About Rob
Rob was born on 11th September 1979 in Hemel Hempstead. He
attended Beaumont school in St Albans and then went on to study
computer science at Liverpool University. Rob worked briefly for
Enzyme web design company before deciding to focus entirely on
Dolphin Music.
At school Rob is remembered for being more popular amongst his
peers than with the teachers. He excelled in every sport to which
he turned his hand; representing Hertfordshire in rugby and
football, and competing in all-England Schools athletics. He also
took a certain personal satisfaction from holding a yet unbeaten
county Shot-put record. Always one with a goal, Rob's early career
plans included becoming a builder, (aged 8) and a chef (aged 16).
When he surprised everyone with brilliant A-level results, he
decided that the building trade would survive sufficiently long
without him to allow him time to undertake a degree course at
Liverpool University.
Rob started Dolphin Music with some school friends, selling
stock from his bedroom. Always ahead of the game, Rob was avidly
studying business magazines while still at school and was
developing websites while his contemporaries and tutors were
still puzzled by such new and confusing technology. With his friend
and business partner Jason, Dolphin continued to develop under
Rob's dedicated drive: sacrificing every spare moment they had to
build the company to the point at which they could take it on full
time. Rob was always fascinated by new marketing ideas and quick to
catch on to new trends. Anyone who has worked with him will bear
testament to his willingness to take responsibility, make hard
decisions, and to graft the long hard hours required to build a
successful business.
Dolphin Enterprises
Rob's achievements did not go unnoticed. In December 2007
Dolphin Music was named in the Sunday Times Fast Track 100 list for
the second year running and listed as the 37th fastest growing
company in the UK, and the only retailer to appear in the list. In
the 2008 Kickstart Awards, Dolphin Music was presented with an
award for Best Performing Business, and then in September 2008, Rob
was awarded the Young Director of the Year award by the prestigious
Institute of Directors.
Rob was also profiled in the
Daily Telegraph in December 2008, and in January the same year,
Rob was invited to Number 10 Downing Street for discussions with
Gordon Brown regarding enterprise and small business.
With Rob's vision and drive, Dolphin continued to grow;
establishing a head office and a flagship store in Liverpool and
then expanding further to include shops in, Huddersfield and
Gateshead. Dolphin now employs 64 people and has plans for further
expansion in Europe, America and the Far East.
Rob had many plans and ambitions. He aspired to develop Dolphin
into a globally established enterprise, study business at Harvard
University, and one day, to drive a bright yellow Porsche.
Rob was a great supporter of schemes to help give young people
the opportunity to establish themselves in the business world. He
was an ambassador for the Government’s 'Make your mark' initiative
and a keen supporter of The Prince's Trust; a charity which has set
up a Memorial Fund for Rob to support young enterprise.
Please make a donation.