Forth Valley Chamber of Commerce by dtech

INcommerce

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THE FORTH VALLEY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

ISSUE 1 â&#x20AC;˘ AUTUMN 2012

Forth Valley Chamber has landed! Making connections locally, nationally and even inter-galactically.

www.forthvalleychamber.co.uk

A B AS SB Airdrie Savings Bank Head Office: 56 Stirling Street, Airdrie ML6 0AW www.airdriesavingsbank.com

n independent bank with traditional value An independent bank with traditional values Open your personal or business account on a Saturday morning at our Falkirk Branch. Contact Falkirk Branch on 01324 624501 No appointments necessary.

ow open at 33 High Street, Falkirk FK1 1E for more information

33 High Street, Falkirk FK1 1ES ernet Banking, Service, Business Business Loans, Savings Account CallPersonal 01324 624501 forAccounts, more information Mortgages, Personal Loans, Homeowner Loans.......and no call centres Internet Banking, Personal Service, Business Accounts, Business Loans, Head Office: 56 Stirling Street, Airdrie ML6 0AW www.airdriesavingsbank.com Savings Accounts, Mortgages, Personal Loans, Homeowner Loans....... and no call centres

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elcome to the latest edition of InCommerce magazine – the first one as the new Forth Valley Chamber of Commerce! I hope you like the new look and layout, and watch out for new features which we will be developing over the coming months.

I am delighted to launch Forth Valley Chamber of Commerce, and am very much looking forward to working with the business community across the Forth Valley to make the Chamber a dynamic and inspirational organisation. We have an experienced and dedicated team whose aim is to help you to make connections and grow your business, and our offices in the Falkirk Stadium are always available to you if you want to drop in and chat with one of our staff. This is a very exciting time. As part of the wider Chamber family we can now offer a huge range of products, services and resources to local businesses, as well as training and networking events in partnership with Chambers across Scotland and the UK. The initial response from the business community has been incredible – we had almost 100 delegates at our information evening on September 12th and at the time of going to print have secured the support of four Premier Partners in A9 Partnership, Bellair (Scotland) Ltd, Greig Melville Human Resources and Tapside Marketing as well as a steady stream of new members. You can find out about them on the Members’ page on pages 8-13. I feel very positive about the future of the new Forth Valley Chamber but we want you, the local businesses to get involved and help to shape the direction and development of the organisation. This is a new Chamber, it is YOUR Chamber so please, call us, email us or drop in and give us your suggestions and ideas on the way forward.

Contents Forth Valley Chamber Opens for Business

From Redding to Hollywood

Sheep Shifter Secures Show Silver

New Member Profiles

8-13

Scottish Chamber Welcome

Paint UR Ride on the road to success

Online Pet Business Celebrates its First Birthday

Are you an espresso Junkie?

Business Continuity in Action

Injured Soldiers Go Xtreme Karting

Why do today what can be put off until tomorrow?

Workplace Pensions Automatic Enrolment – Employer’s Duties

A9 Deliver Premier Service to Chamber Members

Being part of the EU is shackling the growth of UK businesses

Bellair (Scotland) Ltd at the hub of new business venture 34 Gold Stars for Stirlingshire juice company

Business Funding - Tips from the Experts

Glass classes success for Stirling artist

Targeting the Wrong Behaviour

Business Profiles

Events Diary

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Issue 1

Wishing you every continued success David

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Front cover image courtesy of Ideas.co.uk InCommerce is published by D-Tech Graphic Design & Print Ltd. Unit 14, Birch Road, Broadmeadow Industrial Estate G82 2RE. T: 01389 736000. F: 01389 736002. E: info@dtechuk.com. W: www.dtechuk.com Edited by Michelle McKearnon, Forth Valley Chamber of Commerce, The Falkirk Stadium, 4 Stadium Way, Falkirk, FK2 9EE T: 01324 66 55 00 F: 01324 61 76 37 E: michelle@forthvalleychamber.co.uk W: www.forthvalleychamber. co.uk

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InCommerce is fully protected by copyright and nothing may be printed wholly or in part without the written permission of the publishers. The proprietors of this magazine are publishers and not agents, or sub-agents of those who advertise therein. They cannot be held liable for any loss suffered as a result of information gained from this publication. The views expressed by authors of articles published in this magazine are solely those of the author and are not necessarily the views of or shared by the editor, nor the publisher or the directors, shareholders and/or employees of InCommerce Ltd or D-Tech Graphic Design & Print Ltd.

FORTH VALLEY • AUTUMN 2012

FORTH VALLEY CHAMBER

Forth Valley Chamber Opens for Business

L-R - Dorothy Henke, Mandy Campbell, Ed Monaghan, Isabella Jarvie, Michelle McKearnon

t has been over 5 years since a new Chamber of Commerce opened in Scotland, so there was understandable excitement about the launch event for the Forth Valley Chamber which took place in Falkirk earlier this month. The evening was sponsored by venue hosts the MacDonald Inchyra Hotel, and almost 100 guests gathered to hear the plans outlined for the new organisation.

Networking

Raise your Profile

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• • •

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Networking lunches Business breakfasts, evening workshops Meet the neighbours – joint networking with other chambers Showcase events

Generate More Business

Protection and Peace of Mind

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Members’ database listing Access to members’ forum on website Member to member discounts Warm leads and connections

Falkirk for Business Chairman George Stevenson welcomed the development, saying that it would be an asset to the area and would work in partnership with other business support agencies to offer a wide range of member services. Chief Executive David Gardiner told the assembled businesses that his team was very excited to be part of the Forth Valley Chamber and was looking forward to developing some new initiatives for the benefit of the business community. Chamber membership is open to all businesses, big or small with prices per annum starting at £100 plus VAT . So why should local businesses join ?

What’s in it for you? 4

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Event sponsorship opportunities One free members’ ad in INCommerce Discounted advertising in ezine and INCommerce Opportunity to submit editorial for PR purposes

FORTH VALLEY • AUTUMN 2012

Chamber HR and legal support 24/7 Chamber Insurance Chamber Primary Healthplan Chamber Health and Safety Chamber Merchant Services

A Voice for Business • • •

Local, regional and national lobbying Association with a trusted brand Use of Chamber logo

Positive... pro-active... dynamic A voice for the interests of business.

cotland’s latest Chamber of Commerce offers you the opportunity to access a wide range of products and benefits aimed at developing your business - so join us.

MEMBER BENEFITS INCLUDE: Free ad in the members’ page of INCommerce Monthly e-zine with members’ only opportunities for advertising Access to members’ forum on website and member to member discounts Networking opportunities Discounted entry to key events

Making connections across the Forth Valley FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:

01324 665 500

w w w . f o rt h v alle y ch amb e r.co .u k

PR opportunities via various marketing and social media channels Opportunities to attend a range of training workshops and seminars Warm leads to key contacts on the membership database. Plus national benefit schemes available only to Chamber members

FORTH VALLEY BUSINESS NEWS

From Redding to Hollywood

few months ago Hollywood stars George Chakiris and Lee Meriwether were joined by the Clooney family to dedicate the newest addition to their ‘White Christmas’ exhibition. The chorus girl’s costume from the Mandy sequence in the world famous White Christmas movie starring Bing Crosby and Bob Hope was reunited with Vera Ellen’s Mandy costume at the Rosemary Clooney House Museum, Augusta, USA. The costume had made its way to Texas all the way from... FALKIRK To find out how a rare, historic costume from the movie classic ‘White Christmas’ ended up as part of a private art collection in one of Falkirk’s most unusual

businesses, we need to go back in time way back. In 1977, Jack Sanderson, then curator of Falkirk Museums, arranged to meet 19 year old Don Jack who had expressed ambitions to establish a design consultancy in the area. Don was fresh out of art college but the meeting led to one of his first commissions and it wasn’t long before his ink illustration of Kinneil House in Bo’ness led to numerous commissions from the British Museum and others. Thirty years on, and although Don’s company provides creativity on demand for clients in retail, events, leisure and other

niche markets, his personal relationship with museums in the UK and overseas has continued to flourish. Don’s company “IDEAS” also works with brands, movie studios and marketing companies providing viable routes to brandimmersive exhibition experiences. It was in this regard that Don was contacted last year by Dr. Steve Henry, former Lt.Gov of Kentucky who runs the famous Rosemary Clooney House Museum. They had learned that Don curated one of the largest private collections of original movie costumes and props in the UK, and were aware that he was the custodian of one of the few

remaining costumes from White Christmas. Don Said, “We initially offered the costume to them on loan but then went on to wrap up an agreement which included a commitment to send us items from none other than Academy award-winning actor George Clooney.” He went on, “Apparently, on hearing of the potential acquisition, he was keen to help the museum, dedicated to his aunt, in any way he could. Who could have guessed “IDEAS” would be doing business with a Hollywood legend?” If you happen to be in the Kentucky area soon, drop in to see Falkirk’s contribution to the largest collection of White Christmas costumes in the world. Nearer to home, watch out for any of Don’s robot and film memorabilia exhibitions. Over 3 decades, IDEAS have enabled hundreds of organisations, large and small, to gain greater exposure to wider markets and to attract and sustain sales and profitability.

Contact Don Jack on 01324 716827 e.donjack@ideas.co.uk www.ideas.co.uk www.facebook.com/ideas.co.uk

...Breaking News: Ideas have just been invited to be part of the "Invasion" exhibition at Warrnambool Art Gallery in Australia. 6

FORTH VALLEY • AUTUMN 2012

FORTH VALLEY BUSINESS NEWS

Sheep Shifter Secures Show Silver (and that’s not easy to say!) David is pictured with the two Dorothys at the Royal Highland Show.

he Olympic Games might have had more TV coverage, but they are not the only organisation which has been awarding medals for outstanding achievement this year. The Royal Highland Show medals are also highly prized, and local company DM Handling were delighted to pick up a Silver medal for innovation at this year’s show for their new sheep conveyance system. Sheep work has always been physically demanding, and with compulsory EID tagging added to existing tasks such as dipping, trimming and vaccinating, many

farm workers are struggling to cope with the physical lifting and handling required on an ongoing basis. But life is going to get a whole lot easier with the creation of DM Handling’s sheep conveyor system. The system, designed by managing director David McGillivray, and now attracting world wide interest, consists of an electrically powered conveyor belt with revolving sides which hold the sheep off the ground and move them forwards or backwards at a speed controlled by the operator. By adding a shoulder and head rest, the sheep can even be turned onto their backs for procedures on their feet and bellies, without any undue stress to the animal or the farmer.

“Sheep can be run through the system as quickly or as slowly as you want,” explains David, “and we have incorporated a lot of farmers’ ideas so that we can provide a system more or less made to measure for all types of systems. We have an 8 foot system installed at Scotbeef, Bridge of Allan and two installed at the Roislin Institute in Edinburgh – both companies are delighted with the reduction of stress on the animals, and injuries and back pain in the staff!” David and his father Ian, along with colleague Martin Bacon have now added weighing scales and an electronic tag reader to their system which enables it to record the individual identity of an animal as well as its weight and any veterinary records. This information can be downloaded via a USB port onto a home computer making it a very efficient way of keeping track of animals with minimal effort. Forth Valley Chamber Advisor Dorothy Henke has been heavily involved in assisting DM Handling to access funding and improve the company’s online presence, along with providing strategic support as the company develops. She is delighted with the success of David and his team and visited the stand at the Highland Show to see the Silver medal being awarded. “To gain this level of recognitions is wonderful and we are very positive about future developments.” she said.

David praised the help he had received from Forth Valley Chamber and is so happy with his business advisor, that he has named his favourite sheep Dorothy in her honour – although this Dorothy is the fluffy toy sheep he uses to demonstrate his systems at shows and exhibitions!

FORTH VALLEY • AUTUMN 2012

NEW MEMBER PROFILES

We believe, helping our clients with pro-active business advice, makes the difference, from acting as a sounding board to providing expertise in tax planning and from exit route planning to accounts software. These are areas where A9 can make a difference. Communicating with our clients is essential and we do this through meetings, telephone etc, but also through our Newsletter and E-Bulletin.

We are delighted to have joined Forth Valley Chamber of Commerce as Founder Members and Premier Partners and look forward to a continuing mutually beneficial relationship. We are looking forward to presenting some events that will be informative to the membership. The opportunity the Chamber is going to give to business is not only the networking and potential growth of our own businesses, but the ability to learn and continue our business development by attending events and sharing business experiences.

Our Business Service Division can provide outsourced services, such as our Payroll Bureau, Book-keeping/Management Accounts and Company Secretarial.

If you would like to receive either of these publications please contact us on abercorn@a9partnership.co.uk.

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Our strength lies in our ability to combine a friendly, personal service, provided by a team of directors and associates who know you and understand your business; with the availability of an extensive range of experience and expertise across our group.

We can provide all the compliance services you would require and expect from a firm of Chartered Accountants in relation to your business and taxation affairs.

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What makes A9 different?

The A9 Partnership Ltd is one of Scotland’s leading firms of Chartered Accountants, with local offices in Dunblane and Abercorn, near Bo’ness and only 4 miles west of the Forth Road Bridge. We provide a quality and comprehensive range of services to our diverse range of clients throughout Forth Valley and via our other offices in Edinburgh, Lerwick, Laurencekirk, Aberdeen and Inverness.

A9 Partnership

Email: Abercorn@a9partnership.co.uk

AlphapetOnline AlphapetOnline.co.uk is an online pet shop supplying premium dog and cat products that will give your furry friends the chance to dress up, dress down or just wear some really nice stuff. Stuff that you are unlikely to find on your local high street. Ella is top dog model and chooses the best bling and rough and tumble products for her fellow canines. She even has her own blog at www. alphapetonline.blogspot.co.uk. Max and Teddy are the cat product selectors.

We’ve got collars, leads, toys, identity tags, food bowls, beds, grooming kits and lots more. Visit our shop; it’s the place to come for quality, stylish accessories for any Tom, Dick and Hairy. You can find us on Facebook www. facebook.com/AlphapetOnline or tweet us on Twitter twitter.com/ AlphapetOnline

Atkinson & Co Chartered Accountants Value added accounting with a smile! Our accountancy services cover the whole accountancy arena, from helping you with bookkeeping and VAT to Corporate and Business Recovery. Our clients range from single traders to national companies, so it doesn’t matter if you only want a bit of help with your Tax Return, or if you want us to become the finance department of your company. We want your business! Accounting services, including dealing with your books, VAT, Inland Revenue, PAYE and auditing your accounts are second nature to us. You can rest assured that we give the same level of advice and service to all of our customers.

The company’s team of friendly, approachable accountancy staff will ensure that your accounting service needs are dealt with in a swift, accurate and painless manner. Neil Atkinson and his team of accountants will help you with all manner of pro-active advice, from preparing accounts to suggesting ways in which you could improve the running of your business.

• Strategic Planning

Amongst the many accounting services we offer are:

Have a look at our website at www.atkinsonca.co.uk

• Accountancy Services

Find us on facebook Atkinson + Co Chartered Accountants

• Audit

• Book keeping and VAT • Payroll • Corporate and Business recovery • Corporate Secretarial Services Call us on 01259 752232 Email Neil on neil.atkinson@atkinsonca.co.uk

• Tax Compliance & Planning • Business Start up & Business Plans and Forecast

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FORTH VALLEY • AUTUMN 2012

www.bellair.co.uk

Fully serviced office suites of varying sizes, a ground floor Co-working area offering an ‘office when required’, a seminar area and a range of flexible private meeting rooms equipped with the latest multi-media presentation equipment are available. The building will also house a Café/Bar and a Wellness Centre offering a range of traditional and complimentary therapies.

Falkirk Business Hub is located only a few minutes’ walk from Falkirk’s main-line railway station, and is also within easy walking distance of Falkirk Bus Station. Extensive public parking is available immediately opposite with longer term parking available close-by.

Formerly the site of Falkirk’s General Post Office and located in the heart of the town centre, Bellair (Scotland) Ltd is converting this landmark four-storey building into an innovative and state of the art fully managed business centre.

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Bellair (Scotland) Ltd - Falkirk Business Hub

NEW MEMBER PROFILES David Boyack, LLB, CA Finance Director for Hire Partner to MD / owners of established SMEs, improving their business performance Part-time, working “hands-on” but commercially experienced at Board level Practical business support – implementing strategy – growth & improvement.

Services – Oil & Gas; Concept Design; Facilities Management; Commercial Property; Agricultural and Industrial plant sales and servicing; Leisure Contact details T : 01786 832497 M : 07801 699962 e-mail : david@boyackassociates.com

Boyack Associates

Sector experience (Quoted company rigour plus SME informality) Financial Services – Institutional, Private Client & Venture Capital Transport and Distributive Services Manufacturing

Clan Italia Clan Italia is the brainchild of Michael Lemetti, a 3rd generation Scots/Italian. With his son Gianni, he researched the concept of an Italian Tartan - resulting in the first approved ethnic tartan in Scotland - The Italian National Tartan. The tartan was subsequently registered in 2004 with the Scottish Tartan Authorities and also received the approval of the Italian Government. Clan Italia is currently designing and producing new products and finding different ways of using national tartans in the Media and at events all over the world. Three versions of the tartan in silk, cashmere and wool have created quite a stir with the fashion sector.

Products are available to purchase on the website www.clanitalia.com. The Clan Italia branding has also been used to promote a Tryst Brewery real ale. Details are on www.antonineamberale. com. Michael has also come up with an exclusive tartan for AC Milan F.C. and was also instrumental in making the St. Ninian’s Day tartan scarves and ties for Pope Benedict XVI’s recent visit to Scotland and was awarded with a special medal from the Pope. Clan Italia has just recently launched a national Brazilian tartan to great acclaim.

cloudCEO cloudCEO Limited offers Scottish, UK and International clients a number of relevant commercial solutions they need to help make their business more efficient whilst creating the opportunity for long term growth and ROI for shareholders through a program of structured and implemented processes for business to benefit from. Fellow of the Institute of Sales & Marketing Management; Member of ScotlandIS; Member of the Institute of Leadership & Management & Princes Trust Youth Business Scotland Mentor (Forth Valley).

Interim Sales Leadership: short & long term assignments Sales Coaching: implementing sales processes & tools to deliver results Exporting: facilitator to make it happen on the international stage WinWeb Enterprise Consultant Partner: affordable & integrated cloud computing software for small & enterprise businesses Email: info@cloudCEO.co.uk Web: www.cloudCEO.co.uk Tel: +44 (0)7905 326 144 Twitter: #mcgeeandrew LinkedIn: uk.linkedin.com/in/ mcgeeandrew

Cubic Blue At Cubic Blue our vision is simple; to win you more new business. Our mission is to help our clients achieve accelerated growth by driving forward their lead generation, transforming their conversion rate and significantly increasing their repeat custom; using state of the art technology, cutting edge psychology, and innovative strategy. We are experts in email marketing with over a decade of experience in this field, and utilise this high ROI medium as a key component in every sales strategy. We also specialise in Social Media Marketing, Telephony and Events, and offer the option to run multiple campaigns for each department within your business. Our services are bespoke

and tailored to meet the needs of each individual client, and we can offer a full sales process package or we can help you to identify your specific weaknesses and target those areas. After developing for nine years, winning the BT Entrepreneur Award and receiving sizeable backing from a private venture capital group at the beginning of the year, we made the decision to move our office to Falkirk. This provided us with the capability to scale our operation, allowing the introduction of new services and staff. We are dedicated to serving the needs of local businesses. www.cubicblue.co.uk stephen@cubicblue.co.uk

FORTH VALLEY • AUTUMN 2012

NEW MEMBER PROFILES DM Handling Systems DM Handling Systems Ltd specialise in livestock conveyor systems for farming, animal markets, vets and abattoirs. These conveyors firmly lift, hold and move individual animals forward. EID tracking has been integrated into the system and the conveyor will automatically stop if it detects an untagged animal. The system, designed by managing director David McGillvray, is now attracting world wide interest. It consists of an electrically powered conveyor belt with revolving sides which hold the sheep off the ground and move them forwards or backwards at a speed controlled by the operator. By adding a shoulder and head rest, the

sheep can even be turned onto their backs for procedures. It makes life a lot easier for farmers and vets. The company commenced trading in August 2010. While the existing conveyors are used for sheep, there is a huge market in goat farms on Mainland Europe. The Roslin Institute has also taken 2 systems and is using these for blood sampling. With the addition of weighing scales and an electronic tag reader the individual identity of each animal can be recorded as well as its weight and any veterinary records. Contact: davidmcgillivray@btinternet.com

Dtech Dtech Graphic Design & Print Ltd are well established in Scotland offering a complete service from Graphic Design to Printing and Publishing to many business sectors and organisations. Their main sectors are in business, property, sport and leisure markets. Dtech brings over 40 years of skills and experience, using the latest technology, to an ever-increasing client base. The company produces the Perthshire and Tayside Solicitors Property Centre Guide weekly as well as property schedules for many clients. Dtech also publishes Yearbooks for Golf Clubs, Yacht Clubs and Marinas, along with Journals for various organisations

and its Business to Business “InCommerce” quarterly magazine for Chambers of Commerce. Dtech produces the highest quality publications through the sale of appropriate and targeted advertising, which has proved very successful and beneficial to their Clients. Their publications have proved extremely popular, successfully marketing the client’s products and services, whether it be Yearbooks, Journals or B2B quarterly magazines. These publications have proved to be a cost effective marketing tool for the clients. The Team at Dtech work closely with the Client to ensure that the publication is of top

quality. Above all else, Dtech has the people and experience to target and meet the Client’s requirements. The Team works together with the Client to allow them to “Achieve the Competitive Edge” in their market. Tel: 01389 736000 Email: info@dtechuk.com www.dtechuk.com

dtech designers

& publishers

Exmos Exmos is an IT Solutions provider with a proven 20+ year’s track record. We develop bespoke software solutions and provide systems support services to a diverse range of customers based in the UK, Europe and USA. We have developed software for customers operating in the production, manufacturing, engineering, forestry and financial services fields, with turnovers of around £5m through to nearly £3bn. We provide all encompassing outsourced IT Department support services as well as secondary support services for in-house IT teams. For some of our larger customers, we provide out of hours coverage on a 24x7x365 basis. This is backed by our own, internally

developed, network monitoring system (SentiLAN) which gives us round the clock visibility on our customers’ systems.

Contact Tel:01324 486844 Email: Gordon@exmos.com

We pride ourselves on the careful selection of IT equipment and software, much of which we use internally. We have a drive to bring big enterprise technology into the SMB space in order to give these customers the resilience and redundancy they desire at an affordable cost. We provide a challenging and stimulating work environment for our employees. With a constant push for innovation, we are never short of things to do and opportunities to implement the skills we develop.

FORTH VALLEY • AUTUMN 2012

w: www.greigmelvillehr.co.uk e: hr@greigmelvillehr.co.uk

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We coach and mentor managers, develop people skills and bring people together to encourage engagement and instil confidence. Of course we also do all the usual HR things too – from policies and procedures to service contracts. In everything, we start with the people: your people are your greatest business opportunity.

Let us show you how to unlock it – call 01324 628676 now for a FREE consultation for your business.

At Greig Melville, we know that it’s people who define a business. As HR experts, we want you to realise your greatest asset – the talent, ideas and commitment of your people. This is what makes a business truly great and builds customer loyalty. It’s the lifeblood of business success.

People are varied and complex. Life and business would be boring if they weren’t! Dealing with some people though is not always easy, as every manager knows. By helping you to create the right culture in your business, we can help you to avoid the pitfalls and get the very best out of your staff.

As a business owner, you want to deliver the best possible experience for your customers. You want customer service to be outstanding, setting you apart from your competitors and setting the standard for others to follow.

Get people right – get everything right

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Greig Melville

NEW MEMBER PROFILES Harley Financial We are Chartered Financial Planners and provide specialist advice on a range of financial issues to private and corporate clients across the UK. Our core service proposition is Wealth Management. We devise strategies for our clients and ensure they are regularly reviewed. Our investment philosophy is based on research by some of the world’s top academics and investment houses. As a smaller boutique firm, we provide a very personal service which gives our clients confidence that their financial affairs are handled with the highest degree of competency.

We launched in January 2002 with an aim of providing clients with peace of mind and increased financial security by helping them make informed decisions about their financial goals and aspirations. We have been meeting that objective for over 10 years. Our competitive advantage is based upon state of the art technology, very high quality staff and a personalised client service proposition that delivers peace of mind to our clients. Our team experience promotes forward thinking, creativity and open communication, resulting in happier, wealthier clients.

Only the UK’s premier financial planning firms qualify for Chartered status. While Chartered titles are steeped in history, they remain the benchmark of professional excellence and integrity. Contact Tel: 01324 625225 www.harleyfinancial.co.uk

Healthy Working Lives Free health, safety and wellbeing services.

• fire risk assessment

Keeping your staff safe and healthy can help to reduce sickness absence, accidents and staff turnover. It can also help to increase staff morale and productivity. Identifying what you have to do in order to meet your health and safety responsibilities can be expensive particularly if you have to engage an external consultant. To help you to manage this aspect of your business yourself and to reduce your costs Healthy Working Lives (HWL) can offer a variety of free confidential health, safety, and wellbeing services and training for example:

• risk assessment

• health and safety policy • site visits • noise and vibration assessments • mental health and stress • sickness absence

For more information on the free confidential services that are provided by HWL you can request a visit from your local Adviser by calling the HWL advice line on 0800 019 2211 or by visiting the HWL Website. We look forward to working with you. www.healthyworkinglives.com

You can sign up for the HWL award which covers a wide range of topics including safety, health, employability, mental health community involvement and the environment.

Helix Helix Binders Ltd offer digital print and specialised bookbinding services and have built an enviable reputation for both quality and service. We specialise in the production of short-run hardback books. If you are looking to produce a high quality company report, yearbook or photobook please do not hesitate to contact us.

10% discount for all Forth Valley Chambers of Commerce members. Tel 01324 629025 www.helixbinders.co.uk iain@helixbinders.co.uk

iTFA Established in 2004, ITFA provides I.T. solutions and managed services to businesses throughout Central Scotland. Our solutions and on-going support services provide our client’s with professional and cost effective I.T. Consultancy. Our expertise covers all aspects of computer network support including: • On-Site & Cloud Based Computing Solutions • Microsoft Server & Desktop Operating Systems

• Internet Connectivity • Voice Over IP Telephony • Managed Internet Security • 24/7 Network Monitoring and Patch Management • Remote Working Solutions • Voice & Data Disaster Recovery Services • Business Continuity • On-Site & Remote Support • Multi-Disciplined Support Engineers

• Network Hardware Support

• Flexible Support Agreements

• Network Upgrades

With a user friendly call management system, ITFA clients can access their support requests and historical call information 24/7!

• Software and Hardware Procurement

ITFA can help your business become more profitable and efficient through the use of your IT Systems. Contact Steven McGuire on 01324 664713 for further details.

FORTH VALLEY • AUTUMN 2012

NEW MEMBER PROFILES Planet Soccer at LK Galaxy Planet Soccer at LK Galaxy is a soccer facility for players of all ages and abilities. The astro and grass pitches at Planet Soccer are for individuals and teams looking for a great football experience on first class facilities. We have a 34-acre site featuring a full size, all weather 3G astro pitch which can also be used for 6 or 7 a-side games. The latest addition is four all-weather, five-a-side pitches with state-of-the-art 3G surfaces. For large sporting events such as football tournaments we have 15 seven a-side grass pitches, four full-sized grass pitches and smaller parks for our younger players to get in some four against four action to build up those all important skills. With a Sports Cafe

we’re also a popular venue for birthday parties for both girls and boys of all ages. We have ambitious development plans to grow the business and widen the use to provide a range of sporting activities for our local community. This soccer sensation for all the family is located at Little Kerse, Grangemouth opposite the Inchyra Hotel and has ample free parking’. Contact Tel: 01324 486924 www.lkgalaxy.co.uk

Microspec Computers Ltd The team at Microspec, one of Scotland’s longest established IT companies, provides a comprehensive range of services to small, medium and large companies throughout the UK. MGM Timber, for example, a long standing and highly valued customer, enjoys the adaptability and expandability of their Datafile Accounting and Management Information System which Microspec installed for them back in 1996, and Birnam Arts Centre, a registered charity, now reaps the rewards of an integrated Sage and Kudos EPoS system installed by Microspec, to give better stock control, ordering processing and reporting.

Due to the varied services and 30 years of expertise which Microspec has to offer, it is hardly surprising that they provide one of the widest selections of IT Services in Scotland. They guarantee a fast, personal and professional response to every customer, ensuring a unique and individual approach. Microspec’s large catalogue of IT products and services includes Cloud Computing and Back-up Solutions, Wireless and Cable Network Installations, the provision of IT Hardware and Software from leading companies such as Hewlett Packard, Acer, Microsoft and Sage, Technical Support and Maintenance, Anti-Virus and Network Security, Business Intelligence Reporting, CRM and IT Training.

tel: 01324 636147 fax: 01324 636148 email: david.pettigrew@microspec.co.uk web: www.microspec.co.uk

Martin Robertson Associates Ltd Martin Robertson Associates Ltd are traditional accountants with a flair for business. We do everything you would expect from traditional accountants and more. We offer three service levels to suit our client needs. We are proud of our five star package which includes specialist business coaching sessions with Martin. To find out what makes us different, what our clients think of us and get an idea of our monthly fees please visit www.mraca.com.

We would like to offer all new clients, whose monthly fees are £100 plus vat or more, a FREE Business Health Check or Business Growth Meeting. Please contact me if you have any questions regarding the above. My current email contact is martin@mraca.com.

Initial consultations are free, one new potential client recently said to Martin “I didn’t expect to be sitting hearing an accountant speak about business like this.” He is now a client.

Palimpsest Formed in 1994, Palimpsest Book Production is now the largest employer in its sector in the UK. Employing 30 staff from our base in Etna Road, Falkirk, we offer the full range of prepress requirements: Typesetting, Digital Publishing, Design and Reprographics. Having worked with publishers for 18 years we have produced some of the iconic works of our time: J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Tony Blair’s A Journey, Alistair Campbell’s Diaries and Elton John’s Love is the Cure to name a few. Our success is based on unrivalled quality and service. Our commitment to quality, customer service and product development has led to long-standing

relationships with most of the UK’s leading publishers. From children’s books, best-selling novels and nonfiction, to large-print books, manuals and reference works, our team of highly skilled typographers and proofreaders allow us to produce print-ready material of the highest standard. We’re committed to maintaining our lead in the digital publishing revolution through ongoing research and development. Our innovative digital workflow enables us to supply content for all dedicated reading devices including Kindle, iPad, smart phones and tablets, simultaneous with books going to print.

FORTH VALLEY • AUTUMN 2012

Lastly, an explanation of the name – Palimpsest is a manuscript in which two or more successive texts have been written, each one being erased to make room for the next. Contact: www.palimpsest-bp.co.uk Tel: 08700 848142

NEW MEMBER PROFILES Russel+Aitken As one of the most progressive law firms in central Scotland, Russel+Aitken offers business clients a straighttalking, comprehensive legal service that is both personal and proactive.

it’s a special project or an ongoing outsourced service, the firm can cater to the specific needs of the individual business.

HR Consultancy Service

Russel+Aitken works for an impressive array of local businesses, from sole traders to major lenders and public companies. It always listens closely to its clients’ needs before applying its extensive knowledge to find the best solutions. As such, the firm takes the time to get to know its clients and to tailor its services accordingly, whether it involves an asset sale or purchase, contracts, the formation and administration of companies, recovery of debt, insolvency, partnerships or a share purchase and sale.

Its HR consulting service, for example, allows companies to have their own HR department as and when they need it. It can help with recruiting members of staff, dealing with contracts of employment, management development programmes and payroll, through to procedures for disciplinary action and dismissal. It can also provide valuable advice about raising the game with employee teams, driving up profitability through increased motivation at work, or pension advice. Whether

Company and Commercial services

Tel: Alloa 01259 723201 or Falkirk 01324 622888 Email: info@russel-aitken.co.uk www.russelaitken.com

Tel: 01506 823 402

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Tapside is also a main supplier of drinking water coolers and the introduction of their Fmax Water Cooler made a big impact with its very competitive cost and environmental benefits. The Hot and Cold model saving as much as £90 per annum in electricity costs.

Kinneil Road Business Park – Bo’ness EH51 0AY

Contact details

The contracts do not involve the burden of credit checking or complicated paperwork and clients have the option to abandon payments at any time or to continue and secure ownership

of the equipment. It is a worry free arrangement appreciated by many business owners throughout the U.K.

One of the Company strengths is in uniquely providing coffee machines and other equipment within contracts that give immediate access to low cost funding.

Tapside Tapside are a coffee supplies company who operate from a modern factory on the outskirts of Bo’ness. The factory is located within ready access to the motorway network that allows a quick service to all the main Scottish Commercial centres. It means that they can speedily visit sites with faulty equipment.

Email: admin@tapside.com

Finally, with 32 years business experience the Company happily provide free guidance to customers on many business procedures including administration, marketing, accounting as well as hospitality skills and of course “making fantastic coffee”.

Vision One of the biggest problems you face as a Business Owner is that although you know the importance of setting plans and achieving targets for your business, you may not be doing the same in your personal life – particularly with your personal finances. Traditionally, financial advice has focused on financial products – pensions, investments, tax planning, and insurances – without exploring the broader context or focusing on your most meaningful and deeply felt aspirations. Lifestyle Financial Planning helps you to articulate your most essential goals in life, before formulating a financial plan which fully supports those goals.

What do you want to do with what little time you have left on this planet? What do you need to do to ensure that you can always enjoy your desired lifestyle? “How much is enough?” to enable you to achieve and enjoy your desired lifestyle.

This is called LIFESTYLE FINANCIAL PLANNING because what is really important isn’t your money, it’s the lifestyle you want to live. Contact Tel: 01324 555976 www.visionfinancial.co.uk

I ask these and other questions and just as important, listen to your answers. I can then help you clarify and work out “Your Number”. Everyone has a “Number” and it is the income you need to live the lifestyle that you want, without it ever running out. The result for you is financial peace of mind and the achievement of your retirement dreams.

Xtreme Karting Xtreme Karting have 2 indoor karting centres in Scotland, both independently rated by Visit Scotland as 5 star visitor attractions!

SPECIAL OFFER: Exclusive to Forth Valley Chamber of Commerce members, 20% off our standard prices at Xtreme Karting Falkirk Mon-Fri (T+C apply)

Our centre in Falkirk and our new centre, Scotland’s largest indoor karting track, in Edinburgh (which also features Xtreme Combat, see www. xtremecombat.co.uk for more info) are setting new standards for karting in Scotland.

Email info@xtremekarting.co.uk

If you want to reward staff, entertain clients, hold a business meeting or presentation (we have corporate meeting facilities!), or are just looking for a fun teambuilding event please get in touch and we can help! More details are available online at www.xtremekarting.co.uk

FORTH VALLEY • AUTUMN 2012

SCOTTISH CHAMBER WELCOME

“The excitement, enthusiasm and commitment from the local business community have been absolutely fantastic. If there were any doubters as to whether the Falkirk business community wanted to set up a Chamber - this was dispelled on the night”. Liz Cameron, Director/Chief Executive, Scottish Chambers of Commerce Limited

consider myself most fortunate to be heading up the Scottish Chamber’s Network. Not only do I have the opportunity of travelling throughout Scotland, I also have the honour of meeting and working with many talented, interesting, innovative and inspiring business leaders across the Chamber Network. Our 26 Chambers, and lest we forget, businesses in their own right, are managed by professional, commercially focussed individuals who every day go through the same challenges as our 11,000 members – to survive in what has become an immensely challenging economic recovery. We are fortunate to have the support of leaders who give up their time, experience and expertise to drive forward the strategic and operational direction of our 26 chamber businesses as Directors working tirelessly to present the issues which matter to businesses of all sizes and sectors as we maintain and create jobs and wealth for Scotland – all on a voluntary basis! For too long there has been an enormous geographical gap in our representation and business support relating to the central belt of Scotland. We are all absolutely delighted that this has now been filled with the creation of

our recent, but very welcome addition, to the Chamber Network. We all experienced the passion, commitment and bravery of the formation of a new business when we launched the Forth Valley Chamber of Commerce in Falkirk on September 12th. With over 100 businesses in attendance, the excitement and enthusiasm of creating their own organisation, led by and for the local business community, is proving to be a winning formula. I was recently asked the question “Do we need a chamber in the Forth Valley?” the customer has answered that question with many businesses signing up on the night. SCC and our Scottish Chamber Network will work as one team alongside our new colleagues to ensure its success. We have all got off to a flying start and look forward to working with local businesses, public sector agencies and other appropriate partners who share our vision to grow business in the area.

Liz Cameron Director and Chief Executive Scottish Chambers of Commerce Limited

Paint UR Ride on the road to success

he Government’s New Enterprise Allowance scheme aimed at getting unemployed people to start up their own businesses, has proved to be a turning point for one Falkirk entrepreneur. 43 year old David Brown, had been unemployed for over a year following health problems, and was finding it difficult to get back into paid employment. David discovered the NEA scheme via his local Jobcentre who referred him to Falkirk for Business to help him put together a business plan. After attending all the business seminars and working closely with his business advisor Mandy Campbell, David set up “Paint UR Ride” offering repairs and re-sprays to vehicles which had been accident damaged. The company began trading in June and despite early problems with premises and equipment, David is beginning to see his fledgling business gather momentum. “It was really hard in the beginning” he said “and I find managing cash flow a real challenge. I need to level out the peaks and troughs in the business so that we have a more consistent workload, but I am learning as I go along. Being supported by Falkirk for Business has given me confidence to run my own business and I know they are only a phone call away if I need any help.” The NEA scheme provides mentoring and business support, as well as financial assistance and access to funding for startup businesses. More information can be found at the website

www.dwp.gov.uk/adviser/update/ new-enterprise-allowance. “I am very optimistic about the future of Paint UR Ride” added David, “The word is spreading and we are getting busier bit by bit. It’s an exciting time and I am grateful to the NEA scheme for giving me this opportunity”

FORTH VALLEY • AUTUMN 2012

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FORTH VALLEY BUSINESS NEWS

Online Pet Business Celebrates its First Birthday

Joanne O’Hara and Ella

”As I didn’t want to leave my dog at home for up to eight hours a day whilst I commuted to work, setting up an online business seemed the ideal solution,” said Joanne O’Hara, proud owner and founder of pet accessories business AlphapetOnline.co.uk

here aren’t many companies that will welcome your dog into the office, which is why one Stirling dog owner decided to form her own business.

As a fussy consumer herself, Joanne is passionate about good customer service and getting value for money. “Personally, I’m not interested in buying cheap, low grade products that will only end up in landfill after a few days - or weeks if you’re lucky” she says. “The stuff I sell may not be the cheapest, but it’s all great quality and made to last.” The biggest challenge to Joanne’s new enterprise was achieving an online presence. “I had a huge amount of help and support from Stirling Enterprise,” said Joanne, “with advice about search engine

FORTH VALLEY • AUTUMN 2012

optimisation and, later on, a full web audit to ensure my site was working effectively.” AlphapetOnline now has a Google ranking, and a regular social networking presence on Facebook and Twitter. Joanne’s dog Ella, and her two cats Max and Teddy, are willing models for the business and feature throughout the AlphapetOnline website. Ella even has her own blog. Having her animals with her at work every day is a bonus for Joanne who said, ‘I’ve had animals in my life since I was a child, so running a business centred around my pets makes perfect sense.’ AlphapetOnline has been enjoying steady growth since its inception and recently celebrated its first birthday. Joanne’s future plans include supporting a local animal charity and manufacturing some of her own pet beds, dog collars, and leads.

Contact: Joanne O’Hara E: Joanne@alphapetonline.co.uk T: 01786 842620

Party Nights 2012

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….if you can sneeze with your eyes open then you are well on the way.

Are you an espresso Junkie?

think it is safe to say that millions of us are hooked on the espresso bandwagon. That old drip coffee brew just is not good enough any more. Times have changed and the in-mob definitely pursues the espresso express. My only complaint is that I wish that I had been first to start a coffee shop. It was a gold mine waiting to happen and you only have to consider the prices to figure out why. It is a bit scary if you are a customer but wonderful if you happen to own a coffee bar. What I’m talking about means that we all fully recognize how highly priced these coffee drinks are, and yet we continue to buy on a regular basis. We are hooked!

The signals are clear, so if you want to start a coffee shop, then opportunities abound. There is no time like the present, and you will probably already be aware that enterprising people just continue putting these places up all around the globe. So here is the plan. First of all consider where you reside. Look around - are there coffee shops and cafes on every corner, or does your town lack this amenity? I have seen areas that have far too many and I have seen others that have maybe only one or none at all. The latter are clearly the ones that offer potential. It is simple really. In the beginning, you need to do some market research and find out the population in the area and the make-up of the people who live there and are likely to pass your shop. There is no harm in quietly visiting your future competitors; place an order and while you are enjoying (or not) your potential competitor’s fare,simply look around and assess what is happening. Is the place clean, service smart, staff polite and friendly, do customers eat and drink all that they order? How many people pass the door while you are there and how many enter the shop? These are important factors as well as others and armed with

this information you will be more prepared to set up your coffee shop – or not.

Article by Jack Marshall, Tapside Marketing

You can also get valuable help from the internet to assist you with information on starting a coffee shop. Many of the statistics you will need are already accessible on the web. Why not set up a simple web site and join some social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter?

Kinneil Road Business Park – Bo’ness EH51 0AY

Better yet, why not drop in and visit us for a chat? We can assist you with all of this at Tapside and your java empire could start today.

FORTH VALLEY • AUTUMN 2012

Tel: 01506 823402 Email: admin@tapside.com

BUSINESS SUPPORT

Business Continuity in Action – a helping hand for local company

ast year Craig Morrison from Palimpsest Book Production attended a seminar on ‘Business Continuity’ at Falkirk for Business. The main speaker, Steven Sweeney, was from Campbell’s Meats, a local business that had suffered the complete loss of a major part of their production facility from fire. “Steven gave an excellent and moving account of the huge impact this had had on the business” says Craig. “I think everyone present could relate to this and immediately began to question their resilience and business continuity planning – or lack thereof!” The question was posed - could local businesses help each other in a similar situation? A Business Continuity Group documenting what local businesses could offer each other in the event of a disaster was set up and offers ranged from storage to logistics, IT support to temporary office accommodation, etc. Palimpsest were keen to be part of this initiative and several months later their offer of help was taken up when fire struck yet again!

Maree Brown and Stephen Ng of Cubic Blue with Craig Morrison (centre)

Stephen Ng, Managing Director of Cubic Blue Ltd, takes up the story. “In 2012, I made the decision to move our office to Falkirk town centre and recruit a new team providing marketing automation and corporate e-newsletters. We operate from a first- floor Victorian building on Melville Street in Falkirk town centre. A few weeks ago, I received a phone call notifying me that the building was on fire due to the owner of a neighbouring office leaving a lit cigarette in a bin. By the time I arrived, the place had been devastated by fire, all of the doors broken down and the entire floor of the building covered in soot. White laptops were now black and the office could only be entered wearing a protective suit and mask. It was clear that it was not safe or healthy for staff to enter the office until further notice but unfortunately the clean-up crew had only cleared the culprit’s premises, leaving other offices with everything smoke damaged and covered in soot.” “Even though Cubic Blue uses state-of-theart cloud technology to automatically back up all of our data so we can work remotely, the team still faced severe disruption to its physical operations, as we now had no premises from which to work” continues Stephen, “but fortunately I had a meeting scheduled the next day with

Falkirk for Business who advised that they had set up a Business Continuity Scheme for just such emergencies. They introduced me to Craig Morrison from Palimpsest who immediately offered the team the use of vacant office space to work from.” Craig supplied an office with furniture, broadband, tea and coffee, and his hospitality ensured that operations could continue until Cubic Blue could move into its new premises in Evans Business Centre in Grangemouth. “Falkirk for Business and Palimpsest swung into action on hearing about our situation and it is a wonderful testament to their spirit of unity and the effectiveness of the Business Continuity Scheme they have created,” says Stephen. “We are eternally grateful for all their help.” Craig comments that Palimpsest were pleased to be in a position to be able to help a fellow business: “I believe this illustrates what can be achieved when like-minded local businesses share a common goal. I’m sure many of the businesses that attended the seminar had, like us, only a sketchy idea of how they’d respond to a disaster. I’m pleased that as a result of the seminar and subsequent actions the disruption to Cubic Blue was kept to a minimum.”

For more information on the Business Continuity group contact michelle@ forthvalleychamber.co.uk FORTH VALLEY • AUTUMN 2012

PAGE HEADER

Injured Soldiers Go Xtreme Karting

his summer injured soldiers from across Scotland got the chance to test newly launched hand-controlled Gokarts courtesy of Falkirk business Xtreme Karting. They are the first and only hand control karts in Scotland, originally designed to allow injured personnel the opportunity to experience karting and had been previously tested by two double amputees who have served in Afghanistan. Around 70 wounded or injured soldiers and their families attended a family day organised by the Personnel Recovery Unit (PRU) in Edinburgh. The PRU was opened in August 2009 to provide welfare support and recovery plans to enable soldiers either to return to duty or to make the transition to civilian life. Commanding Officer of the PRU in Edinburgh, Lieutenant Colonel Mark Steed said: “We rely heavily on the tremendous generosity and support we receive

from charitable organisations and local businesses and we consider ourselves deeply fortunate to have it. The relationship we’ve formed with Xtreme Karting is a fine example of this hugely positive support at work.“ Barrie and Scott Henderson from Xtreme Karting said: “We are proud to launch the first hand controlled karts in Scotland and all the proceeds from the use of the karts are being donated to the soldiers’ charity the Army Benevolent Fund. These karts allow drivers with a range of disabilities to participate in an activity they maybe thought impossible, and the feedback has been fantastic.” Bellair Business Hubs in Falkirk provided a sponsorship package enabling us to purchase two of the hand-controlled karts, for use not only for injured soldiers but people with disabilities that would normally preclude them from racing a standard kart. There has been a very positive response from various disabled groups across Scotland and we are hugely grateful to Bellair for their help.”

FORTH VALLEY • AUTUMN 2012

Xtreme Karting now have “regular” drivers using these karts to experience the excitement of the hand-controlled vehicles, with the proceeds being donated to the Army Benevolent Fund ‘The Soldiers’ Charity’.

For information on these karts, please contact Xtreme Karting on 01324 579797 or 0131 3330195.

Practical advice for family enterprises

Running a business of any sort is complicated and tough. But when your family are also employees / board members / shareholders or are simply “family who have an interest in what goes on”, then the issues and challenges to be faced can grow exponentially! Once family enterprises have progressed into the second generation and beyond, the informal structures, communication and procedures that work for owner managed businesses, tend to break down. Once the difficulties become apparent it can be challenging for the business family leader to resolve them. Apart from the fact that the policies and structures that will be required are likely to be unfamiliar to him or her, the emotional hurdles alone can make progress impossible without the help of an independent third party like FBS. For a FREE initial consultation, contact George Stevenson on 07753 799355 or email george.stevenson@fbs-global.com

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Encourage delegates to aim high by holding your next conference or meeting with guaranteed style at BEST WESTERN PLUS Keavil House Hotel, winner of both the Large Hotel of the Year and Quality Awards in 2011.

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To celebrate refurbishment, local businesses can currently book the venue at £25 per person day delegate, and £119 for 24 hour rate. With capacity for 250 delegates, ample syndicate space, an award winning restaurant and professional staff to run your event, life will be made easy. Additional meeting rooms hold 180, 70, 24 and 8 delegates. Quote Forth Valley to be quoted this offer

Why do today what can be put off until tomorrow?

Succession planning for Family Businesses

t’s comforting to think that most of us are prone to procrastinate. It’s generally perceived as a weakness, but what’s wrong with delaying a difficult or plain dull task in favour of something else that is more pleasurable? Sometimes, procrastination can even involve undertaking diversionary activities that are not at all enjoyable; like watching rubbish TV or tidying the papers on my desk, each of which normally would feel as pleasurable as a kick in the shins.

FORTH VALLEY • AUTUMN 2012

The effects of procrastination relate to the issue of scale. It really doesn’t matter whether or not this article is written, but it’s different when it comes to big issues that will affect the wealth and well being of a group of people; like delaying creating a succession plan for your family business. We all know it’s really important but yet…… It’s interesting how the marketing strategies of some professional firms seem to major on pumping up the anxiety. “Do this or you’ll suffer terrible consequences.” is the message, and it is no doubt genuinely intended to motivate clients to take action. But given the number of business families who do not jump to the task of succession planning, the conclusion seems to be that this type of marketing does not have the intended effect. Many business families get fed up with this approach and don’t respond well to being reminded of their supposed shortcomings or the implied threat of suffering a loss if they don’t take action. They decide instead that it’s better to look the other way and get on with the far more enjoyable tasks in life, like running the business. If humankind is more likely to react positively when tempted by the prospect of pleasure, maybe marketing budgets would be better spent offering clients a free cruise if they finished their succession plan rather than threatening them with the dire consequences of a failure to act. However, this idea is unlikely to take hold, so what other help can be offered? It might help to disseminate more information about how families can tackle the tough emotional decisions that are involved in succession planning, like different ways to distribute ownership fairly and forms of shared leadership in place of the sometimes agonising tasks of choosing one family member over others. It would be helpful in overcoming procrastination to provide more information which families can use to imagine a better future, and also to provide ideas to address their fear that starting a discussion about succession is likely to open the veritable can of worms. It helps to accentuate the positive, as someone once sang. However, there is a relative scarcity of straightforward information about succession planning out there. Too often families are expected to abdicate

responsibility for planning to advisers who then devise highly technical structures that are not fully understood by the clients whose lives are affected by them. More needs to be done to provide information that families can use to look after their own interests. So where does this get us? How do we overcome the risks of putting off to tomorrow what really needs to be done today?

One way is to create an external bind that forces action to be taken. For example, announce a target retirement date for the senior generation or for handover to the next generation. When it’s out there, there’s less wriggle room. Another device would be to treat succession planning with the same attention and energy as would be applied to a project for your most important customer

or for the family (like planning a wedding). Succession planning is at least as important to the future success of the business and the family and therefore it needs the same resources in terms of time and attention. Finally, make sure you have relevant and up-to-date information that makes sense to you about best practices being adopted by successful enterprising families who are creating multi-generational wealth. And when all that is done, why not take the family out for a celebration; a cruise perhaps?

Family Business Solutions Limited FBS is an international consulting and teaching organisation that works with enterprising families, family businesses and family offices. www.fbs-global.com FORTH VALLEY • AUTUMN 2012

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PENSIONS ADVICE

Workplace Pensions Automatic Enrolment – Employers’ Duties

covered workplace pension reform in the first issue of this magazine back in June 2011, but as the staging process kicks off in October this year, it’s worth revisiting. The automatic enrolment legislation puts the onus squarely on employers to operate auto-enrolment correctly for employees. To back this up there’s a series of penalties and fines. Legislation sets out mandatory duties for employers, but there are additional actions employers must take if it is to be implemented efficiently. Employer duties can be summarised as • identifying a suitable scheme • assessing the workforce • providing employees with certain information • auto-enrolling eligible workers • calculating, collecting and sending contributions to the scheme provider.

Planning Ahead The first step for employers is to identify their ‘staging date’. This is based on payroll size and can be found on The Pension Regulator’s website www.tpr.gov. uk/staging The Pensions Regulator plans to contact employers around 12 months before their staging date, but from a planning point of view it’s preferable for employers to work out their staging date in advance. Next step is to review any existing provision. Will the scheme meet autoenrolment qualifying rules? Does the contribution basis have to be changed? What are the current eligibility conditions? The employer, or their adviser, needs to check the scheme provider will support automatic enrolment and advise the provider that they intend to use the scheme for the automatic enrolment of non-members and new employees. A formal agreement must be put in place between the provider and employer.

Registering the scheme Having identified a qualifying scheme, the employer has to register it with The Pensions Regulator. This is done online through The Pensions Regulator’s website. Registration must take place as soon as employers have fulfilled their duties for the first time. In practice this will normally be within one month of the staging date.

Information for employees There is mandatory information which must be provided to all existing employees at the staging date and any new employees within a month of joining service. Enrolled employees must also be given full details of the opt out process and advised that once opted out they have the right to opt back in and will be automatically re-enrolled within three years. It’s important to note employees cannot be allowed to opt out before they’ve been enrolled and can’t be given any form of encouragement by the employer to opt out. Fines can be imposed by The Pensions Regulator if there’s any indication of inducements being used to encourage opting out. The employer should also decide whether to take advantage of the postponement option to defer the assessment for up to three months. The advantage of deferment is that it removes any very short term employees from the assessment and allows the employer to align the assessment with an existing payroll cycle.

The provider must also be sent details each month of any new entrants, any opt outs and of employees who’ve left the scheme or the employer’s service since the previous date.

Record keeping After the staging date the employer must retain a lot of detailed information to demonstrate their compliance with their duties. These records must be kept for at least 6 years (4 years for opt out records) and be capable of being produced for The Pensions Regulator on request. The rules covering the information to be retained and its storage are quite detailed and can be found on The Pension Regulator’s website: www.thepensionsregulator.gov.uk/ employers/detailed-guidance Clearly there is much more to workplace pension reform than many employers initially thought. If you are in any doubt about your company’s readiness then speak to your accountant or financial planner.

Douglas Harley Chartered Financial Planner Harley Financial Services Ltd

Information for the provider The selected scheme provider must be given full details of the employees who’ve been automatically enrolled, including full name, date of birth, home address and National Insurance number. Each month or pay period the employer must provide details of employer and employee contributions and gross earnings in the period. Payments must be made by the 19th of the month following deduction from the employee’s earnings.

Douglas Harley

FORTH VALLEY • AUTUMN 2012

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Director Victoria Walsh explains: “Our strength lies in our ability to combine a friendly, personal service, provided by a team of directors and associates who know you and understand your business, combined with the availability of an extensive range of experience and expertise across our group. We can provide all the compliance services you would require and expect from a firm of Chartered Accountants in relation to your business and taxation affairs. Our Business Service Division can

We believe that helping our clients with pro-active business advice makes all the difference - from acting as a sounding board to providing expertise in tax planning, and from exit route planning to accounts software. These are areas where A9 can make a difference.” A9 were excited to hear of the creation of the new Forth Valley Chamber of Commerce and were quick to see the benefits in signing up as Premier Partners. “We are delighted to have joined Forth Valley Chamber of Commerce as Founder Member/Premier Partners” says Victoria, “and we look forward to a continuing mutually beneficial relationship and to presenting some events that will be informative to the membership. The opportunity the Chamber is going to give to business is not only the networking and potential growth of our own businesses,

FORTH VALLEY • AUTUMN 2012

What makes A9 different?

provide outsourced services, such as our Payroll Bureau, Book-keeping/Management Accounts and Company Secretarial.

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he A9 Partnership Ltd is one of Scotland’s leading firms of Chartered Accountants, with local offices in Dunblane and Abercorn, near Bo’ness and only 4 miles west of the Forth Road Bridge. They provide a quality and comprehensive range of services to a diverse range of clients throughout Forth Valley and via other offices in Edinburgh, Lerwick, Laurencekirk, Aberdeen and Inverness.

A9 Deliver Premier Service to Chamber Members

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PREMIER PARTNER OFFERS PREMIER SERVICE

but the ability to learn and continue our business development by attending events and sharing business experiences.” Michelle McKearnon of Forth Valley Chamber adds, “There are only 12 Premier Partner places available per annum, and A9 were the second company to sign up for this prestigious position. We are very happy to have them on board and they will be delivering some key training events for our members very soon. Please keep checking our website for event details.”

A9 believe that communicating with their clients is essential and do this through meetings, telephone etc, but also through their newsletter and E-Bulletin. If you would like to receive either of these publications please contact A9 on abercorn@ a9partnership.co.uk.

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Barrie Scott & Co is a firm of Chartered Accountants and Registered Auditors with offices in Falkirk, Bathgate and St Andrews. We offer audit, accounts, and taxation services together with business support and advisory services to a wide range of owner managed businesses, clubs, associations, charities and individuals.

We guarantee your satisfaction on every product we sell with a full refund. We will refund your membership fee in full at any time if you are dissatisfied.

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FEEDBACK FEATURE

Being part of the EU is shackling the growth of UK businesses. Discuss...

ocal author and member of UKIP, Paul Henke has clear views when it comes to the UK being part of the European Union. “75% of our law comes from the EU” he states. “Our national government keeps telling us that growth will come from small businesses but many of these EU regulations shackle the growth of businesses and have been imposed without properly evaluating the consequences. They have been written by commissioners who have never had to run their own businesses. They have never had to work 60, 70 hours a week looking for customers, trying to raise finance, struggling to meet wage bills or deal with VAT inspections and tax audits.

FORTH VALLEY • AUTUMN 2012

In fact there are so many laws coming out of the EU that most, if not all small to medium sized businesses are breaking them. This isn’t in any way intentional, but it isn’t possible to keep abreast of them all, and businesses risk heavy fines for not maintaining compliance. While the Chamber of Commerce does lobby governments in both Westminster and Holyrood, they have an uphill battle. Ministers have become adept at washing their hands with their “but it is an EU regulation” excuse. But what is the cost to UK businesses in trying to keep up?”

A recent study carried out by researchers suggests that Mr Henke would seem to have a point. It is claimed that the new EU regulations on internet cookies, which came into force in May of this year, could cost UK businesses up to £10billion in lost sales and transfer of business to companies which do not have to be EU compliant. Mr Henke continues “The EU likes to propagate the myth that businesses need to be in the EU to trade effectively. This is not the case. Countries across the world trade with Norway and Switzerland for example, as both have free trade agreements with the EU and export significant amounts of goods and services to EU member states.” He adds “It costs the UK over £35 billion per annum in contributions to

the EU budget and Common Agricultural and Fisheries policies, as well as an estimated £77 billion in complying with EU regulations.” As the 40th anniversary of the UK’s membership of the EU approaches, debates are heating up regarding the alleged costs and benefits of EU membership. The House of Lords are considering setting up an independent committee to investigate the return on investment, and in July this year William Hague launched an “audit” of EU laws affecting the UK which is due to complete in 2014. Not everyone however, agrees with Mr Henke’s opinion that being part of the EU is detrimental to businesses. The national business support service “Business Gateway” lists a range of benefits such as “greater competition in services - which is good for businesses and consumers, removal of trade barriers, reduction of business costs, greater business efficiency and elimination of anticompetitive practices - such as monopolies and cartels.” The final word goes to Mr Henke who, as a respected author himself, is very well aware of the need to express oneself concisely to get the message across. “Consider this: the Lord’s prayer has 66 words, the 10 Commandments – 179 words, US Declaration of Independence 1,300 words, US Constitution with all 27 Amendments – 7,818 words. EU regulations on the sale of cabbage…..26,911 words! I rest my case.”

About the author Paul Henke was born and raised in the mining valleys of South Wales, son of a Polish immigrant who came to the UK during the Second World War. Paul was educated at Pontypridd Boys’ Grammar and joined the Royal Navy where he qualified as a bomb and mine disposal expert, specialising in diving and handling explosives. He led a crack team of underwater bomb disposal specialists and also became the Commanding Officer of various minesweeping and minehunting ships. He has travelled extensively, researching material for his work and is now a full time writer living in West Stirlingshire where he is Chairman of Balfron Communtiy Council. You can find out more about Paul here - www.henke.co.uk

(ED) Do you agree with the author that being part of the EU is detrimental to the UK and to UK businesses? Please email your thoughts and opinions to editor@forthvalleychamber. co.uk and we will print your contributions in the next edition.

FORTH VALLEY • AUTUMN 2012

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As well as traditional stationery we provide for all your office needs  full range of office furniture  FREE computer office design  office machines and consumables  computer accessories  mailroom and packaging

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Contact us for products and prices tel: 01324 871857 • fax: 01324 871623 email: sales@agofficesupplies.co.uk web: www.agofficesupplies.co.uk

Make your transport budget go miles further Are you a business in Scotland and looking to lower your costs? If so, your local Energy Saving Scotland advice centre can help. Businesses across Scotland have already saved £1,000s and accessed interest-free loans. Call us on 0800 51 2012 for free advice or visit drivingchange2012.com

Bellair also created the Hub@East Gateway in Grangemouth which is now home to seven local businesses employing almost 100 people. Given the success of this they have now embarked on the second Business Hub which will be housed in the

FORTH VALLEY • AUTUMN 2012

The Hub @ Grahame House, Falkirk

former General Post Office/Tax office in Vicar St Falkirk. This landmark four-storey building is currently being converted into a state of the art fully-managed business centre offering three floors of serviced office suites and a ground floor innovative Co-working area. This will include an ‘office when required’, a seminar area and a range of flexible private meeting rooms with the latest multi-media presentation equipment . The building will also house a Café/ Bar and a Wellness Centre offering a range of traditional and complimentary therapies and is located only a few minutes’ walk from Falkirk’s main-line railway station and Falkirk Bus Station. Alistair Campbell , Managing Director of Bellair, explained his vision for the Falkirk Business Hub :“With the current difficult business environment, businesses are becoming more reluctant to enter into longer-term commitments such as multi-year formal leases of commercial property. We have reacted to this by focusing on acquiring, developing and offering a range of office, retail and industrial business units branded as “Business Hubs”. Fully serviced and offered on short-term inclusive licence arrangements, Bellair Business Hubs offer a virtually risk free property solution allowing businesses the opportunity to expand

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ver the last 35 years Grangemouth - based Bellair (Scotland) Ltd, have engaged in a wide spectrum of property development and investment projects throughout Central Scotland, and particularly within the Grangemouth/ Falkirk area. Their projects include the Gateway Business Park, Grangemouth - a 30,000 sq ft business park let to a variety of local and national companies including Chartered Accounts Tenon, and Lochlands Business Park, Larbert ,which is a renovated industrial property home to a diverse range of businesses including Xtreme Karting.

Bellair (Scotland) Ltd at the hub of new business venture

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or contract at short notice and without penalty.” To engage with local businesses Bellair (Scotland) Ltd met with Michelle McKearnon of the Forth Valley Chamber of Commerce, to see how they could work in partnership on a range of business opportunities. Recognising the benefits of Chamber membership, Bellair were quick to seize the opportunity to become a Premier Partner and Founder Member of the new Chamber. Michelle said, “We are offering a limit of 12 Premier Partnerships each year, and these partnerships include a range of exclusive benefits to companies looking to be proactive in improving the local economy. We are delighted that Bellair (Scotland) are on board as our first Premier Partner, and we feel the Falkirk Business Hub will be of huge interest to many of our local businesses.” Alistair is enthusiastic about Bellair’s involvement with the Chamber: “We believe that our Premier Partner status with Forth Valley Chamber of Commerce will help us in raising awareness of our “Business Hub” concept, and as a result attract established and start-up companies to locate to this exciting and novel business environment”

Gold Stars for Stirlingshire juice company

tirlingshire company Get Juiced have really got reason to celebrate with a few drinks after picking up Gold in the Great Taste Awards 2012 for not one, but three of their products. Their Freshly Squeezed Orange juice, Pink Grapefruit juice and Orange and Mango juices all took Gold stars at the awards this year; a fitting reward for 15 years of producing delicious products for delivery across Scotland. From humble beginnings in St Andrews with “a small fruit machine, some oranges and a few cups”, the company has grown to be a leading supplier with clients such as the Gleneagles Hotel, St Andrews Old Course Hotel and Edinburgh Leisure, and significant recent investment has propelled them to the cutting – or should that be chopping – edge of fruit juice production.

With many of Get Juiced products containing a staggering 2.4kg of fresh fruit per litre, small wonder that customers are attracted to the health benefits as well as the taste. The company also provides health benefits to its four-legged customers, as all the fruit waste is used as cattle feed by local farmers to boost the diet of their meat and dairy herds. An example of natural recycling at its best, if ever there was one! Get Juiced has invested over £350,000 in the last 18 months installing new technology developed by scientists at Queen Margaret University which enables the freshly made juices to retain their freshness for longer, thus extending their shelf life. The innovative system is attracting interest from companies worldwide and the increased sales and productivity have meant that Get Juiced has been able to recruit

an additional six members of staff, taking employee numbers from 6-10. Sales and Marketing Manager Caroline Rankin said, “This is very exciting time for the company – our new “fresher for longer “ range enables us to expand into new markets and we are now in a fantastic position to watch our hard work lifting the company to a new level.”

Caroline added, “Being awarded the Gold Stars at the Great Taste Awards was fabulous news for the company and for the Stirling area. We have had great support along the way and these awards really are the fruit of our labours. We will definitely be raising a glass or two of something to celebrate! “

FORTH VALLEY • AUTUMN 2012

www.palimpsest-bp.co.uk Palimpsest would like to wish every success to the new Forth Valley Chamber of Commerce

Russel+Aitken – moving with the times Founded in 1818, still making history.... Russel+Aitken is one of the most progressive law firms in Central Scotland, providing services in the following areas:

Company and Commercial Criminal Law Divorce and Family Employment Law HR Advice and Consultancy Estate Agency Litigation Lender Services Private Client Property – commercial and residential

www.russelaitken.com 8 Shillinghill, Alloa FK10 1JT

Tel:

01259 723201

Kings Court, High Street, Falkirk FK1 1PQ

Tel:

01324 622888

24 hour emergency helpline:

0845 603 5067 Or email: info@russel-aitken.co.uk

Russel+Aitken was founded in Falkirk almost two centuries ago, and although trading times have changed dramatically since then, the firm has made major changes in recent years in order to offer its clients new and better services. HR Consultancy Service available on tap Russel+Aitken’s HR consulting service, for example, allows you to have your own HR department as and when you need it. It can help with recruiting your next member of staff, dealing with contracts of employment, management development programmes and payroll, through to procedures for disciplinary action and dismissal. It can also provide valuable advice about raising the game with your teams, driving up profitability through increased motivation at work, Best Practice, Investors in People, or pension advice. Catriona McIntyre, Russel+Aitken’s HR Consultant, says: “All of these services can be provided on tap, as and when they’re needed. Whether it’s a special project or an ongoing outsourced service, the firm can cater to the specific needs of the individual business.” Company and Commercial services Russel+Aitken works for an impressive array of local businesses, from sole traders to SMEs and PLCs. Karen McLachlan, Managing Partner at Russel+Aitken, says: “We understand the demands and the pressures that businesses face, and aim to relieve that pressure wherever possible by offering a straight-talking, comprehensive legal service which is both personal and proactive.” As such, the firm takes the time to get to know its clients and to tailor its services accordingly, whether it involves an asset sale or purchase, contracts, the formation and administration of companies, recovery of debt, insolvency, partnerships or a share purchase and sale. For further information, please contact: Catriona McIntyre, HR Consultant (HR Services) Karen McLachlan, Managing Partner (Company and Commercial Services) Tel: Alloa 01259 723201 or Falkirk 01324 622888 Email: info@russel-aitken.co.uk www.russelaitken.com

Business Funding Tips from the Experts Start Early – obtaining any form of funding, whether a start-up, a business seeking to expand, resolving cash flow “problems” or indeed refinancing, is more complex and takes longer now than it did in the past. You may need to consider that it could take 6 to 7 week for a start-up situation or a few months in other circumstances Get expert advice, preferably from someone with hands on experience of the banking system and more importantly the “financial tools” appropriate for your business. Your adviser should contemplate an approach to your existing lender in the first instance – they should know your business best. Shopping around by yourself may not always be productive for you. It is important that your adviser obtains as MUCH information from you as possible and be in a position to compile and submit a professional application on your behalf. Provide good, accurate and credible financial data, in the form of statements and projections. Figures require to be substantiated. You need to explain why you need the loan – and how you are going to generate the cash to pay it back. Serviceability is the key to any proposal.

Your adviser should always consider alternative or supplementary sources of finance. The high street bank is not always the only deal in town. At CER Business Finance we have the professional expertise and experience to assist you.

Bill Christie FCIBS Chartered Banker Director CER Business Finance Ltd www.cerbusinessfinance.co.uk Bill Christie

FORTH VALLEY • AUTUMN 2012

If you need to make cutbacks to preserve cashflow, make sure that all those involved in the business, Directors, and Partners are “sharing the pain” in terms of their own pay and dividends.

FORTH VALLEY BUSINESS NEWS

Glass classes success for Stirling artist

on Piccolo is a creative fused-glass artist who moved to Scotland around 10 years ago. His new working studio Showcase Glass opened in Stirling in November 2011, with the Ochils providing a scenic backdrop and a wealth of inspiration for his work. His work is very tactile and textual and he has a diverse range of both functional and artistic glassworks, but unlike many artists he encourages visitors to ‘touch and feel’ his work to appreciate its uniqueness and form. “I am not the type of person that can just sit back and watch” says Jon “I need to be in amongst the action and learn by getting my hands dirty by experiencing, doing and touching, using a wide range of materials, techniques and styles which I hope brings creativity, vibrancy, fluidity, excitement, texture and movement to my glass art.” Jon’s love of sharing his work has led to Showcase Glass functioning as a training space where he teaches a range of fused glass and stained glass courses and classes. As we head into the cold dark nights of autumn and winter, Showcase Glass has developed a new and extended range of workshops that are taking place in Stirling right now until December 2012 There are workshops available which

are suitable for the complete beginner through to more advanced for those wishing to further their skills. There are also some great Christmas workshops allowing you to make your own unique gifts and hanging decorations.

Jon is especially excited by the Colour Healing Fused Glass workshop that is designed to promote a sense of wellbeing, as recognised by many cultures throughout history. “Ancient Egyptians had healing temples with rooms whose windows were made of jewels like emerald so that colour healing could take place.” he explains. “ and a big part of the function of stained glass windows in early churches was to provide healing as one could sit in a patch of colour while the sun shone through the glass. Each colour has its own personality - think of warm stimulating red or cool soothing blue. The workshop will provide an introduction to the healing properties of different colours then you will have the opportunity to create a unique piece of fused glass.” Commissions are welcomed from your own design from small ‘one-off’

private individual pieces through to larger collections for corporate organisations including wall art, indoor décor, statement pieces, garden art, awards/trophies and splash-backs for hobs/ovens, kitchens and bathrooms. He also has a range of gifts which can be personalised for special occasions such as birthday, new baby, baptism, wedding, engagement, anniversary, retirement, etc. Workshops and services available include: Beginners, Intermediate and Advanced Glass Fusing Course, Colour Healing Fused Glass, Beginners Fused Glass Jewellery, Magical Fused Glass Mirror, Fused Glass Clock Workshop, Fused Glass Bowl & Coasters, Fused Glass ‘Make It’ Workshop, Christmas Gifts and Decorations, Introduction to Stained Glass, Stained Glass using Copper Foil, Stained Glass using Lead, Stained Glass Project Class.

Please see the Showcase Glass website for further details, alternatively telephone Jon on 07 812 812 812 for further information. www.showcaseglass.co.uk ‘I recommend Jon’s courses to anyone! It’s the most relaxing, enjoyable class and with great achievement at the end. I would love to return for more. Thank you for a superb time’ FORTH VALLEY • AUTUMN 2012

Targeting the Wrong Behaviour

very second Saturday in life is my turn to do the food shopping. To say I’d rather be buried up to my neck on the beach is the understatement of the year. But I’ve realised there are some instructive things that you can learn from a saunter round Asda. For example, last week I learned that eggs are cheaper today than they were two years ago, that the girl in aisle eight was going out with the guy on the bakery counter, and that Christmas is coming. I learned the last news because I heard a dad saying to his tearful four year old, ‘Stop crying, Santa is watching. If you don’t behave you’ll get no toys!’ I reckon that when you’re four, Boxing day must be so much more enjoyable than Christmas day, because it’s at least 8-9 months before your parents have any chance of controlling your behaviour via the threat that you’ll get put on Santa’s naughty list for sticking a piece of toast into the DVD. What does this have to do with business I hear you ask? Well…everything really. You see we believe that as humans we have complete control over our behaviour and that if you want to deliver better service, get more forms processed or make your staff happier , then all you need to do is to offer an incentive or set a target for people to adapt their behaviour. In psychology circles this is called attribution theory because we attribute the lack of the thing that we want –service, productivity or morale – to be totally within the control of the staff member. Hence when we give Jimmy the maintenance engineer a target for fixing more computers and a bonus when he does , we are assuming that all output - be it service, productivity, or Jimmy’s attitude - is completely within Jimmy’s control. Which is actually, erm… complete rubbish. Here’s why. At work and in most social settings our behaviour is mostly a feature of our environment. You behave differently at a funeral than at a wedding don’t you? For example call centre workers are told to help the customer but are then set a target to handle the call in as little time as possible. Then if the customer’s problem is not resolved in the target time they are

palmed off and have to call back again. The customer suffers because they have to work really hard to get their problem resolved, the staff suffer because they’re now spending a high degree of their time dealing with calls created by not giving customers the best service at first contact, and the organisation suffers because greater volumes of calls means greater cost, especially as the customer is not buying more product. And even if the call centre worker wants to do the right thing and help the customer they’ll soon have their behaviour modified by their manager when they get out of line with the target.

do I need to change about my people?’ we should first ask, ‘What should I change about my organisation?”

There are two other factors that you must consider if you decide to use targets and incentives.

But if you don’t mind I’m still going to keep my faith in the Santa incentive; after all I have been a really good boy this year!

The first is the law of unintended consequences. People will do whatever they need to do to hit the target or the incentive. In many organisations (if you know how to look) you’ll see widespread cheating to hit the numbers. The second factor is that targets and incentives actually reduce our levels of motivation. It’s because we become focused on hitting the numbers rather than on doing the right thing for the customer. So what do you do to improve performance instead of setting targets and incentives? The first thing is to get knowledge about how your business really works from the customers ‘perspective. Spend time listening to customer demand, find out how much is generated by failures, follow some of the work flows through the organisation and look for waste and problems in the process and policies. Get clear on the purpose of the organisation from the customer’s point of view, then gather data on how well your organisation achieves that purpose. The paradox with measurement is that most businesses have numbers coming out of their ears, but rarely do they give them any insight into what to do differently. This has big implications for us as managers and business owners. It means that before we ever ask “What

FORTH VALLEY • AUTUMN 2012

This theory also has implications for us as parents. Rather than asking “What do I need to do to reward or punish my child through incentives?” we might instead ask “What is it that’s causing them to be a pain in the neck today?” At work or at home, think less about controlling the symptoms of behaviour and more about fixing the causes.

Stuart Corrigan is the author of popular management advice blog ‘Stuart Corrigan’s Systems Thinking’, Managing Director of change management consultancy firm Vanguard Scotland and author of new book ‘The Need for Change’ which he describes as the world’s smallest and easiest to read guide for making your business better. The book is currently available from Amazon for £10.

Stuart Corrigan

BUSINESS PROFILES Munro Journeys

Marion Hendry Thai Yoga Massage is a very dynamic treatment using a combination of firm pressure on acupressure points, reflexology and assisted stretching. Thai Yoga Massage is performed on the floor on dense mats and blankets. The recipient is fully clothed in loose and comfortable attire. It is known as ‘Lazy Man’s Yoga’ as the recipient is gently helped into various yoga positions which help to open up the muscles and joints easing aches, pains and increasing flexibility.

This massage experience is very relaxing, yet uplifting and invigorating. Everyone can benefit from Thai Yoga Massage, especially those who participate in sports/activities like: Running, Walking, Hill Walking, Martial Arts, Horse Riding, Driving, Office workers, to name but a few!! A truly healing experience for body, mind and spirit. Mob: 07921 359861

MVC Scotland MVC Scotland Ltd is here to help MOT garages, HGV & PSV operators avoid problems with VOSA. We can offer MOT, HGV , PSV and Taxi Testing advice, guidance, quality representation on your behalf and vehicle inspection training all provided by former VOSA staff. MOT memberships include unlimited VOSA disciplinary representations, annual risk assessed visits and tester quality controls all in line with VOSA standards. HGV & PSV memberships include unlimited prohibition representations and annual risk assessed visits in line with VOSA standards.

FVSS offers: General advice on rural property matters Formal and informal valuations of farms, land and all rural property Land value assessments Farm, land and rural property sales Land and rural property lettings

Whether you are a novice or an experienced walker, there is a mountain for everyone. Join us on one of our family days out, adventure weekends, photography tours or one of our many day walks.

Contact Mike for more information on mob. 07542 636 154 office. 01324 639450 email. guide@munrojourneys.co.uk web. www.munrojourneys.co.uk and you can find us on facebook.

Business organisations can use our skills for Team Building, promoting a healthy life style for the work place and stress reduction days.

Roy Duncan Carpets The training we offer is as follows: 3 day Goods & PSV vehicle inspection courses Drivers walk round inspection courses Taxi Tester training MOT refresher training Remember VOSA target Operators based on their “compliance risk score”, we can help you towards reducing yours. For more information please visit our website at www.mvcscotland.com or contact us on 07900 807900 or email john@mvcscotland.com

Roy Duncan Carpets Ltd has been supplying and fitting flooring across the Central Belt of Scotland for over 30 years. It is a family run independent business.

We also provide a binding service for all your offcuts to be edged and made into any size of rug or runner you require.

We are the only flooring shop in Grangemouth and are based in Oswald Avenue. We offer high quality products and value for money, as well as a vast range of flooring to choose from. We will offer friendly, helpful advice and will answer all queries professionally.

www.roy-duncan-carpets.co.uk

As well as domestic work, we also undertake contract work and will provide a FREE estimate, no obligation quote.

Also find us on FACEBOOK https://www.facebook.com/pages/RoyDuncan-Carpets-Ltd/102235693214463 51 Oswald Avenue, Grangemouth FK3 9AF 01324 486082

Please come in and see us or give us a call about carpets, vinyls, rugs, safety flooring, carpet tiles or contract carpeting.

GJS

FVSS Farm Valuation Services Scotland (FVSS) is an independent Chartered Surveying company offering a diverse range of land based services to the agricultural and rural communities throughout Scotland.

Munro Journeys is a Falkirk based company specialising in guided hill walks.

Pre sale advice for owners of rural properties Advice on compulsory purchase procedures Advice on compensation for utility and pipeline installations At FVSS we take pride in our personal approach. From initial contact you can be assured of a professional, efficient and affordable service. For further information, visit www.fvss.co.uk or contact info@fvss.co.uk

Gordon Johnstone Swift is a wellestablished business carrying out commercial and residential landscaping and fencing/property maintenance. My business delivers hard and soft landscaping and a range of tasks such as mono-blocking, paving, garden walls, garages and draining, aw well as treefelling,garden and garden tidy ups.

I am a local business based in Falkirk and pride myself on hard work, high quality and customer care. Find me on www.gjslandscaping.co.uk or email me at gjs.landscapers@hotmail. com for a free consultation.

The maintenance side of the business offers exterior painting, guttering and driveway/patio cleaning.

Pre purchase negotiations

Gorton Consultant Ltd Gorton Consult helps companies in a number of ways: We advise them on taking IT and software products and services to market. We work with companies to define the optimum IT strategy for their organisation. We manage their strategic IT projects. We work with clients of all sizes and types, from start-up vendors, like Xactium who we helped secure nearly £1million of business for their Cloudbased Governance Software solution, through medium size like the Scottish Football Association, who our consultants

helped to define a suitable IT strategy at a time of great change, through to large organisations like RSA, HSBC and the organisation organising the London Olympics (LOCOG) for whom our consultants have managed key IT projects. Mob: 07983 592353

FORTH VALLEY • AUTUMN 2012

EVENTS DIARY

October What? Directors’ Club dinner When? Tuesday October 30th, 18.00 – 20.00 Where? MacDonald Inchyra Hotel (Sponsors) How much? Invitation only.

Social Media - Julie Moulsdale Julie Moulsdale, Managing Director of Perceptive Partners Communications has trained hundreds of executives on how to use social media for commercial gain will demystify Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn and share her top tips on avoiding the common disasters as well as some tips on how to make these tools work for your business. (This event is open to CEO’s and MD’s of businesses turning over approx £1 million per annum.)

November What? Business Breakfast When? Tuesday November 6th, 08.00-10.00 Where? Falkirk Stadium How much? £15 plus VAT for members. £20 plus VAT for non-members.

“The Future of the Web” Stephen Whitelaw of Toowist Stephen has over 20 years business experience in starting and growing businesses. He founded Buchanan International Ltd in Glasgow in 1990 – the company winning a Deloitte Touche Fast 50 award in 1999 for being one of the fastest growing technology companies in the UK. Stephen travels extensively delivering consultancy workshops on digital marketing strategies and social media to some of the world’s largest corporations including both Google and Microsoft. He is currently CEO of “Toowist”.

What? Evening seminar When? Thursday November 29th, 18.00 – 20.00 Where? Falkirk Stadium Time 18.00-20.00 How much? £15 plus VAT for members. £20 plus VAT for non-members.

“Selling for Success” Ed Monaghan of Highpoint Consultancy Ltd Ed is a highly experienced Sales and Marketing director with a history of outstanding achievement in highly competitive markets. He has over 25 years’ experience within various market sectors and is a regular speaker within the business and exhibitions circuit. Selling for success is a tried and tested process for achieving sales results ,during the workshop we will look at various ideas and techniques to improve your business performance including •

Why People buy

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The Myths of Selling

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Attitude and Motivation

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The Sales Platform

December What? Christmas Showcase! When? Wednesday December 5th, 18.00-20.00 Where? Café Westfield, Falkirk Stadium For 4 years we have run the highly successful Forth Valley Christmas Showcase for Women into Business. This December we are delighted to extend this to all Chamber members. If you are interested in taking a stand contact Dorothy Henke dorothy@forthvalleychamber.co.uk

The ‘Future of the Web’ seminar is a live interactive and in depth look into the future of the web. As well as many live demonstrations the seminar will outline real-life case studies and reveal up to date online tricks and techniques that will save you time and money with your online marketing campaigns. Improve your online presence by booking for this event.

What? Monthly networking lunch When? Wednesday 21st, 12.00 – 14.00 Where? Xtreme Karting at Newbridge How Much? £15 plus VAT for members. £20 plus VAT for non-members.

“Making your Marketing Sizzle.” Stuart Corrigan of Vanguard Scotland Stuart Corrigan is the managing director of Vanguard Scotland a small to medium sized consultancy firm helping organisations to improve their service, reduce cost and improve staff morale. Training and consulting firms have been hit hard as a result of the recession, often they’re the first to be cut from the budget. Stuart will share practical ideas about what he’s done to beat the recession and promises lots of tools and techniques you can implement in your business immediately. Specifically you’ll get: • The importance of choosing the right target market, the three questions you need to ask before you enter a market? • How to test your target market, without spending lots of time or money. • Why you should establish yourself as an authority in your marketplace and how to do it. • The classic marketing mistake – why you should choose frequency over reach every time. • How to use Amazon to drive more traffic to your business and website. • How to get free PR for your business. • How to generate more income from every customer. • Why you sometimes need to change your strategy.

FORTH VALLEY • AUTUMN 2012

What? Networking Christmas lunch When? Wednesday 19th December, 12.00-14.00 Where? MacDonald Inchyra Hotel How much? £20 plus VAT for members, £25 plus VAT for non-members.

For all events members may bring one guest for free. Please let us know in advance for registration and catering purpose. For all bookings please phone 01324 66 55 00 or email info@forthvalleychamber.co.uk quoting your membership number for discounted rates.

They know my team, my passion for R&B and my need for market trend analysis. If they know me, they know my business.

Special businesses require specialist knowledge. If business is all about relationships, why should business banking be any different? The fact is you don’t want a distant regional sales manager, you want someone who understands you, your business and the challenges it faces. Someone who answers to you, not Head Office. That’s precisely what you’ll get from us. We deliver a full, flexible range of financial solutions designed around individual business needs and give you direct access to your own team of financial specialists.

It’s a return to genuine, uncomplicated, one-to-one banking where decisions are made quickly and made locally. If that sounds like the kind of relationship you’d like to have with your bank, let’s talk. To find out more, contact Terry Quinn, Partner Business Development, 075000 24848. terry.quinn@eu.nabgroup.com Always thinking beyond banking.

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