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22
OCT
2014
SPECIAL REPORT
THESE WOMEN MEAN BUSINESS Tech tips, a manifesto for change and start-ups hoping to be the next big thing... inside the Festival of Female Entrepreneurs – Pages 6&7
PLUS
COMMERCIAL PROPERTY REVIEW INSIDE
2
www.bristolpost.co.uk/business
Wednesday, October 22, 2014
Bristol Post campaign
Contest final
Support grows MPs add weight to campaign for reform of rates
Silas hoping for royal seal of approval
Soraya Kishtwari & Gavin Thompson gavin.thompson@b-nm.co.uk
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OLITICIANS have voiced support for the Post’s #RealReatsReform campaign for a major overhaul of the business rates system. The Post is calling for: ● Greater local control over how rates are spent so they can be used to encourage more investment and job creation, extending ideas currently only in place in enterprise zones. ● A simpler system that small businesses can understand. ● Breaking the deterrent to expansion. This could be done by replacing rates with a local sales or profits tax. And there is a growing political consensus on the ground in particular supporting greater local control of how the tax is spent. North East Somerset Tory MP Jacob Rees-Mogg said: “I fully supports this campaign.” He added: “I’m all in favour of the re-localisation of business rates to all councils – not just to Bristol but to Bath and North East Somerset Council too. “I think it makes sense to re-localise one of the important sources of local government funding. “I think the uniformed business rates were done for a very good reason, there were some dreadful councils that were ruining all of their businesses, but its long-time consequences have been unfavourable.” Fellow Conservative Chris Skidmore, MP for Kingswood, is deputy chair of the Number 10 Policy Board. He said the government was already helping small businesses with rate relief but idea of greater local control had merit and he would give it an airing at the highest level. “The success of the Bristol Temple Meads Enterprise Zone that we created demonstrates that if businesses are trusted with greater freedoms and
“ I agree with the campaign that new powers need to be devolved to local authorities or groups.”
“ There are huge anomalies in the way business rates work. I’m all for giving local authorities more powers.”
“ I definitely support Bristol in its calls to see more than half of all business rates retained locally.”
Kerry McCarthy
Charlotte Leslie
Stephen Williams
are able to invest more of their profits locally, the local economy can benefit enor mously,” he said. “I would certainly be interested in passing on the Bristol Post’s ideas to the Number 10 Policy Board on which I sit.” Charlotte Leslie, Conservative MP for Bristol North West, said: “There are huge anomalies in the way business rates currently work. I’m all for giving local authorities more powers and discretions over business rates. “Obviously business rates have to exist but it does seem such an inefficient way to make relief money when you’re actually stifling the very organisations that keep communities in employment; it seems not the best way to raise government funds.
“At the moment it’s really crippling a lot of small businesses, the very ones we need to help flourish to get the economy back on track. I know lots of local businesses and pubs that struggle with business rates – it’s a massive issue.” The Government last year introduced a rates retention scheme that allows authorities to keep a proportion of rates collected Lib Dem Stephen Williams, who is Communities and Local Government Minister as well as Bristol West MP, said: “The Government has already allowed local authorities to retain half the business rates they collect, these constitute some major reforms in policy. “As the local MP and the Lib Dem representative I think there is cer-
tainly scope for going a lot further.” Mr Williams said that as part of plans to devolve greater powers to Scotland – which he said would “undoubtedly” follow in Wales – business rates were among the key powers likely to be fully devolved. He added: “I definitely support Bristol in its calls to see more than half of all business rates retained locally.” Bristol East Labour MP Kerry McCarthy said Government measures such as the two per cent cap on rates increases “fall short” of what many businesses need. She said Labour proposing to cut rates in 2015 and freeze them in 2016. She said: “I agree with the campaign that new powers need to be devolved to local authorities or groups, we need to empower them to build thriving, sustainable and prosperous communities. Labour is looking at how a devolved approach can be best delivered.”
● A BURGEONING tech start-up has a royal appointment next month when it present its ideas to the Duke of York. Three businesses all from the Bristol Robotics Lab, based at UWE’s Frenchay campus, took part in a boot camp this week to qualify for Pitch@Palace. Silas Adekunle of Reach Robotics, Alan Broun of Dawn Robotics and David Graves of OmniDynamics were among 42 companies who made their pitches to an expert judging panel in Shoreditch. The competition was tough and Silas, above, was one of the 15 chosen to go forward to the final at St James’ Palace. Short pitch videos of all the finalists will be made and a public vote held prior to the final with the winner announced on the night. Pitch@Palace is The Duke of York’s initiative to support entrepreneurs, who he believes are essential to Britain’s continuing prosperity. This time the event has a science theme. Prince Andrew said: “I believe the UK has the best scientists and engineers in the world – they create valuable intellectual property that can be exploited by entrepreneurial endeavour. “There must be a common acknowledgement that entrepreneurs will drive growth and be the wealth creators of the future.” The first Pitch@Palace event took place in April, when the Duke worked with 36 businesses from across the UK, including Bristol-based Neighbourly. The next event take place on Wednesday November 5.
Know how
Plan business succession and avoid tales of the unexpected
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NVISAGE the following scenario. You are the general manager and 20 per cent shareholder of a successful business. The director and 80 per cent shareholder dies unexpectedly. He’s the only signatory on the bank account, which is duly frozen. With neither a contingency plan nor liquid funds, the company collapses and you are unemployed, together with the rest of the workforce. As the company is no longer a going concern, the director’s family are left with precious few assets and a whole raft of financial and non financial headaches. It doesn’t have to be like this. Business succession planning is either forced, as above, or foreseen and structured accordingly. The death of a business owner or co-owner has the following consequences dependent on the type of business:
Andrew Fisher Executive director Alanbrookes Ltd 01934 863386 AndrewFisher@ Alanbrookes.co.uk www.alanbrookes.co.uk
● A sole trader business automatically comes to an end, and it is likely that all the family will have left is the break-up value of whatever physical assets are used in the business. ● Unless there is specific provision in the partnership agreement – and most partnerships have no formal agreements – a partnership will technically cease on the death of a partner and the deceased partner’s estate will
become entitled to their share of the business, either as a lump sum or as a profit share in a new partnership. ● A limited company will continue in a legal sense, but often – as in the above scenario – not in any real sense. Even if it survives, the deceased shareholder’s beneficiaries will continue to share in the decision making and the profits of the business. For many companies who are owned by two 50 per cent shareholders this often means that the surviving shareholder splits the profits with his co-shareholder’s spouse, who may have no interest in the business, and as a result will be working twice as hard for the same money. All in all, a gloomy prognosis. So what can be done? ● A sole trader can set up a life insurance policy and either assign it to the person he wants to take over the business – a family member or an
employee for example – or sets up a trust to pay that person after his death, in either case so that the business assets can be acquired. It is worth pointing out that although most trading businesses qualify for business property relief for inheritance tax, if the rest of the estate attracts inheritance tax, the beneficiaries could be faced with selling the business to meet the tax bill. ● A partnership can set up a double option agreement (also known as a cross option). With this, the surviving partner has the option to buy the deceased partner’s share. The estate of the deceased partner also has the option to buy out the surviving partner. The business will be valued on an agreed basis, and each partner takes out a life insurance policy on their own life, written under trust to benefit the other partner.
● The partnership arrangements can also be used for the shareholders and their beneficiaries in a limited company. It is vital that you use an experienced professional who can avoid pitfalls, for example HMRC interpreting the agreement as a binding contract for sale, which would deny Business Property Relief for Inheritance Tax. It’s not just death that stops a business in its tracks – there are also policies that provide critical illness cover. It is particularly important with this type of policy to consider the circumstances in which lump sums are paid out and/or the business is transferred. In every case, you should get an accountant experienced in business valuations to value the enterprise – undervaluing or overvaluing the fruits of your labours can cause real problems later down the line.
www.bristolpost.co.uk/business
Wednesday, October 22, 2014
Communication
Best wishes ‘Forget emails, make your message special with a card’ Gavin Thompson Assistant Editor (Business) gavin.thompson@b-nm.co.uk
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WO entrepreneurs have set out on a mission to get Bristolians to put down their smartphones and put pen to paper instead to share news and messages with their loved ones. David Robinson and Oli Gosling, behind Temple Studios-based branding agency Hype and Slippers, have branched out with CardNest, a greetings card subscription service. CardNest delivers three cheerful and bright greetings cards to subscribers every month, all suited to a wide variety of occasions. The idea is to build a nest egg of cards at home so that subscribers can dig into their collection when an unexpected birthday creeps up on them or they have a last-minute “thank you” to send. The cards are all exclusively designed by the pair’s favourite artists, so can’t be found on the high street, so you should avoid the problem of sending the same cards as everyone else. And the founders are keen to stress that cards aren’t just for special occasions, but sharing a funny story, simply saying “hello” or inviting someone for the weekend. The duo decided to turn their idea into reality when Oli received an unexpected “thinking of you card” that made his day. “Going through the post each day isn’t exactly the most exciting part of my day,” said Oli. “One day however I found a brightly coloured envelope hidden amongst the usual bills and junk mail. “I quickly recognised my friend’s handwriting on the envelope. It wasn’t my birthday, so I couldn’t think what was inside. “Wonderfully, it turned out that they simply wanted to tell me they missed me as I hadn’t seen them in a while. It was so touching and such a surprise! “I automatically went to grab my phone to
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Food
AngelBerry continues to expand worldwide ● FROZEN yoghurt company AngelBerry, which started with an outlet on the Imperial Retail Park in Hartcliffe, has opened its first store in Abu Dhabi. The Bristol-based business is fast becoming a big exporter, with stores in Mauritius and South Africa as well as Bristol and Brighton. Co-founder James Taylor revealed the firm had signed “a very big contract” with a South African cinema chain to roll out kiosks in its branches. A second Abu Dhabi store and a first in Dubai are under construction. James said: “We will end this year on 12 stores globally, with a further 15 locations planned to open in 2015.”
China
Delegation pays visit
reply but I stopped myself. I wanted to make the special effort and write back without technology.” The pair recognise that social media is great for keeping in touch, but something more than a rushed message or quick “like” can mean a lot more. David said: “We want people to keep in touch, not struggle to keep on top of notifications. “CardNest isn’t just about the convenience that comes with being topped up on lovely greetings cards each month, it’s about encouraging people to take their time and nurture their relationships rather than seeing it as a job ticked off the list.”
● David Nichols, Oli Gosling and David Robinson
A subscription costs £7.50 a month, including delivery. And those who sign up can also add on three first class stamps for the same price at the post office, so there’s no excuse for not sending a card!
● BRISTOL has welcomed its second high powered delegation from the Guangzhou region. Organised by the West of England China Bureau and Bristol City Council, the delegation from the Guangzhou International Innovation City was in Bristol to discuss closer cooperation between the cities. The delegation met Mayor George Ferguson and business leaders.
Take control of your own finances. With our help you can reap the benefits. DOUGLAS CHADWICK, FOUNDER AND CHAIRMAN OF
Bristol Connected
Find out what Green Capital will mean for your business “But the main event is always the chance to network with your peers. That’s why we keep the speeches short and leave ample time to chat. “Whether you’re making potentially key business contacts or just sharing the load from your day, it’s important to have somewhere to meet people and talk. “So come along. We’d love to see you there.” The event is free and limited numbers of tickets are still available. Bristol Connected takes place from 6-8pm on Tuesday at the DoubleTree by Hilton hotel in Redcliffe Way, Bristol. Free parking is available on site. To sign up search on Eventbrite or scan this QR code.
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Talk & Drinks Monday, October 27th, 2014 6:00pm - 8:00 pm Harveys Cellars 12 Denmark Street, Bristol, BS1 5DQ To attend the talk please email: richard.webb@saltydoginvestor.com
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IT has been described as a fantastic opportunity for the city, but what does Bristol’s status as European Green Capital next year mean for businesses locally? You can find out the answers at next week’s Bristol Connected when a member of the Bristol 2015 team will be one of our guest speakers. Bristol Connected is a business networking event run by the Bristol Post every other month. It gives business owners and managers and anyone in the business community the chance to meet, chat, talk shop and make connections in a friendly and relaxed setting. Assistant editor Gavin Thompson said: “Since we launched Bristol Connected earlier this year, it has been a great success. “I’ve met dozens of fascinating people, many of whom I’ve since written about so it’s a great chance to meet the Post team too and pin us down about that fantastic story you want to share about your business. “We’ve had some top speakers so far and next week’s line-up won’t disappoint – I’m as keen as anyone to hear what the Bristol 2015 team has to say.
Saltydog Investor
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www.bristolpost.co.uk/business
Wednesday, October 22, 2014
Accounting
Shopping
Accrued holidays to go on balance sheets
Retail heaven United front to promote region
● FIRMS which allow workers to carry over holiday will have to put it on their balance sheet from next year. That’s just one of a host of changes to accounting standards that will affect most businesses which were outlined by Grant Thornton’s new managing partner at an event for finance directors. Tim Lincoln, pictured, said the snappily titled FRS102 standards were a “once in a generation change” to how the books were done. He said businesses needed to be aware as it could have an affect on how healthy their balance sheet looks. Among the changes are that investments such as properties or shares will be part of the profit and loss accounts, not just reserves, which means a firm’s profits could take a hit without any real change in how the business is performing. And accrued holiday has to be accounted for too, causing extra complications if a firm’s holiday and accounting years don’t match. He said: “Talk to your investors to make sure they understand it doesn’t change the health of your business.”
Gavin Thompson Assistant Editor (Business) gavin.thompson@b-nm.co.uk
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ETAILERS across Bristol and Bath are joining forces in an attempt to bring more investment to the region and to promote the area to shop-
pers. In the past, there has been fierce rivalry between the likes of Cabot Circus in the city centre, out-of-town Cribbs Causeway and Bath’s Southgate Centre. But now they, along with some of the key retailers and other interested businesses, are putting on a united front. Under the umbrella of the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), a 40-strong delegation is heading to Westminster today to lobby for investment and promote the area. John Hirst, chief executive of Destination Bristol, said: “This is the first time that we have taken the opportunity to work within our whole LEP region to promote the
complete retail offer. We must have the best and most varied retail offer in the country.” The delegation includes representatives from the local authorities, Business West chairman Stephen Robertson, John Lewis Cribbs Causeway managing director Liz Mihell, Bristol Airport chief executive Robert Sinclair and Filton MP Jack Lopresti. John added: “The overall aim is to raise awareness nationally and internationally of our LEP region’s fantastic retail offer. “Ideally as a result, we will attract more investment, additional retailers and ultimately, encourage more visits from customers from in and outside the region.” ● Thousands of students descended on stores in Cabot Circus shopping centre for its annual Student Sessions evening of discounts with an alphabet of stores from Accessorise to Yours Clothing taking part. Centre director Stephanie Lacey said: “Even though the heavens opened, student sprits were high. The event is a must for new and returning students and has become firmly established in the student calendar.”
Join us for the
● Students queuing up for discounts at Cabot Circus in Bristol
Development
Buying Customers ’ Seminar
‘
Presented by Brad Sugars, Founder of Action Coach
Thursday 23rd October 2014 18:30 to 21:30
What if you were guaranteed that every new customer buying from you would spend the next 5 years buying more products at ever higher price points? Or you were certain that every Pound spent on your marketing or advertising would return extra Pounds to you down the road?
● Chris Burton, right, regional managing director of Barratt Developments plc, speaks with sub-contractor Gary Miles
‘We’ll help skilled people start business’
Now, you can … with this innovative new seminar from Brad Sugars, The World’s Leading Business Coach.
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Discover the proven strategies of massively boosting your number of new clients almost immediately with Brad Sugars and his “Buying Customers” seminar.
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www.bristolpost.co.uk/b
A SHORTAGE of subcontractors could hamper the housing market. The situation has led one major developer to appeal for subcontractors to come forward and it has even offered to help skilled tradespeople to start their own businesses. Barratt Developments plc, which includes Barratt and David Wilson Homes, needs to find skilled labour to meet rising demand for places to live as the economy recovers. Regional managing director Chris Burton said: “It’s well reported that the construction industry is emerging from the effects of the financial crisis which led to a significant amount of trades people leaving the sector. “The legacy is that sub-contractors are working flat out right now and we need to be
sure we have sufficient numbers of skilled professionals moving forward.” Speaking about the local demand, he said: “We have ambitious growth plans and are looking to supplement our sub-contractor base in Bristol.” But he also said the firm wanted to hear from people thinking of starting a business. He said: “Providing people with business opportunities and the environment in which to thrive, through regular work and mentoring, is one of the huge benefits we offer. Our philosophy is straightforward. We recognise sub-contractors are vital to our business and with Barratt Developments we are looking for genuine partnerships where all parties move forward together.”
www.bristolpost.co.uk/business
Wednesday, October 22, 2014
Engineering
5
Coaching
Business guru gives city talk
● Airbus graduate Ethan Moss demonstrates the principle of flying to students from Yate International Academy from left, Regan Cross, Natasha Bond and Oscar Hammond all aged 13
Inspiring the next generation ENGINEERING companies are trying to inspire young people to become designers and technicians. Students from 26 schools from Bristol, South Gloucestershire, and Bath and North East Somerset took part in Teen Tech along with 24 companies, such as Airbus, who sponsored the event, and Rolls-
Royce, Dyson, JVC, NCC, Active Robots and National Grid. The event is designed to be interactive to capture the imaginations of 12 and 13 year olds with science, engineering and technology. It targets students before they make their GCSE subject choices,
with the aim of dispelling gender stereotypes and shifting perceptions of careers teenagers may have considered “difficult”, “geeky” or “boring”. Neil Scott, Vice President of Airbus Engineering in the UK, said; “This is a vitally important project for Airbus because we need to motivate the next generation of engineers to design the aircraft of the future.”
● India’s largest domestic airline by market share, IndiGo, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding for 250 A320neo Family aircraft. The agreement will become Airbus’ single largest order by number of aircraft. Indigo president Aditya Ghosh said: “This reaffirms IndiGo’s commitment to the long-term development of affordable air transportation in India and overseas.”
ONE of the world’s leading sales and marketing experts will be speaking in Bristol at a free event tomorrow night. Brad Sugars, pictured, who heads up the ActionCOACH franchise, is talking about Buying Customers, the approach set out in his book. Brad, an Australian now living in Las Vegas, tours the world giving free talks in what he sees as something of a mission to help businesses grow. He said often business owners were great at the job of their business, but not at business itself. “Business owners make the same mistakes around the world,” said Brad. “I want them to be a great business owner not just a technician in their own business.” Nigel Jew, ActionCOACH’s Bristol coach, urged people not to miss out. He said: “It is fantastic to have the world’s leading business coach in Bristol to help local business owners take their business to the next level. “Brad has coached tens of thousands of business owners and made a massive difference in their business and lives.”
● The event is supported by Bristol Post publisher Local World. To sign up, visit www.bristolpost.co.uk/ bradsugars
Clothing
Ramping up Skate retailer’s sales soar Gavin Thompson Assistant Editor (Business) gavin.thompson@b-nm.co.uk
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CLOTHING retailer with a growing customer base among skaters, street artists and surfers has seen a ten-fold rise in orders over the past 12 months. Now Recreo Clothing, which is based in Portishead, is hoping local artists, musicians and fashion designers will benefit from its growing success story. The online retailer only began trading two years ago, but has seen a sales surge due to a massive growth in demand from consumers across the UK and around the world. Directors Duncan Wilmot, pictured, and James Batten believe its bigger international profile means a wider audience for local labels among the major and independent brands which it stocks. Duncan said: “The last year has been truly remarkable. We decided to make relatively subtle changes to our marketing, the ranges that we sell and our delivery systems and they have all had significant impact. “The number of orders which we have handled since then has been increasing at the rate of 30 per cent month-by-month. “As well as continuing to grow our customer base in the South West, we have attracted huge numbers of shoppers throughout Britain, Europe and as far afield as the United States and even Australia, who
now prefer shopping with us to their local outlets.” He said the firm planned to capitalise on that momentum over the next 12 months. “Doing so also means being able to further our commitment to providing an even bigger stage for local designers, artists and bands who we have worked with since we began trading,” he said. Since the pair launched Recreo Clothing in September 2012, the brand has won customers among the skater, street art, music, snow and surfing communities with its range of clothing, equipment and accessories. Duncan said the firm was looking to move to new, bigger offices. “The progress which we have seen recently and our expectations for the future need careful management in order to be sustained,” he said. “A key part of our approach is that we don’t think that being a relatively small retailer necessarily means that we can’t have the sort of standards of service normally associated with much bigger brands. “For example, we have put in place a breadth and flexibility of delivery more typical of retailers many times our size. “That’s because we understand how important a factor that can be in consumers deciding whether to complete purchases or not. “By sticking to our ideals and continuing to offer great service, we are confident that we can swell the number of individuals who choose to shop with us on a regular basis, wherever they are.”
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www.bristolpost.co.uk/business
Wednesday, October 22, 2014
Festival of Female Entrepreneurs
Coding can be key skill, say the experts ● LEARNING to read and understand code is a “vital” skill for working in tech businesses, according to a panel of women experts. The issue was addressed at a What the Tech session at the Female Festival of Entrepreneurs, chaired by Zoe Cunningham, managing director of Softwire, which has a base in Colston Tower. Zoe said people should not be deterred from having a go. “People who go into learning coding often think they are doing something wrong,” she said. “You copy and paste something and it works because it’s exactly the same, then you try to change something and it doesn’t work and you think ‘I have done something wrong, I’m no good at this’. “But what you have just experienced is the job of being a coder. You spend your time finding problems and fixing them. “Don’t get disheartened if you try and it doesn’t work first time.” Fellow panellist Krisi Smith, founder of the Bluebird Tea Company in Brighton, said: “If you want to run an e-commerce business it can be very useful.” But she added that didn’t mean mastering the subject. “If you are taking a lot of time to solve a problem, your time might more useful elsewhere but it helps if
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● Zoe Cunningham of Softwire you have a basic understanding so you can have conversations. “It’s so easy to learn and there are lots of free resources out there.” Joanna Kay, managing director of Lancashire-based Digital Guys, said: “I can’t code myself but I have got to the point where I can read it and see that this is right or this is wrong. “If you can start to learn some basic HTML, I would say it’s vital.” Jessie Frey, Bristol-based senior product manager at Microsoft Mix Radio, added it was good to have a level of literacy and understanding so you fix simple problems rather than ask someone else. “You need to get over that initial fear,” she said, adding that a good time to try things out is before your website goes public. “But I don’t think you need to learn to do everything on your own,” she said.
Hundreds attend festival to mark success of women entrepreneurs Gavin Thompson Assistant Editor (Business) gavin.thompson@b-nm.co.uk
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OUR very different new fledgling firms have been given a leg up through winning competitions at a celebration of women in business held at the Colston Hall this week. The Festival of Female Entrepreneurs drew hundreds of women who either run their own business, work freelance or are thinking of striking out on their own. As well as networking and keynote speakers, the day saw the winners announced from three competitions. Jessica Turley and Emily Pettiford from Bespoke Bride have secured a place in the WebStart Bristol incubator by winning the Upstart Women prize for the best digital start-up idea. The competition was created because of a shortage of women applying for the scheme. Joni Farthing, founder of event organiser Women Outside The Box, said: “When WebStart Bristol and WOTB got together we knew we wanted to invest in people, not just a bright idea. “We know that a team of two or three co-founders usually do better than single founders. And all those founders have to be very hard working. When we met Jessica and Emily we knew we’d hit gold! “Two bubbly young women who live their brand. Beautifully presented, full of ideas and fun, committed to consistency of work and quality, utterly un-phased by talking money. “They will use the £15,000 investment to build their marketing campaign, and they will work with mentors and experts over the 10 weeks at WebStart getting to grips with the fundamental legal and financial aspects of running a high-growth business.” The Women with Bright Ideas Competition, run by Innovation in Engineering SW, to find the best female engineering start-up idea had joint
● Crowds at Women Outside The Box's Festival of Female Entrepreneurs held at the Colston Hall. winners: Chloe Meineck, for her Musical Memory Box, which invites dementia sufferers to interact with familiar sounds that stir lost memories, and Catherine Dodd and Rosie Phelps for their ‘doddl’ toddler’s cutlery, which makes eating easier and helps them move towards adult cutlery. Joni said: “The winners are fabulous! Chloe’s invention may well make her huge
amounts of money. The invention of a music box to prompt and recall memories in dementia patients was inspired by working with her grandmother who has dementia. “Catherine’s kids’ cutlery is a very smart idea, progressing toddlers fast through the eating stages that lead to the ability to eat with a knife and fork. “She’s a very bright and de-
Business women should have better deal, say campaigners TWO Bristol-based founder members of a national organisation have released a manifesto calling for greater support for women in business. Yvonne Bignall and Helen Farmer, who cover the South West region for Prowess Connect, are lobbying politicians to take action to help women get a better deal. The manifesto highlights five key points which they want to see on the political agenda ahead of the General Election next year. The team believe women in business could be more successful if the following areas were addressed: leadership, skills, childcare, social security and investment and funding. The group was at the Festival of Female Entrepreneurs at Colston Hall on Monday. Helen, founder of VoicebyVolume in Stoke Gifford, set up her own business after she was made redundant last year. The mum-of-one, whose second
child is due this month, said: “I know first-hand the challenges and opportunities of running my own business. “I believe we need action on many levels – from Government improvements to more local support. It’s important to help women help themselves and other self-employed people with similar challenges.” Single mum Yvonne, who set up Launching Women In Business (LWIB) two years ago, said: “The main challenges women face in business are confidence in their abilities, financing and childcare. “I am backing this manifesto wholeheartedly. I believe if these issues are addressed we will see more women thriving in business.” The move follows Yvonne’s visit to 10 Downing Street last year for a roundtable discussion with aides of the Prime Minister. According to the Office of National Statistics (ONS), women are now
termined woman, and I can see major stores stocking this invention.” Finally the I Bring competition – which included a range of prizes from event sponsors Freeagent, BrunelOne, Dunkleys and Somerset Design was won by Sarah Parkins for her business Sniffy Wiffy, which makes beauty products that also prepare skin for a breast examination. The festival featured keynote speaker Fiona Stewart, left, owner of the Green Man Festival, workshops, networking opportunities and exhibition stands.
● Yvonne Bignall and Helen Farmer, who cover the South West region for Prowess Connect, are lobbying politicians to take action to help women get a better deal
starting more new enterprises than men. Since 2008, there has been a 30 per cent increase in female self-employment, compared to seven per cent for men. Jack Lopresti, MP for Filton and Bradley Stoke, has so far responded to the manifesto in a letter. He said the Government aimed to encourage women into work and business by “tackling the barriers to equal op-
portunities and social mobility”. Mr Lopresti said various measures had been put in place to improve gender equality in the workplace. He said: “One of the main barriers to work for women can be childcare, which is why the Government wants to encourage more good quality, affordable and reliable childcare to give working mothers and families more childcare provision choices.”
www.bristolpost.co.uk/business
Wednesday, October 22, 2014
7
The Big Interview
I FOCUS ON THE POSITIVES IN LIFE If anyone at the Female Festival of Entrepreneurs was seeking inspiration, they needed look no further than guest speaker Sue Tumelty, as Rupert Janisch reveals
ritory is also recruiting more HR staff to deal with increasing numbers of clients. The premises we moved into so optimistically 18 months ago are starting to feel a little small!” And working with so many SMEs not only in Bristol but around the UK gives her a valuable insight into the goings-on of our small business community. Recruitment, after all, is generally an indicator of prosperity. She said: “Working with SMEs we saw the economic change much earlier than the news picked it up. The change about two years ago was for these companies to start cautiously recruiting staff, mainly part-time at first as there was still nervousness around doing so. “Now we are seeing much more recruitment for full time roles, but employers want a far more rigorous process to ensure the skills and attitudes are right. “So testing and psychometrics are being used in addition to the usual competency based questions. Companies are also wanting to start training again which is a very positive indicator.” The lack of skills in our young
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OT only is Sue executive director of The HR Dept, a successful businesswoman in her own right, she has also done it in the face of significant adversity. A rapidly-growing business, The HR Dept provides human resources support to small and medium-sized businesses through, currently, 57 licensees at offices around the UK. Headquartered in Winterbourne Down and with plans to grow that number of licensees above 100, the company has become a real local success story since it started up in the city over a decade ago. Sue still runs The HR Dept in Bristol, providing human resources services to local businesses. And its growth is all the more impressive given that Sue, who runs the company along with a management team including her husband Mike and her daughter Gemma, is
Vital statistics ● Name: Sue Tumelty ● Age: 64 ● Place of birth: Castleford, Yorkshire ● School: Scarborough Convent ● First job: Working on the beach ponies in Filey ● Hero or inspiration: My mum
My downtime ● What’s your perfect weekend? Pottering in the house and garden, going out for lunch on Saturday and having family roasts on Sunday ● What’s your favourite book or film or TV show? I love so many books but my best business book is The E-Myth by Michael Gerber ● What are your hobbies? Reading
“ Being deaf can actually make you a better listener because you have to concentrate on the other person. Yes it can be difficult sometimes. But why should losing one sense limit your dreams?” Sue Tumelty
work with a telephone answering company in Manchester, so that she could practise accents all day. “It was fun and I was promoted to supervisor,” she said. “I left but rejoined the company in Bristol as a PA many years later, even though I couldn’t type quickly. I was promoted to line manager, moved into training and then on to HR.” After rising up to senior management level for a large company based in Hertfordshire, Sue became disillusioned with corporate life and relocated to Bristol with her family. She started working ad hoc for several blue chip firms as an HR consultant, which was when the penny dropped. “I spotted a gap in the market to provide similar services to smaller firms at an affordable price,” she said. “Whilst large corporations have human resources departments to help them pick their way through the minefield of ever change rules, regulations and red tape, for small firms employment issues are not just a huge headache – they can be extremely costly if they make a mistake. “So in 2003 I set out to offer qualified, practical, pragmatic HR and employment law advice to small and
My working day ● You wake up at?6am, or 5.30am on breakfast networking days ● What do you have for breakfast? Porridge and fruit ● What time do you start work? 7.30am, in the house ● What happens in your typical working day? There is no typical day. I guarantee to laugh though! ● What time do you go home? Around 6pm or 6.30pm ● Do you take work home/attend evening functions? Yes
medium-sized businesses in Bristol. “In the first instance I only did it really to give myself a job! Despite this, I quickly found huge demand for what I was offering.” That ability to transform a job into a business is one which Sue believes many female entrepreneurs struggle with. “Women often start businesses that are really jobs for themselves rather
than building a sustainable business,” she said. “That is what WOTB is trying to encourage them to do. One of the problems is women generally are more worried about taking on debt. “Juggling family but putting in the hours and sheer hard work building a business takes is hard and they are often put down by those helpful friends and family who I call the dream stealers. “Those people who say: ‘Ooh that's risky’, ‘that will never work’ or ‘aren't you taking a bit of a risk here’. Have courage and if this is your dream and passion, then go for it – and keep going.” It’s a strategy which has worked well for Sue and The HR Dept. Soon after the company was up and running, she found that she had to take on staff and was also receiving enquiries from well beyond Bristol and the South West. The idea of a network of offices soon followed and husband Mike, who had worked as the MD of a manufacturing business, came out of retirement to be the company’s financial director. A decade later, and the company is thriving. “Business is great,” said Sue. “The HR Dept nationally is expanding and the local Bristol ter-
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profoundly deaf. The problem occurred gradually after a viral infection suffered almost 30 years ago and has meant Sue has had to learn enhanced lip-reading and body language-reading skills, to complement the help she receives from her digital hearing aid. She is on the waiting list for a cochlear implant, so she can continue working for years to come, and remains philosophical about her condition, refusing to let it stand in the way of business success: “No one’s perfect and hearing is not the be-all and end-all,” she said. “I never let it stop me or prevent me from pursuing my career. I’m incredibly fortunate, because I’m otherwise healthy. “Deafness can be very isolating if you are not careful and your self-confidence can be lost. But I like to look at the positives in life. Being deaf can actually make you a better listener because you have to concentrate on the other person. “Yes it can be difficult sometimes. But why should losing one sense limit your dreams?” Sue was born in Castleford in West Yorkshire in 1950 but grew up in Filey, in East Yorkshire, later training to be an actress at the Birmingham Theatre School. Her first brush with business came in time off between touring, when a friend suggested that she take some
workforce is something which concerns Sue for the future. “We still have a huge skills shortage and young people are not coming well equipped into the workplace,” she said. “This is why we work with a number of schools doing talks and being part of enterprise initiatives to help develop talent.” Developing young talent is something which The HR Dept does in its own right. The firm’s city office is headed up by Anna Pepler, who is now a company director at the age of just 27. Meanwhile Sue’s daughter Gemma, formerly president of the National Union of Students and until April this year the stakeholder relations manager at the office of Labour leader Ed Miliband, is employed as the company’s development director. It’s not the only area in which Sue says she wants The HR Dept to practice what it preaches. “I am determined,” she said, “to make the company a beacon for good employment policies. “We offer flexible working and other benefits including a contributory pension, private health insurance and at-cost breaks at our Cyprus-based holiday villa. “Our staff in the Bristol office can also work part-time if they choose to, allowing them to achieve a satisfying work-life balance and allowing The HR Dept to benefit from real talent that some other employers would reject.”
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www.bristolpost.co.uk/business
Wednesday, October 22, 2014
In pictures Tweet Up Bristol
Business diary Bristol Distinguished Address: UWE’s series giving the chance to meet the leaders of industry continues with Stephen Varley chairman and managing partner UK&I, Ernst & Young. Bristol City Hall, 6pm, October 23. Register via UWE.
● Left, Stephen Gilpin, Lee Waterson and Caroline Morgan at the Tweet Up Bristol event at the Revolution Bar in Bristol; right, event organiser Amanda Kerin Pictures: Jon Kent BRJK201410 14F-008/ BRJK201410 14F-004
Ready for Business: Free workshop from Business West and BRAVE Bristol aimed at potential start-ups. Takes place at Brave, The Coach House, Upper York Street, Bristol, from 10am-4pm, October 23 & 28. The Pitch Final: 30 UK businesses pitch for investment and to be crowned champions. Plus speeches by Bristol Mayor George Ferguson and Brightpearl founder Andrew Mulvenna. Paintworks, from 9am to 8pm on Thursday, October 23. Tickets via Eventbrite.
Chance to meet and greet those who tweet
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ETWORKERS took the opportunity to meet the people they tweet at a new event that was held in Bristol. Organiser Amanda Kerin decided to set Tweet Up Bristol after attending a similar event in Bath. “I thought Bristol needs a tweet up, so I organised it,” she said. “I run my
own events agency – I’m a start-up in year two, hence why networking is so key to me professionally.” The event is designed to be fun and informal, with no format, no speeches and no presentations, just networking about business and connecting people, with the common ground of Twitter. Amanda added: “Social media is
such a powerful promotional tool for business, it makes sense to provide the opportunity for people wanting to engage with other businesses face to face and meet who you tweet!” Amanda always gives 10 per cent of her event ticket sales to charity and has chosen the NSPCC to benefit from this one after meeting Caroline Morgan from the child protection charity
at the Bath event. “Tweet Up Bristol is a great opportunity for everyone to network in a relaxed informal environment where you can talk about everything business, Twitter and more,” said Amanda. The next event is on November 25, from 6-9pm, at the newly refurbished Revolution Bar.
Buying Customers - Brad Sugars: Sales and marketing guru Brad Sugars gives a free seminar on his techniques to make marketing pay at UWE Exhibition and Conference Centre, Thursday, October 23. Sign up at Bristolpost. co.uk/bradsugars. Bristol Connected: Business networking event run by the Bristol Post team. Chance to hear a couple of short speakers then network. 6pm-8pm on Tuesday, October 28 at DoubleTree by Hilton, Bristol City Centre. Sign up at Eventrbrite. Bristol Distinguished Address: UWE’s series giving the chance to meet the leaders of industry continues with Dr Tony Cocker, CEO, E.ON. Bristol City Hall, 6pm, October 28. Register via UWE. Celebrating Family Business: Family Business United and Close Brothers are inviting family firms to join them at Bristol Museum and Art Gallery to celebrate The Oldest Family Business in the South West from 6.30pm on Thursday, October 30. Register at http://ow.ly/D6Z62
● Paola Davis and Yoma Smith
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● Jessica Davies and Dave Kilbey
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Email your business events to gavin.thompson@b-nm.co.uk. Events are sometimes cancelled without us being notified so please check with organisers before travelling.
Opinion
Festival shows we’re at global heart of wildlife film-making
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S the cream of the world’s environmental filmmaking industry gathers in Bristol this week for Wildscreen Film Festival, behind the scenes, the collaboration between the region’s world-class tech cluster and its rich seam of film and TV production experts is driving the next generation of filmmaking. The Bristol and Bath area is the world’s capital of the wildlife and environmental film and TV industry, with 30 per cent of global production coming from this region. The BBC’s Natural History Unit in Bristol is currently the anchor for 20 productions and has also encouraged many independent TV production compan-
David Maher-Roberts Invest Bristol & Bath
ies to set up in the area. The Wildscreen Film Festival showcases the best in the business, the latest technological innovations and new storytelling styles, as well providing the perfect opportunity for the industry to meet face-to-face to make those all important deals. But our region is also home to a globally-significant, fast-growing high tech, creative and digital cluster that is helping to set the agenda for the future of the film and TV industry.
Work across multiple technology fields is resulting in the development of a wave of innovative filming and visualisation techniques. Wildscreen Exchange, one of the world’s largest collections of natural history content, is being digitally tagged using high performance computing expertise found in this region. The hub will empower conservation organisations with free and affordable premium digital media to enable impactful campaigning, educating and storytelling. And strengths in robotics – via Bristol and Bath businesses such as Open Bionics for example – are providing filmmakers with the potential for innovative ways of cre-
ating shots that would previously have needed a helicopter – or couldn’t have been done at all. Our region boasts a long heritage in technologies that aid broadcasting, including silicon chip design and digital expertise. This leads to some pretty impressive statistics: over 1 billion set-top boxes are powered by silicon chips made here and over 500 million people a month see digital content produced in Bristol and Bath from providers like the global YouTube leader The Yogscast, Future Publishing and the BBC. Invest Bristol & Bath is one of Wildscreen’s key partners and is backing a ‘Made in Bristol & Bath’ session at the festival where at-
tendees from around the globe will find out how to monetise existing content using YouTube, hearing from those already making this happen. We have the talent, we have the universities, but we also have something unique – Bristol and Bath tech companies don’t just offer software solutions, they also have people who can build the hardware too. So if the broadcasting solution involves robotics, gaming techniques, UAVs or a bespoke device, there is always someone here who can help. David Maher-Roberts is creative and digital media sector specialist at Invest Bristol and Bath, a sponsor of Wildscreen Film Festival