WHEN the Focus Group started out, critics said it was based on a flawed business model.

But 12 years later it has emerged as one the most successful companies in Sussex, with 40 per cent year on year growth and more than 220 staff.

The business is the latest to be revealed to have made the shortlist of the Sussex Super Growth Awards 2016, a scheme celebrating the top growth companies driving growth in the economy.

The company helps to reduce client's call charges and line rentals, as well as providing telephone systems, maintenance, cabling and broadband.

Founded in 2003, for the first few months managing director Ralph Gilbert and sales director Chris Goodman ran the business from a shoebox home office.

Joined by Paul Tolhurst as financial controller the following year, they moved to a tiny office in Hove Technology Centre with just enough room for three desks, a white-board and a kettle.

Their product centred on the re-sale of voice minutes, commonly referred to a ‘calls and lines’, as well as selling telephone systems and broadband.

At the time, many argued that the business model was flawed, with industry magazines exclaiming, ‘No margin in minutes’ and ‘Is this the end of the PBX? [private telephone networks]’.

The directors chose a commercial strategy, going to market via direct sales and a reseller community.

In 2005, the first member of staff Vicki Rishbeth was recruited as a telesales executive.

She is now operations director heading up a team of 21 staff.

By 2010 the dedicated system sales team had launched a mobile and an energy division, with the more than 40 staff outgrowing Hove Tech Centre.

In 2011 Focus moved to Europa House, re-branded and launched IT services, network services and digital media divisions, and within three years had taken on 80 new staff.

Just five years on, Focus has recruited more than 100 additional staff, bringing the overall headcount to 220, and is looking to move to even bigger premises as the business continues to grow.

Ralph puts the success of the company down to the dedicated staff, many of whom were recruited via word of mouth.