What's it like to work for your company? It's a very exciting industry to work in, where everything is dynamic and geared towards the consumer. At Straight Up Drinks one is encouraged to be forward-thinking and innovative. All ideas are open for discussion and valued. The company is quite young and to be part of something from conception is satisfying.

Why is it a good employer? SUD offers the opportunity for individual growth and understands that people require flexibility.

What's the best thing about working there? Ideas are valued and all efforts are rewarded.

Does the company offer unusual benefits? I have been to the Milan distillery!

How does the company differ from its rivals? The company is still in its infancy so we are not stuck in a particular way of thinking and can be reactive to customers and markets.

Is there a definable company culture? To take everyday products and think outside the box. How can we make things better or more user-friendly?

If the company were a car what would it be and why? A Mazda MX5. It is small, agile and responsive. There's nothing technically ground-breaking about it but it is definitely more rewarding to drive and own than the sum of its parts.

What's the training like? What qualifications can I earn? Staff had formal training at start-up in all aspects of office work and accountancy. The MD even did a licensee course and gained a BIIAB qualification, which enabled him to understand the legislation affecting licensees who sell alcohol to the public. As a diverse company, training and ongoing support of qualifications are very important to us.

What's your proudest achievement over the last 12 months? Joining the team at the BBC Good Food Show and selling to the public. It gave me a great deal of confidence.

What is the most challenging HR issue at the moment? Employing new sales people. It is very important to us that the people employed have the correct aptitude to deal with this fast-moving market.

Are you looking for any people right now and, if so, where? As the business grows and branches out into new areas we will be looking to employ a sales director who in turn will take on a new team to complement his existing sales force.

What tips would you offer jobseekers? Don't be afraid to go for positions that are a step up from what you normally do. Accept any offers of gaining new qualifications and treat everything as an experience to use later on.

Are you, or is the company, working on anything exciting right now that you can tell us about? Yes. Creating an ultra-premium Italian liqueur range and a product that will revolutionise the UK sambuca market for good.

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