The Hertfordshire Business Independent May Issue

JAMES CAAN James Caan talks about his new Business Academy, the General Election, and what goaded his success both in the Den and out.

Plus he reveals which chancellor has the best policies for SMEs and what he predicts for 2010.

ELECTION SPECIAL : WINNING VOTES OR CHANGING FACE What are your expectations for the general election?

What will a hung parliament mean for SMEs? Plus details on how to make your vote count!

TECHNOLOGY : First 3D TV Launch moved to May FEATURE : From Herts to The Jungle – an inspirational story of a local businessman who traded it all in for a new life in the Amazon LOCAL FOCUS : Borehamwood and Elstree.

BRADLEY WALSH INTERVIEW: The success behind that tour with the strange name

issue May 2010

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May 2010 Crohn’s and Colitis Month People think of me as bubbly, bouncy Carrie - the motivational vocal coach on Fame Academy working with stars like Lemar, Will Young and Melanie C. But life is not always bright for me. I have my moments of struggle. Moments when my IBD (inflammatory bowel disease - in my case Crohn’s, but IBD also includes Ulcerative Colitis) gets me down. When I can’t eat with the kids because I’m on the

elemental diet, moments when slapping on the facepaint is a struggle because I’m so exhausted or in constant pain, moments when my husband takes me out for a romantic dinner and eats alone whilst I’m stuck on the restaurant loo.

Times like that, I’m glad I’m able to talk to someone at the National Association for Colitis and Crohn’s (NACC) - it helps to know that together, we can work to

make a difference and help others to find their inner strength to face the future – it isn’t always easy.

If you have IBD or know someone who has – tell them to contact NACC – there’s friendly help and support available for all ages, with understanding people at the other end of the telephone line … just call!

Carrie Grant, NACC Ambassador

Ways that you can lend your support Listen to Carrie Grant’s Radio 4 Charity Appeal in aid of NACC on 23 May 2010

Run the Great North Run for NACC on 19 September 2010 – now one of the world’s biggest half Marathons Trek the Andes, the Himalayas or Hadrian’s Wall for NACC … call us for the challenge of a lifetime Take Manhattan … New York, the city that never sleeps – but you will, after running around Manhattan for NACC on 7 November 2010

Are you a tri-athlete? Would you like to be? We still have NACC places in the 2010 London Triathlon 7-8 August – the largest Triathlon in the world

Support our call for UP STEP AND BE COUNTED a national patient register for people suffering with IBD (inflammatory bowel for CROHN’S and COLITIS disease) click to vote! www.stepupandbecounted.org.uk www.

Information

Red Hot Day – fundraising fun with NACC on 15 October … what can you and your friends or colleagues do that is RED HOT and raises money?

No ideas? Call us and we’ll start you off!

It’s a Knockout with NACC in St Albans on 25 July …imagine your work colleagues in penguin suits juggling a giant doughnut over a gunge pool … what a team-building opportunity!

nacc.org.uk

Support Research

Charity registered in England No.1117148 Charity registered in Scotland No. SC038632

UP STEP AND BE COUNTED

Join the hundreds of people on our two national Walk’s for Colitis and Crohn’s (London Saturday 8th forMay CROHN’S and COLITIS and York Sunday 23rd May) www.

Information

nacc.org.uk

Support Research

Charity registered in England No.1117148 Charity registered in Scotland No. SC038632

Annual General meeting in Newcastle on 22 May – come and have your say!

19 May is World IBD Day, Step Up and be Counted for IBD! National Association for Colitis and Crohn’s Disease (NACC) 4 Beaumont House, Sutton Road, St Albans, Herts. AL1 5HH Tel: 01727 830038 Email: nacc@nacc.org.uk Website: www.nacc.org.uk Charity Registered in England 1117148 and in Scotland SC038632

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

INTERVIEW : JAMES CAAN Exclusive Interview with multi-millionaire investor and BBC Dragon

MONEY

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Richard Watson explores the issues surrounding corporate migration and what’s behind the headlines

PROPERTY Property: the basics of leasehold enfranchisement

IN FOCUS Feature on Elstree & Borehamwood

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ELECTION SPECIAL HBI discuss the general election, as well as what to do for the big day

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BUSINESS SUPPORT Lindsey Agness tells how NLP can give your business a boost

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TECHNOLOGY Becky Lewis discusses the latest gadgets

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HBI BOOK CLUB Top Business Reads for every book shelf .

OUT OF HOURS Relax at the Wine Press

DRIVE This month we take the new Volvo S40 for a spin

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NETWORKING & EVENTS Mr Network Andy Lopata continues his top ten tips to get your referral message across

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CONTRIBUTORS

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

CONTRIBUTORS Richard Watson Clare Waller Andrew Knight Justin Bennett Richard Thomas Sarah Lapham Lindsey Agness Becky Lewis Terry Sullivan Andy Lopata

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 nor any contributing author can accept any legal responsibility for any consequences that may arise from errors or omissions contained in this publication or from acting on any opinions or advice given.

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

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EDITOR’S WELCOME Welcome to the third issue of the new Hertfordshire Business Independent. We’ve got some great features in this issue and I’m thrilled with how the magazine is evolving.

We welcome interviews with multi-millionaire James Caan and loveable actor Bradley Walsh as well as a great real life success story from midlife success Sheila Steptoe. We also take a virtual trip to Brazil where we explore how the recession led two local entrepreneurs to the heart of the Amazon. We find out what impact the election is having on SMEs, how NLP can help you succeed in business and explore how branded marketing can give you the upper hand. And with the summer on its way, we take a peek at some of the latest business books to hit the shelves.

The vision for The Hertfordshire Business Independent is to be the place for local businesses to share their success and pass their knowledge and expertise onto others, so please continue to send us your news, advice and tips. We want to include more local business profiles in future issues so if you have an interesting story to tell or a unique business idea, please do get in touch!

Happy reading as always! - Jenna : Jenna Gould : Editor

ST ALBANS BUSINESSWOMAN QUESTIONS VALUE OF MBA IN 21ST CENTURY BUSINESS Some people think that the more qualifications you have, the more valuable you are. And in business circles, the MBA is a highly valued qualification. But one local businesswoman is urging people not to assume that an MBA is a guarantee of quality management, good decision making or judgement.

“The MBA is definitely a valuable qualification when used properly and in conjunction with other factors. I’m certain that my MBA won me two very good jobs and allowed me to become a permanent resident in this country. However, it was my creativity, flexibility and willingness to take on more and more challenging work that really allowed me to achieve in business,” says Mindy Gibbins-Klein, an acclaimed author, international speaker and founder of book coaching company The Book Midwife.

Ms. Gibbins-Klein reveals that she attended a get-together of newly minted MBAs last summer and was shocked at the general lack of understanding about real business issues and market conditions. She believes that what people are really looking for in a business partner or supplier is a sense that they are getting the best possible products and services at the best possible price.

“In a highly competitive market such as ours, many business propositions sound similar, so it is hard to distinguish one from another. And with so many MBAs running around, it is hard to distinguish one from another based on academic qualifications alone. But when you combine Mastery in your subject area with a healthy dose of Beliefs and expert opinions, you will be seen as a real thought leader, or an Authority in your field. Having an MBA from a reputable institution is optional,” adds Ms. Gibbins-Klein.

APPOINTMENT TO NORTHGATE’S TRANSFORMATION TEAM

Northgate Public Services has appointed Amit Dhawan to its specialist transformation division as Regional Operations Director for the Southern Region.

Amit’s appointment signifies the expansion of Northgate’s specialist transformation services at a time when the public sector is under pressure to deliver better for less.

Amit will focus on strengthening the growth of corporate-wide transformation services, whilst building up specialist services in areas such as transport and housing.

Northgate offers a risk and reward business model that links fees to performance, meaning it only gets paid when it meets its targets from the savings made.

Mindy Gibbins-Klein Managing Director The Book Midwife

OH BABEE!

FANTASTIC MUMPRENEUR WINS NATIONAL FINANCE AWARD FOR FAMILY FRIENDLY CARD Gemma Johnson, who is 35 from Hertfordshire, was delighted to win the prestigious Women On Their Way Finance Award at a national ceremony held in Birmingham last week. Gemma co-founded the nationally renowned BaBeeCard which offers an easy way for families to budget and to earn discounts on everything from grocery shopping to baby bottles.

Gemma says: “Setting up my business through two pregnancies helped me to nurture my idea from conception through to market whilst being completely in tune with my own needs and the needs of the customer. During a recession and indeed supporting a growing family, the need to cut back and find solutions to help the family budget stretch further are paramount to the emotional, physical and material wellbeing of the whole family. My skills as a mother and entrepreneur have helped me to make a difference to one of the most important aspects of everyday life - money. My objective is to help those who are expecting or who already have a family to save money on their everyday living essentials, thus helping to alleviate common financial stresses.”

There were twelve awards this year, including Start Up and High Growth Businesses, Online Business, Woman in Finance, Law, Transportation, Construction/Engineering, Woman in the Community, Public Office, the outstanding contribution to Women’s Learning and Development, Young Woman in Business, Outstanding New Product and Woman’s Advocate.

SOUTH EAST WELL PLACED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ECONOMIC UPTURN, SAY REGION’S SMEs

Gemma Johnson : Founder of BaBeeCard

BUSY WENTA

BUSY RECRUITING

Small business owners across the South East are the most optimistic of any region in terms of their ability to withstand the UK’s ongoing economic problems. 65% believe the South East is better placed than the UK as a whole to capitalise on any recovery.

The figure, which was revealed in the latest quarterly survey of over 1,000 businesses from Clifton Asset Management (CAM), is the highest of any region in England and Wales, outside London.

Neil Greenaway, managing director at Clifton Asset Management, said: “Business owners in the South East are clearly more bullish about their prospects than their counterparts elsewhere in the country, and the rate of job losses looks set to slow down this year.”

Stephen Scowcroft New Head of Advisory Services : Wenta

The organisation also works in partnership with other organisations and agencies such as Prince’s Trust, Job Centre Plus and Business Link to provide a complete enterprise package for those wanting to start up their own company or those that are currently running small or medium sized businesses.

An integral part of managing this increase in demand for Wenta’s business advice and support services has been the recruitment of Stephen Scowcroft as the new Head of Advisory Services. He will be managing the business advisory team that is tasked with supporting various aspects of enterprise and innovation throughout Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire.

Wenta is a not-for-profit organisation whose services are provided on a heavily subsidised basis and includes business advice and support and offices and workshops to rent in Watford, Potters Bar or Stevenage. If you would like to find out more about any of these services please visit www.wenta.co.uk

Neil Greenaway Managing Director at CAM

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NEWS

Due to the significant increase in demand for its services, local enterprise agency Wenta has been able to recruit a new Head of Advisory Services. Wenta has worked with over 14,000 people across Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire. It has helped these people start and grow their businesses through their expert business advisors, providing counselling and mentoring services.

HUNT FOR THE EAST OF ENGLAND’S MOST ENTERPRISING PLACE The search for the most enterprising place in the East of England is now on and organisations in Hertfordshire are being urged to enter.

BIG VICTORY FOR LOCAL ENTREPRENEURS IN DRAGONS’ DEN STYLE PITCH

Mad Professor Ltd, an events company based in Hatfield, caught the attention of a panel of business investors and played their way to a £1000 audience prize at the University of Hertfordshire’s own Dragons’ Den pitch event.

The UH Angels live pitch event took place at the University of Hertfordshire’s Weston Auditorium and was hosted by Ruth Badger from the BBC’s ‘The Apprentice’ programme.

Entrepreneurs from around Hertfordshire were invited to pitch their businesses live on stage to a panel of experienced Angel Investors in true ‘Dragons’ Den’ style in a bid to gain financial investment. An audience of over 150 people made up of students, staff and local people were also invited to play the part of investors’ and vote for their favourite pitch, giving the winning business a cash prize of £1000.

Mad Professor Ltd faced stiff competition, which included businesses that had developed specialist software for the catering industry and the physiotherapy industry, as well as a social enterprise dealing with mental health workers. But it was Mad Professor’s unique BIG piano event that captured the investors and audience imaginations.

The BIG piano, which is a giant floor piano similar to the one seen in the Tom Hanks film BIG, has been uniquely designed and built as a team building challenge by company director Chris Robson from Stevenage. It is the longest floor piano in the world and is the only one of its kind currently in Europe. Using specialist software to let players know when to step on the right key, the BIG piano enables teams to create music while working together.

Chris Robson and partner Angie Crockford are thrilled to receive the audience prize and are now looking forward to their company’s future.

The national Enterprising Britain 2010 competition rewards those cities, villages, towns and neighbourhoods that have tackled the economic downturn head on and are successfully creating jobs, boosting local business and nurturing entrepreneurial talent as the UK emerges from the recession.

Last year saw Lowestoft in Suffolk named as the most enterprising place in the East of England in the initial stage of the competition, before going on to be crowned national winner. Now organisations in Hertfordshire are being encouraged to enter to try and retain the impressive title within the region.

The competition has been running since 2005. This year is the first time it has expanded to five categories which are: Enterprise Culture, Driving Entrepreneurial Skills, Business Support and Start-up, Global Entrepreneurship, and Social Cohesion. Organisations can enter any or all of the categories by 31 May 2010. Regional winners will go on to the national finals later in the year.

The Enterprising Britain competition is a key part of the government’s drive to create the right conditions for enterprise across the UK. It seeks out areas which have embedded a culture of supporting and encouraging their entrepreneurs and businesses.

It is free to enter and open to all organisations that are working in partnership to create an enterprising place. The place can be a town, a city, a parish or a neighbourhood and organisations must demonstrate that enterprise is central to the economic and/or social transformation of the place.

To register interest email your contact details to enterprisingbritain@enterpriseuk.org. Entries must be submitted by 31 May 2010 and the winner will be announced in October 2010.

VAT HIKE CATCHES OUT SOUTHERN BUSINESS LEADERS A poll of finance bosses, by YouGov for Lex Autolease, has revealed that 52% of firms in the South don’t have a firm grasp of VAT-related company car costs.

More than a quarter of financial decision makers admit to not knowing how much extra VAT they have incurred since the 17.5% rate was re-introduced in January. A similar number claim the higher rate has generated no extra company car costs on their fleet.

However, when asked to consider where VAT has the biggest impact, more than a quarter were concerned about paying extra tax on fuel, while others expected to see additional VAT on maintenance, leasing rates and funding. The remainder couldn’t identify which areas would be hardest hit by the VAT increase.

Another impact is the likelihood of higher National Insurance contributions (NIC) because this is linked to the car’s VAT inclusive list price. Generally speaking, this will be higher on cars delivered this year.

Lex Autolease calculates that the combined impact of these two costs will increase an average company’s VAT-related contribution by around £3 to £4 per car, per month.

The company also highlights that employees taking delivery of a car this year, compared to last, will experience higher Benefit In Kind (BIK) tax due to VAT-inflated list prices. This, it says, will typically cost drivers an additional £2 to £3 per month.

FAST FOOD IN ST ALBANS GOES VIRTUAL As part of a £1.5 million investment by the McDonald’s chain in Hertfordshire, the restaurant in Griffiths Way will undergo a radical new makeover which will bring a new improved design to both the interior and exterior of the building.

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It is also planned that the new look restaurants will include free WiFi, new seating options, extended opening hours and a ‘crew room’ for staff to relax and study for their qualifications, offered by the restaurant. McDonalds chief operating officer Richard Forte believes that the extensive revamp will bring an added boost to the local economy.

FORGET WORKING FOR A COMPANY

MEN IN THE EAST OF ENGLAND WOULD RATHER WORK FOR THEMSELVES According to the Office of National Statistics, the East of England is one of the top three regions in the United Kingdom for self-employed men. Men in the East are nearly four times as likely to work for themselves compared to the North East, over three times compared to Northern Ireland and over one and half times compared to men in the East Midlands.

A staggering 316,000 men in the East are self-employed, compared to 81,000 in the North East, 133,000 in Wales, and 120,000 in Northern Ireland. The most entrepreneurial people are in the South East, with 29.9% in self employment.

But before leaping into a new business venture, local company Business Link is advising potential business owners or individuals who want to start up on their own as a sole trader, to take advantage of the FREE support and advice.

There is lots of help available for self-starters in the East region designed to give enthusiastic, hard working candidates the fundamental skills to make the transition into self-employment or starting a business. These include advice, mentoring and dedicated programmes aimed at helping you work through your business ideas, producing a business structure and business plan, through to accessing sources of start-up finance, developing an effective survival strategy, and minimising costs and maximising efficiency.

40 JOBS TO BE CREATED BY NEW HOME CARE BUSINESS With care of the elderly rising to the top of the political agenda, a business specialising in caring for the elderly in their own homes has opened in Sandridge, St Albans.

The company, which is looking to create 40 jobs in the coming year, will cover St Albans, Harpenden and Radlett.

Local woman, Fiona Harrall, set up the new office of national award-winning home care company, Home Instead Senior Care, which opened for business earlier this month.

Fiona is keen to talk to local people with compassionate and caring natures who are interested in working with elderly people. She is eager to stress that candidates don’t need to have experience in the care sector as they will receive excellent training, but they may well have experience looking after a relative or friend.

Home Instead are rapidly building a reputation as one of the UK’s leading care companies. Their service is tailored to the needs of individual clients and includes companionship, meal preparation, light housekeeping, post-discharge care, personal care, medication reminders, shopping and errands. The service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

For more information on joining the team or on the services provided, please visit www.homeinstead.co.uk

HERTS BUSINESSES COULD BENEFIT FROM BANKING MELTDOWN FINANCE PROFESSIONALS ERRING ON SIDE OF CAUTION WHEN LOOKING AT EMPLOYERS While historically, businesses in Hertfordshire may have had to compete with the lure of the City for some of the best finance professionals, the recent woes of the banking sector have meant that many accountants are now thinking twice about which industry sectors they look at when seeking new employment. That’s according to specialist finance recruiter Accountancy Action, which has offices in Borehamwood, Stevenage and Milton Keynes.

“Because of its proximity to London, many Hertfordshire finance professionals were lured by the high salaries, guaranteed bonuses and perceived champagne lifestyle of the City,” says Lawrence Bond, director of Accountancy Action. “However, with the recent economic meltdown, we are seeing candidates becoming more cautious and leaning towards organisations with more job security.

While it’s true to say that there aren’t really any recession proof sectors, the emerging trend seems to be that it is SME businesses where the majority of vacancies are arising. These types of organisations could really start to benefit as accountants look for roles where they can get involved at grass roots level with the opportunity to be drip fed additional duties and responsibilities over time.”

“That’s not to say that employers aren’t still adopting a cautious approach to their staffing requirements,” adds Bond. “Organisations are still looking for best value and candidates will need to be flexible about their salary requirements. However, accounting and finance skills within the SME sector are business critical whatever the economic environment, and for accountants it could be the best move they ever make.”

LATE PAYMENTS STILL A MAJOR CAUSE FOR CONCERN FOR SOUTHERN SMES

This is an increase of 9.1 days on the time Southern SMEs were waiting beyond agreed deadlines, in June of 2009 (34.6 days), and is contributing to considerable cash flow issues for many of them.

Bacs’ research shows that large companies are the main late payment culprits, with 41% of Southern SMEs citing them as the worst offenders. However, 22% of respondents pointed the finger at fellow SMEs, with a further 11% blaming sole traders. 6% of Southern SMEs cited not-for-profit organisations and government as the worst payers, suggesting that the pledge made in the 2010 Budget, that government departments will pay 80% of invoices within five days rather than the usual 30, will be a challenge to meet.

Cash flow remains the most common reason for overdue payments, with 36% of Southern SMEs saying it was the main reason given by customers for paying late (static from June 2009). 7% of SMEs in the South said their customers blamed the economic downturn for payments being late (up from 3% in June 2009) and a further 7% said that being paid late had a knock on effect on their ability to make their own payments. 9% of respondents were told by customers that they had simply forgotten about the invoice, while 6% were given the reason that ‘the cheque is in the post’, an excuse soon to be obsolete with the UK Payments Council’s plans to phase cheques out by 2018.

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NEWS

Research by Bacs Payment Schemes Limited (Bacs), the organisation behind Direct Debit and Bacs Direct Credit, has revealed that SMEs in the South have to wait an average of 43.7 days longer than their original agreed payment terms, before invoices are paid.

FROM ENTREP TO MILLIONAIR JAMES CAAN The Hertfordshire Business Independent caught up with Dragons’ Den star James Caan as he ponders his new Entrepreneurs’ Business Academy, the General Election, his own success as an entrepreneur and why he is so passionate about helping out other entrepreneurs.

James Caan is best known for being one of the dragons in the BBC series Dragons’ Den, but he has many strings to his bow.

As well as a television personality, Caan is a British investor, entrepreneur and philanthropist. He is the founder and CEO of Hamilton Bradshaw, a UK-based private equity company.

He also founded Alexander Mann, a multinational recruitment company, and co-founded Humana International, a multinational headhunting firm.

The next EBA ‘TOTAL Business Mastery’ Seminar will take place at The Holiday Inn Kensington Forum, on 22nd May, which requires a minimal investment of £87.

You must be quick though as places are extremely limited.

To book a place call 0208 4399 493.

If your application is successful you can network with other committed, like-minded and aspirational people like you in a private and supportive environment, guided by James and his team of millionaire mentors.

Founder James, of The James Caan Foundation, which not only supports other charities across the UK, but also seeks to promote a greater awareness of the developing world.

He has also taken on a lot of charity work with Children in Need, Sport Relief, Comic Relief and the NSPCC. Last month, James launched his Entrepreneurs’ Business Academy, with a seminar on ‘Total Business Mastery’, a one day course specialising in entrepreneurialism.

The purpose of the academy is to provide knowledge, pass on hard gained experience and practical guidance for entrepreneurs.

“BUSINESSES DON’T FAIL, PEOPLE DO!” At 40, James took a year out to study for the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School. So it seems, even the best need extra help sometimes.

“The problem with being the boss is you have no-one guiding you,” says James. “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!’”

The EBA was set up to equip business owners with the necessary tools to succeed and be ahead of the competition.

The academy allows owners and entrepreneurs to connect with James and his successful team of entrepreneurs, mentors and business owners. The Mastery course ensures that entrepreneurs capitalise on all the equity and cost by developing their business to the highest level. It looks at factors such as the purpose and vision of the project, the business itself and the entrepreneur’s passion for it, the secrets of maximising revenue, increasing profit and generating more ready cash.

Caan continues: “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’?”

James Caan’s EBA mentors will allow entrepreneurs and business owners to capitalise on their knowledge gains and learn from their mistakes so they can avoid them when growing their own business. They will provide business coaching, on-going guidance and mentoring that is way beyond the level of consultancy most business owners have come to expect.

“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’?”

Since James Caan’s appearance on Dragons’ Den in 2007, Caan has invested in 14 companies, spanning multiple sectors; however, he and Duncan Bannatyne have become best known for their investments in the hardware industry.

In his first series Caan was slow to invest, but after some time he decided to invest in the next product to come into the Den, whatever that would be. The product was a brand of treadmills for dogs called FitFurLife.

“I had a feeling the time had come...I decided that I was going to invest in the first thing that came into the Den that day,” says Caan. It was in 1985 when Caan realised his true entrepreneurial spirit. He decided to found his own recruitment company,

“ALISTAIR DARLING’S BUDGET REPORT FROM EARLIER THIS YEAR MUST HAVE SOUNDED VERY REASSURING, AS IT PRIORITISED BUSINESSES AND AN SME-LED RECOVERY” “Alistair Darling’s budget report from earlier this year must have sounded very reassuring, as it prioritised businesses and an SME-led recovery. However it was also overshadowed by the lack of clarity on cuts and potentially over-optimistic growth forecasts,” Caan commented.

Turning his attention to the Shadow Chancellor, Mr Caan said: “I share Osborne’s concern over the debt that Britain is accruing, and I welcome his prioritisation of the businessled recovery.

The Conservatives will provide the markets with most reassurance if elected, and I am confident that they are most willing to make the tough choices to keep to this. However, they also need to show where their cuts will be made.

Osborne assures us that he will set out more detail between now and the election. We would all like to see that. He also needs to give more evidence that he is the right man for the job.

Vince Cable is the cabbies’ favourite and is popular for a reason; his economic realism is welcomed and he has outlined a series of good policies. However, the overall economic outlook and the tax structures he favours may not help the competitiveness of the UK business environment, and the recovery may be jeopardised.”

It seems that James is keen to find solace for small businesses out of the policies which come out prior to the elections on May 6th. But who will be successful in the post remains to be seen.

James’ verdict: “Experience shows that this landscape can change dramatically, however, today the Conservatives’ policies put George Osborne in the pole position in addressing the key challenges for the SMEs. There is still time until the General Election and many uncertainties remain. Both opposition parties need to spell out their plans in more detail.

As we’ve seen many times, this could change considerably based upon future announcements that will provide some of that clarity, and help SMEs to gauge the priorities and integrity of each Chancellor over the coming weeks.”

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INTERVIEW : JAMES CAHN

PRENEUR RE DRAGON

Alexander Mann, and appointed somebody to manage the business while Caan himself stepped back to develop other business interests. In 1999, he sold a minority stake in Alexander Mann Group for £25m. In 2002, Alexander Mann was turning over £130m a year and operating across Australia, Europe, and Asia.

The EBA Total Business Mastery has availability for its one day seminar which takes place 22nd May at the London Holiday Inn, Kensington Forum. Discover how you can be part of this amazing opportunity and get incredible coaching

by James’ Top Team of Millionaire Mentors!

Now it seems is the ideal time to get going. James predicts that the current economic climate should be a wake up call for all businesses and entrepreneurs and 2010 will be a year of huge volatility. It will either make or break some small to medium size enterprises, but all that is needed is the conviction and belief in what you are doing in order to become successful.

As James ponders the upcoming election, he believes that the matter of SMEs will need to be addressed. So who will be the favourite candidate for the business commu nity?

CORPORATE MIGRATION

THE ISSUES BEHIND THE HEADLINES

Richard Watson, Head of Tax at KPMG in St Albans, looks at the issues surrounding corporate migration and what’s behind the headlines.

Corporate migrations, where corporate groups move their ultimate holding companies abroad, have been a hot topic in recent years. For many years some of our FTSE 350 companies have been tax resident outside of the UK, but these were largely for historical reasons. However, we are now starting to see companies that have always been UK resident moving out of the country to more favourable tax destinations.

So what’s involved with a move? The usual route for corporate migration is to put a new overseas parent company immediately above the existing UK parent company but it needs to be managed carefully from a tax and business structuring perspective.

The issue hit the headlines in 2008; with Shire Pharmaceuticals being the first of several large corporates to announce that it was moving the location of its parent company to Ireland.

This phenomenon is not just restricted to large listed groups.

We have also seen a number of privately owned international businesses considering moving out of the UK.

There may be a mobile international management team in place which makes the commercial aspects of moving out of the UK easier to manage, as one of the main issues in determining a business’s tax residence is that it is where the key management decisions are made. This often means that the senior decision makers have to relocate – at least for when they are actively running the business.

In some cases, higher personal taxation in the UK may give executives an extra reason to consider relocation.

WHY?

WHAT NEXT?

In most cases the main driver for businesses is the way in which the UK taxes the profits they make overseas. As a general principle foreign profits earned by a UK headquartered group are subject to UK tax. Government consultations over the last three years suggest that we may be moving towards a more favourable tax regime. In certain areas, there has been good progress (such as in the treatment of overseas dividends, which since 1 July 2009 have effectively been exempt) but there is still little clarity around other important areas, specifically around the UK’s “controlled foreign company” rules. These are highly complex rules which, in some cases, tax the profits of overseas subsidiaries as if they arise in the hands of a UK parent company. In addition, many businesses have been driven to consider moving out of the UK because the continual stream of changes to our tax code can make it difficult to forecast the levels of tax that a UK headquartered group will pay.

The rate of companies emigrating has slowed down.

However, in an increasingly global business world the question of where best to locate the headquarters of a multi-national group is not going to go away; particularly where significant government deficits in many countries will mean continued changes in the tax landscape.

Put simply, in an increasingly globalised economy, the link that many multinationals have with the UK is becoming less clear. If the UK tax regime is unduly burdensome, companies will be questioning why they should remain here.

At the same time, it is easy to overlook the fact that the UK tax regime is in many ways more attractive than those of other developed countries. In particular, the UK does not levy withholding tax on shareholder dividends, unlike most other countries in Western Europe. In addition, the UK has one of the best networks of double taxation treaties in the world, and this will be of benefit to most multi-national groups. Any group thinking about leaving the UK needs to make sure that it has done its homework properly; getting the location decision wrong can be a seriously expensive mistake.

10

Whilst moving the headquarters of a global group is not something to be undertaken lightly, it does still have the potential to make a big difference to business profitability.

For governments in the UK and elsewhere, the challenge will be to raise the necessary tax revenues whilst at the same time offering a sufficiently stable and competitive tax regime to deter multi-national groups from leaving.

Perhaps even more importantly, it would be good to see the tax system attracting the businesses of tomorrow to move in to the UK.

Whilst moving the headquarters of a global group is not something to be undertaken lightly, it does still have the potential to make a big difference to business profitability.

Richard Watson can be contacted via e-mail at richard.watson@kpmg.co.uk

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LEGAL COLUMN In each issue Clare Waller, a Director 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 clare.waller@hrjlaw.co.uk. We regret that no personal correspondence can be entered into.

I run a small manufacturing business employing 60 staff.

What new employment legislation do I need to be aware of this year?

There is a raft of new employment laws which come into force this year. I have tried to highlight those that may be most relevant for you. However I would strongly advise that you consider taking more detailed and comprehensive professional advice, as failure to adhere to this new legislation could be very damaging for your business.

The changes in paternity leave kick in this year, giving fathers and partners (including same-sex and civil partners) up to six months’ additional paternity leave, provided the mother has returned to work without exercising her full entitlement to maternity leave. Some of the leave may be paid if it is taken during the mother’s maternity pay period.

The entitlement to ‘transferable’ paternity leave and pay applies to parents of children due (and adoptive parents notified of a match) on or after 3 Bob AprilFahy, 2011.Solicitor Under the Apprenticeships, Children andLLP Learning MatthewSkills, Arnold & Baldwin Act 2009 your employees will nowwww.mablaw.com have the right to request time off to undertake study or training. It applies to

TAKING YOUR BUSINESS PERSONALLY

A new name... the same high quality of service and advice.

• • • •

Employment Law Commercial Litigation Property Transactions All aspects of Commercial Law

For practical advice contact our commercial team Hitchin Office: 7/8 Portmill Lane, Hitchin, Hertfordshire SG5 1AS

Tel: 01462 628888 Formerly Hawkins Russell Jones

12

Welwyn Garden City Office: Gate House, Fretherne Road, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire AL8 6RD

Tel: 01707 887700 www.hrjlaw.co.uk

employees with 26 weeks’ service or more and you will be required to give serious consideration to all requests. You have some time to prepare for this as it is being phased in and will be made available to employees in organisations with 250 or more employees this year before being extended to all employees from April 2011.

Whilst I am certain that this does not apply to you it is also worth taking a look at the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 which now makes it an offence for a person to hold another person in slavery or servitude, or require them to perform forced or compulsory labour. The new offence is aimed at protecting vulnerable workers such as migrants, and carries a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison.

Finally in last month’s column I addressed the issue of the change from sick notes to fit notes. If you missed it you can find a copy of the column on our website at 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.

For further information log onto www.hrjlaw.co.uk

“WHAT HAVE YOU LOST?”

Damages for breach of contract are a complicated matter: the rules regarding what damages are properly claimable and what the law will allow in financial terms are complex. There are, however, wider ramifications for the parties to a contract that has gone wrong. In legal terms, the starting point when faced with a breach of contract is to say that the innocent party is entitled to claim whatever losses flow directly from that breach of contract.

The innocent party has a choice when the contract has been breached: either to affirm, i.e. approve the contract and carry on with its performance and oblige the party in default to perform the contract as well, or to rescind the contract, i.e. bring the contract to an end and sue for damages.

Generally speaking, losses in these two scenarios will be the net profit which the innocent party would have made under the contract. In certain circumstances there may be other items of expenditure that can be claimed, e.g. start up costs associated with the contract, or special or unique expenditure associated particularly with that contract. However, the basic premise is that the party who is at fault must put the other party in the same position financially as if the contract had been performed successfully. So, if you are selling a piece of machinery to an engineering company for £100,000 and your net profit or margin is £30,000 you would be entitled to claim the contract price in full from which obviously you would retain your profit.

But what are the wider ramifications for a commercial arrangement that has gone wrong? Often overlooked by businessmen, but not necessarily by lawyers (even though they do not amount to items that can be compensated in financial terms), we find the following factors prevalent or common in contract dispute matters: • Down time – there is, of course, a natural disruption to the business suffered due to the breach of contract; sometimes key staff (often at director level) are engaged in dealing with what has gone wrong under the contract and emergency strategies have to be put in place to deal with the failure of the party at fault to perform under the contract; an alternative product may have to be sourced; customers placated and explanations given. All of this generally happens at some speed without the proper appreciation of what it is that might actually be the cause of the problem before, generally speaking, lawyers become involved.

• Business confidence – successful contractual relationships breed confidence; unsuccessful ones tend to damage confidence and can sap the morale of the workforce. No one likes to work in an organisation where the business constantly has problems with its customers or suppliers and there are disputes prevalent throughout the business. It is hardly a recipe for a cohesive business if there are constantly problems that have to be dealt with or, worse, “fire fighting” by senior management on major contracts.

• Damage to reputation – undeniably a business that has a series of contractual problems or commercial arrangements that go wrong can, in certain industry sectors, become a problem. Those sort of businesses generally have a reputation as being someone to “steer clear of” or someone who might be “nothing but trouble”.

If your business becomes tainted with that sort of reputation then sometimes it is difficult to build back a positive reputation and such a process can take a number of years. Successful or impressive branding can be damaged by adverse litigation.

• Future strategy and planning for growth – if senior management is engaged in dealing with disputes or problem contracts, that is inevitably going to disrupt or hamper their planning of the long term success of the business. Schedules have to be put back, budgets re-drawn and the business can stall where it was once placed to move forward.

Aside then from the financial consequences of being involved in a breach of contract dispute, there are other hidden “invisible” downsides. Management of dispute situations is therefore essential not only to minimise the financial consequences but to enable the non legal factors to be contained, the business and its workforce to be kept happy and future strategy and growth not knocked off course. As a result, clear and concise legal advice which gets right to the heart of the key issues straightaway, to enable a strategy for resolution to be planned, is essential. Sometimes this is not just lawyers, but other third party professionals, depending upon the particular type of dispute. For example, if the dispute related to commercial property you might need an expert surveyor; if the dispute related to a loss of profit claim you might need an expert accountant.

If you find yourself in the unfortunate position of having to deal with a contractual dispute or sense that one might be brewing, swift action at the outset can help you safely navigate a course through potentially stormy waters to reach a safe and sound commercial haven.

Andrew Knight is a Partner in the Commercial Litigation and Dispute Resolution department 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

www.businessindependent.co.uk

13

LEGAL

No one likes business relationships or commercial arrangements to fail.

Unfortunately contracts sometimes do go wrong and we are often asked to review a breach of contract situation and assess the losses that can be claimed by the innocent party.

This article looks at not only some of the legal points to bear in mind if your contract goes wrong (or perhaps to be aware of when planning or negotiating contracts) but also those wider ramifications for your business.

BECOME THE MASTER OF YOUR OWN DESTINY THE BASICS OF LEASEHOLD ENFRANCHISEMENT A complex matter simply explained by Justin Bennett Director at LBB Chartered Surveyors Langley Byers Bennett.

In the past many leaseholders have felt let down by their landlord, dissatisfied with the way their block of flats is being managed and unable to control the level of service charge. Changes in legislation have now made it simpler for leaseholders to purchase their freehold, or exercise their right to manage.

Introduction to the legislation The Leasehold Reform Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 (as amended) gives, to qualifying tenants of flats, the right for the majority of tenants to join together to buy the freehold. The act has been amended considerably during the past 17 years with the most significant amendments coming into force with the introduction of the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002, which has made qualification much simpler for leaseholders.

In brief, at least 50% of the long leaseholders must be in agreement to acquire the freehold, with two thirds of the flats being qualified tenants.

Benefits of purchasing your freehold Tenants who have acquired their freehold are entitled to • • •

grant themselves new extended leases of 999 years, adding value to their property. take over the management of the building.

My advice, and undoubtedly a number of professionals will also agree, is that a leaseholder must be certain to have extended their lease or bought the freehold of their property before this date.

Professional advice Given the complexity of the leasehold reform legislation it is important to have good professional advice. A valuer can offer assistance in the following areas: • • • • • • • • •

Identify the premises and apartment block.

Advise on whether the leaseholder qualifies under the 1993 Act. Carry out the valuation and advise on purchase price.

Advise on offer to be made to the freeholder in the notice of claim.

Conduct negotiations with the freeholder on behalf of the leaseholder.

With proper advice taken at the correct times, it should be possible to overcome the difficulties that need to be faced when dealing with this very complex and technical area of property law.

Valuation

PROPERTY

The landlord is entitled to compensation for the loss of ground rent income, the loss of receiving the flat back at the end of the original lease and, if the lease has less then 80 years remaining, the landlord is entitled to a 50% share of any additional value (known as the “Marriage Value”).

The most significant issue that you as a leaseholder should consider is the length of the lease, particularly in this uncertain market. Once a lease has less then 80 years remaining, it means the landlord has the right to a share of the profit. In some cases that could mean the cost of the premium doubles effectively overnight when the lease falls below 80 years.

“

if your lease has more than 80 years to run you can enfranchise at a much lower cost than you can later in the lease term

”

Justin Bennett specialises in the valuation and negotiation of matters relating to the Leasehold Reform Act 1967 and Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993. He has acted in leading cases such as the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 of Willingale V Globalgrange Ltd (2000) 2 EGLR 55 and more recently Glen International V Triplerose Ltd (CA) [2007] 2 EGLR 81.

Justin Bennett can be contacted for advice using the following contact details: jlb@lbb.org.uk , 02078228850.

COMMUNITY

ELSTREE & BOREHAMWOOD Borehamwood and Elstree make up an ancient parish in the district of Hertsmere, South Hertfordshire. With its population of over 33,000, it proves itself to be a convenient location. Just north of London, it is a popular hotspot for both tourists and commuters.

Borehamwood, also known as Boreham Wood, has a rich history and used to belong to its neighbouring village, Elstree. However, due to the growth in the two towns, Elstree and Borehamwood now stand as two separate villages in their own right. Borehamwood is currently undergoing a new housing transformation which has seen hundreds of new houses built over the last five years. Even more are expected to come.

Well on the commuter’s route through the A1, A5 and M25 motorways, it is an ideal location for the daily run into work. Elstree and Borehamwood station is well connected to the Midlands on the Midland Main Line and also to local areas such as St Albans, Luton and Bedford through First Capital Connect Trains run regularly through the day, so even when you are not on a commuter run it is well connected for a great day out in London city.

There is certainly plenty to do, whether it is the adventure or the quiet you are after.

Borehamwood has a busy shopping centre with a generous amount of choice between some big name brands. But if it is a pint you are after, why not try the local Mops and Brooms pub in the village of Well End? It was reputedly the historical battle site between travellers and the old village folk, although another explanation is that it commemorates mop and broomstick weddings which once took place there.

Evidence from literature suggests that when domestic servants had reached a marriageable age they would court at mop fairs. On choosing to marry they would have a common-law wedding in a public venue such as the market place, exchanging vows before each taking hold of one end of a household mop to indicate they took each other in marriage. These couples would then be referred to as being married ‘over the mop’. This marriage could subsequently end by publicly letting go of the mop. Broomstick weddings held a similar fate, but are usually associated with slave wedding ceremonies. This was abandoned in 1753 with the introduction of the Marriage Act. As well as its rather anomalous history, the area has become well-known in the modern day for its involvement with TV and film, and is home to the Elstree studios. The studios are home to several productions of British films and soaps, including Eastenders and Holby City. It was also the chosen location for the Big Brother house since series 3.

Some of the most well-known films were made here including Dr Zhivago, The Dam Busters and The Shining. Three of the Indiana Jones films and the first three Star Wars were also filmed in this location.

In fact it earned itself the name of ‘British Hollywood’ during the mid 20th century. Even though most of the studios have now closed, two still remain.

As well as the busy hustle and bustle of filming, the location also offers a perfect match of urban and rural. Retreats such as Aldenham Country Park, which was used as a backdrop to the Disney version of AA Milne’s Winnie the Pooh, can also be a quiet retreat. As well as a recreational facility offering walking, fishing and sailing, it is also a well-known breeding ground for rare livestock.

It seems there really is something for everyone, so why not come and visit?

E - HBI elstree advert:Layout 3

16/4/10

16:44

Page 1

Meet, Think, Create, Relax - Be Inspired The AA four star Holiday Inn London-Elstree is situated just off the A1, close to both the M25 and M1 motorways. Elstree and Borehamwood Railway Station is also just three miles from the hotel and London Heathrow and London Luton airports within 30 miles of the hotel, making us the ideal base for both the business and leisure traveller.

Holiday Inn London-Elstree is the perfect place for your next conference, meeting or event and features: • 135 air-conditioned and newly refurbished bedrooms • 11 conference, meeting and event rooms with a maximum capacity of 400 delegates • A fully air-conditioned, self- contained Meeting Centre • On-site trained team to assist and support you with your IT equipment

• • • • •

Business Centre offering secretarial support Wireless internet access throughout the hotel Free Parking for over 300 cars A bar and restaurant in the hotel Health and fitness club with pool, gym, sauna and spa

To find out more contact us on 0871 942 9071 quoting ‘HBI’ Holiday Inn London-Elstree M25 Jct 23 Barnet Bypass, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, WD6 5PU www.holidayinn.com/londonelstree

FIND THE BEST LOCATION FOR YOUR NEW BUSINESS! A start-up business needs all the help it can get to maximise its chances of success. One factor which is often overlooked is finding the best possible location.

Many new businesses give little thought to their location, simply finding the cheapest possible premises near to the owner’s home. But in fact location can be key to a business’s success or failure, and it’s something that deserves careful analysis.

To find the best location, you need to weigh up the costs, availability of labour, proximity to customers and suppliers, and communications links, among other factors.

You may think that modern technology makes physical location less important, but there is still huge value in face-to-face meetings with customers and suppliers. Who wants to spend time and money travelling around the country unnecessarily?

Each individual business may have specific needs to be factored in when choosing a location: a research company may need to be close to a university; a manufacturing company will need to be close to its raw materials; and many different businesses benefit from a clustering of similar types of industry.

All areas of the UK are desperate to attract investment into their regions, and there’s a plethora of organisations to help you start up in their patch.

Areas around London can be very attractive because they have lower staff and property costs than London itself, but still have a lot of skilled workers and easy access to all the benefits of London.

RICHARD THOMAS Richard Thomas, publisher of www.locations4business.co.uk, set up his business as a one-stop shop for business locations after spotting that there was a wealth of information available, but it was not easy to access or compare. He said: “There are so many different organisations who can help, but I found it wasn’t always clear who you should go to or how to start looking”.

For each area, the site has information on the road, rail and airport links, funding and assistance for new businesses, property costs and availability, labour costs and availability, existing business base, business growth, quality of life, universities and research, future development plans and key contacts in the development agency.

It gives a comprehensive view of all the bodies trying to attract your business and what they have to offer.

IN FOCUS : BOREHAMWOOD & ELSTREE

Calls to 0871 numbers are charged at £0.10 per minute when dialled from a BT landline, calls from other networks and mobiles may cost more.

WINNING VOTES OR CHANGING FACE? As former prime minister Jim Callaghan remarked, there is a sea-change in politics about every thirty years. Whilst May 6th might return a new government with all the implications for significant policy shifts, arguably the real change will be the new batch of diverse, young, female MPs who will be taking residence in SW1.

Women make up just over 50% of the population.

Yet in Westminster less than 20% of MPs are currently women, totalling 123 out of 646 MPs. The Labour Party leads the headcount with women making up 27% of its MPs compared to 14% for the Lib Dems and just 9% of Conservatives.

Recent research conducted by Insight Public Affairs looked at candidates selected in seats where the sitting MP is retiring, i.e. ‘notionally’ held seats for the new incoming parliamentary candidates, which suggests 2010 will see more women returned to the green benches. Of the 36 seats where a Tory MP is standing down Conservatives have selected women in 25% (9 of 36) seats, while Labour has selected women in a huge 61% (41 of 70) of these seats.

With the furthest to go to eliminate the male bias amongst elected representatives and dispel the white man, pinstriped suit perception of the party, the Conservatives haven’t shied away from fronting a plethora of female candidates or, ‘Cameron cuties’ as they have rather unfortunately been dubbed in some parts of the media.

Cameron has even gone as far as to advocate all women short lists in some constituencies: a position the Tories have been historically against. It all means that in the event of a Conservative victory, the number of women Tory MPs could more than quadruple from 19 to as many as 80.

So, what effect will the new female intake have on the body politic they represent? How will an influx of female legislators impact on traditionally male-dominated areas of society, such as finance or business, which will be the focus of much new policy in the next parliament?

According to a recent Treasury Select Committee report on women’s role in financial institutions, Women in the City, the Square Mile is failing to effectively utilise women’s talents. The report went on to claim that a lack of diversity at a senior level heightened problems around ‘group-think’ and made executive decisions less effective. The same could be said in Westminster – with just 4 women holding Cabinet-level seats.

At a time when the entire political community is less trusted and less respected than at any time in living memory, the effect of more women MPs could be profound. As we enter a new era of political reform, a more ‘women heavy’ body politic has the potential to change the way MPs do business – and anything that engages voters has to be a good thing for a political community that has rarely been so mistrusted and vilified as it has in the last 12 months. Although we won’t see a woman walking into Downing Street in 2010, the new intake of women MPs is certain to change the face of British politics – at the very time when it’s most in need of a face-lift.

Sarah Lapham, Consultant at Insight Public Affairs - a leading political lobbying firm.

Sarah can be contacted on 020 7824 1862 or for more information visit www.insightpa.com

How will an influx of female legislators impact on traditionally male-dominated areas of society, such as finance or business, which will be the focus of much new policy in the next parliament?

Voting for th Parliamentary and District Elections takes place on Thursday 6 May.

The polling will be ope 7am until 1

19

FEATURE : GENERAL ELECTION

WHAT WILL A HUNG PARLIAMENT MEAN FOR SMES?

The UK economy has come out of recession, after figures showed it had grown by a weaker-than-expected 0.1% in the last three months of 2009. The economy had previously contracted for six consecutive quarters - the longest period since quarterly figures were first recorded in 1955. There have been recent signs of recovery as well – in January, UK unemployment fell for the first time in 18 months.

However, the fragile recovery could be derailed if the It seems certain that any government – coalition or general elections in May result in what is known as a ‘hung otherwise – will increase taxes next year in an attempt to parliament’. This means that no party holds an absolute rebuild the country’s shattered finances. NI, corporation tax, VAT – some or all of these taxes may face increases. majority in the legislature.

If we do end up having a hung parliament, then this will So if you are planning a dividend or bonus over the next few months it may well be sensible to do it now. increase the risk that whichever coalition gains control will not have enough unity to make the tough decisions to In summation, a coalition or minority government could lead the UK out of the current crisis. make it harder to fix the problems in the economy. This Any delays in making decisions will increase the likelihood will make life harder for small businesses. Ultimately the that credit rating agencies will downgrade the UK’s much only thing we can guarantee is that any new government coveted AAA credit rating, making it more expensive for needs more money. the UK to borrow money. This will have a knock-on impact Spending cuts alone are on the price of borrowing for banks and other lenders, unlikely to be enough so which could lead to a second credit crunch and doubletaxes look almost certain dip recession. We have seen the effects of this concern to go up. The next few with recent falls in sterling, months could prove although there has been some recovery challenging but strong in recent days, if concerns continue businesses with 10 to mount we can expect to see 20 good cash flow Y further falls in the value of management MA 7 sterling against other e, practices l r & l t currencies, in 6 , a Cen should be ok y S a s M T particular ni whatever UN y 6 Ten a the dollar. d CO d r s n happens. o r a hu f ON s f ly m T Gol ted.

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UTILISING NLP FOR BUSINESS SUCCESS

BY LINDSEY AGNESS NLP is one of the fastest growing pragmatic tools for getting results, enabling businesses to achieve sustained tangible success.

Specifically, would it be of value to you in your business to create a compelling vision for the future, discover ways of building instant rapport with your customers either face to face or on the telephone, understand how your customers make decisions to buy, influence others, know what to do to prepare yourself for challenging business situations and much more? If the answer is yes then read on.

What exactly is NLP?

NLP was developed in the 1970s by Richard Bandler and John Grindler who researched and modelled what was different about truly successful people. They explored in particular how the language of the mind or our ‘self-talk’ supports or inhibits our actions and results.

They developed a series of tools and techniques to influence how to use the language of the mind to consistently achieve our specific and desired outcomes in all areas of life.

So how exactly would NLP be utilised in your business?

It is often easier to illustrate how NLP can be used by showing how it has worked for other businesses. Here are three short case studies to demonstrate the impact this technique can have on a business.

Company A – Call Centre Over the phone you have just seconds to build rapport with your potential customer. Employees at this company were taught NLP techniques to match communication styles and voice tonality over the phone. This enabled them to get an instant connection with their customers and significantly improved their closure rate.

Company B – New Managing Director This new MD was very keen to make a good impression on Full range of vertical and horizontal balers, his workforce and to gain their support fast. He used an compactors and roto-compactors NLP coach to help him to set clear and compelling goals that the whole company would support. The coach then assisted him to identify what was holding him back Award winning equipment from premier • from Full range of vertical and horizontal balers, compactors and roto-compacto achieving his full potential which included self-esteem, manufacturers including Bergmann, • Award winning equipment from premier manufacturers including Bergman confidence and presentation skills. The impact was Bramidan and Avermann Bramidan and Avermann immediate and this MD has built a motivated and creative workforce.

• All models available new or refurbished

•

All models available new or refurbished Sale, lease, short or long-term rental options available

Company C – Major Sales Opportunity • National service coverage via or dedicated Kenburn engineers Sale, lease, short long-term rental options available This company was competing for a major new contract • Baling wire, racks, bags and other consumables always in stock and wanted to develop an edge over the competition.

First of all, they found out what was important to their customer • Call Kenburn for a free consultation on your waste management options National service coverage via dedicated about who they worked with by eliciting their sales values.

Kenburn engineers They then discovered their client’s ‘hot buttons’ when Enquiries to Lydia Ridgewell making a buying decision. At the presentation itself, they Baling wire, racks, bagsManagement and other consumables Kenburn Waste Ltd used their rapport skills and increased confidence to always in stock secure the deal. All this was achieved using NLP techniques.

Kenburn House More and more people are realising that NLP offers them more choices to create what they want for themselves and their business in the future. Just suppose that you were able to empower yourself and your employees to create the results that you need to really succeed!

Lindsey Agness is a Master NLP Practitioner and founder of The Change Corporation. Her best-selling book ‘Change Your Life with NLP’ (£9.99, Prentice Hall Life) is available from all good bookstores and via Amazon. For more information visit www.thechangecorporation.com

Wood Call Kenburn for aPorters free consultation on your waste St Albans management options Herts

EnquiriesAL3 to Lydia 6HXRidgewell Kenburn Waste Management Ltd. Tel: 01727 844988 Kenburnemail: House,lydia@kenburn.co.uk Porters Wood, Herts, AL3 6XH Tel: 01727 844988 Email : lydia@kenburn.co.uk

website www.kenburn.co.uk

www.kenburn.co.uk

MAKE YOUR MARK

WITH BRANDED MARKETING When you need to stand out from the crowd and be remembered, branded marketing can be both cost effective, practical and inject a bit of personality into your communications strategy. The Business Independent investigates some of the ways in which you can make a brand statement in 2010.

Business Cards

Ok, this may seem an obvious one to begin with but business cards are probably the most cost effective way of leaving a lasting impression with potential prospects. So why is it that so many people waste the opportunity by presenting bland, home-made business cards or, worse, a card with a VistaPrint logo on the back so you know they are the free ones!

Don’t waste the opportunity to make a good impression! Ensure your business card reflects your brand values. If appropriate, make it colourful and eye catching. Perhaps even consider having a professional head shot of you incorporated into the design so that they instantly remember who you are when they look at the card. Also consider the stock and finish of your card so that it stays with the recipient for many years to come and isn’t one of the first to be chucked out when they do a ‘business card clean out’!

Promotional Merchandise

The list of products you can personalise continues to grow year on year and when it comes to which products you should opt for, there is no set rule. When many people think about promotional merchandise, it usually centres on pens and stress balls but in reality, almost anything can be personalised. A lot will depend on why you need the products; are they for an exhibition, for example, or a free gift for new customers? Eco-gifts are becoming increasingly popular and the cost per item is going down as they become more widely available and can add an interesting slant to your marketing messages. Consider what products will best reflect your brand messages and what items your customers will find most useful or interesting.

TOP TIPS FOR GETTING THE MOST OUT OF YOUR BRANDED MARKETING

Branded Newsletter

Newsletters are a great way of keeping in contact with customers and prospects and informing them of your latest offers and updates. Many companies have opted for e-newsletters which are quick to put together and can be sent via an external mail service such as MailChimp or Constant Contact. Online newsletters enable you to monitor the success of your campaign and can show you who has opened it, followed the links or forwarded to a friend. You can then adapt your messages and themes according to your customers’ preferences.

But before you decide to opt for an online newsletter, it is important to find out what format your customers would prefer to receive their communications in. Local translation agency Thames Translations has continued to produce a printed quarterly newsletter because they found that their customers preferred to take time away from the PC and read it at their leisure and they always see a spike in enquiries just after the release of a new edition. Find out what works for your brand and, most importantly, what your customers will respond to best.

Customer Magazines

Customer magazines can be a costly form of brand marketing, both in time and expense, but for many brands, they form a vital part of the marketing strategy. You may have seen the monthly magazine from NatWest called Business Sense, picked up a copy of Boots Health & Beauty or Healthy Magazine from Holland & Barratts.

But how would this work for a small business owner, who can’t afford the costs of producing a monthly magazine? Well, there are a few companies out there who produce customer magazines for you, one of which is Bizezia.com. With Bizezia, you can take advantage of sending your customers a regular branded magazine with informative articles without having to worry about putting it together each month and all for just £99 a month.

There is no set-up fee, just an easy and affordable monthly or annual payment option with a minimum 12 month subscription.

Bizezia allows unlimited downloads of your fully branded magazine, which means your clients, customers and prospects can download 100 or 1,000,000 copies and you don’t pay a penny more.

Simple!

1 Presentation, Presentation, Presentation – always be sure that the overall presentation matches your brand essence and values. The price is irrelevant and you don’t have to blow your budget on expensive designs and finishes, but equally, don’t 2 To design or not to design? – if you have a creative streak, then you may be able to take advantage of the many DIY services such as VistaPrint to produce your materials. If you choose the correct items and opt for the slick finishes (i.e. paying the small charge to ensure you don’t have a VistaPrint logo on the back!) no one will ever know you did it yourself. But if creativity isn’t your strong point, we strongly recommend you source the services of a good designer to help you with your project, as you’ll save time and money in the long run, and you’ll get a better response from your customers and prospects.

3 Longevity – consider the design and information included on the materials. Are you planning a rebrand soon? Might you change offices in the near future? Consider opting for a non-geographic 0845 number for any promotional materials you plan to have around for some time (such as folders which you often have to buy in bulk) so that they don’t need to be scrapped as soon as something changes.

4 Quantity? – do you need that many? We are often tempted to buy in bulk because it seems like the most cost effective option but how many compliments slips, flyers and business cards do you throw away because they’ve become dog-eared and creased or out of date? Consider ordering only what you need, become more eco-friendly and free up some much needed space in your office all at the same time!

BUSINESS SUPPORT

just opt for the cheapest option and make do. Sometimes it’s better just not to do it at all than to do it half heartedly!

TECHNOLOGY Becky Lewis looks at the latest gadgets on the market.

SONY HAS LAUNCHED ITS NEWEST WALKMAN TO THE FLEET THE A845 MODEL The most striking feature is the thickness – at just 7mm thick it brings a whole new dimension to the word ‘thin’.

Postponed from its launch in January, this is a real rival to its iPod competitor. It comes with an ultra sharp 2.8 inch AMOLED screen which delivers amazing contrast, vivid colours and wide viewing angle.

The A845 comes compatible with BBC iPlayer to download all the latest catch-up TV. Sony claims this is currently the first and only UK Personal Media Player to support the higher quality 720×480 iPlayer downloads. If that isn’t enough, you can also directly connect your Sony walkman to your television to watch on the big screen.

Plug in the high quality in-ear headphones, which are fully equipped with S-master amplification, which assures rich, lifelike, ultra low-distortion sound, and you will be free to enjoy perfect sound without any intrusions. Digital noise cancelling cuts out 98% of sound by detecting and filtering out external noise.

There are also three levels at which to enjoy optimised noise reduction, whether you are onboard a plane, bus or train or just in the office. Air travellers can in fact connect directly to the plane’s AV system with the adapter supplied with the walkman to enjoy their in-flight entertainment with digital noise cancelling provided by the walkman.

Fully charged, you get 29 hours of music playback and 9 hours of video playback. It has good ample storage space of 60 gigabytes and with its S-master amplification, you can be sure to get the crisp, clear sound you would expect from Sony. Prices start from around £150.

The newest Sony Walkman is the thinnest on the market

APP OF THE MONTH Out this month, the LG 3D TV is guaranteed to bring the third dimension to television viewing

LG 3D TVS GO ON SALE EARLY TECHNOLOGY

Great news. LG has brought forward the launch of its 3D TV from August to May.

The LG LD950 set comes with HDMI 1.4, which is the new standard that allows inputs from 3D sources such as Blu-ray players. This feature is absent from the currently existing Sky 3D TV, so it is the first of its kind so far.

As the world’s first Full LED 3D TV, the LX9500 uses an innovative backlight structure to deliver spectacular pictures for the ultimate 3D experience. Illuminated by panels of LEDs directly behind the screen (the 55-inch model boasts 1,200 LEDs), the Full LED display provides images of exceptional brightness and clarity for unrivalled picture quality.

In another first for the industry, the LX9500 supports the Multi Picture Format, the 3D picture standard that enables users to create and enjoy 3D content effortlessly. On the LX9500, this means viewers can immediately see images snapped with 3D cameras without having to first convert them on their PCs. The LX9500 employs shutter glasses that add depth by alternately blocking one lens at a time in sync with the screen’s refresh rate. The glasses are comfortable enough to wear for an extended period of time and recharge via USB for up to 40 hours of uninterrupted viewing pleasure.

The set comes with four pairs of glasses included in the price, which is yet to be announced.

MONEY SAVING iPHONE APPS :

SCCOPE2SAVE IPHONE APP PROVIDES INDEPENDENT PRICES AND BARCODE SCANNER

Never pay over the odds again with the new Sccope2save iPhone App from Sccope.

It includes a bar code scanner to check the best price while shopping, comprehensive product search, and provides stock and price drop alerts.

30,000 shoppers have so far invested £1.19 wisely in downloading the app, and are now saving on 500,000 products and four million different price points.

Sccope is handling over 50,000 searches on the iPhone app each week.

Sccope2Save brings prices from the UK’s top 100 retailers (including Amazon, Argos, Comet and John Lewis).

The barcode scanner uses the iPhone’s camera to allow shoppers to scan a barcode on a package while in-store. If no barcode is available shoppers can type in the product name to get price comparisons.

HBIESSENTIAL BOOK CLUB SUMMER READING With summer fast approaching, what better way to unwind and relax and improve your business at the same time than with a good business book! Becky Lewis takes a peek at some of the latest business books to hit the shelves.

VITAL CONVERSATIONS, by Alec Grimsley RRP £12.99, Barnes Holland

In a world where there are so many books, CD sets and seminars on effective communication, why is it that we still avoid those difficult conversations that could make the biggest difference to our organisation, teams and key relationships?

Meet Alec Grimsley, the UK’s difficult conversations coach. Over the last eight years, through extensive research and practical experience in the field, he has cultivated an approach that will enable businesses to take on the most challenging conversations; whether that entails raising a politically sensitive issue in the boardroom, making a colleague redundant, or ending a longstanding personal relationship.

Alec’s philosophy is to coach his clients in making a shift to a mindset that places transparency, integrity and mutual understanding at the heart of their communication, creating more meaningful dialogue and enhanced relationships.

Vital Conversations will give employers and employees the confidence to identify and successfully engage in those conversations that could make the biggest difference to them, their team and potentially their whole organisation.

HOW TO BEAT BEDLAM IN THE BOARDROOM AND BOREDOM IN THE BEDROOM, by Jane Gunn RRP £12.99, Hot Hive

Stress in the British office has soared over the last 12 months due to job insecurity in the recession, and those workplace woes have a serious impact on our personal life according to a leading London mediator.

Jane Gunn, The Corporate Peacemaker, has published her first book, showing how the principles for dealing with conflict can be the same in a large commercial dispute as they are elsewhere.

According to Jane, creating employee spirit helps create an atmosphere of fun, cooperation and company loyalty while lowering absenteeism and turnover, but statistics show that many employees are unhappy. According to statistics from the TUC, six million workers (24 per cent or one in four of the UK workforce) are not satisfied with their job - and almost one in three (30 per cent) do not feel engaged by their employer.

How to Beat Bedlam in the Boardroom and Boredom in the Bedroom seeks to highlight that the same skills and tools can be used to manage conflicts and disputes between individuals, groups of people, organisations and even between nations.

MILLIONAIRE MUMPRENEURS, by Mel McGee £12.99, Harriman House

Having a baby used to spell the end of a woman’s career, but a growing number of mumpreneurs are showing it can be the best time to set up a home-based business. Turning that dream into a reality is now possible with the help of Mumpreneur Coach, Mel McGee. According to Mel, the most significant factor is the desire among women for a better balance between work and family life. Mel launched her social network www.supermummy.com to offer mums across the world help and advice on how to grow an online business, from the comfort of their own home.

In Millionaire Mumpreneurs, the mum of three profiles some of the world’s most successful mumpreneurs, many of whom have made a million online.

£10.99, Ecademy Press

In the past, it has been hard to identify the qualities that distinguish true innovators from the rest of the pack. In this incisive and challenging book, leading executive marketing strategist Mindy Gibbins-Klein presents an exciting, systematic approach to becoming a “REAL Thought Leader” and gaining recognition and credibility.

According to Mindy, now is the time for leaders to rise above their competition and show their true leadership ability, claiming that customers are increasingly demanding that their leaders are visible, vocal and a little vulnerable too!

24 Carat BOLD enables you to discover the 4 key attributes of REAL Thought Leaders, how to become a master of BOLD thought leadership and how to claim your position as the top expert in your field.

Calling Local Business Authors!

Have you recently written a business book that you’d like the team at The Hertfordshire Business Independent to review? Send us a little info, book bio or press release to editor@businessindependent.co.uk.

HBI BOOK CLUB

24 CARAT BOLD, by Mindy Gibbins-Klein

SUCCESS IN THE FACE OF ADVERSITY

Local author, life coach and public speaker Sheila Steptoe reveals how she turned her life around after a series of knock-backs in her 40s Sheila, a lot of your business success has come later in life, but were you always entrepreneurial?

No. My dad was a very successful business man but I was brought up with the notion that girls became secretaries and then got married, raised a family and your husband would provide for you.

It never occurred to our generation to have a long term career and it wasn’t until my children were 10 and 13 that I went back to work part time and always for other people.

You’ve been through quite a rollercoaster in your life from skin cancer to the breakdown of your marriage. What was the biggest turning point in your life?

When I was 45 I went to rock bottom because in less than 2 years both my parents died suddenly and even more devastating was my husband walked out in the middle and I felt so alone as I didn’t have time to grieve 3 deaths. My husband leaving was like the death of a life I had known for 21 happy years. I also became unemployed, had to downsize my house and I really didn’t know how I was going to manage on my own bringing up 2 teenagers, plus my daughter had really gone off the rails which didn’t help!

But I suddenly started a beautiful spiritual journey when I realised that I wasn’t alone any more and it has been (and still is) the most beautiful magical journey anyone can go on. It has brought me serenity, peace, confidence and an inner-knowing that there is far more to life than anyone realises. Confidence and a belief in yourself then come naturally but I have always had a positive attitude which helped me get through life’s ups and downs but this journey gave me a whole new meaning and understanding about life. I like to think this time in my life was my ‘wake up’ call and a real turning point.

I think also when I decided to turn my letter into my book, and the spiritual side of my life gave me the confidence to do this,... that may also have been a huge turning point as I have never looked back since.

What inspired you to write your first book “Before I Get Old and Wrinkly”?

After my parents died I suddenly realised that I didn’t really truly know them as people. They had a life, feelings, emotions and experiences which made them who they were and which in some ways I only knew ‘snippets’ and I didn’t want my children not to know who I was as a person. I had done a lot with my life (like my parents) of which they knew in some way very little. So I decided at the time of my parents’ death to write a letter to my children one day – little realising that 9 years later this letter would turn into a book!

“

After my parents died I suddenly realised that I didn’t really truly know them as people

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”

Tell us about what happened next.

Little did I know then but it was the start of a new career and my book would help so many people! But then I thought was I mad, I hadn’t even written an article let alone a book but suddenly the thoughts I put out to the universe for help came back to me in abundance and synchronicity started to happen. A friend said she would edit it, another friend introduced me to a publishing agent, another friend gave me a fantastic opportunity and offered me a free stand at her Mind Body Soul exhibition – but there was a catch. I had to give a talk. Now I had done teaching at BUPA but only to groups of around 20 people so this was a whole different ball game!

I visualised myself standing at the display, signing copies of my book, smiling and laughing with people; then I visualised myself standing in a seminar room giving my talk. I didn’t concentrate on how many people I would sell or speak to, feeling content to leave that to the universe. I just had to trust that this was all going to work out fine.

And it did as my book launch exceeded my wildest dreams. I sold and signed more than 100 copies. At my talk, it was standing room only; there were approximately 150+ people in the room and they had to turn people away! The applause and the overwhelmingly positive feedback propelled me outside in floods of tears; my nerves had kicked in.

Still, people flooded to my stand, asking for more details, wanting me to give a talk to their group or company. But it didn’t end there.

Unbelievably, the press release that I sent out resulted in the phone ringing. On the first call was a charming lady who casually explained that she hosts an afternoon radio show on my local BBC Radio station; would I be free to come in to have a chat to a few thousand listeners? Then the phone rang again: the local newspaper wanted to do a piece on me. And so it went on.

A couple of weeks later, my publisher asked me to give a talk on marketing at a seminar they were running for new authors, because of the success I was having. I was then handed a business card by a lady sitting in the audience with the words: ‘You have to join the Professional Speakers Association as that was fantastic!’ Hence my new career as a public speaker began and I haven’t looked back.

But it didn’t stop there. I was invited to sit on the sofa of ‘This Morning’ with Fern Britton and Philip Schofield and have done numerous radio interviews since and it has been amazing. I’ve written articles for magazines, run my own workshops, given talks and hopefully inspired others to start doing the things they love in life too.

Do you think age is a barrier to succeeding as a successful businessperson?

That is my passion as I am no different to anyone else and if I can do something like this I hope I can demonstrate that they can too.

If anyone had asked me 10 years ago if I would be doing what I am doing now – I would never have dreamt in a million years that I would be on this fantastic adventure.

I realised that when I give a talk or run a workshop I cannot share all my knowledge in an hour or a day and from the positive feedback so many people want to learn more so I felt the time was right to write another book which is called Master Your Own Destiny. Plus of course people on the other side of the world are often unable to come to one of my workshops but I now hope to turn this book into a Home Study Course and audio book so people can learn in a different way to just reading a book on how to transform their life at their leisure and in their home wherever they are in the world.

What are your Inspired Soul Evenings?

On the 1st Tuesday of every month I organise for a motivational or spiritual speaker to come along to a local venue to give a talk on different various spiritual topics and these are great fun and entertaining. They have been running for nearly a year now and some people come to every event and others pop in when they can or when a subject matter really interests them. We now have between 25-50 people attending each event and they are telling others so the mailing list has now grown to over 200 local people.

Due to their popularity I have been asked to run these at other venues in Essex, Hertfordshire and Suffolk.

No definitely not. I think the most important ingredient you need to succeed is passion, determination and a will to overcome all the odds that may come your way but age is no barrier whatsoever.

Maybe taking risks when you are older can be a bit more frightening but age also brings experience and often people when they get older yearn to do something which has always appealed to them but the time was not right or they were committed to something else. Financially when you have a growing family it can be a difficult time to completely change career as the risks involved could be crippling so waiting till they have grown up and left home is often when people feel the freedom to branch out. I now know many people in their 40s/50s who have taken the plunge in later life and are loving every minute.

What are your plans for the future?

Well on my 60th birthday I flew a light aircraft so who knows what the next 20 years will bring! Personally I want to travel more to see different cultures and experience some of the wonders of the world. As for my business I want to carry on sharing all that I have learnt and experienced with as many people as I can through giving talks and running workshops and hopefully take this worldwide. Plus I hope to turn my book into a Home Study Course which is a completely new venture too. I may be mad but I don’t think the writing has finished as I also have a couple of other book ideas buzzing around in my head which I will bring to fruition when I get some time. I think I may slow down when I get to 80+!

”

www.sheilasteptoe.com

“

...so who knows what the next 20 years will bring!

”

FEATURE : SUCCESS IN THE FACE OF ADVERSITY

“

on my 60th birthday I flew a light aircraft...

STUDENTS LEARN THAT EVERYONE CAN GO FOR GOLD Inspirational 400m runner and gold medal winner, Derek Redmond, was the key-note speaker on motivation, dedication, travel and perseverance to a group of over 150 sports and public services students at North Hertfordshire College’s Hitchin Centre on Wednesday 10th March. The event was supported by Aimhigher Hertfordshire, part of the national Aimhigher programme, which encourages young people with potential, particularly FE college students, to consider higher education as their next step in ‘aiming higher’ in life.

In a career that brought gold medals at World, European and Commonwealth levels, Derek triumphed over bad luck and illness: most famously when his hamstring snapped during the semi-finals of the Barcelona Olympics for which he had been a medal favourite and, with the aid of his father, hobbled the final 250 metres to make modern Olympic history.

Derek illustrated to the Sports, Travel and Public Services Academy students how he overcame massive odds to achieve personal success for himself, his team mates and his country, by combining the forces of commitment, motivation, passion and dedication, and how they can apply these qualities to their studies. He told them: “No matter how meticulous the preparation, life has a habit of delivering the unexpected. When that happens, it is vital to stay focused, adjust objectives and goals as necessary and maintain the drive for success.”

Eugene Matthias, President of the Magic Club of Great Britain, has become a great supporter of Aimhigher Hertfordshire, and was asked to develop a new motivational show for the Eastern Region Partnership; he recognised that Derek’s story fitted the project perfectly. Eugene says: “I am proud to support the project. My trademark approach to education harnesses magic as a vehicle to get different messages across and, I believe, matches precisely with Aimhigher’s values and objectives.”

For more information about Aimhigher and higher education courses at North Hertfordshire College, call 01462 42424 or visit www.nhc.ac.uk

Derek Redmond and students at Aimhigher event

UNIVERSITY STUDENTS PITCH TO JULIE MEYER, BBC’S ONLINE DRAGON Flare, the University of Hertfordshire’s business ideas challenge for aspiring entrepreneurs, has ten outstanding entrants, including individuals and groups of students, alumni and staff, who will be pitching their business ideas to a Dragons’ Den style panel.

Over 144 entries were received for Flare 2010, with an incredible 87 being shortlisted for Round Two. The ten finalists now have the opportunity to pitch their ideas to the judging panel: Julie Meyer, one of the leading champions for entrepreneurship in Europe and a Dragon in BBC’s online Dragons’ Den; Martin Carr, Senior Financial Services Manager at Exemplas; and Adam Titmus, Senior Manager at Deloitte, one of the country’s leading professional services firms.

The University of Hertfordshire is an ambitious, business-facing university and works tirelessly to promote entrepreneurship in all its different forms. The business ideas challenge seeks to encourage students to create unique commercial ideas and to develop business plans to lead to successful ventures.

The prize fund of £25,000 includes cash, office space in a fully furnished incubation centre and consultancy, providing the winners with funding and support to kick-start their businesses.

Nigel Culkin, who is the Director of the Centre for Innovation and Enterprise at the University of Hertfordshire comments: “Our aim is to encourage entrepreneurship as a means of stimulating innovation and enterprise across the university. Flare was launched in 2004 to provide students, staff and alumni with an opportunity to develop and test their idea and to get a taste of the life-world of an entrepreneur. We’re delighted that the number of entries has risen this year; this demonstrates how good ideas often flourish in periods of economic instability. The finalists have shown great entrepreneurial spirit to make it through to this stage, it’s now down to who can hold their nerve for the Dragons’ style pitch on 30th April 2010.”

EDUCATION

REAL TIME INSTANT SURVEY REPORTING SETS NEW CHALLENGE FOR BUSINESSES Businesses looking to gain the upper hand and improve customer satisfaction could be taking too long to implement the changes highlighted in mystery shops and staff surveys.

FEATURE : MYSTERY SHOPPING

The traditional mystery shopper is still one of the most common and effective methods for externally auditing the service delivered by shop floor staff, but it can take several months to commission such a campaign, analyse the results and feed the data back into the organisation. The solution is to adopt real time instant survey reporting, recorded instantly via an 0800 freephone number or by visiting a website using a mobile, PDA, Blackberry or internet browser on a PC and reporting their answers. Such a solution delivers real-time results directly to retailers within seconds of field staff reporting, but surprisingly, it still remains one of the industry’s best-kept secrets.

“Most businesses aren’t aware that real time reporting is accessible to them, not without having to spend huge budgets on creating their own in-house systems. What makes Teletrack so appealing is that it is the only fully hosted reporting system currently available on the market and is designed and maintained specifically for the Field and Market Research sector,” explains Alan Walker, MD of Essexbased market research firm Teletrack.

Described as ‘best in class’, Teletrack’s reporting system was three years in development and is now in its seventh year of live usage. It is a fully hosted project management system, which removes all human error from multiple campaigns and facilitates the planning, organisation, and management of all types of reporting requirements for tactical and campaign-based surveys, mystery shopper, sampling and asset reporting, audits, experiential and SKUs. Businesses can import an existing staff database and enhance it with specific reference to staff skill sets, photos and so on and then assign them to survey projects to complete. Delivery of results is instant and displayed by downloadable spreadsheets or by numerous integration methods that can link Teletrack with the retailer’s own internal databases. The system is also a multilingual, global application with the results being returned in English.

“Customer demands are changing at such pace that any delay in feeding this information back into the organisation could be having a detrimental effect on the customer experience but also on the motivation, morale and wellbeing of their staff, neither of which are good for business when you are trying to come out of a recession. We’ve seen a surge in customers wanting to take up real time surveys because they want to get their hands on the information quickly so that they can start responding to it immediately, strengthen their internal teams and get ahead of their competition,” says Walker.

THE END OF THE CHEQUE? Most business owners view cheques with a mixture of pleasure and despair, as despite meaning you’ve got funds, it plays havoc with cash flow and adds critical days to the availability of cash in the business.

So it is no surprise that an influential committee of MPs met recently to discuss the proposed eradication of the cheque system, following a vote by the Payments Council to abolish the cheque by 2018.

A terminal decline in the use of the cheque was cited as the reason to close the central cheque clearing in eight years time.

But a drop in cheque volumes does not need to spell the end of the cheque. The Payment Council is right to be concerned that the cheque is becoming a financial burden for the banks. However, if you provide economies of scale this does not have to be the case. By using a shared centralised cheque-clearing system it is possible to spread the operational costs, improve efficiency and remove an element of risk, associated with a limited ability to forecast future payment methods.

In fact, increasing numbers of financial institutions are recognising the benefits of a shared cheque-clearing service, including Nationwide Building Society, which successfully migrated its cheque processing function to Intelligent Processing Solutions Limited (iPSL) in 2009.

Equally, many small to medium sized organisations, including schools, charities, contractors and self-employed individuals rely on cheques and several Government institutions, such as HM Revenue & Customs and the Department for Work and Pensions, continue to accept millions of cheque payments each year. The Institute of Fundraising recently announced that small charities and hospices received more than 70% of donations through cheques and reinforces the argument that we do need a viable and secure alternative in its place.

BRADLEY WALSH Watford born and local resident, actor, presenter and comedian Bradley Walsh takes to the stage in his new show “My Wife’s New Shoes Tour”, which stops off in the region in May & June. We recently caught up with him before the tour started to find out what he has been up to and his plans for the future “My Wife’s New Shoes” seems In 2004 you were in panto at the a strange title for a show. How Gordon Craig, Stevenage and I did that come about? heard you had some fun with the weather one particular evening?

Well, it was a flippant comment to my agent when we were trying to think of a name. I said to him, call it “My Wife’s New Shoes” and he took me at my word and here it is on the posters. So a bit of an accident really and I hope my wife does not get to see them!

What is different about this tour?

During February of 2004 the snow came down much like this winter and one evening I had to leave my car about 2 miles from the theatre and walk in. When the show started there were only 30 people in the audience, but by the end of the show 150 people had made it and after the show a few had to camp at the theatre with the ambulance service bringing in blankets.

After the tour what have you got

screens as DS Ronnie Brooks in Law and Order UK. Are there any plans for more episodes?

We are waiting to hear if it is getting a third series. If so, we will start filming in September through to January /February; it takes up to 6 months of the year. We are very hopeful this will happen.

Before you were an entertainer I heard you were a professional footballer. Is that correct?

Yes, I played professional football with Brentford, although I never played in the first team before an injury finished my career.

You can catch Bradley live on stage on Monday 24th May at The Grove Theatre, Dunstable & Friday 25th June at The Gordon Craig Theatre, Stevenage

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OUT OF HOURS

Well, I have not done a stand up show planned? for over 6 years so it will be very different. I have 2 shows coming to ITV, the first on is It will include stories of my time on Corrie, the second series of The Chase, the weekWheel of Fortune and the National day tea-time game show where the conLottery, plus all the normal silly stories. testants must keep one answer in front of the I am really looking forward to it. chaser. I have just finished recording and that goes out mid May. Also I have a You played Danny Baldwin in brand new super-sized entertainment Coronation Street for 2 years. show for Saturday night starting in July called Odd One In, where two teams Why did you decide to leave? of celebrities are bombarded with a I really enjoyed my time on the street. It barrage of hilarious and unusual line-ups was great fun and a great honour but I in the studio. Each line-up contains a person thought after 2 years playing the same with a special skill, an amazing talent, an odd character I had done all I could with talent, an odd job, or an astonishing secret. the role and did not want it to get stale. All our celebrities - who will include Peter I still have a lot of fond memories and Andre, Jason Manford & Lisa Maxwell - have friends from my time in Manchester. to do is guess who is the Odd One In. Also I will be taking part in “Soccer Aid” on 6th We have just seen you on our June at Old Trafford for UNICEF.

THE WINEPRESS

AT THE HARPENDEN HOUSE HOTEL Harpenden House Hotel is a beautiful Grade II listed Georgian town house with a rich history, set in the country market town of Harpenden. Although formerly a ‘school for young ladies’ and then a convent for the Dominican Sisters, it has been a hotel since 1970 and many of the original period features remain, including a large 18th century fireplace in the Welcombe lounge. The hotel has undergone a transformation, with an investment in the last couple of years of over £2 million. The WinePress restaurant, Welcombe lounge and bar areas have all been transformed, which has enhanced their original charm and character, while offering a more modern setting.

Harpenden House Hotel has recently launched the WinePress restaurant. Daniel Galmiche, executive chef of the award winning Vineyard at Stockcross, and consultant chef Billy Ried, have overseen the menus and worked in conjunction with Head Chef Neal Sealey (formerly of Brookmans) and his team of 6 to create a Michelin inspired menu with the ethos of classic British food locally sourced with a twist. I recently went along to try out the lunchtime menu, choosing - from the selection of 7 starters - the Bury black pudding, potato puree and poached egg with a devilled sauce - a truly amazing combination of flavours. This was followed by a slow cooked Hertfordshire belly of pork, topped with apple compote, with sage chips and a selection of seasonal vegetables from the mains and grills section.

The pork was so tender it melted in your mouth. Together with the pork crackling strips, the selection of vegetables included thin slices of squash. All in all a very good meal. As the name suggests, wine also features heavily and there are 40 wines available by the glass which have been handpicked by The Vineyard’s Wine Director.

The WinePress has retained the renaissance style ceiling, paired with stylish soft furnishings which offer a chic yet informal dining experience, proving that hotel restaurants need not be pretentious and stuffy. This is the ideal place not just for residents of this wonderful hotel but for the people of Harpenden and all of Hertfordshire who like a first class meal in great surroundings.

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OUT OF HOURS

• • • •

LIVING THE BRAZILIAN DREAM HOW THE RECESSION LED TWO PROPERTY ENTREPRENEURS TO THE HEART OF THE AMAZON This is an inspirational story about two businessmen from Hertfordshire who, as a result of the economic crisis, went from developing properties in the UK to growing trees in Brazil and is about to build a new village in the middle of the Amazon.”

Five years ago property entrepreneurs Andrew Skeene and Omari Bowers were on top of the world. Riding the wave of economic prosperity, the duo were busy amassing a small fortune in property development and had their sights set on building a small empire. Then the slump came and, like millions of others around the world, they felt the rug being pulled from underneath them.

True entrepreneurs in every sense of the word, Skeene and Bowers were determined not to ‘sink with the ship’ and they spent six months researching other business opportunities and markets, looking for alternatives to property that would offer stability, growth and above all profitability.

It was during this period that they started investigating forestry – an industry which essentially refers to investing in woodland to grow trees for timber.

“What really appealed to us about forestry,” says Skeene, “is many of the skills we’d developed as property developers in the UK were extremely relevant to the industry. For example, when you buy land to grow trees you need to think about things like the quality of the land, the infrastructure and the environment. The other thing that stood out about forestry was the rate of growth of the industry – which overtook the rate of growth of the property market in 2007. Broadly speaking, the industry has grown 10 -20 per cent per annum over the last twenty years.”

“

...within the space of a year we were suddenly immersed in a new industry and were working in a country on the other side of the world

”

“What really appealed to us about forestry,” says Skeene, “is many of the skills we’d developed as property developers in the UK were extremely relevant to the industry. For example, when you buy land to grow trees you need to think about things like the quality of the land, the infrastructure and the environment. The other thing that stood out about forestry was the rate of growth of the industry – which overtook the rate of growth of the property market in 2007.

Broadly speaking, the industry has grown 10 -20 per cent per annum over the last twenty years.”

Having decided that forestry was ‘the last stable’ market the next question that faced Skeene and Bowers was where to invest. After looking at potential markets in India and China they eventually settled on Brazil, largely because of the huge demand for Teak trees – a yellowish brown timber often used in manufacturing outdoor furniture, boat decks and indoor floorings and furnishings. Within a few weeks they flew out to Matto Grosso state in Brazil where they visited several plantations and eventually bought their first 1000 hectares of land – establishing Global Forestry Investments.

“Everything happened so incredibly fast,” says Skeene, “within the space of a year we were suddenly immersed in a new industry and were working in a country on the other side of the world. The most important thing we had to do was set up a company for forestry specialists and experts who fully understood the region, the environment and the politics of the country. We weren’t just buying

land to grow trees, we were going to need to build infrastructure to support the people we employed, forge relationships with the local authorities and ultimately create a community in the heart of the Amazon – obviously this is something we could not do alone.”

Another major issue for Skeene and Bowers was the environment.

Over the past few decades the Brazilian rainforest – or the ‘lungs of the world’ as it is sometimes called – has been a major battleground for environmentalists. From 2000-2005, deforestation saw Brazil lose 7.3 million hectares (equivalent to the net loss of almost 2% of the world’s forests) - an area larger than that of Greece!

It is widely believed that, if deforestation was to wipe out the entire Brazilian rainforest, it would spark changes all over the planet. It would result in huge weather changes around the globe, cause an increase of droughts and deserts, cause massive starvation for many people and we would lose millions of species of plants and

“

On our first visit we saw many areas hit by slash and burn. It is a very real problem and it helped us realise that what we were doing was far more than just a business venture.

”

“

If you’d told us 10 years ago that we would end up doing this I would have called you mad, but now that we are here I couldn’t imagine doing anything else that could be this rewarding

”

www.businessindependent.co.uk

33

FEATURE : LIVING THE BRAZILIAN DREAM

According to Skeene and Bowers one of the main benefits of forestry is it offers a sustainable alternative to more traditional slash and burn agriculture that has caused havoc to the region. While slash and burn techniques may have a long tradition, they are a major cause for deforestation, ruining the fertility of the land.

“On our first visit we saw many areas hit by slash and burn. It is a very real problem and it helped us realise that what we were doing was far more than just a business venture. When we set GFI up we pledged that for every acre of trees we grow for harvesting we would grow an acre for reforestation. Our aim is to grow 14 million trees in the next five years so we very much consider ourselves on the side of the environment.”

The biggest challenge Skeene and Bowers face over the next few years, though, is building a village to house up to 150 people in the Brazilian state of Para where they have bought their latest plantation. They are extremely passionate about this community project and particularly about the new school they are planning to build, which they hope will be the ‘Eton of the Amazon’.

“We really want to make sure that these kids get the best possible education and opportunities in life. It isn’t often you get the opportunity to genuinely help people and this is something we are so excited about. Once the school is up and running we are also planning to build a football academy and a performing arts school – hopefully as GFI grows we can replicate this model across the country.”

“It’s a dream come true,” explains Skeene. “If you’d told us 10 years ago that we would end up doing this I would have called you mad, but now that we are here I couldn’t imagine doing anything else that could be this rewarding.”

For more information go to www.globalforestryinvestments.com

ALL NEW VOLVO S60 WITH ITS INDIVIDUAL STYLE THIS MONTH THE HERTFORDSHIRE BUSINESS INDEPENDENT TAKES A LOOK AT THE ALL NEW VOLVO S60 WITH ITS INDIVIDUAL STYLE AND UNIQUE FEATURES IT REALLY IS ONE OF A KIND. The all new Volvo S60 drives like no other Volvo currently on the market. It handles like no other and is totally unique in performance compared with similar rivals. It features the ‘Pedestrian Detection’ feature, which does exactly what it says on the tin, smooth acceleration with its 3.0 litre turbo engine and is designed to suit its owner, adding that personal touch. That’s not all. If you order it before 30th June 2010, Volvo will throw in an exterior styling kit totally free.

DRIVE

Unveiled at the Geneva motor show in March, this is the long awaited, entirely new dynamic driving experience. Volvo claimed it broke all its own rules when designing this, and so it is nicknamed the ‘naughty’ Volvo.

The steering wheel is sharper but the traction control remains tight, keeping you fully and safely in contact with the road. It also comes with ground-breaking new technology, which helps to prevent the car entering into a rear end shunt and low speed collisions. It can also be fine-tuned to prevent collisions with pedestrians.

Pedestrian Detection consists of a newly developed radar unit integrated into the car’s grille, a camera fitted in front of the interior rearview mirror, and a central control unit. The radar’s task is to detect any object in front of the car and to determine the distance to it. The camera determines what type of object it is. The newly developed dual-mode radar’s much wider field of vision ensures that pedestrians about to step into the roadway can be detected early on. The camera has higher resolution than the previous-generation auto brake which makes it possible to detect the pedestrian’s pattern of movement.

It is hard to compete with, as it boasts the newest in technology, a modern stylish design and innovative characteristics. It is perfect for the city driver as well as the motorway commuter, as its safety features leave little to the imagination.

The all-new S60 range will be available from launch with a choice of two diesels and one petrol engine, including an updated highperformance 3.0-litre T6 petrol version with 304bhp, a 2.4-litre 205bhp D5 and a 2.0-litre 163bhp D3 powerplant. A Drive version powered by a 1.6-litre diesel engine with CO2 emissions of approximately 115g/km and fuel economy of up to 65.7mpg will join the range later in 2011.

The high-performance twin turbo D5 produces 205 horsepower and does 0-60 in 7.8 seconds.

It reaches top speeds of over 140mph, and will deliver around 50 miles to the gallon.

The Volvo S60 is available to order now, and if you order before the 30th June, you will get the exterior styling kit added for free. The kit really adds to the car’s wow factor, with striking elements including front and rear skid plates, side scuff plates and rectangular endpipes.

NETWORKING WHY CONNECTING IS NOT ENOUGH

TEN TENTIPS TIPSTO TOGET GETYOUR YOURREFERRAL REFERRALMESSAGE MESSAGEACROSS ACROSS(PART (PARTTWO] ONE)

In last month’s first five tips we looked at the importance of knowing exactly the help you need when asking your network for referrals, and how to make specific requests that people respond to. The type of information you share, the language you use and your consistency are also key, as we now go on to explore..

BY ANDY LOPATA TIP NUMBER SIX : Keep it simple

People so often succumb to the temptation to load their champions with information to help them refer us. We want them to recognise every possible opportunity and answer every objection we can see coming.

Remember two things. First of all, they are simply our gatekeepers, making the introduction. They are not there to sell for us. Secondly, the more you give people to remember, the more they have to forget.

Try using ‘The Twitter Measure’. Put your message into 140 characters. Edit, edit and edit some more. Does it still make sense? Could someone understand who you want to talk to and why?

TIP NUMBER SEVEN : People love a story

Once you have worked out what your message is and the key information people need to understand, make it easier for them to do so by wrapping it up in a story. Case studies bring ideas to life and also add credibility to your request, proving you’ve solved similar problems successfully in the past and it’s not just an idea or concept.

Case studies also help people understand how to recognise a prospect and how you work with them to overcome their challenges and put the theory into context. Not only that but they are memorable and more easily recalled and repeated.

TIP NUMBER EIGHT : Avoid jargon

This is the trap that we can all easily fall into. It’s all so easy to lapse into words, phrases and references that we understand as part of our everyday language but which make no sense to people from outside our industry.

Do you know what terms you use that are jargon for someone else? Take the ‘Ten Year Old Test’. Tell a ten year old child what you do and then ask them to explain it back to you. Finding out how much they have been able to understand and relate back will give you a good indication of how well you are getting your message across.

TIP NUMBER NINE : Help people learn over time

TIP NUMBER TEN : Manage how you are perceived

Help people to refer you by managing your reputation effectively. We often talk about ‘it’s not what you know but who you know’. But I would argue that it’s far more important to be aware of who knows you and what they say about you.

What do you want people to say about you? We started off by looking at knowing who you would most like to be introduced to. It’s also vital that you understand what your general message and image should be. Focus on who you want people to be talking to about you, what you want them to be saying and how you can build the right public image.

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. www.businessindependent.co.uk

35

NETWORKING & EVENTS

As we’ve already discussed in a couple of these tips, you don’t have to get everything across in one go. If you have someone who wants to refer you and has ample opportunity to do so, you’ll have plenty of time to educate them and help them to see a host of possibilities.

The fear of missing out on opportunities can lead to us trying to get across all of our products, services and prospects at the same time.

However, focus on one request at a time and let people build up their understanding of how to help you gradually. Each individual request you make and referral they pass will build their knowledge.

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MODELS FEATURED ARE A MERCEDES-BENZ E 220 CDI BLUEEFFICIENCY SPORT SALOON AT £33,520 ON THE ROAD INCLUDING OPTIONAL METALLIC PAINT AT £630, A MERCEDES-BENZ E 250 CDI BLUEEFFICIENCY COUPÉ SPORT AT £36,555 ON THE ROAD INCLUDING OPTIONAL PANORAMIC SUNROOF AT £1,315 AND DIAMOND WHITE METALLIC PAINT AT £1,080, A MERCEDES-BENZ E 350 CGI AVANTGARDE ESTATE AT £41,040 ON THE ROAD INCLUDING OPTIONAL METALLIC PAINT AT £630 AND PRIVACY GLASS AT £350 AND A MERCEDES-BENZ E 350 CGI BLUEEFFICIENCY SE CABRIOLET WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION AT £42,430 ON THE ROAD INCLUDING OPTIONAL METALLIC PAINT AT £630 AND 18" ALLOY WHEELS AT £1,000 (ON THE ROAD PRICE INCLUDES VAT, DELIVERY, 12 MONTHS’ ROAD FUND LICENCE, NUMBER PLATES, FIRST REGISTRATION FEE AND FUEL). †BENEFIT IN KIND TAXATION. *FOR BUSINESS USERS ONLY (LIMITED COMPANIES AND PARTNERSHIPS WITH MORE THAN 4 PARTNERS). ALL PAYMENTS SUBJECT TO VAT: EXAMPLE BASED ON A MERCEDES-BENZ E 220 CDI BLUEEFFICIENCY SPORT SALOON ON A 36 MONTH OPERATING LEASE SCHEME, PROVIDED BY MERCEDES-BENZ FINANCIAL SERVICES UK LIMITED, MK7 8ND. BASED ON 10,000 MILES PER ANNUM. EXCESS MILEAGE CHARGES MAY APPLY. WRITTEN QUOTATIONS AVAILABLE ON REQUEST. CREDIT PROVIDED SUBJECT TO STATUS. GUARANTEES AND INDEMNITIES MAY BE REQUIRED. THIS FINANCE CAMPAIGN IS AVAILABLE ON SELECTED E-CLASS SALOON MODELS EXCLUDING AMG AND SPECIAL REQUEST ENGINES REGISTERED BETWEEN 1ST APRIL AND 30TH JUNE 2010. OFFER CANNOT BE USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH ANY OTHER PUBLISHED OFFER FROM THE RETAILER. TERMS AND CONDITIONS APPLY. PRICES CORRECT AT TIME OF GOING TO PRESS (04/10).