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IN THE PICTURE
HATS THE WAY TO DO IT
Looking for a new job? Don’t miss our 8-page supplement – inside
And the nominees are... Women in Business Awards celebration – turn to p5
Why a retired teacher was inspired to go into the designer hat trade – p3
Business bristolpost.co.uk
www.
26 FEB 2014
GETTING STARTED
CAPTAIN OF ENTERPRISE Tycoon Richard Branson, the man who wants to take tourists into space, writes for Business on the importance of networking for entrepreneurs – p12
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www.bristolpost.co.uk/business
Technology
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
Industrial components
Economy
Broadband provider eyes flats across city
Small firms are driving rise in property deals
● A GIGABIT broadband provider is looking to link up with developments in Bristol. Fibre-optic provider Hyperoptic has chosen Bristol as one of the first three places outside London to expand its services. Among its past customers was the former athletes’ village in Stratford used for the Olympics. Managing director Dana Tobak said: “We are delighted to bring Hyperoptic to residential and commercial developments in Bristol. “Our groundbreaking broadband speeds have been available to schemes in London since 2011, and there is clearly robust demand for speed, reliability and connectivity across the UK. “This is no more true than in these three cities, Bristol, Cardiff and Reading, which we are pleased to name as our first hypercities outside the capital.” The firm, which serves around 150 developments in London, is looking to tie up with blocks of flats or developments within 10 to 12½ miles of the city centre and is encouraging people to register an interest as it will target places with the highest demand. It has already signed up the Robinson building, which is being converted into 100 flats, and the Airpoint building, both in Bedminster. The firm says its broadband speeds are 68 times the national average.
● BRISTOL’S thriving SME and start-up community is behind a recent rise in industrial property deals in the region. New figures published by property advisers Jones Lang LaSalle reveal a 20 per cent increase in take up of industrial units in the first half of 2013, and the total number of industrial deals for 2013 was up 6 per cent compared to 2012. Eight-five per cent of deals throughout the year were by small and medium enterprises reflecting the longawaited rise in business confidence and brighter economic outlook. This is particularly visible amongst the SME community which is traditionally faster to react to economic shifts, according to Jones Lang LaSalle. A recent Centre for Cities Report revealed that Bristol is second only to London in terms of the number of business start-ups. With continued demand and the pressure on existing supply Bristol and the surrounding areas remain a strong prospect for developers. Chris Miles, associate director in Jones Lang LaSalle’s industrial and logistics team (inset) said: “Last year was very encouraging in terms of the number of industrial deals reflecting, at long last, a rise in business confidence. “Bristol and the surrounding area is one of the UK’s leading regions for SMEs, driven by a highly skilled labour force, a strong pipeline of work from major industry players, leading universities and a widely recognised high quality of life. “The industrial property deals of 2013 show just how much the SME sector is driving the regional economy, claiming 85 per cent of all industrial deals. “We predict this trend to continue during 2014 following David Cameron’s pledge to ‘cut red tape’ for small businesses. “The three key ingredients are now in place to make Bristol and the region a strong prospect for investment – high demand, low supply and sufficient available land.”
● Antifriction’s operations director Andy Fleming and vice president Bob Davis
Upgrade Ambitious plan to double turnover in 2 years
Advice
Experts offer help on trade with America ● COMPANIES can learn about doing business in America at next week’s UK Trade and Investment meet the experts event in Bristol. Businesspeople can meet trade experts from British embassies in the US and Canada, on a one-to-one basis, at the Mercure Holland House Hotel on March 5. Russell Jones, UKTI regional director, said: “With consumer and business confidence steadily increasing in the US, now is the perfect time to explore these export opportunities and UKTI can help open doors and avoid mistakes.” Delegates will be able to find out how to establish a local presence and develop partnerships.
Gavin Thompson Assistant Editor (Business) gavin.thompson@b-nm.co.uk
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N industrial components distributor has set out on ambitious scheme to double turnover to £26 million by 2016. As part of its the plan, St Philip’s-based Antifriction has recruited a new board member and three commercial managers. It is spending £500,000 upgrading its Bristol head office and Birmingham depot and has announced a big deal to stock products for Klüber Lubrication, a big European lubricant maker. Antifriction’s newly appointed operations director Andy Fleming said: “Klüber Lubrication is a great match for Antifriction. Sectors, such as
automotive, paper and food, tie in with our customer base. “It also compliments our industrial parts stock, especially bearings that require high quality lubricants to enhance the life of the machinery.” Vice president Bob Davis, who is driving growth plans, added: “This is the first time we have stocked Klüber Lubrication products. It is especially important for our sales plans because we need to work with the best manufacturers across Europe to attract a greater client base.” The company aims to meet its growth target by working with more quality suppliers and expanding its distribution centres. Antifriction has made a number of key appointments, with Alan Horn joining the board to focus on management and staff development. Mr Horn has experience in the industrial parts manufacturing in-
dustry, most recently at Italian firm Bianchi Cuscinetti. It has also appointed three commercial managers to drive sales, promoting Craig Littler to run the southern region covering the firm’s traditionally strong areas of the South West and Wales. Matt Green will take over the North and Darren Potter Scotland and Northern Ireland, both aiming to drive new sales. Mr Davis added: “We have been traditionally strong in the South West and Wales and the west of UK. The new commercial managers appointments will mean, with our plan of acquisitions, that we have an improved national offering.” Founded in Bristol in 1976, Antifriction supplies bearings, belt drives, gearboxes, couplings, lubricants and other components to manufacturers.
Healthcare
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Opticians are joining the jukebox jury A JUKEBOX might not be the first thing you expect to see walking into an opticians, but Dury & Tippett has always done things its own way. The business, run by Steve Dury, 62, and Helen Tippett, 54, opened in 1983 and has been a fixture in Staple Hill ever since. The musical choices reflect Steve and Helen’s personal taste – from Fleetwood Mac to Al Bowly – but the approach is all about the customer. Steve said: “If you put someone in a nice environment and make them comfortable, it’s a better experience for the customer.” And they have been known when a regular customer is dropping in for an appointment to put one of their favourite CDs on. As the retro reproduction jukebox,
the store overhauled its waiting area to make it more comfortable. First opened as Dury & Shaw, the business had a number of practices in the Bristol area, but about nine years ago became Dury & Tippett when Helen bought into the business, which is now focused entirely on the Staple Hill store. It’s a small team but one with plenty of experience. Receptionist Sharon Bennett has been with the firm more than 10 years, and recently found herself in the unusual position of working for her daughter, Emma who joined just over a year ago. The firm has managed to achieve steady growth for the past eight consecutive years, despite the recession, with turnover in 2012-13 at £438,000. Part of the reason for that, is that
Steve and Helen have reinvested in the business. Recently they bought a £50,000 OCT retinal scanner that provides an all round image of the eye. They are one of only a handful of opticians in Bristol to have such an machine. Steve said: “There’s a perception that independent opticians might not have the latest technology but that’s not the case.” He said the scanner had already made a difference to customers. “As an optician, we are not allowed to make diagnoses but we are trained to spot things and will refer people to their GP to make a hospital appointment,” he said. “We have probably picked up 12-18 cases of what would have developed into more serious problems.”
● Helen Tippett, Sharon Bennett, Emma Bennett and Steve Dury with the Picture: Jon Kent BRJK20140130A-006 opticians’ retro jukebox
www.bristolpost.co.uk/business
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
Design
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Publishing
Growing research firm moves to bigger office ● A FIRM that publishes scientific research is expanding and moving to new premises in Bristol. Research Media is moving from Gloucester Road to a bigger office in Lewins Mead, in the city centre. Managing director Vicky Williams said: “Over the past few years, our business has gone from strength to strength and we’re quickly growing in Bristol. “We wanted to acquire more space to expand the team, but also find a central base so that we can continue to grow the services we offer to the global scientific community.” The firm distributes research through publications, videos, animations and websites. The Whitefriars building is being refurbished by owner Topland Group, which bought it 18 months ago. Jones Lang LaSalle and Alder King acted for the owners.
Media
Licence warning as staff tune in to live TV ● Hat maker Tricia Hamilton, with models showing off her fabulous headgear designs
Hats off! Daughter’s shopping woe led to new career for retired Tricia Rupert Janisch Business@b-nm.co.uk
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HAT-maker who set up her business after her daughter struggled to find headgear for a wedding is now selling her designs worldwide. Tricia Hamilton, 60, had retired from work as a teacher when she set up her Tricia Designs business from her dining room table in Pill four years ago. And today she has orders from as far afield as Australia and the United States, while also displaying her work
in stores across the South West. The idea for her business came about when her daughter, Lisa, asked her to make her a fascinator for a wedding after she was unable to find a suitable one. Lisa, an IT security consultant, searched for weeks but failed to find the right colours for her outfit. Lisa, 28, said: “My mum has always been great at sewing and is very creative. She can croquet in seconds and has a natural flare with fabrics. This is why I thought she would be able to make something beautiful matching my outfit.” Tricia, from Water Lane, Pill, used to teach at primary school and was taught to sew and crochet as a child by
her grandmothers. But when she was growing up, a career involving arts and crafts was not an option. The married mum-of-two said: “I think had I been born in a different era I would have been a designer. “I had underachieved at school. This gave me the determination to offer my pupils a more positive experience. I understood the difficulties some children could face and adjusted my classes to suit their needs. “I enjoyed teaching as I got to be creative and I missed that when I retired. But now I work as a milliner and I am really passionate about it. “I love using quality materials to create unique hats and fascinators,
which look beautiful from every angle.” Tricia developed her millinery skills when she studied with top designers at Cockpit Arts in London and Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design. And for her customer service she has recently reached the category semi-finals of the Venus Awards, which celebrates women in business across the Bristol, Somerset and Bath region. Tricia’s bespoke designs are available at the Clifton Hill Period Costume and Textiles in Lower Clifton Hill and Pearl Bespoke in St Nicholas Street, where she is also an artist in attendance.
Best deals - How the numbers stack up Business current accounts
Business savings accounts
1.01% State Bank £10,000 deposit of India
Cambridge & 1.80% Counties £10,000 deposit Bank 1.55% United Trust £500 deposit Bank
0.25% £1 deposit 0.12% £1 deposit
Co-operative Bank
0.10% Unity Trust £25,000 deposit Bank
1.53% Hanley Economics £1,000 deposit BS 1.50% United Trust £500 deposit Bank
0.05% 1.50% Shawbrook £1 deposit £5,000 deposit Bank Allied Irish Bank (GB)
0.05% £500 deposit
2.0 1.1 0.5 3.99
Weekly earnings
%
%
Corporation tax %
23 20 13 10
Main rate
%
Small profits rate – below £300,000
Base interest rate Employer NI rates .8% % Standard rate on Ave mortgage rate %
earnings above £148 per week
.4%
Employees in salary-related pension scheme earning up £770 p/w
Petrol prices .74p
129 137 138 72
Unleaded
.09p
Get in touch Assistant Editor (Business) Gavin Thompson Call 0117 934 3336 Email gavin.thompson @b-nm.co.uk Twitter @gavin_thompson1
Writer Rupert Janisch Email business@ b-nm.co.uk Advertising Robert Rodgerson Call07828 941469 Email robert.rodgerson @b-nm.co.uk Advertising Jane Chapman Call 01179 343025 Email jane.chapman @b-nm.co.uk
Diesel
.29p Super unleaded
.36p LPG
Source: PetrolPrices.com
Advertising Simon Coy, Media Sales Executive - Business Call 07736 900 705. Email simon.coy @b-nm.co.uk Advertising Shama Abokor, Regional Business Account Executive Call 0117 934 3426 Emailshama.abokor@ b-nm.co.uk
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Source: Business Moneyfacts moneyfacts.co.uk
State Bank 1.49% of India £10,000 deposit
Inflation (CPI)
● BUSINESSES are being warned to make sure they have a TV licence, with more employees watching live TV at work on their computers. Recent BBC iPlayer figures show five of the top 20 live TV programmes viewed via the platform last year were televised during business hours. Employers may not be aware the viewing is happening, but if an employee is caught watching TV illegally, the business could be fined £1,000. Phil Smith, managing director of Business West, said: “With modern technology, employers may not even be aware that employees are watching live TV at their desks on their computers.”
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www.bristolpost.co.uk/business
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
Focus on start-ups | Sponsored by THEME SPONSOR’S NAME HERE.
Commercial feature
Hold-ups with MoTs drove us to set up our own vehicle test lane
Know how William Sanzo Director Eurotaxis
Gavin Thompson Assistant Editor (Business) gavin.thompson@b-nm.co.uk
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Further growth is very much achievable for us
YATE taxi and coach-hire company is opening its doors to other businesses after investing in a commercial vehicles MoT
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lane. Eurotaxis has been a phenomenal success story since it was founded by Juan Sanzo in 1980. It has grown from a one-man operation, after Juan bought a “battered old” Austin for £200. Now the firm has 180 vehicles – taxis, buses and coaches – and a turnover of £5 million a year. It employs 95 people and uses a number of other self-employed taxi drivers. That growth, however, caused Juan a headache. Every commercial vehicle has to be MoT-tested each year. And unlike with a personal car, you cannot take it to many garages. There are a select number of specialised testing lanes in Au-
“ You can never get an appointment – it was a real problem. And when you did it was taking four hours to take a vehicle for testing and then bring it back. So we decided to invest £150,000 in building our own lane to do it in-house. Juan Sanzo thorised Testing Facilities. Difficulties in getting Juan’s fleet of vehicles to the nearest centre, and lack of available appointments, prompted Eurotaxis to come up with a radical solution. Juan said: “You can never get an appointment – it was a real problem. And when you did it was taking four hours to take a vehicle for testing and then bring it back. “So we decided to invest £150,000 in building our own lane to do it in-house.” It took six months to get through the red tape and logistical hurdles. But the lane finally opened for business in November, just before the firm’s 33rd birthday. The benefits for Eurotaxis are the time and cost savings in not having to get its vehicles to the test centre.
● Eurotaxis directors Keith and William Sanzo And to cover the running costs and eventually recoup the investment, the firm has opened up the lane to other companies. It has a VOSA tester on site three days a week, but is hoping to extend that to Monday to Saturday once it has enough customers coming in – that could add up to 80 tests each week. Juan says the MoT lane will never be a big profit-maker for the company, but has mutual benefits for his business and other firms in the area that can make use of it, paying just a small pit fee on top of the VOSA charges. The MoT lane is just one of the
services Eurotaxis offers over and above a typical taxi firm. It runs a commercial-vehicle recovery service for breakdowns, can carry out repairs and maintenance work, and can collect and return vehicles for their MoTs. And its coach hire arm takes people across the UK and Europe. Eurotaxis undertakes around 8,000 to 10,000 taxi journeys every week, and buses about 5,000 children to and from school. Juan said: “The key to growing the business has been hard work and family.” His wife Anne is the managing director, sons Keith and William are
directors and son-in-law Toby runs the workshop. Juan said: “It is very important that it is a family business. It gives you trust, and know how, from length of service. For example, Keith has been with the business for about 20 years.” As to his own involvement as company secretary, Juan, 63, has no plans to retire. He said: “I enjoy this too much.” And he still gets behind the wheel regularly. Juan said: “I still drive every day – buses, taxis, whatever. I enjoy the driving. There is no hassle. There is no stress. Driving is driving.”
ITH the Government’s continuing frugality, it may seem that the transport industry has been regulated an exponential
amount. Rising costs of fuel coupled with increasing traffic congestion mean that for many operators profits are being squeezed like never before. Established more than 33 years ago and still a family-run taxi and PCV operator, Eurotaxis has seen many changes, the largest of which was amalgamating two sites and moving to a purpose-built transport yard in Yate. Only last year we were based on a small, dusty yard in Westerleigh with our maintenance facilities based eight miles away, and our nearest VOSA Authorised Testing Facility 16 miles away in Avonmouth. If you think that some PCV vehicles will only do eight miles per gallon, we were wasting a small fortune in fuel and wages commuting daily between the sites. After 13 years, we finally found a suitable location and moved to a purpose-built transport yard in Yate with on-site facilities. However, we still had the 32-mile round trip nearly twice a week for a PCV vehicle to go to the ATF for its MoT. We have invested £150,000 in a new ATF lane at our depot in Yate. The ATF lane is now open to the public and to other operators. Since its opening day we have seen all kinds of vehicles on site, from horseboxes to coaches, from HGVs to buses. Some individuals or operators who do not have maintenance facilities have even brought their vehicle to us for its MoT preparation where we have guaranteed it will pass its MoT. Alongside our ATF lane we have invested in our vehicle-recovery infrastructure with a Mercedes Actros and a Mercedes Atego. So far there have been numerous HGV and PCV operators who have used our maintenance and recovery services as a one-stop shop for their vehicles. Our other significant investment last year was building a classroom and becoming an authorised centre to give the Driver Certificate of Professional Competence. We see that growth – although difficult at the moment – is, with the right infrastructure and commitment, very much achievable.
Not Just Taxis
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eurotaxis.com 0333 666 66 66
Recovery & Repairs
Mini Buses & Coaches
Taxis & Weddings
ATF - HGV & PSV MOTs
www.bristolpost.co.uk/business
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
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Bristol and Bath Women in Business Awards
Inspiring Successful women gather to celebrate awards Gavin Thompson
Sponsor profile
Assistant Editor (Business) gavin.thompson@b-nm.co.uk
NOMINEES in the inaugural Bristol and Bath Women in Business Awards gathered for a reception in their honour. The event, hosted at the Kendleshire Golf Club in Tockington, South Gloucestershire, was to celebrate the achievements of the close to 100 women who have entered the awards, in association with UWE Bristol. Judges will draw up a shortlist of contenders next month and the winners will be announced at a gala dinner at the Bristol City Centre Marriott on April 2. As the fizz and elderflower flowed, Sarah Pullen, managing director of Bristol News and Media, which owns the Bristol Post, congratulated those in attendance on being nominated for the awards. She said: “You should all feel really proud. “We’ve had nearly 100 nominations and this is the first time we’ve held these awards so that’s really fantastic.” She added that the awards would not be possible without the support of sponsors, particularly headline sponsor the University of the West of England. “Awards of this kind give recognition to your business and really motivate staff,” said Sarah. “We enter our industry awards for that reason and it’s great to see so many of you doing the same.” For more details on the awards and to book a table, visit www.bristolpost.co.uk/wiba.
Chance to salute talented women ● LLOYDS Banking Group is delighted to be supporting the 2014 Women in Business awards. There are some truly inspirational and successful women in the Bristol and Bath business community and this is a great opportunity to both acknowledge and celebrate their contribution. At Lloyds, we recognise the importance of having the right balance of diversity within our own business and our CEO is driving forward with measures to further improve the number of women in the
● Nominees who attended the reception for the Women in Business Awards
● Nominee Olivia Mills, right, with sister BRJK20140224C-034 Jessica Mills
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● Nominees Suzy Rhyddid, Eva Koroncza and Lauren Fifield BRJK20140224C-020
● Nominee Rin Hamburgh, BNM advertising director Hussain BRJK20140224C-021 Bayoomi and Helen Tucker, of Ashfords
most senior roles. In Bristol, Bath and the wider South West we have a number of highly talented and experienced female relationship managers based in local branches advising local SME business owners. This is why we are particularly proud to be associated with the WIB Business Mentor award because advice and guidance from already successful businesswomen both inspires new start-ups and helps established businesses grow, which is vital for the local economy. Hopefully, these awards will encourage SME businesses to recruit more women at every level and thereby tap into the rich vein of talent that exists in this region.
● BNM business development manager Rob Rogerson with nominees Jessica Lloyd Smith and Harriet Pocock
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● Caitlin Thomson-Harris and Amy Bourne
Pics: Jon Kent BRJK20140224C-006
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BUSINESS EXHIBITION WAS A REAL SUCCESS FOR US A
COUNTRY manor with a growing events and conference business is among those to see the benefits of taking part in the Bristol Business Exhibition. Old Down Manor, a country house between Bristol and Thornbury, exhibited at the show for the first time in the autumn. Sales and events manager Olivia Mills, 26, said:
Our strategy is to create more interest in corporate bookings and conferences so we thought, let’s give it a go. We met so many lovely people and got some good leads from it.
THE BRISTOL BUSINESS EXHIBITION 2013
“We got a Christmas party and some other bookings from the day which was a real success for us. “The customer service from the organisers of the event was brilliant and the event was busy, with a steady stream of people throughout.” The venue also made a connection with the exhibition’s chosen charity the Jessie May Trust, which provides nursing care to support children not expected to reach adulthood in Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire. Old Down Manor will be hosting a fundraising event for the charity in the near future. Olivia added: “I would recommend anyone to try the exhibition. It’s very affordable even for a smaller business.” For exhibitors, stands cost £200 or £300, with a 50 per cent discount for members of the Federation of Small Businesses. The exhibition attracts 500 to 800 delegates and more than 100 exhibitors so is an ideal place to make contacts that could lead to new business. But for delegates it is free to attend and with free parking too. There are a number of seminars – also free – including a talk by Don Cameron, founder of Cameron Balloons in Bedminster sharing his vast business experience, and Guy Longmore from RE Cloud talking about whether using the cloud is right for your business. The Bristol Business Exhibition, sponsored by Brunel One printing, is organised by Neil Kinnerly. This will be the 15th event since it began just over five years ago and so far well over £1 million of business has been generated for companies taking part. For exhibitors, the large numbers of visitors and low price for a stand make it attractive. “It only takes one good lead to make the whole day worthwhile,” said Neil. For delegates, the exhibition offers a one-stop shop for all their business support needs. The owner of a hairdresser or restaurant, for example, can find someone to design their website, print their flyers, handle their books, run their Twitter and Facebook accounts and more. The Bristol Business Exhibition takes place at Ashton Gate on Tuesday March 4 from 10am to 3pm. For more information, visit www.bristolbusinessexhibition.co.uk
MAIN EVENT SPONSOR BrunelOne.com ... your local online printer
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The exhibition is the perfect opportunity for Bristol-based businesses to meet each other, faceto-face and to celebrate the brilliant business community of Bristol. As part of its commitment to printing The BrunelOne.com team very much for businesses in the Bristol area, Brunelook forward to meeting new and lOne.com is very proud to be the main sponsor for the Bristol Business Exhibition in familiar faces at Ashton Gate March 2014. Conference Centre. Sue Tugman Managing Director - BrunelOne.com
0117 300 2223 www.brunelone.com Exhibition Stand 13 As the new web-to-print website from the experienced team that have been printing in Bristol for over 100 years, BrunelOne. com is very keen to support local businesses in Bristol and the South West. BrunelOne.com has also recently signed up to the Bristol Pound currency, who will also be returning to exhibit at the event again. “The open plan set up of the exhibition, together with the number and variety of businesses it attracts makes it an ideal networking opportunity for businesses in the Bristol area. It is also great value, both for exhibitors and for delegates, who not only get in for free but also get to attend the seminars throughout the day too.
We can’t wait for the exhibition and look forward to speaking to people at our stand, whether it’s to talk about print requirements or just for a chat. We promise, unlike the Bristol Croc, we don’t bite!” Said Ian Chambers, BrunelOne.com BrunelOne.com offers easy online printing services to upload artwork, browse templates or create your own design online, together with their valued ‘local’ customer service & exceptional print quality. Aimed at sole-traders, start-ups & smallbusinesses, their focus is on high quality, affordable print, easy online operation, and useful design & business advice.
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AMONG THE EXHIBITORS ARE ECO IP
NetPilot Internet Security Ltd
The Bristol Hotel
At the heart of every successful modern business is an efficient and cost effective communications solution. In collaboration with leading manufacturers, we provide products at the forefront of technology. Our specialists will deliver unrivalled applications for your business, regardless of size, service or location.
Bristol based NetPilot has fifteen years’ experience of developing and manufacturing internet security and productivity devices for businesses, schools and the armed forces.
The Bristol Hotel is a luxurious beacon of bold modernity, sitting pretty on the quayside of the Floating Harbour. Experience the great location and enjoy the chic cuisine in The River Grille, cocktails in The River Lounge and for the more informal experience drinks and food in The Shore Bar – the perfect place to watch the world go by.
At Eco IP we take the time to understand the challenges your organisation may face, not only today but in the future – for example time, finance, resources, staff mobility and globalisation – and provide an effective, innovative solution that works for you. Working with you, offering impartial advice, we will provide a diverse and tailored solution that meets your needs, now and for the future. We assess the Environmental impact of the solution and by supplying low-power consumption; recyclable equipment can reduce your carbon footprint. Whether it’s due to Regulations, a Corporate Social Responsibility Policy, cost reductions or all of the above, Eco IP are here to help you. To take advantage of our FREE, no obligations, on site telecoms review, contact us today.
0117 911 2992 www.ecoip.co.uk Exhibition Stand 111
The company creates all its own software and hardware, which it then combines to build products including the new SoHoBlue product range – being shown for the first time in public at the exhibition. The new SoHoBlue devices protect complete organisations from a wide range of internet threats including viruses and hackers. To enable businesses to get the best focus and productivity from employees, SoHoBlue either monitors or enforces company policies defining which websites can be accessed. With interest growing in the use of ‘Cloud’ services, SoHoBlue provides extremely fast and secure connectivity to Cloud hosted resources including over high speed fibre optic internet links.
Whatever the nature of your event – corporate dinner or banquet, wedding or social gathering or even the office Christmas party, you will find The Bristol Hotel has all you need. From the comforts of the cool contemporary William Jessop Suite, to the luxurious Ballroom with rich, deep carpets and Waterford Crystal chandeliers you can be sure of outstanding facilities, elegant surroundings and a highly experienced events team all combining to make you your event effortlessly special.
We will be happy to answer any questions you may have on business internet connectivity. See us on Stand 9.
The Bristol Hotel dinary hospitality
01275 333 608 sales@netpilot.com www.netpilot.com Exhibition Stand 9
0117 923 0333 www.doylecollection.com Exhibition Stand 136
bringing you and expert
TESTIMONIALS FROM LAST YEAR’S EXHIBITORS
Absolutely great day as usual and very professionally run. Stand 40 is becoming a landmark for us I think now Julian Puddy Financial Consultant Hartsfield Financial
extraorservice.
As usual, the exhibition was fab. I have already made two sales as a direct response of the exhibition... Which paid for the cost of my stand in full Alison Jones Owner Alison Websites
Tuesday 4th March 2014 10am 3pm Ashton Gate Stadium, Bristol For full details visit www.bristolbusinessexhibition. co.uk or call 0117 9114223
Business West – A Powerful Voice for Business Business West, the largest business membership organisation in the region, represents and works with 16,000 businesses from large to small and across all sectors. We provide a full range of advice and support services from how to start, develop and grow your business to expanding overseas and breaking into foreign markets. As the voice of business in our area we are uniquely positioned at the heart of the local business community – advising, leading, connecting and helping businesses to grow. We also ensure that business issues are taken into account when key decisions are made at the local, regional and national levels, so together we can make a difference to your business and the local economy. For free expert advice visit us at stand 124 to see how we can help your business.
01275 373 373 info@businesswest.co.uk www.businesswest.co.uk Exhibition Stand 124
Nozey Parkers
Costco
We are business troubleshooters that work with SMEs to sort out chaos and inefficiencies. We are often bought in where others have failed to deliver, and quickly spot the problem areas. This means businesses see the results immediately. A company may have grown too fast, the owners might be looking to retire/sell/or franchise and want everything in order, or it could be that business is not improving and they don’t know why. We can get your business to run efficiently, smoothly, increase performance and save time and money. We can help you find customers & keep them happy, so they use your services time and time again. We can eliminate the stress of unhappy, under productive staff.
Come and see us at the Bristol Business show and find out more about how Costco can help you in your business. Costco Wholesale is a membership warehouse club, dedicated to bringing our members quality goods and services at the lowest possible prices. We provide a wide selection of merchandise, plus the convenience of speciality departments and exclusive member services, all designed to make your shopping experience a pleasurable one. We are confident in the quality and value of our products, and we stand behind them with our guarantee of satisfaction.
We are passionate about making improvements, so businesses become more efficient, streamlined, cost-effective and competitive. Knowledgeable, pragmatic and approachable, enabling owners in many diverse businesses to find and resolve inefficiencies since the mid-80s.
07784 611399 tina.parker@nozeyparkers.co.uk www.nozeyparkers.co.uk Exhibition Stand 18
The annual membership fee for Standard Trade Membership is £20 (plus VAT). Membership criteria applies, to find out more see us at the show or call us on 01179160130.
0117 916 0130. www.costco.co.uk Exhibition Stand 90
A great exhibition and some inspiring talks. I look forward to the next one. Look forward to seeing you soon Andy Ellis Operations Manager Dynamic Heating Services
A great event - plenty of new faces in terms of companies exhibiting and visitors to the event. I had a very productive day meeting new people - over 30 new leads which is brilliant - and catching up with people that I already know. The catching up is sometimes seen as one of the least important of the reasons to exhibit but, and I suspect that there is research to prove it, it is for me one of the most important reasons. I will add that everything was so well organised and made the whole experience great Sean Humby MD Business Network
We had a great reception from new businesses and some immediate sign ups on the day.....
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Sarah Forrester - Wilson Community Engagement & Events Coordinator The Bristol Pound.
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www.bristolpost.co.uk/business
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
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Motors and vehicle management
KEEP YOUR SHOW ON THE ROAD They’re a major cost for many firms, but should you buy, lease or contract hire your company vehicles? Rupert Janisch investigates the various options
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AKE a circuit of the A4147 or drive along the M32 and you will pass thousands of leased and rented vehicles, but remain none the wiser. Many businesses use company vehicles – either a fleet of cars for their staff, or vans, trucks or lorries for delivery purposes. They’re expensive items, whether to purchase or on a lease, and can form a significant part of a company’s expenditure, even if fleet management is completely unrelated to the nature of the business. So what should companies considering using vehicles for their business be considering when weighing up the options? Ultimately, of course, everything comes down to cost – whether that’s initial and ongoing layout for hire or
“ The vehicle rental and leasing sector makes a major contribution to the efficiency with which the UK economy works.
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Gerry Keaney for purchase, maintenance costs, fuel usage, insurance or depreciation. And in each of these aspects, there are pitfalls to be aware of. Nick Wilton runs Flying Penguin, a supplier of vehicle parts to a variety of private and public sector clients, both on these shores and overseas. He is also the SME representative on the board of the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership and previously worked in fleet management for Saab. He says many of the principles in fleet management are universal. “If I have a requirement for a number of vehicles, then there are certain options available to me,” he said. “I can buy them, in which case I’m responsible for the entire risk and reward, disposal, maintenance and the whole nine yards. I can get some form of capital lease, where the vehicles are used as collateral – most people can’t buy them in cash because they don’t have that sort of money. Or you can go for any number of operating leases – contract hire as they’re known in this country – in which you pay and the lessor is responsible for the vehicle. “Working capital is a major consideration in your decision. In contract hire, rental payments are all you have to think about. At the end of the vehicle’s life, you have no considerations about disposal, although this can come back to bite the unwary. “You agree to take the vehicle for a set period of time, on termination you hand the vehicle back, and all else
being equal you walk away. So cash payment is something to consider, but it’s also a matter of time. If you’re an IT business, do you really want staff looking after vehicles? “On the other hand, there are pitfalls of running an operating lease – there are good operators and there are some who aren’t so good. “There are some unscrupulous operators who offer rates which are very competitive, but where they make their money is on the extras. “Reputable operators wouldn’t act badly, but if you sign a contract with a legal, but potentially unethical, company you can find yourself liable for damage and excess mileage which exceeds the value of the vehicle.” The rental and leasing industry provides a vital extra source of finance to businesses, and two-thirds of their customers are SMEs. Leasing a vehicle gives companies a number of benefits, including fixed monthly fees, no acquisition costs and far less risk. Using a fleet management company means businesses can relieve themselves of the administrative burden of running a fleet.
The BVRLA is the trade body for this industry. A recent poll of its members found that 89 per cent expect the economy to improve over the next six months, with 78 per cent expecting this improvement to filter through to the fleet leasing sector. Anyone renting vehicles could do worse than check the company they are leasing from is a member of the BVRLA, which regulates the industry through a regular series of quality assurance inspections and a mandatory code of conduct. Gerry Keaney, chief executive of the BVRLA, said: “The vehicle rental and leasing sector makes a major contribution to the efficiency with which the UK economy works. “As well as giving businesses access to modern, fuel-efficient vehicles, fleet management services and lower capital costs, vehicle leasing can also provide a range of ‘housekeeping’ services, including maintenance, insurance and road tax – freeing up resources and working capital for other tasks.” Among the many reputable vehicle firms out there is ALD Automotive,
● Nick Wilton, MD of Flying Penguin
Pic: Barbara Evripidou BRBE20130916B-2
which employs 325 people and is based in Lodge Causeway, Fishponds, with offices in Northampton and Milton Keynes. Gary Willcocks is head of new business sales at the firm and said the issues to consider regarding fleet
management were the same for large corporates as they were for SMEs, especially since fewer companies were purchasing vehicles in the current cash-strapped economic climate. “There has been a significant in-
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Wednesday, February 26, 2014
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WITH BETTER FLEET MANAGEMENT We have to transport displays to Barcelona, Nice or Munich – reliability is crucial Case study
● Trevor Morland, head of finance at Clip Ltd, next to one of the company’s branded vans
crease to the leasing market,” he said, “mainly because of the availability of cash so that they can use the funds to grow the business rather than on a continually depreciating asset. “It’s happened particularly through the recession and, coming out of the recession, we don’t see any changes in that approach.” The importance of planning to ensure efficient vehicle usage is one of the keys to successful fleet management, says Mr Wilton. “I would advise any company considering which option to go for to model the impacts of each alternative,” he added. “Ask yourself what you need the vehicles for, whether you trust yourself to manage them and whether your idea of what is fair wear and tear fits with the contract. “Whatever solution you go for, the biggest single cost element is depreciation. If you go for contract hire that’s not a problem, in the sense that depreciation remains the lessor’s risk, but if you adopt cash purchase or financing then depreciation is a
major factor. So some cars are cheaper to buy but more expensive to lease because their depreciation is high, reflecting their weak residual values. “So if you are buying, financing leasing or going for hire purchase, if you are ending up reselling the car then you need to look at the likely future residual value using CAP Monitor or Glass’s Guide, or similar industry standards. “Insurance is also becoming a big issue. In the five or six years since I have been running our business, our insurance per vehicle has more than doubled – we are becoming an increasingly litigious culture and it’s affecting everyone’s premiums. “But there are lots of things you can do. You can make drivers take advanced awareness courses and be sensible about the vehicles you choose for your fleet. “You can also be sensible about who you get to drive your vehicles, so you select steady drivers with clean licences, rather than boy racers.
Journey planning is important to make mileage efficient ● ALD Automotive operates 98,000 vehicles in the UK at the Bristol operation, as well as offices in Northampton and Milton Keynes. It is also part of a larger group that operates one million vehicles in 38 countries. Gary Willcocks, head of new business sales at the firm, said: “It’s about smart buying – putting research into working out which size of vehicle you need, whether the mpg figure is better than a competitor, and then seeing how the prices compare. “The costs of finance, fuel, accidents and so on – those are the factors which impact on any fleet, regardless of their size. “The environmental impacts of their fuel usage are all key considerations to think about.
Case study “The other important thing is to select a vehicle which has a good miles per gallon figure. “Journey planning is quite important and there’s a lot of work done by telematics and such devices to help plan routes, firstly to reduce the number of journeys, but also to make those journeys more efficient. “We promote those types of devices and use them to manage their journeys and work out how drivers can be more efficient and effective in the use of their vehicles. At the end of the day, the vehicles are very expensive, so they need to be utilised as well as possible.”
Picture: Michael Lloyd BRML20140221D-002 “When you’re purchasing, some cars are a lot more expensive to maintain than others – generally speaking, the modern franchises are more aggressively priced. “Parts need to be thought about, too. As a general rule, the more common the vehicle, the greater the availability of parts and people who are happy to maintain it. “So with my vehicles, I certainly wouldn’t take them to the franchise dealer unless it’s a job which only the franchise dealer can do – their costs can be prohibitively high because they have shiny showrooms and overheads to match. “Generally, people should just apply first principles – depreciation comes first, then fuel consumption, then insurance, then maintenance. There are things you can do in terms of managing driver behaviour, which has a major impact on the cost of ownership. Driver behaviour will affect everything – fuel consumption, frequency of accidents and wear and tear on brake pads, clutches etc.”
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● AS with most businesses that use vehicles to deliver their products, reliability is a major concern for Clip Ltd. The company specialises in exhibition displays and serves clients exhibiting at locations all over the UK and Europe, so vehicle failure during transit could potentially have major consequences. Clip has a small fleet of staff cars and company vans that it uses on a daily basis – from the managing director, through management levels, and down to the VW Golfs and Audi A3s used by sales reps. Then there’s the more sporadic requirement, the other aspect of Clip’s fleet management needs, when clients need to have displays transported across Europe to destinations such as Barcelona, Nice and Munich. And with up to 20 displays on at the typical major exhibition in these locations, three vans don’t always provide the required capacity. Clip contract-hires its company fleet from a variety of suppliers. When needing extra capacity, it uses a local company such as U-Drive, which has head offices in Dorset and 14 other offices around the south of England. Trevor Morland, head of finance at Wick-based Clip, has been responsible for looking after the fleet since he took on his new position five months ago. “We go on a mixture of cost and employee preference,” said Trevor. “They are all on contract hire except for the managing director’s car. “Including fuel, we spend almost £200,000 on our fleet each year, which is about nine per cent of our annual expenditure. It’s not a major cost for our company, but for us it’s about getting the right vehicles and making sure that they are reliable.”
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Wednesday, February 26, 2014
The Big Interview
BROADMEAD’S MY BABY AND SHE’S The arrival of Cabot Circus five years ago reinvigorated Bristol’s shopping scene, but many feared it would leave Broadmead an empty shell. Rupert Janisch meets the woman who has been working hard to make sure the city’s central shopping district continues to thrive
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RISTOLIANS will all have their own memories and views of Broadmead. For Jo Hawkins, it’s her baby. Like a mother raising a child from infancy through its teens, to a grown adult, Jo has played a critical role in the development of the city centre precinct for the past 15 years. You may not know who Jo is, but Broadmead retailers – all 300 of them – certainly will. She’s the Broadmead project manager, responsible for the many millions of pounds spent on improving the centre for the past decade-and-a-half. And her work will continue for the next five years at least, after Broadmead was recently confirmed for its
Vital statistics
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Name: Jo Hawkins, right Age: 47 Place of birth: Bristol School: Berkeley Vale Community School First job: Research assistant in a market research agency Hero or inspiration: Jessica Ennis, below, and Emily Pankhurst
third tranche of Business Improvement District (BID) funding, which will continue until 2018. Jo herself has been involved with Broadmead for 15 years, but her work on the BID started back in 2005, before Cabot Circus even existed. She said: “The BIDs were set up in 2004 and Broadmead was one of the first ones in the UK. It was a national scheme with universal guidelines and our first BID started in 2005 and ran until 2008. “In simple terms, for a Business Improvement District you need to define a geographical area – so in this case it’s Broadmead and the Galleries. “Then we went to the businesses, said that the BID existed and that if they put in a percentage above their business rates into a pot, then that money would be ring-fenced, given to the BID to look after and collectively we could decide what that money was spent on.” The BID concept was not originally
a British one. John Hirst, manager of Destination Bristol, had seen them working in other countries and thought that Bristol and Broadmead itself would be an ideal location for one. But for a business leader to approve a concept is one thing. To convince hundreds of retailers to add to their existing business rates was another matter. However, it was an essential one. The scheme required more than half the businesses to support it – not only in terms of numbers, but also in square footage, so as not to discriminate against any of Broadmead’s residents, regardless of size. And should these criteria be satisfied, everyone was automatically
involved, regardless of whether they had given the scheme their backing. The deal was that businesses in Broadmead would see an extra 1.5 per cent added to their annual business rates and those in the Galleries would commit 0.75 per cent. For a very small business, it worked out at around £200 per year. “We had spoken to a lot of people and done a lot of research,” said Jo, “so we felt quite confident that this was the way they wanted to go. We were successful in the vote and so we needed to decide what the money was going to be spent on. “Cabot Circus was due to open three years later and everyone was worried that we’d have this fantastic centre and a Broadmead area which
My downtime My perfect weekend: Saturday would be a long walk in the country with my husband followed by a pub lunch and an afternoon of reading. Sunday would be spent relaxing with friends and family. Favourite TV show: Mad Men, right. Favourite books: Anything by Peter Carey and Hilary Mantel. What are your hobbies (if any)? Running, reading, walking, indulging in good food and red wine.
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Wednesday, February 26, 2014
COMING ALONG JUST FINE My working day
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Business diary FSB South Gloucestershire seminar: Today, 6.45pm-9.45pm, Aztec West Hotel, Almondsbury, BS32 4TS. Register at www.fsb.org.uk. Ready for business workshop: Introductory workshops for anyone who is exploring the concept of self-employment or starting a business. At Brave, The Coach House, Upper York Street, Bristol, 10am-4pm, tomorrow. Free. Contact readyforbusiness@ businesswest.co.uk. Social media – make it work for your business: Superfast Business and Cosmic offer simple ways to make social media fit into your business, 8.30am to 11am tomorrow, Bristol and Bath Science Park. Funded by European Regional Development Fund. Eligibility criteria apply. Visit www.superfast business.co.uk to register.
Wake up: 6.30am Breakfast: A bowl of porridge and hot lemon to drink Start work: 8am Typical working day: There is no typical day, thankfully. Every day brings a new challenge! However, I spend a lot of time meeting retailers, looking for innovative ways to market the Broadmead area, above, and, like everyone else, responding to an
then we really went for it, so that when they were just about to open, we were getting ready, too. “So that was our first BID – it transformed the area and was really good for the retailers.” The end of the initial scheme came around in 2008, shortly before the opening of Cabot Circus and at the beginning of the recession. It’s been five years since the calamitous collapse of Lehman Brothers heralded the beginning of the credit crunch and half a decade of financial struggle. So it’s probably a good thing that the second Broadmead BID covered exactly that period – the extension to a five-year plan fortunately avoided the awkwardness of renewing it in 2011.
Christmas and even in January, which is usually very slow. There are a lot of retailers doing really well. “The ones who are competitive and are going for it are good. It’s tough, as it is for everyone in the country, and there are some empty shops in places. But we’ve done well.” And there are further improvements planned for Broadmead, with the Union Gate development at the bottom of Union Street about to start. So for Bristol-born Jo, who moved back to the city 15 years ago from a job working for a market research agency in London, it’s an exciting time.
VIEW VIDEO Jo Hawkins sets out what the Business Improvement District team will do for Broadmead traders. Watch the video to find out bristolpost.co.uk/business “The Mall at Cribbs Causeway opened just after I moved back,” she said. “And it’s been amazing to see Cabot Circus coming out of the ground. It’s changed everything. “But it’s not just here, it’s the whole of the centre of Bristol – it makes the people who live here proud to see what’s happening. “Cabot Circus is great and I love the fact that it’s there, but Broadmead is my baby and I’m very fond of it. “We’re a very small team and if we didn’t have a personal, close relationship with the retailers then it wouldn’t work.”
World class marketing, made in the South West: Free monthly networking event for the creative services sector run by Marketing network Bath & Bristol. Guest speaker Tim Hughes, professor of applied marketing at UWE Bristol. The Clifton Club, 22 The Mall, Tuesday, March 4. Call 0845 8382159. Advice clinics: One-hour clinics with Business West for ambitious managing directors who want to focus on the challenges of growth. Rivergate Business Centre, Temple Quay, on Tuesday, March 4. Email info@growthsouthwest.co.uk. FSB Bristol branch networking event: Free for members. Wednesday, March 5, 9.30am to 11.30am, 1 Friary, Temple Quay, BS1 6EA. www.fsb.org.uk. Wednesday@6: Bristol Institute of Directors informal free networking at The Radisson Blu, from 6-8pm, March 5. Call 0117 370 7785 to register. The Set.Social: Monthly informal networking night at The Set, a collaboration club at Bath Road Studios. Taking place on the first Wednesday of every month, it aims to bring together like-minded people in the South of Bristol to meet, think, create over drinks and canapés, 6pm. Bristol Chamber of Commerce networking breakfast: Liaise with like-minded people and enjoy a full English breakfast at Goldbrick House. 7.30am-9.30am, Thursday, March 6. £11 members, £20 non-members. Contact events@businesswest.co.uk. Doing business in India: UK India Business Council is taking a business delegation to Delhi, Gurgaon and Bangalore, March 10-17. Contact angela.maynardsmith@ uktisouthwest.org. 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.
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was, at that time, looking pretty tired.” It’s a view that many of us will sympathise with. Memories don’t fade so quickly that we won’t remember the old Broadmead of the early 2000s. There’s been a definite improvement over the past few years. “We decided collectively that the money would be spent on upgrading the street scene,” said Jo. “We were also very fortunate that Land Securities, who owned the land for Cabot Circus, were keen to get involved as well. “We got £3 million from the BID and Land Securities gave us a further £10 million. We saved up all the money until just before Cabot Circus opened,
But rather than focusing on new street furniture, as with the fist BID scheme, retailers felt something different was needed back in 2008. “We were expecting the retailers to want more street scene done,” said Jo, “but they said they wanted some marketing, like the Galleries and Cabot Circus were doing. “So we went ahead with marketing and, to a lesser degree, with cleansing and maintenance. The council is responsible for cleaning the streets and haven’t stopped doing that, but the money from the BID just gets it done to a better level. “Marketing projects have varied massively – we have done lots with the Post and with Heart FM, as well as with events, street performers and contributions to the lights at Cabot Circus. Lots of things that we wouldn’t have been able to do otherwise.” And despite the investment through the recession, the BID scheme has clearly not been seen by Broadmead retailers as money wasted in hard times. In October, Jo’s team applied for a further round of funding and found that support among retailers was at its highest level ever. “Looking at the economic climate at the moment, it was a bit of a worry, so it was a brilliant result for us and we’re clearly doing something right,” she said. “I think there’s quite a good understanding among a lot of the retailers that if we didn’t do this, we’d have nothing. There is no other option. They know that the city council’s not going to give them any more money. Back in the good old days some of the top retailers would give money, but they know that’s not going to happen. “The mood’s fairly buoyant. Things are looking more positive in the media and that has a positive effect. A lot of the retailers did very well over
ever-increasing number of emails. Go home: Depends on workload, but usually by 6pm Do you take work home/attend evening functions? Last year was particularly busy and I took a lot of work home. Things are back on an even keel now, so not often. I occasionally attend evening functions, but not as a rule.
Colston St Bar & Kitchen launch: Colston Hall, Colston Street, Monday, March 3. Invitation only from Bath Ales.
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Wednesday, February 26, 2014
Up and coming
Movers & shake-ups The latest appointments news. Send your news to business@b-nm.co.uk
Growth
Good connections help you thrive Richard Branson
“ No matter how heavy your workload is, do not allow yourself to work in your cubicle or office all day, every day
Business@b-nm.co.uk
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UCCEEDING in business is all about making connections. While we at the Virgin Group have never hired anybody whose job description was limited to making internal and external contacts, it is implicit that almost every one of the staff has these skills. This has helped Virgin to expand into so many different industries, from music to mobile phone services. As we build connections in other areas, we have been able to grow our expertise and multiply our reach. For an entrepreneur, the ability to forge connections is a great asset. When you’re conducting business in a field where you don’t have specialist expertise, it’s often the only way to get a job done right. When our team at Virgin wanted to go to space, I looked for the best engineer in the world to help us build a spaceship. Once we’d connected with Burt Rutan, creator of the revolutionary SpaceShipOne, we were able to get to work on creating Virgin Galactic. Back in October, we celebrated the 40th anniversary of the launch of Virgin Records and we got the original gang back together and went for a tour of all our old haunts in London. It brought us back to the heady days in the ’70s when Nik Powell was planning Virgin Records’ expansion into retail, Simon Draper was out scouting the coolest new bands, Tom Newman was experimenting with new recording techniques and I was busily marketing our brand. During the tour, we visited the church crypt that we used as an office for Student Magazine, the houseboat my family and I had lived on, and Virgin’s original head office in Notting Hill. We wound it up at an exhibition, ‘Virgin Records: 40 Years of
Richard Branson
Disruptions’, at Victoria House, where we celebrated in style. In retrospect, it was interesting how close the tour locations were – in those whirlwind first years, we quickly built a creative community where lots of like-minded people lived and worked. Those connections benefited everyone involved, in the same way that the networks in Silicon Valley and London’s Tech City have promoted innovation. My three friends and I have had our fair share of arguments over the past four decades, as people will – especially when they’re running a global business together. But we all went on to work on different projects, and we were always ready to shake hands again. I’m delighted that we’re still so close. Our celebration gave us a chance to renew those friendships and make new con-
nections – everyone is still full of ideas and working on various new ventures – and as we spent time together, we came up with more plans, as always. That got me thinking about how important networking is for entrepreneurs, and how to encourage people to network. It’s all about personal contact. No matter how heavy your workload is, do not allow yourself to work in your cubicle or office all day, every day – for your own well-being and the health of your business, you need to get out and about, meeting people and developing relationships. If you discuss a work matter with an employee or a potential client over coffee, rather than simply sending over an email, you’re more likely to build rapport, which will be useful if you ever need to tackle any problems together. Good managers give their
teams the freedom to set their own schedules, realising that the same is true of employees’ relationships with their co-workers and the company’s clients. That said, you can also make great connections while sitting at your desk. Through social media, you can get in touch with almost anyone, and connect in the real world as well. Just recently, a 12-year-old business studies student sent me an email asking for some tips, and I spotted her note and wrote back. These days, the only thing stopping you from building up your network is how much time you dedicate to it. Everyone can and should be a networker. Those good connections will breed more good connections. In the end, it all comes down to talking to people. Track down people you would love to work with and start sharing your ideas. You’ll soon discover you have found some great partners and, more importantly, some great friends.
● Sir Richard Branson is backing Virgin StartUp, a not-for-profit organisation that offers financial support, mentoring and business advice to young entrepreneurs over the age of 18 across England. A series of free Virgin StartUp ‘HotHouse’ events are taking place across the country over the coming months. This week sees the tour arrive in Bristol, at Leigh Court Business Centre on Friday, 8.30-11am. Got a hot business idea? Make it happen in the Virgin StartUp HotHouse: www.virginstartup.org, www.facebook.com/virginstartup.
Construction
Marketing
Chance to build ‘exciting’ career
Young creatives given job chance
HOUSEBUILDER Taylor Wimpey is urging those aiming to develop a career in construction to look at opportunities with the firm. The company has vacancies for three site management trainees at its Bristol office in Almondsbury, as well as positions for an assistant accountant and a finance trainee. Among the recent staff success stories at the branch are Rob Lawrence, pictured, who was recently promoted to assistant site manager at the fir m’s Kings Copse development in Quedgeley, Gloucester, and Will Cox, who now holds the same position at Taylor Wimpey’s Chestnut Park development in Wotton-under-Edge. Keith Simmons, managing director for Taylor Wimpey Bristol, said:
“There are many opportunities to enjoy a rewarding career with plenty of opportunities for development at Taylor Wimpey Bristol. Rob and Will are excellent examples of this – both have learned new skills and progressed further in their roles with us. “I would encourage anyone who is looking for a satisfying and exciting career with plenty of scope for progression to take a look at the roles currently available at Taylor Wimpey Bristol without delay.” Taylor Wimpey UK is one of the largest residential developers in the UK, developing new homes and communities across the country. It operates from 24 regional offices across England, Scotland and Wales and builds over 10,000 homes each year.
AN initiative to give apprenticeships in the creative and digital marketing industries to school-leavers launches on Monday. The Creative Pioneers Challenge 2014, run by the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising, starts on the first day of National Apprenticeship Week. The scheme gives school-leavers the chance to win 12 months’ paid work and on-the-job training, leading to an apprenticeship qualification, at IPA member agencies and others around Bristol. It is open to school or college-leavers aged from 16 to 23 with a positive attitude, digital and social media skills and qualifications no higher than A-levels or equivalent. Since 2012, 60 apprentices have
been employed in the creative and digital media industries in and around Bristol, Gloucester and Bath. More than 80 per cent have gone on to take up permanent posts with their apprenticeship employer or related companies. Andy Reid, pictured, managing director at McCann Bristol and IPA city head, said: “The IPA’s Creative Pioneers Challenge presents young people with a fantastic opportunity to work with some of the best creative companies in the South West and demonstrates our desire to support the talent of tomorrow. “At McCann Bristol, we put huge emphasis on investing in people and training. We are very much looking forward to welcoming a creative pioneer apprentice in our midst.”
● JORDANS Corporate Law Limited, the new legal practice based in Bristol, has appointed Simon Bates, above, as head of commercial. The company was established recently and has already grown to 20 people, providing other legal firms, accountants and corporates with a range of legal, governance and compliance services. Simon said: “I was really drawn to Jordans because I see the approach they are taking as leading the way in offering a new kind of service from the traditional practices – highly client-focused and very transparent in terms of pricing.” ● PROFESSOR Katie Williams, director of the Centre for Sustainable Planning and the Environments at UWE Bristol, has been appointed to lead one of the strands of the Government’s new foresight review on the future of cities. The review will inform Government decisions on where and how to build in the UK for the next 50 years. Ms Williams said: “Cities and towns need to be planned to take into account future infrastructure requirements. This means considering the requirements for energy, water, waste, transport and ICT from the beginning of the process.”
● COMMERCIAL law firm Thrings has appointed James Myatt and Malcolm Emery, above, as partners. James, a well-known figure in the Bristol business community, who currently holds the position of Under Sheriff for the City and County of Bristol, joins Thrings from Lyons Davidson, where he was a partner and head of the private client division. Malcolm arrives from WBW Solicitors, where he was partner and head of the private wealth team. James said: “I am delighted to have the opportunity to join and help develop such an excellent and established team.”