way.

“More than that, GiveToLocal is here to challenge the perception that Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) spend and marketing spend need to be two separate things.

“Why does that need to be the case?

“We are creating an environment where it’s one and the same.

“Corporate partners can help to channel valuable financial support into our local clubs at a time when it’s needed more than ever.

“At the same time, we provide value to those partners by welcoming them into a growing network of corporates and into a like-minded community where we can leverage key contacts from the world of media and sport.

“On a regional level GiveToLocal has been fortunate to count on the support of BBC Look North and Tyne Tees as well as the North East Times.

“And England internationals Les Ferdinand, Mark Wood and Steve Harmison have all backed our bid to put an additional £10m into grassroots sport annually.

“We have created a network of big names and influencers and we know that network can be built upon and galvanised to do greater good.”

Fintegrate recognised a shared ambition and focus from day one and moved to position itself as a national partner at the heart of GiveToLocal’s drive to deliver sustained funding to communities in need.

Lee adds: “We asked Neil what we could do to highlight GiveToLocal’s work and spread the word.

“He was working on a national giveaway for the GiveTolocal community that meant a family of four could enjoy a dream trip to Disney World Florida in 2021.

“Fintegrate offered to fund the trip and the winner was announced last week. It was a show of good faith and a statement of our intent.

“We were in a position to assist GiveToLocal but when you look at how Neil and his team has pivoted to tackle the coronavirus crisis head on – and the fact that they have amassed so much support and goodwill in such a short space of time – it was clear that we would benefit from aligning ourselves with the service.”

For more information on Fintegrate’s pioneering suite of financial services visit www.fintegrate.co.uk

To discuss corporate opportunities with GiveToLocal contact corporate relationship manager David Broom, at [email protected]