CI Magazine - September/October 21

PLUS

FINA NCES Money talk and pension tips from experts S E P T / OCT 2 0 2 1 I S S UE N O. 16 F R EE

M AGIC Harvesting, how to tap into psychic powers

ZAN N A VAN DI J K F OU N DE R

NATALIE GL AZE

F O U N D ER

We talk to STAY WILD about how they are...

S TAY I N G

S U S TA I N A B L E

FOREWORD

EDITORS NOTES

Lessons from 8 Years of Coaching Other People Recently I realised that I’ve been coaching and consulting for over eight years. It’s been a long time me listening to my clients, our collective members, celebrating their successes, and giving advice.

I love it, and it is the one part of my work I will never be tired of.

I have experienced many benefits from a personal development perspective and also from a human side, growing as a person. I was not expecting how connecting and coaching hundreds of people in the past eight years has taught me about becoming a better advisor.

people I talked to. Another lesson I learned is to cherish the negative space. Negative space allows us to recognise the feelings and patterns people manifest without them even telling us.

“Listen without withholding judgement is a crucial part of becoming better advisors”

I learned pretty early that given advice is an art and one you need to cultivate. I learned how to get comfortable listening to people when giving them advice, and space to reflect has allowed me to become better at it.

If we are not careful, helping others can quickly become an ego-booster instead of a selfless act. Yet, there are ways we can step away from our expectations and be more open to understanding others. One of the qualities that I thought would be most annoying about myself is my innate curiosity, which can make you better at giving advice.

It pushed me to become inquisitive and get to the bottom of things. As I wanted to know more, I explored and examined answers from people when asking them a question. By being a better investigator, I could get more context and more honest answers from the

FAB’S FAVES AWARDS 2021 Our shortlisted are out!

Vote for your favourites on our website.

SEPTEMBER VIBES Partly because it is my birthday month, but I also love the Autumn transition.

NATIONAL TRUST The best investment to travel locally in the UK. Check my Insta for adventure inspiration.

Getting comfortable with silence can help us understand how people fill a blank. For some people, sharing helps to let go of the pain. For others, they are talking to someone else drives self-reflection. The moment they share their own story out loud, they realise what’s happening.

Giving advice is more about them than it is about you. If you feel the need to offer advice, ask the person in front of you, “Do you want some ideas to improve the situation?”

Give them the option to say no, and they’ll likely give you more attention when they’ve agreed to take your help. When we want to feel ‘useful’, we go back to that idea of wanting to fill ‘blank’ spaces. When we listen for a sense of connection instead of thinking about “what should I say next” or “what can I add to this conversation”, we do it without looking to add anything to the conversation, which is where the magic will happen. As the year is coming to an end faster than I can say “supercalifragalistexpialadocus”, now more than ever is a great time take stock of how we can be of service for ourselves and others.

FAB GIOVANET TI Editor in Chief

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EDITORIAL Editor-in-Chief: Fab Giovanetti Contribution: Editor Amy Lanza Sponsorships: Chanelle Allen

CONTRIBUTORS Columnist: Joanna Konstantopoulou, Charlotte Willis; Hannah Wallace Special thanks to: Bella Younger, Sara Saad, Sarah Ellis, Eleanor Coales, Bethan Taylor-Swaine, Selina Flavius, Melinda Salisbury, Dr Easkey Britton,

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LIMITED STOCK AVAIL ABLE

CONTENTS

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IN THIS ISSUE S U S TA I N A B L E | S E P T E M B E R / O C T O B E R 2 0 2 1 | I S S U E N O . 1 6

ESSENTIALS

F E AT U R E S

WELLBEING

03 Editor’s note

16 Stay Wild

66 Creative Impact top picks

05 Contents

28 Embrace your squiggle

68 The Way Back

06 Good news

32 Awards shortlist

72 Bookshelf

10 Monthly calendars

41 An accidental influencer

74 Find your blue heritage

32

76 Hannah Wallace column

13 Mission statement 14 Charlotte Sophie column

78 Uri’s Psychic powers

26 Expert profile

80 Improving your sleep

38 Behind the content

82 Psychologist Corner

44 Founder series

84 Life without rules FOODIE

PRO SECTION

13

50 Let’s talk about money

88

54 Monetise your content

93 Recipes

58 Save mindfully

96 Under the microscope

61 Financial wellbeing

100 Community & Food

Eat well and save money

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NEWS IN THE NEWS

Good

As we are consuming news more than ever, we thought we’d bring you our very own roundup of happy news.

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SUSTAINABLE DOCUMENTARIES MAKING CHANGE TV & FILM | GLOBAL

Sustainability is a bit of a buzzword right now, and for good reason. We can all play our role in making the world a better place to live in and it’s no surprise that the popularity of sustainability documentaries has increased dramatically. A few firm favourites include David Attenborough’s A Life On Our Planet, Leonardo DiCaprio’s Before The Flood and Zac Efron’s Down To Earth all of which appeal to a large audience and highlight the small ways we can make a difference.

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IN THE NEWS

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3

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THE RISE OF CARGO BIKES TO REDUCE CO2 TRAVEL | EUROPE

A new report by the cargo bike delivery company Pedal Me revealed that the popularity of cargo bikes are on the rise as an environmentally friendly way to transport goods around busy cities. It is reported that cargo bikes are much quicker, deliver goods 60% faster than vans in Central London and produce 90% fewer emissions. “Recent estimates from Europe suggest that up to 51 per cent of all freight journeys in cities could be replaced by cargo bike,” said Ersilia Verlinghieri, lead author of the report.

TRAINHUGGER TRAVEL TRAVEL | UK

Trainhugger is a brand new way to catch a train in the UK. The train ticketing startup offers an even more green incentive to ditch the car and travel by rail as for each journey booked through the business, they will plant a tree. “The investment in nature comes at zero cost to the passenger: tickets cost the same as via their competitors,” Trainhugger says. For the moment, tickets have to be booked via the Trainhugger website although the company revealed that an app is coming soon.

EDIBLE PLASTIC TO FIGHT AGAINST SINGLE USE ENVIRONMENT | EUROPE

German startup, Traceless, is a female-led firm with a passion for creating a circular economy. Their edible alternative to plastic recently won the Green Alley Award as one of a number of viable alternatives to single-use packaging.

They have devised a way to turn agricultural waste into a rage of “plastic” films, coatings and materials and since they are 100& plant residue, they are fully compostable, taking 2-9 weeks to break down. While they are safe to eat, they are more designed to be safe to be eaten by animals if waste ends up in the oceans or in the environment.

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BIG CATS ARE MAKING A COMEBACK ANIMALS | GLOBAL

In just two decades, an Indian national park reported that its tiger population has bounced back from zero to 48 tigers after being destroyed by poachers. The Assam’s Manas National Park revealed that their ongoing conservation efforts are making a world of difference and Amal Chandra Sarmah, field director at Manas Tiger Project, told the Hindustan Times. “We have already surpassed the World Wildlife Foundation (WWF) and Global Tiger Forum’s goal of doubling tiger numbers by 2022.” Fortunately, Assam isn’t alone as Nepal is also on track to double its tiger population with numbers also rising or remaining stable in China, Russia and Bhutan.

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LAB-GROWN MEAT IS THIS THE FUTURE? FOOD | ISRAEL

Future Meat Technologies (FMT) is a lab-grown meat company that has recently just set up the world’s first factory of its kind in Israel. The company claim to be able to produce up to 500kg of cultured chicken, pork and lamb at the factory per day – equivalent to around 5,000 burgers, while generating 80 per cent fewer greenhouse gas emissions, and using 96 per cent less water, than traditional meat producers.

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ESSENTIALS

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THE BIGGEST REWILDING PROJECT IN THE UK NATURE | UK

Initiated by the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust in the Yorkshire Dales, three thousand acres of heavily grazed hills are to be transformed into a biodiverse ecosystem, where red squirrels, black grouse and cuckoos can thrive. The latest rewilding project called Wild Ingleborough, will see the restoration of depleted peatlands and the expansion of native woodland, both of which act as carbon sinks.

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ESSENTIALS

SEPTEMBER09 21 01, 02, 03, 04, 05

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17, 18, 19, 20

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21st September

DAY OF PEACE Spread good vibes and peaceful intentions today to make the world a kinder and more loving place to live.

6th September

READ A BOOK DAY Check out our book corner to find your next favourite book to enjoy this book day!

7th September

YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH DAY

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8th September

STAR TREK DAY Star Trek fans can rejoice as today is for you to celebrate together. Long live and prosper.

09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15

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16th September, 5pm

CREATIVE IMPACT JUDGE IG LIVE WITH KATE STANFORTH Meet our amazing 2021 Creative Impact awards judge Kate Stanforth. Kate was a winner of our 2020 edition, and is coming back this year to inspire us with her story.

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24, 25, 26, 27

23rd September, 5pm

CREATIVE IMPACT JUDGE IG LIVE WITH EMMA MUMFORD We get up close and personal with 2021 Creative Impact awards judge Emma Mumford, exploring her definition of success, favourite tools and much more.

Get to know the people behind our 2021 awards edition.

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28th September, 6pm

HAPPY HOUR WITH CALENO DRINKS It’s time to network and mingle with a special event in collaboration with Caleno drinks. Join us for a fun happy hour session, meet like-minded conscious experts and creatives : Each ticket includes a special delivery of Caleno goodies

29, 30

30th September

PODCAST DAY We love a good podcast and with so many out there, where to start. Take a look at the Make an Impact Show for the latest guests and interviews, back for season 5!

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OCTOBER10

1

06, 07, 08, 09

10

10th October

MENTAL HEALTH DAY Mental health discussions are on the rise, so make sure today you really check-in with yourself and loved ones and open up the conversation.

12th October, 5pm

1st October

VEGETARIAN DAY Get out our favourite veggies and cook up a feast to celebrate this day of eating meat-free.

02, 03, 04

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ESSENTIALS

11, 12

NOTION WORKSHOP WITH MARCI ANGELES Special expert workshop, free for Creative Impact collective members, Marci and Fab explore how to use Notion as a tool to run a small business as an entrepreneur.

Tickets available for non-members.

19

19th October, 12pm

LIVE PODCAST WITH CATRI BARRETT Meet fellow member Catri Barrett. In this very special live podcast interview for Creative Impact collective members, we’ll discuss the highs and lows of running multiple projects as a solopreneur as well as fighting our perfectionist tendencies:

13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18

20

5th October, 5pm

CREATIVE IMPACT AWARDS 2021 The Creative Impact Awards, presented by Circla and NKD Living, will celebrate 80+ individuals and brands, from experts to creatives and professionals who are focused on making a positive impact in the world. The evening will open with a special welcome and networking session, and then we will host exclusive conversations with our 2021 judges, as well as remarks from past awards honourees. To end the night, we will go out with a bang with our live awards ceremony. We will crown our 15 winners and hear our expert judges feedback on what makes our winners stand out.

20th October

SLOTH DAY We are quite partial to a sloth at Creative Impact and today we celebrate them in all their sloth-y beauty.

21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30

31

31st October

HALLOWEEN Dust off your sheet, shine your crystals and get involved with Halloween 2021 - even if you are only in it for the sweets!

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ESSENTIALS

M I S S I O N S TAT E M E N T

WHAT’S YOUR MISSION? We asked our collective members what’s their mission and how they are looking to make a positive impact on other people and the planet, and here’s what our founder Bethan had to say.

Bethan Taylor-Swaine

Job title: ‘Professional nerd’ - PhD student, research consultant, personal trainer and blogger From: London, England

I’ve struggled with my wellbeing and mental health throughout my life. Over the years, I’ve found things that have helped make things more manageable, and I’m passionate about sharing what I’ve learnt to help other people ‘Live Well In The World’.

MY MISSION “Is all about creating strategies to have more energy for life and to live well in the world, whether that’s through movement, mindset, gratitude or connection. ”

Energy is at the heart of everything I do and all the content I share. When you understand the relationship between stress and rest, then you’ll have a better handle on your energy. ‘Living Well In The World’ is my benchmark for wellbeing.

For me, it means being able to do the things I want to do, live productively and participate in my community unencumbered.

Mindset, gratitude, and connection play a massive role in my life and prioritise my wellbeing. I share a lot about how these tools have helped me and how they could help you.

Movement is really important to me. I’ve been running for years and have run everything from 1-mile sprints to ultra marathons. Running was my ‘light bulb moment’ when I realised what I was capable of and inspired me to adopt an active lifestyle that embraces all sorts of movement from yoga to cold water swimming for wellbeing.

I’m a storyteller who openly and honestly shares my own experience alongside the research that supports why movement, mindset, gratitude and connection help you have energy for life. I love inspiring people via my blog, Instagram and in-person to adopt strategies that make them feel good and incorporate lots of actionable ‘how tos’, expert advice and tools like downloadable workbooks into my work.

MORE INFORMATION Website: bethantaylorswaine.com Instagram: @bethantaylorswaine

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COLUMNIST

CO NTEM PL ATI N G WITH CHARLOT TE

Sustainable Relationships Take the time to evaluate your relationships honestly and set healthy boundaries

R

egardless of whether you consider yourself an introverted or extroverted individual, we are all united in our extremely human desire to be connected with others in our lives as we navigate the complex social world of friendships and intimate relationships. It is then even more surprising when we consider cultivating these healthy, secure, and meaningful relationships is a process that is, well, kind of learnt on the job.

Unfortunately, I’m sure we’ve all experienced relationships, both friendly and intimate, which have crumbled, twisted, or turned in an unexpected and undesirable direction. A person you thought was one of your people turned out to be someone who was just passing by, and sometimes this can leave us feeling at a loss or emotionally wounded.

Sound familiar? I feel you.

“Building lasting social relationships with one another in such an intricate manner sets us apart” Building a sustainable relationship Making a relationship sustainable might sound like something you’d expect to read in a self-help magazine, but trust me, it’s legit. Often, I think many of us are so eager to connect with someone that we begin to lose sight of glaring warning signs trying to tell us that the relationship might not be built to last. But if we want to surround ourselves with relationships that are inspired with both meaning and longevity, taking time to make a sustainable foundation will save you a lot of stress, dramatic WhatsApp group exits, and heartache.

Choose your relationship partner carefully.

We all get rushed away in the feeling of meeting

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someone new, regardless of our intentions.

Ask yourself, would you admire their work as a colleague? Would you introduce them to your closest friend? Do you share conversations beyond mutual interests? Does the relationship balance in terms of both giving and receiving care, attention, effort, and importance? If you have hesitations, you might need to re-think.

Look for emotional responsiveness Emotional responsiveness involves one partner being attuned to the other’s emotions and their impact upon their wellbeing. An emotionally responsive partner is emotionally present and communicates their concerns for the other’s feelings with a desire to help. These individuals typically make great friends and significant others, willing to invest time and effort to make you feel heard.

Maintain closeness & check-in Being in a sustainable relationship requires effort. Long-lasting friends might go weeks without talking, but when you’re forming a new relationship, you’ll need to check in and maintain a sense of closeness with your partner. Importantly, you should also ensure they are doing the same with you.

Set healthy boundaries from day one Make sure you are clear on your boundaries.

Boundaries help us look after ourselves in relationships but also ensure that they are long-lasting and mutually beneficial. Set your boundaries in terms of respecting each other’s time, how often you’d like to talk, what information you choose to share with one another, and how you feel comfortable supporting their needs. @charlottesophiewrites

REM I N D ER

“When you stop expecting people to be perfect, you can like them for who they are.”

Donald Miller

C OV E R F E AT U R E

Zanna + Natalie are taking over the slow fashion world. We sit down to discuss their journey

EMBRACE THE

WILD

STAY WILD 1 6 | C R E AT I V E I M PACT M AG

C OV E R F E AT U R E

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C OV E R F E AT U R E

STAY WILD

is not just a brand.

Co-founders Natalie Glaze and Zanna Van Dijk pour their hearts and souls into it. They have a clear mission; to celebrate the ocean and its impact on our lives, as it provides energy to the marine world and us, producing every second breath we take.

As a result, the co-founders of Stay Wild are incredibly passionate about respecting and protecting it.

Like any business, the beginning of the journey has taught them both a lot of valuable lessons. I had the pleasure of sitting down and discussing some of those with the women behind the brand. When thinking about the first year in business, Zanna comes up with two words “naivety and ignorance”.

She recalls a lesson from the first factory that they worked with, as they learned a lot from that experience and have come a long way since then.

that ticked all our credentials sustainability-wise. Still, they didn’t tick it when it came to production and knowing what to do when it came to swimwear. That was a massive learning curve for us. So the first year was full of multiple hurdles; one after another and jumping between factories. It was fun.”

“We learned a lot of lessons about working a bit harder when it comes to sourcing and finding the right people to work with. We went with the first factory that we found

The work that goes into each collection is an extensive collaboration between the co-founders and their audience.

They create pieces using regenerated ocean plastic through

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C OV E R F E AT U R E

“Customers want more from brands these days. It’s not just about the product. It’s about being involved in the story, understanding who the founders are, the journey of it” N ATAL I E G L AZ E

the most sustainable practices possible; they make them into clean-cut styles designed to flatter every woman.

Audience interaction and participation has been vital for the brand from the very beginning.

“I think it was because Zanna and I, like we’ve said multiple times, we didn’t know what we were doing”, laughed Natalie. “For us, being able to ask our audience and get them involved from the beginning helped us make a lot

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C OV E R F E AT U R E

C OV E R F E AT U R E

of decisions that we were not quite sure about.”

She points out how your audience and consumers are the people who are purchasing and wearing the products. “It made sense to ask them from the beginning. What colours would you like to wear? What shapes? Would you like to see? Get them involved at every stage.”

From the very beginning, they asked the community to be involved in every element of the business: colours, naming of the products, modelling the collections.

“It’s a beautiful marketing strategy”, she admits “yet, it was never intentionally a marketing thing.” They both recognised the power of that close relationship with their community early on as by getting them involved, customers felt like they’ve helped shape the brand.

“The ultimate pro (of being a small business) is the freedom that we have” Z AN N A VA N D I JK

“We can make what we want.” Continues Zanna, “We’re so lucky that we’re so agile. We have a community of women who follow us and provide constant feedback. And we have the privilege to be able to hear from them and hear what they want.”

Natalie points out how customers want more from brands these days. It’s not just about the product. It’s about being involved in the story, understanding who the founders are, the journey of it.

“We’ve shared a lot. We shared breakdowns, crying whilst packing boxes for 10 hours. That’s not glamorous, and lots of brands would be like, maybe that’s too much, maybe we shouldn’t share that. But we’ve always just been following this mindset and sharing it all.”

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C OV E R F E AT U R E

Z ANNA’ S FAVOURITE PIECE S

Thea one piece: Red £110.00

Lunar one piece: Black £160.00

Growing up scuba diving, snorkelling and spending time by the water allowed Zanna and Natalie to develop a strong connection with the sea. You can see this reflected in all of their pieces. Zanna shares her love for their Odyssey: “it’s a piece which people wear when they’re actually out wild swimming, and our name is Stay Wild. Other pieces are beautiful, they’re functional, they’re sustainable, but this is a piece women who want to get out in the wild would wear.”

She creates this analogy to a confident Bond girl that makes you feel like a badass when you swim, feeling confident.

“For me, honestly, this is the piece which encapsulates what Stay Wild is about.”

In short, Stay Wild should enable you to make the best choice you can without compromising style or substance.

Every day approximately 8 million pieces of plastic pollution find their way into our oceans—a total of 12 million tonnes a year, equivalent to a truckload a minute.

At Stay Wild, they are committed to not only fighting this problem but contributing to the solution. Every single element of their production is as sustainable and ethical as possible—the small details matter.

“When you’re working in a slow fashion model, the priority is making sure you produce things to the highest quality, and every piece has a purpose, and fits in with your brand and what your audience wants and needs” Z A N N A VAN D I JK

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C OV E R F E AT U R E

Through Stay Wild, they can channel their energy into building a brand that reflects their style and values. Their mission is to produce swimwear with a purpose, and as a small business, they can bring their unique vision into reality.

“The ultimate pro (of being so small) is the freedom that we have”. Zanna brings on the example of how last year when COVID hit, they could not bring out their new collection.

Yet, they could still experiment with new colours and designs in the meantime “we had the flexibility and the

freedom to be able to experiment and explore. We could create what we wanted and bounce back quickly.”

Natalie also points out how huge businesses have so many processes to bring something new in - things can take years to get approved. “We can see a trend or be reactive to a situation and turn that around really quickly. We can make decisions quickly, and those were some of the best decisions we made.”

Yet, small businesses have their challenges. There is no big team. There’s no big marketing budget. When big fashion brands come in, they launch with a group of 10 people. “The biggest challenge that you have as a small business is that each individual doesn’t wear one hat. Each individual has multiple hats,” admits Zanna.

NATALIE’ S FAVOURITE PIECE S

Tula bikini: Red £100.00

Odyssey: Ocean blue £170.00

C OV E R F E AT U R E

“What’s great about being a small business, especially over the last year or so, has been the fact that we can be so agile.”

N ATA L I E G L A Z E

“We’ve been fortunate that we are growing year on year, and people seem to love our products. Yet, we are a small team,” agrees Natalie. “You have to have multiple roles - you can be the founder, but you’re also doing jobs which an intern would do. It’s so fast-paced, and with a small number of people, we have a lot of responsibility growing as a business with a small team.”

There’s an element of the fashion industry Stay Wild goes against, and that is seasons. “Because we’re a slow fashion brand, we just release pieces as and when we feel like our community needs them”, Zanna explains. “This goes completely against the traditional model of the fashion industry.”

When you’re working in a slow fashion model, the priority is making sure that things are produced to the highest quality, and every piece has a purpose, and that every piece fits in with the brand and what the audience wants and needs.

“What’s been great about the fact that we have no background is we were able to go in and make up our way

of running a business”, agrees Natalie. “We don’t follow preconceived rules. And although it wasn’t intentional, we were going against every single rule.”

A great reminder for any business, big or small, is to run your business your way. “You can do things in your way.

You don’t need to follow what other huge businesses are doing. You don’t have to follow any set rules, do things your way. You don’t need any prior qualifications or background.

You can learn as you go, which is what we’ve done, and we’re still going - so we must be doing it right!”

MORE INFORMATION Website: staywildswim.com

Instagram: @staywildswim

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EXPERT PROFILE

Natalie Scott

Job title: Money Mindset Coach Career journey: Working in the fashion industry and witnessing colleague’s money relationships. I am studying to receive money coaching certification.

Your expertise in one word: Empowering

I’m a money mindset and savings coach from London. I’m on a mission to educate, elevate and empower Millennials and Gen Z on everything personal finance. Our mindset is the foundation and compass of how we interact with money, so it’s super important to tackle our limiting beliefs upfront. I especially want to affect change for women and make sure they’re financially prepared for what society throws at us daily.

What’s the mistake people make?

That money coaches no longer struggle with their very own mindset and are bulletproof. Not true! Most coaches are continually learning about themselves as they move into different phases of their life. Most coaches are doing the inner work, and some are studying to strengthen their expertise to be at their best for clients.

How can people feel confident about improving their money story?

Firstly, don’t be afraid to get started.

Many people wait until they have all the qualifications before they start coaching, but as long as you have a message people want to hear, you should be sharing it. Secondly, grab yourself a coach! Most coaches have coaches. They are a great way to talk through your ideas and plans for your career. Lastly, connect with other coaches in your field. Find out what’s working for them and what’s not.

What is your favourite thing about being part of Creative Impact?

The community! Not only is it nice to be surrounded by like-minded people, but it’s also beneficial and crucial to have a team of people who have your best interests at their core. From the informative articles to the events, there’s something for everyone, and the resources are plentiful!

MORE INFORMATION Website: nataliescottempowers.com Instagram: @nataliescottempowers

TOP TIPS 1 | SEEK EXPERTS If you are struggling in any area of your life, get yourself to a better place through guidance.

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2 | LISTEN UP Allow your clients to open up in a safe space where there’s no judgement.

3 | GO OFF-SCRIPT Pivot from structured exercises if something interesting comes up in a session.

F E AT U R E

EMBRACE YOUR SQUIGGLE How to navigate the new way of working and defining careers with Sarah Ellis

S

arah Ellis is the cofounder of Amazing If, a company with an ambition to make careers better for everyone. Together with her business partner Helen Tupper, she is the author of The Sunday Times number one bestseller The Squiggly Career (Penguin) and host of the Squiggly Careers podcast. In January 2021 they recorded their TEDx talk Why squiggly careers are better for everyone at Abbey Road Studios in London.

THE ORIGIN STORY

I met my co-founder, Helen, over twenty years ago at university.

She’s much more extroverted than I am, so we weren’t an instant friendship match made in heaven. She’s the life and soul of a party, and I’d rather be reading by myself! We have two things in common, though, that kept bringing us back together over the years: we love to learn, and we are both ambitious about

F E AT U R E

“Squiggly careers are personal and full of

possibilities. Everyone’s

squiggle is unique to them, and we need to decide for

ourselves what a ‘successful’ career means to us.”

what we wanted to achieve in our careers. Amazing If was never really intended to be a business; it came from a coffee and a chat back in 2013.

We discussed all the interesting and unanticipated twists and turns in our careers but felt frustrated that there wasn’t more practical and relatable career advice on offer. So, we decided to do something about it, first launching some workshops, then our podcast, book and most recently our TEDx talk, which has now had over 1m views – it’s amazing where a coffee can take you!

THE OLD WAY OF WORKING IS NO MORE

Career ladders were created over 100 years ago when people first started working in offices, and there was such a thing as a ‘job for life.’ That world of control and conformity feels very different to the unpredictable and ever-changing careers we find ourselves in today. And personally, as I started to progress in my career, I realised that the idea that we should all have the same view of success and be fixed to one future didn’t match my experiences or aspirations.

Squiggly careers are personal and full of possibilities. Everyone’s squiggle is unique to them, and we need to decide for ourselves what a ‘successful’ career means to us. We encourage people to move away from feeling fixed to one future to instead being open and curious about where your career can take you.

You are more than your job title.

Everyone has many different talents, skills and strengths, and we don’t want to limit ourselves or our learning by feeling constrained to one thing.

I discovered the idea of the multihyphen method from Emma Gannon, who has an insightful and practical book exploring what it means (the upsides and the challenges). My perspective is that the most crucial

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ESSENTIAL SKILL OF

A SQUIGGLY CAREER SELF-AWARENESS When you know yourself, you understand your strengths (the things that give you energy) and your values (what motivates and drives you). You can use that knowledge to make the right choices for you in your career.

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transition in today’s careers is that rather than learning about a job, learning now is the job; we all need to be continually developing and adapting to do work that we find motivating and meaningful.

ON LEARNING TO NAVIGATE IMPORTANT CAREER TRANSITIONS

Focus on direction rather than a destination. Consider what opportunities you could create now to help you head in the right direction rather than waiting for the perfect role

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to come your way. That might be doing some job shadowing, volunteering to get involved in a new project or joining a network or community. We know that taking small, consistent actions is the most successful way to make any career changes.

There are times in our careers where they feel more knotty than squiggly, and this can be really overwhelming.

It is why it’s so important that we all feel confident about asking for help when we need it. Asking for help is a strength, not a weakness, and all the best people I’ve worked with are great at it. If you find

“You are more than your job title. Everyone has many

different talents, skills and strengths, and we don’t want to

limit ourselves or our learning by feeling constrained to one thing.” asking for help hard, it’s worth remembering how you feel when someone asks you for help – the answer is usually: valued, useful and supportive.

So, whenever you’re hesitating before asking for help, don’t forget

you’re allowing someone to experience that ‘feel-good factor!’

Remember, the most obvious next move is not always the one where you’ll learn the most. One of the best career choices I made was to move from Marketing into Corporate Responsibility, even though it was an area I had no prior experience in. I learned so much and met some brilliant people I’m still connected with today, and it gave me an increased sense of meaning and purpose from the work I was doing.

Stop thinking I’ll be happy when and focus on understanding your values.

Your values are like a career compass;

once you know what they are, you can use them to guide your decisions.

Values can feel like an abstract idea, so an excellent way to get started is to ask yourself some ‘what’s most important to me?’ Questions. For example, what’s most important to me about what I work on, who I work with, where I work and how I spend my time. It’s also important to remember you don’t have work and personal values. Your values are what makes you, you – they’re the things that motivate and drive you across everything you do.

MORE INFORMATION Website: amazingif.com Instagram: @amazingif

THE SQUIGGLY CAREER Ditch the Ladder, Discover Opportunity, Design Your Career The Squiggly Career is a practical book that focuses on the five skills you need to succeed in work today (strengths, values, confidence, network and future possibilities). The book will accelerate your self-awareness and support you to identify and take positive action to take control of your career. This quote from Stylist does an excellent job of summing it up: ‘The Squiggly Career is about navigating work in a way that suits you, it’s a timely and brilliant handbook for now’ Stylist.

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THE NOMINEES SHORTLIST The Creative Impact awards recognise the best in digital talent, whilst providing everyone with an opportunity to be entered into the process, no matter how big or small your following.We celebrate creatives from the UK and Ireland (and this year is also open to Europe!).

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VEGAN AND PL ANT- BASED

Tap on a n y p ro fi le im a g e to get In s ta li n k

SHORTLIS TED

Abby Hulls

Holly Jade

Kathryn Kionke

Johnny Morillo

Ebenezer Odeniyi

@veganbrownting

@thelittleblogofvegan

@herbivorienne

@johnnymeatless

@veganezer

NUTRITI ON AND SCIEN CE

SHORTLIS TED

Dr Nitu Bajekal

The Diverse Nutrition Association

Steph Evans

Phoebe Liebling

Paola Petri Ortiz

@drnitubajekal

@diversenutritionassociation

@plant.steph

@_naturalnourishment

@paolapetrinut

FREE- FROM AND ALLERGY FREE

SHORTLIS TED

Katarina Cermelj

Natasha Gelder

Emma Hatcher

Sarah Howells

Laura Nightingale

@theloopywhisk

@glutenfreegelder

@shecanteatwhat

@gfblogger

@cakeontherun

CHRONI C ILLNESS AND ILLNESS RECOVERY

SHORTLIS TED

Amy @chronicglow

Chlo Hodgkinson

Gem Hubbard

Jameisha Prescod

Claire Raymond

@chlohodgkinson

@wheelsnoheels_

@youlookokaytome

@livingwithclaireity

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BEST WELLBEING BR AND

SHORTLIS TED

Leafage

Sasstainable

TALA

@weareleafage

@shopsasstainable

@wearetala

The Nu Company @the.nu.company.uk

Wuka @wukawear

FOOD AND RECIPES

SHORTLIS TED

Sohini Banerjee

Alexandra Dudley

Nicola Graimes

Helen Mebrate

@smokeandlime

@alexandradudley

@nicolagraimes

@ethiopianfoodie

Sam @nomeatdisco

FITNESS AND MOVEM ENT

SHORTLIS TED

Gauri Chopra

Nesrine Dally

India Morse

Ami Norton

Kanndiss Riley

@gchopra_thefitlife

@nez__healthhub

@youleanmeup

@aminortonyoga

@kanndissriley

M ENTAL HE ALTH M AT TERS

SHORTLIS TED

Mica Gray

Alex Holmes

Chelsea Little

Emily O’Neill

Emily Solman

@micamontana

@byalexholmes

@smiletohealth

@balancelifewell

@_emilysworld

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BE AUT Y AND LIFEST YLE

SHORTLIS TED

Flavia Benko

Demi Colleen

@flaviabenko

@demicolleen

Becky @crueltyfreebecky

Ta p o n a n y p ro fi le im a g e to get In st a li n k

Laura

Lauren

@beautyglowgetter

@mizzbusby

SUSTAINABILIT Y AND ZERO WASTE

SHORTLIS TED

Amma Aburam

Marta Canga

@styleand.sustain

@martacanga

PODCAST

SHORTLIS TED

The Happy Menopause

The Imperfect Life

The Trailblazers Journey

The School Should Be

Jackie Lynch

Kerry Lyons

Saima Majid

Zahara Chowdhury

The YIKES Mikaela Loach and Jo Becker

INSTAGR A M ACCOUNT

SHORTLIS TED

Amber @ambertheevegan

Hannah Rose Cluley

Marie Dorfschmidt

Megan Rose Lane

Nicole Ocran

@hannahrosecluley

@therawberry

@megan_rose_lane

@nicoleocran

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Daley @everydamndaley

Madeleine Olivia

Laura Young

@madeleineolivia

@lesswastelaura

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BOOK

SHORTLIS TED

The Accidental Influencer Bella Younger

Afro Vegan

Lift your Vibe

Surrender

You Did What?

Zoe Alakija

Richie Norton

Nicky Clinch

Tova Leigh

COACH AND MENTOR

SHORTLIS TED

Catri Barrett

Anna Dunleavy

Melike Hussein

Nesha Woolery

Natalie Scott

@catribarrett

@anna_dunleavy

@breathzonelondon

@neshawoolery

@nataliescottempowers

BLOG

SHORTLIS TED

Lynda D’aboh

Radhi Delvukia-Shetty

Alex Grace

Joanna Konstantoupolou

Bethan Taylor-Swaine

@wonderlustinglynda

@radhidevlukia

@livingprettyhappy

@healthpsychologyclinic

@bethantaylorswaine

GA M E CHANGER

SHORTLIS TED

Caleb Packham

Simone Powderly

Nicola Salmon

@calebjudepackham

@simonepowderly

@fatpositivefertility

Tobi @mybumppay

Tolmeia Gregory @tolmeia

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ESSENTIALS

BEHIND THE CONTENT

@ENLIVENINGELLE aka Eleanor Coales Job title: Associate Registered Nutritionist Followers: 2,700+

E

lle is an Associate Registered Nutritionist with a Master’s degree in Nutrition from the University of Leeds. She works with NHS patients with pre-diabetes and a history of gestational diabetes. She offers gentle nutrition support for women’s health. She offers support without restriction, helping you to work with your body.

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Behind the content The focus of my blog and Instagram has changed over the years as I’ve worked through my degrees and qualifications, but I try to come back to remembering who it is that I want to help, and what content would serve them best.

On making a bigger impact I offer support and advice without food restriction to help you work with your body rather than against it.

When we are surrounded by the latest weird protocol, diets dressed up as lifestyles and a whole lot of guilt, it is

no wonder that so many of us feel lost and dissatisfied. I use my experience in private and NHS work to support both my clients and readers of my content to grow their knowledge, whilst embracing a gentle nutrition approach.

The mistake I was glad I experienced I wouldn’t say I’ve had too many mistakes (perhaps other than not choosing Nutrition or Dietetics as my first degree!) but in hindsight I would have embraced my niche earlier on.

Like everyone, I have lots of interests and it was hard letting some of those go, but I realised that they probably

ESSENTIALS

“I come back to remembering who it is that I want to help”

weren’t serving my target client and potentially making it harder for them to find me.

Lessons and achievements There’s been a few recently - filming

FUN FACT

Although my main other qualification beyond nutrition is being a yoga teacher, my first foray into teaching was as a sailing instructor. These days, you’re more likely to find me paddleboarding or wild swimming.

talks for different health groups, reaching milestones with my 1:1 clients.

I’m excited to offer more structured programmes in the future, so planning those has been so rewarding as well.

Nuggets of gratitude I’ve had support and mentorship from many in my field, which I’m so grateful for. Pixie Turner for her nutrition mentoring and workshops, Rhiannon Lambert for always lending a kind ear, Adele Hug for many things, but especially proof-reading all my job applications, plus Bari Stricoff and Sophie Bertrand of the Forking

Wellness podcast, who I intern for, for their encouragement. And of course Fab and the Creative Impact Co team!

Naming just one would be impossible.

The best thing about being a Creative Impact member Having a supportive network to turn to for recommendations, courses or even just a good catch up. I’ve made so many friends over the years!

MORE INFORMATION Website: enliveningelle.com Instagram: @enliveningelle

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Email marketing for online creators

Free landing pages for your next idea bit ly FreeLanding .

/

F E AT U R E

THE TRUTH about becoming an accidental influencer Bella Younger shares a relatable story of the precarious balancing act between our online and offline selves

Interviewed by Fab Giovanetti

H

onest, funny and unfiltered. Bella Younger is here to remind us that the social media spotlight is genuinely not all that it is cracked up to be. When Bella Younger spawned Deliciously Stella – her hilarious and daring social media alter ego – she wanted to prove once and for all that Instagram does not equal reality.

“I thought that to want to be successful on social media, you had to be vain. You had to be interested in your looks and your clothes. I was like, ‘ everyone is just vapid’. Somehow I thought I was above it because I was making jokes. I wasn’t at all; I was still obsessed with all of the same things. I just wanted people to tell me that they liked me.”

Within weeks, she’d gone viral and begun her very own cycle of shoot-post-repeat. As the constant rush of notifications fuelled her endorphins, life among the Instafamous started to take a toll. As Bella’s carefree presence flourished online, her health began to spiral offline, culminating in a stint at The Priory for social media addiction. She got to a point where she asked herself: “how did you get there? How did that happen?”

Should she have undertaken a month-long run of stand-up comedy immediately after she was discharged? Probably not, but the pressure to be ‘on’ and online was all-consuming.

“It can happen to anyone. The flood of people telling you

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how brilliant you are, pressuring you to think that if you want to stay brilliant, you’ve got to be brilliant. So you just keep going”. Deliciously Stella’s Instagram account has spawned a spoof cookbook, a podcast with over 100,000 downloads and a sold-out live show at the Edinburgh Festival. The persona she created reached international acclaim, seeing Bella appear everywhere from newspaper front pages to be the top trending topic worldwide on Buzzfeed with over 1 million views.

Younger realised how much validation had started to shape her life at that time. “The only validation that I craved was from strangers. It was completely one way, and I wasn’t presenting an authentic version of who I am at all. I was presenting a character. I ended up just chipping away at how I felt about my real-life self. Why would anyone want me when everyone wants Deliciously Stella?”

“The more followers that I got, the more my mental health started to suffer to the point where I was addicted to likes and followers. How many likes and followers I got on a post could dictate how I felt about myself, how well my day was going to go and it started messing with my self-esteem.”

Funny, frank and fearless, The Accidental Influencer is a relatable story of the precarious balancing act between our online and offline selves – and the truth behind the staged shots, spon-con, and the coveted, but ever-elusive, blue tick.

“I found the actual writing of the book incredibly cathartic and almost like a form of therapy. And I was able to finally close the door on that experience and get something positive out of it. That was great.”

Still, launching a book requires a level of spotlight that Bella has not been under for a long time.

“I found promoting it horrendous. It made me so anxious to be on social media way more than I like to be. I hadn’t been on Instagram a lot for a long time.”

A few years ago, Bella found herself spending a lot of time on the platform.

She gained 75,000 followers overnight and hundreds of likes a minute. Soon she was being paid thousands of pounds to beat up a cake for the’ gram, attend ludicrously lavish influencer gifting events, and drop emoji-bombs left, right, and centre. These days, she embraces a more moderate approach. “I don’t think that getting rid of Instagram altogether is a good idea at all. It’s entrenched in our culture. And it’s impossible not to use it. But I think everyone needs to be wary of how they are using it.”

She admits to having been on the end of the spectrum: “I got a repetitive strain injury on my thumb - I knew I was scrolling too much.”

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From her home in Mallorca, she found that the physical separation has helped her cope with the feeling of overwhelm as the book The Accidental Influencer came out. Being able to create a divide between her and the spotlight has been crucial for her mental wellbeing.

“I’m lucky because I live in Mallorca and spend a lot of time in nature easily. I do lots of hiking and swimming in the sea. I realise this is so far from what my life used to be. I am in Spain. No one knows who I am. No one cares. You’re in the Guardian, but no one reads it.

It’s separate, and it’s not a big deal.”

Despite the pressure of being in the spotlight, Bella has appreciated the positive feedback from readers and teenagers. “It’s amazing to know that anyone’s reading and connecting with your work, especially because it’s a cautionary tale. It’s something that we need to concentrate on in teenagers especially.”

She recently worked in schools talking to children and parents about the issue. “Talk to your kids about this there has to be a reason why one in five kids wants to be

THE ACCIDENTAL INFLUENCER How My Need to Get Likes Nearly Ruined My Life Funny, frank and fearless, the book is a relatable story of the precarious balancing act between our online and offline selves - and the truth behind the staged shots, spon-con, and the coveted but everelusive blue tick.

an influencer. They need to know that it’s not necessarily all it’s cracked up to be. Honestly, for me, it’s quite dangerous.”

How can you find the positives from such a vulnerable and challenging journey? “I learnt to have boundaries and to say no. A million people can be screaming at you telling you that they love you, but if you don’t love yourself (cliche as it is), it’s not going to penetrate. If you’re surrounding yourself with this feeling of inadequacy, no amount of strangers is going to change that. You’ve got to look within, as cringy as it sounds. You’ve got to do the inner work. I’ve had a lot of therapy, can you tell?”

MORE INFORMATION Instagram: @deliciouslystella

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FOUNDER SERIES

CELEBRATING THE SLOW SIDE OF FASHION Sara Saad

Pollution and waste, especially plastic waste, are considerable problems in Egypt that you notice daily. So, I wanted to create a brand that celebrates uniqueness and individuality, but at the same time, the brand is environmentally conscious, especially about the waste issue. I felt that using luxury deadstock fabric to create unique limited edition pieces balances both issues.

Company: Zakeia Job title: Founder Founded: 2021

S

ara was born in Cairo, Egypt, and then travelled to study in Germany, Japan, and the UK. She was always passionate about fashion and developed her style by finding unique pieces during her travels.

Her demand for unique vintageinspired pieces was not met when she returned to Egypt, so she decided she would take matters into her own hands, quit her consulting job, and launch Zakeia.

Can you explain to us what makes Zakeia so unique?

Well, we have many unique one-of-a-kind items, and we source fantastic fabric that is

What does the name Zakeia mean?

It has multiple meanings in the spoken street style of Arabic; it means Smart and as a smart woman. In properly written Arabic it translates as something good. It is an ancient female Arabic name that is no longer used, but the brand is named after my grandma, who had an impeccable sense of style.

What was the inspiration behind creating the brand, Zakeia?

I was always passionate about fashion, finding high-quality products and vintage products in hidden allies during my travels and living abroad.

During Covid, I was back in Cairo, and I missed seeing unique feminine products that fit my style. All that was available were the huge fast-fashion

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EXCLUSIVE

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simply use code CREATIVEIMPACT15

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retailers that have a significant impact on the environment and strip away any unique voice or sense of style you might have. I am personally an introvert, and I feel that the way I dress speaks for my personality.

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houses. As a founder, I want my clients to wear the items for years and then pass them on to their daughters/sons.

So design timeless pieces that are not trend-driven and ensure that quality will allow the items to last this long.

Did you experience any difficulties or roadblocks in creating Zakeia?

How did you overcome them?

Of course, where to start? I did not study fashion design. In the beginning,

truly unique. Zakeia has a feminine vintage sense of style. However, you can dress and style the pieces in so many ways. They are pieces that you can wear every day and that you will get so much wear of. When I purchase or make myself something from Zakeia I enjoy knowing that only maybe three other people in this world will have the same item and some items. I am the only person who has it.

What does “high quality, slow fashion” look like and mean to you as a founder and brand?

We produce about 50 pieces a month or sometimes less; this means that we focus on the fit and quality of stitching. We also receive deadstock fabric from high-quality Parisian fabric sellers, and a lot of this fabric is from luxury Parisian couture

I worked with many pattern makers that ruined beautiful fabric. Still, I am a very determined person, and I was sure that I would be able to find the right pattern maker, and when I did, we used this

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beautiful fabric that was essentially ruined pants and created jackets with stitching in them.

“The challenge with ecofashion is gaining visibility.

Fast fashion brands have huge budgets”

Waste is something we do not tolerate at Zakeia, so even if we mess things up, we make sure to turn it around.

Another roadblock is making people, especially in Egypt, understand the issue with fast fashion and how much waste they are producing. People buy crazy amounts of clothes that last for about a season, and then they throw them away; educating people about those wasteful habits is still a work in progress.

Lastly, as a small sustainable brand, being financially viable is still a work in progress. We produce very small amounts and have a lot of fixed costs, so going around and finding innovative, new ways to expand our product range but keeping fixed costs intact is also a work in progress.

How do you see your brand fitting within the fashion market?

I feel that the fashion market in Europe has evolved. A lot of people have an appreciation for sustainable brands, and they search for them. However, it is still developing in Egypt. The goal for Zakeia is not to produce thousands of garments but to produce a wider variety of items,

meaning we started experimenting with deadstock swimwear fabric this month.

We are going to introduce men’s shirts also using deadstock fabric, of course.

The fashion market is overcrowded with fast fashion brands standing out, so it is challenging to gain visibility. Still, the goal for Zakeia is to attract the right people who have the same mission.

We’d love to hear your opinion on the big-name brands like H&M, Boohoo etc. and that recent “greenwashing” that we have seen?

Let me tell you a story; recently, an

influencer approached me to collaborate with Zakeia. She was passionate about sustainable fashion, but I quickly learned that she promoted H&M. She said that people would continue shopping at H&M; however, she wanted to highlight the better option of supporting their “green section”.

I feel the issue here is that having a “conscious” section provides consumers with an excuse to continue supporting big-name fast fashion brands. The problem with those brands is the bigger picture and everything they stand for. They will rely on studies that measure “their sustainable impact” of using certain fabrics for T-shirts that use x amount less water than other materials. But this would be nothing in comparison to how much damage they are doing. It surprises me that people believe that a company like H&M is going to be sustainable. It also takes away from what other “real’’ sustainable T-shirt companies like Concioustee, are doing. It takes away their credibility, and also from a pricing point, people will compare an H&M “sustainable” T-shirt with a Concioustee T-shirt, and it won’t make financial sense for them. We need to educate consumers about this greenwashing phenomenon, which ultimately has a minimal, positive impact.

Where do you see the future of ecofashion? How does Zakeia fit into that?

Eco-fashion, due to its limited quantities of

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ESSENTIALS

TOP TIPS

TO ENJOY FASHION A LITTLE MORE SUSTAINABLY

1 | TEN OUTFITS RULES The best thing is to think of ten different outfits that you would style the item with. Items have to be from your wardrobe. If you can come up with ten outfits on the spot, you will get enough wear out of the garment, and you are not just buying a trendy item that you will wear once and forget about.

2 | LOOK AROUND Look for sustainable brands; so many tackle different issues such as waste, chemical dyes, plastics, etc.

3 | OLD TO NEW Shop vintage/second-hand or repurpose your items too. There are many DIY videos on YouTube, or if you are busy, take your item to a tailor and ask them to remove sleeves, crop a top, tighten a skirt or even cut and sew two different fabrics together. This way, you can create new one-of-a-kind items out of already existing materials.

items, allows the consumer to be much more expressive. The challenge with eco-fashion is gaining visibility. Fast fashion brands are enormous with huge budgets; they are everywhere, so they embed themselves in people’s brains, and it is very hard to change behaviour like that.

If you are not a person that is actively conscious about their shopping habits and how they affect the environment and you need a dress, a suit etc, you automatically think of Zara or H&M,

for example. The problem is that sustainable brands are not as visible nor as affordable. Fast fashion is cheap; they produce vast amounts of products and have economies of scale. It is hard for sustainable brands to compete with that because it goes against the ethos of sustainable brands. They do not want to sell vast amounts of items; the idea is that people understand that buying a garment is like an investment. You want to get to wear this new item for years and years to come. To change people’s behaviour,

I feel like eco-fashion brands need to do a lot of educating. I think that sustainable brands will not remain a small niche in the fashion industry’s future; however, you will find a lot of smaller brands catering to a variety of niches. Zakeia will always cater to people who are looking for highquality fabric with a feminine vintage style.

MORE INFORMATION Website: zakeia.com Instagram: @zakeia.store

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CREATIVE IMPACT

PRO SECTION DID YOU KNOW? Women earn 82 cents for every $1 men earn, and the gap is wider for Black women and Latinas

Money

P R O S E CT I O N

LET’S TALK ABOUT MONEY In conversation with Selina Flavius from Black Girl Finance

S

elina Flavius is the founder of the financial coaching company Black Girl Finance. She hosts a weekly podcast of the same name, is the author of the Book’ Black Girl Finance’ and is the creator of the event ‘Black Girl Finance Fest’. She is on a mission to make money conversations more inclusive. After a 15 year career in business development, she decided to follow her passion for finance and launch a safe space for Black women and women of colour to talk about money.

and events are run by Black women and Women of colour who work in the finance sector to highlight that women enjoy impressive careers.”

“I am on a mission to highlight women who look like me who work in the financial services sector,” she admits. “I carry out my mission through the events I host; our finance workshops

“This gap is because they may not have a strong credit history if they take out credit in a partner’s name or family name instead of their own.”

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She has also contributed to discussions in the UK media about financial inequality and worked as a contributor to the Money and Pension Service 10 year financial well being Strategy.

According to research by kredit karma, women pay a premium to borrow money to the tune of £17,000 moreover a lifetime.

P R O S E CT I O N

BL ACK GIRL FINANCE FESTIVAL Black Girl Finance Festival was set up in 2021 to financially empower Black women and women of colour through their finances. Through the Black Girl Finance Podcast, Book, and now our second virtual event of 2021, we aim to give women all the vital tools necessary to survive financially and thrive in 2021.

The theme for our upcoming event is Investing. We will be talking about investing in the various asset classes that exist, from property, stocks and shares, crypto, pensions and more if you have ever wanted to invest but are unsure of how and what to invest in. This event will demystify things for you.

“Our next event is scheduled for September, and the theme this time around is investing. The first event was for international women’s day, whose theme was #choosetochallenge, so we set a task of doing just that.

The previous event covered a broad range of personal finance topics, from paying off debt right through to

pensions. Our final event for the year will talk about all things investing from stocks and shares, crypto, property investing and more. It is called Black Girl Finance Fest Invest.”

If she were a financial services company, Flavius would be asking questions such as: “we know this person has a steady income and can afford the repayment. How can we provide a service and not penalise them with excess fees?”

“Research shows our money habits are shaped from such a young age, as early as 7 or 8.”

Conversations around money have become more and more prominent over the past few years, encouraging individuals to own their finances. Flavius recognises the massive impact of culture on how we handle money.

“Research shows our money habits are shaped from such a young age, as early as 7 or 8,” she recalls. “My personal experience was that I grew up in a culture that did not speak about money. There was also a tradition of saving through a Pardner scheme (an informal, collective savings scheme done with friends) and sending money and goods “back home” to support our family in St Lucia. These were some of my cultural traditions that impacted my parents’ finances here

P R O S E CT I O N

in the UK. When my grandparents and parents arrived in the UK, they came with nothing; there was no intergenerational wealth to give them a head start, so they were not the traditional banking customer when presenting at a bank. It was not easy to get the financial backing they needed, and as a result, I grew up in an extremely cautious and “hush-hush” environment when it came to money. I did not talk about money as I progressed in my various careers and when I struggled with debt.”

One stat Flavius shares highlighting the disparity is that for every £1 a man earns, a woman earns 89p in the UK due to the gender pay gap. “This gap is often cited as being due to the lack of women in senior leadership positions”, Flavius points out. “Women account for just five per cent of CEOs in FTSE 350 companies, equivalent to only 15 companies having female chief executives, the Women Count 2021 report found.”

The women count report also found that companies with women making up at least 50% of the executive committee secured a profit margin of 21.2%. According to the Office of National Statistics (ONS), most minority ethnic groups continue to earn less than their White colleagues when

“All reports highlight the benefit of diverse boards to business bottom lines. Increasing pay will also impact pensions and investment disparities seen by women and people from ethnic minority backgrounds.” looking at the ethnicity pay gap.

ONS’ latest statistics reveal a 23.8% ethnicity pay gap in London, 12.7% in Yorkshire & Humberside and 10.3% in Scotland.

When it comes to diversity, research by McKinsey finds that companies in the top quartile for gender or racial and ethnic diversity are more likely to have financial returns above their national industry medians.

MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT FINANCES 1 | NOT FOR US That investing is not for “us” insert women… people from the Caribbean…. workingclass backgrounds….

Personal finance and investing is for everyone.

2 | THINGS WON’T CHANGE If you have struggled in the past, you will always struggle. That is not true: things can be improved.

Your past doesn’t equal your future.

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3 | IT’S BORING People deem finance as unexciting and boring. Put the work in. Personal finance is more fun once you have control of debts, saving, or investing.

P R O S E CT I O N

“There needs to be mandatory ethnicity pay gap reporting in the UK, like gender pay gap reporting that exists, and businesses need to develop their pipeline of talent to increase representation,” Flavius continues. “All reports highlight the benefit of diverse boards to business bottom lines. Increasing pay will also impact pensions and investment disparities seen by women and people from ethnic minority backgrounds.”

When talking about the book’s origin, Flavius admits to having always been a reader of personal finance books. “I started with the traditional male-written books, such as ‘Rich Dad, Poor Dad’ and ‘Think and Grow Rich’, etc, and slowly migrated to books written by women. One of the first UK finance books I read by a woman author was called ‘Sheconomics’.”

Gradually there were more books written by women, and she read many US books by Black women authors. But she noticed none were by Black female authors from the UK. “I made a note of this and decided I wanted to write my Black Girl Finance Book to discuss the influence of background and culture on money. Ultimately I wanted it to be a personal finance book at its heart, so the result is a very personal yet practical and helpful personal finance book.”

How is our relationship with money changing and shaping up? As financial wellbeing is becoming more and more a priority, our mindset is changing dramatically. “I think we are slowly shifting from a very patriarchal society, which gave us the message that men handle money and finances.”

She points out how research by Starling Bank found that money messages to men were about investing, whilst to women, it was about scrimping and saving. This difference in statements is that women are in higher numbers in higher education and workplaces more than ever earning money.

“If we think about history, a century or two ago, it was the case that when women got married, they gave up their surnames

and the right to sign contracts for business, property, and finances in their name. It is a different time, but some of the messaging about money still hark back to these times.”

How can we make money conversations more inclusive? As a collective, we can encourage a positive change, Flavius agrees.

“We can start by acknowledging that we are all different and nuanced. Our experiences with money can be shaped by class, culture, gender, race, disability, and sexual orientation. People from marginalised groups may not have the same financial privileges as those from non-marginalised groups. It’s about shaping financial services that understand this and provide services that take differences into account when presented with someone whose financial experiences to date are outside of the so-called norm.”

MORE INFORMATION Website: blackgirlfinancefest.co.uk Instagram: @blackgirlfinanceuk

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P R O S E CT I O N

WAYS TO MONETISE YOUR CONTENT Learn how the creator economy has evolved over the past year and what it means for your brand online.

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or the longest time, social media and small businesses would go hand in hand, especially when it comes to small brands and startups. However, with the Creator economy thriving recently, we have seen the rise of platforms and social media features, allowing us as creators to monetise our content. Content creation platforms have been rising and flourishing, making it exciting for creatives experts and entrepreneurs to find new ways to create content and get paid for it.

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ASK FOR TIPS ON SOCIAL You are now able to ask for tips on social media. You can do this on platforms such as Clubhouse, where selected creators can now have a tip jar for listeners to send them money to thank them for their time as hosts on the

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In his brilliant piece last year, Scott Belsky hinted at how: “in the age of A.I. and machine learning, just being more productive won’t cut it. The future belongs to the creatives”.

Week after week for the past three months has been the rise and sometimes the demise of new features that would encourage creators to get paid for their work.

platform. If you look at platforms like Patreon, you will know that payment as one-off support is nothing new.

However, asking for payment via platforms with an existing strong audience can change the game. In a new feature, Instagram allows people to collect badges by paying creators during Instagram live broadcasts. Even Twitter has recently tested a button to encourage one-off contributions and tips from more prominent creators and influential figures within the platforms. This type of monetisation does not require you to create any extra content or making one-off bonuses for your audience in a way; it’s just one reminder to show a tiny bit of support for the time that you spend on the platforms that you are in, in the first place. It’s the Twitch model, and albeit sounding simple, it will require you to consistently show up on a specific platform to encourage that kind of support.

P R O S E CT I O N

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START A PODCAST SUBSCRIPTION As podcasters, you can now set up subscriptions through either Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It is no coincidence that both platforms introduced subscriptions over the past five weeks. Subscriptions require you to create new content and bonus content on a recurrent basis. As a creator, this can add a whole new load of work that you might not be able to keep up with.

Since you are already providing some free content via your show or podcast, differentiation is vital. If you’re looking to introduce a subscription, I recommend creating a new format that would make this subscription model slightly different from what people can already access.

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P R O S E CT I O N

3

TAP INTO PAID NEWSLETTERS After the rise of Substack, platforms like Convertkit have also introduced paid newsletters for their users and creators.

Newsletters are a strict balance of give-and-take. They aim at providing content, inspiration but also driving traffic to an external platform. When it comes to paid newsletters, you’re looking more at something that can provide extra value to your subscribers, where you’re not asking as much, but you are giving a lot. Still, this could be one of the best solutions for writers, especially if you are an expert in your field.

You can create bespoke content that uniquely breaks down some of the topics you cover or introduces your audience to

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new people or new concepts in a very tailored way.

Substack grew in popularity in 2020 thanks to the creator economy and the pandemic. Still, I also believe that the shift has happened because writers have been looking for ways to diversify their efforts.

Twitter just about had time to acquire newsletter maker Revue, that Facebook decided to jump on to the newsletter trend, by developing its own newsletter creation and distribution tools.

APPLY TO ACCESS A CREATOR FUND Funds shouldn’t be the first option for you to look into, especially since it’s not something you can rely on.

However, if even platforms like Medium are rewarding prolific writers with a bonus of $500, then we can only expect to see more and more platforms push their Creator funds. YouTube has one, Clubhouse has one, and even Instagram is allegedly looking to develop new ways to monetise for creators.

In this brilliant Substack newsletter, user Li mentions the idea that: “work is being unbundled from traditional employment.” “The rise of “micro-entrepreneurs,” or free agents, creators, freelancers, and independent workers who utilize digital platforms to make a living by leveraging skills and knowledge in the absence of a traditional employer-employee relationship.” - Li’s Substack newsletter Before, creators were deemed as influences, and therefore, painted in a negative light. Now, the creator economy shows that you can create content, convert your audience into superfans and find ways to encourage them to support you along the way.

As this new economy is flourishing and new opportunities are arising, I recommend looking into these different ways of monetisation and think about whether any of them could work for you.

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PART ONE

YOUR MONEY STORY

HOW TO SPEND AND SAVE MINDFULLY In conversation with Laura Ann Moore and Rachel from Penfold

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e welcome the self-employment digital pension specialists, Penfold and Money and Mindset Coach, Laura Ann Moore, to teach us a thing or two about our finances. In this hour-long webinar, Rachel from Penfold, who has 15 years of experience in financial services, and Laura guided us through the Three Steps to Improve Your Financial Wellbeing.

Rachel joined us as Penfold representative who has spent a lot of time specialising in pension products and marketing, while Laura is also a personal finance blogger, speaker and educator. She talks all about personal finance to help people transform their relationships with money. Together, Rachel and Laura set out to demystify the confusing parts of finance so that people feel financially confident and can live their best lives today while planning for their future.

In this two-part article, we will guide you through the three crucial steps to building a financially rewarding life: STEP ONE Your money story STEP TWO Mindful spending practices STEP THREE Future-proof your pensions

WHAT IS YOUR MONEY STORY?

To discover your personal money story, think about your beliefs about money and how these beliefs have shaped the way you think about money. Do these beliefs serve you? Laura encouraged us to acknowledge these beliefs and let them go: I am sorry, I forgive you, I forgive that thought, and I let it go.

Regularly doing this affirmation technique can help you get rid of beliefs that no longer serve you and set up new habits and thoughts that will serve you more in the future.

MINDFUL SPENDING WITH LAURA

“I don’t know where my money has gone!” This phrase is something we say and hear all the time. Life can feel overwhelming and as if you’re not in control of your money.

On the other hand, mindful spending is about flipping the switch and being the ones who are in control of our money.

With all the money that we make, you can choose to save it, spend it or invest it. There is a lot of pressure to save and invest, and we often overlook the importance of spending our money and assume that spending is “bad”.Laura tells us to “see money as a powerful tool and resource to help us do things now and in the future.” Now is the time that mindful spending comes in - it may stop you from making those impulse purchases that you later regret (think of all the times you spend money due to an emotional trigger, and then those purchases don’t align with your budgets and values). Mindful spending will mean that your spending aligns with your financial values.

Before making a purchase: ask yourself about: • The affordability? Think about whether the spending is realistic or not and if you have the budget for this. Can you clear this on your credit card straight away?

• Need vs want? Do you need this item or is it just a want - for example, are you buying it because it’s on sale?

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P R O S E CT I O N

• Your emotional state? How are you, when you are spending money? Spending can be addictive, and we get a lot of fulfilment from the act of spending (it’s not always about the item), but we cannot alter our mood with our purchases. Become aware of this and how you are spending your money, and this will allow you to choose whether or not you want to give in to your emotions.

• Does the purchase take you further or closer to goals? Does the money you are spending align with what you want in the future?

FINANCIAL GOALS AND MINDFUL SPENDING

In life, you want your day-to-day spending to align with what you want in the future. Whether these are short, medium or long-term goals, it’s a good idea to think about the future. For example, short-term goals may happen in the next few years (for example, booking a holiday, buying a new laptop etc.). In contrast, medium-term goals will take about 5-10 years (including buying a house, quitting your job and setting up a business), and finally, longer-term goals may take 10+ years to think about and may include your retirement.

Take some time out each week, get in a good mindset and space and re-evaluate your goals and finances at the time.

Work your way up slowly and regularly check in with your

finances. It can also help if you write down your finances, goals and thoughts in a journal to visualise and be aware of how much money you do have and where you need more.

THE BALANCING ACT

As creatives, entrepreneurs or something with a side hustle who seeks to go it full-time, there is a delicate balance to strike. Investing in your business is essential, but when are you financially stable to take these risks?

How can you save for your future when you need to spend and invest in your business?

Laura brings it down to our mindset: it’s very easy to get used to the reliable monthly payslip, and going it alone demands a real shift in perspective. Having an emergency fund is essential not to be worried about the immediate future. Doing some journaling about your beliefs around your money can help challenge any ideas that may no longer serve you. Many people believe that “you have to burn out before making any money”, which is not realistic or healthy, so learn about your beliefs before starting so that they don’t end up restricting you later on.

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PART TWO

YOUR MONEY STORY

HOW TO SECURE YOUR FINANCIALLY WELLBEING NOW AND IN THE FUTURE In conversation with Laura Ann Moore and Rachel from Penfold

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hile many people say that pensions are overly complicated and confusing, it needn’t be the case. Some providers will try to catch you out, meaning that retirement can feel like a hard abstract thing to pin down.

“Penfold is built with self-employed and freelancers in mind to break down barriers. We want to break down barriers and help you to get started! We want to help you keep your retirement goals on track and make them simple and easier to understand.”

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P R O S E CT I O N

A pension is about saving enough now to have financial freedom later in life to stop working when you want to do and do what you want with your time. The best way to do this is with a pension as it’s a long term saving product, and you can use the magic of compound interest! For example, if you leave it for 30 years, it can grow and grow!

WHEN OPENING UP A PENSION, THERE ARE THREE KEY THINGS TO THINK ABOUT

• The government provides us with a state pension from the age of 69, which is about £9K as long as you have been paying your national insurance for 35 years.

• The government adds a generous tax top up when you pay into a personal pension plan.

• Make the most of the secret weapon of compound interest and the growth you can achieve on the money you save!

If all of this sounds over your head, don’t worry, as Penfold specialises in breaking down the elusive pension barriers. A tax top-up occurs when you are a self-employed taxpayer.

They will add 25% of what you have paid into your pension, and if you are a high tax ratepayer, you can have 50% extra as you can get money off your tax bill! These are applied relatively automatically if the money has come from a personal pension contribution, so you don’t need to do anything more to receive these actively.

“Even if you start small, you are giving your money a bigger chance to grow for the future.”

As a limited company, you can also take money out of your business tax-free by putting it into your pension. This money then is classed as a business expense and so reduces your corporate tax overall. Note that this money is then locked away until you are 55 years old, so you have to make sure that you don’t want to access the money before then.

WHEN SHOULD I START SAVING?

When thinking about starting a pension, it can be daunting to think about the amount of money you should accumulate to live off comfortably - but the compound interest does a lot of the hard work for you. The earlier you start saving, the better position you might be in later in life. That said, you can never leave it too late; it is always essential to get started. Even if you start small, you are giving your money a bigger chance to grow.

HOW MUCH SHOULD I SAVE?

There is no correct amount to save each month or year. The amount you choose is a personal decision, and Rachel

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encouraged us to think about a few things? What do you want to achieve? What are your financial plans over the next few years? When would you like to retire? What life do you want to live while retired/not working?

A general rule of thumb to work out when and how much you should save is: Half the age you’re at when you start saving and put that % of your earnings into your pension each year, e.g. if you’re 20, start saving 10% each year.

WHY ARE THEY SO IMPORTANT WHEN YOU ARE SELF-EMPLOYED?

A lot of people nowadays are self-employed, so it’s crucial to take action for yourself. You might not be eligible for the full state pensions if you have previously limited your salary to reduce your tax and National Insurance.

If you have worked for a company, you will know that everyone in full-time employment has one set up for them by the HR team, but, being self-employed, you have to do

P R O S E CT I O N

this for yourself. It’s a good idea to treat yourself as your employee! Make sure you are offsetting your expenses and take advantage of these opportunities.

The fine print: • There is a cap: you can pay up to £40K per year, or your earnings if lower than this.

• There are no minimum contributions.

• The first 25% is tax-free, and you will pay income tax on the other 75%.

• Pension freedoms: there is no one set way to take your pensions money anymore, so there is a lot more flexibility to fund your retirement. You don’t have to take it all in one go; there are many options and providers you can do that with, too.

• Transferring and combining pensions: while this can be a considerable problem (there is £20 billion or lost pensions in the UK as people forget to transfer them, move house or lose the names of their providers, to don’t estimate the value of your savings). Spend the time looking back at previous employers and their pension schemes and decide if you want to keep a few

different pension pots or move them into one so you can track them more easily.

We asked our money experts their favourite financial wellbeing practices to leave us all inspired to make a few changes to start our next financial chapter.

Rachel tries to save a small amount of money each month in a pot. Laura Ann is passionate about creating money dates with herself each week and talk about money -“I open up the conversations with myself and my friends. With myself, that means journaling, sitting down, asking myself questions and getting down to how I feel about myself. It means that we can build each other up and be honest with each other.” Money takes up a lot of our lives, and our actions today can influence the life we will lead in the future.

MORE INFORMATION Penfold website: getpenfold.com Laura’s Instagram: @laura_ann_moore

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CREATIVE IMPACT

WELLBEING

Magic

FUN FACTS In most countries, witches are associated with Halloween. But in Sweden, there are Easter witches.

WELLBEING

CR E ATIVE I M PACT TO P PI CKS

WHAT’S NEW IN WELLNESS

We have rounded up a few of our absolute favourites in this latest top picks: what’s new in wellness.

Are you looking for your new favourite wellbeing products for Autumn? From skincare products to the best nut butter now in sustainable jars, new delicious meal boxes and so much more.

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WELLBEING

Ta p on an y pr od uc t im ag e to ge t sa le s lin ks

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6 7 8 1. Hunter & Gather New 100% Olive Oil Dressings - £4.49, 2. NKD Living Granulated Erythritol - £8.99, 3. ZESTED Zested’s Recipe Box - Varies from recipe to recipe, 4. Pip & Nut Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Almond Butter Jar - £3.25, 5. Bao Skincare Recovery Face Cream - £31, 6. &SISTERS Eco Applicator Tampons - £3.80, 7. Nutravita Sleep & Relaxation Supplements - Starts £18.99, 8. The Skinny Food Co Low Sugar Apricot Jam - £3.99,

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The Way Back Almanac A contemporary seasonal guide back to nature with a modern twist for city dwellers Written by Melinda Salisbury

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wrote The Way Back Almanac for people who’ve either lost their connection with nature over the years or who want to forge a new or stronger relationship with the natural world. The book is for those who live in cities, in flats or house-shares, who have limited resources, including time and outdoor space. By putting a modern spin on the more traditional almanac and providing practical and relatively accessible ways for people to engage with natural rhythms and cycles, I’m hoping people become more mindful, invested in, and more passionate about the world around us. I want people to feel like they’re a part of the

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natural world, not just an observer – everyone should be a Citizen Naturalist.

The idea for the book came to me after realising that all of the small things I’d been doing in a bid to improve my relationship with nature; eating more seasonally, growing my own food (in pots on windowsills), cutting out plastics, getting out into my neighbourhood to see what was around; might be helpful for other people too. I think many barriers to so many people engaging with nature are that we have such a strict idea of what it looks like to be Out Doing Nature, and

WELLBEING

“I’m hoping people become more mindful, invested in, and more passionate about the world around us” or being out in it. I founded The Animal Club (of which I was the only member), and my objectives were to learn the Latin names of every native UK mammal, to learn to identify their tracks and their stools (maybe this is why I had no friends…). I used to bake cakes to sell at break time to raise money for Greenpeace and the RSPB. Nature was my whole world… And then it wasn’t. I was a teenager, then an adult, and I lost this entire part of myself that used to be the biggest and most important part.

we forget that it’s everywhere, all the time, in our cities and on our streets. In our homes, even. You don’t need to live on the doorstep of a reservation to find it; thanks to the Internet, you don’t even need to leave your house. I want everyone to feel they can make small changes and reap big rewards, physically, emotionally and psychologically. I want everyone to understand that nature is something they’re a part of, all the time – not just on Sunday walks in The Countryside.

I called it The Way Back because that’s what it was for me.

As a child, I was a nature obsessive. I had no friends; I spent all my time reading about nature, watching shows about it,

It was Blue Planet II in 2017 that made me realise just how far I’d drifted from who I used to be and how apathetic and selfish I’d become regarding the natural world. The episode that highlighted the effects of plastics in the sea, culminating in the death of the pilot whale calf, made me feel so sad and so ashamed because I knew I was part of the problem. I was partially to blame for it; from that point on, I started changing everything I could; I began cutting plastics out of my life in every conceivable area. I stopped using products with ingredients that were harmful to the planet.

I cut back on travelling, sticking to the train where possible.

I started shopping locally and seasonally. If I could change

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it, I did. I appreciate a lot of the changes I was able to make due to privilege and that until giant corporations start making massive changes, the impact of my individual efforts is going to be small. Still, I don’t think that excuses me from doing the best I can. So now I try. I’m not always perfect, but I am always trying. I want the readers of this book to feel that too. As I said above, I want to create a nation of Citizen Naturalists; people who know their local area, who know

what lives there, when they should expect to see it, and who care about it. I want them to feel a responsibility to nature and to choose to live in ways that don’t demand they build a stick-fort in the woods and live on nettles but asks that they don’t buy things wrapped in tons of plastic, to think about the things they put into their bodies and on their skin.

To look up at the night sky and know a few of the stars. To feel as though this planet is their home. We’re all familiar now with the saying “There is no Planet B”, so let’s live like it. Let’s make our one glorious life here on Earth something that works with nature, not against it.

MORE INFORMATION Website: melindasalisbury.com watkinspublishing.com Instagram: @melindasalisbury @watkinswisdom

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WELLBEING

ABOUT MELINDA Melinda Salisbury is the twice Carnegienominated and bestselling author of multiple young adult novels, including the Sin Eater’s Daughter series, the State of Sorrow duology, and Hold Back the Tide.

She has been nominated and shortlisted for multiple national and international awards, including the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize, the YA Book Prize, and more.

Exclusive discount for readers, go to www.watkinspublishing.com and use the promo code Almanac22! for the months of September/October.

EXCLUSIVE

20% DISCOUNT

The Way Back almanac 2022 BOOK EXTRACT

In caring for yourself May Day is when the May Queen is crowned, and so this year I invite you to crown yourself, with your own flower crown. Ideal for wearing when you’re out and about in nature, or in your garden, or simply sitting at home painting your nails. Embrace your inner May Queen – it couldn’t be simpler!

To make your crown, you will need: • Moss-covered florist’s wire, enough to wrap around the circumference of your head (or a suitable substitute if wire isn’t available; you could try weaving thin willow or hazel sticks into a crown, or buy a pre-made headband) • Green florist’s tape • Secateurs or sharp scissors • Fresh or plastic flowers and leaves of your choosing, depending on how long you want your crown to last (if using fresh make sure they get a good drink of water for at least a couple of hours before you use them) 1 | Wrap the moss-covered wire/woven sticks around your head where you want your crown to sit, and add an extra inch to the measurement (to allow for the extra bulk of the flowers and to have room to tie it together).

Twist the ends together and seal with the florist’s tape.

This is your crown base.

2 | Using the green florist’s tape, sort your flowers and leaves into small bundles and begin attaching the bunches to the crown base by laying the stems flat against the wire and taping them to it. When you come to add the next bundle, use them to cover the tape, and so on, as you work your way around, making sure to fill any gaps with foliage and blooms, and to cover the join of the crown.

3 | And there you have it. It’s even more special if you use hawthorn blossom, which can traditionally only be gathered and brought inside on May Day, though please be sure to ask the permission of the tree before you cut any blossoms away, lest you incur the wrath of the Fairy Queen (and only take a few, lest you disrupt the bees and other pollinators who have a job to do and an ecosystem to maintain!).

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BOOKSHELF

TAP INTO MAGIC

From exploring your connection with your intuition, all the way to learning more about the occult, we are tapping into magic this Autumn. Rekindle with your inner witch and tap into spiritual energy. In the collective, we’ll be exploring powerful ways for you to brand yourself in an affordable way.

JOIN OUR EXCITING COLLECTIVE BOOK CLUB Read along with fellow members, explore our top pick for the coming fortnight and meet the author in our Book Club, available via the Creative Impact collective creativeimpact.group/collective/

WHAT WE'RE READING We’re loving the new book by Lucy Werner and Hadrien Chatelet, all about discovering the power of branding. Brand Yourself walks you through everything you need to know about creating a business brand, from brand strategy to picking out fonts, building your personal brand and affordable creative tips to make an impact with your business. Packed with practical exercises, examples and industry hacks and supported by an extensive interactive playbook online, this is the essential guide for business owners on a budget.

Build a brand that stands out and that connects with the people you want to reach.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Hadrien Chatelet is the creative director of The Wern and leads the design arm of the business.

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Click on the books to get sales link

WELLBEING

WITCH, PLEASE

VICTORIA MAXWELL (HARPER COLLINS)

Witch, Please is a modern mystic’s practical guide to life, love and creating a fulfilling existence, from turning your home into a sacred sanctuary and manifesting magical relationships to loving your career and money magic.

Full of inspiration, practical advice and rituals, this book will guide you through the process of tapping into your intuition, intention and self-empowerment to discover and harness the magic within you.

USE YOUR PSYCHIC POWERS TO HAVE IT ALL URI GELLER (WATKINS PUBLISHING)

A fun and super-practical guide to developing your psychic powers and using them to achieve success and fulfilment in life, offering tips and secrets from the world’s most celebrated paranormalist – Uri Geller. This is a guide to releasing your PSI-FORCE and using it for whatever purpose you want. Your psi-force will help you excel at sport, outsmart your boss, win at games, make friends, attract a lover, overcome illness and depression, come to terms with disaster, be a financial success, and, above all, be happy and content.

MAMA MOON’S BOOK OF MAGIC SEMRA HAKSEVER

(HARDIE GRANT, UK)

Semra Haksever was a fashion stylist for over a decade before becoming a bohemian entrepreneur and starting Mama Moon, a bespoke collection of magical scented candles and potions. Samra’s third book serves as the ultimate guide to modern magic and how to use it. Inside her most comprehensive magical handbook yet, find spells to enhance every part of daily life – from work to health, friendship to romantic love – together with seasonal spells to help you navigate full moons, equinoxes and solstices.

FOUR BOOKS OF MAGICK

ALEISTER CROWLEY (WATKINS PUBLISHING)

This is the masterpiece of occultist, magician and philosopher Aleister Crowley, introduced by one of the world’s leading experts on Western esoteric traditions, Stephen Skinner. His long involvement with magick, both as an academic and as a practitioner, enabled Dr. Skinner to highlight the differences between the psychological and the spirit-orientated approaches to magick, and to show how that dilemma shaped Crowley’s practice and his founding of Thelema, enlightening the reader to many previously unknown connections.

DID YOU KNOW Did you get the latest book from Creative Impact founder Fab Giovanetti?

Reclaim your time off offers practical steps to help with remote and flexible working, so you don’t ‘burnout’.

ORDER TODAY fabgiovanetti.com/reclaim

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WELLBEING

Why it’s time to dial into your ‘blue heritage’ Written by Dr Easkey Britton

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orn into a surfing way of life on the northwest coast of Ireland, to surfing parents with the beach on my doorstep, I was given a ‘blue heritage’. I grew up with family stories of our connection to the sea, standing on a surfboard since the age of four. My father and uncles were among the country’s first surfers after they ‘liberated’ two surfboards that their mother, my grandmother Mary Britton, brought back to Donegal after a trip to America promoting tourism in the 1960s. The boards were intended for guests at the family hotel. Instead, my dad and his brothers kicked off a surf culture that thrives in Ireland today. My Mum surfed all through her teens and said it was a lifeline for her growing up.

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“There is strong evidence for the therapeutic potential of water” My name, Easkey, has its origins in ancient Gaelic for fish. I’m named after an important salmon river in Ireland that creates a wave where it flows into the sea; it is my father’s favourite surf spot. My name reminds me that my identity is tied to water. All of our identities are inextricably linked to the sea. We have all been shaped and formed by the ocean.

I live my life by the tides and the cycle of the moon. From my home, I can hear the storms arriving from the Atlantic in the night. I plan my day around tide

WELLBEING

EXCLUSIVE

15%

DISCOUNT

SALTWATER IN THE BLOOD Surfing, Natural Cycles and the Sea’s Power to Heal Exclusive discount for readers, go to www.watkinspublishing.com and use the promo code CREATIVE15 for the months of September/October.

ABOUT EASKEY Dr Easkey Britton is a surfer, writer, artist, film-maker, coach and marine social scientist, with a PhD in Environment and Society.

A life-long surfer, she was taught to surf at the age of four, and she now channels her passion for the sea and surfing into social change.

Her promotion of female surfing in Iran is explored in her TEDx talk, Just Add Surf, and the awardwinning documentary Into the Sea.

charts and predict swell heights consistently to make myself available to the ocean. It means my schedule often goes against linear notions of time, which can sometimes cause problems in a society hooked on hyper-productivity.

Still, my ocean connection gives me balance and keeps me grounded.

Writing ‘Saltwater in the Blood’ was my way to explore these cyclical connections more deeply through my surfing. I wanted to present a new take on surfing — about immersion-about surrendering to a physical, emotional, and messy force. In the book, I translate some of those lessons learned from the sea and surf into our land-life back ashore. For me, it’s about letting go of any need to perform and instead of

listening to our body and how it responds to the natural, living world around us. My ocean connection and surfing experiences have taught me to embrace imperfections as we reconnect with ourselves and nature.

Biologically speaking and from an evolutionary perspective, all life came from the sea. I’m a massive fan of environmentalist and marine biologist Rachel Carson, who wrote ‘The Sea Around Us’ in the 1950s (and later the groundbreaking Silent Spring, which altered our relationship with chemical use and led to the banning of DDT). Her pioneering work, weaving her passion for the sea into her scientific studies and how powerfully she wrote about our sea connection definitely inspired me. According to Carson, the sea remains in the saltwater of our blood, our cells, our DNA, from when the first animals came ashore and took up land life — we are all linked with this watery origin in the ancient sea. This entanglement also means we can’t be well in a sick sea.

This idea is at the heart of Saltwater in the Blood — understanding our relationship with the ocean. If we could

better protect and restore the ocean, we would also have healthier people and communities. We are just beginning to understand the wellbeing benefits of a healthy marine environment. There is strong evidence now for the tremendous therapeutic potential of water, greater even than other types of natural environments. The healing potential of water is nothing new, it’s been known and practised for millennia and is integral to indigenous cultures, but western science is finally catching up. For example, a recent review of my colleagues and my studies investigating the healing effect of being in, on, near water found it especially beneficial for mental health, psychological wellbeing, and social connection.

An element of risk and unpredictability inherent to surfing and the sea can be an essential part of building resilience and confidence for people if they experience it in an enabling setting. My research with the INCLUSEA project highlights how the movement of the waves and the sense of freedom and weightlessness when immersed in saltwater can be incredibly empowering and restorative, especially for people with injuries or disabilities. We are only just beginning to understand what it is about water that makes it so healing.

MORE INFORMATION Website: easkeybritton.com Instagram: @easkeysurf

C R E AT I V E I M PACT M AG | 7 5

WELLBEING

FI N D I N G GR ACE WITH HAN NAH

Harvest and Autumn Magic With harvest and autumn equinox in the northern hemisphere, it is a potent time to feel gratitude, reflect and release what no longer feels in alignment for you.

I

also want to acknowledge that it will be the spring equinox in the Southern Hemisphere, which is a different energy entirely, but this piece will focus on the Autumn equinox.

The powerful gratitude energy leads you to the Autumn Equinox, which is a point in the year where we get a day of equal light and darkness (this also happens as we transition to Spring).

Harvest and Autumn tie in well together because, before we can think about what we need to release, it’s important to be grateful for what we have.

This is the Harvest Energy, and with the intensity of summer, we quickly get lost in its hedonistic ways and all the busyness and activities that summer brings.

The Equinox allows us to pause as we transition through the seasons. As Autumn is the gateway to Winter, it is vital to slow down so the change does not feel as sudden. Autumn is a beautiful time to let go and release; we see this visibly in nature as the trees shed their leaves and many plants and flowers die off ready for Winter hibernation. We also enter into the last quarter of the year; it’s essential to let go of some of the weight we have been carrying.

Harvest allows us to reflect on what we have and what we are grateful for.

So if you are reading this, I invite you to firstly make a gratitude list and spend some time connecting to the feeling of gratitude. Often when

“This is a time to slow down a little, so think about where you can do this in your life” we are so busy and have lots going on, we forget to feel gratitude for what we have.

Never underestimate the importance of gratitude, and take time to reflect on the summer for what has been. Sometimes we miss the small things that have positively happened because things and our busy lives have consumed us. Taking the time to do this helps you pause and have a mini reset, which is always needed for things to integrate. Plus, the energy of gratitude, no matter where you are in life, is always positive. Try to do a gratitude practice regularly, just three things a day, and trust me, you will notice the difference.

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So think about a few things that are no longer working in your life: What do you need to let go of?

What has been feeling challenging?

What feels out of alignment?

The answers to these questions will be personal to you, and there’s no right or wrong here, which is essential to remember. Letting go isn’t always easy, so be gentle and kind with yourself while doing this process; you don’t need to rush this process.

Autumn is an excellent time to think about bringing something into your life to nourish yourself, ready to prepare as we move towards Winter. With space you’ve created from letting go, there’s nothing better than bringing something nourishing instead. What can nourish your life right now? Settle into the Autumn magic; wrap up, kicking leaves about, going inside and snuggling in with a warm drink. @thehannahwallace

WELLBEING

AFFI R M ATI O N

“Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.”

Albert Camus

AUTHOR BIO

Find out more about Hannah, writer, blogger, and podcaster at @thehannahwallace or head to Hannah’s website to download her free meditation.

WELLBEING

E XC L U S I V E

EXTRACT FROM THE BOOK

USE YOUR PSYCHIC POWERS TO HAVE IT ALL Written by Uri Geller

ARE YOU TELEPATHIC?

You can sharpen your Psi sense by having fun with telepathy.

The first step to reading minds is learning to sense someone’s physical presence.

Close your eyes; hold out your palm; and ask your partner to trace a square, a cross, or a circle with his or her fingertip, half an inch from your open hand. Focus on what you feel on your palm. A tingle, warm and electric, will begin in the sensitive skin. The tingle will quickly take shape ... as a square, a cross, or a circle.

As you become more experienced, try to sense the shape when your partner is just thinking about it, instead of tracing it.

This is your first step in finding your Psi Power.

Most people who believe in the existence of a god or a superior force have excellent prospects for developing Psi

Power, that magic power which can transform our lives.

Incredibly, our minds have the power to affect other people’s bodies. When we pray for those we love – or even patients we have never met – it’s possible that we can actually aid their recovery. Medical researcher William Harris, of Saint Luke’s Hospital in Kansas City, asked Christian volunteers to pray for 466 people in the coronary unit over a year, without telling either the patients or their doctors. Results were positive, with the lucky recipients of prayer faring better than the 524 people who went unprayed for. “If people are willing to accept the outcome of a rigorous drugs trial,” says Harris, “they have to accept this.” Medical doctors are beginning to discover that the power of all positive thinking, positive intentions, the power of prayer, and the power of belief are enormous healers. The bigger and more dramatic the person perceives the intervention to be, the bigger the placebo effect.

A placebo stress-buster tape worked well when subjects were told it had been used on astronauts. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not advising anyone to abandon conventional medicine – NO WAY. On the contrary, I urge you to have a full medical check-up every year. Parallel to medical science, I believe in positive intentions, the power of belief, the power of prayer, and the power of positive thinking. You just need to use them!

DESTINY AND DYNASTY

I believe that every person has a particular talent that can be put to good use, and once you have identified yours, you can learn how to make the best of it. First, however, let me assure you that no one should ever lose hope or be demoralized if they find themselves in circumstances where they feel trapped and incapable of moving forward. Furthermore, don’t think you have missed out just because you weren’t born with a silver spoon in your mouth. I am a believer in fate; yet, at the same time, I also believe that fate and destiny are

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WELLBEING

ABOUT URI Uri Geller is the world’s most investigated and celebrated paranormalist. In 2017 the CIA released files describing tests of his abilities that concluded “As a result of Geller’s success in this experimental period, we consider that he has demonstrated his paranormal perceptual ability in a convincing and unambiguous manner”. As well as using his dowsing gifts to detect oil and precious metals, Uri works as a motivational coach to leading sportspeople and industrialists. He has lectured at the United Nations and to the directors and CEOs of large multinational companies, such as Google, Reuters, Sony, Rolls Royce, Hallmark and many more.

Find out more at www.urigeller.com

interlinked and that you can help to direct your own destiny.

Take nature as an example: why do you think a queen bee is special? It isn’t hereditary, as all the larvae produced in a hive are the same when they are born. In fact, the young pupae which develop into queen bees are only different because they are fed a diet of royal jelly in special cells. Were it not for this special treatment, they would be the same as any of the worker bees. Now, obviously we can’t all be born princes and princesses, but, just like the bees, we can develop special qualities if we are trained properly and fed the right information about our dormant talents. Not everyone can be a genius, but even a little improvement is better than none, and any change you do undergo will give you the confidence to do more.

Remember, too, that humans, unlike insects or animals, have an extra dimension. We have a choice. We can influence our destiny; we can choose to be special. So, even if you were not born into a happy dynasty, you can still make it your destiny to be happy, and perhaps even become privileged, by developing your skills. After all, there is something much more satisfying in being able to say that you are where you

are because of your own efforts, and not simply due to an accident of birth.

I also want to assure you that if you are successful at creating your own destiny, then it is very likely that you will rub noses with the “dynasty set” anyway. Who would have thought that someone from my humble background would one day attend parties thrown for princes? I do not say this to boast – only to illustrate the point that it can be done. And that all it takes is that extra knowledge, its application, and an open and receptive mind.

MORE INFORMATION Website: urigeller.com watkinspublishing.com Instagram: @theurigeller @watkinswisdom

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3 Top tips Help improve your sleep

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PROMOTIONAL FEATURE SPONSORED BY

A

re you looking to improve the quality of your rest this Autumn? As days are getting shorter again, it’s essential to add a bit more TLC to our routine. Our friends at Nutravita share some of their top tips to help you catch some proper beauty sleep.

One | Reduce screen time Research shows that reducing the amount of blue light transmitted from your screens before bedtime will vastly improve your sleep quality! So, try turning your phone onto ‘night-mode’ in the evenings or wear glasses with blue light lenses to reduce your blue light exposure. Try turning off all tech (yes that includes Netflix!) at least an hour before bed and practice some tech-free self-care during that sacred time – which leads nicely on to our second tip...

Three | Supplements

Two | Create a wind down routine that suits you

Certain supplements are scientifically proven to calm the body and aid the mind for a restful deep night’s sleep.

We live in an hectic , fast-paced world yet our brains love routine and thrive off continuous patterns! Creating your own personal bedtime routine and sticking to it will have a profound impact on your quality of sleep!

Whether it’s journaling, reading, or a candle-lit bath with essential oils, creating positive habits before bedtime will relax your body and mind to positively impact your quality of sleep.

Magnesium is a great mineral with fantastic calming properties. It may help to reduce anxiety and stress, aiding the nervous system for a better night’s sleep. We recommend using Nutravita’s Natural Night Complex Vegan Capsules which have been carefully formulated with selected botanicals and minerals including Camomile, Lemon Balm and Magnesium to help you drift naturally.

Nutravita’s Evening Primrose Oil Vegan Softgels are especially beneficial for women going through the Menopause because Primrose Oil contains essential fatty acids that can help to reduce night sweats, insomnia, anxiety, and hot flashes.

Nutravita’s Primrose Oil Softgels also contain Vitamin A and E which help to maintain normal skin function – a win win!

Ashwagandha is a great apoptogenic herb that has long been used in ancient traditional medicine. The herbs benefits include improving brain function, managing stress and lowering cortisol levels for a deeper, longer night’s sleep.

Nutravita’s Organic Ashwagandha Vegan Capsules are Certified Organic by the Soil Association and have been carefully sourced from farms in India.

MORE INFORMATION Website: nutravita.co.uk

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WELLBEING

PSYCH O LOGIS T CO RN ER WITH J OAN NA

The power of visualisation Learn how images and thoughts about our goals help us to achieve them

H

ow often have you wished you could achieve your goals, but you aren't sure where to start? One of the most important steps you can take in making your goals more possible is not your finances, position in life or waiting for the "right time" - it's visualisation. The power of the mind in achieving your desires is well known throughout the study of human psychology.

What is visualisation?

Visualisation refers to creating mental imagery regarding a dream or goal. When you're visualising, focus on making your dream a reality and willing it to come true by imagining that your goal is happening and what would look like.

While, in reality, you may be no closer to achieving your goal, the application of visualisation allows you to feel as though your goal is more realistic and reachable. By altering your pattern of thinking, you move away from the idea that not achieving your goal so far makes achieving it at all less likely.

It's easy to feel as though you're moving at a slower pace than your peers and that you're unable to conquer your goals. It might lead you to give up on your dreams altogether, but visualisation allows you to overcome these negative thoughts.

How visualisation works The power of visualisation works by allowing you to paint a vivid picture of the success you want

ASK A QUESTION Ask our resident experts questions and each issue

in your mind. If, for example, you want to apply for a job at a new company, but you aren't sure how you will fit in, it could be difficult for you to successfully "put yourself in the picture", as it were. This notion makes acting as if you have already achieved your dream that little bit harder.

With visualisation, you develop your ability to paint a vision of what the workspace will look like, how your days will be in a new role, and the success this could lead to.

A daily practice All of the above sounds great, but how do you utilise visualisation in your daily life to help you succeed? There are ways to use visualisation, but one of the most important things to remember is to regularly practise it. Many people incorporate visualisation into a guided meditation or as part of their yoga practice, as this helps the brain to get used to the process and rewrite any beliefs.

Make visualisation a habit, and it will soon be second nature.

Expose yourself to elements of your goal. If you dream of travelling the world, surrounding yourself with images of the places you wish to visit, watching videos and learning some simple phrases will allow you to imagine yourself achieving this goal more clearly.

When doing this, you can describe the dream to yourself in full sensory detail, as using descriptors for each element of your goal can help solidify it in your mind. When applying these methods to your own daily life, you may find that your dreams feel more conquerable, and thanks to thinking positively, you may just find more success.

we'll answer one for the Creative Impact magazine.

Go to bit.ly/AskCIexpert and submit your question

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@healthpsychologyclinic

WELLBEING

How to live a life with no rules Written by India Majury

S

ociety's expectations of us mere mortals are ridiculous and draining. If you're anything like me, you would have stuck your middle finger up to these expectations a long time ago. Yet still, I manage to fall into the trap of feeling like I have to perform in a certain way that meets society's criteria.

is your Soul communicating with you, your intuition. When you ignore that voice, you forget who you are and block out your high power. You then shift out of alignment from your truth.

It's this truth that will break society's mould and offer you that freedom you yearn for. It will be nerve-wracking and scary because you'll be stepping out of your comfort zone. But this is a necessity if you want to live with no rules. That gut feeling is your ticket out of the restricting expectations you've been carrying.

I've spent most of my life trying to decode and decondition these expectations from my core. I kicked off as a child because I didn't understand what being a 'good girl' meant. I asked, 'why?' to every question to find the logic of life. But predominantly, all I've ever wanted was freedom. Freedom of speech, freedom of choice, freedom to be me!

It's funny looking back on my life and seeing how much I valued freedom, but at the same time, the yearning to fit in seemed to override it all. I thought differently from those around me, and when you're the only one that thinks the way you do, you start to question your truth. So I sacrificed my freedom by moulding into whoever I was with.

We forget that every human on this planet is different, yet we're taught that being different is something to fear.

We're taught to be fearful of ourselves.

This message is flowing through the foundations of our society. Fit in, be a good child, study hard, get a job, find a partner, marriage, kids, work until retirement, then enjoy life for ten or so years before your drop.

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Shall I press the snooze button, or will you?

As an energy healer, psychic and spiritual mentor, I've learned to love my different outlook on life. I've learnt that I can see things that others can't. I can see right through the cracks in the collective to see what needs tender love and care. Predominantly these gaps show me how disconnected we are from ourselves and each other.

We ignore our inner voice of wisdom time and time again because that inner voice is what we're taught to fear.

How often have you ignored that little voice because it doesn't look good on paper? Yet, you've got this inner feeling deep down inside you that tells you it's not the right choice for you. That voice

Your essence has been brought here by infinite power. Everyone will have a different view, thought or belief around this, and I respect every single one. But predominantly, we'll all be singing off the same hymn sheet here, just translated in a different way.

The essence you have inside of you is who you are. Not the mask you put on to survive. But the wild, unruled, untamed Soul that is desperate to be set free. When you tap into this essence, you allow your Soul to shine so brightly you won't even begin to understand the profound impact you'll make in this world. Don't get me wrong; I believe there are some pointers we should all live by. However, these pointers are just a beautiful example of the light within us. I like to describe them as your Soul's voice.

WELLBEING

ABOUT INDIA India Majury is also known as The Energy Coach. She’s a Soul alignment healer, psychic, spiritual mentor and podcaster.

She offers people a deeper understanding of inner peace, empowerment and an incredible sense of freedom. She knows you're here for a divine reason and loves to help you see your own magic by connecting you back with your heart and soul.

Podcast: Spiritual Soaps Podcast

Be kind and daring. Never be afraid of making mistakes, and always hold your hands up when you do. And lastly, stop caring so much about what other people think! They aren't you. They can't see what you see. Standing up and being yourself is the hardest thing in life because that means doing things your way. You are living by your own rules!

Everything else we can scoop into a tiny ball and throw into the bin.

So there you have it, living life your magnetic way! All it takes is a moment of recognition when you first acknowledge your inner voice. You may want to write it down or say it aloud to move it from a thought into reality.

Then you have a choice to listen or to ignore. I live my life with no rules. It's challenging at times, and it'll always keep me on my toes. But that's the beauty of my infinite power.

What's yours?

MORE INFORMATION Website: the-energycoach.com Instagram: @theenergycoach_

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CREATIVE IMPACT

FOODIE

DID YOU KNOW? Early food tins had to be opened with a hammer and chisel. The French army used bayonets.

Thrifty

FOODIE

How to

eat well and save money We discuss the business of publishing cookbooks with serial author Nicola Graimes

N

icola Graimes is an awardwinning health, cookery and food writer. With a back catalogue of over 25 books, covering subjects as diverse as flexitarian diets, vegetarian and vegan food, pregnancy, weaning, children's food, good health and weight loss, Nicola is the winner of the Best Vegetarian Cookbook in the World Gourmand Awards, Best Family Cookbook in the World Gourmand Awards and a finalist in Le Cordon Bleu World Media Awards.

Tell us where your passion for food started and share one of your fondest memories of food?

Growing up, I was always encouraged to try different foods, especially what were seen as quite unusual ingredients like avocados, which weren't widely available when I was young! I was always happy to try new dishes – I was never a fussy eater.

My real passion for food and cooking coincided with leaving home to go to university in London to study journalism, and I also gave up eating meat at the same time. Cooking was initially a case of “needs must”, but it was the perfect time to discover new recipes, an experiment in the kitchen and cook for my housemates. As student finances were always quite tight, my meals focused on economical vegetables, pulses, and basic ingredients – I still enjoyed creating something out

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of nothing. I'd often visit food markets towards the end of the day to pick up fresh produce that was going for a reduced price or perhaps was slightly past its best. Markets are still one of the best places to pick up seasonal fresh fruit and vegetables, and they also support the local economy.

One of my fondest memories relating to food was interviewing Linda McCartney about her journey to becoming a vegetarian. She was incredibly warm and welcoming, and, as a bonus, I could hear Paul practising for a gig in the next room. I bumped into her again a few years later at a press lunch and was impressed that she remembered my name and was genuinely interested in what I was up to.

Tell us about the journey from being a keen foodie to having published over 25 cookbooks!

Pretty much my first job after graduating was as an editorial assistant on a magazine for restaurateurs, followed by a job

FOODIE

“Remember who you are writing for, who will buy your book and what they are looking for in a cookbook” on a magazine for delicatessens and fine food shops. I got my dream job as editor of Vegetarian Living magazine, which is when I got the career-changing chance to create my own recipes and style of photography.

I moved into book publishing when my children were young as I found the pace slightly slower than magazines. I then worked as a freelance editor for a publisher producing a collection of sixteen cookbooks for Tesco, soon after which I was approached to write my first cookbook – an Encyclopedia of Wholefoods.

I've been so lucky that my career has been in food publishing, and I have experienced both sides, working in-house with magazine and book publishers alongside writing my own books. I'm constantly inspired by what's going on around me, travelling, eating out, reading, television, food shops and conversations with friends and family, which often spur a new idea for a book. What has been fantastic, too, as well as writing my own books, I've had the chance to ghostwrite and edit books for others – naming no names!

What did you learn along the way while writing, producing and publishing so many cookbooks? Were there any particular roadblocks that you faced?

Whether it be in print or online, a career in food publishing is definitely an excellent starting point for those wishing to write their own cookbook, albeit maybe a slightly back to front one! It has given me an indispensable insight into what it takes to create and produce a book, from the initial idea and concept to the finished book. Writing a cookbook is definitely a collaborative process. While there has to be a firm raison d'etre for your book, I've found that it's beneficial to have a good working relationship with your publishing team, including publisher, editor, designer and photographer, to bounce ideas off.

What is the best piece of advice you've been given - who gave it, and how has it stuck with you?

I can't remember who said this to me, but it was a publisher I worked for many years ago. They said, 'Remember who you are writing for, who will buy your book and what they are looking for in a cookbook' – indispensable advice as it is all

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FOODIE

too easy to get caught up in what others are doing, or trends or become too single-minded.

How has the food landscape changed throughout your time writing cookbooks?

It has changed immensely over the years. In many ways, food is like fashion, so there are definite trends, be it a popular type of cuisine, style of cooking or particular ingredient.

Many years ago, vegetarianism was seen as cranky, hippy and all about lentils. I remember Gordon Ramsey saying something along the lines that vegetarians weren't welcome in his restaurant – imagine saying that now! That said, I believe vegetarianism and veganism are not fads; they are positive and healthy ways to eat and being kind on the planet.

The number of people cutting down on the amount of meat they eat or cutting it out altogether has been one of the most positive changes since the publication of my first cookbook many years ago.

“The number of people cutting down on the amount of meat they eat or cutting it out has been one of the most positive changes” What is the inspiration behind The Thrifty Veggie?

We've all become much more aware of the cost of food, not just in our pockets but also in terms of the environmental impact of what and how we eat. Additionally, most of us are time-poor, so it can pay off to plan our shopping and cooking whenever possible, rather than grab a ready-meal or pricey takeaway. I wanted to create recipes that use every day, budget-friendly and simple store cupboard ingredients alongside seasonal fresh veg. So, when you look in your cupboard at the end of the day and see a packet of pasta and can't think of what to make with it, I'm hoping you'll find inspiration in The Thrifty Veggie. I also wanted to create nutritious recipes that make the most of leftovers, such as bread that is slightly beyond its best, surplus cooked rice, or a handful of herbs. Where recipes use a particular spice, I've been mindful of using that spice in another recipe, so readers

aren't left with a barely used jar in the cupboard. Alongside the recipes, there are many helpful foodie tips on how to save money and cut waste.

How is this book different from your other vegetarian books?

I wanted this book to be more back to basics, so there are recipes for making your stock, chutney, yoghurt and even a very quick and thrifty preserved lemons recipe, which can be very pricey to buy. There are also money-saving and wastefree tips on how to make the most of your fridge and freezer and how to use up fresh veg, as well as thrifty shopping and cooking ideas, such as making the most of the oven by batch cooking or cooking several things at the same time to keep costs down. One easy step we can all take, and it definitely works for me, is planning ahead. I find it really helps to write down a list of meals (even if it's just daily dinners), which makes shopping so much easier to organise, saves the pennies, and helps to avoid food waste. The structure of the book is straightforward to use and focuses on ingredients. So, there are chapters called Tin of Beans, Pack of Pasta, Sack of Rice, Bag of Nuts, Carton of Eggs, Slice of Cheese and Box of Veg. I've been mindful to include plenty of vegan recipes too.

What are your three favourite recipes from The Thrifty Veggie?

I've picked three recipes, which give a good idea of the variety

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FOODIE

ABOUT NICOLA Nicola Graimes is an award-winning cookery writer and former editor of Vegetarian Living magazine. She has written more than 20 books, including The Top 100 Recipes for a Healthy Lunchbox, The Big Book of Wok, The Big Book of Low-Carb Recipes, Veggienomics, The New Vegetarian Kitchen (that was chosen as one of OFM’s Top 50 Cookbooks of the Year) and The PartTime Vegetarian for Nourish.

of recipes you'll find in my book. The Yum Cha Buns are light, fluffy Chinese buns that come with a mushroom and nut filling. They don't take long to cook, and they are perfect for making in bulk and freezing for later. Lentils (and beans) are the most perfect nutritious, economical ingredients we can buy, and they are used in my Lentil, Preserved Lemon and Date Tagine, which came about through a need to use up surplus veg in the fridge. The Beet Top, Spring Onion and Gruyere Tart use the leaves from a bunch of raw beetroots, which can quickly go to waste. Beetroot leaves taste similar to chard or spinach and can be served as a side dish or used in a soup, bake or tart, as in this recipe.

How do you hope this book will change our relationship with vegetables, waste and saving money?

My real hope is that my book will inspire and make people think about how they shop, cook and avoid wasting food.

The recipes aren't fussy or complicated, but they give lots of ideas on how to use everyday ingredients. The recipes make the most of all parts of vegetables, some of which we often throw away. For instance, rather than ditch vegetable peelings, such as carrots, parsnips or potatoes, toss in oil, roast them in

ON THE NEXT PAGE...

Take a look at some of Nicola’s favourite recipes from The Thrifty Veggie to inspire you add more vegetables to your dishes with delicious tagines and tarts.

the oven to make nutritious vegetable crisps, or turn slightly stale bread into crumbs, then freeze them for when you need breadcrumbs. These simple, nifty ideas help us to cut waste and, in turn, save money. I read a frightening statistic on how much food we throw away each year – in the West up to a third each year – so I'm hoping that my book will help us think before throwing away.

Where do you see the future of food and in particular of "Veggienomics", as you say?

Also, can you explain what "Veggienomics" means?

Veggienomics is a made-up word – a combination of vegetarian and economics – but it describes perfectly how I envisage the future of our food, or our food landscape, to be in years to come. I think we are becoming more and more conscious of what and how we eat. On a personal level, and I can only really talk about the UK, I hope as a country we start to grow more of our own food, especially fruit and vegetables, as this is an area we rely heavily on imports.

Over the years, we have become increasingly reliant on other countries for our fresh produce when we could easily grow much of it here. For consumers, this means that we could buy more local, seasonal produce, which not only tends to be cheaper and taste better, but it is better for our environment as it hasn't travelled thousands of miles to reach us. I believe it's essential to support our local independent shops, farm shops, box schemes and food markets. It's all about balancing the books, buying the best ingredients that you can afford and cutting waste whenever possible. Every little helps.

MORE INFORMATION Website: nicolagraimes.co.uk

Instagram: @nicolagraimes

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Recipes

B ROUG H T TO YOU BY

NICOLA GRAIMES

Lentil, Preserved Lemon and Date Tagine SERVES 4-6 | PREP TIME 20 mins, plus making the stock | COOK TIME 35 mins

Many recipes come about through a need to use up ingredients in the fridge or cupboard, and this tagine is one of them. The recipe for super-quick preserved lemons is so easy to make and since jars of preserved lemons are a bit pricey, this version makes a fantastically easy, economical alternative.

INGREDIENTS • 1 tbsp olive oil • 1 large onion, chopped • 3 carrots, halved lengthways and cut into bite-sized chunks • 2 turnips, peeled and cut into bite-sized chunks • 3 garlic cloves, chopped • 2 tsp coriander seeds • 1 cinnamon sticks • 2 tsp ground cumin • 1 tsp turmeric powder • ½ tsp ground ginger • ½ tsp dried chilli flakes • 140g/5oz/¾ cup dried green lentils, rinsed well • 875ml/30fl oz/3½ cups hot vegetable stock • 115g/4oz/⅔ cup ready-to-eat pitted dried dates, halved • 1 tbsp quick preserved lemons or shop bought • 1 handful of coriander/cilantro leaves, chopped • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper • Couscous, to serve

DIRECTIONS 1 | Heat the olive oil in a large casserole over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes until softened. Turn the heat down slightly and add the carrots, turnips, garlic and coriander seeds and cook, partcovered, for another 5 minutes, stirring regularly,until the carrots have softened slightly.

2 | Stir in the cinnamon sticks, ground spices and chilli flakes, then add the lentils. Pour in the stock, stir well and bring to the boil. Turn the heat down to low, part-cover the pan with a lid and simmer for 20 minutes until the lentils are almost tender.

3 | Stir in the dates and the preserved lemons and cook, covered, for 10 minutes, or until the lentils are tender.

Add a splash more stock or water, if the tagine needs it. Season with salt and pepper, scatter the coriander/ cilantro over and serve in bowls with couscous by the side.

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Beet Top, Spring Onion and Gruyère Tart SERVES 4-6 | PREP TIME 20 mins, plus making the pastry | COOK TIME 1 hour 10 mins

If you find raw beetroot/beets with the stems and leaves still intact, they make a great alternative to chard, cavolo nero or spinach. The leaves don’t keep for long so use them soon after buying and discard any that are damaged or wrinkly.

I’ve splashed out on Gruyère cheese, but you could use a mature Cheddar or crumbly goats’ or sheep’s cheese instead.

INGREDIENTS • Butter, for greasing • 1 recipe quantity • Shortcrust Pastry • Plain flour, for dusting Filling • 1 tbsp sunflower oil • 2 bunches of spring onions/scallions, sliced, green and white parts kept separate • 200g/7oz beetroot/beet leaves, or chard, spinach or cavolo nero, stems and leaves thinly sliced and separated • 3 large eggs, lightly beaten • 250ml/9fl oz/1 cup full-fat milk • 5 tbsp chopped chives • 115g/4oz Gruyère cheese, grated • Sea salt and ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS 1 | Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/Gas 5 and heat a baking sheet. Grease a 28cm/11¼in flan tin.

2 | Roll the pastry out on a lightly floured work surface until about 5mm/¼in thick.

Use the pastry to line the prepared tin, leaving a slight overhang. Line the pastry with baking parchment and weigh down with baking beans. Put the tin on the preheated baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and beans and return the tin to the oven for another 15 minutes until the pastry is cooked and light golden.

3 | Meanwhile, make the filling. Heat the oil in a large frying pan/skillet over a medium heat. Add the white part of the

spring onions/scallions and beet stems and cook for 2 minutes until tender. Add the green part of the spring onions/ scallions and beet leaves and cook for another 2 minutes until just softened.

4 | Whisk together the eggs, milk and chives in a jug and season with salt and pepper. Spoon the spring onion/scallion mixture into the pastry case and scatter the cheese over in an even layer. Pour in the egg mixture, then return to the oven for 40 minutes until the filling is just set.

Serve cut into wedges.

TOP TIP Don’t have baking beans?

Dried beans can used instead. They can be reused, just leave to cool in an airtight box

FOODIE

Yum Cha Buns SERVES 8 large buns PREP TIME 30 mins, plus about 2 hrs rising COOK TIME 15 mins

These light, fluffy Chinese buns are filled with a mixture of cashew nuts, mushrooms, spring onions and rich hoisin sauce. Surplus uncooked buns can be frozen on a baking sheet, then transferred to a freezer bag to enjoy another day – do defrost before steaming.

INGREDIENTS • 5g/⅛oz dried yeast • 2 tsp sugar • 200g/7oz/scant 1⅔ cups plain/all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting • ½ tsp salt • ¾ tsp baking powder • 1½ tbsp sunflower oil, plus extra for greasing Cashew filling • 200g/7oz chestnut/cremini mushrooms, finely chopped • 2.5cm/1in piece of root ginger, peeled and very finely chopped • 3 tbsp hoisin sauce, plus extra to serve • 3 spring onions/scallions, finely chopped • 55g/2oz/⅓ cup toasted cashew nuts, chopped • Freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS 1 | To make the dough, pour 135ml/4½fl oz/ generous ½ cup tepid water into a small bowl and sprinkle over the yeast and sugar. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then leave for 10 minutes until frothy. Sift the flour, salt and baking powder into a large mixing bowl, stir and make a well in the centre. Pour the yeast mixture and 1½ teaspoons of the oil into the well and gradually mix in the flour to form a soft ball of dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for 10 minutes until you have a smooth and elastic ball of dough. Wipe the inside of the cleaned mixing bowl with a little oil. Add the dough, cover the bowl and leave in a warm place until doubled in size, about 2 hours.

2 | Meanwhile, make the filling. Heat a wok over a high heat, add the remaining oil and stir-fry the mushrooms and ginger for 8 minutes, or until any liquid evaporates. Spoon the mixture into

a bowl and stir in the hoisin, spring onions/ scallions and cashews. Season with pepper, and leave to one side.

3 | Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide into 8 balls and cover with a damp tea towel. Take a dough ball and press it into a round about 5mm/¼in thick, then put a heaped tablespoonful of the mushroom mixture in the centre of the dough and pull the edges up over the filling, pressing them together to seal. Put on a lightly floured surface and repeat with remaining balls and filling.

4 | Put the buns in a tiered steamer, lined with baking parchment. Cover with a lid and steam for 15 minutes, or until risen and fluffy. (You can cook the buns in batches, if necessary.) Serve the buns warm with extra hoisin sauce for dipping.

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Under the microscope What is Erythritol and how can I use it in the kitchen?

T

he world of health and nutrition sometimes throws out some pretty controversial claims, and it may seem that sugar addiction is one of them. Yet, sugar addiction can be seen as an underlying cause of a whole host of health problems, which is why the founders of NKD Living set themselves on a mission to find healthier alternatives.

Founded by Dr Sam and Sophie West, two Swansea University School of Medicine graduates in 2015, NKD Living’s goal is to create and distribute plant-derived sugar alternative solutions and low-carbohydrate, gluten-free ingredients. Their best-selling product NKD Living Granulated Erythritol (pronounced Air-rith-ri-tol - we know it’s a mouthful, but that’s the actual scientific name!) has since become the UK’s most popular zero-calorie sugar alternative.

Granulated Erythritol is proving a popular go-to staple for sugar-free & low-carb consumers. Ranking Top 10-20 in Amazon’s Grocery category, this 100% plant-derived sugar alternative is stocked in Planet Organic supermarkets, over 1200 independent UK health shops, pharmacies, dental practises and GP surgeries. The product, along with its counterpart - a zero-calorie icing sugar Powdered Erythritol have both been nominated and

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won a plethora of awards, including finalist for World Food Innovation Awards, stars in the Great Taste Awards, Nourish Awards and more.

So what IS Erythritol? It’s an alcohol sugar, part of the ‘polyol’ sugar family, but it is not digested as an ‘active’ or ‘normal’ carbohydrate. Found in plants, fruits and vegetables, it also naturally occurs in our bodies and is obtained on a large scale from the yeast fermentation of glucose from non-GMO corn. With no corn derivatives left at the final stage, the pure Erythritol obtained is entirely gluten-free. Why is Erythritol zero-calorie if it’s a carbohydrate? Erythritol is predominantly absorbed into the bloodstream and then excreted in the urine, and it isn’t utilised by our bodies for energy or fat storage like sugar.

This innovative and unique ingredient does not induce blood sugar spikes and crashes like sugar and other similar sweeteners. It has a glycemic index of zero, making it the safest alternative for people with diabetes. Studies show that not only does Erythritol not cause changes in blood glucose but suggests glucose and insulin levels in the blood are balanced by Erythritol.

This glucose-insulin balancing in the blood may even suppress hunger hormones, although research is still ongoing.

Erythritol does not cause

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Try NKD Living’s Erythritol for yourself and get inspired with some delicious recipes. Be the star of any party with quick and easy keto crackers and scrumptious raspberry scones to impress your afternoon tea guests!

discomfort or stomach upset like other sugar replacements either. Research suggests that any Erythritol that reaches the intestines cannot be utilised by gut bacteria, making this exceptional ingredient gut-friendly.

Another fabulous natural feature of the ingredient is that Erythritol cannot be digested by oral bacteria improving the freshness of breath and reducing the build-up of plaqueyes, your dentist loves Erythritol! There can be many health benefits in swapping sugar to NKD Living Erythritol, but how does it work in cooking? You can use Erythritol like sugar, in everything you bake and cook. We’ve even seen it used in drinks and ice cream! Some users report a mild cooling effect in the mouth when tried neat on a spoon, and others report they can’t tell the difference.

Most importantly, it definitely won’t alter the taste of your recipes. At 70% of the sweetness of sugar, you need to use 130g of erythritol for every 100g of sugar in baking.

MORE INFORMATION Website: nkdliving.com

Instagram: @nkdliving

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Recipes BROUGHT TO YOU

BY N K D L I V I NG

Quick and easy Keto Crackers

SERVES 8 | PREP TIME 15-20 mins

Accompanied by sweet and savoury dips for some serious no-fuss, healthy dunkin’ action! These low-carb crackers are made using our NKD Living Almond Flour and the sweet dip is made using the Award Winning Powdered Erythritol.

INGREDIENTS For the dips • 1/4 cup of Cream Cheese • Sweet version: 2 tbsp NKD Living Powdered Erythritol • Savoury version: 1/4 tsp Salt and 1/2 tbsp Chopped Chives

For the crackers • 2 cups NKD Living Almond Flour • 1/2 tsp of Salt • 1 beaten Egg • Sesame Seeds

Optional 1/4 tsp of Onion Powder, Rosemary and Oregano

DIRECTIONS 1 | Preheat the oven to 180C.

seeds and press lightly.

2 | Mix all the dry ingredients in a 5 | Place on a baking sheet large bowl. Add the egg and mix and bake for 8-12 minutes well, forming a smooth dough. until golden.

3 | Place the dough between two large pieces of parchment paper. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough out into a rectangle (about 0.2 cm thick).

4 | Cut into squares or rectangles, sprinkle sesame

6 | While the crackers are baking, divide the cream cheese between two bowls.

Into one bowl, add NKD Living Powdered Erythritol to make a sweet dip. Into the other, add salt and chopped chives to create a creamy savoury dip.

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Berry beautiful low sugar raspberry scones SERVES 8 | PREP TIME 35-40 mins

Delicious treat for any respected afternoon tea, these scones are a winner to impress your guests and friends.

INGREDIENTS • 180g + 1 tbsp Plain or GF Plain Flour • 125g Oat Flour (oats ground into a flour) • 1 tsp Baking Powder • 30g Powdered Erythritol • A pinch of Salt • 110g Vegan Butter, fridge temperature • 80ml Plant-Based Milk • 1 tsp Vanilla Essence • ½ large Banana (60g), mashed • 100g Raspberries Icing Sugar Glaze • 100g Powdered Erythritol • 2 1/2 tbsp Water Raspberry Chia Seed Jam • 100g Raspberries • 2 tbsp Chia Seeds • 1 tbsp Powdered Erythritol

DIRECTIONS 1 | Make the raspberry chia jam by mashing the raspberries until soft, stir in the chia seeds and powdered erythritol and leave to rest for 1 hour. Store in a sealed container until ready to use.

2 | Preheat the oven to 180Fan/200*C and line a large baking tray with parchment paper.

3 | Add the 180g flour, oat flour, baking powder, powdered erythritol and salt to a mixing bowl, add in the butter and break down with your fingers to mix it all together. Continue until you have a crumble consistency.

4 | Stir in the milk, vanilla essence and lightly whipped aquafaba to bring to a sticky dough.

5 | Toss the raspberries with the 1 tbsp flour and gently fold into the dough.

6 | Transfer the scone dough to the tray with a dusting of flour and shape into a circle about 20cm in diameter. Slice into 8 pieces and bake for 20-25 minutes until risen and golden. Cover the scones after the first 10 minutes with some foil, to prevent the edges turning too dark.

7 | Allow to cool before breaking apart.

ORIGIN OF THE WORD the term ‘scones’ used for the cake was first used in 1513

FOODIE

Community & Food The origin of Hunter & Gather with co-founder Amy Moring

O

ptimal Health trailblazer, Hunter & Gather (named ‘Best of British’ at Ocado’s Rising Stars Awards 2021) is fast changing the way people think about what it means to eat and live well.

The real food and supplements brand, whose products are always free from refined sugar, grains, seed oils and poor quality fats, is making waves in the health & wellbeing space and has attracted a growing ‘tribe’ of fans in the process.

We talk to Hunter & Gather’s Forbes 30 Under 30 co-founder Amy Moring, about why she set up the brand, what optimal health means to her, and her top picks for summer.

Why did you set up Hunter & Gather?

“It’s fair to say it’s been a lifelong journey… I was diagnosed with Coeliac at 18 months old so I’ve always understood the link between gut and brain health; if you have issues with your gut, it can impact everything. Back then, there wasn’t even a gluten-free aisle or bold allergen labelling, it definitely wasn’t ‘the norm’ so I learnt to challenge and question from an early age.

My co-founder and life partner, Jeff, suffered as a teenager with eczema, asthma and acne; something wasn’t quite right, and after a running injury in 2012 he embarked on a low carb lifestyle which marked a turning point for his health and happiness - immediately he felt better and wasn’t in pain, which fostered an innate passion and pursuit for optimal health.”

How did you go about launching the brand?

“Right from the start, we were spurred on by

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a lack of trust in global food companies, who were churning out highly processed foods at questionably low prices…

Back in 2016, I was working for cutting-edge pet food disruptor/B-Corp (Lily’s Kitchen) on a mission to champion ‘proper food’ for pets, whilst Jeff was stuck in a rut in his career as a quantity surveyor. We thought, how can we have the most significant impact on people’s health & wellbeing? We had no platform, but we both had entrepreneurial spirits. I knew about the food industry and routes to market. Jeff understood supply chains. Launching our own food business made sense. We developed our first product in October 2017, 100% Avocado Oil Mayonnaise. It’s our ‘Poster Child’ and what most people know us for. Jeff created a website, and I shared it on a Paleo Facebook page. It took off!”

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Find out more about the Hunter & Gather range and Amy’s favourites.

To try them for yourself, learn how to make a keto friendly icecream with only three ingredients.

What’s your mission for Hunter & Gather?

“Hunter & Gather has always been about optimal health - giving people the tools to thrive and become better versions of themselves. This is in part through eating better, but it’s also about living well – sleep, sun, movement, rest and relaxation.

Community is everything… Right from the start, we understood the importance of taking a ‘tech first’ approach to creating and building our community of loyal fans and followers. There was (and still is) a huge appetite for optimal health information in the UK, and we wanted to be trailblazers. Our social content is testament to this - from ‘primal play sessions’ to the ‘six step movement challenge’ it’s very much a holistic approach; giving our ‘tribe’ the tools to thrive.

It really boils down to passion. A belief in what we are doing and a determination to change the way people think about what it means to eat and live well.

For us, it’s about balancing profit with purpose.

When we launched the business, people asked.

‘How can you sell a jar of mayonnaise for £6?’

Today, our 100% Avocado Oil Mayo family sized jar sells for almost £15 at Ocado. People are happy to spend more for quality and integrity.

We are literally trailblazers for change, and it’s a great feeling.

MORE INFORMATION Website: hunterandgatherfoods.com Instagram: @hunterandgatheruk

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Keto Berry Ice Cream with MCT Oil SERVES 2 | PREP TIME 10 mins

A simple three ingredient ice cream you can make without an ice cream churner that’s also Keto and Real Food friendly.

What’s not to love?!

INGREDIENTS • 250ml double cream • 200g berries of choice, fresh or frozen and thawed • 1-2 tbsp Hunter & Gather MCT Oil Optional 4 tbsp erythritol or 2 tbsp honey

DIRECTIONS 1 | Add the berries, cream, MCT oil and sweetener (if using) to a blender or food processor, blending until smooth 2 | Freeze in a freezer safe container until solid - 4-6 hours 3 | Allow to soften slightly at room temperature before serving

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AMY’S TOP PICKS Hunter & Gather 100% Olive Oil Ranch Dressing Amy says “This all-natural, creamy lemon dressing is free-from added sugar, grains, seeds oils and preservatives commonly found in branded dressings perfect for drizzling on summer salads”.

Limited Edition Hunter & Gather 100% Olive Oil Lemon Mayo Amy says “Made with Spanish lemons and light olive oil from ancient olive groves, this extra special, creamy and zesty mayo perfect for dolloping and dunking, with no compromise on health.”

Hunter & Gather 100% Coconut MCT Oil Amy says “Made with 100% Organic Coconuts, this pure and natural MCT Oil is great with coffee, tea or even salads… designed to increase sustained energy, reduce cravings and enhance clarity of mind.”

£4.49 for a 250ml bottle.

£4.99 for a 175g jar.

£14.95 for a 500ml bottle.