On 19 February 2007, Cocoon Vehicles was incorporated. This year Cocoon Vehicles turns 19 years old.
I remember sitting in an accountant’s office in Long Eaton, giving the nod to incorporate Cocoon Vehicles and Forklift Agency to help save some tax, and thinking quietly to myself: is this actually going to work?
I’d always wanted to run my own business. That started long before Cocoon. At school, I used to buy stationery from Viking Direct — back when it was catalogue-based — for 6p each and sell it for 18p, undercutting the school stationery shop. I got into trouble for that, but I suppose the entrepreneurial instinct was already there.
I just always knew I wanted to do something for myself.
Finding the Motor Trade
I also always knew I wanted to be in the car industry — I just didn’t know how to get into it.
My old boss, Graham Rose, used to tell stories about the motor trade, and I loved hearing them. When I was eventually offered a role at a car dealership, it genuinely felt like a dream come true.
That’s where the idea of Cocoon began to take shape.
With huge thanks to Tracey Perry, we set up Cocoon Vehicles. It wasn’t glamorous in the early days. The company needed real investment over the first few years. We took it in turns to pay for the office on Pride Park. We took it in turns to pay for advertising.
There was belief — but there was also risk.
The Credit Crunch and an Unexpected Opportunity
At the time, I don’t think any of us imagined what the next 19 years would bring — not just for the business, but for the automotive industry as a whole.
Then 2008 hit.
The credit crunch arrived and we genuinely didn’t know what to expect. Many businesses didn’t survive that period.
Luckily, Lombard gave us a credit line to purchase some Audis, and that allowed us to pivot. We began offering our own flexible car subscription service — although at the time we called it flexible car leasing.
Back then:
Electric vehicles were a novelty
Car subscriptions didn’t really exist
Flexible leasing wasn’t widely understood
Most customers either bought outright or leased long-term
Today, the landscape looks completely different.
What hasn’t changed is our approach.
Family-Owned — By Choice
There was another pivotal moment in the journey.
When Paul announced he wanted to retire, we had options on the table. One of those options was selling the business to a friendly competitor.
Initially, it looked like a sensible route. But as the deal was reconstructed, it became clear that the staff we had at the time would likely be made redundant.
That didn’t sit well with me.
Rebecca, my wife, had recently sold her financial services business. After a lot of discussion, she made the decision to purchase Paul’s shares.
That decision kept Cocoon independent — and kept our team together.
Why Being Family-Owned Matters
Being family-owned has allowed us to make decisions based on long-term thinking rather than short-term pressure.
There are:
No shareholders demanding rapid expansion
No venture capital expecting aggressive growth targets
That independence allows us to:
Price vehicles sensibly
Give realistic advice
Prioritise relationships over volume
It also means we answer directly to our customers.
We don’t have layers between decision-making and the people we serve.
19 Years Later
In 19 years, we’ve seen:
Economic downturns
Electric vehicles go from novelty to mainstream
Flexible leasing become normal
Customer expectations shift dramatically
Through all of it, the focus has remained the same:
Be honest.
Be transparent.
Support people properly.
Be there when needed.
We’ve never aimed to be the biggest.
We’ve always aimed to build something sustainable.
Looking Ahead
Reaching 19 years is something I’m proud of — not because of the number itself, but because of what it represents:
Resilience.
Relationships.
Real-world experience.
And a team that has stayed committed through change.
If you’ve worked with Cocoon over the years — thank you.
If you’re considering working with us — we’ll treat you the same way we always have.
Here’s to the next chapter.
Special Thanks
There are so many people I’d like to say thank you for helping us with Cocoon Vehicles, it’s impossible to mention everyone but some of the ones that stick out include: Paul Stone, Myron Nykolyszyn, Gordon Butson, Andrea Fairman-Smith, Katie Higginbottom, Rebecca Adams (My Wife), Graham Rose (For the inspiration), Tracey Perry, Jeremy Clarkson (For the name Cocoon) and everyone else who has made what Cocoon Vehicle is today.
