Making It Happen - Jonathan Mantle

This hard-backed, glossy colour-photographed, book, is The I.M. Group Story, and the chronicle of how Bob Edmiston transformed himself from financial controller for the ailing Jensen company, in 1974, into a self-made millionaire, who was top of the UK charities giving list recently. Bob Edmiston is also the chairman of Christian Vision, the charity he started in 1988, and with which I have personal connections: my husband, Andy, working there since 1991. But this book is not the story of Christian Vision, although it is mentioned twice within Making it Happen. I.M. Group is the company name for a wide variety of business interests, including International Motors, from whom the name derives.

Starting from Bob’s birth, in India, and following the British family’s move to England, then Kenya and back to England again, it is not difficult to see how his entrepreneurial roots grew early in life. Including photographs of his grandparents and parents before his birth, this is a historical account of his working life, up to the 25th anniversary of I.M. Group in 2001.

Throughout the book, photographs of the people, cars and premises which form an integral part of the narrative are beautifully displayed in relevant places, making it easy to browse, using the photographic record as a guide. It is an ideal ‘coffee table’ book.

Bob’s Christian faith plays an important part in all his business dealings, and right from the point when he applied for the job at Jensen, he knew that God had big plans for his involvement with the company. Faced with the job of making the personnel, including himself, redundant, Bob saw an opportunity to start a company called Jensen Parts and Service Ltd, by buying 15% of its shares with his redundancy money. So, in May 1976, Bob and sixty-eight members of the previous Jensen workforce moved into small premises in West Bromwich. A testament of the loyalty he gave and received during those early tough times, can be seen in the many original staff remaining with the fledgling company over the twenty-five years. By the end of its first year, it had turned over £1 million.

Looking for ways to diversify, in 1977 Bob signed the first of many contracts to distribute foreign vehicles in the UK. Japanese, Subaru, followed by Korean, Hyundai, launched International Motors, in 1982, which then became I.M. Group in 1986. The company invested heavily in property, which was to prove itself time and again in the following years.

By the company’s 20th anniversary, Bob was the richest man in the UK’s, West Midlands, and the richest man in the motor industry, but retirement did not appeal to him in the slightest. This is where Christian Vision comes in and it is what keeps him motivated. The demand for charitable work will never be satisfied and as such will keep him busy for the rest of his life. Ten per cent of I.M.Group’s pre-tax profits are invested into Christian Vision, through two main branches, ‘Touch a Billion’, a network of radio stations throughout the world, and ‘Impact a Nation’, a unique method of making a significant difference in needy nations.

Bob started grooming his son, Andrew, for leadership within the company, and by its 30th anniversary in 2006, Andrew had already been involved for fourteen years, and was ready to take the company into its fourth decade (This event took place five years after Making It Happen was written).

This limited edition makes very interesting reading, especially for car enthusiasts. It is well worth it – if you can find one!