Business Cornwall May 22

CORNWALL'S PREMIER BUSINESS RESOURCE FOR ALL THE LATEST NEWS AND OPINION

businesscornwall.co.uk

MAY 2022 | ISSUE 157 | £3.95

IN THE FAST LANE HELEN WYLDE, CEO OF BROADBAND PROVIDER WILDANET

YOUNG GUNS

CORNWALL’S 30 UNDER 30

CREATIVE SECTOR MARKETING TIPS FOR YOUR BUSINESS

05

05 9 772514

842001

Saving lives for 35 years Keep your charity flying for many more

cornwallairambulancetrust.org Registered Charity No. 1133295

MAY 2022

REGULARS 4 BUSINESS NEWS

INSIDE

CORNWALL TOPS ‘GOOD GROWTH INDEX’

FEATURES

13 BUSINESS CLINIC TAX ADVICE FROM RRL

38 ON THE MOVE WHO’S GONE WHERE

39 EDUCATION & TRAINING NEWS UNI AMONG WORLD’S BEST

ISSUE 157

8

CEO INTERVIEW

20 CREATIVE

WE SPEAK TO NEW WILDANET CEO HELEN WYLDE

14 30 UNDER 30 CORNWALLS BRIGHT YOUNG BUSINESS TALENT

PORTRAY YOUR BUSINESS IN THE BEST POSSIBLE LIGHT

36 DIGITAL CONNECTIVITY

40 CREATIVE & DIGITAL

FAST BROADBAND TRANSFORMING BUSINESS

FUNDING FOR FILM COMPANY

41 FSB FEDERATION OF SMALL BUSINESSES

42 FOOD & DRINK KOREV SKYBAR DEAL

43 CHAMBER NEWS CHAMBER CHIEF EXEC KIM CONCHIE

44 JUST A THOUGHT SEA SANCTUARY’S JOE SABIEN

45 EVENTS DIARY WHAT’S ON

46 CONNECTED NETWORKING PICS

48 THE LAST WORD MATT MILLER OF MOR WORKSPACE

PHOTO: FALMOUTH UNIVERSITY’S GAMES ACADEMY SEE PAGE 39 FOR FULL STORY

BUSINESS CORNWALL | 1

ISSUE 157

MAY 2022

CORNWALL'S PREMIER BUSINESS RESOURCE FOR ALL THE LATEST NEWS AND OPINION

businesscornwall.co.uk

MAY 2022 | ISSUE 157 | £3.95

IN THE FAST LANE HELEN WYLDE, CEO OF BROADBAND PROVIDER WILDANET

YOUNG GUNS

CORNWALL’S 30 UNDER 30

CREATIVE SECTOR MARKETING TIPS FOR YOUR BUSINESS

05

05 9 772514

842001

9 772514

842001

ON THE COVER HELEN WYLDE, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF WILDANET SEE PAGE 8

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Nick Eyriey nick@businesscornwall.co.uk PUBLISHER Toni Eyriey toni@businesscornwall.co.uk BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Morveth Ward morveth@businesscornwall.co.uk ACCOUNT MANAGER Caroline Carter caroline@businesscornwall.co.uk CONTRIBUTORS PFA Research, Toby Weller DESIGN Ade Taylor design@businesscornwall.co.uk PRINT Printed in Cornwall by Deltor BUSINESS CORNWALL is published 10 times a year by:

Tonick Business Publishing Pool Innovation Centre Trevenson Road, Redruth TR15 3PL Tel: 01209 718688 SUBSCRIPTIONS subscriptions@businesscornwall.co.uk

WELCOME

BY EDITOR NICK EYRIEY

Hitting the spot And in a packed issue this month.

We meet Helen Wylde, the new chief executive of Cornwall-based broadband provider, Wildanet. Rather like the Heineken TV ad of the 1970s (that shows my age), Wildanet refreshes the parts other broadband providers (rather than beers) cannot reach!

Helen explains how Wildanet is reaching those hard to get to places in Cornwall, growth plans for the future and what drives her on as a successful businesswoman.

And she tells me, the similarity between her name and the company name are purely coincidental and there are no plans to change it to Wyldanet!

Also in this month’s issue, one of my favourite features of the year – Cornwall’s 30 under 30 – the annual celebration of Cornwall’s best and brightest young business talent. Also in this issue, experts from Cornwall’s creative sector offer their tips and advice to help your business stand out from the crowd.

Outside, while the weather is starting to warm up, so is the networking scene and the countdown is well and truly on for what is cranking up to be a red hot June – with the return of Royal Cornwall, the Cornwall Business Awards, the Cornwall Business Fair and the Cornwall Festival of Business all taking place in the same month.

ELLEN O’ROURKE (TOUCHBYTE) SEE 30 UNDER 30 ON P14

Much more of that in the next issue!

Registered under the Data Protection Act. All rights reserved No part of this publication may be reproduced, copied, stored in an electronic retrieval system or transmitted without the written permission of the publisher. Stringent efforts have been made by Business Cornwall magazine to ensure accuracy. However, due principally to the fact that data cannot always be verified, it is possible that some errors or omissions may occur. Business Cornwall magazine can not accept responsibility for such errors or omissions. Business Cornwall magazine accepts no responsibility for comments made by interviewees that may offend.

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2 | BUSINESS CORNWALL

Welcome to the future

Recently officially opened by HRH The Duke of Kent, we are proud to provide a new advanced engineering service in Cornwall, serving the subsea marine industry, the fast growing floating offshore wind sector, and other clients who are seeking ingenious engineering solutions.

Our new £3m Innovation Centre near Falmouth is the only facility of its kind in the South West (and one of very few in the UK) to offer such a comprehensive range of services on one site.

This means streamlined quality control and faster turnaround of projects.

Product design, machining, fabrication, electrical, electronics, embedded software, hydraulics and 3D design are all available.

The centre has been built to work in harmony with the environment and offers an exceptional working environment for staff.

So whether you’re a potential customer, a partner, or interested in joining our team, get in touch to discover more and arrange a visit to the Feritech Innovation Centre. Be part of the exciting future for advanced engineering in Cornwall.

Get in touch to find out how Feritech can help your business, bringing your ideas to life.

info@feritech.com | 01326 369 444 | www.feritech.com

BUSINESS NEWS

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IAN COCKERILL

CORNWALL TOPS ‘GOOD GROWTH INDEX’

STRATEGIC BOARD CHANGES

Cornwall’s green growth agenda and commitment to a low carbon economy have helped push it to the top of this year’s ‘Good Growth Index’ of English regions.

Mineral exploration company Cornish Lithium has announced a number of changes to its board of directors.

Ian Cockerill, a mining industry veteran, has been appointed independent non-executive chairman, while Janet Blas has been named as an independent non-executive director.

Additionally, Varshan Gokool, the company’s chief financial officer, has joined the board as an executive director.

Following Cockerill’s appointment, former chairman, Derek Linfield, will transition to a non-executive director role and former nonexecutive director, Louise Wrathall, will step down from the board to concentrate on her other business interests.

Jeremy Wrathall, CEO and founder of Cornish Lithium, said: “I would like to thank Derek and Louise for their major contributions to the company’s development over the past five years, and look forward to Derek’s continued involvement as a nonexecutive director.

“We are also excited to welcome Ian and Janet to Cornish Lithium. I am delighted that the company is able to attract an independent non-executive chairman and independent non-executive director of such calibre and experience.”

4 | BUSINESS CORNWALL

The annual survey from PwC and think tank Demos, ranks regions and cities across England according to a range of ‘good growth’ indicators.

These looks beyond just economic performance and focus on what members of the public believe are important in terms of wellbeing. This includes access to jobs, income, health, skills, work-life balance, housing, transport and the environment.

The Index says this year there has been a marked shift in public preferences, with greater weight being placed on issues such as work-life balance, income distribution and the environment. It also says the pandemic has exacerbated already deeprooted inequalities in society.

Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly rank #1 out of 38 Local Economic Partnership (LEP) areas in England for ‘good growth’.

The report singles out Cornwall for “playing to its strengths as a region rich in natural resources”, and points to geothermal energy, technology metals like lithium and planned satellite launches from Newquay as examples of how Cornwall is helping to “power growth nationally”.

It says that the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly LEP and Cornwall Council “have made very deliberate decisions around the type of growth they want to pursue”,

GLENN CAPLIN-GREY

CORNWALL

while “maintaining that regions and rural populations can also be engines for growth, not just urban cities”.

The LEP continues to invest in a range of new sectors in Cornwall including a lithium extraction plant currently under construction at United Downs, significant investment in Spaceport Cornwall and support for the development of a floating offshore wind industry in the region.

But the report also points to the challenges facing a rural economy, saying: “Behind the picturesque postcards and reports of soaring house prices, Cornish communities are grappling with inequalities that strike at the heart of the nation’s levelling up agenda, such as low wages and a housing supply crisis.”

Glenn Caplin-Grey, chief executive of the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly LEP, welcomed the report, saying: “The Good Growth Index shows how the pandemic has triggered a widespread shift in public priorities and highlights how people want to be more connected to their communities and to live in greener, fairer places.

“That’s a great opportunity for Cornwall, but also brings its own pressures. As Government works through the detail of its Levelling Up agenda it needs to recognise the huge potential we have to contribute to national growth while securing a fair economic recovery for one and all.”

BUSINESS NEWS

SPONSORED BY sapc.co.uk

CORNWALL

AIR AMBULANCE MILESTONE Cornwall Air Ambulance has celebrated 35 years since the first emergency helicopter service began in Cornwall – and the UK. In 1987, Cornwall was the first county in the UK to launch an air ambulance helicopter, a vital service that has proven time and time again its importance in such a rural destination.

Now, 35 years on, the crew are tasked to around 1,000 emergency missions every year, with more than 31,000 under their belts since the service was first launched. In 2021 alone, Critical Care Paramedics were called to 1,092 patients in need, attending everything

from medical emergencies to trauma-related incidents across the county and beyond.

CEO Tim Bunting said: “There is no doubt that this lifesaving service is vitally needed in this county.

“But what’s more amazing is that it’s completely funded by the generosity of the people of Cornwall and beyond.

“Without your support, our crew could not do what they do – help to save lives and keep more families together in Cornwall.

The public has proudly supported us for the last 35 years. Today, we need them to help keep us flying for many, many more.”

BEST OF THE SOUTH WEST There were a number of Cornish winners among last month’s South West Tourism Excellence Awards.

More than 90 awards were presented at the awards held at Sandy Park, home of the Exeter Chiefs rugby club. All forms of hospitality business were amongst the winners, with cafes, pubs, cookery schools and sailing schools all celebrating alongside attractions, camping and glamping sites, holiday parks, B&Bs, cottages and hotels.

Among the Cornish winners were Mylor Sailing and Powerboat School, which took double Gold in the Accessibility and Experience of the Year categories.

St Mawes hotel The Idle Rocks also returned

across the border with two Golds in the Restaurant and Small Hotel categories.

Other notable Cornish winners were Treseren (Business Events & Wedding Venue), Bango Kitchen (Casual Dining), Gwelmor (Dog Friendly), The Minack (Large Visitor Attraction), Three Mile Beech (New Tourism), Mother Ivey’s Bay Holiday Park (Resilience & Innovation), St Michael’s (Spa & Wellbeing) and Treloy Holiday Park (Water Conservation).

For a full list of winners, head to the southwesttourismawards.org.uk website.

CRUISING INTO DRY DOCK A&P Falmouth welcomed cruise ship MV Balmoral to its facility for ship repair works last month.

The 218-metre cruise ship carries 1,325 passengers and is operated by Fred Olsen Cruise Lines.

Fred Olsen cruise ships are regular visitors to Falmouth International Cruise Terminal, which is operated by A&P. However, this is the first time the company has chosen to send its cruise ships to A&P for ship repair works.

The Balmoral’s programme of works includes steel inserts, ship side valves, tunnel thruster overhaul and underwater paint.

CEO David McGinley said: “It has been fantastic to welcome Fred Olsen’s Balmoral into A&P Falmouth.

“Contracts such as these help us to sustain our workforce, apprenticeship programme and supply chain which drives prosperity and adds real social value to the south west of England and beyond.

“We are delighted to welcome the MV Balmoral to Falmouth and look forward to developing our partnership with Fred Olsen.”

BUSINESS CORNWALL | 5

CORNWALL

BUSINESS NEWS

SPONSORED BY

focus-technology.co.uk

‘TRANSFORMATIONAL’ MOMENT FOR SOUTH CROFTY The South Crofty tin project has taken a major step forward following news of a big cash injection.

Cornish Metals is raising £40.5 million from a group of investors that includes former Tory party chief executive Sir Mick Davis, the founder of Vision Blue Resources (VBR).

“Tin is essential to anything electronic, including electric vehicle (EV) components, computing, 5G, robotics, renewable power generation, and the electrification of the economy, making South Crofty a strategic asset with the ability to provide a secure, traceable, sustainable supply of this important metal.”

The cash will go towards dewatering the mine, resource drilling and the completion of a feasibility study.

6 | BUSINESS CORNWALL

The weekly ‘Better Presentations More Sales’ podcast from business consultant Trevor Lee has been ranked among the five best presentation podcasts in the world, by Feedspot.com, the world’s largest database of podcasts.

______________________________________

FERITECH CENTRE OPENED

The Duke of Kent was taken on a tour of the new Innovation Centre, which is based just outside Falmouth and specialises in advanced engineering solutions for marine and other industries.

______________________________________

Specialist lender Folk2Folk has reported year on year growth for its Innovative Finance ISA (IFISA), with 44% more ISA funds received than in the previous year.

With several peer-to-peer platforms closing to retail investors, Folk2Folk says it has seen an inflow of new customers from Funding Circle, Ratesetter and Zopa.

“It is testament to the quality of both the project and the company that an investor of the calibre of Vision Blue Resources is proposing such a significant investment, and we are delighted to welcome them as a major strategic shareholder.

The Duke of Kent was welcomed by Rob Ferris and Gemma Ferris, directors and co-owners of Feritech Global Ltd. He was accompanied on the visit by the Lord Lieutenant of Cornwall, Colonel Edward Bolitho OBE and Deputy Lieutenant James Staughton OBE.

St Petrocs has appointed Henry Meacock as its new chief executive, succeeding Steve Ellis, who has stepped down after 20 years in the role.

______________________________________

Cornish Metals CEO, Richard Williams, said: “This announcement marks a transformational moment for the company, its shareholders and all stakeholders in relation to the redevelopment of South Crofty, the company’s principal asset.

HRH The Duke of Kent officially opened the newly-constructed Feritech Innovation Centre last month.

NEWS IN BRIEF

After the tour, Rob Ferris thanked The Duke of Kent, who unveiled a plaque to commemorate the occasion. The Duke was then invited to plant a tree close to the entrance of the centre, as part of The Queen’s Green Canopy tree-planting initiative to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee.

Commenting on the visit, Rob Ferris said: “We are very grateful to HRH The Duke of Kent for making the time to visit us today. It has taken a huge effort by our team to get this new facility planned and built, and it is really exciting to now see its official opening.

“This new innovation centre will give us space to grow as a business, by expanding our range of services, helping us win important new contracts, and providing new job opportunities in our local area.”

The Headland claims to have become the first hotel in Newquay to become an accredited Living Wage Employer.

The Real Living Wage, which is currently set at £9.90 an hour, is paid by almost 9,000 business across the UK who believe their staff deserve a wage which meets every day needs.

It is almost £1 an hour more than the National Living Wage (£8.91 per hour) and over £1.50 more than the Minimum Wage (£8.36 per hour). ______________________________________ St Petrocs and Hall for Cornwall have been selected as the official charities for this year’s Royal Cornwall Show. The decision gives the charities the exclusive right to carry out collections across the three-day event (June 9-11). ______________________________________ Penzance-based currency broker TorFX has been named International Money Transfer Provider of the Year for a seventh consecutive year. The category was first added to the Moneyfacts awards in 2016, meaning that no other provider has ever taken home the trophy. ______________________________________ Rising costs have been cited behind the decision to cancel this year’s Newquay Fish Festival, which was set to take place in September. Organisers are readying plans for a return in 2023, with a “refreshed” format.

Truro & Penwith College

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Boost your business and career this summer Find the full list of courses and book online: truro-penwith.ac.uk/profdevsummer2022

@ATI_CORNWALL ASK THE INNOVATION EXPERTS. REGISTER YOUR INTEREST:

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REDEFINING SPECIALIST RECRUITMENT IN CORNWALL (AND BEYOND) With the current employment market, recruiting is difficult – and recruiting for the right people is even harder. That’s why seeking help from a professional, with specialist sector knowledge, is an absolute gamechanger.

Here at TalentTide, we know that specialist recruitment is key. With our team of experts, we offer an innovative and market-leading service to various sectors including Accountancy & Finance, IT & Tech, People Management, Marketing and Senior Administrative Roles.

find them their perfect match.

We’re not restricted to just Cornwall either, often casting our net further afield to find the best possible candidates and businesses to work together.

Specialist sector knowledge, is an absolute gamechanger

By honing down on these specific sectors, we know what our clients are looking for and how to

But while we want to find the right people for our clients, it’s also about helping candidates find the right opportunities for them, reducing the chance of staff turnover and guaranteeing long-term success.

Current client Paul, who runs a services company in Truro, says his journey with TalentTide started after struggling to find a financial controller through another agency.

“Within three days of our initial conversation, Dave had provided me with a shortlist containing a number of suitable candidates. I had interviews at the beginning of the following week and all of the candidates I met were incredibly well-briefed on the role, my company and were closely aligned with our corporate values!”

“I made a job offer to one of the candidates ten days after my first conversation with Dave.

Jane has been with us now for six months and I already couldn’t do without her.”

To find out more about TalentTide, get in touch with the team today. Call 01872 322823 or email info@talent-tide.co.uk to get started

BUSINESS CORNWALL | 7

HELEN

WYLDE

You’ve got a very varied background, most recently, with Lumo Trains. What shaped your career to be where you are today?

I spent much of my early career in telecommunications, five years at Vodafone and three years at 02. Most of my background is technology, marketing and sales, customer services, CRM systems, things like that. I was lucky enough to be at the start of what was the digital revolution, and

8 | BUSINESS CORNWALL

it was fabulous. I learned so much from some really clever people. And what I found was that I had a skill as a marketeer and a salesperson, so it was basically about transformation. I tend to focus on things that either need repair, or they’re really new ideas that need to be brought out of their shell. So, I’ve done some really interesting projects. Lumo is a good example, where First Group asked me to set up and launch a new electrified train company on the East Coast, and the first sustainable railway in the UK. We did that during lockdown. That’s a pretty typical Helen type of project - let’s be a challenger brand, let’s do this differently, let’s be the people’s choice. What I tend to do is look at that whole customer champion piece, new technologies, fresh thinking. That’s what I like doing, because it’s bringing people together.

You like a challenge?

I love a challenge. And nowadays I don’t do fix-its, I only do builds, which is a career choice because it’s a really positive thing to do. You get to a stage in your career when you want to put something back in. It gives me the opportunity to create jobs and create opportunities so that all our stakeholders, whether it’s colleagues, customers, partners, suppliers or shareholders, love what we do and see the value that we create for everyone.

Which is what you are doing now at Wildanet. How long has Wildanet been going?

The business was founded in 2017 and at

HELEN

WYLDE

Helen

Wylde

Access to fast broadband has become a vital tool for a business’ success, but rural areas like Cornwall have their inherent challenges. We meet Helen Wylde, the recently appointed chief executive of the rapidly-expanding Cornwall-based provider Wildanet.

the end of 2020 we secured £50m of private investment to build our network, which has put us in a really strong position. The founders’ vision is very much about making sure nobody gets left behind by the digital revolution. And one of the most compelling statistics from research we’ve done recently is that for every pound you spend on digital inclusion in Cornwall, you will get £15 back.

Because without decent, affordable internet people can’t look for jobs, they can’t bank, they can’t access public services. And 44% of Cornwall does not have the right speed or even coverage to be able to do that right now. There’s still a lot to be done despite what some people may have been led to believe about the coverage and speeds currently available.

When the pandemic first hit, everyone had to suddenly work from home. Did that lead to a sudden uptake in demand?

It did and it crystallised people’s thinking because I think up until then many people thought, ‘I don’t stream so why do I need fast broadband?’

People realised they could have much more flexibility about lifestyle - it changed the way they communicated. I don’t know about you, but during lockdown I was doing quizzes on Zoom with generations of our family, once we had taught everyone how to use it! People found new ways to communicate, and still are. It certainly had the impact of demonstrating the need and application of technology in our everyday

lives. And with the levelling up agenda, it’s a big part of what we and the Government are trying to achieve. Yes, you can build lots of roads and do other things, or you could get everyone connected at a reasonable speed, so that they can harness the power and potential of technology, whether that’s working from home, running their business or helping to tackle rural isolation. And that might drive something of a revolution for people like ourselves, who live and love life here in Cornwall and the south west, so that you can work from here in a sustainable way. It’s why Wildanet’s strapline is ‘From anywhere to everywhere’, because technology creates new opportunities.

BUSINESS CORNWALL | 9

HELEN

WYLDE

Is it now generally accepted that fast broadband is like any other utility and it’s a right rather than a luxury?

Yes but I don’t think we’re quite there yet.

And I think people are still too accepting of a shoddy service. Every community and every individual should demand decent broadband coverage. It future proofs the economy, socially and economically. And the sooner we have gigabit capability available to everybody, the better.

But do people really need that sort of speed?

Maybe not everyone right now, but some definitely do. And the profile will change with time. If you’re streaming, or if you’re gaming, and if you’ve got two children in the house doing that while you’re trying to work, you might want it.

And if you look at how healthcare is changing for instance, increasingly many medical professionals are offering remote diagnosis.

There is a growing area of innovation which remotely monitors the health of individuals at home and that will require broadband connectivity to work. It will make it easier and safer for people to remain longer in their own homes. Another example is online shopping which increasingly reduces the need to travel and provides rural communities with more choice in some areas of purchasing. In all these cases, both speed and reliability make a big difference.

And we’re not going to do less online in the future, we’ll be doing more, so it’s about making sure we’re ready.

What’s the picture like in Cornwall? Is there still a long way to go?

We’re using a blend of technologies to provide customers with the best solution we can to meet their particular needs. We started with wireless broadband, which includes things like 4G and other technologies to give people a better signal, and we’ve more or less got coverage across the whole of Cornwall with our wireless networks. And we’re investing tens of millions of pounds in our fibre rollout, which is working at speed on multiple sites. We’ve been putting fibre in for nearly a year and that’s going really well for us, with a lot of interest from communities. By the end of this year, we should have covered a lot of places which don’t currently have fibre.

Just be the best you can be

About 56% of the population have got enough to do what they need to do in terms of speed and coverage.

But that leaves 44% of the population who definitely haven’t.

What sort of speed is acceptable at the moment?

That’s a really interesting question, because it depends on who you are. Maybe 12, 15, or 20 megabits is ok if you’re doing nothing more than your emails.

Anything more than that, or if there’s more than one of you in the house, you’re going to need to go higher.

The cut-off point is probably around 60 megabits right now. So, it’s a long way off from where it should be.

And it’s the 44% who have not got sufficient speed, or no coverage at all, who are going to get left behind.

10 | BUSINESS CORNWALL

So how are you trying to improve these hard-to-reach areas?

Our main objective is to have a built backhaul network so we can go anywhere we want to in Cornwall. Right now we’re tackling the places that need us the most. So we’ve completed our fibre rollout in Dobwalls and Liskeard, Callington is just completing, and we’re halfway through doing Torpoint. Then we’ll move to the north of Cornwall and start working at multiple sites over the next quarter or so.

Our message is no one gets left behind.

Rather than somebody worrying about how many bits they need, we’ll have the conversation with them and work out what’s best for them. If it’s quicker to get them onto wireless than wait for a fibre install, we’ll do it. And the real difference between us and everybody else is we really are hyperlocal.

Rather than saying, “we’re just going to fill in Acacia Avenue”, we’re trying to say “right, what do we need to do for the community and how do we make this all work?” It’s a real hyperlocal approach.

HELEN

We are now moving eastwards into Devon because although there is a lot more competition, rural areas are still underserved.

Just like in Cornwall, we see the same pattern emerging in Devon where people are getting left behind. We’ll always be Cornish, but we don’t really have any brakes on where we can go in providing quality broadband capability for rural communities in the south west.

Is that one of the main differences between you and, BT, for example, being local?

Yes. What people don’t realise is that not all broadband is the same. When you come to install broadband in a rural area, you’ve really got to stop and think about what you’re doing. You may be in a situation where you have to go over a lot of land to one property, and it might be a listed building.

You’ve probably got some granite in there somewhere. The whole landscape could be covered in trees and hills, so you’ve got to think about how you get the signal across.

Every time you do a rural install, it’s not a case of simply rocking up and digging a hole like you would in a big conurbation. You’ve got all these considerations that you need to think about. So it’s understandable why the big players go for the easy bits and then back out. If you are sitting on the peripherals of a market town, or in a village, or in a rural area, you are probably not top of the list to get done as your area isn’t easy to do. At Wildanet we use a series of vouchers and grants provided by the Government where appropriate to do areas that are more rural and harder to deliver. These schemes are vital in achieving good coverage with high speeds.

The second thing is, we really drill down to the details to make it work; we know what we’re doing, we’re experts in this field. And the third thing is that we all live locally, so we’re passionate about what we’re doing. I grew up in the south west and one of the things which still upsets me is that I went away to university

and didn’t come back because there were no jobs. I can see huge improvements, but we can do so much more with good broadband coverage. There’s so much more opportunity and the technology will unlock that for the next generation. If we can unlock it, people don’t have to leave where they call home to look for work unless they want to go and have an adventure or move away for other reasons. It will be better for the economy, more balanced socially, bring in more money, and create more jobs.

How’s the business been scaling up in the last few years? How many people do you employ now?

We’re just under 100 people now, and for every job we create, there’s between two and four additional jobs being created in the local economy. We’ve got to the stage now where we want to train our own people so this summer we are launching a training academy, which will allow us to train engineers the way we want them, which is multi-skilled. We also want them to have great social skills and a good understanding of health and safety so that they fully represent Wildanet as a brand to our customers.

We’ve been really lucky with our engineers, they’re absolutely great, and we want to recruit and train many more. We are keen supporters of schemes that encourage and promote apprenticeships, and we want to offer as many of those as we can.

So by the end of the year, we’ll be near 140 people. We’ve also been renovating Westbourne House in the heart of Liskeard and are finishing up a bit of wiring and roof work, with a grand opening planned for 24th June. We will use that as our training hub and as our head office. We’ve also taken on a warehouse at Pensilva, we’ve got offices in Redruth and we’ve just taken an office in Exeter as well.

WYLDE

Are there similar companies to Wildanet in other rural areas across the UK? There are about 40 alt nets, alternative network providers, in the UK and about 10 of us are focusing on rural areas. What’s interesting though is you can’t treat all rural the same. We’re really good at coastal rural, which can be really tricky and I think is the hardest one to do - although I’m sure the Scots would tell you mountain rural is even worse! So there are specialisms, and having been founded in a coastal area we play to our strengths just as other alt nets play to theirs.

And between us we are determined to finish off the last 20% of the UK which has not got coverage currently.

Would it be fair to say in a perfect world, there would be no need for companies like Wildanet? That someone like Openreach would have done everything themselves?

I don’t think companies like Openreach could ever do what we do. And I think that those who are slightly more humble at some of the larger monopolies would actually agree with that. The other reason you need the alt nets is that you get choice for the customer. And that choice and competition is better for customers.

Our message is no one gets left behind

We’ll do the bits no one else will do, and employ local people while we do it. We are producing this challenger brand juxtaposition, which is really good for competition and it’s really good for the customer, because they get a choice.

And actually, there’s nothing wrong with being David to Goliath and keeping people on their toes.

BUSINESS CORNWALL | 11

HELEN

WYLDE

What first attracted you to the position here?

Firstly, it’s back in technology and I was missing it. Trains are very interesting, but they’re not as sexy as broadband! And the technology has got to a stage where I just think it’s ready.

Secondly, it’s also in the south west, which is where I come from and I had got to the stage of really wanting to see this sort of thing in the region. I’d seen Newbury transformed from being a tiny little market town to being ‘Vodabury’. I’d worked in Slough for O2 and seen what they did to transform Slough. And I just think we’re ready for that here now. Why can’t we bring that sort of opportunity and wealth into the local area?

And a third thing was I really liked the founders and the funders when I met them.

They are so passionate about what they’re doing, and they’re innovative. I love the way that social digital inclusion is at the heart of what they were thinking about when they set up Wildanet This is something with social purpose. It’s well thought through, and it’s got longevity. And there are plenty of companies out there who will just wait and be snapped up by a big player. We’re not like that. We are trying to make a big difference. So, for me, it was the right combination of right time, right technology, right people, right part of the country, and a good mission. Something exciting to do.

Has being a woman in a traditional maledominated sector made it harder?

To be honest I’ve worked in other

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sectors and it’s nowhere near as bad as some of the others, by a country mile. I was very lucky because I had a father who was a scientist and helped me believe there was nothing I couldn’t do. I probably was a bit ahead of my time. I suspect that most people bring their children up in that post feminist environment, but I was there in the 70s. So I think I probably started from a really good place - dads are really good at making you feel good about yourself. And if you’ve got a dad who says you can do anything or a mum who says you can do anything, it makes a big difference.

Has this helped shape you into the person you are today?

On one or two occasions it has held me back, because I’ve definitely been put down a step in favour of a man, and it has been based on gender bias. I think it’s also made me more determined. I’d like to make sure that the next generation of females coming through are inspired and want to do it and have got the chance to do it.

It’s no more than being given the opportunity equally as a human being, being the best you can be regardless of age, orientation, origin or gender.

Just be the best you can be.

When I was working in the Connected Places Catapult before my job with Lumo with lots of young women, it was so good to see these young scientists coming through, fighting their way to the top of their grades, really creating stuff.

We just need to get that door firmly open so everyone gets a fair chance.

We are trying to make a big difference

I also was incredibly lucky by falling on my feet with Vodafone. They, and even more so O2, do not suffer any form of sexism or racism, where people cannot just be who they are.

And they were both ahead of their time as companies. I think Vodafone really gave me more than a fair crack of the whip to make something of myself. I don’t think they even for a blink considered what gender I was; it was the same at O2. And when you’ve had the luxury of working for companies who are that forward thinking, it’s a bit of a shock when you go to the next one and find they’re not like that. Since then, I have encountered a lot of that. Have I ever suffered from the pay gap, doing a job and finding the man next to me is paid more? Yes, sometimes up to a 20% difference. And what have I done about it? I’ve shouted until I got fair pay. But then if you’re not a person who’s not so outgoing and determined to get their way, it must be really hard.

Every person regardless of gender deserves a chance to be the best they can be - no favoritism, just a level playing field. And the other thing I’d say is I think we add something to the boardroom. I think we add something to senior management, I think we bring a different view, a different focus; and I think that’s really healthy for any organisation. The more diversity that you’ve got on a board or in a team, or in a working environment, the greater the positive impact for a business.

BUSINESS

CLINIC

RRL senior tax associate Aneta Williams, explains the benefits of Family Investment Companies – an alternative to trusts.

HAVE YOU CONSIDERED A FIC? Many people consider using trusts as part of their lifetime estate planning for the practical benefit of maintaining control over the decision-making regarding assets, whilst having made a gift of the assets for inheritance tax purposes.

A Family Investment Company (FIC) is another extremely useful structure for passing wealth to the next generation without losing control over the assets – but little is known about these structures, largely due to a lack of adequate advice for people to consider.

A FIC can be used as an alternative to a family trust. It has potential inheritance tax (IHT), income tax and capital gains tax benefits.

Significant changes to the taxation of trusts in 2006 presented structures like family investment companies as alternatives to the use of trusts for estate planning.

FICs are typically formed by parents providing funds for investment through interest-free loans. The loaned funds are invested and the share capital of the company is structured so that they maintain control over the company and assets, whilst the majority of the value falls outside of their estate for inheritance tax purposes.

will also predominantly benefit from any growth in the value of the company.

What are the tax advantages of FIC’s: • They are merely limited company structures – people are much more aware of limited companies and how they work rather than trust structures • Income/profits/gains realised by a FIC’s are subject to much lower rates of corporation tax (currently 19%, increasing to 25% from April 2023) compared to the highest personal income tax rates of 45% • If dividends are then paid to the shareholders, up to £14,570 can be paid tax free for the 2022/23 tax year, with further dividends up to the basic rate threshold taxable at just 8.75%; • Dividends received by a FIC are exempt from tax and can then be reinvested to provide increased capital value for the children

• Those who have already used trust planning and maximised the value they can gift to trust every 7 years • Those not wishing to use trusts for estate planning e.g. due to not understanding them, previous bad experiences of trusts that have been inadequately run etc • Those with insufficient relevant earnings to make personal pension contributions • Those requiring access to the existing capital (here in the form of the loan repayments), and requiring flexibility here (parts of the loan can be gifted to other parties in later life).

Alternatives to the use of trusts for estate planning

The share capital of a basic FIC is typically structured to have two types of shares:

• FICs can claim a corporation tax deduction for interest paid on loans taken out against the value of its investments (eg in order to acquire new shares or to manage the operation).

Such expenses are not, however, relievable for individuals

• One class of shares with all voting rights and no rights to capital (voting shares); and

• Employer pension contributions can be paid by the FIC (treated as management fees)

• Another class of shares with no voting rights but all rights to capital (capital shares).

• Management fees (e.g. salaries, investment costs, accountancy fees) are deductible against income for corporation tax purposes. Tax relief for such expenses is not available to individuals; and

The voting shares (and directorships) are retained by the parents so that they retain control over the investments. The capital shares, to which the majority of the company value would be attributed, are gifted to the children. The capital shares

Who should consider using a FIC?

The creation and maintenance of FICs requires experienced tax advice to ensure that the benefits are maximised, and any tax risks are navigated.

We have a lot of experience in this area.

If you would like to discuss more about a FIC, please get in touch with RRL’s in-house tax specialists: Truro 01872 276116 Penzance 01736 339322 post@rrlcornwall.co.uk www.rrlcornwall.co.uk

• On the liquidation of a FIC, capital gains tax (CGT) will be charged at just 20% on any capital distributions.

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JASON RATCLIFFE STEREN SURVEYORS UK

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Meet the winners of Cornwall’s 30 under 30, the annual listing and celebration of the Duchy’s brightest young business talent.

As the old cliché goes, a business is only as good as its staff, and on this showing the Cornish commercial scene is in safe hands.

RHIANNA HINTON FALMOUTH AND EXETER STUDENTS’ UNION

The calibre of the entries received for this year’s cohort was stronger than ever and the judging panel made up of Cornwall

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Chamber CEO Kim Conchie, Business Cornwall’s Toni Eyriey, Tom Moran from Truro & Penwith College, Pirate FM station director Mark Peters and Don’t Cry Wolf’s John Brown had their work cut out.

strong reflection of the young talent we have here in Cornwall, coming from a wide crosssection of sectors.

And the final 30 they came up with are

There will be a special presentation to the winners next month, during Cornwall’s Festival of Business.

RHIANNA HINTON FALMOUTH AND EXETER STUDENTS’ UNION

JASON RATCLIFFE STEREN SURVEYORS UK

As a communications professional, Rhianna Hinton understands how to plan and create campaigns that are eye-catching, relevant and effective. Her work at the Student Union is said to be actively improving student engagement. “Her ability to understand brand and marketing at such an early point in her career is impressive,” says her line manager.

Among her achievements, Rhianna has taken ownership of the ‘Takeover Tuesday’ project – developing the strategy and approach to this feature on the Student Union’s Instagram.

Jason Ratcliffe launched Steren Surveyors in February 2021, initially focusing on residential surveys and valuations in the Truro area.

Growth has been rapid. Within four months of trading, the business moved into larger premises on the Cornwall West Business Park in Scorrier, expanding its services across Cornwall, quickly followed by a new office in Exeter. Jason has also established a comprehensive park home survey service, which has proved so successful that it has led to the opening of a London office to launch the initiative nationwide.

CHRIS SMITH BULL & WOLF FILM CO As the creative director of Bull & Wolf, Chris Smith has been instrumental in the business’ continued growth. Since joining full-time early in 2021, his diligent work has led to a number of major client accounts, including the National Institute of Health Research, a major Cornish food and drink brand, as well as helping to retain existing clients. Among his many achievements over the past year has been improving storyboarding and the pre-production process.

JESSICA DAVIES BOCONNOC Taken from her LinkedIn page, Jessica Davies’ mantra in business is “Purpose, Quality and Determination”. A highly-motivated individual, Jessica, who manages a housekeeping team of 16, is credited with increasing weddings and events bookings massively within the Boconnoc House and Estate business over the past year, and has been busily developing some new event concepts which are in the pipeline for 2023.

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SAM NORTON PRIMA BAKERIES

SOPHIE CHAPMAN STUDIO GORSE

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SOPHIE CHAPMAN STUDIO GORSE

JAKE KENDALL THE CORNISH LARDER

SAM NORTON PRIMA BAKERIES

Following a successful agency career, last year Sophie Chapman took the leap and set up her own interior design company - Studio Gorse. And there has been no looking back, with a number of contract wins from the likes of The Lost Gardens of Heligan, John’s Wines and Whistlefish, where she is executing a brand and consumer-focused interior roll-out across its stores. Sophie also finds time to be a visiting lecturer at Falmouth University, where she passes on her industry knowledge to the next generation of creatives in the School of Architecture, Design & Interiors.

With no business experience, Jake Kendall started The Cornish Larder three years ago from his parents kitchen. Today, his range of preserves, sauces and relishes can be found in more than 100 shops and delis across the country and further afield. Last year he provided the G7 Summit delegates with The Cornish Larder’s Spiced Apple and St Ives cider chutney. The First Lady loved it so much she went and purchased more from a deli in St Ives!

Sam Norton has been part of the family business since the age of 17, working his way up from a part time entry data job to his current role as accounts manager, overseeing a team dealing with over 600 customers.

Sam is also solely responsible for all legal requirements surrounding ingredient and allergen declarations and played a huge role in ensuring Prima Bakeries passed its first ever Safe and Local Supplier Approval (SALSA) accreditation.

MELANIE BAND N-CODERS Melanie Band is described by her MD as “one of the most talented and driven individuals I’ve ever worked with” and is credited in “transforming” the culture of n-Coders and significantly improving the wellbeing of the team and overall performance of the company.

Melanie is hugely passionate about technology, especially games and XR, which shines through in all n-Coders’ projects and plans.

Corin Mynett is a co-founder of all-female led start-up, Kevri, which is working with UK universities to identify and capture ‘missing knowledge exchange activities’. Corin and her team founded their company while on Falmouth University’s Launchpad programme and while it has not all been plain sailing, Corin has shown resilience and maturity and is turning into an astute businesswoman. Corin is also a talented graphic designer, with an eye for detail and a passion for purpose driven design.

She has developed the branding for Kevri.

She has represented n-Coders by speaking at events such as MIN2022, being chosen as part of Creative England’s Game Accelerator programme and joining Cornwall Games.

KEELEY-ANN MCCABE CORNWALL MARINE NETWORK

SOPHIA ROSE THE INVICTUS TRUST Widely regarded by everyone who knows her as “the kindest person ever”, Sophia Rose is a director of two successful companies (Flying Start Nurseries and TLC Training) and a founding trustee of the charity, Invictus Trust. Her work at the nursery has seen her awarded the Cornwall Healthy Workplace Gold Award, while at TLC she has won over £400k of ESF funding to offer free training and consultation to the Cornish childcare sector.

CORIN MYNETT KEVRI

Since joining Cornwall Marine Network straight from sixth form, Keeley-Ann McCabe has been promoted seven times in just eight years!

She is currently a contract and compliance manager, making her the youngest manager in CMN’s 20-year history. Credited with having a “fantastic ability to keep a cool head regardless of the challenges”, Keeley-Ann has become CMN’s ‘go to’ expert on Government funding rules. She has also recently started supporting bid-writing to help win further new business, which will support CMN’s transition to self-sustainability after the EU funding in Cornwall ends.

ELLEN O’ROURKE TOUCHBYTE Ellen O’Rourke first joined Pool-based IT company Touchbyte in the summer of 2018 while studying journalism at Falmouth University, helping out on marketing and social media. Upon successful completion of her degree, she took a Masters in Entrepreneurship on the uni’s Launchpad programme, before joining TouchByte full time as head of marketing last year. Since then, she has set her up her own division of TouchByte – Byteside, which is responsible for all digital marketing and provides a similar service to other Cornish businesses.

BEN JOHNSON TFP HYDROGEN Ben Johnson joined TFP from university in 2018, with a desire to return to Cornwall to work in an industry that supports his personal drivers to reduce the impact of climate change.

Since then, he has become a leader in developing advanced materials to support decarbonisation, leading innovation programmes in materials for green hydrogen production with customers in Europe and North America. And directly arising from Ben’s innovations, TFP is now selling products internationally which has led to growth for the company.

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JESS RUDD CORNISH TEA & COFFEE Jess Rudd has had an instant impact at Cornish Tea & Coffee. Within six months of joining in the newly-created position of head of marketing, Jess has flourished and pushed the business in new directions, working with key partners and looking at new channels.

She has led the design and conception of five new products and is currently managing the development of four websites. “Jess challenges our thoughts and approach, bringing new fresh ideas to the business.”

ALICE MAFFEY OCEAN HOUSING Alice Maffey is Ocean Housing’s youngest-ever development manager, a role she obtained aged just 24.

JORDAN COOK RESTORMEL KITCHEN

JESS RUDD CORNISH TEA & COFFEE

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“An exceptional young person”, Alice manages Ocean Housing’s largest-ever regeneration scheme, in St Blazey, providing 60 new homes and commercial spaces having built strong community support and trust. In total, she manages projects worth £31 million which will provide 154 affordable homes for people in housing needs within Cornwall, and has secured over £8 million of central Government grants.

IZZY GALLOWAY TAKE POINT TRAINING Izzy Galloway is operations manager at Take Point Training, a company which delivers leadership training shaped by military experience. And despite finding herself working in a sector primarily dominated by men, Izzy has built up her confidence, working alongside inspiring ex-military personnel who have challenged and guided her to be pushed outside of her comfort zone and excel in an agile workplace environment. Within six months of working for the company, her colleagues had such faith in her abilities that she was delivering leadership training courses to graduates; and she now delivers courses to experienced senior managers.

ALICE MAFFEY OCEAN HOUSING

HEIDI THIEMANN TRURO & PENWITH COLLEGE

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The space sector in Cornwall has huge potential and Heidi Thiemann is playing a key role in its future success. Currently leading the Cornwall Space and Aerospace Technology Training programme, based at Truro and Penwith College, in the same year that rockets will launch from Cornwall, Heidi will be helping launch the space careers of up to ten local students who will get the opportunity to work directly in the space sector.

Heidi previously developed and led SpaceCareers. uk, a careers resource

for the space sector, and founded the Space Skills Alliance, a not-for-profit with the goal of tackling the space skills gap.

JORDAN COOK RESTORMEL KITCHEN Following the Covid-enforced closure of where he worked as head chef in July 2020, Jordan Cook set about starting up a lockdown-friendly operation from home, producing restaurant quality food for home delivery. Then when an opportunity arose to move back into the former restaurant’s premises, he jumped at it despite the fact that all the old equipment had since been removed. But following a successful opening last summer, the business has gone from strength to strength, culminating in a Gold Award from the Taste of the West.

JAKE GREGORY PRIMROSE HERD Described by Primrose Herd founder Sally Lugg as “probably the most hardworking under 30 I know”, butchery manager Jake Gregory has been with Primrose Herd for eight years. When the pandemic struck, hospitality lockdowns meant Primrose Herd lost a major part of its income overnight but Jake helped a switch to online sales which proved vital. Not only does he work at Primrose Herd, he also has a farm to run breeding Pedigree Simmental cattle and has just started a flock of Pedigree Suffolk sheep.

MEG SMITH RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT UK Meg Smith, who combines her work as a marine advisor at Natural England with marine scientist at Research Development UK, has made a success of everything she has tried. Never one to stand still, she set up a cetacean acoustic monitoring project

BRANDON HARGRAVE KOALA KARLOUS

BRANDON HARGRAVE KOALA KARLOUS Following the outbreak of the pandemic, musician/songwriter Brandon Hargrave converted his mobile recording studio into Cornwall’s first-ever fully powered coffee pop up, which drew national attention during BBC News’ coverage of the G7 summit last year.

He then used the profits from this venture to open a premium coffee house/bagel bar in Falmouth. Brandon now has a team of 16 working across the Koala company. On the musical side, over the past two years, Brandon’s music has been streamed 10 million times on Spotify.

JOEL MATTHEWS CROWDFUNDER For such a young professional, Joel Matthews has an “exceptional maturity” to deal with “impressive commercial challenges”, breaking new ground all the time. He has grown from accounts assistant to head of finance within 18 months, responsible for a growing team and has ownership of Crowdfunder’s data and insights function. Joel has been a key player in helping Crowdfunder to bring in over £250 million of revenue, enabling people to tackle society’s challenges and make a difference in their communities.

PHILLIP ANTHONY DAVID PAULL (CNC) ENGINEERING Phillip Anthony has been with DP Engineering

since leaving college seven years ago and has never looked back. Since starting out as a trainee wanting to be an engineer, he has worked his way up through the business in various roles and just over a year ago was asked to join the senior management team, being promoted to the position of sales and marketing director. Among his many achievements, he recently completed a rebrand to bring back the David Paull history to the business.

JOE TURNBULL BULL & WOLF FILM CO

MEGAN WHITE-JONES OPUS EDUCATION RECRUITMENT Within six months of joining Opus Education Recruitment as a trainee consultant, Megan White-Jones had been promoted to stakeholder engagement and brand executive. Having worked in education for over four years, she has a unique insight into the needs of schools and recently launched a variety of schemes to promote mental health and wellbeing both for staff and students and over the coming months plans to get involved with community groups and charities to ensure that Opus is not just any recruitment agency but a partner to support schools when they need it most.

Joe Turnbull’s leadership of Bull & Wolf Film Co has led to the rapid growth of the company, which has more than doubled turnover in the past year and grown its team from two to five.

Joe is a staple of the Cornish business scene, regularly giving talks on how social video can support SMEs. He also has strong community credentials. As well as supporting the Government Kickstart scheme, Bull & Wolf is seeking Living Wage Foundation employer certification and is also looking to become a certified B-Corp by early 2023.

JONNY BRIGHT MILLER COMMERCIAL Jonny Bright is proud champion of promoting Cornwall as a serious place to do business and one of his passions is helping business people navigate the process of buying or renting commercial property to grow their business. A Cornish Ambassador, Jonny has swiftly progressed from a graduate surveyor to a commercial surveyor within the business transfer team and will later this year qualify as a chartered surveyor.

JONNY BRIGHT MILLER COMMERCIAL

in collaboration with Cornwall Wildlife Trust, Chelonia Ltd and University Researchers.

She also runs a RDUK project to remotely monitor water quality in real-time around local Marine Protected Areas. When not at work or running Falmouth Marine Conservation, Meg volunteers for Cornwall Wildlife Trust Shoresearch and Seasearch.

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MEGAN WHITE-JONES OPUS EDUCATION RECRUITMENT

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BELLA COLLINS FLEXI-HEX As head of marketing, Bella Collins has been a fundamental part of Flexi-Hex’s recent success. Having initially joined the business as marketing manager in September 2020, Bella has grown to become a pivitol part of the leadership team, playing a crucial role in growing brand awareness and marketing strategy, educating people on why Flexi-Hex is the viable option for sustainable, paperbased packaging. Away from work, Bella broke the Guinness Book of World Records as part of a team that has become the fastest all-female four to row 2,400 nautical miles across the Pacific Ocean.

CHRIS KING THE GROWER Chris King founded The Grower last year, with the aim of helping to meet net zero targets and providing high-quality UK sourced and grown trees. Currently producing over half a million plants on its farm on the north coast of Cornwall, this year The Grower will be producing over 1 million broadleaf trees from seed with plans in place to expand to over 5 million trees in the next 3-4 years, which will be for sale to the forestry, amenity and community markets.

CHRIS KING THE GROWER

BELLA COLLINS FLEXI-HEX

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corporate workers and is now developing a wellbeing technology platform – Airize, which helps people find activity partners, to help people lead an active lifestyle.

GEORGIA CUMMINGS SERVE Georgia Cummins was all set for a job interview as event staffing manager with event management company Serve when the pandemic hit. With Serve’s business on hold, so was the interview, but Georgia persevered, kept in contact and when things started to open up again, she got the job. And she hit the ground running, swiftly being promoted into a newly-created marketing manager role. Since September she has implemented a raft of initiatives, including mailing, a new website design, a LinkedIn page, improved Instagram and Facebook.

Nik Savoric is an outstanding design professional with more than ten years of AR/VR experience. His contributions in the design sector, particularly in wellbeing technology, have been outstanding. Nik has helped many entrepreneurs in Cornwall with his experience in UX, graphics, and AR/VR design, which he continues to do so through his involvement on Falmouth University’s Launchpad programme. He designed a VR video game for reducing the stress level of

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GEORGIA CUMMINGS SERVE

NIK SAVORIC AIRIZE

We are looking for EPIC businesses...

Just like yours

epicehealth.co.uk Funded By:

Delivered By:

The project has received funding from the European Regional Development Fund as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020. The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities is the Managing Authority for the European Regional Development Fund. Established by the European Union, the European Regional Development Fund provides funds to help local areas stimulate their economic development by investing in projects that will support innovation, skills and employment and create jobs. For more information visit https://www.gov.uk/european-growth-funding

CORNWALL

PHOTO: FALMOUTH UNIVERSITY’S LAUNCHPAD

CREATIVE

Creative

thinking

While you should never judge a book by the cover, having strong branding and portraying a positive message about your company is a vital ingredient in a business’ success. Local experts offer their advice on how to stand out from the crowd.

It is all very well having a fantastic product or service. But that in itself is no guarantee of success for your business.

“That is one piece of the puzzle,” says Peaky Digital MD Natalie Crouch, “but there’s no point in creating something perfect if nobody knows it exists. Making sure a business is visible in the spaces where your customers are is another piece of that puzzle, but the product or service still needs to be communicated accurately, elegantly and effectively for customers to see the full picture and experience your product for what it is.

“For some businesses they can operate solely on the functionality of a core product, but without promoting the business’s relationship with that product and building their own brand, they may be dooming themselves to be a ‘one trick pony’ and make it difficult to branch out and grow further down the line.”

Don’t be afraid to stand out from the crowd

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Engaging the services of a marketing/communications agency can help a business grow, but it is important to work with the right agency. “Hire a poor one, and the benefits will be few and far between,” says John Brown, CEO of ‘brand activism agency’ “Don’t Cry Wolf”.

“A good agency will be an effective longterm partner that can help with positioning, reputation management, lead generation and awareness generation. They’ll feel like an extension of the team, challenge you to be brave, bold and creative and be there should you hit tough times.

“An agency shouldn’t be coming to the table with a ready baked solution. Instead, there should be an honest discussion about what growth looks like for a business and then a really specific brief is developed based on the levers an agency can pull to contribute to that growth. If you’re lazily hiring an agency and hoping for the best, the only things that will grow are your frustration and their bank balance.”

MARKETING TOP TIPS For those businesses looking to raise their profile themselves, Peaky Digital MD Natalie Crouch, has these three top tips: 1. Follow what your competitors are doing closely. See what’s working for them and what isn’t and learn from their mistakes to implement meaningful changes on your own campaigns.

MARKETING & PR John says today, everything can be said to be part of the marketing mix. “From a celebratory Tweet, to a fully integrated multi-media campaign,” he tells us.

“It’s why we have advertising agencies generating PR coverage and PR agencies buying out of home advertising slots.”

For Halo founder, Jess Ratty, marketing and PR is about “maverick storytelling”.

“You’re hiring experience, contacts, people and talent - increasing the productivity of your own team. So, it’s not only costeffective and time-saving, it’s reaping the benefits of having fresh eyes to look at your brand’s story, pinpointing what makes you different and exciting, then creating a strategy that’ll push the business forward.

3. Give your marketing team some creative freedom - to implement meaningful reactive campaigns for social media and digital PR, give your team the freedom to implement campaigns in a timely fashion without lengthy approval procedures.

Accountability matters, but leave this to the department head to ensure campaigns get pushed out on time.

“PR and marketing doesn’t have to be boring boardroom meetings and lacklustre Zooms with people dozing off in the background - it can be fun, inspiring, and on a very good day, a bloody good laugh.”

BRANDING Cambridge Dictionary defines branding as “the act of giving a company a particular design or symbol in order to advertise its products and services.” Not so long ago, this was a pretty accurate description – at least what the general consensus was at the time, although perhaps a little simplistic.

Branding is all about creating a strong, positive, perception of the company.

Getting a company’s branding right is vitally important, but easy to get wrong. Effective branding helps companies differentiate themselves from their competitors and build a loyal customer base, but poor branding can do lasting damage.

Sophie Cowles is client director at Falmouthbased branding agency Kingdom & Sparrow,

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which has been responsible for a number of successful projects, particularly in the FMCG (fast moving commercial goods) sector.

She says that branding can shape the way people see your business and what they believe and feel about you. “Getting your branding right, making sure it’s authentic and original, it connects with your customer’s values and mindset, and it reflects your unique offering, and will have a huge impact on growth and commercial effectiveness.

“Good branding should not only support an increase in brand awareness and differentiate you from your competitors but also build long-term loyalty with customers.”

And good branding is more than about just good design, says Sophie.

“An agency like ours is embedded in strategy, defining who your brand is and how it looks, feels and sounds at every touchpoint,” she says. “And a strong brand will bring clarity to your business internally as well as externally, building employee loyalty as well as customer loyalty. Hiring an agency means you should get a wealth of strategic as well as creative knowledge, to help you create an effective brand, not just a good looking one.”

Branding is an essential part of the marketing mix and should never be overlooked.

“Getting a brand right is utterly important,” says Don’t Cry Wolf CEO, John Brown.

“We still receive marketing or PR briefs where our response is ‘you need to sort out the brand, not the press release’.

“There is a graveyard of brands that have little to no lasting impact on an audience because either they have little investment to make them relevant or have been myopic and self-centred. Today, a brand has to mean something, stand for something and make an audience feel something.” go to p22

PHOTO: KINGDOM & SPARROW’S STUDIO

“The sky’s the limit! Not only that, but you’ll get to know a group of people who have your company’s best interests at heart - a good PR agency wants to get to know you and your team and build a real relationship with you, because at the end of the day we’re all just humans!

2. Invest in the right tools - for your digital marketing, be sure you’re tracking traffic and conversions on your website and lean into the data behind your online visibility. Google Analytics, Semrush, Klaviyo for email marketing, Sendible for scheduling social posts - these are some great tools to lean into.

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PHOTOGRAPHY Good photography can be a very powerful marketing median. As the saying goes, a picture paints a thousand words and whether it’s a special personal moment, a pivotal business launch, a new website or a promotional fundraising opportunity, capturing the moment in a professional way that enables you to share that with your chosen audience is paramount.

PR4Photos photographer, Paul Richards, says: “With the advent of mobile phones and ever-more-powerful cameras in-built, the temptation to ‘take your own’ becomes greater every day. But while selfies and phonesnaps can be fine for your personal social media channels, if you’re trying to achieve something specific in a dynamic situation to a tight deadline where any number of things could go wrong, why would you risk all of your preparation by missing the moment through not hiring a professional to take the strain?”

PHOTO: PR4PHOTOS

It is also one of those disciplines where there is no shortage of ‘happy amateurs’! And while many may, indeed, be competent photographers, such short cuts are not without risk.

Paul says that while digital cameras have certainly allowed photographers to be more flexible in the way they approach their work, it takes expertise to fully appreciate all the nuances of what makes a good photo.

“Professional PR photographers know exactly what will turn a head on a newsstand on

the front cover of a newspaper, or what will stand out from the crowd when you’re surfing through your social pages,” says Paul.

“Their job is to turn the idea or brief you have in your head or on paper into a visual testament that will tell the story through whatever media channel you are looking to target.” go to p32

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CREATIVE

CORNWALL

Work’s a

Full-service agency, Idenna Creative, explains the collaborative process it goes through when working with clients.

real beach

The idea that creativity requires a precise formula or that there is a set process that consistently yields the very best results is nonsense. Creativity can strike like lightning and can be (and often is) a consequence of troubled seas or stormy waters.

Conversely, effective and great creative relationships do require a particular set of circumstances to run smoothy - namely trust and open communication. For this reason, honesty and openness are two of the seven core values we put front and centre of everything we do at Idenna Creative.

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Whether it’s a one-off project like a photoshoot or digital campaign, or a retained contract that provides access to our full suite of creative services, opening these channels of communication is an essential part of our process for developing and working with any given brand.

The team at Lusty Glaze, a private beach just outside of Newquay, has gone through this journey with us. Our first brief came back in 2016 in the form of a Guy Garvey concert, providing film and photography services to showcase the event itself,

the stunning venue and gig goers having the time of their lives on the sand. The collaboration worked so well and the coverage was so successful they soon came on board as a full client; a relationship that has remained and flourished ever since.

Over the years they’ve made use of our videography, photography, PR, social media, copywriting, paid advertising, graphic design, web development and a host of other services to help grow their national reputation.

Thanks to the Lusty Glaze team’s appetite for creativity and ingenuity, maintaining their

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The chemistry between creative producers and their clients has never been more important. Being that voice in the conversation that challenges business owners and constantly asks ‘why?’ can come with a lot of tension built-in, so developing an open space where ideas can thrive is essential for creating exceptional work that puts the client, the creatives, and Cornwall on the map.

James Neale, Idenna creative director

Lusty Glaze is a pioneering business in the sense that it’s a real celebration of people and place; the passion for where they are and what they do is obvious. The best marketing and brands out there all put the human experience first, so to be able to capture that side of Lusty Glaze on a daily basis is super rewarding.

Rhea Healy, Idenna copywriter and account manager for Lusty Glaze

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brand image and conversation with their customers was key during the Covid-19 pandemic - and they put their foot on the gas when so many others were hitting the breaks.

The resulting launch of their 2020 luxury glampsite on the sand was picked up by several national media outlets and serves as just one highlight of a whole roster of campaigns we’ve worked with them on over the years - from charity drives and successful award campaigns, to regular gig coverage and building their reputation as a world-class wedding destination. So how does it work?

Well, in our experience there’s no such thing as an average account meeting with a client as open and energetic as Lusty Glaze! Instead, they’re more like fun, puzzlesolving exercises. Briefs form naturally out of conversation - something is said in

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Developing the relationship with Idenna over the last six years has been an absolute pleasure and has resulted in some amazing creative projects we wouldn’t have been able to complete alone. Our industry moves very quickly so to have a partner as flexible and open as Idenna is of the utmost importance, handling day-to-day and long term projects with enthusiasm and professionalism. We can’t wait to see what the future holds!

Tracey Griffiths, owner of Lusty Glaze Beach

the room along the lines of ‘we need this result and want to achieve it in the most creative, engaging way possible!’ - and it’s up to the Idenna team to come up with the best ideas to make it happen. From here, we work with Lusty Glaze through open communication channels to choose and refine the concept that best meets their needs, before putting together an internal team from our collection of creatives to execute the idea and put it out into the world.

create more and ultimately achieve more.

Lusty Glaze’s recent appearances on both Channel 5 and BBC One (which saw Gordon Ramsay pay a visit to the cove!), as well as their stacked summer events and wedding calendar for both 2022 and 2023, are testament to this momentum - as well as the growing ambitions and relationship of creative agency and client alike.

Ultimately though, we just adore working with the Lusty Glaze team. Everything we do comes as a natural result from the compatibility of two teams that push each other to be the best versions of themselves and feel like true extensions of one another.

The future of our continued collaboration is bright, driven by a hunger to do more,

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MEE T MEET YOU OUR R NE NEw w CREA CRE ATIVE TEAM enquiries@idenna.com

CAMPAIGNS GRAPHIC DESIGN BRANDING PHOTOGRAPHY SOCIAL MEDIA WEBSITES COPYWRITING MARKETING ADVERTISING FILM FULL SERVICE

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IP – THE BEATING HEART OF THE CREATIVE SECTOR BEN TRAVERS, A PARTNER AT STEPHENS SCOWN LLP, ARGUES THAT IP DOES NOT STIFLE THE CREATIVE PROCESS – IT ENABLES THE SUCCESS OF THE CREATIVE PROCESS.

All businesses own IP, for most, it will be their most valuable asset. Yet, it is also often the asset that is most undervalued by business owners.

This is never truer than in the creative sector, where there is a persistent misconception that IP is only for large businesses with large budgets.

This misconception is damaging the creative sector who, ignoring the value of their IP, turn their back on their most valuable tools.

In the process, they close the door on opportunities to generate revenue from their

hard work, to realise the value in their work and to attract investment to help take them to the next level.

From photographers to song writers, fashion designers to novelists, game developers to musicians and everything in between, those in the creative industries generate automatic IP rights daily. Many of these rights exist the moment they create their next work – there is no need to pay lawyers to register these rights. There is though a need to understand how the system works and to have proper processes in place to ensure the value of these rights can be realised.

through registration. For example, it can be difficult to split the identity of the creator from their work. A trade mark registration can help a creator to realise the value in their reputation. Similarly, for those making physical items, as well as trade marks consideration should be given to design protection, which can help protect the appearance of items – helping you to stop copycats and to create clear ownership of the work you have created.

There are some rights which those in the creative sector should consider protecting

For more information about how IP can help those in the creative sector, please contact Ben Travers at ip.it@stephens-scown.co.uk

BEHIND THE B WILD CARD MD, GEORGIE UPTON, EXPLAINS WHY BECOMING A B CORP IS GOOD FOR BUSINESS Wild Card is a PR and Social Media agency based in Truro (as well as Bristol and London), boasting clients including The Nare, Watergate Bay, Tresco Island, Cornishware, Ward Williams and Hub Box. We’re incredibly proud to be a B Corp business and being a B Corp has put us in good stead to coach other local businesses through their B Corp comms journey, as well as to advise them on the reputational & operational opportunities of achieving this important accreditation.

So why does B Corp matter? And what do you need to know if you’re thinking of taking the B Corp plunge?

On behalf of our local hotel and travel clients, we recently polled 1,000 UK adults about the impact B Corp accreditation has

on their purchasing decisions.

We found that when it comes to buying domestic breaks, amongst those who are aware of B-Corp (just over half of people interviewed), the majority (84%) say this is an important factor when deciding whether to purchase from a company. This kind of research finding is incredibly reassuring that we are going on the right journey with our clients.

We also discovered that one in three people would discuss the company’s commitment to good environmental and sustainable practice with friends and family, and a similar number would discuss how the company treats its neighbours and invests in the local community.

And, at the same time, it can have a tangible impact on the bottom line of your business.

Using Wild Card as an example, since becoming a B Corp organisation in 2020, every business decision we make is centred around the three Ps of People, Planet and Profit. This single-minded focus, and thorough marketing around it, has future-proofed our business – helping us attract and retain talent, bring in new likeminded clients and drive our profitability upwards. It’s given us an incredible framework for doing better business.

This stuff matters to consumers, not just for travel businesses but across the board.

If you’re thinking of becoming a B Corp, we’d be very happy to talk to you around how best to work through the communications of it.

Get in touch with one of our experienced team at hello@wildcard.co.uk

28 | BUSINESS CORNWALL

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CREATIVE

CORNWALL

CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING

Business Cornwall readers will be familiar with Falmouth University beating the drum for creativity. But solving the complex problems of our time can create the conditions needed for Cornish recovery and prosperity - and using creativity to tackle these problems is at the heart of our mission in the years ahead.

Over in our University’s immersive business lab, a small group of students is working behind the scenes on a project which employees ‘out there’ in the creative industries would clamber over for their CVs: a live brief with Spaceport Cornwall which will see them design an educational Virtual Reality experience for the UK’s first satellite space launch.

prices for fuel, fertiliser and food all rocket by up to 350%. Glas Data is now pivoting from data analytics to AI to maximise the resilience of Cornish farmers facing their biggest nemesis since the triple threat of the climate emergency, Brexit and Covid-19.

reappraise business at every level...there are bigger and bolder actions we need to take to make sure businesses are ethical in the future. Falmouth’s business minds and entrepreneurs are thinking creatively and sustainably about what happens next.”

At the University’s Cornwall Business School, business and creative event management students are at the forefront of a change of working practices accelerated by the pandemic and growing awareness of social and environmental movements across the globe.

Cornwall Business School, in tandem with business incubator Launchpad are working with more SMEs than ever before, who are taking advantage of Falmouth’s community of creative tech and entrepreneurship graduates to tackle their growth stumbling blocks and ensure their businesses are maximising the opportunities brought about by data, AI and immersive technologies. But, says Neale, not all businesses are sure where to go next or how to approach this zeitgeist moment.

Falmouth is harnessing the power of creativity to solve complex problems

Also underway at our Penryn campus is a live research project using augmented reality, in tandem with Chinese researchers, which will develop new ways of engaging with diverse audiences at garden attractions and heritage sites in Cornwall and Suzhou city, Jiangsu Province. It’s one of the many ways Falmouth is harnessing the power of creativity to solve complex problems, open up new audiences and innovate new ideas to support local and regional economies.

Elsewhere in Cornwall, our research teams and spinout companies tackle health inequalities and address weak spots in the farming industry. Take Glas Data, for example.

The Launchpad-grown business uses sophisticated AI to combat some of the most severe farming challenges in modern times as

As Vivienne Neale from Cornwall Business School shares: “We’re seeing a shift in attitude with our new cohorts. Students now are seeing the bigger picture and asking more questions about the meaning of their enterprises.”

Some of our Launchpad start-ups are traversing the start-up to spin out trajectory, working hard on tackling problems using a double-prong approach of tech expertise alongside creative courage.

As you read this, start-ups at our Penryn campus are engineering new tools to hack success and utilise innovation to make writing and editing a cinch, make it hasslefree to pay for things, to avoid the exhaustion of finding new talent, to be more creative in how you dress, to find safe spaces on a night out and to manage health conditions.

To name a few.

“I’m happy to see more and more businesses approach us and work on live briefs to explore the opportunities for doing things differently, not just to see risks and threats... it’s a chance to reappraise and work with customers and local businesses to collaborate and see what’s needed, rather than do things as they’ve always been done.”

If the ‘great reset’ has taught us anything, it’s that there are always opportunities to pivot, to build and to re-shape new ideas which benefit us all. If you’ve ever wondered about the growth and innovation possibilities for your business, why not reach out to us to see where it could take you? As a partner on the Launchpad venture studio or an employer interested in working with our students on live briefs, placements and micro-internships (via our Realworks service), there’s a hotbed of talent waiting to hear from you...

This is a generation already well versed in ‘hustle-culture’, but there’s an appetite for compassion too, says Digital Marketing Lecturer Vivienne Neale: “It’s a chance to

For more information about Launchpad: launchpad@falmouth.ac.uk For information about placements and internships: realworks@falmouth.ac.uk

30 | BUSINESS CORNWALL

CREATIVE

YOU, AFTER MAKING A KICK A** VIDEO WITH US

CORNWALL

(jumping with joy undertaken at your own risk)

To find out more about how we can make unskippable ads and content with you, get in touch with our awesome team of digital first creatives today.

CHAT TO US: HELLO@BULLANDWOLF.CO VISIT OUR WEBSITE: BULLANDWOLF.CO

BUSINESS CORNWALL | 31

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VIDEO

“Quite simply, video helps you to connect with your audience by telling your brand story,” says Bull & Wolf MD, Joe Turnbull.

“Whether that is what makes your products so great, what service means to you, or what your brand cares about, video is the single best way to tell that story.

“And, with the ever more congested world of social media, eye catching video is the best way to separate yourself from the crowd.”

Sam Oatey, MD at Oatey Media agrees.

“Using video content to help promote and market your business has huge benefits,” he says. “It’s a really powerful way to tell your brands story or message. With video being so accessible and easy to digest, it’s meant that businesses and brands of

MARKETING TOP TIPS For those businesses looking to raise their profile themselves, Halo founder Jess Ratty, has these three top tips: 1. Understand your audience! Who are you looking to attract to your product or service? Learn all about them, and then learn some more! If you know who you want as your customer base, that’s half the battle - make it

32 | BUSINESS CORNWALL

PHOTO: OATEY MEDIA

Video is increasingly being seen as an important part of a business’ marketing mix.

And fortunately, you don’t need to travel to London to find the best agencies, there are some great businesses here in Cornwall.

all sizes can utilise and benefit from using this content within their marketing.

“The flexibility of video is also a huge positive in that it can be designed to be used in so many different parts of your sales and marketing funnels.”

Hiring the services of a video production agency can have an instant impact for any business. Joe adds: “Any business can benefit from video marketing, the key thing your business to be their business!

2. Be active on social media, but make sure you’re using the right platform.

Whether you’re better suited to snappy tweets, introspective Instagram posts or slick, dynamic TikToks, make social media work for you instead of the other way round. By figuring out which platform works best for you and your team, you’ll be able to highlight your business to potentially millions of people.

3. Don’t be afraid to stand out from the crowd. Giving your brand a real personality can be groundbreaking just look at Greggs: their social media presence has pushed them to the forefront of social media marketing.

is to make sure that the video being made is fit for purpose. With such a diverse range of marketing channels and audiences these days, making sure your video resonates with the right audience in the right location is key.

“As with anything business related, it is really important that you have a marketing plan when promoting your company. When we make videos as part of a wider campaign or plan, they are far more likely to get results, as they have a clear objective and fit into the overall company objectives.”

Effectively done, using video to promote your products and services can help stand you out from the crowd. Sam says: “We primarily work with established brands that are wanting to push the boundaries in taking their marketing and film content to the next level. We aim to produce content that brings results, and that doesn’t work unless we have a real understanding of what problems your brand is facing. Video can be utilised in a huge number of ways, it’s our job to help you discover where video can fit within your marketing strategy to help elevate and take it to the next level.”

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Creating positive change for progressive brands

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CORNWALL

hidden gems

Six shining stars from Cornwall’s creative sector

FLAMINGO MARKETING

PB+J WEB DESIGN

Based in Newquay, Flamingo is a consultancy specialising in marketing and PR support for visitor attractions and tourism clients.

Since launching 13 years ago, the company has grown to a team of ten, working with large and small businesses across the UK. The diverse client list includes major historic attractions such as Blenheim House and Leeds Castle; Halloween & Christmas Light Trails for Sony Music; theme parks Lightwater Valley and Cornish favourite Flambards; and from the hospitality sector, The Headland.

Services include marketing strategy and budget review, PR and content campaigns and full marketing department support.

With almost 30 years of industry experience, Managing Director Nikki Smith’s expertise helps deliver uniquely practical solutions to a wide range of experiences in the knowledge that every visitor counts.

www.flamingo-marketing.co.uk

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PB+J Web Design is an expert in website design and digital marketing based in south east Cornwall and understands what it takes to grow a business online. Its focus on sales and marketing means that it knows how to help businesses achieve their online growth objectives. PB+J provides a personal service that is tailored to the needs of each individual client, which sets it apart from other agencies.

PB+J offers support on all aspects of digital growth, including website design, copywriting, SEO, branding and more.

Founded in 2019 by Jessica Bents, PB+J has quickly established itself as one of the leading web design and digital marketing agencies in Cornwall. Its team of experienced professionals have a passion for all things digital and are committed to helping businesses grow online.

www.pbjwebdesign.com

CREATIVE

KRAKEN MARKETING

CORNWALL

KNIGHTS MPR

Kraken Marketing is a badass marketing agency that’s ready to help you level up your tech business.

• If you’re a startup ready to reach more customers

Discover a better approach to outsourcing your communications.

• You want to make your content more accessible

Through the way we engage on commercial and industry insights, we have proved that compelling, content led PR can be an extremely effective tool for raising the profile of a company and gaining traction for ideas and initiatives as a mainstream concern.

• Or you need some help improving your marketing strategy …you’re in the right place.

We’ll help you define your brand identity - working out who you really are and why your customers need you. Once we’ve discovered your voice we’ll find the best ways for you to spread your message.

Every company is different and has its own special somethingsomething to offer.

We want you to be brave! Just because you’re professional doesn’t mean you need to be boring.

SAY NO TO VANILLA!

Our expertise is in energy, maritime, technology, science, manufacturing and engineering – and we help companies that operate in these sectors to reveal insight and develop campaigns that inspire communities, create trust and build awareness with audiences worldwide.

What we do is not just about creating stories. It’s about creating a state of mind.

Shaping perceptions with integrity and influence.

+44 (0)78 51 866 007 hello@knightsmpr.com www.knightsmpr.com

ahoy@studiokraken.co.uk studiokraken.co.uk

WHITTLE DESIGN STUDIO

PR4PHOTOS PR4photos has been specialising in capturing the moment and telling stories through images for Cornish businesses since 2009.

With roots in press photography, Cornish-born founder Paul Richards has a real talent for hitting the brief first time, every time to create compelling visual souvenirs of important events and promotions.

Clients who have entrusted their significant moments to Paul are as diverse as the photography and include nationals like Tesco, Renault, and Eastern Airlines, charities such as St Petrocs, Cornwall Heritage Trust, and the Cornwall Air Ambulance, along with Cornish success stories: Coodes, St Austell Brewery, and more recently, British Lithium.

Professional, head-turning imagery is not created by chance. For information on how to build your brand or tell your story through the power of land – or drone-based pictures, contact Paul at PR4Photos now.

07783 448552 paul@pr4photos.co.uk www.pr4photos.co.uk

Whittle Design Studio is a dynamic graphic design and illustration studio based in Penzance, formed by Sarah and Andrew Whittle.

As a design duo Sarah and Andrew breathe fresh life into new and existing brands with thoughtful, imaginative branding, web design and illustration. With over 30 years of experience in the creative industries, the design team works with lifestyle, hospitality and tourism brands across Cornwall, the UK and Europe.

The team provides an all-round big agency experience (without the high fees) to start-ups and SME businesses, which includes planning, competitor analysis, name creation, brand strategy, brand design, brand guidelines, marketing, and web development.

Sarah and Andrew are passionate designers who love to create long term relationships with their clients. They care about the stories behind each business they work with providing fresh and innovative design resources to help them engage with their customers.

Contact Whittle Design Studio for a chat, in person or Zoom.

01736 811103 hello@whittledesignstudio.com www.whittledesignstudio.com

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DIGITAL

CONNECTIVITY

Proof of the

pudding

Cornish broadband provider, Wildanet, is expanding its network bringing superfast and super-reliable broadband to communities and businesses throughout Cornwall, including providing a vital ingredient in the success story of the Cornish Pudding Co. Life has been pretty sweet for Tara Mutton since she connected with Wildanet.

The owner of the Cornish Pudding Co in Liskeard has been able to expand and develop her delicious cakes, bakes and desserts business because she now has superfast, reliable broadband.

Tara, who first began selling her multi-awardwinning treats on her stall at farmers’ markets across the region, had recently set up shop in an historic building in The Parade, Liskeard.

She was initially worried the thick stone walls would make it difficult to set up a decent internet connection, which she needed to be able to maximise the potential of her business.

“When we first opened, we were using 4G for the card machine, but we weren’t able to use it for anything else,” says Tara. “It was very basic. Being in a rural area, it cut out a lot, which made it awkward for customers and we wanted something that was a bit more consistent.”

Tara decided to contact Wildanet because the company was based in the town. She was

36 | BUSINESS CORNWALL

also impressed by Wildanet’s pricing structure and the fact its locally-based customer support team is available by phone or email.

“It was one phone call and they were here,” says Tara, who has won a Great Taste Award for her sticky toffee pudding.

“It’s a very old building here but that didn’t seem to phase the fitters. They didn’t impact at all on the running of the business while they were installing everything and it was done very smoothly. They fitted everything within the hour and then we were up and running.”

The Cornish Pudding Co now has fast, reliable broadband to cope with online orders, various admin tasks and keeping up with their growing number of fans on social media.

The business is building up a strong following, thanks to its mouth-watering homemade cakes, bakes and puddings, all made with locally sourced ingredients. Customers can order online or pop into the shop.

Tara, who describes her delicious products as being “Cornish made by a Cornish maid” hopes being better connected will allow her to develop her wedding and celebration cake

range, as well as helping her to branch out into parties and corporate events.

“I would definitely recommend Wildanet,” she says. “They knew exactly what we wanted for our business.”

See www.thecornishpuddingco.co.uk

If you or your business need help and support with digital connectivity, Wildanet has a range of options and innovative solutions available to help.

Speak to the team on 0800 0699906 or visit www.wildanet.com/business Watch the video: www.wildanet.com/cornishpuddingco/

DIGITAL

CONNECTIVITY

BUSINESS CORNWALL | 37

PEOPLE

ON THE MOVE

Cornwall Museums Partnership (CMP) has appointed its new CEO. Tamzyn Smith, who assumes the role from Emmie Kell, is currently

principal lead for culture and creative economy at Cornwall Council, a position she has held since 2019 and where she led on the co-creation of Cornwall’s Creative Manifesto.

Prior to Cornwall Council, Smith worked at Real Ideas Organisation as a specialist consultant in arts and culture, and at the Hall for Cornwall as the interim operations and team development lead.

NEW MUSEUMS CEO

She said: “I am delighted to be joining the fantastic team at Cornwall Museums Partnership. Building on the experience, partnerships and reputation that is already in place, I’m excited to get to work with Cornwall’s museums and the CMP team to establish what we want to collectively achieve together.”

Smith begins as CEO in the summer.

ROGER AND OUT serving the islands all year-round on board the dedicated freight ship Gry Maritha.

After 22 loyal years – and 185,000 miles on board the Gry Maritha - Captain Paul Stevens will be retiring this month.

Captain Stevens, 68, will retire almost 22 years to the day he joined the Isles of Scilly Steamship Group.

A familiar and well-respected face on the Isles of Scilly, he has spent two decades

He said: “I’ve loved my time on the Gry, but all good things must come to an end. I will miss going to sea, the boat and the closeknit crew who are more like a second family.”

Stuart Reid, chief executive of the Isles of Scilly Steamship Group, added: “We would like to take this opportunity to thank Paul for his incredible contributions to the company over the past two decades. We will certainly miss him and wish him well for his retirement.”

NEW SHERIFF IN TOWN Andrew Williams has been sworn in as the new High Sheriff of Cornwall, taking up the reins from Mark Thomas who has held the office for the last year.

The Office of High Sheriff is the oldest Royal appointment, with each county in England and Wales having an appointed High Sheriff. In Cornwall the appointment is made by HRH The Duke of Cornwall.

His key responsibility will be to support the work of the judiciary, the police and emergency services, the prison and probation services and various other agencies in Cornwall involved in crime prevention.

The Office of High Sheriff is an honorary,

THREE ON BOARD AT COASTLINE 38 | BUSINESS CORNWALL

independent and nonpolitical role.

“It’s a huge honour and a privilege to be offered the chance to serve and give something back to Cornwall,” said Williams.

Williams, who runs The Lanhydrock Estate Company, is also a Falmouth Harbour Commissioner, and an ambassador as well as a member of the advisory board on the Cornwall Place Board, having served on the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership Board for the past six years.

SHELTERBOX DIRECTORS ShelterBox has welcomed a new director and deputy director of international programmes to its team.

Euan Crawshaw has more than ten years of experience in humanitarian programmes and emergency response, most recently as humanitarian lead at Oxfam. New deputy Chloe Day, meanwhile, has worked in emergency response and management of multi-sectoral humanitarian programmes in some of the world’s most challenging and under-funded protracted crises.

Chief executive, Sanj Srikanthan, said: “Euan will lead on the formulation of our humanitarian strategy to reach more people left without shelter after disaster in partnership with others including those closest to affected communities.

“Chloe will lead our global programme delivery across three regions as well as our emergency response team, to relentlessly focus on high quality, timely delivery of emergency shelter assistance.”

Coastline Housing has welcomed three new non-executive directors to its board to support the charity with its ambitious new four-year plan to build up to 1,200 new affordable homes.

procedures that can affect social housing, while Ben Treleaven set up ISO Spaces with his business partner in 2012. David Barlow is a chartered accountant having trained and qualified with KPMG.

Kelly Kemp has been a customer of Coastline Housing for over nine years and has academic knowledge of theories and the implementation of policies and

“We are delighted to have made three such inspirational and exciting new appointments to our board,” said chair of Coastline Housing, Mark Duddridge.

www.truro-penwith.ac.uk

EDUCATION &

SPONSORED BY Truro and Penwith College has launched a new series of business seminars.

BUSINESS SEMINARS The Cornwall College Group (TCCG) has been officially ranked as ‘Good’ in the latest Ofsted report.

A week-long, 27-inspector Ofsted inspection in February, resulted in a report full of praise for the group, which includes Cornwall Colleges in Camborne, St Austell and Newquay, Duchy Colleges in Rosewarne and Stoke Climsland, Falmouth Marine School, Sisna Park, Bicton College in Devon, and CCB Training.

Ofsted said that “leaders are passionate about the power of education to change lives and benefit the wider community,” noting they had also “transformed the culture at the college”.

Principal and chief executive of TCCG, John Evans, said achieving an overall ‘Good’ Grade 2 rating and ‘Good’ for each

GLOWING OFSTED REPORT

The suite of one-day seminars, which are part-funded by the European Social Fund, cover a range of subjects from change management through to coaching and practical training skills.

They got underway last month and run until the end of July. Paul Keene, deputy team leader and leadership & management trainer at the college, said: “The college is delighted to announce its revised and holistic offer of

TRAINING

one-day business seminars that tackle the areas our professional development learners often need additional support in.

“Many of our learners find making time to learn a challenge and the one-day seminar options are proving increasingly popular, either as a one-off skills boosting session or to further enhance one of the college’s ILM Leadership and Management qualifications.”

For more details, email business@truropenwith.ac.uk

of the eight areas of inspection, which includes “quality of education”, was a testament to the hard work, consistency, and dedication of staff and students.

“We are delighted, as we have shown that through our uncompromising ambition to give the very best experience and outcomes for our learners, we are a college of choice in the communities we serve,” he said.

“To receive a glowing report like this from Ofsted demonstrates the distance we have travelled as an organisation. But what is most important is learners, parents, and businesses in the region can have absolute confidence in our ability to deliver quality education and training experiences that will help them in their next steps, whether that is continuing education, starting a new career, or upskilling their workforce.”

“Of course, as anyone who knows me will not be surprised to hear, we are not stopping here, and we’re looking forward to the next exciting stage of our journey as one of the top colleges in the region.”

UNI AMONG WORLD’S BEST Falmouth University has been ranked as one of the best places in the world to study game design.

The university’s Games Academy has again secured a place on the Princeton Review 2022, alongside US-based heavy hitters including New York University, University of Southern California and Silicon Valley University.

The university is ranked top in England, #2 in the UK and #32 in the world.

Falmouth University’s Provost, Professor Eunice Ma said: “It’s an honour to be recognised in Princeton Review’s 2022 list and we’re excited that our Games Academy continues to grow and go from strength to strength.”

Director of the Games Academy, Dr Douglas Brown, added: “This is a boon for the creative, entrepreneurial talent thriving at the Games Academy; our community is part of a wider trend in our county which has seen our creative economy balloon to £2.73 billion.

“With the games industry now outstripping the film industry in terms of economic value, and game development tools being co-opted for uses far beyond the traditional entertainment games world we can expect to see more demand for designers, developers and creatives in order to meet the global demand for exciting, innovative games.”

BUSINESS CORNWALL | 39

CREATIVE

AND DIGITAL

Cornwall photographers Adrian and Bergit Barnett of Barnett Photo Studio recently worked as the official photographers at the largest photographic convention in Europe.

The Societies of Photographers’ London Photo Convention hosts 10,000 photographers from all around the globe over the four-day conference. The conference features a comprehensive

XIGXAG IS TOP START-UP

A Cornish company has been ranked as one of the UK’s top ten tech start-ups.

Tech Nation announced the ten winners of its fourth Rising Stars competition last month, which recognises the brightest and best earlystage tech scaleups from every area of the UK. And among the winners is Latchley-based xigxag, which has created a digital reading app. xigxag’s success as an early-stage tech company reflects the strength and fast growth of the south west’s tech sector overall.

According to data from Tech Nation, the south west is now home to three of the UK’s tech ‘unicorns’ (companies valued at over $1 billion), and received $425 million in VC investment funding last year.

Tech job creation is also growing rapidly in the south west, with over 78,000 people currently employed by tech start-ups and scaleups in the region.

Kelli Fairbrother, co-founder and CEO at xigxag, said: “It is an absolute honour for xigxag to be recognised as one of the most innovative tech start-ups in the UK in 2022.

“Our aim has always been to make reading more accessible, more engaging, easier and more sustainable, so everyone can enjoy more books. We are grateful to receive recognition for creating the first ever listenand-read concept, the best-ever digital reading app and content platform in the industry - an exciting alternative to big tech.”

40 | BUSINESS CORNWALL

SPONSORED BY

www.digitalpeninsula.org

BARNETT IN DEMAND

THREE IN THE RUNNING

programme of events including a trade show, workshops, awards evening and live photographic judging.

Three start-ups from Falmouth University’s venture studio, Launchpad, have been named among the most exciting new businesses in the region after being shortlisted as part of a new awards programme.

Adrian Barnett said: “This is the third-year running we have been chosen to cover this event, and we have already been booked and confirmed for next year as well - so pleased were they with our images.

“I think it is a quite a coup for Cornwall, as it would be easier and cheaper to use London-based photographers for the event, but we are always showcasing the wealth of creative businesses we have down here, so it is really great to get Cornwall noticed and have a business represented at this level.”

Penzance-based independent film production company, Bosena, has received a £40k loan from the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Investment Fund (CIOSIF).

The funding will enable the company to expand and recruit two new members of staff, while supporting the company’s sustainability-focused, ethical and environmentally positive principles.

Bosena is focused on supporting and promoting Cornish and other underrepresented talent within the media sector, while delivering each project in an “ecological harmony” manner.

It is currently working on projects across film, TV, and animation including niche Cornish language productions and these

FUNDING FOR FILM COMPANY

The StartUp Awards National Series has been launched to recognise the booming start-up scene across the UK which has accelerated since the pandemic began. Now & Then is up for best tourism and leisure start-up, Kevri is shortlisted in the mobile and emerging technologies category and Purpose 3D is in the running for best digital start-up.

Winners will be crowned at a ceremony in June. projects will be delivered across media channels including theatrical distribution, broadcasting, digital streaming and mobile.

The company’s latest feature is Enys Men,

by BAFTA winning writer-director Mark Jenkin and produced by Bosena CEO Denzil Monk. The “ecosophical horror” is set in the Cornish landscape and is the follow up to BAIT (2019), the highly acclaimed, award-winning drama which focuses on the issues surrounding the gentrification of a small Cornish fishing village.

Monk said: “We are committed to showcasing the wealth of production talent that Cornwall has to offer by producing critically celebrated and commercially successful features. Acting local, whilst thinking global is vitally important to us as we’re proud of our roots, which is why we are always keen to make work which uses and celebrates our Cornish language and culture, and why finding and continually employing Cornish talent is a cornerstone of our ecosophical objectives.”

NEWS

SPONSORED BY

#FSBCONNECT

SMALL BUSINESS PLEDGE CALL The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) is calling on all local authorities (and those candidates standing for election in other parts of the country this month) to sign up to its Local Leadership Partnership pledge.

Small businesses and the self-employed make up a huge percentage of the business population in Cornwall. FSB is encouraging Local Authorities to pledge to create a small business champion post within the council, as well as a council officer role dedicated to ensuring small firms are well represented in decision-making within local authorities.

It also calls on candidates to work with FSB to develop supportive policy for small businesses in their authority area, as set out in the business group’s new Local Leadership document.

The document outlines the ways local and combined authorities across England

can work with and empower small businesses and the self-employed to deliver growth, prosperity and jobs.

The new report covers everything from how councils should best engage with their small business community, to skills and digital connectivity, and planning and business rates.

Lee Nathan, FSB Regional Chair for the south west said: “We’re asking councils to get on board with our pledge to put small businesses and self-employed at the heart of decisions made at a local authority level.

These recommendations act as a check list that councils across England can use to ensure small firms are given the right support and encouragement to be able to compete, grow and form part of their local community.”

FSB EVENT - HOW TO SURVIVE INFLATION WORKSHOPS AT PENTILLIE CASTLE

COST OF LIVING CRISIS

FSB national chair, Martin McTague, has called on the Government to support small firms faced with spiralling energy costs.

“It’s been decades since we’ve seen input costs surging at this kind of unmanageable rate,” he said.

“A lot of small businesses are left with no choice but to up prices as their overheads spiral: the cost of living crisis starts with a cost of doing business crisis. We are really seeing now, how runaway business outgoings are now weighing on economic growth.

“Surging input price inflation for firms comes on top of rapidly rising energy costs, emergency debt repayments kicking in, tax increases and the end to Covid support measures, not least targeted VAT relief.

“There’s only so much the Government can do about international supply chain disruption and its impact on raw material and fuel costs. It can, however, do more to support small firms at the local level with energy costs.

FSB Cornwall is, later this month, hosting an afternoon of tangible take-aways on planning ahead and crisis-proofing your business.

The How to Survive Inflation Workshops, at Pentillie Castle on May 26, is designed to give business owners some new tools to keep ahead of inflation.

The event will open at 11.30am for registration and then starting with a short networking lunch to get everyone comfortable for an afternoon of workshops from some truly inspiring speakers (who we are also grateful to for being sponsors of this event).

FSB Insurance will cover business continuity protection and will give us the benefit of their vast experience of what this involves and why everyone should “fix the roof before it rains”.

Access to Finance will speak about managing your money and The Growth & Skills Hub will talk about how you can get the right people and skills and how to keep them. Finally, ATI will talk to us about innovation and how doing things differently can really pay off.

Cost: £10 for FSB Members; £15 for nonMembers, to include tea/coffee and buffet lunch.

This event is open to all - both FSB members and non-members are welcome to attend - so please feel free to share with your networks but places are limited to 30. Contact Vanessa.Gale@fsb.org.uk for more details.

N.B. There will be a follow up event in September in Falmouth – so look out for that one too!

“Micro business owners operate like consumers in the energy market but are not receiving comparable support via the business rates system to that received by households through the council tax system. That mismatch should be addressed.”

FSB Offer for Business Cornwall Magazine Readers at www.fsb.org.uk/join If you want to join FSB after reading this page then please quote BCM30 when you join and

save £30!

BUSINESS CORNWALL | 41

FOOD

& DRINK

St Austell Brewery’s flagship lager brand, korev, has become an official event partner of SkyBar. The new three-year sponsorship deal will see the brand take centre stage at SkyBar events throughout the summer - from the Cornish coastal havens of Watergate Bay, Polzeath, and St Agnes, to locations across the wider south west including Croyde, Wells, and Chew Magna.

The brewery will also exclusively supply all SkyBar events with beers,

wines, spirits, and soft drinks.

SkyBar is a ‘pop-up bar event’, which appears at locations throughout the summer months, featuring a mixture of food and drink, DJs and live music.

Mark Stephens, head of regional sales at St Austell Brewery, said: “We’re delighted to be signing an exclusive three-year deal with SkyBar,” said Mark Stephens, head of regional sales at St Austell Brewery. “We can’t wait for the long-awaited festival season.”

BACK TO SCHOOL Cornwall’s only single estate distillery has launched what it claims will be the UK’s first plough-to-bottle Vodka School.

Colwith Farm Distillery makes award-winning spirits distilled from Cornish potatoes grown on its fifth-generation family farm in south Cornwall.

KOREV RAISES THE BAR RECORD SALES Cornish Premier Pasties is reporting a record start to the year, with sales up 54% at the end of the first quarter and turnover predicted to reach £7 million in 2022.

The company was acquired by Mark Norton in 2020 and combined with its sister business, Prima Bakeries Ltd, the group is the fourth largest manufacturer of Cornish Pasties in the world, employing over 60 people.

Thanks to the rising demand in savoury baked goods, Cornish Premier Pasties’ sales are predicted to reach year-on-year growth of 19% by the end of 2022. To support the forecast growth, Cornish Premier Pasties has committed to investing over £100k in the next 12 months on bakery production equipment and vehicles.

Norton: “Whilst our plans to grow are incredibly exciting, our priority is that this does not come at a cost of quality or customer service – something we are well known for. As well as ensuring this highquality product and service, we will continue to respond to the consumer market with relevant and exciting new products in line with the demand for vegan and alternative options, as well as looking at all aspects of reducing food miles and energy usage.”

42 | BUSINESS CORNWALL

The new vodka school, which got underway last month, offers the “ultimate introduction” into the world of botanicals, flavour profiles and the art of vodka rectification.

SWEET SUCCESS A Cornish vegan chocolate brand has had a funding boost to support its market launch following a rebranding exercise.

The five-figure loan from SWIG Finance, with the backing of British Business Bank’s Recovery Loan Scheme, will be used to support the PR and photography for Push Chocolate’s market launch and an ongoing marketing campaign which will be undertaken by a digital marketing agency.

Based in St Austell, Push Chocolate is led by entrepreneur Ant Wilson, whose love affair with chocolate began when he was a child, but as he became more health conscious he knew he needed to do something to combat his sugar fix in a healthier way.

He decided to try making his own chocolate using vegan ingredients and the resounding

positive feedback he received led him to begin his business journey.

Wilson said: “Without this funding I would have needed to go down other finance routes, such as crowdfunding or equity finance, both routes take a long time to execute. With this funding in place, I can roll out our rebrand at a quicker pace and subsequently I can sell my products faster.”

CHAMBER

SPONSORED BY

cornwallchamber.co.uk

NEWS

A MORAL DILEMMA CORNWALL CHAMBER CHIEF EXECUTIVE, KIM CONCHIE, LOOKS AHEAD TO PLANET C WEEK LATER THIS YEAR. Last week, I heard a story about a local jewellery company in a predicament: the nontoxic glue they have been using for some time is starting to fail, meaning their jewellery has a limited life span. The only alternative it seems is to use a more toxic glue, compromising the company’s green credentials.

This type of problem is going to come up more and more often as businesses try and strike a balance between reducing their environmental impact and producing a quality product.

We need to change the assumption that ‘green’ always means less effective or compromised on quality. But if the green product really is less effective, should we compromise on quality in favour of protecting the planet?

This is exactly the sort of question we’re going to be exploring during Planet C week in September, sponsored by Don’t Cry Wolf.

We’re thrilled to have recruited Green Works Consulting as our project partner across the four days. Their ideas and solutions really resonate with me, and I think they are very well placed to help us support the Duchy’s SMEs navigating their way through the green revolution.

Paul Atkinson, cofounder and director of Green Works believes business owners should feel empowered to make changes in whatever scope they can, without having to be perfect straight away. This is so important to remember.

In Paul’s words: “Cornwall has great aspirations for the promising potential of geothermal energy, lithium mining or even space travel.

“However, we must be aware that we run the risk of a major a disconnect between this end goal and many of the SMEs within our county that don’t feel this reflects what they

can achieve or is relevant to their size, scale, industry, or budget.”

I’m really passionate about creating an event that gives every business in Cornwall practical tools to enable them to do their bit for sustainability – regardless of how small they are or what they do.

THE WORKFORCE OF TOMORROW Sustainability is just one piece of the puzzle when looking at the future of business, and I really feel like Cornwall has got behind this lately.

WHY JOIN?

Cornwall Chamber of Commerce is an independent not-for-profit organisation accredited by the British Chambers of Commerce. We solely exist to represent businesses in Cornwall. Our events provide a platform for businesses to connect, create and make valuable business relationships. Membership to the Chamber starts from as little as £17 +VAT per month and provides you with the tools to promote your business.

Get in touch today to have a chat about how we can support you and your business.

By the time you read this, Eden will have hosted Boardroom2030 – an event to get Cornwall leading the way in inspiring businesses to imagine what 2030 looks like.

Boardroom2030 looks at the power a board has, the role it plays, and how bringing new voices into a boardroom can shake things up. The latter is particularly pertinent to the Chamber’s campaign to let young businesspeople in the Duchy voice their opinions and take the lead on projects.

Both our 30 under 30 Awards and Surge of Entrepreneurs networking group for the under 30s have shown just how much talent exists

here. It’s this generation that are the future of business in Cornwall, and we should let them help us shape it.

It’s very easy to shut out young voices or disregard new ‘out there’ ideas, but that fresh thinking really can be the key to unlocking the next chapter of a business journey and create some exciting opportunities.

Cornwall Business Fair (Wednesday June 15, Falmouth University), sponsored by Wildanet, is this year titled, ‘The Future of Business’ We’re continuing that theme of looking ahead to what the business landscape of tomorrow might look like. The day will include a host of insightful talks and helpful workshops – we still have a few promotional stands left, but grab ‘em quick! See you there: www.cornwallbusinessfair.co.uk

Email: hello@cornwallchamber.co.uk Call: 01209 216006 Online: www.cornwallchamber.co.uk BUSINESS CORNWALL | 43

OPINION

JUST A THOUGHT

Joe Sabien, founder and CEO of the mental health charity Sea Sanctuary, explains the importance of focusing on employee wellbeing.

Sailing into

calmer waters

When you think of good mental health, where does your mind go? Is it the people who seem to manage a busy lifestyle? The successful people in high-powered jobs?

Those who always seem to be happy? Or the acquaintances living a seemingly perfect lifestyle according to their social media?

One thing the Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted, is the fact that mental health is very important, and we all have it and need to look after it. Arguably, there’s never been such a time in recent years that we’ve had to be so aware of our own, and others’ health, both mental and physical. The pandemic really showed how many people faced some kind of struggle— even the people you might have thought of when I asked the question about what springs to mind when you consider good mental health.

What’s more, the pandemic highlighted the people that were already struggling, and have been long before Covid hit.

started and where we’ve reached, I’m proud of the amazing achievements our team have made. More than that, I’m proud of how many people we’ve helped. Whether they’ve been close to a literal edge and talked down, let down by traditional mental health services for complex mental health problems, or young people passed around in a system that’s caused them additional trauma.

Moving into the future, the pandemic highlighted a few things to us here at Sea Sanctuary, too. We already had an awardwinning sailing programme, a G999 project working with Devon and Cornwall Police, individual therapy, and therapeutic art workshops, but maybe we needed to also focus on the trauma and wellbeing of people in other areas— such as the workplace.

To help their teams and improve the wellbeing of an organisation as a whole

We’ve built a charity from the ground up, based on one of Cornwall’s amazing natural resources, the sea. We believe in blue health, and the healing power of blue spaces, and time near them to improve wellbeing. Looking at Sea Sanctuary now and reflecting on how it 44 | BUSINESS CORNWALL

Studies have shown time and time again that a happier workplace is a more productive workplace—so why aren’t we focusing more on this as employers?

Positive mental health in the workplace can help everyone—by showing support where people spend a lot of their time, we can help them build resilience, feel valued, and more equipped when faced with stressors and potential traumas and triggers in life.

We wanted to work with more workplaces, to help their teams and improve the wellbeing of an organisation as a whole, and it begins

with people in leadership recognising its importance. Work-life balance has been a hot topic in the last few years—people giving up the commute to work from home, being trusted to work hours that suit them, and workplaces putting in support systems to help everyone—whether they appear to be struggling or not.

That’s one of the positive things about workplace mental health support—not everyone asks for help. How many people we’ve met willing to end their life feeling there’s no way out and haven’t been able to ask for help before. Supporting your teams whether they appear to need it, or not, opening the topic of conversation on mental health, and investing in their wellbeing is the key to breaking the stigma and equipping everyone with the skills they need to improve their wellbeing, inside and outside of the workplace. Ultimately, the results speak for themselves, helping inspire team members to bring their best selves to their work every day.

As one of the most successful businessmen, Richard Branson, succinctly said: “Clients do not come first. Employees come first. If you take care of your employees, they will take care of the clients.”

Sea Sanctuary runs corporate sailing days on its stunning tall ship, Irene, and offers employee assistance programmes, and wellbeing champion training for businesses wanting to invest in employee wellbeing.

Find out more at seasanctuary.org.uk or call 01326 378919.

UPCOMING

EVENTS

MAY

EVENTS 3

HEARTLANDS BUSINESS BREAKFAST

Red River Café, Heartlands

12

Heartlands business networking is a great way to start the day with friendly, relaxed networking and good grub.

aticornwallinnovation.co.uk

COMPETING TO STAY RELEVANT IN A BUSY WORLD

FSB VIRTUAL NETWORKING

Pool Innovation Centre, Pool

Online

Join Mark Harris for an interactive workshop understanding innovation and how it can impact your business.

Every Thursday afternoon, join FSB Cornwall for its weekly networking via Zoom. This is your chance to chat, make new contacts, catch up with FSB Cornwall and share best practice for an hour each week.

aticornwallinnovation.co.uk

fsb.org.uk

CORNWALL CHAMBER LUNCH

Royal Cornwall Yacht Club, Falmouth Join Cornwall Chamber at the idyllic setting of the Royal Cornwall Yacht Club and the chance to expand your Cornish connections, while joining in on some great conversation over a spot of lunch.

19

SUSTAINABLE FOOD & DRINK NETWORK

University of Exeter, Penryn Campus Hear from a team of researchers who will share their insights and proposals for a Cornwall Food Policy Pact (CFPP), inspired by international best practices. This will be followed by a panel of speakers from regional, national and international organisations.

11

The Victoria Inn, Threemilestone Members each give a one-minute presentation on their business and the kinds of referral they would particularly value. Other essential elements include passing of referrals and testimonials, introduction of guests and an opportunity for announcements. king-networking.co.uk

26

20 -22

TECHSTARS STARTUP WEEKEND Falmouth University, Penryn Campus

Learn how to think, work, and build like a startup in 54 thrilling hours.

Techstars Startup Weekend is an exciting and immersive foray into the world of startups. event.techstars.com

Fibre Hub, Pool

How do employers attract more women into tech and what skills, existing and new, are needed in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly?

EARLY BIRD COFFEE CLUB

Cocktail Haus, The Poly, Falmouth A free space for local businesses, start-ups, creatives, entrepreneurs to connect over (really) good coffee.

Kindly hosted by Solskinn Coffee and Cocktail Haus in Falmouth. eventbrite.co.uk

HOW TO SURVIVE INFLATION Pentille Castle, St Mellion

Times are tough but with FSB support, some practical guidance and top tips, this event is designed to give business owners some new tools to keep ahead of inflation.

CORNWALL ARCHITECTURAL TRUST SUMMER LECTURE

eventbrite.co.uk

WOMEN IN TECH

eventbrite.co.uk

Fibre Hub, Pool

The Cornwall Architectural Trust and Falmouth University are proud to present: ‘Themes and Threads’ presented by Alun Jones, Director, Dow Jones Architects.

eventbrite.co.uk

KING NETWORKING

25

GATEWAY INTO TECH LEARNING DAY

Falmouth University, Woodlane Campus

Heartlands, Pool

cornwallchamber.co.uk

softwarecornwall.org

20

CORNWALL CHAMBER BIG BREAKFAST Cornwall Chamber of Commerce’s monthly breakfast networking event always draws a big gathering of vibrant businesses.

The next Gateway into Tech introduction will be held at the Fibrehub in Pool on Thursday 19th May. It will be a day of learning, widening experience and networking.

cornwallchamber.co.uk

10

Greenbank Hotel

24

Join ATI2’s next Cornwall Innovation Club: Flexing to Succeed, where we will from Amanda Winwood on her successful business journey and the creation of Made For Life Organics.

heartlandscornwall.com

5

CORNWALL INNOVATION CLUB

fsb.org.uk

27

CORNWALL CONVERSATIONS Foot Anstey, Truro

Cornwall Conversations is designed to keep you and your business updates with the latest hot topics in Cornwall, with some great speakers to provide you with useful insights and information. cornwallchamber.co.uk

For further details of these and more networking events visit businesscornwall.co.uk To publicise your event for free, email news@businesscornwall.co.uk BUSINESS CORNWALL | 45

CONNECTED

CORNWALL

SOUTH WEST TOURISM AWARDS

Sandy Park, home of the Exeter Chiefs RFC, was the venue for the South West Tourism Awards, which was able to return to a face-toface format for the first time in over two years.

Your Partnerships is Cornwall’s largest networking group, with meetings up and down the Duchy Growing a business can be challenging. You want your business to be visible to the right people, so it’s important to know how and where to meet them. Your Partnerships is Cornwall’s largest networking group and it events enable you to connect with other members, gain referrals and build trusting relationships with customers and suppliers.

Your Partnerships, can help your business grow!

46 | BUSINESS CORNWALL

4

WADEBRIDGE FORUM

9

PROPERTY & CONSTRUCTION EVENT

10 13 18

Falcon Inn, Wadebridge

Ambassadors: Jos and Warren D’Souza

Holiday Inn Express, Victoria Ambassador: Latoya McDonald

BIG LUNCH

Penventon Hotel

19

OPEN HOUSE CORNWALL

24 26

NETWORKING WORKSHOP

27

BREAKFAST NORWAY INN

Norway Way, Perranarworthal

Ambassador: Gareth Looker

BUDE NETWORKING

Neetside Community Centre, Bude

Ambassador: Edward Chapman

3

Victoria Inn, Roche

Ambassador: David Brock

Victoria Inn, Roche

NEWQUAY AREA BREAKFAST Plume of Feathers, Mitchell

Ambassador: Sinead Gow

HAYLE BREAKFAST MEETING Brewers Fayre, Loggans Moor

Ambassador: Karen Looker

ONLINE: BUSINESS FINANCE & ADVICE

Ambassador: Dionne Williams

CONNECTED

CORNWALL

ROBERT RUSH (PFA RESEARCH)

BIG BREAKFAST

Mennaye Field in Penzance, home of the Cornish Pirates RFC, was the venue for Cornwall Chamber of Commerce’s monthly Big Breakfast networking meeting.

CAPTAIN BENBOW AND KIM CONCHIE (CORNWALL CHAMBER)

PHOEBE GILBERT (COODES SOLICITORS)

ALAN PAVER (CORNISH PIRATES)

4 5 5 9 10 11 12

MEET UP WITH JON & WARREN

Ambassadors: Jon Iacomino & Warren D’Souza

RECRUITMENT

Ambassador: Joel Sorrano

ALL NETWORK MEETUP

Ambassador: David Brock

THE BIG ONE

Ambassador: David Brock

TUESDAY MORNING CATCHUP Ambassador: Bill Christie

MEET UP WITH JON & WARREN

Ambassadors: Jon Iacomino & Warren D’Souza

SPORT & NUTRITION

Ambassador: Craig Smith

STEVE DECHAN (BIOWAVE)

16 17 18

THE BIG ONE

19 23 24 25

BUSINESS COACHING

Ambassador: David Brock

BUSINESS WITH PURPOSE

Ambassador: Edward Chapman

MEET UP WITH JON & WARREN

26

CYBER SECURITY

30

THE BIG ONE

Ambassadors: Chris Windley & Kelly Thompson Ambassador: David Brock

Ambassadors: Jon Iacomino & Warren D’Souza Ambassador: BJ Stephens

THE BIG ONE

Ambassador: David Brock

TUESDAY MORNING CATCHUP Ambassador: Bill Christie

MEET UP WITH JON & WARREN

Ambassadors: Jon Iacomino & Warren D’Souza

yourpartnerships.co.uk BUSINESS CORNWALL | 47

THE LAST

WORD

WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU WERE YOUNG? I wanted to be a travelling surfer and I also wanted to own my own business so that I could do what I wanted, this part turned out to be completely wrong but still a good plan.

WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST FULL TIME JOB? KP in a hotel kitchen right above Fistral Beach.

WHAT’S IN YOUR POCKETS? A phone which is always there, my card wallet, a pen and a masonry drill bit, I always seem to get practical jobs done while plotting whatever’s next!

HOW DO YOU LIKE TO RELAX? By being in or near the sea, being at home with the fire lit and also hanging out with friends, I’m actually not very good at relaxing at all, I get bored very quickly.

WHAT HAS BEEN THE BEST MOMENT IN YOUR CAREER? When I finally bought the run down commercial property site that has now been transformed into Mor Workspace. Over the years I have tried to buy the site several times but finally got it about seven years ago.

WHAT HAS BEEN THE WORST MOMENT IN YOUR CAREER? Probably the last recession or credit crunch when we ended up in litigation through no fault of my own. It was the most draining and demotivating thing that I have ever done. Looking back though, I learnt a huge amount which was basically, avoid it at all costs, there are no winners!

IF YOU COULD INVITE ANY TWO PEOPLE FOR DINNER, WHO WOULD THEY BE AND WHY WOULD YOU INVITE THEM? There’s a guy called Tobias who plays in a Swedish rock band called Ghost and I think he is fascinating, or Amy Poehler (from Parks and Recreation) because she makes me laugh so much.

WHAT’S THE BEST THING ABOUT CORNWALL? The quality of life and the sea which I’m sure we all appreciated through the lockdowns and also the people and entrepreneurial spirit here (I do hate that word though).

IF YOU COULD BE GOD FOR A DAY, WHAT MIRACLE WOULD YOU PERFORM?

MATT MILLER Mor Workspace founder 48 | BUSINESS CORNWALL

Accelerate the fight against climate change and the dependence on fossil fuels but still have an Italian or British beast in the garage.

WHAT WAS YOUR BIGGEST MISTAKE IN LIFE? I don’t look back at things at all and seem to erase them from my memory or learn from them. I wouldn’t be where I am now if I hadn’t made mistakes, I know that for sure!

WHAT WAS YOUR LUCKIEST BREAK? I believe that you make your own luck as someone smart once said, ‘the harder I work the luckier I get’ but it did lead to me meeting my amazing wife Sarah!

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE DOING IN FIVE YEARS’ TIME? Watching my sons, my team and my businesses grow and be able get more free time too….. if I can allow myself.

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