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The Sky’s the Limit for London Diners London is home to plenty of restaurants in unusual settings, but it’s now home to Europe’s highest eatery, thanks to helicopter charter company Charter-A Ltd . The restaurant experience, set aboard an Augusta AW109, will fly at an altitude of 1,000ft above London’s streets, almost double the next highest, The City's Duck and Waffle. Diners will be able to choose from a comprehensive menu from popular restaurants including Five Guys, Wagamama, Chipotle, BabaBoom and Joe Public. The venture is being sponsored by Deliveroo, whose distinctive colours decorate the exterior of the vehicle. In
an unusual move, the Civil Aviation Authority has permitted that the helicopter’s registration be removed, so that the sponsor’s branding is as visible as possible. Charter-A Ltd's owner, Mark Zaiger, was quick to praise Deliveroo. "From the moment they first approached us, Deliveroo have been amazing to work with," he said. "They are a young team and incredibly creative, and it has been fascinating to see the campaign from first thoughts to flight. "We can now add Deliveroo to a strong list of successful corporate partnerships that also includes Nike and the National Lottery. We
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have seen a big increase in business enquiries as people's taste for never-forget experiences continues to grow, and we look forward to announcing new tie-ups soon."
“I’m actually not even sure why I signed up for this,” said NHS worker Kimberly Allain. “I hate heights! But I love food and it was something I will never forget.”
Deliveroo’s Joe Groves was quick to agree: “At Deliveroo we want to bring amazing and memorable food experiences to our customers, wherever they are – be that a local park, office, the comfort of your home or 1,000ft in the air.”
Sarah Cox, a TFL worker from New Cross, was equally bowled over. “Flying past The Shard eating tacos is one of the most memorable meals and experiences of my life. I’ve never flown in a helicopter before, and to do this over my lunch break has completely changed my week and my life. I hope it happens more – it’s a great thing for our city.”
If initial sales are any measure, then the venture has struck a chord with Londoners. The first day of flights quickly sold out, and those lucky enough to secure tickets were impressed – even those who were initially apprehensive.
Given Roocopter's warm welcome with London diners, it is hoped that this unique dining experience will take off in other UK cities then further afield.
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The Best Cities to Start a Business in the UK Many people dream of having their own
Who are the people involved? You must be
business for different reasons. Most people
able to list down the owners, target
seek freedom and work-life balance; some
audience or customers, possible
follow their passion and turn their hobbies
competitors and other major personnel.
into business ideas; while others want to
What are your main goals? You must know
take risks and build a legacy through
the things you want to achieve in your
business. Whatever reason you may have in
business - from the products and services
mind in desiring to have your business, it is
you wish to offer up to the kind of structure
important to take note of the factors to
you want to build.
consider in putting up a business.
When do you want to reach a specific goal?
For you to come up with a good business
Constructing a timetable is crucial,
plan, you need to answer the five W's:
especially when you are working with a
Who? What? When? Why? Where?
team. This will help you determine whether
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everyone can accomplish the tasks given to them. Why do you want to put up this kind of
Choosing the Best Location for Business
business? Knowing your deepest why’s will
Unless you are aiming to start an online
keep you motivated in reaching your goals
business or can provide an all-around
and identifying the benefits you and your
service to any customer, choosing a
customers will be able to gain.
location won't be a big deal. Aside from
Where are the best cities to start a business? This question is often the most neglected. However, looking for the best place and knowing where the new
understanding your business type and its specific needs, there are other factors to check in selecting the best location for your business:
opportunities are located is another
Traffic and accessibility - This is one
significant thing for a business’ success.
significant factor to consider whether you have a service-based business or not. There
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are two types of people who will get
other costs per location, such as the
affected by this: your customers and your
utilities and the average pay for workers.
employees. When customers come to visit
Proximity to suppliers and other business
your place, make sure that the location you
resources - If your business will need
choose will have enough parking spaces. A
resources from other companies, it's
parking shortage can keep people from
essential to look over nearby suppliers.
coming back to your business. Also, take
Aside from speeding up the conversion of
into consideration your employees and
raw materials into goods and services,
make sure to check public transport routes
supporting other local businesses will help
near your prospected location.
in the growth of the economy.
Competition - This will depend on the type of industry your business belongs to. If you're planning to put up an internet-based business, having other offices with the same industry as yours won't really matter. However, if you're offering products and services, you may first want to analyze the market share and your possible competitors nearby. If you see that there are several
Top 10 Cities to Start a Business in UK Know Your Money, one of the UK’s leading
independent financial comparison websites, recently conducted research to find out which UK cities are best to start a business outside of the capital.
other businesses like yours, you may not
The top ten cities include:
want to exhaust the place unless you have
1. Birmingham
something else to offer that competitors do
2. Sheffield
not have. On the other hand, it is also not advisable to put up a business with zero
3. Glasgow
competition.
4. Leeds
Location costs - Research the average rates
5. Coventry
on commercial properties. There are some
6. Edinburgh
areas where the government offers funding on businesses in specific industries. Also, check out other costs and requirements
7. Nottingham 8. Bristol
needed to put up your business. You
9. Leicester
wouldn't want to put half of your funds just
10. Brighton
into the office space rent, right? Compute
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Rankings were based on the following key
Brighton, making it to the tenth place, was
stats: the business survival rate, active
considered to be one of the best cities to
business population, commercial property
start a business in the UK because of its
rent (per sq ft), cost of one-bed apartment
transport connections to London and
(per month), population estimate, weekly
Gatwick airport.
pay for workers (gross per week), number
Overall, picking the most cost-effective
of local universities, and the talent base of
place for your business will always be based
adults with NVQ level 4 and above
on the specific goals and needs of your
qualifications. The research also measured
business. While these rankings will be an
the future growth of business in each city in
excellent guide for you to decide the best
the next five to ten years.
location for your business, having your own
Birmingham was considered to be the best
set of criteria and comparing it according to
city in the UK to start a business because of
their stats will always be advisable.
the large number of the business
population. It also has a talent base of 241,900 adults qualified for NVQ level 4 and above, according to the research.
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The Technological Advantage of a Business in the North West Is the North West the new London?
business to the North West. If you're
Admittedly, for many business owners, even
already based there, you can probably
raising that question could seem like a step
easily attest to the following strengths of
too far. After all, in 2017, London's cluster of
the region...
digital tech businesses amassed a turnover
AN EMERGING POWERHOUSE OF
of ÂŁ64.1 billion, more than any other UK cluster, The Guardian acknowledges.
DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY
However, if your business relies heavily on
In the technology stakes, the North West is
technological resources or you anticipate it
increasingly rivalling London. Just last year,
soon doing so, there remain strong
BusinessCloud reported eye-opening
incentives to consider relocating that
findings of Deloitte's TMT Leaders Panel
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survey, including that 58% of the region's industry leaders deemed their firms advantaged by their location.
IT'S NOT JUST CURRENT TECHNOLOGY EXERTING A
That was in comparison to London, with
POWERFUL EFFECT
17% of respondents even expressing their
North West businesses don't just have to
belief that London offered no advantages
rely on the region's existing technological
over the North West. The North West has
resources to get ahead, as the bread and
stood the test of time as a business
butter of corporate success are also in
location, too; nearly 60% of the survey
place.
respondents said that the region had given them an ecosystem conducive to their company's growth over the previous five years.
Vimla Appadoo, service designer at FutureGov and one of the corporate speakers at a Liverpool-based roundtable arranged by The Guardian, explained that,
"Over the last decade, technology, media
as northern towns and cities are relatively
and telecommunications in the North West
small, "you can know all the startups and
have gone from strength to strength," Claire
all the founders, and what the events are -
Jolly, head of TMT at Deloitte in the North
and you can get involved."
West, commented. "MediaCityUK is now firmly established as the media hub of the North, while tech giants sit side by side with social disruptors, global cyber security companies and cloud specialists."
The future is looking bright for the North West business scene, too. Only last year, ÂŁ20 million of investment from the UK Government was announced for the Made Smarter pilot scheme intended to spur
It's not hard to see glowing examples of the
increased growth and productivity in the
hi-tech resources which North West
North West.
companies have at their ready disposal. For example, The Loop Manchester, run by
This pilot was aimed at assisting as many
national telecoms giant Gamma, offers high
as 3,000 small and medium-sized
-speed business internet, dark fibre and P2P
manufacturers in increasing their
Ethernet over a fibre optic network
competitiveness through expanding their
spanning over 170km, from which
uptake of digital technology for use in
Manchester employers can speedily
manufacturing and supply chains. It all
communicate with the rest of the UK.
suggests that there might not be a better time for a business to be in the North West.
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Getting Visible The Importance of the Personal We’ve probably all been guilty of shrinking into the background when it comes to promoting our business. Surely our business and results should speak for themselves, right? Sometimes, that’s enough, but less so in today’s digitally exposing age.
Visibility is the foundation on which all promotion sits, and it is becoming an ever bigger aspect of how we promote and grow our businesses in the social media
age of networking and transparency. The importance of having a ‘personal brand’ is now ever increasing. You are your business. You are a personal brand. You are the expert in your field. You are someone who offers knowledge abound. You are your own USP. Have you ever thought of yourself in those terms? This is the truth of visibility; understanding the power of you and your personal brand. You and your business
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are intrinsically linked and by making yourself visible, you will drive interest to your business. You’ve probably heard the phrase, ‘people buy from people’, and this is ever more relevant as business owners are positioning themselves within the spaces that the media and the digital world are providing in front of their target audiences. Customers are targeted by an increasing array of influences when making the decision of where to spend their money. Each of these influences could be another incentive to purchase, another way to convert someone from follower to fan, from observer to loyal customer. With so much value in these routes to our target audience, how do we build our presence in the most effective way? We get personal in order to get visible. For too many businesses, promotion is an
afterthought; a panic reflex when sales aren’t as strong as hoped, rather than a considered part of business development. Even for those businesses within which promotion is valued, the personal element too rarely comes into play as part of the programme of outreach. How can we remedy this? First up, get some great branding photography done; photography that suits your style and personality, allowing you to show your authentic self in business. This photography can then be used across all promotional avenues and instantly puts a face to the name, breaking down barriers for your audience. Speak your expertise and knowledge through any and every platform available to you. Use social media and your blog to share value and welcome followers into your space, fostering interest, engagement and eventually sales. Share your news with your local media and give yourself and
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your business a voice. Get networking and connecting with others in your industry and like-minded brands. Take any opportunity to present to an audience to communicate your strengths and expertise whether at a networking event or a trade conference. Look for industry media where you can share your experience and knowledge with the aims of positioning yourself as a thought leader in your field. There are so many more routes to visibility in addition to these; guest blogging, podcasting or guesting on a podcast, broadcast media, social media advertising, email marketing, the list goes on. The fact is that you have to be prepared, and willing, to be at the helm of driving your business forward.
Getting yourself visible allows people to become drawn to your knowledge, and ultimately your knowledge is the basis of your business success, so let your voice do the talking and make your business stand out. The more that you are seen to be sharing value and insight, the more trust you build with your audience and trust is most easily built when an audience feels that they are connecting with an authentic and open figurehead of the brand, especially in the service sector. Let’s balance the technological overload by getting back to the personal, the art of listening, commanding a room, sharing expertise in a genuine and authentic way and showing the human face to your business. Fiona Minett, Boss Your PR, www.bossyourpr.com
Fiona is a consumer PR expert who spent six years at the helm of her own boutique agency, specialising in working with small businesses and startups. Believing that PR should be accessible to all businesses, she is passionate about working with solo entrepreneurs, startups and small businesses. Having generated front pages and coverage with the likes of House Beautiful, ELLE Decoration, The Telegraph, VOGUE, The Sunday Times and The Observer, as well as countless celebrity, blogger and influencer placements, Fiona now works to empower those in business to share their voice and uplevel their businesses through effective PR. Facebook | Instagram
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Business is Like Warfare: Plan, Execute and Review Malik Muhammad Business is often compared to warfare and this may explain the popularity of Sun Tzu’s ‘The Art of War’ on the reading list of the average student pursuing a master’s in business administration. Not only MBA students but business executives, persons interested in personal development, elite athletes and experts of military strategy. The popularity of such a classic text speaks to the wider point of studying successful efforts of the past to refine your present and influence your future.
The clear vision of your business is only executed through equally concise and well thought out plans. There is always room for creativity, intuition and style. This should not replace strategy, processes or methodologies. The culture within your company, irrespective of your size, will allow for diversity of thought and inclusion of other perspectives. There simply needs to be ‘a way things are done’ in your company. Some default level of order when unexpected challenges arise.
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Systems that work no matter who is in the position. Let’s refer to the industry of high ticket closing for an example. The art of getting people to pay for a relatively expensive product or service must be elevated to a science for this to be done consistently. A science in that it is done in a specific manner to get a guaranteed result. Requests are clearly answered, concerns are pre-empted and resolved before the client even thinks of them and the value added to your life as a result of investing in this product or service is always emphasized. Cost then becomes a relative concept and is no longer the main focus of the conversation. This results in another high-ticket closure. Most people given the right training will achieve the intended results based on the systems and processes that support them. The individual succeeds due to the clarity of the process. Strategies simplify success. Please look at an ‘average’ day in your business to see how your systems, strategies and methodologies are working for you.
Your early morning rituals set the tone of your day and this tone impacts the culture of your business environment e.g. DVF, Tesla and Dusko Poppington are primarily reflections of Dianne Von Furstenberg, Elon Musk and Dame Dash respectively. Revisit the vision for your business to see whether your current functionality is aligned with the original vision. Assess your staff because you are only as good as your team. Review the efficiency of your customer service procedures. Check the numbers i.e. periodic returns, weekly sales, unit costs, written customer complaints, credit facilities etc. Continue to implement strategic thinking as your business grows. Business is like warfare which means you aim for victory with the least amount of collateral damage and live to fight another day. Plan, execute and review. Create systems that strengthen the internal structure of your business because they fortify the longevity of your brand in this rapidly changing and often hostile business environment.
About the Author Malik Muhammad was raised and educated in Jamaica, read law in London and the author of ‘Empower Yourself to Succeed’. He created The Empowerment Mastery System to influence, help and inspire businesses to cultivate their visions in a specific time frame. Malik enjoys vegan cooking and quad biking. He is an after-dinner speaker, event host and convenes empowerment seminars internationally. LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter | Website
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Why Adding a Local Number to Your Business can Mean Peace of Mind for Customers
According to a recent survey, 60% of customers prefer to contact small businesses using the telephone. This proves the importance of having a telephone number that your customers feel comfortable calling, and often nongeographic numbers like 0845 or 0345 can create a sense of unease, particularly with an older demographic who may be unfamiliar with calling different phone prefixes. Ofcom recently found that older generations have a much stronger understanding of area codes and appreciate their geographic significance.
By contrast, toll-free numbers don’t cost anything for your customer to dial, but they are formatted differently as compared to local numbers. Local numbers are associated with a physical location and are
generally provided with your landline service if you open an office, warehouse, or shop, within a particular area. You can, however, purchase a virtual local number. Let’s look at the benefits of adding a local number to your business, and why local numbers give customers peace of mind:
Advertise a local business anywhere in the UK You can advertise your business as ‘local’ regardless of where your business is based by using a virtual local number. You can get a local area phone number very cost effectively, and they can make a big difference to your business and your customers. You may want your national business to appear local everywhere, or
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you might want your small business to expand its presence into a nearby major city. For example, if you’re self-employed in rural Manchester but you’re not attracting inner city customers, a virtual local number for Manchester could improve your visibility. Most importantly, local numbers add a level of trust for the customer.
Opportunity for company expansion If your business has more than one base of operations, it’s wise to have more than one local number to suit this. This means that you can keep your departments and locations separate, whilst still keeping up the appearance of a local, friendly and small -town service. Customers like the idea of supporting a local business, whereas a nongeographic number can give the impression of a huge, robotic corporation. Even if your business is growing, keep your local numbers for maximum accessibility.
Cheap or free for you With local numbers, the costs involved are a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it’s free for your company to receive business calls. On the other, some mobile service providers charge their customers to call local numbers. However, most customers will overlook, or perhaps not even notice, the small charge if it means they are given peace of mind by dealing with a local company.
Use a virtual number for better customer service Even if you have a local number, it pays to add a range of service-enhancing features. Add a virtual switchboard which offers callers redirection options, or a diversion plan which redirects their call to a secondary number if the main line is busy. With a virtual, local number, you should never miss a customer’s call.
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Why it’s Important to Time Your Exit Properly When Selling a Business As you prepare to sell your company, you should also begin planning your exit in order to smooth the transition of your company. In order to successfully exit, you must possess a well-constructed plan in order to attract buyers. Further, it is essential to time your exit properly when selling your business in order to ensure a quick and easy transition to new ownership. By identifying the perfect timing for exiting your business, you can maximize you profits while enjoying a quick sale.
Retain Your Reason for Exiting While preparing to exit, you should take time to understand why you are exiting. For example, maybe there are people, events, or activities that you are passionate about and want to devote more time to. Likewise, if you are pursuing retirement, you may have a certain time of the year in mind to exit. Regardless of your reason, you must establish why you want to sell your business and then discern the timeline for exiting. If you
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leave too early or wait too long, you may be making unnecessary sacrifices that could have been avoided.
Ensure You Maintain the Valuation of Your Business Similarly, as you craft your exit plan, you should determine and then maintain the value of your business. Once you have aligned both your personal and professional valuation of your business, then you may want to pursue a sale. If you wait too long, then either your company or the entire industry could experience economic downturns, resulting in a lower valuation. Once you have achieved the valuation that you hoped for, you will not want to waste time as this will leave money on the table.
Discuss Ways to Play a Part in Your Company After the Sale After selling their company, many entrepreneurs maintain a role in the business they helped create. If you want to stay with the company post-sale, you should establish a timeline and plan that will lay out your responsibilities and how long you will perform them. Whether you help new management transition into leadership roles or continue creating new products, clear communication is essential in helping you pursue other passions. Ultimately, you should determine what you hope to achieve after the sale has
been completed and determine whether you want to walk away.
Have Set Goals for the Sale Finally, you should clearly understand the goals you want to pursue with the sale. Whether you want to pursue a role in the company, retirement, maximize your profits, or sell quickly, you should clearly lay out what is essential for you to achieve. As with anything, no single, generic approach will work for selling your business. Instead, you need to identify as well as prioritize your needs while determining the processes necessary for gaining them. Overall, by spending time creating an exit plan and various transition strategies, you can ensure a successful, smooth sale of your business. Plan out the precise timing of your exit early on and you can avoid unexpected, costly delays.
About the Author Marla DiCarlo is an accomplished business consultant with more than 28 years of professional accounting experience. As co-owner and CEO of Raincatcher, she helps business owners learn how to sell a business so they can get paid the maximum value for their company.
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