Hugo Cox is the founder of 5HC Systems. He helps growing businesses evaluate their processes and current operations, and looks to design, build and implement a bespoke platform to streamline their day-to-day activities more effectively.
It helps employees at all levels to spend more time earning money (selling, designing, making etc) and less time on admin, enabling companies to grow without bursting at the seams.
5HC’s vision is to enable people to use their skills, creativity and judgment to add value to their organisation rather than wasting time doing what computers can do.
Before going into business...
Hugo has had a varied career of operational roles, from managing paintball sites, being in the British army, consulting in the MOD, H&S Quality and Environment Director for a construction company, all culminating in becoming a Group Operations Manager employed to overhaul the systems of a national glazing company. Throughout this role he discovered process automation, using tools like Zapier, and the limitless world of no-code platform building. Inspired by another process automator and being frustrated by working for organisations who didn’t follow their own values, he decided to set up 5HC Systems.
Hugo didn’t join BBB to solve a specific challenge, but he knew that to grow the business faster he needed some extra support and mentoring.
'I wasn’t surrounded by any experienced business owners.'
“As a one-man-band, I knew that I could either grow the business at a slow rate on my own or at a greater rate with help.”
“I could either learn them the hard way, or the easy way.”
There were a lot of things I didn’t know.
I knew I was going to hit a ceiling soon.
“Even I had a healthy pipeline, I knew that joining a community would expose me to a network of potential clients and collaborations,“
A year after setting up 5HC Systems, Hugo joined Success Groups Build. In January 2024, Hugo graduated into Success Groups Scale.
This has been extremely humbling and inspirational.
“I originally found BBB on LinkedIn and approached George as a potential network referrer for me. I went on to attend a BBB workshop and had a call with Tracey.
Out of the coaches I’d come across, BBB fitted with what I was looking for.
“During my journey with BBB so far it has become very apparent that almost all of the challenges I have faced have been faced by many others who can share their experiences and what they did to overcome them. This helps overcome both the challenge itself and offers reassurance that we are not alone in our journey.
This safe space BBB creates has allowed many peers to open up about some huge professional and personal issues and then keep driving forwards.”
“BBB solved a lot of problems I knew I had – for example, how to increase my prices – but it also solved problems I didn’t know I had. Through the questions that come up in sessions, and the answers given, it can help you recognise things in your own business that could be a potential issue or could be improved that you wouldn’t have thought of.”
BBB has accelerated my growth and given me the tools to grow in a far more robust manor than I would have otherwise. The tools they’ve given me have enabled me to look in places I wouldn’t have looked before to increase revenue. I’ve looked at how to get more out of my current clients and pipeline by upselling and cross selling, rather than just focussing on more lead generation – a golden nugget that really made sense. When I started BBB it was just me, I’ve since been working with 2 freelancers, one of whom I’m about to take on full time as a PAYE Employee!”
“I’ve worked through some tough personal challenges and had lots of 1:1 help which has helped me hold it all together.”
“The core strength of my business has grown hugely thanks to BBB. By transitioning from a one-man-band to a legitimate VAT registered company, I’ve increased my client base and can position my business in front of larger clients. And the Sales Programme I have been through with BBB has increased my rate of closing clients and I have a more defined sales process.”
“Developing knowledge around subjects such as pricing, retainer agreements, the pros and cons of different business models, gives you the confidence and the mindset to tackle things in the right way. I’ve often sent in my workings after sessions, for example developing my vision and mission, and BBB always provide constructive feedback. Layer on top of that the support you get when you’re having a wobble, bringing it all together, it makes a real difference.”
“ I knew that joining a community would expose me to a network of potential clients and collaborations, but BBB is more than a networking group. Having a safe space like BBB means you can not only share your successes, but also your fuck-ups. Unlike a networking group where you are trying to show off the best of your business, you can come to BBB when a project has gone wrong and ask, ‘What am I going to do?’ and you’ll come away with answers and ideas to try. It’s great to have your peers in your group and Tracey and George as a sounding board.”
“Tracey pushed me to turn it up a notch and I was ready to be part of a smaller, more intimate group of ambitious growing business owners who were ready to push it higher.“
“When you surround yourself with business owners who are 3 or 4 times your turnover, you are naturally driven to achieve that level. The feedback in Scale is quality over quantity. When you’re at the Build level, you can ask a question and get lots of varying ideas and guidance which is great, and then once you’re through the £100k mark and ready to scale up, you’re ready for very thorough and exact answers from people who have been there and done it. As well as the nuggets and ideas that I have received throughout the BBB journey, the small group of experienced business owners who now know me and my business are fantastic, and like a group of trusted advisors.”
“One of the biggest things for me that sets BBB apart from other business coaching is the focus they have on how your personal wellbeing is so connected to the success of your business, because they are so intertwined, and that’s a real strength that BBB has. I’ve seen a real change in my confidence and approach to my business since joining.”
“Go along to the workshop and see what it’s like. The depth and breadth of the tools and insight they have is phenomenal. The range of resources and expertise in the community BBB can call on to cover topics, challenges and guidance for its members adds huge value. George and Tracey practice what they preach; they have a growing team, they have processes, and they are on the growth journey with us, they share their own learnings along the way – highs and lows. They walk the walk and talk the talk.”