Launched in 2024, Go A Mile Extra Facilities Management (GAME FM) has quickly established itself as one of Greater Manchester's emerging facilities management providers. The UK facilities management sector is worth over £60 billion, historically dominated by large national and international providers.
However, in just two years, GAME FM has grown from a start-up operation to a company delivering nearly 5,000 service hours per month, securing landmark contracts across Manchester and achieving an estimated turnover of approximately £1.5 million in its second year of trading.
Behind that success is founder Gabriel Erinle's remarkable journey from cleaner and security guard to Estates Director responsible for some of Manchester's most prominent developments. Through support from GM Business Growth Hub, including Access to Finance, Innovation, Workforce Development and ASCEND, the Hub's leadership and scale-up programme for ambitious business leaders, GAME FM has combined industry experience with the structure needed to build a sustainable, growing business.
We spoke to Gabriel Erinle, Founder and Managing Director of GAME FM, about the company's journey so far.
Building GAME FM from the Ground Up
Can you tell us about your journey and how GAME FM was created?
GAME FM stands for Go A Mile Extra Facilities Management, reflecting our belief that great service starts with great people.
My facilities management journey began more than 20 years ago as a cleaner before progressing into security, facilities management and senior leadership roles. Over time, I worked my way up to become Estates Director at Allied London, managing some of Manchester's most significant developments.
Coming from the front line shaped how I view the industry. I've always believed success comes from investing in people, not simply focusing on contracts and margins.
When I left Allied London in 2023, I decided it was time to create a company that reflected those values. At 49, I realised that if I didn't take the opportunity then, I probably never would.
Our first major milestone was securing Town Centre Securities as a client, followed by the Deansgate Square security contract just nine months after launch. Winning contracts at developments such as Deansgate Square, Local Crescent and Auto Trader helped establish our credibility and accelerate growth.
Turnover grew from approximately £554,000 in the year ended July 2025 to an estimated £1.5 million in the year ended July 2026, demonstrating the strong market demand for a values-led facilities management business.
Creating Structure for Sustainable Growth
What challenges did you face as the business grew, and how did GM Business Growth Hub help?
Winning contracts was only part of the challenge. Delivering them sustainably was something else entirely.
Facilities management is highly competitive, and we were competing against organisations that had been operating for decades. The challenge wasn't whether we could deliver. I was confident we could. The challenge was proving it.
As we secured larger contracts, cash flow became one of the biggest hurdles. In our industry, you recruit staff, buy equipment, provide uniforms and deliver the service before you receive payment. Growing turnover doesn't necessarily mean growing cash flow, and that was one of the biggest lessons I learned.
That's one of the reasons I approached GM Business Growth Hub. I knew facilities management, but I hadn't spent my career running my own company. Access to Finance support helped me understand things like funding structures, lender expectations and the financial information investors and banks look for. Looking back, I probably should have sought that support even earlier.
Innovation support encouraged us to review how technology and business systems could support the next stage of growth. As our service delivery increased from around 2,000 hours per month to nearly 5,000, it became increasingly important to build processes that could scale alongside the business and support a more structured way of operating.
The wider Growth Hub support also gave me access to expertise that challenged my assumptions and helped me think more strategically about growth. It didn't give me the ambition to grow GAME FM, but it gave me the tools, structure and perspective to do it more effectively.
Workforce Development support also helped us upskill our growing team and strengthen our talent pipeline.
The ASCEND Effect
How did ASCEND influence the way you think about the business?
Joining ASCEND was one of the best decisions I've made as a business owner.
I actually applied for the first ASCEND cohort before GAME FM had even launched because everything about the programme appealed to me. I didn't qualify at that stage, but when the second cohort opened, I reapplied and was fortunate enough to secure a place.
What attracted me most was the opportunity to learn from other founders. Although we came from different sectors, many of us faced the same challenges around growth, leadership and decision-making.
Two moments in particular stayed with me.
The first was when somebody asked me what my exit strategy was. At that point, I had barely launched the business and hadn't even considered the question. It completely changed how I approached long-term planning and what I wanted the business to become.
The second was learning the importance of truly understanding your numbers. My mentor challenged me to stop estimating and start knowing. That advice has stayed with me ever since and has influenced how I manage and monitor the business today.
The programme also provided access to mentors, experts and a peer network that remains valuable long after the cohort ended. Some of the most useful lessons came from discussions with other founders who had already faced similar challenges.
Having access to that experience gave me greater confidence as a business leader and a trusted network for advice and challenge.
Looking Ahead
What's next for GAME FM?
Our focus is on moving from a successful start-up to an established facilities management business.
As we enter our third year, we'll become eligible to compete for a wider range of larger contracts, some of which require three years of financial records, creating new growth opportunities for the business.
Ultimately, our goal is simple: to build a sustainable business that continues to grow without compromising the people-first values it was founded on.
Gabriel Erinle, Founder and Managing Director, GAME FM
Get in touch
Please contact us at 0161 3593050 or query below.
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