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TWELVE DAYS OF

CHRISTMAS We hear from the experts who want to pass on a new year business tip for every day of the festive season. MAKING MONEY THE EBAY WAY Why more people are turning to the auction site to build a business, or just for some extra cash!

DUNCAN BANNATYNE TV’S VERY OWN DRAGON SPEAKS TO THE HBI ABOUT WHAT 2011 HOLDS IN STORE FOR HIM

11 WAYS TO MANIFEST YOUR DREAMS Confidence consultant and author Mary Dempsey talks about how to realise your dreams, and make them become a reality. SALSA IN HERTFORDSHIRE Why not start the New Year with some Salsa and work off some of that extra Christmas dinner?

issue Dec / Jan 2010

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CONTENTS NEWS A roundup of the latest business news and stories from our region

INTERVIEW : DUNCAN BANNATYNE TV’s famous dragon speaks to The HBI

LEGAL How the Bribery Act 2010 will affect small businesses

EDUCATION & TRAINING The HBI meets Dr Lisa Turner who gives top tips on changing your mindset for 2011

HEALTH Making new year resolutions for business and fitness in 2011

SALES ADVICE Andy Preston gives his top tips to make 2011 your best sales year

AFTER HOURS A look at what’s going on around Hertfordshire over the festive holiday

EXECUTIVE PROFILE The HBI speaks to local businessman Nick Eve

DRIVE We take a look at this year’s new Honda CR-Z

NETWORKING Regular contributor Andy Lopata shares his thoughts on networking

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CONTRIBUTORS

CONTACTS MANAGING DIRECTOR Simon George EDITOR Jenna Gould editor@businessindependent.co.uk

CONTRIBUTORS Becky Lewis Terry Sullivan Jade Stoner Andy Preston Clare Waller Lisa Turner Kimberley Mangleshot Mary Dempsey Andy Lopata Nick Eve

DESIGNER Karen Birch www.velvetagency.com

ADVERTISING Terry Sullivan terry@businessindependent.co.uk

Sona Shah sona@businessindependent.co.uk TEL : 0844 358 5800 www.businessindependent.co.uk

Published by : Business Independent Ltd. Old Batford Mill Lower Luton Road Harpenden Hertfordshire AL5 5BZ

COPYRIGHT Copyright: 2010 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.

EDITOR’S WELCOME Welcome to our last issue of 2010! It’s been such a fanstastic year at The Hertfordshire Business Independent and we’ve uncovered some great local stories over the past few months. This issue is a combined Dec/Jan issue and so we’ve brought together a range of features to keep you busy, inspired and motivated until we return in February! We’ve got a great small business special packed with advice from how to start a business on a budget, to the secrets of making money from eBay. January is all about health and New Years resolutions, so don’t miss our interview with Duncan Bannatyne and our advice from local personal trainer Kimberley Mangelshot. We also met local entrepreneur Nick Eve, founder of the Pumphouse to find out his secrets to success. I hope you enjoy this issue and may I take this opportunity on behalf of the entire team to wish you a very happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year! Festive wishes : Jenna

FLIGHT TAX HIKES HIT THE SOUTH EAST

The hikes in the tax on flying from the UK which came into force on 1st November will hit fliers in the South East hard a new poll reveals today. The poll commissioned for FlyingMatters, the national campaign for flying, shows that 46 per cent of people in the South East say they are less likely to fly once the rises come into force. More than a third (34 per cent) of People in the South East said they have already cut back on the amount they travel abroad to see friends or family or to have a holiday because of concerns about their job security. People in the South East were only slightly less likely than the general UK population to expect to be worse off over the next 12 months 44 per cent compared to 46 per cent. 46 per cent of people in South East think that the flight tax hikes are unfair. Of the four taxes tested (inheritance tax, Air Passenger Duty, Temporary Bank Payroll Tax, Duty on Spirits) only inheritance tax was viewed as more unfair (56 per cent). 47 per cent of people in the South East said the flight tax would have some impact on how they currently intend to vote at the next General Election. Brian Wilson, Chairman of FlyingMatters, said: “The tax on all flights leaving the UK is a regressive tax which will hit people in the South East just as hard as elsewhere in the UK. The days when only the rich could afford holidays abroad may be a dim memory now but if these hikes continue there is clear evidence that we could be heading back to those days. “The polling shows what most reasonable people know: this tax with wings is inherently unfair and politicians could well see this reflected in the ballot box at the next election”.

‘VOLUME OF HIRES RETURNS TO PRE-RECESSIONARY LEVELS BUT INTEREST RATE INCREASES AND NI RISES SET TO DAMPEN RECRUITMENT PLANS’ SAYS BARCLAY MEADE IN NEW INDUSTRY TRACKER Despite the majority of employers in the South East seeing recruitment levels return to similar or even higher volumes than before the recession, a potential rise in interest rates and increasing employer National Insurance contributions are already having a negative impact on recruitment strategies for employers at medium and large organisations in the region, a new industry tracker has revealed today. The report, by professional staffing recruitment consultancy Barclay Meade - part of the AIMlisted recruitment business Matchtech Group PLC – is the first in a series of quarterly trackers aiming to provide insight into the effects of the current economic climate on the recruitment strategies of medium and large organisations in the UK. This first report reveals that while employers in the South East are seeing a return to prerecession recruitment levels, 29 per cent are still operating under a recruitment freeze, 34 per cent are finding financial liquidity is a barrier for further recruitment and 30 per cent feel the expense of hiring new staff overwhelms the need to recruit and grow. 23 per cent feel the potential rise in interest rates will have the biggest negative impact on their recruitment strategy over the next 12 months. However, more encouragingly 46 per cent are currently recruiting at similar or above levels to before the recession. The findings of the tracker are supported by the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) and KPMG Report on Jobs released this month. The report, which showed that the number of job vacancies grew last month, but at the slowest rate in almost a year, highlights a recovery in the market which is unearthed in the tracker, but also portrays a steady recovery which is underpinned by caution. However, Oxford Economics predicts job growth in the South East to increase by 6.2 per cent with 265,100 extra jobs being created by 2015.

THE APPRENTICE WARNING: DON’T MAKE COMMON BUSINESS MISTAKES With the sixth series of The Apprentice in its final stages, the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) has identified the common mistakes made by candidates in their weekly tasks and how they are often replicated by businesses on a larger scale. Lessons can be learnt though to ensure that companies remain ‘in the boardroom’. •

Research your market thoroughly – Paul Callaghan (series 3) tries to sell mass-produced English Cheese in a French local food market

•

It is easy to presume that you know your market. Do research into what your potential market actually wants and continue to regularly survey so that you are not missing any other opportunities.

•

Don’t over order stock – Syed Ahmed (series 2) orders 100 chickens to make 100 pizzas

•

One of the repercussions of the recession was de-stocking. This is good financial management and businesses should make sure that they only order what they need.

•

Check prices on a regular basis – Yasmina Siadatan (series 5) confuses cedarwood and the more expensive sandalwood and blows the budget Check and double check costs in order to avoid mistakes which will affect your margins. An accountant can help you keep an eye on the details. Keep control of orders – Lucinda Ledgerwood (series 4) gives the wrong washing back to customers as well as losing items An unsatisfied customer can have a disastrous affect on your business. Make sure that you know what is happening with an order and keep the customer updated if there are problems. Don’t overprice yourself – Lindi Mngaza (series 4) pitches for a potential laundry contract quoting £4999. The customer usually pays £200 Although cheapest is not always best, make sure that you have an idea of what the ‘going rate’ is. An over inflated price will not help win new business. Don’t get blinded by an idea – Rory Laing (series 3) comes up with the idea of a ‘pooch pouch’ which is widely derided but still goes ahead with the product

• • • • • •

Listen to others and take advice. Just because you think that something is a fantastic idea or product does not mean that others do. Sometimes it is easy to carry on with a project when, in reality, it should be stopped as soon as possible. Clive Lewis, Head of Enterprise at ICAEW, commented: “All too often common mistakes are made by businesses that are often very eager and do not plan ahead. The main advice I would give is that errors are inevitable but you should try and rectify the situation as quickly as you can so that events do not snowball and you end up ‘being fired’”.

FIVE TIPS TO AVOID EMAIL OVERLOAD COULD GIVE YOU THREE EXTRA WEEKS A YEAR With the Christmas holidays looming December’s business email frenzy becomes virtually unmanageable for many. Jon Baker of Venture-Now has been studying and improving people’s performance for around 25 years. He has seen the rising impact of huge email volumes take respectable business people to breaking point. This is often caused by common fundamental flaws and so he gave five tips to help those struggling with their inbox. “Regardless of if you are in a blue chip company or, a small family business, most complain about the same thing – they can no longer stay on top of their emails. Now this form of communication has become a 24-hour mobile phenomena, adopting a work ethic which avoids confusion and distraction requires a behavioural shift”. “Many people use their inbox as a task list. This is a core weakness as it causes them to feel overloaded earlier and leads to missing or losing important messages and actions,” he commented. Jon’s first instruction is to separate your inbox and task list to avoid confusion. Secondly, change your mindset – think of emails as backups rather than tasks. If an email contains a necessary action, add it to your task list and close the message. Get yourself into a routine where your task list tells you what to do rather than your inbox. If something is not important enough to have a deadline, file it in an ‘action’ file and leave it off your task list. Delete emails after responding. If you need to keep a copy, file it beneath a client or project name. Finally, use your automated filters as much as possible. The less time you spend manually filtering messages, the more time you release for profit-related activities. “These simple tips can make an enormous difference to profitability en mass or for one-man bands. If you can reduce the time spent battling with the crossover between email messages and task lists by as little as thirty minutes a day, you immediately release more than three weeks per annum,” concluded Jon.

Photograph courtesy of Andrew Zuckerman

Dame Judi Dench, who is a supporter of humane research, has been named as a Patron of the Dr Hadwen Trust (DHT), a charity that funds medical research which replaces the use of animals in experiments. Through its work, the DHT funds projects which find practical and vital solutions to devastating human health problems and develop more human relevant approaches using modern methods that will benefit both people and animals. For 40 years, the DHT has funded ground-breaking research which has helped in the fight against diseases such as cancer, asthma and Alzheimer’s disease to name a few. This year, the charity gave grants for research into epilepsy, bone disease in childhood leukaemia, brain cell imaging, nanotoxicity testing and abdominal pain studies. Dame Judi Dench said: “Whilst medical research is essential in finding new ways of treating diseases and alleviating human suffering, charities such as the Dr Hadwen Trust for Humane Research show that it is possible to carry out research without the need for animal testing. In this modern world, new scientific approaches can and do make a real difference and I urge people to give their support to the Dr Hadwen Trust to achieve even more medical advancements without costing the lives of animals”. Kailah Eglington, Chief Executive of the Dr Hadwen Trust, commented: “We are thrilled to welcome Dame Judi Dench as a Patron of the charity. We hope that through her support we can encourage even more people to support our work in funding and promoting advanced human relevant techniques which replace the use of animals in experiments”.The Dr Hadwen Trust for Humane Research funds cutting-edge research at universities and hospitals across the UK. The projects carried out by its grant holders aim to replace the use of animals in medical research which will lead to more relevant, high quality research.

NEWS

DAME JUDI DENCH ANNOUNCED AS PATRON OF HITCHIN BASED DR HADWEN TRUST

HERTFORDSHIRE’S FREIDMAN FM SCOOPS TOP AWARDS FROM INDUSTRY GIANTS A local businessman is celebrating snatching the top honours in his industry’s flagship awards from all his leading blue chip competitors. Freidman FM scooped not one, but two major awards, including the top honour at the Premises and Facilities Management (PFM) Partnership Awards on 3 November 2010, also beating companies many times its size and track record to secure the Overall Award. Freidman FM, barely two years old, lifted the trophy for Partners in Education with the TreeHouse Trust, Muswell Hill, for children with autism; a proud achievement for Freidman’s Managing Director, John Ellis. He said, “Winning the Partners in Education category was a fantastic achievement for us as a young company; but I never expected what was still to come. When it came to the Overall Award, I couldn’t believe it when our name was called. It was so far beyond all our expectations, but the organisers tell me it was a ‘no brainer’”. According to the judges, “The goal of the TreeHouse Trust School is to make the ‘ordinary’ possible for its challenging pupils. However, it takes the extraordinary to achieve this. At every turn, this partnership delivers small and large successes on behalf of the children. These two organisations work so closely together it is impossible to determine who works for whom. Simply put, they rely on each other’s support 100% to keep the school functioning for its very individual pupils. Humour, kindness and understanding is apparent in every interaction between them”. Thanks to its work providing all the on site estates management for TreeHouse, including cleaning and grounds care to security, heating, lighting, kitchens and playground maintenance, Freidman romped home past well-established FM giants MITIE, Sodexho, Interserve, ISS and Carillion, following an on site judges visit and interviews with the Freidman team and their client.

SOFT TOYS NOT JUST FOR CHRISTMAS Hertfordshire mum and business entrepreneur Iona Hutchinson has launched a new and fun way for children to store the soft toys and furry friends they receive for Christmas safely and securely. Iona Hutchinson, chief zookeeper and driving force behind Little Zookeepers, makers of a new storage system called the Zoo, said: “Countless numbers of soft toys and furry friends will arrive at their new homes this Christmas. “And as soon as they can they will be roaming around as they please and setting up camp wherever they fancy”. The Zoo is made from sustainably-sourced wood and has child-safe flexible bars that keep soft toys in and children out. Children can remove and replace their favourite soft toys and furry friends safely and easily. The Zoo is simple to install and safe to use. It screws to the wall for safety and only takes up a small amount of floor space. Iona Hutchinson added: “With the Zoo, children will enjoy putting things away for themselves. It could save worn out parents and guardians hours of tidying up during Christmas and beyond and prolong the life of the soft toys”.

HERTFORDSHIRE BROADCASTER WINS BUSINESS LEADERS’ SPEAKER AWARD A Hertfordshire broadcaster has been named the New Speaker of the Year by the Academy for Chief Executives. The business leaders’ learning group with branches around the UK and overseas has been awarded to Michael Dodd from Bovingdon. Michael - who began his broadcasting career as a political reporter in Australia – is best know to British audiences for his newspaper reviews on Sky News which he’s been doing over the past twelve years. He was selected for the award from hundreds of speakers who address groups of the Academy each year in Britain and in its new overseas branches in India, Ireland, Gibraltar and Malta. Michael declared that receiving the award is “better than winning the Ashes – partly because I get to keep the trophy”.Michael has been speaking at events for the Academy on how to give great answers to tough questions – a topic based on his experience of asking probing questions in live broadcasts to politicians, business leaders and other public figures. “Australian journalists pride themselves on what has been called ‘blowtorch-on-the-belly questions’ and this has been helpful in showing Academy members how to stand the rigorous questioning which chief executives face from many directions,” Michael said. Founder of the Academy, Brian Chernett, described Michael’s speaking sessions as ones which generated much noise and learning amongst chief executives because everybody in the Academy “got it” when he addressed them. The Academy’s director responsible for its speaker selection process, Phil Jesson, said the chief executives were impressed by the level of research that Michael did on members before his talks. He said this helped the business leaders to be thoroughly tested out on the kinds of difficult questions they had to deal with on their feet in their daily work.

LOCAL HERTFORDSHIRE MAN TACKLES DRAIN DOCTORING IN WATFORD

A local Hertfordshire man is tackling a new challenge - by starting his own business - in spite of the recession. Father of two David Grainger (45) will be using his experience to develop the Watford and St Albans franchise of Drain Doctor Plumbing (www.draindoctor.co.uk). David has some technical background and an understanding of the construction trade but recognises that his skill set is very much operational. He undertook a technician’s course with experienced Drain Doctor trainers and shadowed a franchisee before launching his own business. David has been researching various franchise businesses for the past four years. He researched the Drain Doctor model and, after talking to existing franchisees, found that it has a proven system. He said: “It offers a recession-proof opportunity where I can be an independent operator running my own business but with all the back-up that comes with being part of a large national organisation that will help to ensure we can deliver on our promises.”

CHARITY RAISES THE BAR

TASKFORCE COMMITMENT LOOKS SET TO UNBLOCK COMMUNICATION BETWEEN SMALL BUSINESSES AND BANKS The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has welcomed the 17 commitments laid out by the Bank Taskforce in its bid to open up communication channels within the business community. The commitment to publish a regular independent survey on the amount that is being loaned to small firms is a welcome move to enable a better picture of what is actually happening in the sector. This will help to end the confusion on lending levels and the conflicting reports that arise. The FSB is committed to establishing a national mentoring scheme and is delighted that the banks have agreed to work with the FSB and the Small Firms Enterprise Development Initiative (SfEDI) to co-ordinate, promote and develop a free of charge network of small business mentors across the UK. Communication channels will be further strengthened with the development of new lending principles and a new transparent appeals process for businesses who think they have been turned down unfairly, as well as the commitment to a review of a business’s finance 12 months before it is due to end and a regional out-reach programme.

It has been an exciting and busy few days at Crohn’s and Colitis UK – narrowly pipped at the post for the Hertfordshire 2010 Business Awards, where they were the only charity in the finals – but Suzi Clark, their Director of Marketing and Fundraising, was very proud to accept the Finalist certificate on behalf of the charity which supports 5,000 sufferers in Hertfordshire and has 31,000 members across the UK.

One of the perks of the job is to meet supporters and sometimes they are quite famous, such as Anastacia who brought the packed stalls of the Hammersmith Apollo to their feet, with her turbo-charged show “Here Come the Girls” alongside fellow diva Lulu and soul star Heather Small from M People. Richard said “The energy-levels of these three amazing performers was just breath-taking … the audience was exhausted by the end of the evening - we never sat down once! Even more inspiring was the way that Anastacia, a Crohn’s sufferer, met her fans prior to the show and spent so much time talking with them that her “minders” had to come and drag her away to get her into her dressing-room in preparation for the show. She was so generous with her time, and we’re very excited that she is supporting our charity.”

NEWS

It is estimated that one in every 250 people in the UK suffer from Crohn’s Disease or Ulcerative Colitis, and the charity offers support, information and social activities – “these conditions can be devastating, and sufferers can feel very isolated – we do our best to support them” says Suzi. The charity is facing an operating deficit this year because of the additional calls on its free services, and any corporate wishing to make a gift or discuss involving staff in volunteering or fundraising activities, should contact Suzi on 01727 734488. “It was great to meet Chris Hollins, he’s even better-looking than on Strictly Come Dancing” said Suzi … “and it wasn’t just the dry-ice misting my eyes.”

DUNCAN BANNATYNE

AN INTERVIEW WITH

DUNCAN BANNATYNE OBE WAS BORN 2 FEBRUARY 1949 IN CLYDEBANK, SCOTLAND. HE IS ONE OF BRITAIN’S MOST RECOGNISABLE ENTREPRENEURS, AS WELL AS BEING A PHILANTHROPIST AND BEST SELLING AUTHOR. Duncan Bannatyne OBE was born 2 February 1949 in Clydebank, Scotland. He is one of Britain’s most recognisable entrepreneurs, as well as being a philanthropist and best selling author. His business interests include Health Clubs, Hotels, Media, TV, Stage Schools, Property and Transport. He is most famous for his appearances as a business angel on the BBC programme Dragons Den. He has written 4 books; ‘Anyone Can Do It’ sold more than 200,000 copies; ‘Wake Up and Change Your Life’ quickly entered the Sunday Telegraph top selling books list, as did ‘How To Be Smart With Money’ closely followed by ‘How To Be Smart With Your Time’. Duncan was honoured with the Order of the British Empire for his contribution to charity and supports many good causes, especially for children. He is heavily involved with Comic Relief and UNICEF, and is a passionate anti-smoking campaigner. We caught up with Duncan to find out what 2011 holds in store for him and his ever-expanding empire! .

WE CAUGHT UP WITH DUNCAN TO FIND OUT WHAT 2011 HOLDS IN STORE FOR HIM AND HIS EVER-EXPANDING EMPIRE! www.bannatyne.co.uk

You’re are quoted as being the wealthiest expert on the Dragon’s Den panel, so is it really true that you started your road to success via a single ice cream van?

Yes. I got started by buying an ice cream van. The business grew larger and I sold it and I then founded a care home which I later sold and it all just went from there really.

Before starting Dragon’s Den you already had a pretty hectic schedule, so what made you take some time out to do it?

I liked the concept and thought it could be something that would be very enjoyable. Obviously I’m an investor too and so I thought I’d ‘give it a shot’.

Lots of people get nervous when pitching to you in the Den, but what is it about a pitch that makes it shine through for you?

For me it really does depend on a range of different factors. Sometimes it can be the people or sometimes it’s the product itself. I don’t have an exact science when I’m looking to invest. What it really boils down to is whether it is something that I would enjoy being involved with.

So are there any particular investment areas you find yourself sticking to? You have taken part in helping transform failing businesses; what do you feel are the common mistakes most people make in the business world Not knowing their market is the biggest mistake. It’s about hard work and dedication.

What has been the biggest challenge whilst working with a business

There have been so many challenges, you have to keep your eye open, look out for the problems and resolve them as soon as possible.

Do you personally have any top tips for success?

Go out and do it- anyone can do it and anyone can be a success.

What is the biggest lesson you have learnt during your business ventures?

Know your market and research it properly. I didn’t research the market right with one of my ventures - Lady In Leisure and I lost a million pounds.

You recently took part in a sponsored walk to raise money for emergency services staff injured in the line of duty, is this something you feel very strongly about?

Yes, a friend of mine, PC David Rathband, was shot and was blinded in both eyes. His colleague was running it and I feel what they do is very inspiring so I support them everywhere and in all that they do.

Have you anything coming up that you are currently working on?

No not at the moment, just looking at the possibility of expanding in the spa business. The spa and gym industry is currently the fastest growing industry in the UK, so it’s a good place to be right now.

What’s your personal motto?

If you don’t enjoy your life it’s your fault, you only have one chance. www.bannatyne.co.uk

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INTERVIEW : DUNCAN BANNATYNE

Not really. I’m always interested in things that are new.

LEGAL COLUMN In each issue Gillian Harding, a solicitor at HRJ Law, a legal firm with offices in Hitchin and Welwyn Garden City is on hand to answer your legal problems. Please email them to gillian.harding@hrjlaw.co.uk. We regret that no personal correspondence can be entered into.

How does the Bribery Act 2010 affect small businesses?

Failure to prevent bribery will be a criminal offence from April 2011 and the penalties against companies and individual directors who are found guilty are potentially severe. Even if you don’t regularly supply goods or services to Government agencies, you should implement procedures to prevent bribery occurring in your business. If you have appropriate procedures in place this will provide your company and its directors with a defence against prosecution, even if bribery actually does occur. The Government is expected to publish final guidance on what kind of steps businesses should be taking in January but at the moment the draft guidance is as follows:Risk assessment How high is the risk of bribery occurring for your business? Risk needs to be reviewed on a regular basis to ensure that your circumstances haven’t changed e.g. before expanding into a new market, entering into certain contracts like distribution and agency contracts. A cultural commitment to bribery prevention This includes policy statements from directors e.g. confirming your Fahy, Solicitor commitment to principles like fairness Bob and honesty and stating the Matthew Arnold those & Baldwin LLP consequences to employees who breach principles.

www.mablaw.com

Due diligence This could mean looking at your agents and distributors more carefully,

WE TAKE IT PERSONALLY

as well as your suppliers and customers. You also need to ensure that you won’t be asked to do something which breaches UK law if you become an agent or distributor. Clear practical and accessible policies and procedures and effective implementation Professional advice helps with policies but the draft guidance reminds us that written policies aren’t enough. The procedures you introduce to support the written policies must be implemented effectively. The draft guidance includes specific examples of procedures and hopefully these will be reflected in the final guidance to help businesses with compliance. Monitoring and review As you’d expect, you have to keep compliance under review. Key methods for small businesses are financial and auditing controls and communication with your employees. Once the final guidance has been published we can advise you on the policy changes you’ll need to make by April 2011. For further information on HRJ Law LLP and for contact details, please visit www.hrjlaw.co.uk Please note that the answers provided are for general guidance only. If you have any legal problems you should always ensure that you obtain specific legal advice.

BIG DOES NOT ALWAYS MEAN BETTER IN THE WORLD OF FINANCIAL SERVICES! With the consistent ammunition of ‘doom and gloom’ economical predictions dominating our media space, it is not surprising that the majority of businesses are reassessing their overheads, whether they need to or not.

Quality service and advice you can trust Business Law • Employment Law • Commercial Litigation • Property Transactions • All aspects of Commercial Law

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The introduction of new legislation and the increasing complexity that will arise as a result will mean some accountancy firms will be planning to increase their audit fees, so there has never been a better time to seek out better value for your investment and open your search for an auditing partner to include medium-sized, local, specialised auditing firms. So, should those businesses at the threshold consider aborting the concept of auditing entirely or review their options for an alternative specialist? The advice from Baker Watkin, Chartered Accountants and Tax Advisers is, if you are a PLC company, or a company carrying on an insurance market activity (and not an ineligible service company) or, your business exceeds two out of three of the following criteria, you do need an audit: • Annual turnover of more than £6.5 million • Balance Sheet total (gross asset value) more than £3.26 million • Average number of employees 50 It’s also worth noting that an audit will enable your company to comply with banking covenants and also enhance your company’s credit score with Dunn & Bradstreet. www.bakerwatkin.co.uk

LEGAL STOCKING FILLERS TOP RECESSION BUSTING TIPS The festive season is almost upon us and a New Year beckons but, the economy brings us very little cheer. With money tight for many businesses now is not the time to over indulge by providing customers with a free source of finance. The economic outlook still remains very chilly so keep those ‘belts tight’ and ‘batten down the hatches’. Here are a few legal recession busting tips that will help you enjoy a more prosperous 2011:

GET PAID ON TIME!

Sometimes easier said than done, but …. do aim for prompt invoicing and even prompter cash collection. Tighten up your credit control procedures to ensure that potential late payers can be chased quickly and if at all necessary, legal action delivered quickly to slow payers.

READ THE SMALL PRINT!

If ever there was an economic time to be absolutely sure about your rights and obligations under a contract (of any nature) this is it. Go into any contract with your eyes wide open and be completely aware of what your obligations are and what you can require your other contracting party to do for you.

AVOID LAWYERS AND COSTLY DISPUTES!

In tough economic times businesses do not have lots of spare cash to spend on lawyers, let alone disputes or litigation lawyers. Cash/profit that has been hard earned by other areas of the business ought not to be squandered on disputes or litigation which can be avoided if at all possible. This underlines the need to be absolutely clear about what your obligations are in any contractual situation that you may have with customers or suppliers.

IF A DISPUTE ARISES, SORT IT OUT - QUICKLY!

Disputes, apart from being costly, are demotivating, time consuming and distract management and other key personnel from the main objective of running the business successfully. As a result, if a dispute arises or one looks likely, take prompt action to try and resolve it. A little bit of legal advice early on might pay dividends later by enabling a potentially messy and complicated dispute to be resolved quickly at the outset. You might even preserve your commercial relationship and keep your customer! Remember, a less than perfect settlement at the outset of a potential dispute could be much better than some messy protracted expensive dispute that resolves itself in nine months time on really no better terms.

BE AWARE OF THE COMPETITION!

Recessions force businesses and people in business to act in different ways. Typically, we are seeing an increase in matters that involve businesses that break up, e.g. shareholders parting company with each other; senior executives leaving to set up on their own or with competing businesses; partnerships imploding with the “key partners” carrying on the business elsewhere. These scenarios represent a competitive threat to the existing business. Therefore, be aware of the threat of competition and ensure that your key personnel are tied in with good employment contracts with enforceable restrictive covenants.

PROTECT INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY!

Tough economic conditions often lead people to cut corners. We are currently seeing an increase of trade mark/counterfeit goods-type of complaints for obvious reasons. People either try to make a “fast buck” by infringing a well known mark and passing off goods using a well known mark as their own, or equally, businesses try to cut corners by perhaps buying something less than the genuine article which, in turn, might lead to an infringement prosecution. These are just examples of disputes that can become messy and expensive and, above all, a distraction to the main business.

INVEST IN IT!

Apart from its people, a business’ IT system and its capabilities are probably the biggest asset a business has. Sustained IT problems and loss of commercial down time can be highly damaging.

Andrew Knight is a Partner in the Commercial Litigation and Dispute Resolution departmen t of Taylor Walton LLP, which has offices in Luton, Harpenden and St Albans and provides effective legal solutions to businesses and individuals across Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and the South East. Andrew can be contacted on tel. 01582 731161 or email andrew.knight@taylorwalton.co.uk

LEGAL

To make sure your festive season is truly festive and not spoilt by some legal nightmare, follow these top tips. With best our wishes and good luck for a risk-free 2011.

KEEPING IT IN THE FAMILY The UK’s family business sector is growing and becoming an economic force to reckon with. Daniel Crowther, private wealth specialist at KPMG in St Albans, looks at what the future has in store for this vital sector of UK economic growth. The family business sector is fast emerging from its image of being typically small, provincial companies, controlled by a group of close knit individuals with little actual business experience outside of their own enterprise. The modern day family business not only has access to highly educated second and third generation family members who have cut their teeth outside of the family business but, many have a management team made up at least in part from outside the family, brought in with good commercial skills to help drive the business forward.

INTRODUCING ……. GENERATION Y

KPMG recently held a two day event for the next generation of family business owners, aged between 18 and 30 years old. 70 per cent of those interviewed were graduates and 80 per cent already had experience of working outside of their family firm. Other interesting findings from our interviews revealed that : • six in ten respondents said that growing the company would be the priority for them • a fifth cited entering new markets as their second priority • tackling climate change issues was their third priority Based on these results, the family business sector is looking very positive, at a time when business optimism is in short supply. The fact that the next generation of family business owners are focussed on growing their businesses is great news for the UK economy on the whole, as this sector is a vital driver of economic growth and an important employer. Tax and business regulations were ranked the top two areas that the next generation of business owners were least looking forward to, with over a third singling out tax as the area which most worries them. The complexity and uncertainty of the UK tax system can look pretty daunting to someone about to take on the running of a business. However, the UK tax regime has generally been favourable to family businesses and there are some valuable reliefs in the system that relate specifically to the family business sector.

TAX TIPS FOR FAMILY ENTERPRISES

Remuneration is an important issue for family businesses, not least because that’s usually why they set the company up in the first place. Taking proactive steps to consider issues around business and personal tax, as well as family wealth management, are particularly important for family business members. For example, the differential between the highest rates of income tax and capital gains tax allows family members who hold shares but, who are not actively involved in the business, to sell those shares back to the company, and potentially be charged to capital gains tax, rather than the higher rate income tax on earnings. Commercially this can be very attractive as it can give more control to the active family members, who can concentrate on building the business and may in some instances be able to retain money in the business in order to fund expansion plans rather than paying it to ‘sleeping’ shareholders in the form of dividends. Consequently, it has proved to be a good, tax-efficient way of returning cash to shareholders and at the same time as helping the business grow. For many entrepreneurs, the very essence of a family business is the ability to build up a successful company that can be handed down from generation to generation. In practice, though, there are plenty of pitfalls that make handing on a successful company – and seeing it remain successful well into the future – a far from easy task. Succession planning is often the most complicated issue for a family business to deal with. Interestingly, the guests that attended our event were all there to learn about running a family business, despite the fact that 76 per cent of them thought it would be seven to ten years or more before they actually took control of their family enterprises. In our view, family businesses need to be looking at least 10 years into the future to plan how and when to hand over the business to ensure their enterprises stay profitable for those remaining, and also provide enough cash out of the business for those retiring. Getting it right, so that it works in the most tax-efficient way possible takes a great deal of forward planning. With capital gains tax, inheritance tax, corporation and personal tax issues to consider, together with the working capital of the business to think about, structuring the exit to keep the retiring founder happy and the company on an even keel is a fine balancing act. For more information please contact Daniel by emailing him daniel.crowther@kpmg.co.uk

Apprenticeships work Apprenticeships provide the technical knowledge, practical experience and skills needed for a successful business. • Benefit from increased productivity, motivation and competence • FREE training for Apprentices aged 16 to 18 • Support with training costs may be available for new or existing staff aged 19 or over To find out more: T: 01462 650246 E: business@nhc.ac.uk www.nhc.ac.uk Goldsmith Centre for Business, Broadway, Letchworth Garden City, Hertfordshire, SG6 3GB

NEW FOR 2011 TAKE YOUR CAREER TO THE NEXT LEVEL Fast-track CIPD Level 5 Diploma ILM Level 7 Executive Coaching and Mentoring We have these and other professional and management qualifications starting January 2011. • The CIPD Level 5 Diploma is a big step to gaining chartered status

• ILM coaching and mentoring qualifications can improve both personal and employee performance Fast-track your future For more details or to talk to an adviser about your career options: T: 01462 650246 E: business@nhc.ac.uk W: www.gc4b.com Goldsmith Centre for Business – part of the North Hertfordshire College Group Broadway, Letchworth Garden City, Hertfordshire, SG6 3GB www.gc4b.com

Changing the way you do business

EDUCATION & TRAINING

• Fast-track start January complete July 2011

LET’S GET MOTIVATED! Christmas and New Year can cause many of us to take our eyes off the ball when it comes to staying focused at work. So don’t let motivation slip down the pecking order and refresh your mind with some of these top tips, courtesy of local team building, team development and conference specialists Fresh Tracks. 1. Chat with each of your team on a one on one basis at least once a week. This shouldn’t be a meeting to discuss a specific issue but a two way conversation without an agenda. It demonstrates that you are interested in the person not just their work. Make it a significant event by setting the time for the conversation in advance and choosing an appropriate meeting place, not just across a desk from each other. In advance think of specific ways you can encourage and praise that person. 2. Create a buzz around the workplace by setting a simple group challenge. It could be to suggest names for a new project or to think of ways to wow a challenging customer. The task itself isn’t as important as the process of involving everyone’s ideas. It’s not even necessary to run a formal brainstorm session, even an email conversation can generate a buzz of excitement and creative energy. 3. Laugh together, several times a day, share a joke, a YouTube clip or a story. Laughter releases good chemicals into our body that counter stress and fight off illness and, most importantly make being at work fun. Even if the work you do is serious you don’t have to be serious about the way you do that work. 4. Treat the team to some chocolate, cakes or an extended lunch break. Spontaneous acts of kindness are increasingly rare in our society so when we receive them they are all the more valuable. 5. Write a handwritten card or note of thanks to one of your team for going the extra mile. Don’t be tempted to send an email – it won’t have the same impact – and don’t simply leave it on your colleague’s desk. Send it to their home address, ideally to arrive on the Saturday morning so they have two days of feeling great about themselves, charging them up for the week ahead.

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CHANGING YOUR MINDSET TO MAKE THE MOST OF 2011 BY DR LISA TURNER CHANGING WORKING MINDSET CAN IMPROVE WORK PERFORMANCE For most people 2010 has not left them feeling great or with a positive outlook. But whilst others are thinking merely of surviving, it is possible to make the most of any situation, to capitalise on past success, and learn from past mistakes. With the right mindset and strategies, 2011 could be your best year ever.

THE RIGHT MINDSET – RAISE YOUR INNER THRESHOLD

A recession brings out peoples true nature highlighting both weakness and strengths. Everyone has an inner threshold which determines how much stress that they can manage. When circumstances push you above this threshold you will feel stressed. It can happen suddenly with only small things triggering you over your threshold and into meltdown. The more going on in our lives the more stressed we are likely to feel. When the responsibilities and workload associated with all of our roles is added up, the result equals how much stress we are experiencing. Provided the total of this stress is less than our inner threshold, we will be okay. We’ll feel in control and will be able to keep on top of things. However when the sum total of stressful events tips you will experience overwhelm.

• Problems concentrating • Lack of focus and poor sleep • Not getting things done • Being clumsy and accident prone • Inability to relax or switch off • Minor Illness • Irritability, aggression, angry outbursts for only small things

WHAT LOWERS THE INNER THRESHOLD? • • • •

Confused unfocussed thinking Negative emotions Inner conflict and limiting beliefs Poor physical condition

All of these things will clutter up your mind and thinking space. The more mental clutter, the less capacity for creative thinking, problem solving and inspired decision making. Eventually you become unable to focus on important information or current events.

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO RAISE YOUR THRESHOLD?

Heal up emotions from the past. Although in business we don’t normally like to talk about emotions, they do in fact impair our ability to think clearly and make good decisions. Healing up unresolved emotions vastly increases your inner threshold. Stop the spinning plates. Unfinished projects or tasks take up a lot of memory and blocks thinking space. The back of your mind is constantly thinking about that project, calling that client, sending the e-mail, writing that letter, finishing that report. The solution – do or delete. Write a list of all the unfinished projects and tasks. Then review the list and make a decision. Limiting beliefs will stop you taking action that could lead to success. In a recession many people take fewer risks or re duce marketing effort because they have limiting beliefs about what is possible. If you think there is no point calling that client because they won’t want to buy something now, then even if you do “force” yourself to make the call your mental attitude will come over in your voice and language so you will create a self fulfilling prophecy of failure. If you believe the opposite then you will create success.

Beliefs are unconscious, so it’s not what you consciously believe that matters; it’s what you unconsciously believe.

HOW TO CREATE YOUR BEST YEAR EVER? Step 1: What did you achieve? Make a list of all the things that you achieved in the last year. No matter how big or small the achievements are, if you are proud or pleased with them then put them on the list. Step 2: What did you NOT achieve? Make another list of all the things you failed to achieve in the last year. What goals or milestones did you set yourself that did not happen? This step won’t be quite so pleasant but it important for step 3. Step 3: Your personal rules for success. Look at each of the lists and identify the difference that makes the difference. What did you do or not do that caused you to achieve what you did? What did you do or not do, that caused you to fail to achieve what you didn’t. You are looking for the difference that makes the difference and these will form your personal rules for success. Everyone’s rules will be different but here are some common ones; believe it is possible 100% to stay positive – even in tough times, let go of the “how”, notice opportunities and act on them. Following them will increase your success. Step 4: Turn your thinking on its head. If you look around, most people in business don’t experience the kind of success they would like. But if you look at most people, what they seem to do is to look around at other struggling businesses and do exactly the same! Studies show that doing the OPPOSITE and going against the flow leads to long term success.

GO AGAINST THE TRAFFIC, AND YOU WILL HAVE 3 LANES TO YOURSELF.

Just like traffic in rush hour it is always easier to be going the opposite direction to the crowd. Business is just like that, but it takes planning, investment and courage to go against conventional thinking.

FEATURE : CHANGING YOUR MINDSET

SIGNS THAT YOU ARE OVER YOUR THRESHOLD

ARE YOU FIT FOR BUSINESS IN 2011? JANUARY. Is it the time for your

‘new year’ business and personal resolutions? Has your fitness been on a back burner over the last few months because of focussing on your business? Do you feel weary as you start a new calendar year? Lack energy and motivation? Now is a great time to introduce a regular exercise routine as it will bring you renewed energy and enthusiasm to keep all your life on track: business, family, home and play. Here Kimberley & Larry from eKuiLibriuM personal training answer some of your questions to get you started with your fitness plans in 2011.

HOW MUCH EXERCISE SHOULD I INCLUDE?

Current Department of Health guidelines indicate a minimum of 30 minutes moderate intensity exercise for 5 days or more offers general health benefits such as reducing the risk of premature death from cardiovascular disease and some cancers, significantly reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes, and it can also improve psychological well-being. When starting a new routine this can be split into more manageable chunks such as 3 x 10minute bouts – i.e. walking for the bus. However to prevent obesity a minimum of 45 to 60 minutes moderate intensity activity every day should be carried out. The guidelines are not designed as a temporary recommendation more a guide to what should be included as part of your life ongoing.

WHAT COUNTS AS ‘MODERATE ACTIVITY’?

For most it would be including things into their daily life. For example walking or cycling instead of driving or, to include hobbies i.e. gardening, sporting activities and playing with your children. These are great activities to start with particularly if you have been very sedentary. Once you are used to this level of activity, aim to include fitness sessions specific to your goals and make them progressive to see further change and adaptation.

WHAT OTHER TYPES OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY SHOULD I CONSIDER?

FEATURE : FIT FOR BUSINESS IN 2011

As the population ages and we become more prone to osteoporosis, endeavour to include weight bearing exercise such as walking, jogging, bodyweight and free-weight based exercise which will improve bone density and therefore reduce the risk of osteoporosis. Flexibility, balance and co-ordination are fundamental movements that we take for granted but lose as we age, or in fact sit at a computer screen for hours on end. Consider Yoga and Pilates classes to maintain and improve this and bring about a feeling of stress management. Some people will enjoy team sports, others gym memberships where there are lots of people working out together, whereas others will prefer to work in a more private environment and benefit from 1-2-1 personal training to get you back on track. The key is to find a physical activity that you like and will want to continue going forward. Fun inspires motivation and focus, which makes you more likely to achieve your goals.

SHOULD I ASK MY DOCTOR FOR PERMISSION TO INCLUDE EXERCISE OR ACTIVITY?

If you haven’t been active or included exercise in your daily life for a great deal of time or, if you are currently suffering with an ongoing illness or disability, then we would recommend a quick visit to your GP.

AS AN EMPLOYER HOW CAN I HELP MY EMPLOYEES?

Encourage them to travel actively to work. Provide bicycle racks and shower facilities wherever possible. Advocate a ‘stairs’ only policy in the afternoons, or a set day per week. Review meal or vending provisions to incorporate fruit and healthy options. Welcome activity breaks at lunchtime – i.e. half hour swims. Partner with local authority providers to offer in-expensive memberships to your work force. Embark on a corporate social responsibility project that includes physical activity such as re-building a schools sensory garden and encourage employees along for team building.

I TRAVEL WITH WORK WHAT CAN I DO?

Travel does disrupt the best laid plans. However if you are in a car always leave a kit bag in the boot so that you have no excuse and can use gym or pool facilities. If you travel on an aeroplane and can only squeeze in one item, take a swimming costume and find a pool local to where you are staying. Walking is by far the easiest activity to include as you don’t need any special equipment, just shoes on your feet! Kimberley and Larry Mangelshot are a husband and wife partnership running eKuiLibriuM personal fitness training in Hertford. eKuiLibriuM was born in 2004 out of their combined passion for fitness. Both backgrounds are from corporate with Larry working at the Bank of England for 20 years, and Kimberley ran a successful multi-million pound janitorial supply company for 15 years. They can be contacted on 0844 669 7660 or at info@eKuiLibriuM.com www.eKuiLibriuM.com twitter: Kim_eKuiLibriuM

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HOW TO MANIFEST YOUR DREAMS IN 2011 BY MARY DEMPSEY Do you have dreams? Of course you do. Most people on the planet have dreams, but what exactly is a dream? Dreams are often perceived as miracles, which are rare to accomplish. The majority of individuals have dreams that have sat dormant for years, in the deep rich soil of their mind. Yet they have not manifested, for many reasons. To believe in yourself is one of the biggest gifts to give to yourself, which will serve you forever. When you make friends with self belief and accept that you can achieve, accomplish and become victorious, then your dreams will manifest. My aim through writing this article is to empower and encourage you with a positive prescription for you to follow for 2011 and beyond.

FEATURE : 11 WAYS TO MANIFEST YOUR DREAMS

11 WAYS TO MANIFEST YOUR DREAMS 01

CREATE A CLEAR POWERFUL DREAM

STOP THE BLAME GAME

BE UNSTOPPABLE WITH ACTION POWER

YOU CAN DO IT

YOU ARE WORTH IT

ACCOUNTABILITY

POSITIVE ATTRACTION

DREAM BUILDERS

REMOVE TOXIC INFLUENCE

NOURISH YOUR MIND

BE OPEN TO CHANGE

Be CLEAR with what your DREAM is, have a strong outcome that is clear in your mind so that you can see it alive in your life. So your subconscious mind will work 24hrs to serve you to get that result. Make friends with RESPONSIBILITY and stop playing the BLAME GAME and accept that you are responsible for CREATING YOUR RESULTS. The more you practise the blame game, the more you will stay stuck and not go forward. Take action! Take at least 5 steps everyday towards your dream, nothing happens without action. Research, make a call, send an email, and write a letter. Do anything that involves taking positive action towards your dream. Build your self belief, if you don’t believe in yourself, then go and find self belief, connect with those that do have self belief and allow their self beliefs to become yours. “If you believe you can or cannot, either way you are right”. Henry Ford. Build inner self worth and develop strong values about who you are, so you will become the best and attract only the best to you. You are worthy and deserving and were born to succeed and not fail. Hire a mentor to challenge you to step into your greatness. Having your own mentor is one of the best investments you can give to yourself; a mentor will not only believe in your greatness, he/she will propel you to victory in your life. Activate law of attraction, if you consistently think and speak about what you don’t want, by this law you will manifest that very result that you don’t want. So therefore speak about and think about what you do want. You will then become a magnet for success. Your mouth has enormous creating power in your life. Speak powerful words of success into your life on a daily basis and watch miracles unfold. Join a strong peer group of ‘dream team’ mates who will keep you accountable for your success. Dream builders are visionaries, dynamic, innovative, believers who will challenge you to become creative, build resilience, perseverance, and take consistent action to build your dream. Break down the negative cycle in your life that is sapping your energy. Explore what is draining you and remove it, or at least remove high quantity levels of it. We are saturated on a daily basis by social media, TV, papers, people. These are all projecting their negative energy on to you and will have a major impact on your performance self belief and your worthiness. Remove all negative influences that don’t serve your life. Make it an absolute must to nourish your mind daily with resources to challenge, expand and develop your mind to a level of distinction. So your emotional bank account becomes totally in credit with positive thinking and creative power. Your thinking will change your action. You will be sharper and your life will transform. Invest in your mind - inspirational people who have transformed their life and can attest to excellent results. You must want to and know how to make change, within yourself, or the area of your life that you desire to change. Be willing to change and most of all allow the change to take place. Change is imperative within yourself and areas of your life to get the results you desire.To refuse to change is a signal that you will stay in your own limitation and not succeed.

Mary Dempsey is a confidence consultant and author of ‘Discover 8 Sectets to Living an AMAZING Life which is available to buy for £14.97. For more information please visit – www.buildselfconfidenceinwomen.com and www.buildselfconfidenceaudios.com or call Mary on 01727 810065

P20 : The Twelve Days of Christmas: The HBI look back over this year and saught advice from some of our experts to pass on a few top tips into next year. P23 : Sales Column – Expert Andy Preston gives his top tips to make 2011 your best ever year P24 : Shoestring Budget Business Tips P26 : Making Money from eBay – setting up a business with the popular online auction site.

NEW BUSINESS SPECIAL

‘Tis the season to be jolly, and a good tim best minds in business to find out wha “The problem with being the boss is you have no-one guiding you. Asking ‘businessman friends’ seems like defeat and you don’t want to admit you’re a novice. But everyone needs a helping hand. You may have heard the phrase ‘Businesses don’t fail, people do!’ ‘5% of being an entrepreneur is about the idea and mindset, the rest is about taking action and accountability’. What entrepreneur or businessman can honestly say ‘they know it all’?”

On the first day of Christmas, James Caan said to me…. Initially, success comes down to passion and desire. Particularly in the early days of starting a business, you are likely to be working regular 18 hour days. You’ve got to really want it to put in that kind of graft, otherwise what would be the point? Once you have established your business the next step is employing the right staff. It’s not easy to put your trust in other people when you have put in so much effort yourself in the early days but, if you employ people with a special spark, who you feel can take your business forward, it can be the making of a company.

On the second day of Christmas, Richard Farleigh said to me….

On the third day of Christmas, Simon Dolan said to me…. I guess it was a big gamble to start my own business in the current climate and build and equip a studio. But all my hard work and efforts are paying off as this has been a bigger success than I ever dreamed of and I have clients travelling from all over the UK to come to the studios and enjoy the experience. I believe in business, as in life, you should follow your ideas and dreams and never stop. I am proof that dreams do come true!

On the fourth day of Christmas, Linda Lusardi said to me….

On the fifth day of Chri Duncan Bannatyne sai

THE TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS… me to think about what you want to achieve in the coming year! We spoke to some of the

at top tips they’d like to pass on to you for the New Year, one for every day of Christmas! “Being an entrepreneur is about common sense, imagination and motivation. You have to focus on all three but sometimes common sense and imagination don’t work together. An example is ‘Twitter’ – this doesn’t follow any logical thought pattern. You need to have imagination but, once you have the idea, implementation comes down to common sense. It’s not as easy as it sounds! Then you need motivation because it is always harder than you think. There are 100 failures for every success and it is hard work. You need to have some ability and take advantage of the opportunities that come along. I believe you have to create your own luck even if you don’t see the next step and, if you do a good job, you just don’t know who is watching.

Every job I have ever done has been a favourite; right from my early days working in a shoe shop and my many years working behind bars as a student. I’ve always given everything 100% enthusiasm, even when it involved getting up at 3:30am and standing in the freezing rain telling the nation it was going to be a wet day. I have always taken something from every job I have done and used it in future jobs.

On the sixth day of Christmas, Andrea McClean said to me….

Never give up, never accept no, and never ever go away- even when they want you to. I have never tried to smash the glass ceiling. I have tried to build my own cathedral. The winners of any game set the rules of the game. I realised that I would never win if I played by others’ rules, so I would have to set the rules of engagement for the playing field in which I wanted to win. That is what I have attempted to do. I also scratch my head when people say this industry or that one is a male-dominated one. I have always felt that it was a huge advantage to be a female and I live in a Julie-centric world. I don’t allow other people to dominate me- at least not essentially.

Not knowing your market is the biggest mistake you can make. It’s about hard work and dedication. Know your market and research it properly, I didn’t look into the market right into one of my ventures - Lady In Leisure and I lost a million pounds. There have been so many challenges, you have to keep your eye open, look out for the problems and resolve them as soon as possible.

istmas, id to me….

On the seventh day of Christmas, Julie Meyer said to me….

I find it difficult to switch off and my brain is always whirling away with ideas! I see opportunities in most situations, step back and think if there’s a commercial venture to be created. I’m passionate about unlocking talent and seeing them grow! Every person has a skill, it’s sometimes just a case of finding it and then matching the job to go with it.

On the eighth day of Christmas, Claire Young said to me…. www.businessindependent.co.uk

The best time to start saving for next Christmas is on Boxing Day. After all, the average family spends £600; spread over the year that’s just £50 a month. Too many try to pay for Christmas out of December’s income, often a hard stretch, leaving people making up the gap with debt.

On the ninth day of Christmas, Martin Lewis said to me….

When I meet and mentor business start-ups and established businesses that want to run faster, one of the things I say to them is ‘drop your shoulders, take a big breath and come down to basics’. If you are purely ‘making a noise’ then you are marketing yourself. The jewels out there are the people who want to find you and then talk to you. These are the people that want you to move from marketing to them to talking to them. Remember Seth Godin ‘turn strangers into friends and friends into customers’. I don’t think I am any different to the thousands of small businesses working hard across the globe. Everyone who has tenacity and drive and who work so hard and never give up deserve success. I guess the moral of this story and the secret to my success is to find the thing you love and then stick at it.

On the tenth day of Christmas, Penny Power said to me….

I have always been very conscientious and believe that if you are going to do a job it is worth doing it well. That has helped me in my career - and I’m sure I have had a bit of luck along the way. I wish I had taken more risks and believe THAT is the key to great success. When I jumped ship and gave up my ‘safe’ job six years ago, I finally took a huge risk. And it has paid off handsomely in all sorts of ways. To be successful I do not believe you have to be ruthless - in fact I think a little humility along the way helps a great deal. But if you are going to do or say something - try to do it with some authority.

Our mind is conditioned by what we believe and therefore if we change our belief, our conditioning changes and we behave and act differently. As I approached the age of 70 I heard my friends, some of them considerably younger than myself, say things like “I can’t remember names” and “I can’t do my job”. Their excuse was always that “I’m getting older”. My unlimited belief is that I can do anything that I want to do and as I get older I can do it better, with more wisdom and more experience. There are many other excuses we use on a daily basis to avoid taking action. Whatever your excuse, you can always reframe it to overcome the belief and move forward.

On the eleventh day of Christmas, Jenny Boond said to me…. On the twelfth day of Christmas, Brian Chernett said to me….

HOW TO HAVE YOUR BEST SALES YEAR EVER! I always find it interesting at this time of year how people’s attitudes can affect the actions they take towards having a successful year, or an unsuccessful one! Particularly given the current market conditions, a good start to the year is possibly more important than ever!

Andy Preston is a leading expert on Sales and Sales Management. You can see more about him at www.andy-preston.com

With that in mind, I’ve given you a list of areas to focus on, that if you read and take action based on them, will help to make 2011 your best sales year ever – regardless of the market conditions! So let’s have a look at these in turn……

MORE THAN EVER BEFORE, PROSPECTING IS VITAL TO YOUR CHANCES OF MAKING 2011 YOUR BEST SALES YEAR EVER!

ANDY’S SALES TIP NO 1 GET FOCUSED It’s always very important to get focused on what you do and make sure you do it as well as possible but, in the current market conditions it’s more important than ever! If you’re a business owner or salesperson, look at your core sales proposition and your core activities. Are these as strong as they could be? Can you clearly articulate what benefits your product or service brings to the customer? Do you do that regularly enough on your marketing literature, your website, your emails and verbally to clients and prospects?

ANDY’S SALES TIP NO 2 STAY POSITIVE Staying positive is another crucial part of making 2011 your best sales year ever. Which do you think customers and prospects value more, someone who sounds like they’re terminally depressed, or someone who remains upbeat and positive about their company, products and services, and themselves? Which do you think they’re going to buy from?

ANDY’S SALES TIP NO 3 DO MORE PROSPECTING More than ever before, prospecting is vital to your chances of making 2011 your best sales year ever. The challenge is that when market conditions are easier (as they have been for the past few years) prospecting is one of the first things that a business owner or a salesperson stops doing! So whether you prospect by networking, referrals from existing clients or cold calling, whatever method you use, just make sure you do more of it! Let’s be honest, there are people out there that have a need for what you offer, but don’t know you exist! Make sure you do more prospecting, it’s one of the keys to making this year a success for you.

ANDY’S SALES TIP NO 4 LOOK FOR MORE CROSS-SELLING / UP-SELLING OPPORTUNITIES Once again, in an easier market, simple up-selling and crossselling opportunities are often overlooked. You’ve probably got plenty of existing clients that don’t use every product or service you offer, haven’t you? I wonder if you’ve ever heard the immortal words from a client ‘oh I didn’t know you did that’ when you asked them why they’ve just bought from a competitor? Another important area to look at is up-selling opportunities. Every single time a customer places an order with you, you’ve got an opportunity to ‘up-sell’ them to a higher priced item. A lot of people don’t feel confident in doing this and ‘assume’ if the customer wanted the higher-priced item, they would have asked for it! Don’t make the same mistake. Why not offer the client 2 options on their next order? It’s an easy way to get more business! Follow the tips above and watch your sales soar! I look forward to hearing of your sales success!

NEW BUSINESS SPECIAL : SALES COLUMN

It’s also a very interesting part of the year, as many people choose to set ‘new year resolutions’. These resolutions are usually set around personal things like losing weight, stopping smoking, or exercising more often for example, but most people don’t tend to set them for their sales careers or for their business.

SHOESTRING BUDGET BUSINESS TIPS Setting up a business can be a very tough challenge, especially during the current economic downturn. If you’re looking at setting up your own business but, don’t have the money or the resources available, then follow these simple cost effective tips to get you ready and raring to go to in 2011!

GETTING STARTED

There are a number of factors that need to be considered straight away before you start trading…

Brand Identity

One of which includes distinguishing your own company name and brand image. Once you have decided on a company name, the next thing to do is to create your own logo designs. The logo should be unique, not too busy (remember it is likely to be quite small on emails, websites and stationery) and easily recognizable. You may think this will be very expensive but this doesn’t have to be the case. There are many affordable logo design services on the net. Logo Fresh starts from £29 and is the perfect solution to getting an affordable and quality logo. Another company that offer this service is Web Creationz, for a slightly higher price of £49.

Domain Name and Website

Once you have your logo, you can then create and set up your own website. Perhaps THE most critical part of your website is your domain name. This will be unique to you, so you can immediately gain a competitive advantage by creating a simple and catchy name that customers will remember (so don’t go for complicated spellings!) Easily.co.uk can give you a simple domain name check which will show you what is available and what isn’t. And for as little as £4.99 per annum you can take the first step in protecting your burgeoning brand online. With many different web designers available and with a variety of prices and packages to choose from, getting your website created may seem like a daunting task, and you may feel you don’t know where to start, but there is an easy way to do this. Companies like Wordpress and Blogger provide easy to navigate, off the shelf web templates, meaning you can have an attractive, personalized website up and running in a matter of minutes. Even if the website is a simple one pager saying who you are, what you do and how people can contact you, your website is extremely vital and is a point of contact to your customers 24/7, 365 days a year, accessible from all over the world.

Admin!

Make sure you protect yourself from the onset by ensuring you have adequate terms and conditions, contracts, non-disclosure agreements and so on. Companies like contractstore.com offer packages that start from just £17 to guide you in the right direction for creating your terms and conditions, so it need not be a stressful and expensive experience. You can also start creating professional looking invoices which can be automatically issued and late payments chased through Zoho.com. You can operate a basic account for free and upgraded accounts will set you back just a few pounds a month.

Business Cards

Business cards are an important factor to your business but with new printing technology and innovative designs that come in all shapes, textures and sizes, how do you decide where to start? You must remember that your business card is one of the most important marketing tools that you will create so it is vital that this is created with quality and given a professional and clean finish. Cardsmadeeasy.com offer a service of 50 business cards for £9.99 with prices increasing depending on design and amount. 123print.co.uk offer a low price of just £7.85 for 200 cards, while logiprint.co.uk offer 3 different packages, 200 standard cards for £8.95, £18.45 for premium designed cards and £27.95 for premium 2 sided cards. To keep costs even lower, or if you want to trial out some different versions of your card, you can always create and design it yourself on your laptop or PC and buy sheets of blank business cards from any good office supplies store, which you can put through your printer and simply pop out the finished card after printing.

GET ONLINE

Social networking sites are a great way to market yourself and communicate to your key audience. They are also a great tool for seeing what the competition are doing and what is being said about them and your own business, and what’s even better, most are completely free!

LinkedIn is one of the most effective business social networking sites and has over 80 million members. LinkedIn allows you to tailor your profile accordingly to your specific industry and one of the fastest ways to get you company name out there is to join the professional groups they have set up on there. These groups allow you to easily connect with potential clients and colleagues and you can also add comments and interact on group forums. A great tool on LinkedIn is the email import feature as you can invite business colleagues and clients via your email account. LinkedIn also allows you to undergo market research and gain knowledge with polls. It also has a question and answers section where you can answer questions to show your expertise and also ask questions to get a feel for what customers and prospects want or think. LinkedIn allows you to request recommendations from happy customers willing to provide testimonials, of which will appear on your profile page.

Twitter

Twitter is currently the fastest growing micro-blogging platform on the internet. Twitter has over 5 million users and has been named by companies as a high-profile branding tool. Twitter allows you to follow people and let them follow you which is a great way to see what customers, competitors and the media are talking about. Twitter allows you to promote important company news and links in your tweets, being an extremely fast and efficient way to get your company and brand name out there.

You Tube

YouTube is quite different to many other social networking sites in that it is the largest, free video hosting site on the internet. YouTube is a great platform for promoting your company videos to a mass audience, what’s even better is that these videos can be embedded onto all your other social media profiles to ensure maximum coverage and optimised viewings. YouTube allows you to become active in the YouTube community and you can subscribe to other channels that target your industry. You can add keywords to your video descriptions and account profile which will enable search engines to pick up your video and company profiles. YouTube is also a great channel to provide tutorials and create viral marketing videos and being free means it’s a great promotional tool.

Ecademy

Ecademy connects business people all over the world in over 200 different countries and has been solely created for business people. Ecademy provides a platform to make friends first and then do business; something which Ecademy believe is the secret to success. Ecademy has several membership levels ranging from a free basic site to Blackstar membership which costs £50 per month and provides opportunities to find suppliers, source new business and increase visibility online through their highly optimised blogs and marketplace listing facilities.

COMMUNICATE!

After all this is complete, you need to communicate communicate communicate!

Blogging

A great way to do this is to set up a free blog and let others know what you are doing and what changes and goings on are happening within your company and its surrounding industry. Creating a blog is free and websites like weebly.com, blogger.com and wordpress.com are a great place to start. If you see a news item that catches your attention, blogs provide the perfect platform to comment on them and let people know your views and opinions, provide expert comments and distinguish yourself above the competition.

Demonstrate your expertise

To help with SEO, consider posting some articles on popular article sites such as Ezine Articles. Also search for good quality online outlets in areas relevant to your business to gain free exposure, perhaps through the submission of guest articles or reader letters. In addition to this, don’t forget about options like The Guardian’s ‘Comment is Free’ website, where you can submit suggestions for articles and if they like it, you’ll be commissioned to write it.

Contact your local radio stations

Local radio is a great resource and are always looking out for experts nearby. Contact your local radio stations letting them know what expertise you have, what kind of topics you can cover (make a few suggestions!) and let them know you’ll be available if they’d like you to come into the studio. You never know, you might earn yourself a regular slot in 2011!

Help a journalist out

By far one of the best ways to gain coverage for the new year is to respond to journalist enquiries. These are almost guaranteed to bring coverage if you are chosen by the journalist as they have already been commissioned to write the piece and are likely to be on deadline and looking for expert comment to help them complete and submit to the publication. Sign up to free request services such as Help A Reporter Out (HARO) but be warned you’ll need to sift through all the enquiries that come through as they won’t filter them based on your preferences. If you want a more tailored journalist request service, PR agency Media Jems offers a journalist request & screening service for just £100 a month + VAT so you can be sure you’ll only receive the most relevant enquiries.

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NEW BUSINESS SPECIAL

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FIVE STEPS TO THE ART OF MAKING MONEY FROM EBAY If you are thinking about starting a business you have probably looked in all the usual places and hit all the same brick walls. Perhaps this is lack of funds or time or, that you are struggling to find an idea that you are confident in selling. Also it takes a lot of time to research an idea and perhaps this has only amounted to unsuccessful targetting. But plenty of people are making money on eBay – not just everyday people but businesses too! HBI found that many new businesses are being built from scratch everyday with little or no funding. So here are some top tips on how to get your business moving! Firstly, do some research. Find out what people are buying and find out what the demand is. Then once you identify a niche you can start selling.

WHAT CAN I SELL? •

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Once you have found a gap in the market you can sell whatever you need to fill that gap. Perhaps if you have run your own business in the past then you may have some old stock but, if not there are some other things you can sell that invlove little or no cost: Why not sell a service such as consultancy or printing? You can even sell products that are up for sale by other sell ers. Buy for 99p and re-list them for a profit! TIP – when searching, look for items that are commonly mis- spelt as these are often over looked and missed. Also check other related categories as a lot of products are not listed in the correct ones. Alternatively you can choose to invest some of your own money using the knowledge that you have gathered from your research. Invest in wholesale items and sell them off individually or look out for low priced sale items online or in shops.

HOW DO I GET STARTED?

When you have chosen what it is you are going to sell, make sure you follow these tips to optimise your listing and selling appeal: • Title – the first thing that buyers see is the item title. You only have 55 characters to get their attention, so make them count. According to the eBay listings guide, you should include as many details as you can on condition and size. If it’s new or used, say so! • Use low starting bids – not only are most 99p starting bid auctions free to list but they also encourage participation and therefore are often more popular. Never use a reserve and if you do have a price in mind, start your auction nearer to the price that you would like the item to end at. • Start auctions on a Thursday evening and keep them listed for ten days. That way they have two weekends to be noticed by as many people as possible. • According to www.getrichslowly.org the most popular time for people to be online is on Sundays evenings, so make sure your item sells between 5 and 8 to ensure that you get an optimum price. • Finally - Retail with detail! Make sure you include all available information when you’re describing your item and use good, clear pictures. Also, make sure you’re on hand after the sale to provide great customer service. This will ensure positive Feedback and a great experience for both you and your buyer!

WHO BENEFITS FROM AN EBAY BUSINESS?

Many people set up an eBay business and sellers are just everyday people that are looking to take a break from their usual day-to-day jobs or perhaps earn a second income whilst staying in their current job.

Most attractively you can run your eBay business from home, so whatever the weather and whatever your circumstances it is a very convenient way of making money. But what if you want to make this your full time occupation? Figures suggest that more than 78 million eBay members spend an average of £71 million every day on the site and 6.4 million items are added every day. So there are a lot of products which are selling and it is possible to run your business 100% through eBay. Hot selling items include ladies fashion items, antiques and artwork. eBay also has 38 affliated websites you can sell your products to the world from, so it is now possible for literally anyone to make money – it also costs very little to set up. Every day more than 70,000 new members flock to eBay looking to buy and sell all sorts of interesting things. 75 per cent of eBay buyers earn in excess of £25,000 a year and spend an average of 2 hours on the site each time they visit. Developing an eBay business takes time but, there is no reason why you too cannot benefit from it. With these few top tips it seems that there is something for everyone on this popular auction site, so why not get started today?

CASE STUDY More and more people are now turning to the internet to start up their businesses and we found someone that built their business from scratch and went from broke to millionaires in under 2 years. Matt and Amanda Clarkson set up their eBay business in February 2006 and soon noticed that business was doing well. They had carried out some careful research and looked at who was buying into their area of selling. Once this was done they were quickly able to identify a niche and soon they were turning over a large profit. They started making a profit within just 24 hours of starting their business and now automate their selling so that they work less than 10 hours a week. They have written their guide to making money on eBay so that others can benefit from the same knowledge. The Magic of Making Money on eBay is available now for £16.99

WHAT START UPS NEED TO KNOW ABOUT EMPLOYMENT LAW & LEGISLATION There is a lot to think about when starting a new business and if you intend to employ staff, this then can become very time consuming. If you don’t have the necessary basic knowledge of employment law, this could become a minefield and potentially costly if dealt with in the wrong way. All you want to do is run your business! So, here are some guidelines, which I hope will help you to be able to stay focused on the operations whilst limiting liability against costly tribunal proceedings. Bear in mind, discrimination legislation applies, pre and post employment so it is paramount that everything from recruitment through to the end of the employment relationship is documented, consistent and you have good sound reasons for decisions. Terms and conditions of employment must be issued within 8 weeks of employment. If you fail to do this, and a complaint is made to an employment tribunal, it will result in an automatic fine of 2 to 4 weeks salary. Staff must be advised of disciplinary and grievance procedures. If an employee makes a complaint, whether it seems like just a moan, verbally, via text, email or in writing, this is a grievance and should be dealt with via the grievance procedure. It may seem like a petty moan but even so, should be dealt with as per the ACAS Code of Practice, see www.acas.org.uk. Having good procedures in place from the start will make life much easier; ACAS research estimated that up to 800,000 firms

had either inadequate procedures or no procedures for handling disciplinary and grievance matters. This meant that up to 7.2 million employees had ‘no clear right to discuss employment problems in the workplace’. Almost all were in firms employing fewer than 20 workers; also research from the IOD showed that 60% of small employers who face an employment tribunal have no internal disciplinary or grievance procedures. Failing to follow the correct procedures could lead to a finding of unfair dismissal, an unnecessary cost to the business. Remember, ignorance is no defence, infringement of employee rights or failure to follow statutory procedures can be extremely costly in terms of time, money and morale. So why not use experts who can guide you through the legal minefield and enable you to concentrate on your business, it doesn’t cost as much as you think!

Certain success in uncertain times

Michelle Brinklow, Director : BBi Alternative Solutions, providing Human Resources and Health & Safety Consultancy, Training and E Learning Solutions. (T) 020 8506 0582, (E) mbrinklow@alternative-solutions.org.uk, (W) www.alternative-solutions.org.uk

Are you up to date on the law regarding your company, staff and premises? With the complexities of running a business today and the importance of correct procedures to avoid expensive litigation or tribunals, it’s no wonder that most organisations look towards Health & Safety and Human Resources specialists to guide them through the increasing hi-tech and legal minefield they may encounter. Consultants who can help you with Health & Safety and Human Resources issues should be regarded as crucial to your success and profitability.

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NEW BUSINESS SPECIAL

The services we offer are tailored for the individual company and may include:

START THE NEW YEAR WITH A LITTLE SALSA!

We thought we’d add a little spice to the Out of Hours section by exploring the world of salsa dancing! Not only is this a fun and energetic pastime which is guaranteed to burn a few calories, but an excellent opportunity to increase your social circle, meet new people and perhaps even pick up some business contacts along the way!

SALSA MACHINE : HARPENDEN/BERKHAMSTED People in and around Hertfordshire can experience the fun and livelihood of salsa in the form of Salsa Machine. Salsa Machine is the hub of Salsa in Hertfordshire and has classes in Harpenden on a Thursday and classes on a Friday in Berkhamsted. There is also a special party on the second Saturday of each month. You don’t have to be a salsa expert or professional dancer to enjoy this class as it caters for all levels, with classes starting at beginner level, finishing at the advanced dancer. In total the classes are structured in 6 stages so that novice students can join anytime and move at their own pace through the stages. Salsa Machine is really flexible as you don’t have to pre-book, there is no need to bring a partner and if you can’t make a week, you won’t miss out. For more information visit www.salsamachine.co.uk

Harpenden The club in Harpenden has 9 professional instructors who will guide you through your salsa learning experience. The Stage 1 "Absolute Beginners" class starts with the assumption that students have no previous dance experience. In this stage, students are taught how to execute the most important salsa component with perfect rhythm and style - the "basic step". The BeginnerPlus class gives the student some basic foot patterns that are a prerequisite for cross-body salsa partner-work (without actually partnering up). Stage 3 is when you put all the work into practice and you begin dancing with a partner. Admission is £8 and includes all classes & clubs. If admitting at 9.30pm, the cost is only £4 and is then free after 10.30pm.

Berkhamsted The classes in Berkhamsted run on a Friday and are structured with 5 levels and enable beginners to join at anytime. It costs £9 for all classes and social dancing and just £6 after 10pm.

HERTS SALSA FRIENDS : STEVENAGE Formerly Hot Salsa Friends, the renamed Herts Salsa Friends has classes for both the beginner and the intermediate dancer and take place on a Sunday and cost £6 each or £8 for both lessons. The group promotes not just the weekly clubs but where the salsa parties are at the weekend and the regular 'What's On' email newsletter has become very popular. For more information visit www.hotsalsafriends.co.uk

SALSA REVOLUTION : WATFORD Salsa Revolution runs classes every Tuesday and like the other classes mentioned they are suitable for all types of dancers. Classes cost £10 for two classes which includes social dancing until late with a Salsa DJ afterwards. Children are also invited to attend at a £1 charge, with free squash, cakes and biscuits available. You can also purchase a family ticket for 2 adults and 2 children for £18. This is the perfect weekly family outing and is great for getting everyone involved. For more information visit www.salsarevolution.co.uk

SALSA CLASSES : HITCHIN If you’re wanting a salsa class in Hitchin, then the Tuesday class at Hitchin Town Football Club is ideal. Costing just £7 and with lessons for beginners, improvers, intermediates and advanced dancers, it is perfect for everyone! For more information visit www.and123.co.uk/Hitchin.htm

TASTE OF INDIA

Shahenshah, the 160 seater Indian restaurant situated in the heart of Hertford has for many a year had a reputation for fine innovative food so we decided to go along and see what it had to offer. On the menu I noticed different, unusual and exclusive dishes including ‘Aloo Chop’ (a potato cake stuffed with minced lamb) and ‘Paneer Tika’ for starters and ‘Dum-Pucket Shank’ (slow roasted shank with special herbs and spices) and the unique dish of ‘Chicken Phatila’ (strips of chicken with a special blend of spices including coriander, garlic, fresh chillies, mint and yogurt). I had a mixed ‘Tandoori Platter’ to start with which included huge pieces of seasoned cheese, chicken, lamb and king prawn, plus a sheek kebab which were all tender and succulent. I then had 3 small dishes of main courses to try first ‘Monkfish Marsala’, a lightly spiced fish dish, then I had a new dish on the menu, ‘King Prawn Malabar’ a wonderful sweet dish with coconut then, for my final dish and also new to the menu ‘Badami Sag – Gosht’, a great blend of moist lamb and spinach topped with Cashew nuts. Overall a veritable treat all accompanied with a side of rice. This is certainly a restaurant worthy of a visit. By Terry Sullivan

Call 01992 554828 / 554461 to book

www.shahenshahrestaurant.co.uk

“Excellence to the Plate” since 1988. ‘Quality & Taste’ Always Matter! 6-10 Fore Street Hertford SG14 1BZ Booking / 01992 554828 / 554461 www.shahenshahrestaurant.co.uk

Restaurant: Private Function Room : Takeaway Delivery Service

AFTER HOURS

6 - 10 Fore Street, Hertford SG14 1BZ

YOUR WISH IS MY COMMAND DUNSTABLE’S VERY OWN FAYE TOZER, FROM THE 90’S POP GROUP ‘STEPS’, RETURNS TO HER ROOTS TO PLAY THE ROLE OF PRINCESS BALROUBADOUR Faye is delighted to return to her hometown to help bring the magic of pantomime to all theatregoers in the great traditional family comedy show Aladdin, which will weave its magic from the 10th December 2010 until 2nd January 2011 proving that good always defeats evil! Faye was once a pupil and teacher at The Anna Gale School of Dance whose students will be showing off their skills live on stage. She will be joined on stage by CBBC’s presenter Richard Cadell, one of Britain’s most versatile and favourite performers, who is returning to the Grove Theatre by public demand, starring as Aladdin. Assisting him in his many adventures will be his famous TV friends Sweep, Soo and Sooty who are already taking magic carpet flying lessons and making the Princess float across the stage and disappear in a series of big illusions and the high speed car chase. Norman Barrett, the most famous Ring Master in the World and recently awarded a MBE for his services to the entertainment world by the Queen, will play the role of The Emperor of China. Norman will bring his unique and very special touch performing flying Budgie act to Aladdin’s Palace, where the birds will charm young and old alike with their spectacular tricks. Stephen David will star as the fabulous Widow Twankey (arguably the nation’s favourite panto dame) and, has starred in many, many pantomimes over the years and is highly sought after. With his never-ending supply of outrageous costumes and

The Langley

Banqueting & Conference Suites

hilarious gags, your chuckle muscles will be well exercised! Oh yes they will! All of your favourite pantomime characters will be at the Grove this year including the evil Abanazar, the Chinese policeman that will keep the laughs coming thick and fast and the mystical Genie plus a full supporting cast of singers and dancers. If you have three wishes this Christmas - use one to see the magical pantomime Aladdin at the Grove Theatre Dunstable! Tickets start from just £13 (with family saver discounts available). Call the Box Office now on 01582 60 20 80 or book online at www.grovetheatre.co.uk.

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• • • •

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• Stage/Dance floor/Catwalk • Changing rooms • Multi-storey public car park for 700 cars adjacent to venue

AFTER HOURS

Inclusive facilities & Services:

PROFILE OF AN EXECUTIVE : NICK EVE This month, The HBI went in search of a local business expert and came across Nick Eve, MD and Creative Director of face to face communications company, Pumphouse, which is based in Royston. With a career spanning 20 years with Pumphouse, Nick Eve believes that creating the right impression is a vital part of engagement and it need not be expensive!

This month, HBI went in search of a local business expert and came across Nick Eve; MD and Creative Director of face to face communications company, Pumphouse, which is based in Royston. With a career spanning 20 years with Pumphouse, Nick Eve believes that creating the right impression is a vital part of engagement - and it need not be expensive! One of Nick Eve’s first - of many - aspirations was to be a photographer. In his quest for a career in photography he landed in the music business and was captured by the theatrical energy of this industry. As with many entrepreneurs, he tried his hand at numerous roles, from technical director, production manager, producer, lighting designer and photographer. By the mid eighties Nick Eve had harnessed his early career experience in theatrical and musical production and was focussing his energies on developing conference and corporate events to engage and inspire audiences in a compelling and memorable way. His key target audience was the business sector. His success lay in the way he devised and delivered strategic face to face communications solutions for clients. His ability to enable the delivery of often quite staid and serious corporate messages in a manner that motivated and inspired led to his working with a wide range of diverse clients ranging from senior executives in blue chip companies to royalty, and from major rock bands to diplomats. In 1989, Eve founded Royston-based Pumphouse, where his strategy continues as he builds and maintains a strong core team supported by a network of specialist associates. His vision is for the company to work holistically across all the disciplines to deliver communications solutions for clients that consistently meet their objectives in a cost-effective, high-quality manner.

EXECUTIVE PROFILE

Having built the company from scratch and weathered a couple of recessions, Eve’s outlook is positive despite the current economic crisis. Corporations are fully aware that communications are vital, now more than ever. According to Eve however there is still a long way to go in terms of major corporates accepting that a theatrical element is a must, especially during harsh economic times. Reduced budgets should not be an excuse for CEOs to content themselves with bland meeting spaces when aiming to deliver a corporate message. Whether their audience is employees or customers, the fact remains that the space in which they deliver the message can be, and should be, creatively branded to convey the correct motivational feel and capture the audience’s emotional attention. According to Eve, who founded the company over twenty years ago, creating the right impression is a vital part of engagement and need not be expensive. It is possible to find what you are looking for and at the right price too and he has previously created low budget but highly effective scenery by using a few chairs and pictures and simulating windows and doors to create a realistic scenario that immediately engages people into the room. This in turn has an effect on their concentration and was more focused. Feedback showed they had come away feeling they had learnt and embraced a large amount of detail. As Eve points out, there is no point in gathering a group of people together to tell them of some bold corporate forward thinking strategy, if no effort is going to be made in putting energy into the scene. Even in these times of needing to advocate consolidation, corporate communities both internal and external must recognise the power of engagement and this does involve a certain degrees of theatrics to convey this.

SPORTY HYBRID COUPE PROMISES EXCITING DRIVING DYNAMICS HONDA HAS DELIVERED ITS LATEST DESIGN, THE CR-Z; A HYBRID COUPE THAT DELIVERS FUN WITH A GREAT DESIGN AND WITH A MODERN AND “GREEN” CONSCIENCE. Making its world premiere at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, the CR-Z is the most exciting hybrid yet. By promising driving thrills and cleaner exhaust emissions, the CR-Z proves to be a top hit with the driver who wants it all. The CR-Z is built with a striking design looking extremely sporty, and with agile handling and a responsive chassis to give nimble handling, it makes it perfect for an enjoyable drive. Driver enjoyment was a core focus of the design brief and the CR-Z’s chassis plays a key role in creating the character of the car. The platform shares some components with the Insight, but the wheelbase, track width and set-up are all bespoke for the new coupe hybrid, creating an original design that has not used before by Honda. The CR-Z boasts from some great features including a 1.5 litre i-VTEC engine coupled to Honda’s IMA hybrid system which is completely new to the UK and is a key component in the CR-Z’s unique offering. It is also aerodynamic with a sporty looking form, has a Unique 3-Mode Drive System to tailor steering, throttle response and IMA assistance as required and also flexible 2+2 seating arrangement in the European models. The CR-Z’s exterior styling is formed around a “onemotion wedge” concept with a low bonnet line and a wide stance that gives the car a sporty, exciting exterior that should appeal to younger drivers. To coincide with this, the CR-Z is not only attractive on the outside but on the inside too, with its 3D displays and driver-focussed cabin. The UK specification of the CR-Z has a 2+2 layout, enabling customers to carry smaller adults for short distances or children on longer journeys. The rear seats can also be flattened in a simple one-touch

motion to increase luggage capacity when needed. As well as having such an attractive appearance inside and out, the car also benefits from a clean, efficient, petrol-electric hybrid powertrain that offers good fuel economy of 56.4mpg and low exhaust emissions of 117g/km, making it ideal and well suited to use in urban areas. To maximise driver choice and enhance the day to day drivability of the car, the CR-Z has been fitted with a 3-Mode Drive System. This unique feature allows the driver to choose between three driving modes, which alter the responses of the throttle, steering, idle stop timing, climate control and the level of assistance provided by the IMA system, which make driving it even easier. The 3 modes allow drivers to choose whether they wish to maximise enjoyment, economy or create a balance between the two. This gives customers more choice in what they want out of the car and how they want the CR-Z to drive, depending on their needs and requirements. The CR-Z is extra special as it is the world’s first 6-speed manual hybrid car. “The CR-Z is a great-looking, sporty car – that’s also a hybrid,” explains Tom Gardner, Head of Marketing, Honda (UK). “Kart-like handling and direct steering will make it great fun to drive, but the hybrid system means exhaust emissions are kept low. With the torque boost of the electric motor, it’s ideally suited to ‘point-topoint’ driving in British towns and cities”. The European version of the CR-Z is on sale now.

“THE CR-Z IS A GREAT-LOOKING, SPORTY CAR . . .

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DRIVE

. . .THAT’S ALSO A HYBRID”

NETWORKING NOW THAT’S WHAT I DON’T TEN TIPS TO GET YOUR REFERRAL MESSAGE ACROSS (PART ONE) CALL NETWORKING! BY ANDY LOPATA Networking is constantly growing in popularity but yet people still make the same mistakes, have the wrong idea or fall into the same traps. Here are my favourite commonly held networking myths: NETWORKING IS SELLING

Most businesses will attend generic networking events, such as BNI or Chambers of Commerce, to generate more business. That is fine; the problem is that they limit their scope to generating business from the people at the event, rather than looking to build the relationships that could lead to referrals. That’s not to say you can’t allow people to buy from you but, they will make that decision based on your conversation, not from being sold to. If everyone attending an event is there primarily to sell, can there be a worse environment to do so? After all, no one is in buying mode. Networking is an essential part of any business development strategy but, you should always look to sell through the people present, not to them.

NETWORKING IS ABOUT THE SIZE OF YOUR NETWORK

It’s not what you know or who you know, as many people believe. Instead, it’s who knows you and what they say about you. Modern networking culture has been driven by numbers. Bosses will ask their staff how many business cards they collected at an event, not what they have done to follow up the people behind the cards and build the relationships. Online networkers will boast about the number of connections they have on LinkedIn, friends on Facebook or followers on Twitter. Connecting with someone on a superficial level, by exchanging cards or accepting an online request, holds little longterm value. If networking is about supporting each other, the motivation to do so comes from liking and trusting people. That comes from building relationships, not adding extra notches to your networking bedpost.

NETWORKING IS HUGELY TIME CONSUMING

Yes, you have to commit time to your networking. But if you plan it effectively it will both help you avoid attending events which don’t add value and also save you time elsewhere. After all, if you can get a steady stream of referrals from your network, recommendations for suppliers and access to new ideas and feedback for your business, you’ll make fewer mistakes and need to invest less time and money in other initiatives. The time commitment needed to effectively use social networks, such as LinkedIn and Twitter, also puts a lot of people off. However, if you invest some time at the beginning building your profile and connections, you can then target your time and activity to the result you want to achieve. I believe that, for example, after you have laid the initial groundwork, ten minutes activity a day, or even a week, on LinkedIn will produce great results.

THERE ARE INDUSTRIES THAT DON’T NETWORK

“Networking is fine for small, b2b businesses, but it doesn’t work for our industry”. Such comments are common when I talk to different groups about networking. But if I explore further I often find that the opposite is true. This belief, like many of the others, comes back to the perception of networking as a room full of people trying to sell to each other. Yet most industries have professional bodies and associations who put on events for their members to learn more and to connect. Everyone, irrespective of their industry, needs to have networks of suppliers and buyers (formal or otherwise) and know to whom to pick up the phone. Niche networks are growing, both online and face to face. Networking is becoming more prevalent in all types of business and all types of industry. Those who don’t believe it is for them are the ones who will be left behind. Andy Lopata is one of the UK’s leading business networking strategists and co-author of the Amazon.co.uk bestselling book ‘and Death Came Third! The Definitive Guide to Networking and Speaking in Public’. For more information visit www.lopata.co.uk

VISIT OUR WEBSITE, www.businessindependent.co.uk FOR A FULL ROUND-UP OF THE REGION’S NETWORKING EVENTS.

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