The Hertfordshire Business Independent April 2014

COMPLIMENTARY

LEAD INTERVIEW WE SPEAK WITH

AND

JASON GEORGIE SMEDLEY FOUNDERS OF NAIL HARMONY UK

SPECIAL: Conferences & Events GIFT GUIDE: Mother’s Day Gift Guide TECH: We test out the Galaxy Note Pro ENGLISH TOURISM WEEK: We check out the best that Hertfordshire has to offer!

SHOP LOCAL WEEK: We visit St Albans Beer Shop

issue April 2014

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CONTENTS NEWS A round-up of the latest business news and stories from our region

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LEGAL Latest advice from our finance experts

11

MONEY Latest advice from our legal experts

15

EXECUTIVE PROFILE We interview Julian Bremner from Raydens Solicitors

16

INTERVIEW We speak with Jason and Georgie Smedley, founders of Nail Harmony UK

20

ENGLISH TOURISM WEEK We take a look at some of our region’s best tourist venues

22 CHANGE YOUR LIFE IN YOUR LUNCH BREAK! We review the great new book ‘Empowered!’ by Anne Mulliner

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MARKETING Latest advice from our resident marketing expert Grant Leboff

25

CONFERENCE & EVENTS SPECIAL All the latest advice and tips relating to conferences and events

34

NETWORKING The latest advice from networking expert Andy Lopata

The HBI is distributed to business centres, meeting and conference facilities, hotels and railway stations across the county, with a further 30,000 being delivered directly to the inbox of our subscribers, including the CEOs of the top 200 companies in Hertfordshire.

A selection of distribution points are listed below.

DISTRIBUTION POINTS

Cole Green : Panshanger Flying Club Baldock : Jester Hotel, Baldock Station, Ashwell Station Harpenden : Harpenden House Hotel, Harpenden Station Hatfield : Ramada Jarvis, Hatfield Oak Hotel, Porsche Centre, Fielder Centre Hertford : Hertford North Railway Station I Hertingfordbury : Whitehorse Hotel : Hitchin : Hitchin Railway Station I Knebworth : Knebworth Station Letchworth : Letchworth Hall Hotel, Goldsmith Centre, Bizspace Letchworth, Business Centre West Potters Bar : Wenta Potters Bar, Regus Potters Bar : Radwell : Days Inn Baldock I Redbourn : Ramada Jarvis Royston : Royston Station, Banyers Hotel, Jester Hotel I St Albans : Quality Hotel Stevenage : Roebuck Hotel, Specialist Cars, Merc Stevenage, Premeir Inn Stevenage, BTC Centre, Cromwell Hotel, Gordon Craig Theatre, Stevenage Station I Turnford : Cheshunt Mariott The Hertfordshire Business Club : Ware :Hanbury Manor I Watford : Ramada Jarvis I Welwyn : Welwyn North Station Welwyn Garden City : Weltech Centre

The HBI is also available to view online at www.businessindependent.co.uk If you would like to receive copies of The HBI for your business please call 0844 358 5800.

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EDITOR’S WELCOME

0844 358 5800 www.businessindependent.co.uk MANAGING DIRECTOR Simon George EDITOR Jenna Gould

editor@businessindependent.co.uk

CONTRIBUTORS Daisy Simpson Chiedza Zvirahwa Kelly Milsom Jean Miller Chris Merrington Leila Witkin Julian Cox Andrew Merrit Morling Grant Leboff Andy Lopata

SALES MANAGER Sona Shah

sona@businessindependent.co.uk

DESIGNER Karen Birch

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PUBLISHED BY Business Independent Ltd. Old Batford Mill Lower Luton Road Harpenden Hertfordshire AL5 5BZ

COPYRIGHT Copyright: 2012 Business Independent Ltd All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior consent of the publishers. The views expressed in any of the Business Independent series of regional magazines are not necessarily the views of the publishers Business Independent Ltd. Whilst Business Independent Ltd has made every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this publication, neither they norany contributing author can accept any legal responsibility for any consequences that may arise from errors or omissions contained in this publication or from acting on any opinions or advice given.

In particular, this publication is general and not a substitute for professional advice and you should consult your own professional advisors where appropriate.

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Welcome to the April edition of The Hertfordshire Business Independent. I don’t know about you but I can’t believe how quickly the year is flying by! With spring just around the corner, we are all looking forward to the warmer, drier weather to arrive, but we’d like to spare a thought for all of those businesses and people that have been affected by the recent flooding. It is amazing the resilience that comes when faced with adversity both in your professional and personal life and we have been amazed at some of the stories we’ve heard through our network of how local businesses and communities in some of the worst affected places have rallied together to help each other. Often, we forget that one of the most important aspects of running a business is your support network, be that friends, relatives, suppliers, affiliates or even coaches and mentors. I hope that this magazine in part contributes to helping you along with your journey and that it provides help, advice and support to drive your business onwards and upwards. We’ve got some great features in this issue, from expert advice to local profiles and inspiring stories of success. As always, please do keep us informed of all your latest news and views as your contributions are a key part of our magazine.

Wishing you a great month!

Jenna

Follow us on twitter @thehbi

ROY CHAPMAN LTD CELEBRATES THEIR 40TH ANNIVERSARY

January 2014 marked the start of Roy Chapman Ltd’s 40-year anniversary of its motor trade business in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire. Despite undertaking numerous franchised operations over the years, the focus and commitment from Roy and staff alike remains high. This is demonstrated by the business’ logo, which features members of the original team and the company mission statement : “Seldom Beaten for Value and Friendliness”, which has remained the same since day one.

Now a Ford retail dealer, Mazda authorised repair centre, and an all makes vehicle service and MOT centre, Roy and wife Anne are still the main shareholders and, although not on site on a day-to-day basis, are still very much involved in the running of the overall operation. Their son Jeremy runs the service operation and daughter Justine looks after sales and finance.

Outgrowing its site in Berkhamsted after Peugeot merged with Talbot, the business relocated to Ashley Green, near Chesham. An Austin Rover franchise was then operated from Berkhamsted, along with a new site in Harpenden, and Roy Chapman Ltd twice finished in the top ten for sales achievement in the UK. The Berkhamsted site saw the introduction of Citroen and, in 1994, the decision was made to concentrate its efforts wholly on one franchise, therefore the premises at Ashley Green was leased out. The Citroen marque was an enormous success and, coming into the new century, the sales team celebrated their sales success by regularly outselling any other franchise in the area.

AWARD WINNING WELWYN GARDEN CITY SOLICITORS BOLSTER EMPLOYMENT LAW TEAM WITH KEY HIRE

Multiple award winning Crane & Staples Solicitors has hired employment law expert Michael Scutt to head up their Employment Law and Litigation team.

Michael joined the firm in late 2013 after being with a niche City law firm specialising in employment law for ten years. He has acted for both employers and employees in all aspects of employment law and dispute resolution, including drafting and advising on settlement agreements, contracts of employment and staff handbooks, as well as assisting with disciplinary/ grievance processes and court/ tribunal proceedings.

Michael said: “Welwyn and Hatfield is a thriving commercial area and we want Crane & Staples to be the employment adviser of choice for people and businesses in the area.

Employment law is an issue which affects most people, either as an employee or an employer.

Both employers and employees can be unsure of their legal rights in the workplace and want advice from a partner they can trust. Prevention is better than cure and I can help employers put processes in place to minimise the risk of problems arising.”

RUSSELL ROOF TILES EXPANDS ITS FOOTPRINT IN THE SOUTH

The UK’s leading independent manufacturer of roof tiles and fittings is expanding its footprint in the south. As part of its strategic growth plan, Russell Roof Tiles has appointed new regional sales manager Paul McLoughlin, who has 30 years building, construction and roofing sector experience, to launch a new Southern Division.

Russell Roof Tiles already has a significant number of clients in the region including leading housing builders Bovis and Barratt Homes. It has also just nearly completed a £750,000 contract to supply roofing solutions for Center Parcs for all of its 625 forest lodges at Center Parcs, Woburn Forest (Bedfordshire) due to open in spring 2014.

Paul’s role will cover the northern home counties, south-east and southern counties. He brings with him extensive sector expertise across the roofing industry. Speaking about his new role, Paul said: “I am delighted to be with Russell Roof Tiles at such an exciting time for the expanding business. I’m looking forward to developing the customer base across the southern region for which Russell Roof Tiles has an extensive range of products ideally suitable for all market sectors.”

HUGHENDEN CONSULTING RELOCATES IN HIGH WYCOMBE TO SUPPORT INTERNATIONAL GROWTH

Hughenden Consulting has now moved to new, larger premises in High Wycombe that will serve as a base for its growing international operations in Europe and North America. Hughenden, whose revenues doubled in fiscal year 2013, provides specialist education and consulting services that help global manufacturers run more efficient, sustainable and profitable supply chains.

The new site will house more staff and allow Hughenden to host its specialist conferences and training sessions on-site, for which there is growing demand. The new address is 6 Lancaster Court, Coronation Road, High Wycombe, Bucks, HP12 3TD. After considering a range of options, Hughenden chose to stay located in High Wycombe rather than move to London or elsewhere. A key reason it chose High Wycombe is for its excellent transit links to all directions by train and the motorway and also the short commute to Heathrow, which provides the vital link to its international assignments in Asia, Europe and North America.

HERTFORDSHIRE WOMAN SCOOPS HOUSING AWARD

Matthew Bishop of Matthew Bishop Photography based in Pitstone, Buckinghamshire, received the prestigious title of Wedding Photographer of the Year at the Societies Photographic Convention in London, sponsored by Mario Acerboni.

The Societies 12th Metropole, attended by 14,000 leading figures and companies within the photographic industry, such as Canon and Olympus, culminated in the glittering awards ceremony presented by television presenter Maggie Philbin, on the evening of Saturday 18th January 2014.

The annual convention took place over five days at the Hilton London. Throughout the preceding year, entrants are required to submit images each month to the eight societies for competition and judging, in this instance, The Society of Wedding and Portrait Photographers (SWPP). Matthew Bishop received six Gold Awards during 2013, the highest accolade. Each Gold Award is then judged by a select panel of highly qualified world-class photographers in order to choose nominees for the coveted Photographer of the Year title.

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NEWS

LOCAL PHOTOGRAPHER WINS INTERNATIONAL AWARD

A Hertfordshire woman has been honoured with a regional acolade for individuals that go the extra mile for the benefit of their local community..

Marianna Mantilaris was awarded for her efforts to ensure that social housing residents in Stevenage remained comfortable throughout a programme of refurbishment works taking place in their homes.

Named Resident Liaison Officer of the Year, Marianna was praised for finding innovative ways to minimise the stress felt by Stevenage Borough Council tenants as a result of the ongoing maintenance work being carried out by her employer, Wates Living Space.

Stevenage Borough Councillor Ann Webb, executive member for housing said: “I’m delighted to hear about this award, and I offer my thanks to everyone who does such a good job in ensuring that our tenants are comfortable while refurbishment is taking place. Providing high quality housing is a priority for us and I’m sure our residents will also feel that this award is well-deserved.”

ESRANGE SPACE CENTER USES CAMERAS OF WATFORD-BASED COMPANY, AXIS, FOR SAFER SPACE LAUNCHES

Esrange Space Center has chosen Axis Communications’ cameras to give it a better overview of on-site operations and to improve safety.

Esrange Space Center is a rocket range and research centre located above the Arctic Circle in the north of Sweden, near the mining town of Kiruna. It is owned by SSC, a comprehensive space industry active in many fields of space technology and services, and the base launches sounding rockets and high altitude balloons for scientific research purposes.

Safety is paramount at the Esrange Space Center and it has therefore chosen to use Axis’ IP cameras, installed by Axis partner Insupport Nätverksvideo, to get a better operational overview of the base.

“We have used Axis cameras for different purposes in the past, and when we decided to integrate cameras into our safety system, all suppliers we contacted recommended Axis cameras. In other words, it wasn’t a difficult decision for us”, says Martin Hedqvist, project manager at Esrange Space Center.

Elstree Studios and the Hertfordshire district and borough councils have supported this bill and contributed towards the cost of the process.

Hertfordshire is already a popular choice for film and television production and boasts a world class studio infrastructure with Elstree and Leavesden.

UKTI HELPS ROYSTON BASED MOTORCYCLE PARTS MANUFACTURER TREBLE ITS TURNOVER

Racebikebitz, established in 2004, is gearing up for worldwide success as international demand grows for its range of high quality, hand-crafted replacement silicone coolant hoses for motorbikes. The hoses, which have been developed over 12 years, use a unique manufacturing process to increase air flow, durability and performance. They also enhance the motorbike visually, and appeal to motorbike enthusiasts worldwide.

The company, which supplies some of the world’s leading motorcycle race teams including Yamaha and Kawasaki, contacted UKTI in 2009 following a recommendation from a business adviser at HSBC Bank.

As a starting point, managing director Richard Murphy attended a morning workshop in Newmarket where he was introduced to guest speaker and UKTI trade adviser Noel Harvey. Noel spoke in detail about the grants available to help small, local businesses to export. Richard quickly built up a good working relationship with Noel and in 2010 took advantage of a £1500 UKTI grant, available through the Tradeshow Access Programme, which enabled him to exhibit at the B2B Intermot exhibition in Germany Europe’s leading fair for the motorcycle industry.

Richard continues to receive support from UKTI East. He is currently embarking on the Gateway to Global Growth programme through which experienced exporters can take their international strategy to the next level with a view to entering the Brazilian and Japanese markets.

LUSSMANNS FISH AND GRILL NAMED UK’S SUSTAINABLE SMALL GROUP OF THE YEAR

Twelve years after opening with the intention of providing diners with good ethically sourced food at value for money prices, a trio of Hertfordshire restaurants has been rewarded with the title of Sustainable Small Restaurant Group of the Year.

Andrei Lussmann, of Lussmanns Fish & Grill, received the award from Raymond Blanc OBE, president of the Sustainable Restaurant Association (SRA), at Roast restaurant in London’s Borough Market.

Lussmanns, with sites in St Albans, Hertford and Harpenden, described

by The Times critic Giles Coren as “everything a modern local restaurant should be”, fought off strong competition to win the award and shared the podium with other well-known restaurants like Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons and River Cottage.

Andrei said: “Winning this award is absolutely invaluable. It proves that you can put sustainable dining at the heart of every high street – classy but classless.”

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BRAYLEYS FEMALE SALES EXECUTIVES BUCK NATIONAL TREND

Traditionally the territory of male executives in car showrooms is no longer ‘a man’s world’ according to one Hertfordshire based dealer group, which is playing its part in steadily eroding the industry’s historical gender bias, thanks to a growing number of saleswomen.

Operating five franchised dealerships across Hertfordshire, Essex and North London on behalf of car manufacturers, Honda, Kia and Mazda, Brayleys Cars has recently recruited its fifth female sales executive.

One quarter of its total showroom sales force is women with almost 50 years of motor trade experience between them.

According to Paul Brayley, managing director of Brayleys Cars, an exponential increase in female car ownership and the variety of brands has helped the motor trade broaden its appeal as a source of employment.

“The days of car retailing being a man’s world are over and it’s refreshing to see a meaningful increase in the number of women applying for sales roles. Brayleys has experienced a continual rise in the number of female car buyers so I’m pleased that we’re helping redress the industry’s out-dated gender imbalance in the showroom.”

NEWS IN BRIEF

TRADERIVER FINANCE TO INCREASE FUNDING AVAILABILITY FOR UK SMES FOLLOWING STRATEGIC INVESTMENT TradeRiver Finance (TradeRiver), the online supply chain finance provider, is to increase the level of funding it will make available to UK SMEs following a strategic investment from GLI Finance (GLIF), the London Stock Exchange listed specialist provider of finance to small and medium sized enterprises.

TradeRiver is a non-bank online funding solution which finances trade, both cross-border and in the UK. The company provides businesses with finance to purchase goods and services through a convenient online platform. For further information, please visit TradeRiver’s website at: www.traderiverfinance.com

SMARTA AND SANTANDER BEGIN SEARCH FOR THE UK’S BEST FAST-GROWTH BUSINESSES The Santander Breakthrough 50 2014 is now open for entries with the opportunity to be named among the UK’s best fast-growth companies. ‘Money can’t buy’ prizes include: mentoring from a member of Santander’s SME Advisory Board, and a place on an international trade mission.

Businesses have until April 30th to apply at www.smarta.com/Breakthrough50 The winning businesses will be announced May 15th.

80% OF BUSINESSES FAIL WITHIN 18 MONTHS OF A MAJOR INCIDENT NFU Mutual, the UK’s leading rural insurer is urging business owners to make fire safety a priority after it revealed that it paid out over £43 million in claims for commercial fires in 2012.

Topping the list of claims with identified causes were fires caused by arson, electrical faults, electrical equipment and fires in commercial vehicles. According to NFU Mutual, 80% of businesses that suffer a major incident such as a fire fail within 18 months.

COMPANIES WARNED OVER CHANGES TO VAT ON PENSION SCHEME COSTS

HERTFORDSHIRE FIRM RECEIVES NEW LAW SOCIETY WIQS ACCREDITATION

Debenhams Ottaway’s leading Wills, Trusts and Tax Planning practice is amongst the first firms in the UK to receive its WIQS accreditation from the Law Society. The Wills and Inheritance Quality Scheme (WIQS) is one of the Law Society’s most important initiatives in the last year to ensure that lawyers are providing the very highest standards to their clients. This accreditation comes hot on the heels of the Debenhams Ottaway team being nominated in the UK and Ireland Regional Legal Team of the Year category at the prestigious STEP Private Client Awards in 2013.

Claire Sharp, private client partner at Debenhams Ottaway commented: “We have always made the quality of our advice and service our highest priority. However in this day and age it is not enough to simply say that, you have to be seen to be doing it. We are absolutely rigorous in our approach. This accreditation from the Law Society recognises the importance we place on quality, the systems we have in place and most importantly the extremely high standards we expect from our team. The establishment of this scheme will allow anyone looking to make a will or who needs help with an existing will or probate matter to find lawyers who they can trust to do what is best for them.”

A LOOK AT WHAT SOME OF THE HBI FOLLOWERS ARE SAYING ON TWITTER...

TWEETS Eyekon HR @EyekonHR @HertsHour calling local companies want 2 know how to manage absence come along to workshop + find out how 7March 9.30-12 @EyekonHR Liz Baranov @RickabyCo Make sure you plan for getting & keeping customers - don’t leave it to chance! Set time aside every day to do so. #simpletips Eamonn Cassidy @CAS_Electrical We are now ‘safecontractor’ certified #CASElectrical #safecontractor #ElectriciansHertfordshire

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NEWS

A recent European Court ruling on VAT has important cost implications for companies approaching their pension auto-enrolment staging date, warns DSH Chartered Accountants & Business Advisors.

The ruling has prompted HMRC to make significant changes to its policy on the recovery of VAT on pension scheme costs by employers.

However, Martin Dane, Head of VAT and Indirect Taxes at DSH, has warned that the changes are complex and lacking in clarity.

HMRC said it would not seek to backdate the new rules to claw back VAT that was legitimately recovered under the former policy. It has also allowed a six month transitional period during which employers may continue to use the 30% recovery.

It has also said that because the policy change could result in the recovery of more VAT than previously permitted under the former 30%/70% split, it will consider claims for the refund of the extra VAT.

LATE ACTING SMES MAY FACE SUPPLIER CHALLENGES FOR AUTO ENROLMENT Market capacity ‘a concern’ as large numbers sign-up in 2014 Small and medium sized enterprises which have yet to start planning for the introduction of auto enrolment legislation, may struggle to secure a supplier, according to KPMG. The professional services firm is advising SMEs to be fully prepared ahead of a number of key staging dates in 2014.

From October 1st 2012, Government legislation paved the way for all employers to contribute to workers’ pensions. In the first instance, employers will have to make a minimum contribution of 1%, rising to 3% by 2018.

Around 40,000 SMEs are due to reach their auto enrolment staging date in 2014. Businesses employing between 60 and 500 people will be covered by the new regime by the end of this year.

Andy Seed, pensions director for KPMG in the south-east said 2014 is going to be a landmark year for a large number of companies: “We’ve already heard anecdotal evidence from a number of suppliers who say that they won’t consider putting themselves forward for business unless an SME has come to them at least three months ahead of their staging date.

“The inference is clear – if your business does not take planning seriously it may struggle to find a pension supplier suitable for your

Company size

Staging date

350-499 250-349 160-249 90-159 62-89 61 60 59 58 54-57 50-53 40-49 30-39 Fewer than 30

1 January 2014 1 February 2014 1 April 2014 1 May 2014 1 July 2014 1 August 2014 1 October 2014 1 November 2014 1 January 2015 1 March 2015 1 April 2015 1 August 2015 1 October 2015 1 June 2015 to 1 April 2017

[depends on last 2 characters in PAYE ref no]

Employees who do not have a PAYE scheme

1 April 2017

or New employer / PAYE scheme user

1 May 2017 to 1 Feb 2018

[depends on when PAYE income first payable

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business. If the arrangement is not set up in time this could leave the company in breach of its statutory requirements, while staff will miss out on the intended benefits.

Those companies found to be in breach of statutory requirements face a range of sanctions with the Pensions Regulator having pledged to punish persistent and deliberate non-compliance.

Financial fines include an initial fixed penalty notice of £400, escalating to additional daily fines in the range of £50 to £10,000 for continued failure to comply with a statutory notice.

Mr Seed continued: “If they have not done so already SMEs need to consider elevating auto enrolment to top priority.

“Appropriate arrangements will need to be in place to ensure employees can be auto enrolled in a pension scheme; IT and payroll systems are adequate; registration with the Regulator is carried out; and crucially that suppliers are given adequate lead in time to support any new or updated processes.

“Failure to do this could leave businesses facing needless substantial financial penalties at a time when the economy is improving, and where any extra investment should be used to secure fresh economic growth.”

BACK FROM THE BRINK

BY DAVID HAILEY

Not many of us look forward to the first day back at work after a holiday. That sentiment is never more appropriate than when facing bailiffs at 8.30am!

Midway through a long weekend away I received calls and emails with regards a client who had been notified of a planned visit from HM Revenue & Customs’ (HMRC’s) enforcement officers first thing on the Tuesday morning. Unbeknown to us, this matter had been on-going between HMRC and the client for several months, culminating in HMRC’s decision to commence distraint proceedings during this visit.

I met with the director at 7.15am at our office to fully discuss the situation prior to the arrival of HMRC’s enforcement team. Crucially, we had arranged for HMRC to meet at our office. By doing so, it ensured that HMRC were unable to gain entry to the company’s shop and thus had not started the process of distraint over the company’s assets.

Once commenced, the process of distraint is virtually irreversible, during which HMRC would have disposed of the company’s assets and applied the proceeds of sale against the debt owing to them. Such actions would likely have generated only a fraction of the assets’ market values. Meanwhile, the business would have been crippled, with a cessation of trade and liquidation inevitable.

HMRC’s team arrived at 8.30am and, following some fairly frank discussions, the officers left at 10:30am without having carried out the process.

This provided our client breathing space to propose an acceptable payment plan. Later that day, I spoke with the manager of the enforcement team who advised that any payment plan over 6 – 12 months would be immediately rejected. This stance made utilising a Company Voluntary

Arrangement impossible.

It was agreed with the director that it was best to place the company into Administration. By doing so, the company was afforded protection from distraining creditors, including HMRC, and provided time that they didn’t otherwise have.

The business was subsequently sold by the Administrators. This preserved the business such that its suppliers retained a customer and it saved the jobs of all of the company’s employees.

Whilst the actions undertaken in this case mean that the employees have not lost out, there are plenty of parties who have. Creditors did not recover their debts in full. The director/shareholders, who repurchased the trade, also lost out, having to pay out significant funds to buy back a business which they already owned.

I frequently meet with business owners who seek turnaround or recovery services as a last resort.

Even in situations where a director is simply looking to liquidate their company they often comment “I wish I’d come to see you sooner”. So why don’t they? Management are often reluctant to incur professional fees at a time when cash flow is struggling, which is invariably when such services are most crucial. Seeking assistance before it is too late can enhance the number and quality of available solutions.

If you would like to discuss your business options, contact David Hailey on 01462 687333 for a no obligation confidential consultation.

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BRITAIN NEEDS TO MOVE BEYOND THE RHETORIC OF A REBALANCED ECONOMY, WARNS INVESTINGZONE Jean Miller, CEO of InvestingZone, the equity crowdfunding platform, explains why the UK economy needs to be rebalanced towards business investment in SMEs. The latest set of GDP figures predicted 0.7 per cent growth in the UK economy but do not change the underlying problem that limited investment in SMEs is not enough to support the foundations of a rebalanced economy. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) act as an engine room for the UK and are currently responsible for 48.1 per cent of private sector turnover. As a result, any developments in the support, guidance and funding for SMEs would create a more bullish attitude about the future for UK plc and help the government achieve its growth ambitions including making the UK the best place in Europe to start, finance and grow a business.

However, to truly tear down the barriers to enterprise and economic development, the UK needs to create a business environment that fosters the potential of new business. Entrepreneurs drive growth but entrepreneurial spirit is currently constrained by the restricted flow of capital to potential business owners. Despite the Funding for Lending Scheme being refocused solely on business lending, the latest Bank of England data reveals that improvements in credit conditions have been greatest for large private non-financial corporations (PNFCs) that tend to have better access to capital markets. Marginal improvements in the cost of credit for SMEs mean many companies still face subdued credit supply or are charged higher interest rates as they are deemed ‘riskier’ ventures. Even with the tax incentives available for investing in early-stage companies, such as the Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme, there is still a distinct lack of funding available to young companies. However, new revenue streams, including equity-based crowdfunding, can go some way towards filling the funding gap.

...the UK needs to create a business environment that fosters the potential of new business. Entrepreneurs drive growth but entrepreneurial spirit is currently constrained by the restricted flow of capital to potential business owners.

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The role of high-growth startups Crowdfunding has already released vast amounts of stagnant cash for the benefit of national growth and provides early-stage businesses with sympathetic funding by people who have an interest and understanding of the business. By professionalising crowdfunding further, there is an opportunity for it to be a credible force in creating a more dynamic market that ensures the UK is retooled for a high tech future and can maintain its position at the top of the global competitiveness indices Moving forwards, crowdfunding platforms need to offer potential investors the opportunity to support new innovations that have sensible valuations and offer a genuine return on investment, but may have larger funding capacities and longer timescales to market. All potential investors need is the business acumen to understand an opportunity, a degree of common sense about the valuation of a company and the right set of tools to understand the chances of a company achieving its market goals.

The explosion in entrepreneurial companies that specialise in high-growth areas such as technology and sustainable energy has the potential to transform the UK and might go some way to support the rebuilding of Britain’s manufacturing base. By gearing investment criteria more towards startups, there is an opportunity to open up the market of early-stage investing in high-growth companies and support the UK’s industry to ensure good prospects don’t go unfounded and the recovery remains sustainable in the long-term.

IT’S ALL GUARANTEED!

The relationship between the law and bank guarantees is a long and somewhat chequered one. Many years ago, business people (including their spouses) would often sign bank guarantees, having received a cheery “that will be no problem” from their bank manager. Banks experienced difficulty in enforcing these guarantees, so they demanded that solicitors be brought in to advise their clients.

Unfortunately, some solicitors took this task far too lightly, simply carrying out a witnessing task, and giving very brief, totally inadequate, advice. In recent times, this has changed and solicitors now take this exercise much more seriously. A solicitor should only advise clients to sign bank guarantees where, in my view, they are significant shareholders and derive most of their income from the business. Although not all lawyers would agree, I would also advise that guarantees should be given only where the bank also holds a debenture or other security, making the likelihood of redress to the personal assets of the guarantor less likely.

Prospective guarantors should bear in mind that banks are normally looking for a guarantee of all of the indebtedness of a company (or LLP) to the bank – the guarantee may or may not have a cap on it but do remember that, if the guarantee is called upon, interest will almost certainly run from the date of the demand and will not be subject to the cap. If a bank needs to involve professional advisors and others in collecting the money due, their cost will also be recoverable from the guarantor and will fall outside the cap.

Bank guarantees often provide that the guarantee can be brought to an end on relatively short notice. However, in the real world, that is not much use if the company in which you are a shareholder owes a substantial amount to the bank. You can also be fairly confident that, if you give notice to the bank to end the guarantee, it will make a formal demand on you for payment of the full amount owed to the bank – and most bank guarantees are interpreted as if you had borrowed the money yourself!

tee (basically one under that they are each liable for the whole sum). If one of the parties leaves the business (perhaps because he is unhappy about the business standards adopted by the other two), that will not relieve him of this obligations to the bank under the guarantee, regardless of any arrangements agreed with the other guarantors. If at all possible, avoid joint and several guarantees!

Once a guarantee is given, all concerned should make a diary note to review the position at, say, 6 monthly intervals. If and when the business becomes stronger, the guarantors should go back to the bank and ask that the guarantees are released – perhaps the most effective way to achieve this is to say that, otherwise, the business will be seeking a new bank!

So the good news is that hopefully things are looking up – but expansion means more borrowing and more borrowing tends to raise the question of bank guarantees. Please consider with caution and, as ever, please take legal advice (which the bank will almost certainly insist on anyway!).

One final word of warning – do please keep a note of all guarantees that you have signed. I have come across at least 2 examples where I have been assured by a client that the guarantee in front of us is the only one they have ever been asked to sign. On closer examination, I have discovered previously signed guarantees lurking around with the same bank which my client had forgotten about (and which remain enforceable in addition to the new guarantee, unless released by the Bank!)

Clive Borthwick is a Corporate Partner at Taylor Walton LLP 28/44 Alma Street Luton LU1 2PL Tel: 01582 390447 clive.borthwick@taylorwalton.co.uk

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LEGAL

Another nightmare scenario can be where, say, three people go into business together and enter into a “joint and several” guaran-

STUDENT AND GRADUATE INTERNSHIPS ON THE INCREASE IN 2014 The Step Programme is set to see one of its busiest years yet as more companies are looking to take on an intern in 2014.

Step, now in its 28th year of operation, places hundreds of undergraduates and recent graduates with smaller and medium sized firms to help with a range of business development projects and which are tailored to help hone their employability skills and support their graduate career ambitions.

The programme has delivered more than 25,000 projects in smaller businesses since it began in 1986 and this year is set to deliver over 1,000 placements across the UK. Philip Donnelly of Step points to evidence from a recent survey of smaller businesses, where 41 per cent of the sample survey had offered one or two opportunities in the last twelve months, up from 25 per cent over the last three years.

“Looking forward, a massive 72 per cent expressed an intention to recruit between one and five student interns in the next twelve months, and we are already seeing a significant increase in the number of enquiries from companies wanting to take part in the programme this year. It is clear that more and more smaller businesses are becoming quite ‘savvy’ and strategic in terms of realising that an internship can be a very practical cost effective and less risky way to recruit into permanent graduate positions.”

As Tony Altham, managing director of Adgiftsonline Limited confirms: “It’s a big scare for small businesses to commit to someone they don’t know and programmes such as Step allow me to take graduates on for a set period to ensure that I have employed the right person for that particular job.

Similarly the survey found that current students are getting the message that internships in smaller high potential businesses give more opportunity to make an impression and help to kickstart their

graduate career. 93% said they were ‘willing’ or ‘very willing’ to undertake an internship in a smaller business and 77% recognised they could gain earlier responsibility.

The 2014 Programme is open to all undergraduates studying at a UK university and to graduates completing their degrees in 2014. They can apply for a wide range of placements ranging from designing websites and bespoke software to devising marketing strategies and undertaking market research and analysis to identify potential new markets. Importantly, all Step placements are paid - meaning that the benefits of work experience are open to all.

To find out more and to register with Step go to www.step.org.uk.

Businesses that have a potential project opportunity should contact the Programme Team on 0844 248 8242 or visit the website for more information.

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North Hertfordshire College is encouraging local businesses to offer employment opportunities to young people this New Year, by setting the challenge of providing 100 Apprenticeships in 100 days.

We are making fantastic progress with the challenge and at day 25 we had already reached over 60 apprenticeships.

Find out more and sign up to the challenge at www.apprenticeships.nhc.ac.uk

EDUCATION & TRAINING MONEY

Some of the local businesses who have signed up to the challenge include:

AN INTERVIEW WITH ANNE TIMPANY OF ON TAP PLUMBERS

I think because the industry here is often seen as unreliable, hearing a woman’s voice gives customers confidence - as well as the fact we are award winning of course!

With more women setting up their own businesses owing to the economic downturn and the need for greater flexibility when it comes to children, one woman explains why she loves running her plumbing business in what is viewed as a man’s domain.

New Zealand born Anne Timpany, 35, once dreamed of a career in the performing arts, having graduated with a degree in Theatre and Film, but having found the industry too cliquey, she ended up doing something completely different - running her own plumbing business instead.

The St Albans based company, On Tap Plumbers, was started from scratch in 2010 and has recently notched up two awards within the space of a few months for Best New Business.

Anne, who also has two young children, is a prime example of a hard working mum, juggling a family while running a successful business.

After working in Sydney as a waitress, Anne became the functions co-ordinator for famous restaurant and celebrity haunt, Otto, organising parties and events.

“I learned the hard way about customer service when it comes to VIPs there,” Anne laughed.

She then decided to travel and came to London where she started work as a receptionist for restaurant chain Pontis, which then gave her the position as sales manager for the catering arm of the business and sponsored her to remain and work in the UK. She then moved into sales and marketing for an online advertising portal for the entertainment industry and eventually in marketing for nightclubs in the West End. By this time Anne had met her now husband, trained plumber, Raff Agalliu, who originally came to the UK from Albania hoping for a better life, and they were living in a one bedroom flat in Highgate along with his cousin and another friend.

She said: “Raff had reached a threshold with his employer at

the time and as he had always wanted to go out on his own we put our heads together. I also realised that every company I have ever worked for I have disagreed on the way it was run. So we decided to go for it and Raff worked for the employer on weekdays and we began on the new business in the evenings and weekends.”

The couple, who are now both British citizens, had no family in the UK and no support. Their friends at the time were all renting so couldn’t work on their properties, so the slow and arduous task of building the company took a lot of hard work.

One of Raff’s former employer’s clients came over to the company and Anne began networking in earnest to raise awareness and attract clients.

“We built the business practically from nothing,” said Anne.

Anne does everything apart from negotiating prices and dealing with the suppliers and plumbers. She books the appointments and deals with customers on the phone and does the marketing as well as the day to day running of the business and finances.

On Tap Plumbers now employs a team of five plumbers/sub contractors, as well as an admin assistant.

“Sometimes it’s good to have a female voice representing the company, especially when dealing with female clients because women are the ones who normally choose the bathrooms and kitchens for example. It is also an industry which is often viewed as unreliable and women can come across as more trustworthy and add confidence in the brand,” she said.

“We place a huge amount of importance on customer service and make sure it is maintained to the highest standards,” Anne added.

She went on: “The main thing for me running a plumbing company is that it’s more about running my own business, that’s where I get the most pleasure from and the fact that it’s a family business as there is flexibility with the children, running the business and our lifestyle. I didn’t want to be a mum working long hours making money for someone else and never seeing my kids, also there’s more security working for yourself, especially in the current climate.”

Anne, who has another baby due in April, also added she enjoyed watching the business develop and grow from all their hard work and the fact that being a husband and wife, family team works for them.

“I don’t tell Raff how to do his job and he certainly doesn’t tell me how to do mine! We are basically building a future for us and the children and that’s what motivates us,” she said.

“I never in a million years thought having studied theatre and film on the other side of the world that I would meet an Albanian in London, get married and set up a plumbing business in the UK!” added Anne.

EXECUTIVE PROFILE

JULIAN BREMNER, PARTNER : RAYDEN SOLICITORS This month, our Executive Profile is with Julian Bremner, partner at specialist family law firm Rayden Solicitors, who has practised family law in England since January 2000. Julian reveals the highlights of his job and what makes the Hertfordshire based law firm stand out from the crowd.

What attracted you to working for Rayden Solicitors?

I had been working for a well-known London firm in Lincoln’s Inn and had reached a certain stage in my career where it was time to move on. In some ways this was precipitated by the partner in charge of the department for which I worked, also deciding that it was time to move to another firm.

Raydens attracted me as it had a young team who were making a name for themselves; not only in the St Albans area, but were also well-known in London. This was because the majority of the Raydens team come from well-known London firms.

I saw an opportunity to be part of a dynamic team trying to do something different and which would value London expertise in this geographic area.

I was also attracted to the flexible working policy, given that the entire business model is based on flexible and part-time working and could see, even from the outside, that here was a firm that was thinking ‘outside of the box’; open to change and successfully tackling the very difficult market conditions that law firms find themselves in.

What is the highlight of your job?

I know it sounds trite but, hand on heart, the part of my job I enjoy the most is being able to help people. When they come and see a family lawyer they are generally at one of the low points of their life and if you can assist that person through this period of time and ensure that they receive a fair and reasonable settlement then that is gratifying.

I also enjoy steering people away from conflict even in the most difficult circumstance so that, hopefully, matters can be constructively resolved and they are able to continue to have some sort of relationship with their former partner; particularly when children are involved and they need to effectively co-parent (irrespective of their feelings for each other).

What motivates you?

Again, it might sound a little old fashioned or a little trite, but what motivates me is doing a good job. I like to know that I have performed to the best of my abilities and it gives me great satisfaction when a carefully thought out strategy pays off for my client.

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How does Rayden Solicitors stand out from the competition?

What is your major achievement?

In terms of Raydens we set out, some three years ago now, to build a presence in the Hertfordshire area. Raydens was very well known in the City but did not have the local presence that it should.

Over the last three years we have worked very hard in making sure that the local community is aware that we are an alternative option and that, whereas they may have gone to the City for their legal advice earlier, they can just as easily (and more conveniently) meet with us in the Hertfordshire area.

I am also very proud to have been part of the team that helped Raydens win a national award from the British Chamber of Commerce (Marketing). Given the competition at a national level, it was very gratifying to be nominated and then win such an award.

It’s not black and white, it’s...

www.raydensolicitors.co.uk

EXECUTIVE PROFILE

Quite simply it’s our expertise and experience.

Many solicitors in the Hertfordshire area claim, rather loosely, to be ‘like City solicitors’. Unlike those firms, Raydens is primarily comprised of solicitors who have had very successful City careers and have moved into the Hertfordshire area for their own lifestyle choices.

Therefore, at Raydens you are not just getting solicitors who are ‘like City lawyers’, you are getting actual City lawyers (but at a fraction of the cost). That City training and that City experience is key when dealing with, not only very complex international matters, but also the everyday cases.

AN INTERVIEW WITH

GEORGIE AND JASON SMEDLEY How did you first get into the nail business?

Georgie: I was having my nails done as a treat for my wedding, and I had always taken a huge interest, purchasing my own acrylic kit (as you do) and applying nail extensions to mine and my sisters’ nails. So when I watched one of my older sisters getting her nails done professionally one day, I thought to myself “I can do that”. I called a training school whose details I found in a hair magazine, and 3 weeks later I was on my first course. That was 20 years ago and needless to say it wasn’t as easy as I thought!

When did you start Nail Harmony and are there any interesting stories associated with you starting your business?

Georgie: Jason and I started distributing Harmony in May 2010, but since we were already a nail distributor, it wasn’t like starting a new business. What was amazing for us though was that as soon as our first ever trade magazine advert hit people’s doormats, our phones went crazy…we were launching a brand new innovation, so it was unlike anything we were used to!

This year you will be celebrating 5 years in business.

What do you think the secret to your success has been?

Georgie: Customer care is our number 1 priority, we make sure all 30 educators we employ across the UK are the same, and that they are always willing to give their time for technical help. In addition our customer care team are taught the same, the customer is our priority, they are our bread and butter and so they don’t get treated like a number. We try to always be conscious of what customers ask for too, so we will always put structures in place to accommodate them. We are fortunate enough to be able to liaise with our manufacturers in LA to launch products our clients want and need.

Nail Harmony UK is responsible for Gelish’s success in the UK market and it is stocked in over 25,000 salons nationwide. How did you convince salons and beauticians to start using Gelish in the beginning?

Georgie: We offered a money back guarantee! Who does that? We were confident we would never be asked for a refund because our product is so easy to work with and does exactly what it promises to do. That’s why it is number 1 worldwide!

You have a strong celebrity following. How did this start and what advice would you give to brands that are looking to gain celebrity interest?

Georgie: We have been lucky in that our educators and trained nail tech staff members are great at what they do, so we get recommendations from agencies because of our high standard of work. I would say that you have to have the support of a great brand and good technicians to use it. Then join an agency that will use your experience.

There are several nail brands currently competing for the Gelish space. How do you keep your brand at the forefront and ward off potential competition?

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Georgie: Gelish is always at the forefront of new technology.

Danny Haile, the founder of Hand & Nail Harmony, is always developing something new that no one else has. He has such great passion and wants to stay ahead of the game.

He launched the first gel-polish, he launched the first magnetic gel polish, and he recently launched the first textured or smooth complete glitter coverage gel polish.

Harmony is always first!

Georgie and Jason Smedley are the founders of Nail Harmony UK, the company responsible for introducing the famous Gelish to the UK. Nail Harmony UK has approximately 25,000 salons and nail technicians registered to the website and a long list of celebrity fans.

We caught up with the duo to find out more about their success story!

How do you balance your business partnership with your marriage?

Jason: This is a tough one. We don’t, I joke. It’s very hard not to talk shop at home so most evenings unless we have a promotion we will watch a film or go out to eat. Weekends are total laptops away and spent with the kids and family.

Jason: Just a simple drive in the country with the kids, cinema, a walk to the park or shops helps but, as most business owners will tell you, I don’t think you ever totally switch off.

I understand that your daughter Jazz has launched her own range too? How did this new venture come about?

Jason: We had been constantly asked for polish colours to match Gelish and we pushed our suppliers for this. At first we liked the idea of a teen brand and using Jazz as an example but Jazz burst with excitement at the idea and she has now added many other products to the brand including a manicure and pedicure range and the amazing Bee Bar.

What business advice/tips would you give to your daughter as she starts out in business?

Jason: Humility and gratefulness for the position she and we have been given. Treat every customer like they are your first new customer at all times. NEVER JUST AN INVOICE NUMBER!

What does the future hold for Nail Harmony?

Jason: We will continue to dazzle with Gelish and new products not only from Harmony but innovative products we feel are right for the UK.

Finally, what is your motto?

Jason: Remember how we were when we began. Gelish and our business have grown so much but we remember how difficult it was as a business starting up in the industry and the support needed.

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INTERVIEW : GEORGIE & JASON SMEDLEY

What do you do to unwind and are you ever able to switch off from your business completely?

MOTHERS DAY If you want to treat that special lady in your life this Mother’s Day, why not try one of these great ideas?

Godiva Chocolates for Mother’s Day - £25 A beautifully presented gift box filled with Godiva’s newest lavours - Pour Toi Café Noisette, Bisou Matcha Macadamia, Amour Thé Noir Miel, Amour Abricot Cerise, and Merci Caramel Pomme, two new seasonal carrés and a selection of signature Belgian chocolates.

A perfect mother’s day gift any mother would be delighted t o receive. www.godivachocolates.co.uk

The ultimate ‘me time’ gift for Mum - £7.99 Truly, Madly, Deeply, published by Mills & Boon, in association with the Romantic Novelists’ Association, is packed with brand new stories from the UK’s best-loved writers. From wedding days to special anniversaries, steamy one-night encounters to everlasting love, it takes readers on an exciting romantic adventure where love really is all you need. Published on 21st February and will be available in all good paperback and eBook retailers RRP £7.99, and at www.millsandboon.co.uk

Plump and Shine pretty in pink lip glosses - £19.96 Lip gloss, aptly named, this multi-tasking lip gloss helps to coat the lips with long lasting moisture and a light wash of colour whilst plumping the lips with a gentle tingling to let you know it’s working. With shade names such as Candy, Seduce and Nude and olfactory notes of juicy orange, these seductive lip glosses are bound to tease and please. www.eternalcosmeceuticals.com

Anna Aura Scarf - £95 Scarf by Anna Aura is the perfect gift to keep warm this winter, this delicately designed scarf will last a lifetime. Made with 85% modal, 15% silk. Summery woven fabric with an eye-catching black and white print, neon yellow edges. Size approx. 79x35ins.

La Cafetière Meadow Cafetière - £31.95 A beautiful addition to the La Cafetière collection is the Meadow which features an elegant floral design in duck egg blue and polished steel. Perfect for Sunday morning breakfast with the family.

The Meadow cafetière is also presented in a striking gift box, making it a perfect gift whatever the occasion. Purchase at lacafetiere.com Fashion

forward Lumix GM1 camera - £579

Panasonic launch fashion forward Lumix GM1 Camera. On trend for spring/summer 2014 this is the perfect Mother’s Day gift that can be used by the whole family! It uses the same Micro Four Thirds mount that its much larger Olympus and Panasonic siblings have been using for years, but at introduction will be sold with a specially designed 12-32mm F3.5-5.6 kit zoom sporting a smaller diameter for the GM1’s especially diminutive form.

WORLD’S FIRST EVER CROWDFUNDING PLATFORM FOR MUMPRENEURS LAUNCHES The world’s first ever crowdfunding platform dedicated to helping aspiring and existing mumpreneurs raise the necessary funds to further their business ambitions has launched. The platform is built on a core belief that female entrepreneurship is no longer a gender issue but an economic issue.

Inspiring, aspirational and ambitious, Mums Mean Business is dedicated to the support and advancement of the Global Mumpreneur Movement. Innovative and empowering, Mums Mean Business couples crowdfunding with a host of professional mentoring and business tools to help mums serious about business access both peer-to-peer investment and the resources necessary to start and grow a successful and sustainable enterprise. It addresses three key challenges faced by female entrepreneurs today; access to finance, access to knowledge and access to inspirational role models.

Eschewing the notion that mumpreneur is a default term for an at home kitchen table enterprise focusing on parent and child products, Mums Mean Business has a wide remit. It wants to harness collective resources and invest in women, believing it can affect social and economic change at a local, national and global level. It is passionate about helping any working mum and would-be entrepreneur to finance their commercial ambitions.

One of the features unique to the crowdfunding platform is its stellar support network and mentoring sessions. It will provide free mentoring sessions for a year to all first time mumpreneurs whose pitches are successful. By providing female entrepreneurs with much needed guidance in their critical first year of business, Mums Mean Business is creating a framework for success.

The site was founded by British/Congolese mother and entrepreneur, Babou OlenghaAaby.

She said: “Female entrepreneurship is not a gender issue. It is an economic issue. Mums Mean Business was conceived as a place to inspire mums and to be inspired by mums. It will help budding business leaders to harness the power of crowdfunding to finance their new companies, inventions and products.

“It is no secret that investors and angels are often reluctant to invest in female owned enterprises with only 20.3% of European investors and a 1/3 of investors globally choosing to fund female owned businesses. The alternatives to finance for female entrepreneurs are few and far between. In contrast Global Entrepreneurship Monitor figures show that in 2010 alone, 187 million women worldwide started and owned their own business with mothers accounting for the majority. These figures suggest there is a great potential and obvious need for a crowdfunding platform such as ours which is dedicated to providing an alternative and democratic source of funding to entrepreneurial mothers who are often bypassed by traditional lending sources.

“Powered by the growth in female entrepreneurship globally, we believe that the mumpreneur movement is a movement with staying power, very much in its infancy but growing much like crowdfunding, which has itself exploded in the last two years.”

The Mums Mean Business crowdfunding platform uses an all-or-nothing and rewards based model. This means members of the public can back projects of their choice by pledging a financial investment in return for a selection of rewards. Investment will only be made if the project meets its funding goal within the target funding deadline – this can be set at 30, 60 or 90 days.

To be eligible to start a pitch on Mums Mean Business, project owners are required to be an aspiring or existing mumpreneur, over the age of 18, and a legal resident of an EU member state. The minimum funding goal for pitches is 5,000 euros.

The platform also plans to differentiate itself by providing organisations and professional bodies supporting female entrepreneurs with the option to register for a Creator’s Account. This will host individual mumpreneur pitches started by entrepreneurial mothers from within their member’s base or network.

To find out more visit www.mumsmeanbusiness.com

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CELEBRATING HERTFORDSHIRE’S FINEST Sometimes we are so busy looking for interesting and exciting places to visit, that we forget to look at all the fabulous places we have right on our doorstep! As part of English Tourism Week, we set ourselves the challenge of seeking out some great places to go in and around our very own Hertfordshire. Here’s a pick of our favourites.

VERULAMIUM PARK

THE REX CINEMA

Verulamium Park is set in 100 acres of beautiful parkland close to the city centre and is a popular attraction throughout the year in Hertfordshire, with a wide range of facilities. The park is named after the Roman City of Verulamium on which it stands. The city walls and outline of the London Gate can still be seen. Verulamium Museum displays hundreds of remarkable objects that have been excavated.

The park has an ornamental lake around which you can take a leisurely walk and is part of the Ver River Trail. The park is also home to hundreds of water birds and Heron Island supports one of the few heronries in Hertfordshire. A great place to visit on a sunny day out with lots to see, as the wildlife habitats are enhanced by the trees and meadows which are important for insects, birds and bats.

The park has an outdoor fitness centre, children’s facilities, disabled toilets, an indoor swimming pool, onsite parking, a restaurant, a model boating lake, historical buildings and many more great things to see. There is definitely something for everyone!

Rated the number one place to visit in Hertfordshire on Trip Advisor. The Rex Cinema on Berkhamsted High Street, is a gem of Art Deco architecture and cinema history. Built in 1937 by architect David Evelyn Nye, the Rex is designed on nautical lines, with portholes and seashell lights.

The Rex is an incredible piece of cinema heritage. A varied programme of vintage classics and modern blockbusters plays daily in the sumptuous, velvetlined Art Deco auditorium, while the palatial entrance lobby is now a stylish cocktail bar and restaurant (The Gatsby), under separate management from the cinema.

For more information contact 01727 751810

For more information visit www.herexberkhamsted.com or contact 01442 877759

THE SNOW CENTRE The Snow Centre is Britain’s newest indoor skiing, snowboarding and snow sports destination. The Snow Centre is designed to deliver the alpine conditions every skier and snowboarder dreams of.

There is a huge 160m main slope as well as the largest indoor lesson slope in the UK. Both slopes are over 30m wide and maintained with the perfect snow surface e-perfect for all your indoor skiing and snowboarding needs!

A great day out in Hertfordshire for snowboarders of all abilities. At the Snow Centre there is something for everyone, whether you want to go for a lesson, just for fun, or if you’re a parent going with children: there is a bar and restaurant where you can sit and relax whilst your children have fun on the slopes. With great discounted packages for family, friends and students, the Snow Centre provides an exciting day out for a great price. Make sure you take your camera for those ‘frameable’ moments!

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For more information visit www.thesnowcentre.com or contact on 0845 258 9000

NATURAL HISTORY

Whether you’re a young or ad thing that will enrich your time tours every day to help guide y phere alongside modern facilit sandwiches and paninis, child also two outdoor picnic areas fresh air and enjoy the wonder For those who can’t make the including books, jewellery, sof online.

For more information visit w

BHAKTIVEDANTA MANOR This is a tranquil place that has an amazing feel and spirit about it.

Walk through the gardens, hear the chantings from the priest, close your eyes and feel like you’re in another world. There are beautiful gardens, small shops to buy food and delicious home cooked Indian food free of charge. Rated on trip advisor as ‘the most interesting place you will visit in Hertfordshire’, it is the perfect place to spend the afternoon. They have cows, a play area for the kids and a beautiful house to experience the meditative atmosphere – a great day out for families, couples, or even on your own you’ll be welcomed by the locals.

The Bhaktivedanta Manor is free to visit and has five acres of ornamental gardens; lawns and woodland which surrounds the main house, maintained by a crew of staff gardeners and volunteers from the community.

For more information visit www.bhaktivedantamanor.co.uk or call 01923 851000

PARADISE WILDLIFE PARK With over 400 animals, Paradise Wildlife Park is the perfect place for a day out in Hertfordshire! An award-winning family attraction and arguably the best venue for animal experience days in Europe.

The brilliant design of the enclosures means that you can meet some amazing animals face to face! The park has a huge range of animals including the best collection of big cats on display in Britain including white tigers, white lions, Amur tigers, Sumatran tigers, African lions, snow leopards, leopards, cheetahs and ocelots. It also has penguins, meerkats, monkeys, gibbons, lemurs, zebras, tapirs, wolves, wallabies, reptiles, birds and much, much more! It is unique because you can touch and even feed many of the animals in the Animal Park by purchasing one of the specially prepared animal feedbags. Have fun in one of the five adventure playgrounds, at the daily shows and at the meet the keeper session.

For more information visit www.pwpark.com or contact them on 01992 470490

RY MUSEUM AT TRING

dult learner, The Natural History Museum has someat the Museum. There is also a variety of shows and you on your visit. Enjoy the authentic Victorian atmosties and services. The Zebra Cafe offers locally made dren’s lunch boxes and a range of cakes. There are s which give you the chance to walk around in the rful views. trip, there is an excellent range of gifts and souvenirs ft toys and models all with a natural history theme

www.nhm.ac.uk or call them on 020 7942 6171

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Do you feel like something is holding you back? Are you stuck and disillusioned with life, but don’t know what to do? Are you resisting putting yourself forward for better career opportunities because you are afraid that you may fail? Are you sleepwalking through life, feeling like it is all out of your control? If you answered yes to any of these questions – then you need to read the new book Empowered – How to Change Your Life in Your Coffee Break (£12.99 Panoma Press), written by Anne Mulliner.

Anne is an award-winning executive coach and leadership development expert who works with clients all over the world, sharing her passion for getting them to access their full potential and live life at 10 out of 10. Her new self-help book aims to help you understand what might be holding you back from having the confidence to go and get the life you really want.

At the beginning of each chapter in Empowered – How to Change Your Life in Your Coffee Break a different drink and cake is suggested, while you sit and read the stories, exercises and anecdotes that aim to shift you from that stagnant rut you are stuck in and give you the tools, techniques and strategies to find a new zest and zing for life where you can be the authentic EMPOWERED! version of you.

The book aims to help you find a solution that will make a difference to your life and also aims to help you learn and find out more about who are you right now and what specifically needs addressing. For anyone who needs a hand to realise where they are, personally and professionally

Harwood Park

FEATURE : BOOK REVEW

The perfect setting to commemorate the life of your loved one

Crematorium and memorial gardens created and managed by the Austin family in the beautiful Hertfordshire countryside

01438 815555 www.crematorium.co.uk

Keeping memories alive

right now, Empowered – How to Change Your Life in Your Coffee Break is a mustread.

Anne says: “I wanted to create a friendly, easy to read resource that inspires, entertains, informs and helps people take action. If the stories in the book help 1 or 2 people then it is successful.”

Empowered – How to Change Your Life in Your Coffee Break

by Anne Mulliner launched on 27th February 2014. The book is published by Panoma Press and is available on Amazon.

CLASSIC RESTORATION TO HONOUR LATE HERTS BUSINESSMAN JOHN AUSTIN 1959 Massey Fergusson ‘workhorse’ reborn as a loving tribute to founder of Harwood Park Crematorium A 1959 Massey Ferguson 35 tractor has been restored to its former glory to honour well-respected Hertordshire businessman John Austin, who passed away in April 2012.

John, who ran the 300 year-old firm Austin’s Family Funeral Directors as well as designing and developing Harwood Park Crematorium, purchased the tractor in 1996.

The tractor was used to develop the memorial gardens at Harwood Park, now a sanctuary where bereaved families can remember their loved ones in beautiful surroundings.

Several months before John’s death, his daughter Claire along with other company directors had arranged for the tractor to be refurbished as a surprise for him, but as things turned out, he was never to see it.

Speaking about the tractor’s special significance to her father, Claire said: “The Massey Ferguson was one of Dad’s toys. Its registration number is TFO 827, which he always claimed stood for ‘The Funeral Office’.

Last week, after nearly two years of painstaking work, the completed tractor was presented to Jean, John’s widow.

Jean, who had no idea that the work was being carried out, said that she was both ‘stunned’ and ‘delighted’.

The project, which was carried out by agricultural restoration engineer Kevin Read in his workshop at Watton at Stone, involved complete dismantling, refurbishing, reassembling and repainting of the old classic in its original livery.

The tractor now also bears a brass plate in memory of John.

TIPS ON TACKLING YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE ... TIME! How many times have you poured cold water on those flashes of genius on how you can look to develop a great business idea with the line “If only I had the time?”

YOU CAN’T DO EVERYTHING ...

TIME TO RELINQUISH CONTROL

While control freak is the last thing you might call yourself, no one can deny that it can be difficult to admit that the business is growing and you might need some help, but failure to do this could actually hinder your business in the long-term.

A good starting point is to identify the areas where you can bring the most to the business and allow others to be responsible for managing the rest.

If you have employees or partners, this may mean delegating responsibility to them. This may be difficult if you see your business as your ‘baby’, but trusting others to help you can free up your time to get on with growing the business.

If you work alone or don’t have sufficient expertise in-house, it may be more cost and time-effective to outsource rather than employ someone or struggle on alone.

Given the choice, 30% of small business leaders would choose to outsource IT services but many are still resistant to the idea of outsourcing other parts of their business, such as HR, training and financial management.

If you’re finding it hard to trust parts of your business to someone you don’t know, try to get recommendations from friends and business contacts of people they use and trust.

FOCUS ON GROWTH

Unsurprisingly, growing business and winning new business continues to be the biggest priority for UK SMEs, particularly as they look to take advantage of the opportunities of the recovery this year. As the business owner it is up to you to concentrate on plans to keep customers and find new ones.

Often this means taking a step back and reappraising where the value lies in your business. Set aside more time for activities that deliver a return on the investment of your time and money.

PLAN

To stop yourself from being overwhelmed and spreading yourself too thinly, break down projects into more manage-

able tasks that you can prioritise and set timescales and goals for.

REDUCE DISTRACTIONS

To get more from your time, you have to learn to be unavailable sometimes. Turn your phone and other devices off and only access your email at certain times of the day.

If your staff always turn to you when there is the slightest problem, you should encourage them to come up with some options themselves which they can discuss with you.

Support them in their choice and be ready to do it again until they are confident in making decisions by themselves.

If colleagues cause interruptions, learn to feel OK about telling them you are busy and explain its importance to the business, or give them a time when it is convenient to come back.

Sometimes we can be our own worst enemy when it comes to time management. We choose to do the things that we feel comfortable doing, so we procrastinate about the more challenging things. Ask yourself why you’re procrastinating; what’s the worst that can happen if you do it and the worst if you don’t? If you don’t feel confident in a certain area of business, perhaps source training or get advice from someone with the required skills.

Further hints and tips and useful information on time management and a variety of other business topics can be found on the Forum’s website www.fpb.org.

SYMBIO OFFICES

Ever dreamed of having a six-pack despite working a nine hour shift?

I’d put my money on the Sun and Solar Energy, what a source of Power – Thomas Edison

(Inventor of the light bulb)

At Symbio Offices your dream can become a reality.

Say ‘goodbye’ to a sluggish working environment when we have an onsite gym that caters to your every need.

Traditional office spaces more often than not create frustrated and under-achieving workers as their work environments lack the ingredients necessary to harness a productive work force. Symbio Offices, on the contrary, boasts modern onsite facilities like its fully-equipped gym that helps workers stay in shape whilst they work.

Having the time and space to take care of their physical health helps employees add more to a company’s capital by being more efficient and productive.

Our modern onsite office facilities include the following: • Gym: Helps keep your employees healthy and fit, thereby optimising their work efficiency

• Coffee Bar: A place for your staff to kick-back and relax during breaks, and for those informal meetings

• Conference rooms: Modern and professional conference/meeting rooms that exude an air of sophisticated simplicity. They provide the perfect setting for all important meetings/discussions

• IT Services: With IT personnel available onsite there won’t be long and drawn out periods of unproductivity, ensuring that your business operations remain uninterrupted

Staying fit, enjoying hard earned breaks, engaging in constructive discussions and reveling in uninterrupted business operations are all under one roof.

Symbio Place, Whiteleaf Road, Hemel Hempstead, Herts, HP3 9PH 0800 145 5250 www. symbiooffices.co.uk / info@symbiooffices.co.uk

FEATURE : TACKLING TIME

A recent member survey by national business organisation the Forum of Private Business revealed that despite a positive outlook for the year ahead 36% of small businesses in total believe that time will continue to be a major challenge as they look to manage their business and realise their growth plans in the next 12 months, ahead of money and expertise.

The findings were no different from those of countless other business polls that continue to suggest that while the UK’s small and medium-sized businesses are focused on keeping customers and winning new business, all too often many business owners and senior managers are drawn into operational aspects of the business such as HR, IT, finance and training.

As Jo Eccles, Business Adviser at the Forum of Private Business explains: “For the owners of very small businesses, this may not be through choice; a PA is out of the question and they have to wear more than one professional hat.

“There may be apps, courses, in fact an entire industry has been built up in the search for the key to better time management, but there are a few practical steps a time-poor business owner can take to ensure they get the most out their time.”

EFFECTIVE MARKETING - IT’S TIME TO GET CLOSER TO THE ‘CREEPY LINE’ “The Google policy about a lot of these things is to get right up to the creepy line but not cross it”, declared Eric Schmidt when he was Chairman and CEO of Google.

This statement was made during an interview with The Atlantic editor, James Bennett, for The Washington Ideas Forum in October 2010.

MARKETING

There is no doubt that the aim of Google, Facebook and others is to be able to anticipate the needs of their customers. As technology becomes more intuitive, is with us all the time, and knows the location and context in which we are operating, there will be greater possibilities for companies to fulfil this goal.

Every move we make in the digital world produces data, and that information can be used to provide more personal experiences.

Moreover, as technology becomes increasingly advanced, it enables businesses to even predict requirements. Real time behavioural data, available with cloud based technology, provides the information and context to make this happen.

For example, by understanding the url, domain or keywords that led a person onto its website, and monitoring that visitor’s behaviour, a business can give its prospect an accurate persona. In so doing it can enrich the web experience for that customer by providing personalised messages and recommendations. This makes it more likely the individual will obtain exactly what they want and quicker.

At the same time, it increases the chances of the business engaging the prospect and turning them into a paying customer.

Of course, all this information and data can be abused and there is no doubt that there are security risks involved. These cannot be dismissed and will be resolved, to a point, over the coming years.

However, the benefits of companies using this information, for most people, outweigh the risks. The evidence of this already exists.

Many consumers appreciate sites, such as Amazon, understanding their preferences. Consequently, it is able to make interesting

purchasing recommendations. Moreover, by allowing Amazon to store payment information, customers can make purchases quickly and easily with just a couple of clicks. Meanwhile, there are currently well over 1 billion Facebook users posting and sharing all sorts of personal information, and this is just one of many social platforms where this is taking place. In other words, many of us are discovering how we personally gain by sharing data.

The point is, people have always craved the ‘personal touch’.

Going into a local cafe where you are known and can be served your favourite drink without even being asked, is normally something most people appreciate. The combination of data and automation is allowing all companies to be able to deliver this level of service in a scalable way. ‘Mass personalisation’ has arrived, is growing, and is increasingly expected, and for good reason.

We are progressively personalising our own lives. We are all having to deal with more information and communications than ever before.

Therefore, the only way to manage this volume is to personalise. We can all read more if we can omit the sections of digital magazines and newsletters that are not of interest. We can watch more when digital technology and online services allow us to view programmes at our convenience, rather than at scheduled times. Digital streaming services, radio and downloads allow us to only listen to those singles, albums and shows which we choose.

The consequence of all this is that we are increasingly inhabiting a world which is highly personalised for us. We are, therefore, becoming more intolerant of companies that offer us inappropriate products or services. We simply won’t put up with ‘irrelevance’. It wastes our time and is extremely irritating. We may be worried about the data that a business can access and store, yet we want the results of them using this information.

Of course, being able to provide personal experiences makes it more likely that a company will engage with its prospects, turn them into customers and retain them over the long term. As technology allows customers to receive richer and more personal experiences, those businesses that don’t provide this level of communication will simply be left behind.

Google may be leading the charge to the ‘creepy line’ but organisations that want to be successful need to start moving in that direction.

So how close to the ‘creepy line’ is your business right now? Maybe you need to get a bit closer...

Grant Leboff is the CEO of www.stickymarketing.com and a founding partner of www.stickycommunication.com He is the author of two business books, Sales Therapy and Sticky Marketing.

CONFERENCE & EVENTS SPECIAL LEILA WITKIN Top tips for public speaking Conference and Events Calendar CHRIS MERRINGTON What to do AFTER the conference

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CONFERENCE & EVENTS SPECIAL

…Plus the latest from the Federation of Small Businesses and look at Brickendonbury Conference Centre

NO 1. FEAR OF PUBLIC SPEAKING NO. 2 FEAR OF DEATH “According to most studies, people’s number one fear is public speaking. Number two is death. Death is number two. Does that seem right? That means to the average person, if you have to go to a funeral, you’re better off in the casket than doing the eulogy!”— Jerry Seinfeld

If what the American comedian says is true (and there are numerous polls to support his observation), millions of people would actually rather face death than speak in public. If you are one of those people, here are 10 top tips to help you excel at public speaking.

clothing for the type of audience and event goes a long way towards a confident presentation.

BODY LANGUAGE IS IMPORTANT. MASTER THE ART OF THE HANDSHAKE.

How we move may be more powerful than what we say. Eye contact with individuals is crucial. Talk as though you are speaking to one individual, not to the entire room. Remember: you are in a dialogue with your audience, even though you are the only one speaking. Are they paying attention or nodding off, fidgeting, yawning? Sometimes a short break is necessary. Your own body language is important as well.

Repetitive gesturing, pacing, parallel hand motions are distracting.

Practise standing still, using your voice, not gestures, to convey your message. Customs vary culturally on forms of greeting, from handshakes to bowing and so on. Know what works best for the culture and environment in which you are speaking. This goes a long way towards being accepted by the group, the company, or the business.

MAKE FRIENDS WITH YOUR ‘BUTTERFLIES’

BE PREPARED, DON’T WING IT AND PRACTISE BEFOREHAND

Preparation is crucial to success. Know your subject; be ready to leave out a lot of what you know. Organise your material: 3 to 5 main points.

Strong logic combined with personal anecdotes grabs the audience’s attention. Time your speech and practise in front of a mirror or in front of someone you trust. Feedback is good. Be prepared to delete unnecessary portions. Short presentations are better than long ones.

Bullet points are good and keep you on track. Memorisation is not critical, preparation is. Maintain eye contact with your audience and always end on a strong note, one that connects with your listeners.

IDENTIFY YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE, ESTABLISH A RAPPORT WITH THEM AND GIVE THEM MORE THAN EXPECTED

Know your audience. Demographics are important. Why did they show up to hear you speak: necessity or entertainment? What is the audience expecting: instruction, advice, inspiration or even entertainment? Rapport starts when you’re introduced or when you enter a room, not at the podium. Remember to smile. Look at your audience and draw them in with your energy and confidence. Make no apologies and get to the point. Start with new and interesting information in the first 60-90 seconds.

DETERMINE YOUR MESSAGE, STAY ON TRACK AND SUPPORT YOUR POINTS WITH STORIES. KEEP IN MIND AUDIENCE’S PERSPECTIVE:

What’s in it for me (WIFM)?

Topic (subject) and theme (your approach to that subject) are crucial to success. Tell your audience what will happen if they don’t have your product, understand the situation, change their beliefs or behaviour, or contribute to the cause. Create a sense of urgency or spirit of adventure. Focus your message on your target audience. Tailor your message to fit the situation. Never talk down, but bring your audience in. People remember stories more than abstract concepts.

DRESS APPROPRIATELY: WELL DRESSED AND WELL GROOMED. LOOK AND FEEL YOUR BEST

26

Trainers may be fine when going for a jog, but dressing the part makes all the difference when speaking in front of an audience. Appropriate

The ‘fight-or-flight’ reaction deters many from public speaking. Stage fright can be overwhelming. Conquering your fears involves many different forms of therapies, from simple breathing exercises and a good night’s rest, to more complex approaches involving doctors and medications. Knowing yourself is first and foremost very important. A certain amount of nerves is a part of speaking in front of an audience.

YOUR SPEAKING VOICE There are several points to keep in mind about how to use your voice to give the best presentation: relaxed shoulders and arms, deep breathing to engage the muscles in the middle of your body, use vocal ‘warm-up’ exercises for a well-tuned voice. Tone of voice and inflection can create a sense of urgency, anticipation, and emphasis when speaking to a group. Try these out on yourself and friends. Get used to using your voice in this way. Remember that a monotone will put your audience to sleep.

TECHNOLOGY, HANDOUTS AND Q & A

Technology is important, but using it effectively is critical. Don’t rely on just PowerPoint or slides. Whatever you use, practise with it first.

Plan ahead for electrical shortages or problems at the venue and have a back-up plan. In using printed text on slides, be sure that it can be read from the back of the room. Come prepared with handouts for those who want them at the end of your presentation.

Keep the Q & A period short, towards the end of your presentation, and always have the last words at your speech.

THE VENUE

Check out your venue ahead of time. Locate toilets, electrical outlets, lighting controls, emergency exits, handicapped facilities, and set up protocols with venue staff for your event. If you’re part of a panel, try to find out from the other speakers what their topics will be so there’s no duplication. Make sure that whoever introduces you has a written script from you beforehand, so that what is said about you is correct.

Be sure to thank the venue staff, the sponsors and team members. Be available and ready to answer questions after your presentation.

BE YOUR BEST AND MOST AUTHENTIC SELF!

Truth, integrity and commitment are what an audience remembers about any speaker. If you believe in your cause or service, then your audience will as well. Speaking from inner truth gives you credibility.

Above all remember: “Less is more – so leave the audience wanting more from you.”

This information is an excerpt from the newly released book UnAfraid, UnFrazzled & UnFROGettable! – A Practical Guide to Overcoming Stage Fright and the Fear of Public Speaking by Leila Witkin (Panoma Press, London, UK)

THE 2014 FSB AWARDS Companies across Herts have been challenged to show the rest of the county how good they are by entering this year’s Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) Hertfordshire Business Awards.

This year’s easy-to-enter contest, for all small businesses, not just members of the FSB, was launched at The George, in High Street, Harpenden, on February 5.

There is a fantastic first prize of £10,000 in advertising provided by media partners The Hertfordshire Business Independent and Herts & Essex Newspapers. Up to three categories may be entered.

Pam Charman, chairman of Hertfordshire FSB urged companies to enter. She said: “These awards are a challenge to those great businesses in Hertfordshire to prove how good they are. We urge them to put their heads above the parapet and get noticed.

“We expect there will be friendly rivalry from across the boroughs, towns, city and districts to win the accolades in this free-to-enter contest.”

Awards organiser Damian Cummins said: “Our awards are easier to enter than ever. We’ve streamlined the whole process this year, adding hints to our entry forms to help busy entrepreneurs make the best entries possible.

The categories include the following for areas within Hertfordshire: St Albans Business of the Year, sponsored by St Albans City and District Council, North Herts Business of the Year, Dacorum Business of the Year, sponsored by Dacorum Borough Council, Stevenage Business of the Year, sponsored by Stevenage Council, East Herts Business of the Year, sponsored by East Herts Council and the Broxbourne Business of the Year, sponsored by the Borough of Broxbourne.

Entrants can go for glory in up to three different categories, with the general ones being Best New Business, sponsored by My Incubator, Employee of the Year, sponsored by uPrint, Business Person of the Year, sponsored by Business Buzz.

Added to that there is the Training & Development Award, sponsored by the University of Hertfordshire, Young Business Person of the Year, sponsored by Oaklands College, the Business Innovation Award, sponsored by Hertfordshire LEP, the Green Business Award, Service Excellence Award, sponsored by Austins Funeral Homes, Real Life Entrepreneur, Retailer of the Year and Community Business of the Year.

From all these award winners, chosen by an independent panel of judges, will emerge the Overall County Winner, sponsored by Pitney Bowes. The 2013 winner was Rayden Solicitors, St Albans.

The awards are open to any sole trader or company employing up to 250 employees in Hertfordshire. The closing date is Thursday, April 24.

To enter visit www.fsb.org.uk/hertsawards

Y

yo E ur NT TO bus ER DA ine s

Headline Sponsor

L AL S to SSE en NE Op USI B

s

“For small businesses looking to market their goods and services to a county audience, it could be the most effective marketing exercise you’ve done this year. Awards are also a fantastic networking opportunity.”

Media Partners

Part of Local World

Ambition

Broxbourne A space to breathe... a place to grow

Ambition

Broxbourne A space to breathe... a place to grow

www.fsb.org.uk/hertsawards

Prize £10,000

ADVERTISING PACKAGE

Hertfordshire

Local Enterprise Partnership

CONFERENCE & EVENTS SPECIAL

Sponsors

CONFERENCE AND EVENTS CALENDAR This year, there are some exciting events and conferences taking places across the country that could help you to accelerate your business success whilst also providing fantastic networking opportunities too. Here’s a selection of some of the major events in the business diary for the coming months.

MARCH FEDERATION OF SMALL BUSINESSES ANNUAL CONFERENCE • Now in its 40th year, the Federation of Small Businesses’ Annual Conference attracts over 600 FSB members from across the UK to the event to meet, network and learn new skills. For 2014 the FSB will be allowing non-members and local business owners to attend the exhibition for FREE and at the same time boost the expected audience by a further 300 delegates.

• The FSB is the UK’s largest campaigning pressure group promoting and protecting the interests of the self-employed and owners of small firms. The organisation remains the largest and most effective body representing the views and concerns of owners and directors of Britain’s SMEs. • The Annual Conference and Exhibition will be held at Manchester Central Convention Complex on 27-29th March 2014.

• For the 27-28th March an exhibition will be held alongside the Conference which will be open to both delegates and local business owners, who will be able to attend the exhibition free of charge.

• Free Exhibition visitor Thursday 27th March 2014 9am - 5.30pm • Free Exhibition visitor Friday 28th March 2014 9am - 5.30pm, • Network Breakfast ticket Thursday 27th March 2014 7.15am 9.15am Book all tickets at: www.eventbrite.co.uk

APRIL BRITISH CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE CONFERENCE • Billed as Britain’s best ‘B2P’ – business to politicians – summit, attracting a spate of broadcast, print and online media attention, this is one of the highlights of the business year.

• British Chambers of Commerce are delighted to have confirmed excellent speakers such as Rt Hon Ed Balls MP, Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer; Jill McDonald, North West Division President and Chief Executive Officer, McDonald’s UK; Allister Heath, Editor, City A.M; Theo Paphitis, entrepreneur; plus many more yet to be confirmed.

• This high-profile event will bring together key representatives from the Chamber Network as well as the wider business community, giving them a platform to network, discuss prospects for the UK economy, and to influence the country’s key policymakers and opinion-formers.

• The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) will be holding its 2014 Annual Conference on 1st April in central London at the QEll Conference Centre, London SW1P 3EE • Book now at www.bccconference.co.uk to reserve your place.

Members price of £75 plus VAT or £250 for five tickets or more. Non Member prices of £100 plus VAT for one place and £375 for five places or more.

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MAY BUSINESS STARTUP SHOW • Business Startup is free for anyone thinking about starting a business or expanding a business. With over 250 seminars, over 350 exhibitors, advice and opportunities.

• Show opening times : Thursday 15th May 10 am – 6pm and Friday 16th May 10am – 6pm • Held at ExCel London.

• Tickets to this event are free and can be found at https://tickets. prysmgroup.co.uk/bstartup/117/ • For more information visit http://www.bstartup.com/

JUNE GOING FOR GROWTH, THE EXPO

After two successful years, the third Watford Going for Growth event will see the biggest, most exciting and fresh thinking one yet. The day comprises an exhbition, networking workshops and a key note speaker. For more information or to book a stand please contact tara@watford-chamber.co.uk

NOVEMBER INSTITUTE FOR SMALL BUSINESS AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP CONFERENCE • For leading research on entrepreneurship and small business development and unrivalled networking opportunities.

• The event provides a unique forum where researchers, practitioners and policy makers from across the globe can come together to explore key challenges facing the economy and society.

• Held in Manchester on the 5th-6th of November.

• The conference will take place at Manchester Conference Centre, a purpose built conference facility equipped with all the latest technology, light airy rooms and situated right in the heart of Manchester’s central commercial zone, just 300 metres from Manchester Piccadilly train station and the nominated conference hotel.

• The drinks reception will be held at Manchester Town Hall.

• The gala dinner will take place at the Imperial War Museum North. This innovative space set on the stunning waterfront of Salford Quays makes for an impressive and interesting dinner venue.

• For more information visit: www.isbe.org.uk/ISBE-2014

THE BRICKENDONBURY CONFERENCE CENTRE The Brickendonbury Conference Centre is set in the beautiful Hertfordshire countryside but is still only approximately 20 miles north of London, with easy access from the A1, A10, M1, M11 and M25. The Brickendonbury Conference Centre is located just a few minutes drive from the centre of Hertford, the historic county town of Hertfordshire.

Brickendonbury Conference Centre with its spectacular grounds and rooms is the ideal venue for conferences, seminars, training courses and meetings of all kinds.

The Brickendonbury Estate is mentioned in the Domesday survey of 1086 and parts of the mansion are known to date back to the late 1600s. Since 1974 it has been home to the Tun Abdul Razak Research Centre, a busy laboratory and part of the Malaysian Rubber Board.

Part of the ground and first floor of the mansion provide a completely independent conference facility: the Brickendonbury Conference Centre.

Within the conference centre there are three meeting rooms, each with its own unique character, catering for group sizes from 6 to 100. Wifi is available throughout.

The Jacobean Hall can seat up to 100 people theatrestyle and has the latest in audio-visual equipment, including HD Projector (ceiling mounted), Blue ray disc player, Internet video streaming and ceiling mounted speakers.

The Cedar Room is perfect for smaller business meetings and can seat up to 10 Boardroom style.

The modern Blue Room can seat up to 30 people and has an interactive white board and ceiling mounted projector.

We pride ourselves on our flexibility and strive to meet all your needs to make your event a success. We offer a wide range of menus from finger buffets to three course lunches and dinners. Hertford and the surrounding area has an extensive range of accommodation available and we are always prepared to arrange bookings for you if required.

Please note free on site parking is available.

For further information and a list of rates and sample menus please contact the Conference Centre on 01992 585944 or email HYPERLINK

Brickendonbury Conference Centre is set in a�rac�ve grounds in the Her�ordshire countryside, five minutes drive from the county town of Her�ord.

• mee�ngs and training sessions; • seminars and larger conferences for up to 100 people.

The latest in audio visual equipment is available and we offer a wide range of menus from finger buffets to three course lunches and dinners.

Please take a look at our website or contact us for our compe��ve rates offering excellent value for money.

Events Co-ordinator Tel: 01992 585944 Email: bcc@tarrc.co.uk Brickendonbury, Her�ord SG13 8NL

www.br i c kendonbury. co. uk

CONFERENCE & EVENTS SPECIAL

The stunning mansion house has a blend of modern and character rooms suitable for:

IT’S NOT WHAT HAPPENS AT THE CONFERENCE IT’S WHAT HAPPENS AFTER...

How many times have you attended a great conference and come away with pages of notes and actions? You left the conference on a real high, buzzing with new ideas, energy and perspectives. Within 24 hours the ideas and actions have become intentions. Within 2 days they are forgotten? Sometimes it is just a few golden nuggets which make the conference valuable to you.

On the 31st of December many people make New Year’s resolutions.

Their resolutions are typically about something really important in their lives such as losing weight, drinking less alcohol, eating more healthily, exercising more…. By the 17th February the majority of those resolutions are merely a distant memory, a guilty regret, until December 31st the next year. Why is that? Firstly, we are creatures of habit. We are driven more by our habits and ‘auto-pilot’ than we realise. Secondly, we return to our workplace in the January and the mountain of emails and other work subsume the resolution (or the conference actions).

This is an important issue for conference organisers, conference attendees and conference speakers, not to mention the client who paid for the event. This will influence whether delegates will attend the next conference.

It starts with having clarity of the outcomes for the conference for each of these 4 stakeholders, (conference organisers, conference attendees, conference speakers and the client if appropriate). What outcomes do you require? Do you want delegates to take action, be informed, be inspired or entertained, or maybe all four? I speak at conferences on profitability, trusted adviser selling and winning new business. I want the attendees to take action provoked by what I’m saying. But I also need to entertain them, to engage, to inspire and motivate them. As a speaker I must avoid the audience experiencing overwhelm in terms of the quantity of content.

What draws you to attend a conference as a delegate? Is it the big name celebrity, or the subject matter expert, or is it hearing best practice from others in your industry? Or is it to step away from the day to day and give yourself a different perspective? Or maybe to energise and motivate ourselves? Or is it to network in the corridors and over coffee? Or is it just time away from the office to have a ‘jolly’? In truth I often want all of those! Or is it because you have to attend because your boss says you must?

Our time is more valuable than ever. As an attendee I must be convinced that time away from the office will be worthwhile. As a conference speaker I will continue to ask my client exactly what outcomes they want, what success will look like and to understand the wider picture of the whole conference, not just my contribution. My aim as a conference speaker is to educate, inspire, entertain and provoke fresh thinking and provide a new perspective.

I attend quite a few conferences in the UK and internationally each year and I’m sometimes asked “who is the best conference speaker or who impacted me the most?” it is an amazing man called W Mitchell.

An American motivational and business speaker. One of his core messages is “it’s not what happens to you, it’s how you choose to respond!” He talks about taking responsibility for your choices and responses. Eight years on I remember his presentation.

So before you attend, organise or speak at your next conference, take time to think through what you really want from the event, afterwards.

A few tips to get the most out of attending a conference. Go with a clear set of intentions for what outcomes you want. Take great notes

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but simply highlight the three to four key actions you want to take. Put some time in the diary for the day after the conference to follow up those actions. Share your learnings/actions with a colleague, your boss or your team.

If you are organising a conference think through the outcomes for delegates and consider having a section at the end for delegates to share their learnings and actions. This also serves as a good summary for everyone. Perhaps follow-up delegates a week or so later asking what actions they’ve taken. Conferences are typically expensive so be clear how you will evaluate the return on investment and how you will judge success. A ‘warm feeling’ is fine if that’s your intention. If your objective for the conference is to improve revenue generated by the sales team then that is a very different conference.

As a speaker see the conference from the perspective of each of the different four stakeholders listed above. Focus on the client’s agenda, not yours.

Remember, “It’s not what conference speakers say, it’s what the delegates do with what they hear” because someone wise once said: “when all is said and done, a lot more is said than done!”

Chris Merrington is the author of Why Do Smart People Make Such Stupid Mistakes? A practical negotiation guide to more profitable client relationships. Chris regularly consults and runs workshops i n the areas of Negotiation, Trusted Adviser Selling and Winning New Business.

He can be contacted at chris@spring8020.co.uk

SHOP LOCAL WEEK THE BEER;shop ST ALBANS

As part of Shop Local Week, we set ourselves the challenge to seek out a great local business that we’d not visited before. We came across the delightful St Albans BEER;shop, so decided to stop and speak with the owner, John Gudgin.

What was the inspiration for starting up a beer shop?

We’ve both enjoyed finding and drinking interesting beers for many years. We closely followed the ‘craft beer revolution’ taking grip in cities across the UK a few years back, and decided this would be a good time starting something new. We began selling beer at local farmers’ markets during the beginning of 2012 whilst still discussing exactly what route to go down. These markets quickly became a great success which inevitably led us down the route of obtaining a permanent retail premises.

Why did you choose this particular location/shop unit?

We knew St Albans had a strong following for beer due to the number of great pubs with a good choice of beer. We searched around St Albans for a good two years until the right space became available. The unit and location ticked all the boxes, it has a lot of positive developments going on around it including the London Road Project and opening of The Odyssey Cinema.

Did you receive any start up funding?

No, all funded by personal savings and savings from our farmers’ markets.

What makes the BEER;shop special in comparison to competitors?

We’re a specialist bottle shop and tap room and we source unique beers you can’t normally find elsewhere. We offer advice, information and host events celebrating the vast world of beer.

Social media has been a great way of communicating with customers. We’re in the process of compiling a newsletter which we’ll start emailing out monthly to people who sign up via our website. We’re also just about to start our new Beer Nights, where customers can come and enjoy an evening drinking some unique and new beers at our shop.

If there was any advice you would give to small independent retail businesses what would it be?

Make sure you’re the best you can possibly be at what you’re doing.

If you’re starting up be prepared for things to cost more, take longer and be harder than you originally planned.

If you had to go back in time, is there anything you would change?

No, I’ve seen The Butterfly Effect.

What’s new/exciting/next for The BEER;shop Our Beer Nights start on 20th March and will be every 3rd Thursday of each month from then on. We’re excited to get these up and running and I’m sure they’ll be a hit with everyone from the beer novice to the beer geek. You can check them out and make a booking here: beershopstalbans.com/nights

What is your motto?

Don’t have one I’m afraid!

Drink Better Beer’, think that’s probably taken though.

We endeavour to only sell unique beers, however at this point of time a couple of London newbies you’ll find in our shop are Anspach & Hobday Brewing and Bullfinch Brewery.

What has been the biggest challenge The BEER;shop has faced?

Gaining our premises license was unfortunately a struggle which put us close to tipping point.

How important has local support been in the success of the shop?

Incredibly, we wouldn’t be here without the positive support from our locals. We have a very enthusiastic and supportive local customer base who make running our business an enjoyable experience.

How do you engage with your customers ?

The Beer Shop 71 London Road St Albans Hertfordshire Al1 1LN Telephone 01727568030 Website beershopstalbans.com

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SHOP LOCAL WEEK

What’s the most unique brand of alcohol that you sell at The BEER;shop?

SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE PRO 12.2 The Galaxy Note Pro combines the productivity of a PC with the portability of a tablet. The HBI team takes a closer look

TECHNOLOGY

The tablet comes preloaded with Hancom Office which means you can work whenever and wherever you want. Together with Samsung Knox you can be sure your data will be fully protected and it also gives you instant access to a number of key functions in a click. And then there’s the screen itself - despite being ultra-thin and amazingly light, the Galaxy Note Pro has a world-class 12.2 inch screen which offers stunning 4 million pixel clarity, the kind that makes movies and other entertainment a vivid and immersive viewing experience.

The Wi-Fi -only version of the tablet launches from Samsung’s own online store, its Experience Store at Westfield Stratford City, and selected retailers such as Carphone Warehouse and John Lewis. The 12.2-inch behemoth sports a similar chassis design and internals to the Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 edition, and is priced at a whopping £649 for the Wi-Fi -only version.

That’s not all that puts the pro in the frame, it’s also packing an Exynos 5 Octacore CPU (made up of a 1.9GHz quadcore and 1.3GHz quadcore) in the Wi-Fi and 3G models, and a 2.3GHz Snapdragon 800 quadcore in the LTE version. Both are backed with 3GB of RAM and run Android 4.4 KitKat OS.

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The layout offers tiles of apps and information that users can customise. Three pre-set pages are offered by default, though users can customise up to five pages with apps and news widgets.

This tablet comes with all your business needs - from the outset you’ll get three panes: My Personal Space, My Workspace and My Social and Media Space. You can add panes and if you’re not fussed with the new UI you can also switch to vanilla Android.

The Samsung Galaxy Note also allows you to drag and drop apps onto the screen that will all work simultaneously. You can also add pop-ups for other apps and the number of them you can have on the go is limitless. It’s impressive stuff and the new UI gives the Note Pro a much more premium feel and it’s a welcome change to bog standard Android.

PEUGEOT RCZ R Andrew Merritt-Morling – managing editor of first4auto.com – gives us his views on the new Peugeot RCZ R which he tested at its UK-launch event in and around Oulton Park in Cheshire.

The torque-sensing ability is imperceptible for most of the time. Accelerate hard and you are rewarded with wheels that go where they are pointed, writhing of the wheel totally absent, even when reacting to camber angles. It is rare for a new car to have steering that has been so expertly judged that you can experience the road through your fingertips.

There is very little body roll and on turn-in the chassis grips very hard. In common with the lesser RCZ’s, the front wheels mark the limits of your speed mid-corner but this is nothing that a realignment of balance could address come refresh time, along with a more aggressive diff on the overrun which would give the front wheels a bigger incentive to tuck in.

But this is nit-picking because as taking the RCZ R on the track at Oulton Park clearly showed that the diff allows you to lay the power down early on exit from bends, and in greater quantities than you might have originally envisaged. Lateral grip is consistently strong – even in the wet and slippery conditions we encountered.

At £31,995 the RCZ R isn’t cheap but at this price point there are faster alternatives available – a BMW M135i, for example, but nothing is able to combine the pace, poise and sporting thrill demonstrated by the RCZ R. Meanwhile, a RenaultSport Mégane Cup is able to hint at a tad more handling vigour whilst a Volkswagen Scirocco R is more refined and practical on a day-to-day basis. The RCZ R is well worth the £5,000 premium over the standard range-topper.

But make no mistake, in the RCZ R, Peugeot have produced a convincing and entertaining package which deserves widespread recognition.

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DRIVE

Introduced originally at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor show, the RCZ symbolised Peugeot’s intention to put dynamic appeal and desirability as cornerstones of the French company’s regeneration. As long ago as November 2012, the company teased us with its announcements that it would be launching a high-performance version.

Well, this is it – the RCZ R – the most powerful, performance-focused road car in the company’s history. Peugeot Sport – the firm’s inhouse motorsport department - was given the job of turning the concept into reality: understandably so given its recent track record in international rallying, LMP1-class sportscar racing and building Sébastien Loeb’s record-breaking hill-climbing car that obliterated the Pikes Peak challenge.

And this isn’t just a cosmetic make-over. No – Peugeot Sport has undertaken a thorough engineering overhaul, including giving the car a wider track, unique wheel geometry, 380mm performance disc brakes and a Torsen lock on the front differential.

It comes at an exciting time for Peugeot as its reputational stock continues to rise following the rave reviews of its 308 – Peugeot’s challenger to the highly credible but ubiquitous VW Golf. In turn, the 308 follows on the heels of the respectable 208 GTi hot hatch that signalled the company’s return to form last year. It seems as though Peugeot can do no wrong at the moment and as a result we have high hopes for the RCZ R. Do these hopes translate into reality? Let’s find out.

On the road, the RCZ R soaks up the UK’s B-roads. We found it to be understated and civil. Yes, the ride can be taut, but it is rarely harsh. Peugeot Sport have tuned the damper’s wonderfully, providing enough suppleness to take the edge off of any sharpness.

Feedback through the steering wheel is in abundance thanks to the wider, more sticky tyres, as well as the firmer springs and bushings.

GREED ISN’T ALWAYS GOOD...

5 REASONS WHY PERSONAL GAIN ISN’T ALWAYS THE NUMBER ONE REASON PEOPLE WILL REFER YOU ANDY LOPATA Many people seem to assume that the people in their network are motivated purely by personal gain. And they often assume that the personal gain needs to be measured in obvious cash terms.

Yet the reality is often far from this perception.

Labelled ‘Mr Network’ by The Sun, Andy Lopata was called one of Europe’s leading business networking strategists by the Financial Times. Andy is the author of three books on networking, as well as a blogger for The Huffington Post and NatWest Business Sense.

Find out more at www.lopata.co.uk follow Andy at @AndyLopata

Recently a fellow speaker and author sent out an email to his network asking them to help promote his new book. The focus of the email was firmly on how the recipients could ‘make money’ by promoting it. This author is someone whose work I trust implicitly and who, I believe, adds value to the people in my network. Yet I reacted negatively to his email because of the focus on commissions rather than just asking for support.

A couple of days later I offered to promote the book in a Facebook conversation and asked him for a link to share. The link I was sent was to an affiliate page on his website, again offering me the opportunity to earn money by promoting the book, rather than to the book itself. When I explained that I wasn’t interested in commissions, I received this response: “Why you wouldn’t want commissions defeats me - but if you want to promote the book without getting any money then just send people to the website and I’ll get the commission on top of my royalty...!

Ker-ching. Thank you.”

His response illustrates perfectly this belief that money is the ultimate motivator for one and all. Here are just a few of the reasons why his offer of commission was more of a deterrent than a motivating factor for me:

on even a thousand books sold through my recommendation.

That’s not to say that commission based models aren’t valid, or that I would discount building this into our business model in the future.

And if someone does work on a commission basis then offering them a reward is most likely to motivate them. But one size doesn’t fit all.

1 : I GET PLEASURE FROM HELPING PEOPLE

5 : I LIKE TO PROTECT MY RELATIONSHIPS

I LIKE AND TRUST

I don’t believe that I’m alone in enjoying helping others. In fact I often find that I get more joy from giving a successful referral than from receiving them (although, don’t let me put you off!). I want to be surrounded by a network of people who take pleasure from helping each other, that way we all benefit.

2 : HELPING MY NETWORK IS AN INVESTMENT FOR ME

NETWORKING

By promoting the right materials to my networks I become a valuable resource to them. By promoting the book, I become a supporter of, and valuable resource to, my colleague. Apart from just being happy to help both parties, such positioning means that both parties value me more highly and are more inclined to support me.

3 : I DON’T EARN MY LIVING THROUGH

COMMISSIONS AND AFFILIATE FEES

Some commissions are worth accepting. If I referred someone for a multi-million pound project and they wanted to pay me a reward, perhaps I’d have to consider my stance! However, I have chosen to earn my living through speaking, training and other related activities, not through commissions. One referral to a new client from my colleague would potentially be far more valuable to me than the commission

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4 : I DON’T WANT TO MUDDY THE WATERS

OF MY RECOMMENDATION OR REFERRAL

If people know that I am being paid a commission to recommend or refer a supplier then that recommendation will naturally carry less weight. I want people to feel confident that I am making connections for purely selfless reasons and not to have any cause for doubt.

Yesterday I recommended a colleague to a client of mine who needed my help. The colleague immediately asked what financial reward I wanted if he won the business and seemed quite surprised when I insisted on none. Yet if he works his magic, my client will be better placed to put our work together into action and will get better results. In addition, that colleague may now be more aware of opportunities to refer me. Both work far better for me than a simple commission.

Commissions are a very dangerous area unless the i’s are dotted and the t’s are crossed in any agreement. There can be a huge gap between the expectations of each party and that can soon lead to a breakdown in relationships. If you are going to offer incentives make sure that the terms are very clearly laid out in advance.

During a mentoring session earlier this week one of my clients, a financial advisor, told me about an accountant he had been speaking with. They talked about a number of referrals the accountant was passing across and then my client asked what commission he expected. My client was surprised to be told that the accountant didn’t want a commission, even a sum donated to a charity of his choice. My client then offered to reciprocate, only to be told that he was welcome to but don’t feel obliged.

Why would the accountant want to pass referrals to the financial advisor without being rewarded for his efforts, either in terms of commission or reciprocal referrals? The answer is very simple. By referring his clients to the best financial advisor for their needs, he is providing them with the best service possible, and that was all he was interested in.

Don’t try to prejudge other people’s motives, or to expect everyone to respond to the same incentives. Get to know the people in your network as individuals and interact with each of them in the way that they would best respond to. You’ll get a much better response as a result.

WHITEHILL GOLF Nr. Ware, Herts. SG12 0JS | Tel: 01920 438495

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