Business Edge 40

december/january 2018 business edge

the magazine for sussex chamber of commerce members

Inside 06 business matters 12 the expert 13 fine print 14 business support 18 business matters 27 cover feature 28 inspirational leaders 32 focus on brighton 36 events and training 40 membership 42 construction focus 48 new members 50 movers & shakers december/january 2018

Sussex Chamber of Commerce

AS ASAACHAMBER CHAMBERMEMBER MEMBERYOU’RE YOU’REWELL WELLCONNECTED CONNECTED

december/january 2018 business edge

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contents

december/january 2018 business edge

Sussex Chamber of Commerce

Sussex Chamber of Commerce currently represents over 1,000 member businesses. Membership of Sussex Chamber of Commerce offers access to invaluable business advice, money saving benefits, networking opportunities and provides a voice for businesses at a local, regional and national level. Business Edge is delivered free of charge to all Sussex Chamber of Commerce members as well as key business decision makers across the county. It has a circulation of 4,000 copies per issue.

Business Edge is a Sussex Chamber of Commerce publication.

If you have any stories you would like to tell us about or any comments please drop us an email at enquiries@

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welcome

business matters

business matters

business matters

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business matters

ask the expert

fine print

feature: business support

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feature: business support

feature: business support

business matters

marketing and branding

sussexchamberofcommerce.co.uk

SUSSEX CHAMBER OF COMMERCE Unit 4, Victoria Business Centre, 43 Victoria Road, Burgess Hill RH15 9LR

PRODUCTION & DESIGN Distinctive Publishing Unit 6b, Floor B, Millburn House, Dean Street, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 1LE Tel: 0845 884 2383 www.distinctivepublishing.co.uk

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cover feature

inspirational leaders

ADVERTISING John Neilson, Business Development Manager, Distinctive Publishing Unit 6b, Floor B, Millburn House, Dean Street, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 1LE Tel: 07813 874 970 Email: john.neilson@distinctivegroup.co.uk

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business matters

focus on brighton

focus on brighton

events & training

FEATURE EDITORS John Dean & Francis Griss email:deangriss@btinternet.com

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DISCLAIMER Distinctive Publishing or Business Edge cannot be held responsible for any inaccuracies that may occur, individual products or services advertised or late entries. No part of this publication may be reproduced or scanned without prior written permission of the publishers and Business Edge.

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membership

membership

construction focus

construction focus

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construction focus

construction focus

new members

movers & shakers

AS A CHAMBER MEMBER YOU’RE WELL CONNECTED

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welcome

december/january 2018 business edge

Welcome Welcome to to the December the August/ / January Issue!

September Issue!

The way you market your business is constantly changing, especially now that you can do so using social media and online platforms, compared to a few years ago when business relied on advertising, or yellow pages or similar ways to promote their business. But is one form better than another? I personally believe that you should use a variety of ways, so that you can reach out to different audiences. Whether this is via social media, magazines, online, or other methods, by using various forms means you can appeal to different audiences and markets.

Some 2 years ago, Sussex Chamber had a website which was quite outdated and it had not been updated for many years. Since re-branding the business, it was important to ensure the website was fresh, user friendly, easy to navigate, also mobile friendly, and updated regularly to provide up to date content and information. Members can update their entry in the directory and share “Member 2 Member” offers or even share “Top 10 Tips” on our website.

We started using social media, such as Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn and in the last 2 years have grown the number of followers from a total of approximately 2,000 to over 25,000 across all platforms. Social media has been a great way for the Chamber to share member news stories, therefore providing up to date information and creating a stronger brand, not only for us, but for our members also.

This magazine has also been enhanced in the last 12 months. Members can provide editorial and share their news across Sussex. Another great way for business customers to be the first to read what is happening in the county. There are also preferential discounted rates for members who may prefer to advertise in our Business Edge magazine.

Video is another way to help create a stronger brand. By sharing your corporate videos on our Chamber TV, we can help you reach a larger audience.

With the ever-changing use of technology, social media and online platforms, I believe it is necessary to use all of these methods (as well as others) to create a stronger brand. These are some of the reasons why the Chamber enhanced its membership – to offer greater value.

Different levels of membership can provide you with a variety of ways to enhance your brand and help market your business to a larger audience. Contact the office on 01444 259 259 to find out more and discuss the benefits that membership provides.

Ana Christie Chief Executive Sussex Chamber of Commerce

£1500 freefall from 15,000ft Crawley-based Grant Thornton trainee accountant, Sam Littler, invested his £300 recognition award in a 15,000ft skydive this month and has raised over £1,500 for SANE. Earlier this year, Sam prepared and delivered an innovative presentation to his old school to inspire pupils to take the time to consider their career options. In recognition of the excellent feedback received from both pupils and parents, his company, leading financial services firm Grant Thornton UK LLP, awarded him a bonus worth £300.

Sam takes up the story.

“When I was lucky enough to receive the highest recognition award at Grant Thornton, I realised that I would be able to do something I have always wanted to do but could never afford; Skydiving. It meant that 100% of the donations would go to the charity and not a penny used to fund the dive; it was a no-brainer. I chose to support SANE, a mental health charity who specialise in schizophrenia disease, and who have helped a close family member of mine.

“I can’t believe that I not only had so much fun, but managed to raise £1500 – a 500% increase! I’d like to thank everyone for their tremendous support.

“It was complete ecstasy, you expect to be nervous but I felt completely buzzed the whole time – it’s not every day you find yourself on a plane and the only way down is by freefall. The views were breath-taking and the sensation of freefalling, albeit, it felt more like floating, was like nothing you could possibly have experienced before.”

Ellen Walsh, Practice Leader at Grant Thornton’s Crawley office added: “We are very proud of Sam’s achievement both in free fall and throughout his studies and client work. Apprenticeships with Grant Thornton are a win win – not only do we attract people of Sam’s calibre straight from school but we offer them a fantastic experiential training programme to equip them for roles in GT or the wider industry.”

Sam is still fund-raising. You can support him at https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/sam-littler

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www.sussexchamberofcommerce.co.uk

tel: 01444 259 259

business matters

december/january 2018 business edge

Investing in People – is it the key to business growth?

TECO have recently been crowned one of the winners in the Commitment to People Development heats of the Chamber Business Awards 2017. Rhonda Backwell, Director of TECO Building Products explains how creating a great working environment and a platform for employees to continually better themselves is the key to reaching company objectives.

Rhonda Backwell Managing Director TECO Building Products

Five years ago, we found ourselves with a company that was falling backward in a market that was increasingly switching to importing rather than manufacturing. We were stuck in the rut of this is how we have always done it - we needed to change in order to keep our company.

A change of MD gave us the opportunity to rethink the environment we wanted to work in and the company we wanted to be, it was clear that training would be a critical tool in redeveloping the company. The benefits have made us stronger and more profitable than ever before in our 36 years of trading history; increasing profitability 280% from 2014 to 2016.

How did we do it?

We steered away from the traditions of our sector’s culture, began working as a team and invested in our staff so they became ‘thinkers’, not just ‘doers’.

Innovation is at the forefront of our vision but it’s not just product innovation that we focus on, steering away from the traditions of our sector’s culture has been key to our more recent growth and profitability.

Investing in our people is essential to our continued success so we strive to create a working environment and platform for all employees to continually be able to better themselves; whether it be with in house training, using training providers or just encouraging an environment that is enthusiastic, helpful and knowledgeable and that above all understands that working together as a team and communicating across each section of the company is what is going to make us great.

Involvement is the key to motivated staff; We have three main sections; Production, Warehousing and Sales & Administration and we believe the best way for our team to stay motivated is to be involved and to understand the importance of working together as a team – we encourage employees to have regular input into decisions within the business. Everyone has had input to our internal values, a code of conduct that we expect from each other; Helpful, Courteous, Good Communication,

Positive Attitude, Supportive, Respectful, Approachable, Trustworthy and Caring.

It hasn’t been easy but it’s definitely been worthwhile as we now have the confidence, competence, pride and passion to keep growing.

Why is culture so important?

Some may think that culture is irrelevant to a manufacturing company but we can assure you it isn’t, we believe all industries need to have a meaning behind what they are doing otherwise growth would be prevented.

Emphasis should be on personal excellence.

We have given opportunities to staff members to lead a team which has helped them to understand the developments of the company which therefore helps to reach business goals set out and separate us from our competition, for example, one of our apprenticeships has become a team leader within two years.

Our continuous development and training opportunities have seen increased productivity within the factory as staff have improved confidence, loyalty and understanding. This has seen business profits grow hugely. Offering staff training opportunities provides us with an engaged and skilled workforce we aim to keep – this helps us to continually innovate other areas of engineering and customer service. We want to keep our high levels of reliability and flexibility to accommodate the needs of our customers.

What’s next?

Our vision is to be the best company in the world in the eyes of our customers and staff.

To us those two are entirely connected, if we are happy we will make our customers happy.

We aim to Invent and Launch a minimum of 3 new products for the Engineered Wood Product industry. We plan to achieve this by working closely with our customers and finding innovative product solutions to current problems in the market. By building open, close relationships with our staff and our customers, we can work together to increase their sales, effectively increasing our own.

We’re not Google or Lego and we haven’t come up with an idea that will change the world; we are a small, traditional Engineering/Manufacturing company.

However, the way we have developed and embraced change is anything but traditional in our field and we think that should be an inspiration to any small business in the UK. As a Commitment to People Development winner, TECO now represents the Southern region in the national finals, which take place in London in November.

Our continuous development and training opportunities have seen increased productivity within the factory as staff have improved confidence, loyalty and understanding.

AS A CHAMBER MEMBER YOU’RE WELL CONNECTED

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business matters

december/january 2018 business edge

ILG win UK Warehouse Company of the Year Award Sussex Chamber of Commerce member ILG, a delivery and fulfilment company operating from seven facilities in West Sussex, won the Warehouse Company of the Year award at the national UK Warehousing Association (UKWA) Awards.

This is a corporate award given to the company showing the highest professional standards of warehousing.

ETI Celebrate Third Queen’s Award for Enterprise Everyone at the ETI headquarters celebrated receiving their third Queen’s Award for Enterprise.

The presentation ceremony was attended by many of ETI’s export customers who were also visiting for the ETI Export Conference.

The award was presented by the LordLieutenant of West Sussex, Mrs Susan Pyper and local MP, Tim Loughton and Mayor of Worthing, Alex Harman were in attendance for this special occasion.

Along with the Warehouse Company of the Year award, the innovative approach ILG has taken at their new flagship site was rewarded as SEC Group and ILG together won the Technical Innovation award for the project. The bespoke system installed

by SEC Group, which provides over 1,000 picking locations, has helped ILG to optimise picking efficiency and provide a service for their clients which meets the increasingly high expectations of online customers.

Her Majesty the Queen awarded ETI with the Queen’s Award for Enterprise within the category of International Trade, for manufacturing and supplying electronic thermometers and temperature probes to worldwide markets. This highly regarded award reflects a significant achievement for the company and its network of overseas distributors.

On receiving the news of the award, Peter Webb MBE, Managing Director of Electronic Temperature Instruments Ltd, said: “I feel immensely proud and honoured to have received the Queens Award for Enterprise for a third time. I am lucky to have such a dedicated and supportive workforce, who without their hard work and commitment this honour would not have been possible. By keeping our manufacturing and Research & Development in the UK we have been able to support our local economy whilst successfully continuing to grow the business.”

Electronic Temperature Instruments Ltd has been trading since 1983 and is the UK’s leader in the manufacture and design of electronic thermometers and temperature probes. Over the past five years, ETI’s worldwide export sales have increased by over 96%, with their primary export markets being North America, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia.

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The UKWA award acknowledged ILG’s recent growth with two new facilities opening in Crawley 2015/16, and their new flagship site which opened in East Grinstead in early 2017 to provide another 44,000 sq. ft. of warehouse space. UKWA described ILG as ‘a highly professional and well-led company that demonstrates best practice and total commitment to UKWA’s key principles of working safely, ethically and profitably.’

The company currently employs 175 staff at their two factories in Worthing, West Sussex, with 95% of the staff coming from the local area. The business is supported by an inhouse Research & Development team, and a UKAS temperature calibration laboratory.

ETI have developed a worldwide reputation as a manufacturer and supplier of high quality and precision digital thermometers, data loggers and temperature sensors for a wide range of temperature measurement applications. Currently they export approximately 59% of their annual turnover to countries all over the world. As well as the leading UK supplier of thermometers and temperature sensors to the food industry, ETI also supplies thermometers to other industrial sectors including construction, healthcare, scientific laboratories, HVAC and refrigeration.

www.sussexchamberofcommerce.co.uk

Mike Stephenson, Managing Director at ILG, said: “Our commitment to delivering the best possible professional service for our customers to support their businesses is a fundamental part of ILG. The team here retain this focus in everything they do and I am delighted that our high standards have been recognised by this award from the UKWA. Congratulations to all the team at ILG and of course to the team at SEC Group for their Technical Innovation award.”

tel: 01444 259 259

december/january 2018 business edge

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business matters

december/january 2018 business edge

How do you reach more customers in international markets?

Greig Holbrook Founder Oban International

Greig Holbrook, founder of Oban International, says: “In the past, translating your website into the local language and adding local contact details was considered sufficient localisation, irrespective of the market or sector.

“Companies are now realising that to reach and engage with people in markets around the world, a more comprehensive approach is required. This mean digging deeper to discover ‘the way we do things around here’. Trust is a prerequisite for selling online, built through many factors, including brand familiarity. If you don’t have a famous brand, customers make quick decisions based on whether a site ‘feels right’, and that’s where culturalisation comes in.”

There are all sorts of practical expectations to meet: Does your website work on local mobile devices? Customers won’t pay for data greedy webpages.

Mobile consumers will desert a website that’s too slow to load.

There are local expectations too: Are the expected payment options available?

In some countries there is still a large amount of cash on delivery payment.

90% of Americans will abandon a shopping basket if there is a delivery charge.

In Russia delivery firms often wait while customers try clothes on.

Overlaid are the subtler cultural cues: Does the home page look the way you expect – densely packed with information in China and more minimalist in the UK? Is your customer service locally appropriate, reflecting the right national holidays and suitable opening hours?

One interesting digital cultural phenomenon is the use of hybrid language in search. Italian customers looking for cheap flights are seven times more likely to search for ‘voli low cost’ than ‘voli economici’. If you aren’t aware of the best search terms for your category, you could be missing significant business opportunities.

Oban International’s ability to understand international market opportunities comes from their LIME (Local In-Market Expert) network, overlaying data with expert qualitative cultural insights.

Greg Holbrook says, “The ability to match market and customer cultural identities is the key to driving international performance.”

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Volume

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cheap flights

4,400

Italy

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cheap flight

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Italy

English

voli low cost

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voli economici

33,100

Italy

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offerte voli

22,200

Italy

Italian

compagnie low cost

14,800

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Italian/English

www.sussexchamberofcommerce.co.uk

Branding & Marketing In considering this edition’s key focus on branding and marketing I am reminded of some sage advice that I received whilst studying at the London Business School in 1998. More of that advice later, but I deliberately digress now by recalling how valuable to me and my career it was to break from the routine of running a business and spend two months, full time and residential, studying alongside other international executives, with the best academics there are, on the LBS’ Senior Executive Programme. To this day that learning has held me in good stead having encountered for the first time, game play, story telling, 360 degree appraisals, self awareness and so much more. It was so intense and self critical that I remember the MD of a well known fast food chain breaking down in tears after hearing feedback from his peers (us) to the extent that, even with counsellors on hand, he immediately resigned his job. An African bank executive also commented “nobody has ever told me honestly about myself before”. Well he was the son of the head of the military, so no surprise there.

So what of the sage advice? Well one of the visiting professors who addressed us at the LBS was Gary Hamel, recently ranked by The Wall Street Journal as the world’s most influential business thinker, and who had written the book “Competing for the Future” in 1994 with C.K. Prahalad.

1998, I will remind you, was in the middle of the dot com bubble and Hamel was in the thick of it as an exponent of the way technology was changing the global approach to competitiveness. I secretly chuckle when I remember that he singularly failed to see the impending bursting of the bubble in 2002 but to his credit the principles in the book are sound and I commend it to you as a very good read.

Now Hamel made the very cute observation that over time every corporation will cease to exist as it is (apart from government and the civil service) it just depends how long your time line is. So previous global giants (Kodak, Pan Am, Xerox, IBM, Nokia) who at the time seem dominant and untouchable eventually disappear. He provides a very good rationale for this in his book but the sage advise he gives is that companies must re-generate when they are on the up and not when the future looks uncertain or bleak. If you wait until then, it is too late.

So I would recommend, investing in branding and marketing when times are good and don’t only do it as a reaction to a loss of competitiveness or market share. Keep ahead of the competition and take them by surprise by managing change as part of your normal operation and remember your company’s tenure is inevitably limited, it is only a matter of time.

David Sheppard Chairman Sussex Chamber of Commerce

tel: 01444 259 259

december/january 2018 business edge

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business matters

december/january 2018 business edge

Is it time to consider alternative lending?

Carl Clarke Managing Director at Focus Lending Finance

Commercial finance can be a quick, effective, viable option for businesses to gain access to suitable business funding.

Every business or client has different needs and risk profiles and the commercial finance industry has responded to this, in a positive way and introduced more innovative products into the market to support this demand.

Why use a regulated Commercial Finance Broker?

Specialist lenders and commercial finance brokers can take an overarching view of each individual case and consider a range of property, land and income types to provide a tailored solution. Whether it’s cash flow, expansion or investment, commercial finance can offer your business a financial alternative to traditional borrowing.

Consider all your options It’s crucial for any business to consider the full range of funding options and loan facilities that are available in a financially diverse marketplace. Traditional routes such as the banking groups are familiar, but alternative lending through brokers with a wider lending panel potentially allows for greater choice, diversity and flexibility.

Know your reasons Ensure that you understand fully why you want to borrow and are prepared to explain the purpose of the loan. Be clear, open and honest with your details, company credit reports and ensure key information is available upon request, because explaining all, in confidence, allows us to identify what options are realistically available to support you.

Helping you decide When you or your company require financial funding who do you talk to?

There are companies and individuals out there that really can help, it’s always best to check they are authorised, regulated, approved and registered by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), are certified for handling personal data by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ico.) and members of an industry authorised body such as the National Association of Commercial Finance Brokers (NACFB), who preferably offer a wide range of lenders for greater choice and flexibility.

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Not all lenders are the same Different lenders have different requirements so it’s important to gauge which lender to approach. It helps to understand your lender and pitch accordingly. Alternative lending via a Commercial Financial Broker, who have access to a large panel of lenders, will understand from experience, where to position your borrowing requirements, respond accordingly and through duty of care and treating customers fairly have a legal obligation to identify the most appropriate lowest cost solutions options available for you.

One size doesn’t fit all Consider your requirements carefully, sometimes what you think you need might not always be the best fit for your financial proposition. Maybe an off the shelf finance product may or may not be suitable, and if not, consider a Commercial Finance broker who can potentially layer a combination of products, to deliver the solution that satisfies your borrowing requirements.

Equity or Borrowing Facing the choice of giving away equity in your company or using a lending source what would you choose? Smart lending choices should consider the difference between additional company shareholders (a permanent arrangement) verses borrowing (a temporary arrangement) and by helping you understand the cost differences, will be key to making the right financial decision for your circumstances.

Be cautious of headline figures Headline interest rate figures on business loans can be eye catching but don’t

www.sussexchamberofcommerce.co.uk

necessarily tell the whole story. It could be what seems to be a great deal does not stack up or suit your company’s needs at all.

It is important not to be lured into funding arrangements purely on the strength of a fetching headline figure.

Refusal isn’t necessarily the end So, you have been rejected for a loan through the traditional routes to market.

Your request may have been too complex required a lot of working consultation, or collaboration with others, or just simply didn’t fit the standard box ticking criteria.

Then ask yourself “Is it time to consider alternative lending” with those who may be able to help with a more holistic thinking approach to the market.

As Commercial Finance brokers we understand the wide range of finance available through specialist lenders, sourcing funding within short timescales, resolving simple requirements but also complex tailored solutions for a wide variety of financial demands, often our key differentiator for individuals and business searching the marketplace.

If you or your business are looking to invest and grow or simply require an injection of funding to get through a difficult trading period, secure new contracts, fund a relocation, acquisitions, or any commercial property including buy 2 let and HMOs, we can help.

At Focus Lending Finance we will always present your case positively increasing your chances of acceptability, working on an initial free advice basis, up to the point when we present you with a formal offer from one of our lending partners.

tel: 01444 259 259

business matters

december/january 2018 business edge

An investment platform that puts the investor first An investment platform that puts the investor first.

With the banks’ lending criteria still tight and risk adverse, it’s impressive to see an investment platform, which launched in Sussex last year, making a tangible difference to business start-ups and growth within the early-stage equity and crowdfunding space.

Shadow Foundr, based in Brighton, puts the needs of the investor before those of the companies seeking funds, but in doing so, also protects the entrepreneur from an untimely failed project, with the investors’ green light required, before a project is funded.

Traditionally, crowdfunding companies, in their haste to get more opportunities on their platforms, have allowed very high valuations, forgoing investor interests. Shadow Foundr, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), prides itself on putting investors first - including scrutinising company valuations; which result in a higher success rate than the current industry standard. This transparency ultimately benefits all parties.

The team behind Shadow Foundr has been involved in the equity crowdfunding space, for a combined total of 40 years where they have raised over £100m in funding from their networks of business angels and investors.

Shadow Foundr ensures all opportunities placed on their platform go through stringent due diligence, undertaken not only by themselves, but also via their network of private investors, who must then fund the opportunity to at least 30% of its target, before it is put to the Crowd, and this is where the Shadow Foundr model is unique.

Jason Kluver, co-founder of Shadow Foundr, said: “We’ve all heard the figure of less than

10% of start-ups actually succeeding, but in reality, if you look at the number of exits and success stories over the past five or so years, that number would appear to be even lower for companies funded through crowdfunding.”

“This is unacceptable and ultimately, not sustainable for this important sector, moving forward.

“We believe the reason for the poor success rate is because crowdfunding platforms are not doing enough due diligence and not questioning entrepreneurs on what are quite often, outrageous valuations.

“We’re seeing day in day out, companies that have nothing more than an idea, valuing themselves in the millions; and more worryingly, platforms happily promoting them at those valuations and investors putting their hardearned cash into them. And that has to stop.”

Shadow Foundr is shaking up the existing crowdfunding space by focusing on what true track-record means - providing value and returns to investors; rather than shouting about amounts and numbers of raises. Their ability to call on an established network of business angels and other professional investors, including family offices, venture

capital and other authorised financial institutions, to commit to an opportunity before it is presented on their platform, provides comfort for crowd investors.

“Once key commitments are in place, our platform allows every-day investors to invest directly into pre-vetted, earlystage businesses,” said Heath Lansbury – Commercial Director for Shadow Foundr “Our ultimate goal is to protect investors and the industry and make the funding of early stage businesses an attractive and legitimate way for investors to make great returns.”

“We understand Crowdfunding is an exciting concept but we also understand the importance of putting investors’ interests and compliance at the core of the activity.

Shadow Foundr has already attracted and funded some highly scalable and disruptive global businesses, with vast growth potential.

Their current track-record shows that their model is working. However, for them it is not about the number of successful raises or the amount a platform has raised; it’s always about the returns for their investors.

“We want to demonstrate that this sector is a viable way for people to make genuine returns and show that sensible equity crowdfunding has a sustainable future in the alternative finance space. Through our track-record, we aim to be the leading light in global equity investment, and we’re already on our way,” said Jason.

Here are some examples of Shadow Foundr’s successful investment opportunities over the past twelve months.

Chayora

www.chayora.com Recently received a USD $73m commitment from Standard Chartered Bank, including $20m in equity, following four rounds of seed funding.

Cityzenith

www.cityzenith.com Smart City pioneer recently partnered with Microsoft and several other Blue-Chip organisations, including the US Department of Energy.

Future Earth Energy

www.futureearthenergy.com Global Waste to Energy Developer soon to close £115m build finance for Drakelow renewable energy facility.

AS A CHAMBER MEMBER YOU’RE WELL CONNECTED

11

ask the expert

december/january 2018 business edge

How to break through the noise on social media Matt Turner CEO Creative Group

On Facebook, the most followed brand is Facebook, followed by Coca-Cola (data from August 2017). LinkedIn released its Best Company Pages of 2017 top 10 in the summer and LinkedIn says these 10 companies have been selected due to them featuring thought-provoking content and eye-catching imagery, which encourages engagement by interacting with their visitors and followers.

Included in the list are Hays, who have 1,865,444 followers, and feature at number one; Nike, with 1,270,099 followers, at number three; and HP, with 2,518,181 followers, at number eight.

If this isn’t proof that social media is the right place for your brand then consider this: there are 328 million monthly active Twitter users and 70% of small businesses are on Twitter. 85% of followers feel more connected with a small business after following them and when users follow a brand on Twitter, they are 67% more likely to buy from them. Whilst another 42% of Twitter users use the platform to learn about products and services.

Currently, there are more than two billion active Facebook users and more than 40 million small businesses have active Facebook pages. The average user is connected to 80 pages, groups and events and 42% of marketers say that Facebook is ‘critical’ or ‘important’ to their business.

Social media is not just for millennials, businesses have jumped on the band wagon and optimised the platforms to work for them. Data taken from July 2017 shows that YouTube has the biggest Twitter following than any other company.

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Currently, there are 500 million LinkedIn users, with more than 250 million monthly active users. 94% of B2B marketers use LinkedIn to distribute content and 79% of B2B marketers view LinkedIn as an effective source for generating leads.

However, there are around 500 million tweets sent per day, 55 million status updates on Facebook every day and 100,000 articles published on LinkedIn each week. So how do you break through the noise and get yourself noticed on social media?

Make sure you have the right platforms for your business: We’ve discussed Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn but there is also Instagram, Pinterest, Snapchat and many more to consider. They all offer different advantages so it’s important to understand how the different platforms work. This will be beneficial for your brand and help you understand which platforms your audience/ customers/potential customers use.

Post relevant content on social media: Your audience will want to connect with you if you share content they want to read or share. It’s all about getting the right content, across at the right time and in the right place. It’s a good idea to see what your competitors are up to on social media and to see what kind of response they are receiving. It’s also important to think about what your customers would want to see. For example, if you are a recruitment company, there’s no point posting about new houses, unless it is related to your organisation, e.g. you are recruiting for estate agents.

It’s also good to post and blog about topical events relevant to your industry, for example, if you are a travel company, why not use international post card week which ran from the 1st to the 7th of October this year.

Relevant news articles can also perform well on social media. This helps you to be seen as keeping up to date with current affairs, by sharing news articles from credible sources.

In 2017, Facebook was the most used social medium for sharing stories for all UK news brands with 957 million total interactions.

Use engaging visuals: The digital marketing world is becoming increasingly crowded so it is important to have engaging content to cut through the clutter. Using relevant images with your posts will make them stand out on your audience’s newsfeeds. Authentic non-stock images are the holy grail for many businesses, but there are some great websites such as unsplash and pixabay, which offer a huge range of imagery, which can be used in your content marketing.

www.sussexchamberofcommerce.co.uk

A person’s average attention span is now around eight seconds, so using something visual can really help keep your audience’s attention. So if it fits with your brand, why not use a gif or video. Video content (if you have it, or are able to create it) is a fantastic way to engage your audience. A lot of people choose to watch a short video, rather than read a post or blog. With 69% of all consumer traffic coming from video in 2017, video is an even more effective way of cutting through and increasing awareness of your brand.

Be human: Let your audience know there is a person at the other end of the profile and reply to any comments you receive. It’s also great to like and share (retweet on Twitter) positives about your brand, for example, a customer praising your fast delivery.

You can also use your social channels to show off your charity efforts, new office, team members and more. Why not use it to promote your special offers and if you use a phrase like ‘quote Twitter20 to get 20% off’ you’ll know where customers are coming to you from.

Be creative: As you can probably guess, at Creative Pod, we are passionate about creativity. It is, after all, in our name! However, it’s important to note that even if you have all of the above in place, if there isn’t a creative idea behind your marketing, it just isn’t going to cut through the noise. Creative ideas are what really resonates with people, which in turn helps to increase your brand awareness and people’s resonance with your brand.

Find an agency to work with: This sounds like a lot, but the best place to start is a social media audit. This exercise is an important part of best practice and tells you where you’re at now and informs where you want to get to. Agencies can work with you to manage your social media on your behalf. Creative Pod is an award-winning agency based in Crawley and are offering free social media audits right now.

tel: 01444 259 259

fine print

december/january 2018 business edge

Video: The Sharpest Tool in a Marketeer’s Box Huw Williams, Editorial Director of Sussex Based Video Production Company StoryArc explains why more marketing professionals are putting their faith in video...

Are you old enough to remember LBSP? It was really only ten years ago, but Life Before Smart Phones seems like a different epoch. Our cultural and business practices have been changed fundamentally since the emergence of technology we now take for granted; smartphones, apps, tablets and social media platforms. In this brave new world awash with communication, one messenger is dominant: video.

A recent article in Marketing Land said more than 60% of marketing professionals surveyed are planning to increase investment in video marketing over the next twelve months.

It seems that if a picture is worth a thousand words, then to businesses, a film is worth a million.

When you think about it, this enthusiasm for film’s business benefit is not surprising. Television adverts were the elite form of advertising for nearly fifty years. Now, even small businesses can afford to make marketing films, and with social media they can reach the exact audience that’s most relevant to them.

According to YouTube, mobile video consumption grows by 100% every year and Cisco says video now accounts for 74% of all internet traffic. Of course, Netflix movies account for some serious bandwidth, but not all of the video watched is for pure entertainment.

A recent article by the US business magazine Forbes revealed the power of video marketing. For example, just adding a video to a marketing email can increase click through rates by 200-300%. Videos can help boost sales: 90% of customers say product explainer videos help them make purchasing decisions while 64% of customers said they are more likely to buy a product online after watching a video about it.

Almost every business can benefit from video. The key is, use it as a sharp tool, not a blunt one. StoryArc helps you use video in a way that’s best for your company. That might be a slick marketing film, it could be a product “explainer” or testimonials interviews with clients, it might be a mission statement from a CEO or an editorial interview with expert staff providing insights for clients or customers. Unlike many production companies StoryArc don’t make films just for our own satisfaction. We work with you, to help create a video that works for you.

Gold Members can host their business videos on the Sussex Chamber of Commerce channel. StoryArc has produced a range of films for Sussex-based companies. This is a link to just one of those clients, SCC Gold Member Sussex Independent Financial Advisors.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9BD8qy2q1w

Huw Williams Editorial Director StoryArc

How to spot the best business opportunities Where to Play by Prof Dr Marc Gruber and Dr Sharon Tal, FT Publishing, £16.99 Business is all about spotting opportunities and a new book, Where to Play, provides practical guidance on how to focus on the best ones.

In today’s fastpaced business world, argue authors Prof. Dr Marc Gruber and Dr Sharon Tal, entrepreneurs, innovators and business leaders are trained to act quickly in order to make their ideas a success.

With such a focus on urgency, however, say the authors, entrepreneurs often jump straight into the first market opportunity that looks good or attempt to pursue too many opportunities at once.

Where to Play helps business leaders to focus on the opportunities that offer the most value, while keeping them agile enough to respond to unforeseen circumstances.

Where to Play helps readers to set a strategy for their business through a Market Opportunity Navigator, which is based on 15 years of research and hundreds of real life cases and allows readers to better identify the right market opportunities, through a range of worksheets: Professor Dr Marc Gruber is a world-leading researcher in innovation, entrepreneurship and technology commercialisation. He is Vice President for Innovation at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne, Switzerland, where he also heads the Chair of Entrepreneurship & Technology Commercialization.

Dr Sharon Tal is a co- founder and former executive director of the Entrepreneurship Centre at the Technion, Israel Institute of Technology, and a lecturer on marketing for high-tech start-ups

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feature: business support

december/january 2018 business edge

National Minimum Wage – Are you falling short?

National Minimum Wage/National Living Wage (“NMW/NLW”) compliance has become a significant area of financial and reputational risk for business. Recent media coverage of high profile cases and a 25% increase in HMRC’s compliance budget means that NMW/NLW compliance should be a priority. Introduced sensibly, the idea behind, the minimum wage is to remove the worst excesses of low pay.

What does this mean for my business?

Whilst the majority of companies are generally compliant, it should be remembered that NMW/NLW legislation varies significantly from income tax legislation and what may be acceptable from a tax perspective is not suitable for NMW/NLW purposes. Industries with large numbers of workers paid at or near NMW/ NLW will face the greatest risk. During our work supporting clients with NMW/NLW we are seeing a number of common areas causing difficulties which are summarised this article.

NMW – an overview n Almost all workers (which can cover both employees and some self-employed individuals) in the UK are entitled to NMW/NLW from their employer/engager (“employer”). n A qualifying worker paid less than NMW/NLW for any pay reference period is legally entitled to be paid arrears by his/her employer. n HMRC is responsible for enforcement. n Workers can also issue a production notice to their employer if they have reasonable grounds to believe that they have not been paid NMW/NLW. n The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (“BEIS”) periodically issue a Press Release listing those employers who have been found to be failing in their obligation to pay NMW/NLW. The list does not distinguish between innocent errors and deliberate underpayments.

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NMW/NLW – common areas of challenge n Any costs incurred by workers on “uniforms” must be deducted from the worker’s pay for the purposes of calculating NMW/NLW. n Certain deductions should be taken into account when calculating the worker’s pay. This can cause issues where workers are paid at or just above the NMW/NLW rate. Examples of where issues have arisen include collections for ‘Christmas Clubs’, where monies are held by the business until paid out. n A worker’s entitlement to NMW/NLW must be calculated by reference to when the worker is “available for work”.

This particularly impacts workers who are required to arrive early/leave late for shift handovers or security checks. n For salaried hours workers, NMW/ NLW is based on their basic annual hours averaged across the year so any monthly variance will not affect the NMW/NLW calculation. If the worker’s contract does not meet the salaried hours criteria they will be treated as unmeasured workers and the calculation will be based on the actual hours worked in the pay period. This can lead to underpayments if they are paid the same amount each month.

NMW – the risks of getting it wrong Aside from the increased resource and system challenges in identifying and correcting NMW/NLW failures, the key risks of non-compliance include the following: n Financial risks: Employers who have paid less than NMW/NLW must pay back arrears of wages to the worker at current rates and could face financial penalties of up to 200% of arrears (capped at £20,000 per worker).

Pension and apprentice levy payments may also be due on the arrears. n Reputational risks: The naming and shaming of employers poses a significant risk to their brand.

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n Legal risks: Criminal offences relating to NMW/NLW could result in a fine on conviction of up to £5,000 per offence.

Employers who deliberately fail to pay NMW/NLW may face a potential unlimited fine.

NMW/NLW – managing compliance, protecting your brand There are a number of measures employers can adopt to manage compliance and protect their brand. n Undertake a policy, process and systems review to validate the completeness and accuracy of data. n Carry out periodic reviews of working practice against policy to identify variances. n Ensure a clear and efficient process for monitoring and resolving worker challenges is in place. n Where arrears are identified, proactively and effectively communicate remediation plans to all stakeholders. n Settle any underpayments as soon as possible.

The above is an overview of a complex and challenging area and one you cannot ignore.

Taking forward at least one of the above measures will put your business in a stronger position in the event of an HMRC investigation.

Rachel Farebrother: rfarebrother@deloitte.co.uk Tim Waterhouse : twaterhouse@deloitte.co.uk

tel: 01444 259 259

december/january 2018 business edge

feature: business support

Integration is everything.

Custom Software Nothing exists alone.

Development Based in Sussex, Ballard Chalmers is one of the UK’s leading enterprise software engineering companies, specialising in custom development for the Microsoft Enterprise Application Platform. We are principally dedicated to software development and integration for the Microsoft Azure Cloud, as well as on-premises and hybrid systems. Our core expertise is in .NET, Azure Services, SQL Server, BizTalk Server and SharePoint.

To arrange a free informal technical review and discussion with one of our experts, or for more information call 01342 410223 or visit www.ballardchalmers.com.

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Contact us today with your transport queries. We look forward to hearing from you.

Tel: + 44 1293 813904 / +44 1293 813905 | Email: transport@hussar-gruppa.co.uk

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feature: business support

december/january 2018 business edge

Sussex businesses benefit from cleaner greener growth Where do you go if you need low carbon/ cleantech support to bring an innovation from the drawing board to reality? For many Sussex businesses, the answer lies at the doors to the University of Brighton.

Based at the Moulsecoomb campus there’s a small team striving to accelerate the green economy along the South Coast. Together, they’re driving the Green Growth Platform: the University’s contribution to uncoupling carbon emissions from economic growth. They provide vital information, encouragement and support to businesses wanting to green up their processes and products and to innovate to develop the low carbon/cleantech products and services of the future.

In the last three years, the Green Growth Platform has established a network of over 860 business members to share information, attend workshops and apply for essential funding.

They’ve helped businesses to create over 200 jobs, develop around 50 new products or services, facilitated 75 innovation/research and development projects, and placed more than 80 students and graduates with member business to enhance their skills base.

Within the Green Growth Platform, there’s a recognition that if you’re new to business, particularly if you’re driven by environmentally-focused innovation, the prospect of building links with academia may be appealing but hard to reach - particularly in sectors like engineering, where expertise is often needed to bring products to market.

Jo Carpenter, business researcher, explains the concept of the Green Growth Platform: “Small businesses don’t always know how to access all the research and development opportunities here at the university. The Green Growth Platform exists to help with this - to guide small business owners through the process of finding the right research partners for their project.”

Jo Carpenter, Mark Riminton and Lorraine Bell from the Green Growth Platform

It’s a simple enough idea, but an effective one. The Green Growth Platform acts as a matchmaking service - listening carefully to the needs of small environmentally-conscious businesses before calling on the University of Brighton’s formidable network of academics, specialists, and facilities. “It’s about knowing who’s best equipped to help” says Jo. “Just this morning, I took a call from a local timberframed building specialist. They need help to test some new components for structural performance. My job is to introduce them to the engineering colleagues best placed to help them, and make use of the specialist facilities here at the university.”

Among the members are businesses from sectors as diverse as construction, engineering, manufacturing, transport, waste and tourism. Each company has its unique needs, but at the Green Growth Platform, there’s a shared focus on the environment: members are either in the business of developing green-focused products and services, or they’ve joined up as part of efforts to improve the environmental impact of their work.

The initiative has an ever-growing list of success stories: Waste management experts BCMY in Littlehampton received help from the Green Growth Platform to commercialise and refine their process of recycling waste printer cartridges. Whilst Pro Earth, a young start-up from Shoreham has benefited from introductions to key contacts at Southern Water via the University’s extensive connections. This led to the development of a bespoke product and extensive in situ trial. And Brighton’s inventor of the Waterblade, featured recently on the BBC’s Dragon’s Den, has had help to optimise his novel water saving device.

Part of the Green Growth Platform’s remit is to put small businesses in touch with the funding they need to take their ideas to the next level. Jo has good news: “There’s a wealth of funding out there to support small growing businesses: some of it local, some national, and some European Union-sourced. But it can be hard to find it if you don’t know where to look. So again, we step in as a matchmaker, finding the right source of funding for each small Sussex business and providing a helping hand.”

For example, Jo explains: “LoCASE (Low Carbon Across the South East) grants are available for businesses in East Sussex, Kent and Essex to help tackle climate change (40% grant up to £10,000). We support our low carbon/cleantech members to access

Simon Gilchrist, MD, BCMY, Littlehampton the grant for business growth.” The grant is also available for all businesses wanting to install energy efficiency measures.

Alongside funds, facilities and expertise, the Green Growth Platform recognises that small companies have other needs. Within companies driven by technology and environmental innovation, business and marketing skills may not always be prioritised, but they’re fundamentally important. So members have access to an array of workshops, courses and consultants to provide business and commercialisation support, brought in to help build complete business capability.

And there’s more. Added to this mix is a range of events, collaborations and networking opportunities that really combine into a supportive environment for Sussex’s thriving eco-business scene. Effective networking is important for any business, but for companies with a green purpose, there’s huge value in meeting counterparts in other businesses entrepreneurs with whom members can share their experiences of disrupting the status quo and driving new ways to do business.

Don’t miss out Business Edge readers! 40% discount offer for the Green Growth Platform’s ‘Sustainability in Action’ masterclass in this edition.

With over 860 members, the Green Growth Platform looks to be an ever-growing network of businesses - all looking to thrive.

With help from the University of Brighton, their future is looking bright.

Get involved!

W: www.greengrowthplatform@brighton.ac.uk T: 01273 641949 E: greengrowthplatform@brighton.ac.uk

LoCASE is an £8.8 million project to drive green business growth across East Sussex, Kent and Essex. It is funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020.

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www.sussexchamberofcommerce.co.uk

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feature: business support

december/january 2018 business edge

‘The country’s most consistently classy regional theatre’ EVENING STANDARD

Chichester Festival Theatre is one of the UK’s flagship theatres, renowned for the exceptionally high standard of its productions as well as its work with the community and young people.

Production Sponsorship is the perfect way to align your business with excellence. Benefits include: • Corporate hospitality and use of our private entertaining space • Backstage tours and invitations to exclusive events • Complimentary tickets and invitation to Press Nights • Programme advertising

For more information contact Vicky Gregory, Corporate Development Manager on 01243 812915 or email development.team@cft.org.uk

01243 781312 cft.org.uk/development

SEND US YOUR STARS SUSTAINABILITY IN ACTION: BUSINESS TRAINING FOR SMEs 17TH JAN 2018, 9AM-1.30PM, BRIGHTHELM CENTRE, BRIGHTON 21ST MAR 2018, 9AM-1.30PM, FIELD PLACE, WORTHING

40% DISCOUNT CODE: GREENCHAMP40 We’re looking for people who have the energy, vision and enthusiasm to take your business to the next level.

Our masterclass gives practical guidance on making your business more sustainable. We’ll show how to manage important social and environmental issues and opportunities that can really help your profitability, demystifying the corporate jargon and giving you some great ideas to manage business risks and opportunities.

So if you have a shining star in your company who is keen to develop their skills then send them to us! We will equip them with new capabilities for business that will benefit your bottom line, help you bid for public sector contracts and build your reputation as a responsible business.

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17

business matters

december/january 2018 business edge

Roofers raise thousands for Mencap Eastbourne-based Clarke Roofing held their biannual charity golf day and raised £7,500 for Eastbourne Mencap.

Eighteen teams, representing local businesses, clients and suppliers, took part in the golf day which was held at the Royal Eastbourne Golf Club in Paradise Drive. The 18-hole stableford competition was won by local accountants LMDB. Local Eastbourne MP Stephen Lloyd attended in the evening together with Eastbourne Mencap Vice-Chairman David Long and supporter Rebecca Whippy. Mr Lloyd ran a very successful auction which alone raised nearly £3000!

Established in 1949, Eastbourne & District Mencap has been supporting local people with learning disabilities and their families for over 60 years and provides a range of services from 24-hour residential care to day opportunities and family services. They are a local registered charity supported by the kind and generous people of Eastbourne.

Business Development Manager Lisa Pickard, who organised the event with Director David Beer, said: “We are thrilled with the amount we raised. The weather was sunny but very

David Beer and Lisa Pickard from Clarke Roofing with Natalie Harding (CEO) Andy Billings (Day service manager) Eastbourne Mencap & Fiona Ray & Rosie Plowman (Service Users). windy making the day more challenging for the players but the golf club bent over backwards to ensure the day ran smoothly.

We would also like to say a huge thank you to everyone who donated raffle and auction prizes and sponsored the event but there are far too many to mention here!”

Eastbourne Mencap’s CEO Natalie Harding said: “We at Eastbourne and District

Mencap would like to thank all the staff at Clarke Roofing for arranging the golf day and all the people that attended to support this event. We would also like to say a big thank you to Mr Stephen Lloyd for running the auction. The money raised is much appreciated and will go towards enhancing the lives of our service users. “

Helping change lives in a competitive market The Disabilities Trust was founded nearly 40 years ago and, although based in Sussex, it is a nationwide provider of services to people with acquired brain injury, physical disabilities and well as adults and children with autism.

people’s ability to make choices and communicate with others.

We cannot achieve these outcomes without trained and dedicated staff. Again, we face fierce competition in the job market, so we have recently developed a new employer brand, using our own team, in their own words, to demonstrate the range of jobs available and the Trust’s attitude to nurturing the people who work here.

As we are statutorily funded, we operate within a fiercely competitive market; with the NHS and local councils wanting ‘more for less’ due to their budget constraints. It is vital that we position ourselves as being leaders in our field providing value for money by demonstrating outcomes.

A recent example of this is our ConnectAbility appeal which raised money to buy assistive communications technology for disabled people to try out with expert staff on hand and we have recently opened this first ‘Hub’ at Shinewater Court in Eastbourne.

In keeping with the appeal, the launch and subsequent marketing has all been digital with online video promoted on social media as a key tool, demonstrating

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Charities are businesses and need to be part of the local business community. We use local designers, printers, sign makers and have recently commissioned a Sussexbased company to carry out a fundraising scoping exercise to inform future strategy.

the importance of electronic communication.

The Hub has a wide range of hardware and software which includes a MyGaze Power which controls a computer by using your eyes, and Grid 3 on an iPad which builds sentences and creates a voice. It is open to the public, by appointment, who can try the kit and get advice at no cost. The Hub has already transformed lives; promoting independence, maximising

www.sussexchamberofcommerce.co.uk

We are also about to embark on a full brand review to evaluate our current position in the market compared to our competitors, and review the effectiveness of our communications. In turn, local companies support us by providing staff teams to volunteer at our centres, often gardening or helping with a makeover; a mutually beneficial relationship.

tel: 01444 259 259

december/january 2018 business edge

Choose an MBA that recognises your ambitions and goals, and a university that supports, inspires and challenges you.

Choose the Sussex MBA.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE SUSSEX MBA www.sussexmba.com mba@ sussex.ac.uk +44 (0)1273 873522

advertorial

december/january 2018 business edge

Mimecast protects your business This is why companies across Sussex and the South East use a robust and reliable way to archive all correspondence including messages that have been deleted.

The solution of choice for many is Mimecast.

For a relatively low annual fee, it can save so much time and money both in terms of providing reliable cloud-based storage and data retrieval and also by protecting your organisation against in-coming threats.

genuine. Mimecast‘s secure email gateway solution offers 100 per cent anti-virus and 99 per cent anti-spam protection.”

Secure messaging Secure messaging is another key service from Mimecast. Controls can be set up on your email system to ensure confidential data is only shared with specific individuals.

In addition, confidential and large documents can be exchanged in the safety of Mimecast’s secure file-sharing service avoiding many of the file-sharing tools which are not completely secure.

According to Mimecast, 23 per cent of phishing emails are still being opened which is 23 per cent too many. Even 1 per cent would be an unacceptable threat to your business if it opened the door to a devastating virus.

Phishing dangers Phishing is an attempt by criminals to masquerade as bona fide organisations in order to steal personal data. Dealing with phishing safely is therefore very important because the vast majority of all attempted hacks into your network start with some sort of phishing attack.

That’s why it’s a good idea to scrutinise all in-coming email and Mimecast does this very effectively. It quarantines suspicious

emails and examines all the links in each message.

Gary Jowett, from Computer & Network Consultants in Brighton, says: “Let’s face it, in this fast-moving world, it’s good to have automatic threat protection. It’s all too easy for someone to click on a link when they’re busy and have other things on their mind.

A link that, at first glance, looks totally

“Many businesses use Mimecast already while others still don’t realise how valuable it is,” says Gary. “We still have customers who don’t use it and when they need to retrieve historic emails it often involves a lengthy trawl through uncategorised deleted messages. For those who are already using Mimecast, it’s so much easier. Its quick and easy to retrieve everything you need. So, it definitely pays you back for the relatively low annual fee it costs.”

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www.sussexchamberofcommerce.co.uk

tel: 01444 259 259

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december/january 2018 business edge

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december/january 2018 business edge

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marketing and branding

december/january 2018 business edge

The Gemini Print Group ensures ‘The Heart of Effective Communications’ is Thriving in Sussex Steve Cropper Group Managing Director & CEO of The Gemini Print Group

The Gemini Print Group colleagues and clients have been celebrating expansion, the launch of new products and services and our latest multi-million £ investments in the best printing machinery.

There was a significant logistical challenge to organise the arrival of our “58 ton baby” but we are now up and running with the new market leading lithographic printing press the Heidelberg Speedmaster XL105-10P This powerful 10 colour press enables us to be ‘fast to print’ providing high quality lithographic printing services with consistent cost and service efficiencies for clients due to the capacity, speed and performance. Other investments in 2017 include digital printing capabilities, advanced finishing tools, managed despatch controls and an enhanced van fleet.

Synonymous with Quality Printing With more than 40 years of commercial printing experience and operations, 160 colleagues at award-winning Gemini Print Group provide lithographic, large format, advanced interactive and fully personalised digital printing, printwear and promotional product printing, plus mailing and fulfilment services.

With bases in Shoreham by Sea, Bristol, Newcastle and London our clients are from all kinds of business sectors across the UK and overseas – small start-ups to major corporations. Projects are very varied - from the small business card order to large runs of direct mail, magazines, books, brochures, folders, reports, leaflets, catalogues, stationery, product packing, posters, banners, POS and merchandising…

Gemini is just launching a new service for clients - well priced, extensive ranges of fully personalised products and printwear with a bespoke 24/7 access and prompt turnarounds.

Whilst we innovate and evolve into the ‘new’ we also value how much people recognise our history and credibility. Directors such as Julie Beard and Nick Gwynne are just two of the

names in our teams that were ‘born into print’.

Their family firms, that are now woven into The Gemini Print Group, are some of the best recognised credible names in the industry.

Friendly Professionals Who Care As an MD & CEO who has worked his way through every department and function during the last 30 years (recent newspaper headlines ‘From Van Driver to CEO’!) I know how much our clients value having a skilled account manager who really understands their business, and CARES about what is important to them.

So - Gemini teams have radically re-structured to evolve from ‘accepting the brief and providing an estimate’ to being professional consultants focussed on understanding needs and advising to get the best results. There are so many options nowadays and every day we find ourselves innovating and creating solutions to new challenges – that’s what makes great commercial printing a business that is NEVER boring.

Understanding Your Options Do you have any people on your team that would benefit from understanding how good printing can help them? We are ‘passionate about printing’ so can help unravel most mysteries of this mix of creativity and manufacturing. What is Japanese binding? How big is an A9? Which AR option is most effective? Why litho or digital? What can be personalised?

Fully Interactive Print Links Paul Crimmen, Development Director, and his colleagues are leading the way for Gemini in providing solutions for directly linking clients printed products with online, video and audio. Activity is now escalated since Apple and Samsung are now bringing Augmented Reality into ‘mainstream’ usage so consumers will be expecting this capability as ‘standard’ in many markets.

Why should your business consider Gemini Interactive services?

1. Improved campaign ROI 2. Pro-active multi-channel marketing 3. Instant customer engagement 4. Increased content remarketing opportunities 5. Competitor differentiator Feel free to email p.crimmen@geminiprint.co.uk and challenge him to make your marketing work harder!

Millennials Demand More!

Helping our clients to communicate effectively to the millennial is fascinating – marketing to a generation who grew up with an unmatched level of technology in their lives. Whilst the millennials online appetite is insatiable there is also a very healthy percentage that still expect print within the marketing mix.

A survey by leading research company Toluna found print to the preferred choice in the UK. A few snapshots: 72% of those surveyed believe reading a printed book is more enjoyable than an electronic device.

88% customers want to retain the right to choose how they receive communications and 41% of UK consumers would consider changing suppliers if forced to go digital only. There is a lot more data we can share with you – just ask us by emailing marketing@gemini-print.co.uk

Green & Pleasant Company The Gemini Print Group is proud of being known as a leading UK eco accredited and eco-friendly printer – one of the few printers who have invested substantially in becoming a certified green printer with FSC and ISO14001 achievement. People are recognising that managed European forests are now powerful positives for the environment, paper recycling is at a maximum peak and printers like Gemini are pro-active in leading the fight to protect from adverse changes to air, water or land.

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marketing and branding

october/november december/january 2018 2017 business edge

A personal slot machine that always pays out Mark Brown Director Applicado

in contrast to online marketing juggernauts that experiment and let conversion data inform web layouts. Think how beautiful the biggest e-commerce site on the planet is.

Not very, but it makes billions every year.

Where is the best place to hide a dead body?

Mark Brown of Applicado, a Brighton based online marketing agency, explains why the majority of business owners are disappointed with the results from their investment in digital and how they can turn it around.

One of the biggest assumptions that business owners make is that if they invest in a beautiful eye-catching website, they will suddenly see an increase in leads coming from the website.

Business owners often get too emotionally involved with the look and feel of their website from a personal perspective. This is

Page 2 of Google This is an old SEO joke. The reality is that almost 100% of people looking for a product or service never make it to page 2 of Google. When you consider that over 90% of all search in the UK starts on Google, being at the top of page 2, a beautiful website is going to miss out on almost 100% of prospects searching for a solution or product that your business can provide.

“Websites inform, landing pages sell” Russel Brunson, world recognised online lead generator.

To compensate for not appearing on Google page 1, the business decides to try Google Adwords. So far so good, except they direct clicks to their beautiful website. In most cases this is a rookie error. This is because the home page of the website is often not 100% congruent with the ad, there is no clear call to action or a lead magnet to attract the prospect into a sales funnel. Conclusion, Google Adwords doesn’t work for my business. Facebook Ads are rubbish. At this point over 90% of business owners give up on the idea that online lead generation can work for their business.

The simple solution is to go back to first principles and design an online sales funnel that works, then send it traffic. Once you discover what works for you, it’s like having a personal slot machine that always pays out. Kerching!

How missing a tick-box could cost your business £18 million Christian Pott Managing Director Images-on-line

When the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) comes into force every firm in the UK that collects, holds or processes any personal data of a UK or EU resident comes under the new laws. This affects just about every UK business, big and small. The law applies to personal data – staff, customers, suppliers – all of it!

Every firm in the UK needs to urgently review how they collect, process and look after personal data. It is said that the GDPR wants all companies to treat personal data as if it were money. (Illegal to steal it, illegal to use it if you don’t have permission and illegal not to protect it.)

The very nature of our business; data archiving, document scanning and shredding suggests that we are very much at the forefront of the new legislation. A number of our more pro-active customers and suppliers have already been in contact asking where we stand on this, whereas

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others either don’t seem to be aware of the legislation or have yet to grasp the significance of the May 2018 deadline.

We are now reviewing all processes and in conjunction with our IT support company Brookland Computer Services creating a robust plan to identify and eliminate any potential flaws in our business practices. This is planned to be completed by early January after which we shall be in a position to promote our GDPR compliance in readiness for May 25th.

Once complete we shall be able to confidently communicate with our

www.sussexchamberofcommerce.co.uk

existing customer’s together with new and prospective clients knowing we have taken the correct safeguards in terms of protecting the data they have entrusted with us.

GDPR is a huge opportunity for UK businesses to review practices and processes around the use of personal data.

Gaining free consent (the tick box we refer to in the headline) is often crucial. Then taking active steps to protect data from hackers and spies is a legal obligation.

At Images-on-Line we’ll be prepared in good time, will your business?

tel: 01444 259 259

october/november december/january 2018 2017 business edge

marketing and branding

Adding value to your brand through sponsorship FASTSIGNS Crawley are now well into their first year as a sponsor of Crawley Town Football Club. Melanie Martinez, marketing manager shares with us how successful this partnership has been not only in raising their profile but creating brand awareness in multiple ways.

Melanie Martinez Marketing Manager FASTSIGNS

FASTSIGNS have been trading in Crawley for 22 years now and four members of staff have been together for 19 of those therefore as a team they really do understand the value and importance of putting their name to something.

Over the years, we have been involved in a diverse range of projects that fall under the sponsorship umbrella that have worked out well for us however Crawley Town F.C has been our most successful by far. There have been so many angles of it that have in some way or another linked back to brand awareness.

As you would imagine our sponsorship with Crawley Town started with a sign, we provided signage for another company who had recently become a sponsor themselves.

This was a great opportunity for us to work with the club and the benefits to both parties of us becoming a sponsor were apparent straight away.

We started off by branding the hospitality pod and having a hoarding up. Getting the content right is the most important thing on any sign but a clear concise message on sponsorship signage is crucial. Keeping it simple is key to brand recognition. As they say ‘less is more’ and your branding is lost when something is too fussy. Sponsorship signage is often used in a photo or even on TV so the clearer the better for what may only be a glimpse in the form of a snap shot.

It was not long before we began to see our signs working for us with other sponsors wanting to update their boards having liked what we had done with ours.

We also began networking through the club at football games and started to socialize with fellow sponsors, this in turn led to us working with them outside of our mutual sponsorship signage. There is definitely something unique about building a relationship though sponsorship, having that common interest and meeting regularly means referrals also come very naturally. We now work regularly not only with the club and other sponsors but their referrals too.

Our sponsorship has also been used directly marketing the FASTSIGNS brand. Having had such success through the recognition of our hospitality pod we extended it into other areas of the club. Each time we do something new with Crawley Town or with a fellow sponsor we have made sure we’ve got it into the local news and publications as well as posting it on social media thus directly using sponsorship as a marketing tool.

Taking all this into account brings me full circle back to what I originally said.

Sponsorship has undoubtedly added value to FASTSIGNS’ brand awareness, not only through our signage but marketing and networking too. When networking, you are representing your company and in turn your brand.

When we sit back and take stock of what we have achieved through our sponsorship we could not be happier. It covers such a broad spectrum including ticking our company’s corporate social responsibility box supporting our local team. Giving back to the community we work in is something we strive to do and this has always been important to us.

Sponsorship comes in so many different forms, some of which have suited us better than others but I can honestly say we have enjoyed being a part all of them over the years. However, when you get the right one that suits your company it really does open up doors by getting your brand working for you on so many different levels.

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marketing and branding

december/january 2018 business edge

The Big Opportunity For Small Businesses In Local Search Google has, for many years, been accused of favouring large brands in organic search results, and rightly so. Big brands often dominate the coveted top three search results, making it nigh on impossible for small businesses to effectively compete.

Justin Aldridge Technical Director Artemis Marketing

The reality is that Google doesn’t have a “big brand” factor in its complex ranking algorithm but it does have factors which combine to generate search results that replicate the offline world. Big brands are always in the public eye dominating with traditional advertising. Organic search is no different and Google strives to replicate the real world in its results.

A big brand will generally have a large website with great content. It will also, through PR and general marketing activities, have generated mentions on other websites which will have helped them to build large numbers of links pointing to their websites.

Links and quality content are the two most important ranking factors for websites; hence the dominance of big brands in search results.

However, Google search is constantly evolving and recent developments have given rise to opportunities for small business to effectively compete with the big brands, particularly in local search.

What is local search?

Local search relates to online searches carried out with key phrases that have a local bias. A search for “dentists” is a generic search whilst a search for “dentists in Canterbury” is a local search.

Local search is intrinsically linked to Google Maps which Google launched in 2004 to not just map the entire world but to also map all businesses in every town and country.

Enter Google My Business Despite some earlier failures, Google has found success in mapping the business world through its Google My Business initiative, commonly abbreviated to GMB. GMB is a great platform for all businesses, especially small ones, as it allows them to effectively compete in search against larger businesses. Every business should sign up and create a good and complete GMB profile. It is, after all, completely free.

There are many benefits to having a GMB listing but the main ones are the ability to appear in the “local pack” results and to enhance the visibility of a business in search results.

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The Local Pack “The local pack” refers to the three results often displayed at the top of search results when searching for a local service or product, for example: The first three results in this example are GMB listings and they appear before the very first organic search result. The listings provide very useful information for a searcher and unbelievable value to a local business. This is free advertising at its very best.

Without a GMB listing, Google will not be able to feature a business in the local pack of results. Importantly too, note how these three local businesses appear before the much larger Checkatrade “big brand” website.

a company name instead of typing in the company’s website address directly into the browser. Users searching for a business will, therefore, likely go via Google first and so using Google Posts enables you to showcase some latest news, a latest offer or an event directly in the search results.

Focus on reviews Google reviews have a positive impact on local pack rankings. It means that business owners need to encourage their customers to leave a review on Google directly. This is much more beneficial than a review on platforms such as Facebook or Checkatrade.

In order to rank well in the local pack a business needs to have a complete listing, with a good description, business categories, images, a reasonable number of positive reviews (aim for 10) and be “cited” with a consistent NAP (name/address/ phone) across local directories.

However, apart from just being positive, it’s important to have enough reviews that will enable a user to make a decision. Having just one review can make a business appear unpopular and can, therefore, actually give a bad impression, whilst having too many is a little pointless as users won’t read them all.

Targeting 10 or 15 good reviews is an ideal level.

Google Posts

Get local

Google has recently introduced Google Posts which allow businesses to feature relevant, fresh information in Google search when someone searches for the business itself. Posts expire after 7 days.

Local businesses can now succeed locally despite the big brands. The key is to focus on creating a great GMB listing, getting it listed on local directories and working with customers to help them review the business on Google.

Google Posts is a great way to offer fresh content for users searching for a business.

It is very common for users to search for

Achieving a coveted presence in a local pack is a significant marketing opportunity for any small business. And the best thing is that it’s free.

www.sussexchamberofcommerce.co.uk

tel: 01444 259 259

cover feature

december/january 2018 business edge

What makes a brilliant brand campaign?

Matt Baxter Creative Director Baxter and Bailey

project. These plans are your project’s Holy Grail, your Ten Commandments. Obey them.

2. Be informed

That’s a big question with a gargantuan answer. Spend time in any bookshop – real or digital – and you’ll quickly see that the answer to the question above can fill entire tomes (some with complicated pie-charts, fold-out pages, indexes and footnotes). However, with the enjoyably tight brief of a half page in Business Edge, we’d like to share – count ‘em – five cast iron, gold standard, rock solid rules for success. Bear these rules in mind and your brand led campaign project will stand a far better chance of informing, persuading and motivating behaviour changes in your audience. Here we go:

1. Be prepared Every project is different, but planning as your starting point should always be the same; ask the right questions, read between the lines, write a detailed creative brief, write a comprehensive timeline, agree roles and responsibilities and set objectives for your

Gather information about your audience, understand them and discover what motivates them. Who are they, where do they live, what kind of biscuits do they like?

Share this information with your project team, enshrine it within the project plan. The most successful campaigns have a thorough knowledge of their audience, biscuits and all.

3. Be brave Creative courage is the key to successful creative work, something our clients frequently mention as a reason for appointing us. For example, one of our most recent local projects is for the MET (Greater Brighton Metropolitan College, previously City College Brighton and Hove and Northbrook College). In 2017 the two Colleges merged, with all of the resultant organisational and brand challenges you’d expect. The client team working with us

“Be brave and challenge preconceptions”

were prepared to be brave and challenge preconceptions. The resulting work is testament to that bravery.

4. Be flexible As communications ideas are developed and refined it’s not unusual for them to change shape. So long as you’re sticking to your original objectives (see Rule 1), this can be really advantageous. Make sure you put clarity before aesthetic (though both are vital), ideas before style and allow the process to lead you.

5. Be accountable Measure your campaign’s effectiveness.

Naturally, how you do this depends on the nature of your project. If, in the planning stage, you were able to set clear, quantifiable objectives from the beginning then reviewing the results you have achieved should be straightforward.

Get scientific.

Good luck!

Baxter and Bailey are focused on doing work with real substance and clarity; we use creative vim and strategic vigour to help clients make a positive impact on the world.

We are always happy to have a chat about the challenges and opportunities currently facing your brand.

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27

inspirational leaders

december/january 2018 business edge

Successful entrepreneur seeks to help small businesses

As the founder of one of Sussex’s fastest-growing companies, Joe Anderson is a businessman who knows what it is like to overcome obstacles on the road to success.

be ‘OK’ but I have always been clear that I want us to be the best.

Now, the Brighton-based businessman is seeking to support SMEs in the area by passing on both his expertise and practical support, including office space, through a new Angels scheme.

“I think a key reason for our success is that I always seek to recruit the very best people that I can., the best brokers, the best advisers, the best call centre staff.”

“A good example came at the end of 2016 into January 2017 when British Gas announced an offer that meant that anyone renewing early would be 20 per cent better off. We signed up a lot of people but by the end of January the offer was over and anyone who renewed since then is up to 20 per cent worse off.”

Another reason for Black Sheep’s success, Joe believes, is its capacity to bring clarity to what can seem to the uninitiated to be a bewildering energy market with dozens of suppliers and hundreds of deals on offer.

The commitment to a quality service has worked and the company continues to grow, and now Joe is seeking to pass on his expertise to other entrepreneurs by establishing a Business Angels scheme.

Joe said: “Our success has been based on keeping it simple. Traditionally, the gas and electric sector seems to have set out to bamboozle people.

He said: “As I approach my fortieth birthday, I can look back on a business career that has had its successes and failures. Not big failures but occasions when ideas did not work out quite as I would have liked and I want to help other businesses, perhaps existing ones who are struggling to sell their product or startups seeking to become established.

The decision builds on the lessons learned in a successful business career. Joe is the founder of Black Sheep Utilities, which has grown in a little over four and a half years to become one of the UK’s largest independent business utilities consultancies, helping businesses all over the UK to obtain the best deal for their gas and electricity.

The company grew out of his previous business, which specialised in telecommunications brokerage and which saw him win a national sales award in 2009, sponsored by British Gas. The conversation that took place with British Gas representatives at the awards night saw him eventually sell his telecommunications business and switch to energy with a new business instead. Black Sheep Utilities had been born, focusing on business clients.

Joe, who as CEO now employs 70 people and is recruiting up to ten people a month, said that the company’s success is based on a refusal to accept second best.

He said: “We aim to be the best at what we do. You see some companies that aspire to

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“Our motto is that we want to be outstanding in our field, which is a bit jokey but sums up my ambition for the company.

“In fact, five years ago I decided that I wanted the company to be the best in the market place and we are already ranked in the top one per cent, out of 1,500 brokers working in the sector.

“You could only renew on a set time on a set day and only by carrier pigeon but we set out to simplify the process for our clients and also the way we deal with utilities companies.

“Because we are independent, when we talk to utilities companies we are seeking the best deal available and we are not tied into any one supplier.

“Every other week, we receive calls from new suppliers who are entering the market.

Whenever a supplier asks us how many referrals we can put their way we always say that if they are the offering the best deal it could be hundreds but only if it is the best deal.

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“Our clients appreciate our simple approach and I think the utility companies do as well.

They are not dealing with someone trying to impress them with claims they cannot support.

“Another reason for our success is the way we keep up to date with the market. We receive updates every day and move quickly when we need to.

“I will be looking to pass on advice about selling, which is my particular area of speciality, or to offer practical support in other ways.

“For example, I have two offices in Brighton and could make available the space and infrastructure that small businesses need.”

tel: 01444 259 259

december/january 2018 business edge

inspirational leaders

Joe Anderson Founder Black Sheep Utilities

Another reason for our success is the way we keep up to date with the market. We receive updates every day and move quickly when we need to.

Joe Anderson Founder at Black Sheep Utilities

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business matters

december/january 2018 business edge

South East Business Boost – Don’t Let Lack of Funding Hold You Back!

Could you be eligible for a grant of between £1,000 and £10,000?

COMPANIES in East Sussex can benefit from a new business support service and grants programme under a £2 million scheme aimed at boosting the county’s economy.

South East Business Boost will offer grants of between £1,000 and £10,000 to existing small and medium sized businesses and start-ups for capital projects to help them grow and expand operations.

The scheme will also see an expansion of the successful business support programme, which offers advice and support to local businesses and entrepreneurs, run by the local Growth Hub Business East Sussex.

East Sussex is one of six south east authorities to benefit from the scheme, funded by the EU’s European Regional Development Fund.

Full details are available online at

www.businesseastsussex.org.uk or by calling 0844 4152260 or emailing

info@businesseastsussex.org.uk

Don’t let lack of finance hold back your dreams If you have a small to medium-size business (SME) or are a start-up based in East Sussex, we could help you fund a wide range of capital items to help increase sales, improve productivity and boost profitability. Grants of up to £10,000 available.

Terms & conditions apply

See businesseastsussex.org.uk/ south-east-business-boost-sebb/ for details

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31

focus on brighton

december/january 2018 business edge

Partnership is the key to future economic success

Warren Morgan Leader of Brighton and Hove City Council

Over the past decade, Brighton & Hove has been one of the UK’s economic success stories. More than 14,000 jobs have been created; 2,700 more businesses have been launched; the ICT and digital sector has grown by more than 40 per cent, generating almost 7,000 jobs; and tourism now supports one in five posts.

In terms of economic growth and stability, the city and the surrounding region has developed into an economic powerhouse, with 16,000 businesses and more than 140,000 jobs providing over £7bn Gross Value Added (GVA) annually to the UK economy.

I’m sure it’ll come as no surprise when I say we’re all living in very challenging times, including local councils. With our central government budget being cut, a rapidly rising population, higher than average unemployment, plus an aging population, we are, like many businesses, having to readjust, be agile and ensure we’re ahead of the game.

As the local authority, we’re involved in every aspect of the city and I see our role as working with our partners to support economic growth throughout the Greater Brighton region, and maintain an attractive, connected and well run city for our residents, businesses and visitors.

To achieve these goals it’s vitally important the council continues to work in partnership with the business sector and has a clear strategy and vision for the future.

Since Brighton and Hove’s last Economic Strategy was published almost five years ago, the ground on which the local strategic and economic context was placed has shifted immeasurably.

Competitor locations both in the UK and internationally are diversifying, meaning the city’s markets are increasingly competitive,

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and there is clear evidence, with house prices 11 times the average salary, that the benefits of success are not equally distributed. Also, as the UK starts its journey out of the EU, our city region needs to remain open to trade, skills and ideas.

On 31 October, the council, along with the Brighton & Hove Economic Partnership, hosted the first consultation event on the 2018-2023 Brighton & Hove Economic Strategy. More than 100 businesses came together at the city’s iconic i360 to set out their views on the future of the city and the region for the next five years.

The purpose was to ensure the strategy is owned by partners and stakeholders across the city and city region. This first consultation event brought together partners with a range of backgrounds and interests to discuss and gather insight on the future of the local economy.

The intention is to produce an Economic Strategy for the City of Brighton & Hove within the context of the City Region. It is not proposed to replicate the existing strategies of other Districts and Boroughs, but to identify key linkages, supply chains and barriers to success.

Over the next few months, Regeneris Consulting will be undertaking a detailed programme of consultation with representatives from across the public, private and civil society sectors, with a further event being held on January 11 next year at which the draft Strategy will be presented, with publication due in Spring 2018. We are also planning a high profile business summit for the New Year.

There are 12 big questions informing the strategy, including economic identity and positioning; sector competitiveness and productivity; economic resilience; trade; balancing the workforce and housing affordability.

Our city region leadership role, through the Greater Brighton Economic Board, has proved its strength and skill in navigating these uncertain times, and has been strengthened further by the addition of Crawley Borough Council and Gatwick Airport as members.

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The economic strategy will include a key commission on behalf of the board to develop an Inward Investment & Export Growth Strategy.

The Board recently hosted a two day workshop for senior government officials on the vital role that new digital technologies play in growing our regional economy. It was established in March 2014 and brings together leaders from the public sector, education and business to work collectively on ‘larger than local’ issues.

This includes overseeing a six year programme of investment in jobs, housing, business and skills, supporting the regeneration of Newhaven and Shoreham Harbour, and establishing a network of growth centres at Preston Barracks, New England House in Brighton and in Burgess Hill.

To support and complement the economic strategy and the work of the Greater Brighton Economic Board, the council is also developing a new Strategic Framework for Arts & Culture and a new strategy to support the growth of tourism and the visitor economy. This area continues to increase, with around 11 million visitors annually enjoying the fantastic facilities the city and region has to offer.

Other high profile initiatives for the region include the ‘Homes for Brighton’ Housing Living Wage Joint Venture, which will deliver 1,000 new homes that are affordable to people who are working in the city and the creation of the government funded Digital Catapult in New England House, which will also be the home of a new state of the art 5G testbed.

The past decade has seen the Greater Brighton area make huge progress through some very difficult times, including the global economic crash and the banking crisis, to become a regional powerhouse. The next 10 years could be as equally challenging.

But I firmly believe that by continuing to work together, in partnership, we will see our amazing region overcoming the many challenges we will face to provide a healthy, robust and sustainable economy for everyone in the region.

tel: 01444 259 259

focus on brighton

december/january 2018 business edge

The potential pitfalls of dying intestate It is, of course, very common for couples to live together without being married and indeed for children to be born into such relationships. The importance of having a will cannot be underestimated.

Julian Potter Associate Solicitor QS Howlett Clarke

Without a will the surviving partner in such relationships will not be entitled to inherit under the Intestacy Rules which can lead to a very unsatisfactory and potentially painful outcome with regards to the devolution of the deceased’s assets.

In the absence of any children the deceased’s parents will be entitled to the deceased’s estate. In the absence of surviving parents the deceased’s siblings will share the estate. Further rules determine who is entitled to the estate in the absence of siblings all the way through to the Crown in the absence of any qualifying relative.

property can end up in the hands of relatives with the obvious consequential issues.

was properly taken care of was invalid by virtue of their subsequent marriage.

If there are children from the unmarried relationship they will share the deceased’s estate. Although perhaps preferable to more distant relatives inheriting, this can lead to problems with regard to the home and the potential of a forced sale.

Instead the Intestacy Rules determined that the surviving spouse was entitled to £250,000 (and the personal possessions) and only half the remainder of the estate with the other half passing to the children from the previous relationship immediately.

Problems can surface quickly when the bulk of the deceased’s assets are included within a tenant in common share in the property and the children have their eyes on their inheritance!

In certain circumstances the surviving partner may consider a claim against the deceased’s estate but it is a far from satisfactory position to be left in.

If wills are put in place by an unmarried couple the position must be kept under review if they subsequently marry.

The effect of the marriage is to revoke the earlier wills (assuming they were not originally made in contemplation of that marriage.)

Often without realising, the couple in question are, effectively, intestate.

This can lead to financial hardship for the surviving partner and where the house is involved serious problems can arise if the same was owned by the couple as tenants in common.

In one notable incidence, a sizeable estate proved not only costly and time consuming to administer, but led to broken relationships where one of the spouses died leaving children from a previous relationship.

The deceased’s share in the property will form part of the estate passing under the Intestacy Rules so, typically, a half share in the

The Intestacy Rules now came into play as the will the deceased had put in place to ensure his partner (now surviving spouse)

It should be noted that the position will be different for assets held as joint tenants; these will pass outside of the terms of the will to the surviving joint owner by survivorship.

An up-to-date, valid will can help ensure that your wishes are properly catered for and that the complexity of the Intestacy Rules is overcome.

Call 01273 838594 or email info@howlettclarke.co.uk Or visit our website: www.qualitysolicitors.com/howlettclarke

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focus on brighton

december/january 2018 business edge

www.parkerpartnership.co.uk | reception@parkerpartnership.co.uk

www.parkerpartnership.co.uk | reception@parkerpartnership.co.uk

www.parkerpartnership.co.uk | reception@parkerpartnership.co.uk

Accountants, tax and business

Accountants, and business adviserstax to owner-managed Accountants, tax andthroughout businessSussex advisersbusinesses to owner-managed businesses throughout Sussex advisers to owner-managed

businesses throughout Sussex We provide a wide range of business advisory services which go accounting compliance matters.

Webeyond are trained tax not toand only in compliance matters, but a wide range of areas. =PZP[ WHYRLYWHY[ULYZOPW JV \R [V SLHYU TVYL VM [OL ZLY]PJLZ ^L WYV]PKL Visit www.parkerpartnership.co.uk to find out more about us and HUK [V ZLL ZVTL VM [OL MLLKIHJR ^L OH]L YLJLP]LK MYVT JSPLU[Z the services we provide or follow our popular twitter account @Parkers_Hove.

For a free initial consultation call us on

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34

www.sussexchamberofcommerce.co.uk

tel: 01444 259 259

focus on brighton

december/january 2018 business edge

24th Nov 2017 (2pm - 6pm)

Whitechapel Gallery, London

Want to boost your leadership skills and access fresh thinking? Become a Sussex student mentor Businesses in Sussex and beyond can benefit enormously by taking part in the student-business mentoring scheme from the University of Sussex School of Business, Management and Economics.

You’ll receive comprehensive mentoring training providing you with tools you can use to manage your own teams. The scheme is as an excellent opportunity to link up with our talented students.

Why take part in our student-business mentoring scheme?

Signing up as a mentor to one or more of our students gives you the perfect chance to develop your management and leadership capabilities, as well as communication and interpersonal skills.

It’s a great way to build a network and connect with local business leaders, allowing you to benefit from others’ knowledge and experience while sharing your own expertise.

You’ll also make a positive difference to students’ career prospects, especially those seeking to find out more about your business and industry sector for placement or graduate vacancies.

What kind of training will I receive?

A full day of mentoring training is provided, equipping you with the skills you’ll need to mentor students and your own staff.

Sessions take place on the Sussex campus several times throughout the academic year.

Contact us to find out more

bmecbusiness@sussex.ac.uk www.sussex.ac.uk/bmec/student-business-mentoring

AS A CHAMBER MEMBER YOU’RE WELL CONNECTED

35

diary

december/january 2018 business edge

Events December 4th

Construction Forum

Jury’s Inn Brighton Waterfront Hotel

08.00 - 10.30

6th

Business Networking Breakfast

Lindfield Golf Club

08.00 - 10.30

13th

Christmas Lunch - Ashdown Park Hotel & Country Club

Ashdown Park Hotel & Country Club

12.00 - 14.30

14th

Grow Your Business

Malmaison

08.00 - 10.30

January 17th

Payment Security

The View Hotel

08.00 - 11.00

23rd

Free 1-2-1 Advice for Growing Businesses

Sussex Chamber of Commerce Office

09.30 - 15.00

February 8th

Impact of Brexit

Hastings Centre

08.00 - 11.00

22nd

Free 1-2-1 Advice for Growing Businesses

Sussex Chamber of Commerce Office

09.30 - 15.00

Dale Hill Hotel & Golf Club

08.00 - 11.00

March 6th

Logistics & Freight Forwarding

Please check the website for the full 2017 Calendar - www.sussexchamberofcommerce.co.uk

36

www.sussexchamberofcommerce.co.uk

tel: 01444 259 259

december/january 2018 business edge

training and development

Training December 4th

Selling Skills for Results - December

The Kings Church

09.30 - 16.30

6th

Essentials of Supervision & Team Leadership - 2 Day Course

The Kings Church

09.30 - 16.30

January 18th

Time Management & Personal Effectiveness

The Kings Church

09.30 - 16.30

22nd

An Introduction to Export Procedures

The Kings Church

09.30 - 16.30

25th

Introduction to Supervision & Team Leadership

The Kings Church

09.30 - 16.30

29th

Personal Customer Service in the Digital Age

The Kings Church

09.30 - 16.30

February 8th

Managing People for Business Success

The Kings Church

09.30 - 16.30

19th

Confident & Effective Communication Skills

The Kings Church

09.30 - 16.30

26th

Using Documentary Letters of Credit, Drafts & Bills

The Kings Church

09.30 - 16.30

The Kings Church

09.30 - 16.30

March 19th

Exporting - Understanding the Paperwork

Please check the website for the full 2017 Calendar - www.sussexchamberofcommerce.co.uk

AS A CHAMBER MEMBER YOU’RE WELL CONNECTED

37

advertorial

december/january 2018 business edge

Degree Apprenticeships at the University of Chichester Degree apprenticeships bring together the best of vocational training and higher education and enable apprentices to combine university study with valuable ‘on the job’ training. The University of Chichester offers a range of degree apprenticeship options to suit the needs of local businesses.

Our first degree apprenticeship programmes, Chartered Manager and Digital & Technology Solutions (Software Engineer) started in September 2016. Now in their second year, both apprentices and employers are already seeing the benefits of this way of training and developing staff.

Companies that have employed one or more apprentices are finding that it is a great way to attract talent, shape employees to the needs of the business and to make sure that their skills are current and relevant.

Red River Software MD Simon Pringle explained: “We were suffering from the usual skills shortage and wanted to be able to train people our own way. Via this route we get to do that and the apprentices quickly become very talented. For us there hasn’t been a time when they haven’t been working on a commercial project, which is very beneficial to the company. In the digital sector this is the most positive step towards addressing the skills shortage in my memory.”

Bringing new dynamics to established groups Companies also find they benefit from the opportunity to develop apprentices. Bill

Scott, General Manager at C.P.J Field Funeral Directors said: “There are an awful lot of advantages for us and for the apprentice.

We are able to sculpt that individual and develop their understanding of our ethos.

If we get that right, it’s beneficial to us and allows them to develop quickly.”

Sam Tester, Chartered Manager Degree Apprentice at C.P.J Field Funeral Directors, has also experienced many advantages: “The degree apprenticeship has contributed a lot to gaining greater knowledge of different aspects of my role, touching on things I’ve done previously and teaching me things that I haven’t learnt before in the workplace.”

Meanwhile, apprentices are benefitting from gaining a degree while acquiring valuable work experience, earning a salary and avoiding paying any fees. Chris West of W.L. West & Sons chose the Chartered Manager Degree Apprenticeship because he can study and work at the same time. He says, “It’s a rounded course, covering all parts of management, not just one aspect. I’ve learnt a lot that I’m bringing in to [the business]. At the end of the course, I hope to run the fencing division on my own using all of my skills.”

James Seden-Smith, Digital and Technology Solutions Professional Degree Apprentice at Red River Software found that the recurring advice was “Do a year in industry - it’s what employees look for” and he decided that a degree apprenticeship offered “four years in industry, alongside a degree and would give me a huge advantage against my peers when applying for future jobs.”

Breath of fresh air Businesses agree that working with the University is a positive experience. Lead Developer at Communications Agency NLS, Jamie Scott, said “Everyone we’ve dealt with at the University has been extremely helpful in making sure that the scheme was right for us, finding the perfect candidate and continuing to support us and answer any questions we have had during the programme.”

Find out more: Find out about the University of Chichester’s degree apprenticeships at www.chi.ac.uk/apprentice.

Interested businesses should get in touch at business@chi.ac.uk.

Degree apprenticeships: key facts n Apprentices are recruited directly by employers. n You will hire an apprentice and they will attend University one day a week during term time. n These programmes enable you to upskill and motivate existing employees and recruit high-quality, talented apprentices who are trained in the way business works. n Degree Apprenticeships will help you to fill higher-level skills gaps and inject new approaches, research and ideas to improve business.

38

www.sussexchamberofcommerce.co.uk

tel: 01444 259 259

Quality Coach Hire december/january 2018 business edge

advertorial

Worthing Coaches’ vast fleet of luxury, modern vehicles provide comfortable and efficient travel, and unrivalled levels of flexibility, 24/7. e Great valu & day trips oor door to d holidays! our Request y day. to re brochu

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AS A CHAMBER MEMBER YOU’RE WELL CONNECTED

39

With a little help from As the world economy endures turbulent times, it makes sense to be part of an organisation that can offer practical support for your business and make sure that its voice is heard. That means joining Sussex Chamber of Commerce. Sussex Chamber of Commerce is accredited by the British Chambers of Commerce, a dynamic and independent business network with Accredited Chambers in every region of the UK and in key markets around the world.

Accredited Chambers sit at the heart of local business communities, helping thousands of companies of every size and sector - to grow and thrive through a range of programmes.

We have four membership packages:

BRONZE MEMBERSHIP £169 + £50 joining fee + VAT Package Value: over £2,000

CHAMBER SOCIAL MEDIA You will receive a welcome post on our social media sites. Send us your news stories for our online blog.

FREE USE OF CHAMBER MEMBER LOGO Add the Chamber Member logo to your stationery and marketing literature

FREE COMPANY PROFILE IN THE ONLINE BUSINESS DIRECTORY Add your logo to the online Business Directory and update your company profile as often as you wish, including a link to your website.

A BRONZE MEMBERSHIP CERTIFICATE An ideal way to promote your Chamber membership.

FREE ENTRY TO THE CHAMBER AWARDS The Chamber Business Awards are one of the UK’s most contested and prestigious business award programmes.

DISCOUNTED SERVICES As a Chamber member you are entitled to a number of commercial benefits including healthcare plans from Westfield Health and AXA PPP as well as Chamber Roadside Assistance (provided by the AA) and Chamber Foreign Exchange Service (provided by MoneyCorp).

These will not only help you save on operational costs but the services can be used by all your employees.

MEMBER 2 MEMBER OFFERS Offer discounts or free services to other Chamber members and raise your business profile.

FREE BI-MONTHLY BUSINESS EDGE MAGAZINE (ALSO AVAILABLE ONLINE) Business Edge is our in-house magazine distributed to over 4,000 businesses across Sussex with a reading audience of 25,000.

FREE LISTING IN BUSINESS EDGE MAGAZINE UNDER THE NEW MEMBERS SECTION Allow us to promote your business to our members

DISCOUNTED ADVERTISING RATES IN THE BUSINESS EDGE MAGAZINE AND BE EVERYWHERE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM An ideal way to reach key decision makers in Sussex.

SILVER MEMBERSHIP £349 + £50 joining fee + VAT Package Value: over £6,000

EDITORIAL OPPORTUNITIES IN BUSINESS EDGE MAGAZINE Receive half page editorial once every membership year in our business edge magazine.

As a SILVER Member you have access to all of the services in BRONZE Membership plus...

EVENT PROMOTION Promote your events via our online website and Social Media.

A SILVER MEMBERSHIP CERTIFICATE An ideal way to promote your Chamber membership.

DISCOUNTED EXPORT DOCUMENTATION SERVICES Receive discounts on selected export documentation services and be part of the Chamber Export Group.

FREE CHAMBER HR SERVICE A complete service providing access to information and over 400 downloadable forms, policies, documents, letters and fact sheets.

Includes unlimited access to a dedicated advice line.

CHAMBER HEALTH & SAFETY SERVICE A comprehensive health & safety service providing access to 150 downloadable forms, policies, documents, templates and fact sheets. Includes unlimited access to a dedicated advice line.

LEGAL EXPENSES INSURANCE In total over £1,000,000 worth of legal cover for unexpected legal fees such as employment tribunals, disputes with landlords, jury service plus much more. Includes unlimited access to a dedicated advice line.

5 FREE ONLINE INTERNATIONAL TRADE DOCUMENT REJECTIONS PER ANNUM Mistakes happen so let us pick up the cost of 5 Online International Trade Documentation rejections per annum, (excludes Arab documents, online users only).

DISCOUNTED TRAINING SERVICES Through our courses and seminars, solve business problems and get the best from your most valuable asset – your staff. We also provide onsite bespoke training courses.

DEDICATED CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP EXECUTIVE Deal direct with a dedicated Customer Relationship Executive who can respond directly to your queries and work with you to ensure you get full benefit from your membership.

your friends…

GOLD MEMBERSHIP £529 + £50 joining fee + VAT Package Value: over £10,000 As a GOLD Member you have access to all of the services in BRONZE and SILVER Membership plus...

A FRAMED GOLD MEMBERSHIP CERTIFICATE An ideal way to promote your Chamber membership.

EDITORIAL OPPORTUNITIES IN THE BUSINESS EDGE MAGAZINE Receive one page editorial once every membership year in our business edge magazine.

ENHANCED COMPANY PROFILE IN THE ONLINE BUSINESS DIRECTORY Add your logo to the online Business Directory and update your company profile as often as you wish, including a link to your website. Stand out from other members with a Gold listing on our online Business Directory.

CORPORATE VIDEO HOSTING ON CHAMBER TV AND SOCIAL MEDIA PROMOTION Send us a copy of your corporate video or promotion video and we will upload it to our YouTube page and promote it through our Social Media.

TOP 10 TIPS Promote your business and expertise via our ‘Top 10 Tips’ fact sheets. Freely available to all local businesses but only you as members can write them. £100 OF CREDIT FOR EVENT BOOKINGS As a gold member you will receive a credit of £100 towards any of our events, forums and social events in each membership year. Pick and choose how you wish to spend it including breakfasts, lunches, sector forums and social events. (T+C’s apply).

DISCOUNTED TICKETS TO EXCLUSIVE EVENTS Attend exclusive events at discounted rates.

FREE USE OF CHAMBER MEETING ROOM Room is subject to availability (T+C’ apply).

PREMIER MEMBERSHIP £2100 + VAT (no joining fee) Package Value: over £15,000 As a PREMIER Member you have access to all of the services in BRONZE, SILVER and GOLD Membership plus...

A FRAMED PREMIER MEMBERSHIP CERTIFICATE An ideal way to promote your Chamber membership.

EDITORIAL OPPORTUNITIES IN THE BUSINESS EDGE MAGAZINE Receive up to two free pages of editorial every membership year in our business edge magazine.

ENHANCED COMPANY PROFILE IN THE ONLINE BUSINESS DIRECTORY Stand out from other members with a Premier listing in our online Business Directory.

LOGO ON THE FRONT PAGE OF OUR WEBSITE Your logo will appear on the front page of our website with a link to your website.

COMMERCIAL OPPORTUNITIES Work with the Chamber to provide a unique service direct to our members, use our brand to promote this service online. (T+C’s apply). £500 OF CREDIT FOR EVENT BOOKINGS You will receive a credit of £500 towards any of our events in each membership year. Pick and choose how you wish to spend it including breakfasts, lunches, sector forums and social events, excludes Gala Dinner and British Chambers of Commerce Annual Conference. (T+C’s apply).

PREMIER MEMBERSHIP FOR BUSINESS LEADERS Premier Membership exists to give a select group of dynamic businesses in the county various opportunities to raise awareness of their organisations, as well as to formally express their commitment to the success of the Sussex business community. These opportunities are significantly above and beyond those offered to other Members of the Chamber.

1 FREE TICKET TO THE BRITISH CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE ANNUAL CONFERENCE Join a high-level audience of business decision-makers, policymakers and the Chamber network. This is a top class programme that includes senior political personalities, inspirational business leaders, and opinionformers from across the United Kingdom.

ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION Meet like minded professionals to debate and discuss business issues, share best practice and knowledge under ‘Chatham House Rules’.

MEETING WITH THE CHAMBER CEO AND/OR CHAIRMAN Meet with our CEO and/or Chairman to discuss your business and how the Chamber can best represent you.

PERSONAL INTRODUCTION SERVICE TO MEMBER BUSINESSES Take advantage of our unique personal introduction service to other members where possible.

SPONSORSHIP OF AN EVENT Sponsor a Chamber event and display your corporate banner and literature. (T+Cs apply).

AS A CHAMBER MEMBER YOU’RE WELL CONNECTED

4 FREE PLACES AT OUR GALA DINNER You will receive 4 free places at our annual black tie Gala Dinner.

You can find out more at 01444 259 259 or on www.sussexchamberofcomerce.co.uk

Sussex Chamber of Commerce

construction focus

december/january 2018 business edge

Building Boom means many more jobs Construction output in the South East is forecast to rise by an annual average of 2.2% over the next five years, above the UK average of 1.7%, according to a report by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB).

At the same time, skill shortages are sighted as a significant problem to the industry, with shortage of skilled labour said to be a key impediment to growth.* The growth will mean over 25,000 new jobs in the construction industry in the region by 2021. The fields of architecture, logistics, structural fabrication, scaffolding, the wood trades and interior fit-out are expected be among the biggest growth areas.

A number of new projects in Sussex and the surrounding area are contributing to the boom. A £750m development of 10,000 new homes plus a new school and shops in Horsham, West Sussex, is scheduled to begin in 2018. Work has started on a new sports and leisure centre at Broadbridge Heath, comprising sports hall, fitness studios and gym and a climbing area. In addition, a new conference centre proposed for Brighton is estimated to be worth £540m.

The private housing sector in the South East is projected to grow by 2.1% over the next 5 years. Leading UK home builders Taylor Wimpey South Thames is committed

New Taylor Wimpey South Thames apprentices on their first day on the job site this August. to tackling any skills shortage. Production Director David Hill says: ‘Taylor Wimpey recognises the skills shortage and is looking to address this in the long term with their apprentice strategy.

‘The vision is to employ 20 – 30 trade apprentices for the coming years and integrate into our business to support our trade direct labour initiative.’

As part of this initiative, Taylor Wimpey South Thames has recently taken on eighteen construction students from Crawley College as apprentices. The link with Crawley College is part of a new pilot scheme working directly with local colleges in a programme to develop sustainable employment. *Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) Construction and Infrastructure Market Survey, May 2017

BUILD YOUR BUSINESS WITH AN APPRENTICESHIP IS YOUR BUSINESS LEVY-READY? As one of the largest apprenticeship providers in Sussex, with over 50 years’ experience, Crawley College can help you create the best apprenticeship programme for your business.

CALL 01293 442200 (PRESS 4) EMPLOYERS@CRAWLEY.AC.UK CRAWLEY.AC.UK/APPRENTICE

42

www.sussexchamberofcommerce.co.uk

tel: 01444 259 259

Piling for Bayham Lake Spillway

Engineering for the future…

60m x 30m R.C. structure for SES Water

RECRUITING RIGHT NOW!

Specialist Civil Engineering Contractor Recruiting Now at All Levels C.J. Thorne & Co. Ltd. (Thorne) is actively recruiting for roles such as Contracts Managers, Quantity Surveyors, Project Engineers and Skilled Operatives (Plant Operators, Carpenters, Bricklayers) – all with competitive rates of pay and a dedicated Training Pathway. We pride ourselves on being a local employer, with over 100 directly employed staff, in whom we have invested heavily to ensure the best standards of training and CPD. Thorne, founded in 1939, is a third generation family firm of civil engineering contractors undertaking contracts of up to £10m in value throughout Sussex, Kent and Surrey, with key Clients including Water Supply Companies, Local Councils and Large Industrial Organisations.

Areas of expertise include reinforced concrete, surface water and foul sewerage, road and bridge construction, fabrication of steel framed buildings and environmental schemes such as coastal defence and river bank stabilisation.

Thorne owns and operates its fleet of plant and vehicles, all of which are maintained in its workshops at Head Office. All staff hold CSCS / CPCS cards as appropriate to their role, with all management holding SSSTS or SMSTS as a minimum. As experienced Principal Contractors, we are fully compliant with our roles and responsibilities under CDM 2015, as well as running a Quality Management System in line with ISO 9001.

Uckfield, East Sussex

Tel: 01825 764123

Website: www.thornegroupuk.com

construction focus

december/january 2018 business edge

Building Information Modelling Building Information Modelling (BIM) was developed by a Government action group to improve the process of construction.

The essence of BIM is to be working in a collaborative environment where information is shared and is freely available to all members of the project team (including the client, contractor, design team, stakeholders and supply chain). This information includes design in 3D to which all parties contribute, enabling a complete virtual building to be created which can be tested for design inaccuracies or clashes.

The information developed from the 3D model is issued to the client and building end-users to enable them to manage and maintain their completed building more effectively. This process begins at project inception and is carried throughout the project via open and regular communication and review, essentially a collaborative approach which includes the client. The outcome is an operational building designed and built to their exact requirements with focused handover, aftercare and ongoing performance review thereafter (‘soft landings’) Baxall have embraced BIM now for over 4 years and successfully delivered no less than 9 projects (with 3 live) including Sussex schools such as West Rise Schools in Eastbourne and Cradle Hill Primary School in

Seaford (pictured). Each of these projects has been delivered achieving quantifiable savings and efficiencies to budget, programme and sustainable construction simply through the application of a BIM process. Early stage and ongoing engagement between the client, school, design teams and supply chain has enabled us to collectively value engineer solutions and essentially significantly reduce project waste such as lost time, duplication, defects, disruption and negative impact on local communities.

this investment will continue as we develop further through more efficient design of standardised components.

Baxall Construction, Eastlands Estate, Maidstone Road, Paddock Wood, Kent, TN12 6BU 01892 831000 www.baxallconstruction.co.uk info@baxallconstruction.co.uk

Baxall have placed significant investment into BIM software and training, including our supply chain partners. Moving forward,

Buildings Built on Teamwork Baxall Construction are a highly respected contractor delivering new build, refurbishment, project management and design and build solutions. We specialise in the education, high quality residential, commercial and community sectors across Sussex, Kent, Surrey and London for public and private clients alike.

44

www.sussexchamberofcommerce.co.uk

tel: 01444 259 259

construction focus

december/january 2018 business edge

Stop searching!

You’ve found your home and property improvement partner

With over a decade’s experience of transforming properties across the South East, Newview is the region’s number one home improvement company.

Talk to one of our team today by calling 01903 244 449!

Proud to supply

Award Winning

3 Northbrook Business Park Northbrook Rd, Worthing, West Sussex, BN14 8PQ Email: sales@newviewhomes.co.uk

www.newview-homes.co.uk AS A CHAMBER MEMBER YOU’RE WELL CONNECTED

45

construction focus

december/january 2018 business edge

W S Wright has delivered building maintenance, refurbishment and projects to a variety of clients throughout the south of England for over 70 years.

Our operational practices are approved by the leading authorities in industry standards supporting our directly employed mobile engineers in the delivery of reactive and planned construction and specialist maintenance services 24 hours 7 days all year.

Construction

Gas

Electrical

Joinery

Upholstery

Flooring

Water Hygiene

Glazing

Metal Fabrication

External Drainage

www.wswright.co.uk | info@wswright.co.uk | 01797 222 455 Head Office: Units 3-5 Lochin Marine, Rock Channel, Rye, East Sussex TN31 7HJ South West Office: Unit 5, Holloways, Bessemer Close, Ebblake Industrial Estate, Verwood, Dorset BH31 6AZ

46

www.sussexchamberofcommerce.co.uk

tel: 01444 259 259

construction focus

december/january 2018 business edge

Beard to refurbish historic Goodwood Aerodrome Regional construction firm Beard has been awarded a £1.35 million project by the Goodwood Racing Company to extend and refurbish the Goodwood Aerodrome building, within the Goodwood Motor Circuit in Chichester.

Formerly known as RAF Westhampnett, Goodwood Aerodrome is an historic airfield which served as a satellite airfield to nearby RAF Tangmere during the Second World War. The airfield continues to be a centre of excellence for flying and the aerodrome offers a wide range of services including hangarage, aircraft parking, fuel and banner towing.

Beard will be undertaking a full upgrade of the existing 550 sq m aerodrome. The scheme will include new roofing and external cladding, new internal layout and reconfiguration, plus all associated external works and drainage.

Beard will also be building three small extensions to the north and south of the existing building, providing more space for service accommodation and to screen service activities from the public. The existing main entrance will be reconfigured as part of the scheme to create a draft lobby.

The project, which starts this November, has been carefully designed by architects Design Engine to preserve the 1930s modernist ‘revival’ appearance of the building. Although the building will increase slightly in height and footprint, any new

materials introduced have been chosen to enhance the durability of the building fabric, and preserve its iconic look.

Beard Guildford Office, Stonemasons Court, Cemetery Pales, Brookwood, Surrey, GU24 OBL

“We are delighted with this opportunity to work with Goodwood for the first time,” says Guy Hannell, Beard’s Guildford director.

“This is a very exciting and unusual scheme for our team. We have extensive experience of working in a ‘live’ setting and will work closely with Goodwood to ensure that the construction works don’t disrupt the day-today activities at the Circuit.”

Tel: 01483 485180 E: guildford.enquires@beardconstruction.co.uk Website: www.beardconstruction.co.uk Twitter: @Beard_Construct

AS A CHAMBER MEMBER YOU’RE WELL CONNECTED

47

new members

december/january 2018 business edge

Welcome to Sussex Chamber of Commerce Membership of Sussex Chamber of Commerce can help you increase profits, get the best from your people and find new clients. Also, it saves you money, gets your voice heard and puts you in contact with even more businesses.

48

4PL Consultancy Ltd

Broadley Heighway Associates Ltd

Focus Lending Finance Ltd

22 Commonwealth Drive Crawley, RH10 1AE

Unit 8 , Navigation Business Village Preston, PR2 2YP

The Beehive, City Place Gatwick, RH6 0PA

07980 181209 www.4plconsultancy.com

01772 760001 www.bha-marketing.com

01293 804505 www.focuslending.co.uk

Anderson Rowntree Solicitors

Brookes IP

Green Point Computer Services Ltd

Avenue House, Southgate Chichester, PO19 1ES

Windsor House, 6-10 Mount Ephraim Road Tunbridge Wells, TN1 1EE

109 Cove Road, Farnborough GU14 0EX

01243 787899 www.andersonrowntree.co.uk

01892 510600 www.brookesip.com

01252 544788 www.gpoint.co.uk

Arbor Cultural Ltd

Classic Consulting

Groundwork

36 Central Avenue West Molesey, KT8 2QZ

Floor 3, Imperial House Brighton, BN1 3XB

18-21 Morley St. London, SE1 7QZ

07899 984162 www.arbor-cultural.co.uk

01273 607129 www.classicconsulting.co.uk

0207 9221230 www.groundwork.org.uk

Baxall Construction Ltd

Compliance Matters Uk Ltd

Health Design Solutions

Eastlands Estate, Maidstone Road Paddock Wood, TN12 6BU

41 Cavalier Way, East Grinstead RH19 4SE

15 Horsted Square Uckfield, TN22 1QG

01892 831000 www.baxallconstruction.co.uk

07768 422213 www.compliancematters.co.uk

0203 805 5542 www.healthdesignsolutions.co.uk

Beaming Ltd

Cosmetics Laboratory Ltd

Hoogly Tea Ltd

Hanover House, Marine Court St. Leonards-on-Sea, TN38 0DX

Unit 6, Lawson Hunt Industrial Park Horsham, RH12 3JR

First Floor Offices, 2 South Road, Brighton, BN1 6SB

0800 082 2868 www.beaming.co.uk

01403 261500 www.cosmeticslab.co.uk

07900 183740 www.hooglytea.com

Black Sheep Utilities

Crusader Vehicles Ltd

Imaginarium Learning & Development

Severn House , 20 Middle Street Brighton, BN1 1AL

Crusader Vans Crusader House, High Street Buxted, TN22 4LA

Oakhurst, Marden’s Hill Crowborough, TN6 1XL

01273 914 000 www.blacksheeputilities.co.uk

01825 701200 www.crusadervans.co.uk

01892 309205 http://imaginariumdev.com

BMI Healthcare

Edward Baden Ltd

Jackson Rowe

Goring Hall Hospital, Bodiam Avenue , Worthing, BN12 5AT

Edward Baden House, Bell Lane Uckfield, TN22 3PD

Harley House, Brooklands Park Crowborough, TN6 2JD

www.bmihealthcare.co.uk

01825 768866 www.edwardbaden.co.uk

01892 667476 www.jackson-rowe.com

Booker & Best Ltd

Factory Internet Ltd

Nettl

Windmill House, Windmill Road St. Leonards-on-Sea, TN38 9BY

Creative Media Centre, 45 Robertson Street Hastings, TN34 1HL

Unit 8 Newhaven Enterprise Centre, Denton Island, Newhaven, BN9 9BA

01424 434391 www.bookerbest.co.uk

01424 540 175 www.factoryinternet.co.uk

01273 555590 www.nettl-brightoneast.com

www.sussexchamberofcommerce.co.uk

tel: 01444 259 259

new members

december/january 2018 business edge

Networks Centre Ltd

Red River Software

St Francis Social and Sports Club

Unit 4-5, Lawson Hunt Industrial Park Horsham, RH12 3JR

14 Bishopric, Albany House Horsham, RH12 1QN

Lewes Road, Haywards Heath RH16 4EX

01403 754 233 www.networkscentre.com

0344 8802357 www.river.red

01444 458609 www.stfrancissocialclub.com

Ofrex Business Services Ltd

SE Business Systems Ltd

Storm12 Ltd

Atlantic House , 8 Bell Lane Bellbrook Industrial Estate, Uckfield, TN22 1QL

2-8 Sussex Road, Haywards Heath RH16 4EA

The Old Surgery, High Street Haywards Heath, RH17 6BN

0333 0124984 www.ofrex.com

01444 416641 www.e-sebs.co.uk

01444 401275 www.storm12.co.uk

Piglets Pantry

Seaspace International Forwarders Ltd

Unique Apparel Ltd (Logo Sports)

Units 6 & 7, Ham Bridge Trading Estate Worthing, BN14 8NA

Seaspace House, Unit B1 Gatwick Gate Crawley, RH11 0PR

Industrial House, Conway Street Hove, BN3 3LW

01903 215054 www.pigletspantry.co.uk

01293 554620 www.seaspace-int.com

01273 321209 www.logosports.co.uk

Pratt Digital Ltd

Softech Digital

Unit 3, Office E Heathfield, TN21 0QL

Softech House, London Road Albourne, BN6 9BN

01435 515066 www.prattdigital.com

01273 833844 www.softechdigital.co.uk

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49

movers and shakers

december/january 2018 business edge

Brett North joins Broadley Heighway Associates as Executive Director Broadley Heighway Associates (BHA) prides itself as “the complete creative agency”.

Extech’s Andrew Hookway unveils the leader of its Innovation Project After a series of strenuous interviews, Extech selected Joe Morecroft to lead its innovation project which is part of the Knowledge Transfer Partnership with the University of Brighton.

Joe headed up the marketing team at a multi-award winning neuroscience technology firm, where he transformed their digital strategy to significantly grow the firm’s international client base.

Previous to that, he spent two successful years in London at one of the major national B2B publishing leaders.

In his spare time, Joe goes into his third year studying to obtain a Strategic Diploma in Management and Leadership and a Master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA) at the University of Brighton, building on his undergraduate degree in business management from the University of Portsmouth.

A business to business creative design, marketing, advertising, new media, exhibition and event management agency. Founded in 1990 on a platform of creative excellence combined with extensive client side marketing and project management expertise, BHA produces creative integrated solutions that work. With extensive knowledge of every aspect of the marketing mix, BHA specialise in taking a fresh approach. We offer a great deal more than a traditional agency - we can offer a COMPLETE service from marketing planning right through to the execution and management of any element of the marketing mix Brett said “I am really excited! I have worked with Phil and the team at BHA for many years and we have achieved some award-winning campaigns. I look forward to doing the same for clients in Sussex. I have been in marketing for 30 years, both as client and in agency, working with organisations as diverse as Alexander Dennis, The Department of Health, the AA and IBM. Myself and the rest of the BHA team bring extensive experience in PR, print, media and exhibitions. What I always valued when I was a client was that BHA treated each project as bespoke.

BHA take the time to understand a client’s market needs, demographics, specific industry and their brand. We work with each of our clients to research, plan and develop a cohesive, fresh approach to every campaign.”

Phil Heighway, Managing Director BHA, said “I have worked with Brett for many years and together we have delivered some great marketing campaigns for businesses in the UK and internationally. We are already talking with a number of local businesses and are really looking forward to the future.”

The MD of Extech, Andrew Hookway, said “I am delighted to welcome Joe into our business and given his excellent track record I am looking forward to working with him to take Extech to the next level in the Digital Transformation marketplace”.

A recent survey reveals businesses who fully embrace the technology are doubling sales.

I am delighted to welcome Joe into our business and given his excellent track record I am looking forward to working with him to take Extech to the next level in the Digital Transformation marketplace.

Andrew Hookway Managing Director at Extech

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www.sussexchamberofcommerce.co.uk

tel: 01444 259 259

december/january 2018 business edge

december/january 2018 business edge

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