Business Digest Magazine April Issue by Business Digest Magazine

Business Digest April 2021

INSIDE THIS ISSUE...

03 07 13 17 19

INTERVIEW WITH EVA MARTINS

LEADING WOMEN TO THE LAND OF EMPOWERMENT A CONVERSATION WITH KANYA KING FOUNDER OF THE MOBO AWARDS A CATCH UP WITH CARINA LEPORE WINNER OF THE APPRENTICE (2019) WHAT’S THE BEST WAY OF PROMOTING YOUR BUSINESS, WOULD YOU SAY? AN INTERVIEW WITH LINDA PLANT,ON THE APPRENTICE & HER ACADEMY

INTERVIEW WITH CAFFREY FRANCIS CLIENT MARKETING SPECIALIST

WOMEN IN BUSINESS – GENDER EQUALITY A PERSONAL VIEW BY REBEKA GOODALE

FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK

emale entrepreneurs are on the rise and have rightly shattered the contorted myth that has given men the false reality of business top dogs. According to the World Bank, ‘Women are the fastest growing market segment.’ The pandemic has had an adverse effect on a multitude of businesses but female entrepreneurs have been hard hit, particularly those in the beauty, retail and hotel industries as they rely on customers who have been restricted due to lockdown measures. Despite the pandemic, there are female entrepreneurs who are creating history every day. They are smart, creative and very daring. Business Digest Magazine has interviewed some of these astute women in our April 2021 Issue. They have overcome insurmountable challenges. They have reset their own rules and received maximum returns. These are powerful women who have created extremely successful and thriving businesses. They are amazing role models that show us not only how to achieve greatness but also how to be humble and persistent.

GUESTS KANYA KING CARINA LEPORE EVA MARTINS REBEKA GOODALE

CAFFREY FRANCIS LINDA PLANT

COLUMNIST SIMON HALL

Business Digest April 2021

Interview with Eva Martins Leading Woman To The Land Of Empowerment by Russ Turner, Director Business Digest Magazine Eva is the founder of the Global Women leadership Academy, a number 1 international and best-selling author, international speaker, executive leader in Fortune 500 Company, and a business owner with a mission to empower women to skyrocket their lives.

Eva started her career in a male-dominated corporate industry where she soon grasped that if you do not have power, you go nowhere. Eva understood that if you do not have a strong voice, you are not heard. That if you do not adopt a more masculine attitude you will be blocked from excelling. It took Eva more than 10 years of operating in many different leading roles to realize things needed to change.

Coming from the corporate world where I have a successful career as a female senior leader in one of the Top Pharmaceutical Company, I started studying Pharmaceuticals, Chemistry, Quantum Physics until I came to understand the power of our brain, how it works, and how we can explore its full potential.

While driving a successful career as a female leader in the Pharmaceutical Industry She now dedicates her energy at the local and global to empowering other women scale, I pursued my quest to step up in their lives in understanding how we through the Global Women can use our brain to work Leadership Academy and has in our favour, exploit its full trained hundreds of women. potential, and understand Her mission is to drive gender that our environment is equality at all levels of society simply a reflection of our and encouraging women to inner world. I trained with the raise their voices and goals, best experts, travelled around that’s why her Leadership the world with Tony Robbins Academy to empower women for 2 years, trained with Joe was created. Dispenza, Mastering NLP with the founder John Grinder, Welcome Eva and thank and being a trainer, teacher, you for being my guest on and coach of many other Business Digest, we are methodologies as well. delighted to have you and look forward to sharing your It equipped me to become story with our audience. a better leader, to create high-performing teams, and Eva can you start by telling us to allow them to flourish at a bit about your background their best and create a much prior to where you are bigger impact! I consider currently at? myself a change agent,

sparking transformation and fulfilment in others. Today my mission is to continue my corporate career to better serve individuals, bring them back to life with a purpose and aspirations, and focus on female empowerment through the creation of the Global Women Leadership Academy. My dream is to inspire as many women as I can to play a bigger role in life, to allow them to express themselves freely, and take the lead of their life so they can live their full potential and manifest a global impact. As you can probably tell one of my passions in life is ensuring that I am growing and improving every day. I love acquiring new skills as well as new capabilities. You have encountered inequality being a woman in the corporate world, when did you realize this, what were your thoughts, and how did you change things?

I realized this early on as I started in a maledominated industry. I was literally the only woman in the commercial. First, I had to prove myself constantly, prove that I was not only a beautiful face but I also had a brain; prove that I had a voice; prove that I could also raise my voice if needed. It was not easy. I even had few senior leaders using their power to try to abuse me. Unfortunately, you soon understand that if you go against them publicly, your career is done as they are much stronger, influential especially when you live in a men’s world. I decided to ignore and pretend to not understand or sometimes having to be straight, put limits, and threaten with consequences. I might have appeared super self-confident and haughty, but it was my way to impose a certain distance to protect myself. Inside of me, I was definitely not that selfconfident, I was living with constant anxiety, stress, and in alert mode. I made my way up the ladder by working on my mindset, on my leadership skills, understanding in which ways I was co-creating those behaviours in others.

know better about what’s best for us and I understand that it sometimes comes from a genuine intent to help. Yet, I would say that it’s best to simply ask them what they would love to achieve than questioning their goals or setting false assumptions. Not that long ago I had a senior leader told me that I should try to have a less risky job, a bit hidden, as I was single at that time with 2 kids to raise. It really shocked me. I strongly pushed back. I already had a dad in my life I did not need let alone in my corporate life! I realized that the more I was working on myself the more my life was changing for the better. Today, I invest a minimum of 10% of my income in personal growth.

respect for women, but also for any difference not only in gender, the difference in style, difference in terms of mindset. I truly believe success comes from innovation and to be able to innovate, you need to be authentic and work in an environment where you feel safe to be yourself, and where you feel you can contribute to the bigger picture. After 20 years of corporate career, after many attempts to raise the number of women leaders, we are still not there. Like a couple, both parts need to collaborate and complement each other. Women also need to learn to play full out and not compromise, they need to raise their voices, know what they want and express it, learn to say no, and stop sacrificing for others but balance it in serving themselves, serving their dreams, go for their fulfilment.

“First of all, understand that your environment is a reflection of your inner story and your inner unconscious thoughts” Have you personally faced any struggles at work from this?

I did and not once, but many times. Seeing male peers being promoted because they had a stronger voice, seeing As I gained more selfmy career stop twice because confidence, as I released of my pregnancy, having to many subconscious limiting raise my voice in meetings beliefs such as “I am not good otherwise, I would not be enough”, “I do not deserve heard, having colleagues anything”, and “I’m not smart telling me I could not be enough”, I realized my ideas dressed feminine otherwise I are all BS!…But as I trusted would not be respected same myself more, the environment ways…telling me I had to use was also showing it back to a grey suit to be successful me. I became a better leader, which I always refused. I had being able to build strong and so many episodes that I could high-performing teams and write a book. It brought a lot support other women along of frustration, anxiety but the journey. I still meet today also determination to change male leaders who think they the workplace and raise the

What 3 pieces of advice could you give to help some who might be in a similar situation? First of all, understand that your environment is a reflection of your inner story and your inner unconscious thoughts. It is not about blaming yourself but taking full responsibility for your life and take the lead to upgrade it. Second, work on your mindset, find a methodology, a coach, and training that can allow you to uncover those limiting beliefs and past experiences that are hindering you from upgrading and empowering your beliefs and thoughts. If there is something that I learned is that life is meant to be lived in fulfilment and not in pain, and

Business Digest April 2021 it does not need to take years. Personal transformation can happen in minutes, we just need to reach the root cause inside of our subconscious mind.

themselves, with more self-love, self-confidence, knowing what they want, feeling complete, stronger, and living a life with more passion and fulfilment.

Third, stop finding excuses, stop playing small, stop procrastinating, stop putting that on others, stop bull-shitting yourself…life is too short to be in pain. Take a decision today that will change your tomorrow otherwise you will replicate the same patterns and stay in the same vicious circle.

Do you offer any other services?

If someone were to sign up for your course or training session what would they expect to cover and gain from them? When women join STOP believing the B.S. 7 week program, it is designed to awaken the leader inside of you and transform your life from the inside. Know deeply who you are underneath the masks, the labels, the expectations from others, reconnect with your soul, with your big why in life, your life mission, and your purpose. We go deep into your subconscious mind to uncover your foundational limiting beliefs, past traumas, and change them in minutes. It can be that easy. Then we deep dive into the relationships in your life and your career, understand what is limiting you and transform those two big pillars of your life. And we finish by redesigning your new life blueprint. We have seen amazing results, women deciding to reset their life, divorcing in a couple of weeks, changing countries, finding a new love, getting suddenly 3 job offers from nowhere, and increasing their business exponentially. Above all, they feel reconnected with

I recently founded the Global Women Leadership Academy to serve women in different stages: The noBS level where we uncover the limiting beliefs, increase their self-confidence to take action through the STOP Believing the B.S. 7 week program; the Empower level where I give them constant support through mastermind and mentorship but also train them with new skills so they can empower themselves; the Unleash level where they’ll have the chance to breakthrough in their lives, radiate their power and achieve the next level of their life. I personally coach them to navigate much faster and more confidently through their life transformation journey. Wow OK, do you have any success stories from any of your clients that you could share with us? So many and so inspiring ones… Maria was feeling stuck in her career and she suddenly attracted 3 job offers at the same time within just a couple of weeks. Linda was careerdriven but sacrificing herself for the family. She was so much attached to the perfect family image that she did not see abusive dynamics around her. She suddenly opened her eyes from one week to the other, deciding to divorce, taking care of her kids, moved countries, and even got promoted. Jeanette attracted the money she needed to pay for the program in simply 2 weeks…I

have so many testimonials, all of them so inspiring. That’s what gives me energy every day to pursue my mission. What’s the best way for someone to contact you if they want to sign up for your mentoring or training courses? The best way to contact me is to visit my official site for Stop Believing the B.S. 7 Week Coaching Program where it has a complete overview of the program and the top benefits you could get as you decide to finally take the big step of their life. You can also get in touch through my website www. evamartins.com or facebook/ Instagram. Well Eva it has been an absolute pleasure to meet such a strongwilled woman as yourself, I wish you all the continued success for the future from myself and the team here at Business Digest. To stay connected to Eva go to the link below; Website - www. stopbelievingthebs.com Website - www.evamartins.com Facebook - https:// www.facebook.com/ EvaMartinsClearVision/ Instagram - https:// www.instagram.com/ Shesgothepower.com/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin. com/in/eva-martins-b887b111/ Eva’s International #1 and Best Seller book STOP Believing the B.S. 7 Steps to awaken your Feminine Superpowers

Business Digest April 2021

A conversation with Kanya King 7

INTERVIEW WITH KANYA KING Kanya King became the face behind black roots music when she The MOBO awards was first broadcast on Carlton TV in 1996. Since then The MOBO awards has provided an early platform for many British artists including; Stormzy, Amy Winehouse, Goldie, Skepta, Rita Ora, Craig David, Ms Dynamite, Dizzee Rascal, Emile Sandé to Tinie Tempah. It has provided the launch-pad for British urban music to dominate both national and international charts and has become one of the most prestigious events on the international calendar, annually attracting A-list celebrities and musical superstars alike such as Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Diana Ross, Tina Turner, Janet Jackson, Usher, P. Diddy, Diana Ross, John Legend and Rihanna. Welcome Kanya to your interview with Business Digest Magazine. We are pleased to be sharing your journey with our audience. You’re more known for being the founder of The MOBO Awards, an annual music award presentation honouring achievements in “music of black origin,” but before we get to that, we would like to get to your roots and find out about Kanya King. Thank you for having me.  Can you tell us about your childhood? What was life like growing up? I was born in Kilburn, North West London. I grew up in a large family. Both my parents came to the UK at a very young age, looking for a better future. They were encouraged to help fill gaps in the UK labour market for both skilled and unskilled jobs. My mum came from Ireland and my dad was born in Ghana. Times were tough for them facing blatant racism (´No Blacks, no Irish, no Dogs´) and hard to make a living. We moved from council flat to council flat and at times we didn’t have a roof over our heads. It was tough. How did these experiences help you to shape your life?

I think these experiences helped me to become independent and determined. I started realising the value of money at an early age. I would collect empty bottles in my local park, hand them in and get a 5p reward every time, that added up. I had a paper round and sold whistles at a healthy margin at Notting Hill Carnival. Basically, I did all kinds of jobs which eventually resulted in me buying my first property. It was a very proud and significant moment.    A large percent of people grow up in poverty, live their adult lives in that same situation, and raise children who fail to break that cycle. People get caught up in the cycle of low income and often end up in a survival mode. They are focused on whatever challenges greet them each day, whether that’s paying the rent, buying food or taking care of a health problem. I wanted to have a bigger goal than just surviving from pay-check to pay-check and trying to pay the bills. This was a life I did not want to settle for.  I was determined to break out of it. The black roots music industry has come on leaps and bound. How important is it to continue to grow and where do you see things heading to in the future?

Black music has a rich and proud history. It has been a representation of what society is about. Music has always had that power to transcend cultural divides and hardships. Singing in the cotton fields and in church was about freedom, believing in a greater good and a better life. Music expresses people’s feelings and circumstances and it often battles oppression and neglect.  Whether it is gospel music, jazz, soul, hiphop or grime, black music has a powerful voice calling out for more fairness and equality. Music is evolving and innovating all the time. It often comes from a deep place and has a powerful social message. Music will therefore continue to grow, adapting all the time as creatives are not afraid to experiment and express themselves. The MOBO Awards has played an extremely important part for music artists to gain recognition for their music. Where did the idea come from and how did you set up The MOBO Awards in the beginning? I grew up being surrounded by creatives who were immensely talented but frustrated by the lack of awareness of their creativity. I felt there was a huge void in the music industry’s representations

Business Digest April 2021 of popular music and this instilled in me a drive to empower others to realise their potential. Tossing the idea around, I couldn’t get much support, so I decided to have a kitchen round-table discussion with a few friends who believed in it and wanted to support. We came up with the acronym of MOBO but it wasn’t until a chance meeting with a high-level TV executive at Arsenal’s football ground, that somebody was willing to listen to us.  We went into overdrive, submitted a plan and surprisingly we were given a chance: ‘We’re prepared to give you a slot HOWEVER it will be in 6 weeks´ time and there is very little budget´. I just had to go for it, there was no Plan B. I ended up remortgaging my house to pay for the production. Luckily, lots of people turned up in support including Lionel Richie, Jazzie B and many other names from the world of music and entertainment. It became a massive cultural moment.  You’ve met a lot of musicians and celebrities over the years but what has been your most memorable moment?

revolution at the time, Sade returning from retirement just to perform for MOBO, Rihanna’s performance at the age of only 18, Stormzy’s first Best Grime Award, Emeli winning big, Beyonce and Jay-Z on the same show, acceptance speeches from FKA-twigs, Craig David, Ms Dynamite and Sir Lenny Henry - the list goes on and on and on.  You’re an established keynote speaker, what impact do you want to instil into your listeners? First of all, I want to tell the younger generation especially, that anything is possible with the right frame of mind, discipline and determination. My background and upbringing were without promise. However, with a lot of sacrifice and hard work, you can achieve more than ever thought possible. That is a strong and timeless message. In a more socio-economic perspective, I want to be vocal about the business case for increasing management diversity which is absolute. More diverse, gender-balanced teams outperform less diverse, unbalanced teams.

After a challenging 2020, the Having delivered as many as world needs to focus on ‘the 23 annually televised shows decade of opportunity’ that is with hundreds of UK and driven by an ‘ideas economy’ international artists as well as - which should be powered by the most amazing hosts and untapped diversity of thinking. guest presenters, there have Together with Accenture, we been so many memorable are building an innovative moments and truly fascinating MOBOLISE careers platform people on the show, too many which is a catalyst for to mention and too hard to change to shake things up. choose from. The message I want to get out there is that this is also I often ask our audience a commercial imperative as their favourite moments, one well as a societal one. It will of their most memorable ultimately help the bottom performances is perhaps line and contribute to a fairer So Solid Crew, a musical society.

How can people contact you for future speaking events? Please see a link to companies or talent who want to sign up to MOBOLISE: http://mobo.com/ mobolise - for appearances and (currently virtual) speaking engagements, people can contact  infokanyaking@mobo. com  Thank you, Russ.

Interview by; Russ Turner, Director at Business Digest Magazine

Business Digest April 2021

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Business Digest April 2021

A catch up with Carina Lepore 13

INTERVIEW WITH CARINA LEPORE C

arina Lepore is the Managing Director of the Dough Artisan Bakehouse a family run bakery providing it’s famous multi-seed bread to the Herne Hill area.

arina entered the BBC show The Apprentice in 2019 and came out winner as she rose above the rest of the competition by out performing them in the trials and business tests laid out by the show. Lord Sugar and Carina then began as business partners 50/50 in her successful bakery business.

arina has shown that she is a true leader and serious business woman and sets a prime example for aspiring woman entrepreneurs to follow.

Interview by Russ Turner Director at Business Digest Magazine We like to know an entrepreneur back story to get a feel of them on a personal level… Can you tell us about your upbringing and what you think played a major part in your success? I had a fantastic upbringing, and great childhood. My parents both hard working and taught me that without hard work you don’t get results. My Dads mentoring growing up would be that of keep pushing nothing was enough! Or so it felt? However I’ve learnt in my adult life that this was exactly what I needed to push and be so determined to succeed and get exactly what I want/wanted from life. You consider yourself a natural leader as one of your strong points, but what would you say is your weakness? A weakness of mine would not always being able to switch off and take time out. Always on the go! You won The Apprentice and are enjoying the success. What is next for Carina Lepore & How will you achieve it?

Continuing to grow and expand my business @Doughbakehouse is my main priority. We’ve all had a strange year which has slowed us down, I am grateful currently for my team’s health and continued hard work throughout a tough trading time for our hospitality sector. Let’s talk about “The Apprentice” Why did you enter, what did you learn and what would say to anyone about to appear on the show?

and then hit a worldwide pandemic. I think he’s taught me to slow down when it’s needed. He is most knowledgeable when it comes to business. So, to be able to send an email or text when I want is fabulous. You are the owner of the Dough Artisan Bakehouse. Do you have any plans to expand the brand or do you have a new business venture in the pipeline? Plans still stand to continue to expand and grow Dough Bakehouse. We’ve naturally had to slow down and assess the overall situation currently but we definitely have plans to expand in the future. Who has been the most influential person in your career?

I don’t just have one person who has influenced me greatly during my journey as I’ve always been a big believer in learning and gaining insights I actually entered on a whim. One from many different people evening I thought, why not apply? who I’ve met and influenced Once I started to get through the me. I have had some great audition processes and then the leaders in my career in retail phone call to say they wanted before becoming a business me on the show that’s when my owner. I have many friends now mindset switched into “let’s do who are also business owners this” mode! I learnt loads! It was and I love to discuss all things genuinely one of the best expelife and business with them! riences of my life. So challenging, so tough but I just thrived! I What’s advice can you give to young entrepreneurs who are learnt to be brave and be bold starting out on their business and mainly to believe in myself. This is what I would also tell any- journey? one about to appear on the show. I think my advice would be to be prepared for a lot and I You and Lord Sugar seem pretty close now. What have you learnt mean a lot of hard work! Day in day out you must maintain from Alan since winning the focus, drive and determinashow? tion. Make sure your business is your passion and you will Yeah we have a good working enjoy the journey even with the relationship. I mean we started

our business journey together

Business Digest April 2021 hurdles and challenges you face daily as an entrepreneur. How can business owners get exposure for their business in the best way? Key things would be to have strong branding and marketing. Strong ethos and key values. Networking is also key. If you could eat dinner with three people living or deceased who would it be and why? OHH this is tricky!? The first three that popped into my initial thoughts were My uncle Tony, he passed away when I was in my teens and he was just so great to be around with: amazing energy and I would love to have the chance to discuss my journey with him and learn his thoughts and to hear him taking the Mickey out of my dad again! Robin Williams - He’s played such a part in my enjoyment as a child. Watching his movies as an adult has always been a great escape and pure joy so I would just love to get the chance to speak to him. Beyonce - just one of the most inspirational women! Always have looked up to her in every way so, to even get a moment to discuss anything with her would be insane!

Which entrepreneur do you look up to most in business and why? Giuseppe Mascoli is the owner/ founder of Franco Manca. I hold his story close to my heart as I can relate to his journey and business story. He started small in Brixton, is of Italian heritage, and has great family values. Will you be taking part in any media or publicity events in the future and what’s best way to contact you? I’m always up for opportunities! I can be reached on email carina@doughbakehouse.co.uk Or my instagram @CarinaLepore

Business Digest April 2021

What’s the best way of promoting your business, would you say? by Simon Hall Creative Warehouse Testimonials from happy customers are great. Word of mouth is lovely. Advertising is OK, although people are always a little wary. But for me, by far the best form of promotion is media coverage.

I get featured on the web, radio and in newspapers. Believe me, I know. Because I did. One company I work with, Fluidic Analytics, has fantastic cutting edge life sciences, right out of the University of Cambridge. Our angle there was:

It’s authoritative, it can reach hundreds of thousands of people, and best of all…

- A faster, better and cheaper technique to develop treatments for humanity’s most feared diseases.

It’s free. Apart from an hour or two of your time.

Did we get coverage with that angle? You bet!

Yep, that’s all it can take to get your business in the news. Just a couple of hours.

Ask yourself what’s the most important, interesting and impactful thing about what you’re doing. Use that for your angle and you won’t go wrong.

Don’t believe me? I’ve done it plenty. And here’s your five stage guide to how. The All Important Angle You love your business. You think it deserves to make the media on its own merit. I get that. But sorry, on its own the fact you’ve got a business isn’t going to interest journalists.

Headlines Good one hugely increases your chances of coverage. One of my favourites was for a Cambridge course in the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence, which I helped to promote. We played on one of the most famous AI villains, and for a headline used:

Instead, you’ve got to answer this fundamental question:

- Taming The Terminators That worked a treat, helping to get coverage aplenty.

- Why should anyone care? That’s your angle. The difference you’re making to people’s lives.

When dealing with journalists, never forget it’s one of the most time pressured professions. You’ve got to hook your hack fast, or you won’t get them at all.

My latest book is about business communication, and I was chuffed with it.

Which means your headline should be based on your angle, and:

But if I approached the media saying, Hey, I’ve written a book, I’d get diddly squat interest. If I put it this way, though: - I show businesses how to sort all their communication needs and really get noticed, from winning media coverage to raising investment, in one short and simple read.

- Interest, inform, and intrigue In other words, it’s got to catch the eye of the editor, tell them something of what the story is about, and intrigue them into reading on. Use the headline as the title for your email when you send it out, to ensure

your story gets noticed.

Author - Simon Hall Director at Creative Warehouse

Opening Line Again, there’s no time to mess about here. No space for polite introductions or waffle. Just get straight into your story and build on your headline. For example, with the AI course: - The UK’s first Master’s degree in one of the biggest issues of modern times, the responsible use of artificial intelligence, is being launched. Keep your opening short, sharp and simple and from there tell the rest of your story. Media Storytelling The basis of media storytelling is the inverted pyramid structure, which looks like this:

About the Author; Simon Hall runs his own business communications agency, Creative Warehouse, and is a journalist, author, business coach and university tutor.

Other Essentials Don’t forget to include a picture of yourself, or product, a paragraph of quotes, and your contact details, including your mobile number. It’s the convention to date, locate and make clear when the story can be used. For example, here: Cambridge, UK, 4th March, 2021. For immediate release Now find the email addresses of your local, regional and sector specific media, from tech to transport, get sending out your release and good luck! The Value of Values Some companies have a handful, others more than a dozen. But if you haven’t drawn up yours yet, or they don’t quite nail the ethos of your business, you’re missing an important trick.

In other words, get the most important information in first, then tell the rest of your “In my next article, I’ll look tale from there. at the power of values in promoting your company, You should also cover all the positioning you as a market relevant facts. This rhyme, leader, and bringing in courtesy of Rudyard Kipling business.” will help: I KEEP six honest serving-men (They taught me all I knew); Their names are What and Why and When And How and Where and Who.

He teaches communications, media and business skills at the University of Cambridge, for government departments and agencies, and private business. Simon has eight novels published, all in the thriller genre, and a nonfiction book on business communication, with follow ups on public speaking and presentations, writing blogs, appearing in the media, and business storytelling due out in 2021 and 22. Previously, Simon was a broadcaster for twenty years, mostly as a BBC Television, Radio and Online News Correspondent, specialising in business and economics, home affairs, and the environment. He has also contributed articles and short stories to a range of newspapers and magazines, written plays, screenplays, radio comedy, and even a pantomime. For more on Simon and Creative Warehouse see www.thetvdetective.com

Business Digest April 2021

Interview with Linda Plant Planting Seeds at Linda Plant Academy Linda founded her international knitwear brand, Honeysuckle, selling her designs worldwide before selling the company for millions at aged 29. She later took back control of the influential fashion brand before becoming one of the first women to float a fashion brand on the London Stock Exchange You may also recognise her as one of the interviewers on BBC 1’s ‘The Apprentice’, providing advice to Lord Sugar for over 5 series. Her passion for business and entrepreneurship has been recognised by several business awards and Linda is a panelist and judge, including top female entrepreneurs for HSBC’s Panel of Forward Ladies You have done extremely well for yourself, but life was not always so. Can you share what life was like for you growing up?

My mum always worked out of necessity, that is how I grew up. I loved and respected my parents, and it gave me the foundation of who I became.

Life for me growing up was a close family affair.

I did go on eventually to be one of the first women to take a business from a market stall to The London Stock Market!

I was the only child of doting hard-working parents. My mother was a part time secretary in the local synagogue, my dad was a tailor in Montague Burtons, the founders of the Burton empire (you can research them for more info) which started with immigrant brothers owning a large tailoring factory in Leeds. Life was happy but we were poor. We took in a lodger to help make ends meet. My mother eventually got a stall in Dewsbury market selling ladies hosiery. The market was open Wednesday and Saturday, my joy and first taste of business was to work on that stall every Saturday. That was truly the beginning for me and the start of a long love and lessons in trading. Working on a market stall gave me the foundation and platform to form my business life.

Can you tell us about the Linda Plant Academy... what it is all about, who is it for and why should they join? Linda Plant Academy was born out of the first lockdown. I had thought for a long while about writing a business course, and simply wanting to share my experience and my knowledge of a long and varied career in the business world. Most of all to show people of all generations it is possible to achieve success without any formal qualifications. I am not saying to young people do not go on to university and do not forsake academic achievements, I am simply saying yes you can do it. You must have the right mind set. The Academy has a range of options and is basically there to help everyone.

by Russ Turner, Director Business Digest Magazine If you believe in yourself, you can achieve success. I want to connect directly with people who need guidance and advice. I am overly excited about my latest venture which is part of my academy. Apprentice to CEO. I have collaborated with Cordell Jeffers who is an award winner of Princes Trust. Cordell started life off from the wrong side, but he is a young man who is focused and determined. He has received an award from the Princes Trust and is a specialist in mindset coaching which is so important in today’s world. I met him when I was giving an inspirational talk for Princes Trust. We decided to put our expertise together and we are offering mentorship, my blueprint course and mindset coaching. The beauty about The Academy is that it is for absolutely everyone. If you are a start-up or if you have an existing business, we are there to help you. Much more info can be found on www.lindaplant.com and the Apprentice to CEO website.

What challenges have you faced in business and how did you overcome them? I have had a long business journey and have of course faced many challenges. From a three-day week, to a massively falling pound to the 2008 Banking crisis. Problems need solutions, solutions do not come with knee jerk reactions. Personally, I have always recognised the importance of relationships, I would say my relationships played a major role in dealing with challenges. Also, it is vital in business to be commercial.

That is a given, but I look not only at the potential, but I also look at the scalability, the unforeseen angles, the people behind the business, the economies of scale, what is the USP.

It is not what you know but who you know!

Each investment may bring different and new opportunities.

Today there are many women to be admired in business which is contrary to when I started. I would say one woman who must be greatly admired is: Natalie Massanet, she founded Net A Porter Internet fashion shopping from her flat. Net A Porter went on to become a multibillionpound business.

Let us briefly touch on The Apprentice, what was your most memorable moment from the show?

I probably relate to her achievements because of my own love of fashion.

You have made several investments over the years, what has been you best & worst investments? Throughout my journey I would say probably one of my best investments was buying a large building which was used initially as my head office and distribution centre for my fashion business. That building today houses 300 small apartments, and we are about to add a new 60 room hotel to that. Obviously in my property business we have made other lucrative investments. My worst investment was the one I did not make. I was offered a share in Matalan, my £250000 would now be worth 250 million. The perception of serial investors is that they are only looking to invest when they see a clear ROI opportunity. Is this true and what do you look for when deciding whether to invest in a business venture? When I am investigating a business obviously, we cannot disregard the ROI

Although you are a successful businesswoman are there any other businesswomen you look up to in business

When you die. what do you want to be remembered for?

There have been many memorable moments on the Apprentice, however I think for me it must be Elizabeth with the flower business. She got up to walk out during filming of the interview. She was a very tall angry lady. Networking is a big thing in business, do you have a network of people you frequent with and if so, what value do you gain from networking with them? I have a strong belief in Networking, I attach great importance in business life to relationships and team building. I do not have a specific group of people I frequent; it is mostly related to what is specifically required. There is much to be said from,

I have no thoughts on death, but when I do pass if my children remember me, that will be sufficient. What is the best advice you can give women who own their own businesses? To Women who own their own business I would say if there were doubts or conflicting thoughts of can you be a good mum and run a business, the answer is Yes you can. If you give your kids quality time, they Will love and respect you. So, do not hesitate to go forward with confidence and remember you are helping lay foundations for your children’s future. Lastly Linda what is next for Linda Plant? Next for me and most exciting is my collaboration with Jeffers Cordell - Apprentice To CEO.

Business Digest April 2021

INTERVIEW WITH CAFFREY FRANCIS Caffrey Francis is CO-founder and CEO of Grow Hair Clients, a company breaking the mould for small business owners in the beauty industry, teaching hair stylist and salon owners how to increase their client base by using marketing automation without wasting money. Who is Caffrey Francis? I am a business coach and entrepreneur. I was raised by a family who owned and ran several successful small businesses across industries; from construction and home inspections to dog boarding services. Growing up in such an environment allowed me to observe my parents. I was able to witness firsthand the trials and tribulations of establishing a successful business, even during periods of economic fallout. When I was 16 years old, I launched my first successful business as a children’s tennis coach. Simultaneously, my mom and I had begun fostering hundreds of dogs. What began as a source of enjoyment and an opportunity to play with dogs, quickly transformed into a full-blown dog boarding business. After having built several successful businesses by such a young age, I already knew I wanted to hone my skills. I made the decision to attend Oglethorpe University where I earned a B.A. in Business Administration. While attending college I joined a student-led association called Team Wildlife. It was a group of high achieving individuals who coordinated events with colleges in an environment that did not support drug

or alcohol use. During this time, I met a lot of people in the entertainment industry and learned from them about social media, event planning and professional marketing. The knowledge they shared had a large impact on my life. I had always had a passion for hair and make-up but after meeting them I was encouraged to create my own beauty-related content for social media. However, at the time, I was just doing it for fun. I hadn’t figured out how to turn my passion into a profitable business. After graduating, I got a job as a leasing agent at a property management company and quickly worked my way up to assistant manager. However, at the same time, my health began to deteriorate to a point where it began to impact my job. Due to my health, I knew it was not sustainable to stay in my current job. I needed to be my own boss and work my own hours, which is when I left corporate America and went back to my roots as a business owner. Can you tell us about Grow Hair Clients? Grow Hair Clients is a business coaching agency that provides hairstylists and salon owners with a nine-step program

to help them gain up to ten clients in 30-days. The program is simple to understand, customizable to individual stylists and doesn’t waste anyone’s time and money. Clients are able to access this program through the membership site and receive coaching from me five times a week for life. During the coaching calls, I answer questions, concerns and provide guidance to them about how to best utilize my program, pricing calculator, and growth roadmap. Grow Hair Clients separates itself from competitors by providing the clearest, fastest and simplest way to grow clients and sales. Hairstylists and salon owners come to us because we bring results. Why did you start this business and how did it come about? When I was going through a period of poor health, I realized that not only was a traditional 9-5 not a sustainable career path for me but that I also just didn’t want to work a corporate job. It was during this time

period that I went to get my hair done and inspiration struck. My stylist told me he wanted to open an Instagram account to market his services and increase his clientele but was hesitant to get started because he wasn’t particularly knowledgeable about social media. As soon as I heard this, the entrepreneurial spirit in me came alive - I could create a company, coaching hair professionals on how to grow their clientele base. I loved my idea not only because I knew it would be successful, but it was the perfect way to combine my love for beauty with my passion for business while simultaneously helping others succeed.

to. My ultimate goal was to compile all my research into a digestible form that others could learn from and use to succeed. I studied textbooks, reflected on my old business plans and identified what I could have done better in my past endeavors. I took to the internet and taught myself how to create a website, what a sales funnel is and how to market on Facebook, Google and YouTube.

I sat on this business idea for a few weeks until I was not able to keep up with work any longer due to health concerns. I sold all my belongings and moved back into my parent’s home. I was excited. I finally knew what my purpose was and I was going to make it happen.

You started your company during a pandemic. Most people wouldn’t even think about such an idea. What was your inspiration?

It was through discussions with my mentors, Aaron Fletcher and Matt Lopez that I finally condensed all my research and created the clear and understandable 9-step roadmap.

I wouldn’t be the person I am today without the continuous support and guidance from my parents. My mom would often tell me, “If you want something bad enough, you will find a way to get it,” and “there is more than one way to skin a cat.” I’ve learned from them that I am the only person who can put limits on myself and that if I continuously work towards one singular goal, I will achieve it. Some people view the pandemic as a block to starting or expanding their business. However, in my mind it is the exact opposite, it is an opportunity to reinvent yourself and your business. I did not let the pandemic be a mental barrier that would slow me down. I did not allow the pandemic to be a limit to my success.

As a female entrepreneur, what obstacles have you come up against and how did you deal with them? Despite the stereotype that women encounter discrimination in the professional world, I have been fortunate enough to not experience unfair treatment based on my gender. I credit that in part to the nature of my job as an entrepreneur; I work for myself and answer only to myself. You have successfully scaled businesses with ease. What is your strategy? My method for success lies in my nine-step program. It can be applied to any industry and if followed correctly, it will produce desired results and can effectively scale any business. One of my favorite sayings is, if you are not growing you are dying. Some key aspects of my program are to help my clients identify a target audience, establish an ‘it factor message,’ create an irresistible offer, develop a sales funnel and drive a huge amount of traffic towards your offer. I spent 13 months working 12–15-hour days developing my 9-step plan. I did all the hard work, so my clients wouldn’t have

I have had a ton of people attempt to tell me what I am capable of. I soon realized that they were telling me a lie, one that was passed down to them by someone who also told them what they were capable of and they accepted someone else’s limitations over their lives. I decided a long time ago that I am the only person who can limit myself and I’m never going to do that and that I am not going to let a pandemic do that. As a female entrepreneur, what insights and ideas can you impart to women who want to start their own businesses?

Business Digest April 2021 If I had to pass on one piece of business advice to other women, it would be something my mom told me when I was younger, “To be successful I would just need to find a way to turn my passions into profitable business.” Her knowledge has been a guiding light in my life. Some additional insight I have learned from my experience in business, is to not sell yourself short; do not offer discounts or coupons on your services. If anything, increase your prices and show your clients exactly how your products or services solves 1 big problem they have been seeking to solve. By doing this you can outshine your competitors and increase your clients and sales. I would also say, for you to increase your client retention rate, you need to give more value to your customers than your competitors do and to always build your relationships with them through online channels.

What would you want to be remembered for? In my professional life, I would want to be remembered as a business-savvy entrepreneur and coach who pursued her passions and was able to create a successful and profitable business in any industry while still helping improve the lives of others. In my personal life, I would like to be remembered as a happy and optimistic person. I place a lot of value on being a good person, doing good for others and having positive healthy relationships. What is the best way to contact you? Website: https://www.growhairclients.com/ home Facebook: www.facebook.com/ growhairclients Booking Website: https://www. growhairclients.com/booking Email: hello@growhairclients.com

Business Digest April 2021

Women in Business – Gender Equality a Personal View by Rebeka Goodale, Head of Product at The ai Corporation Let’s face it, the business world is hard, no matter your gender. However, when the rules of the game were built by men in an age where women were not welcome in the business world, it’s no wonder that breaking the glass ceiling can seem like an impossible dream. The events of 2020 have only added more pressure for women in the workplace, and in some sectors, has them questioning their desire to continue working at all. However, there is some good news and signs of slow and steady progress; women have been moving into more senior positions. According to McKinsey’s Women in the Workplace Study: “At the beginning of 2020, the representation of women (in business) was trending in the right direction. This was most pronounced in senior management. Between January 2015 and January 2020, representation of women in senior-vice-president positions grew from 23 to 28 percent, and representation in the C-suite grew from 17 to 21 percent. Women remained dramatically underrepresented—particularly women of colour—but the numbers were slowly improving.” This article represents my experiences over the last 20 years in the corporate world. Some of these you can probably relate to, while others may be the type of experiences you hope you never experience. The goal is to provide some useful tips on how to navigate this ever-changing game and learn from the mistakes that I made along the way. What has this got to do with gender equality? Well, it’s easy to blame some of my missteps,

or even blatant rejections, on my gender, but I believe the only person responsible for my success is me. Trust me, I have experienced gender bias and it is not fun and can be very painful. More to come on that a bit later. I’ve taken the stance that I use my gender as an asset, but not my only asset. Women bring a unique perspective to the table and when we leverage the many talents of the others at the table, this can generate a powerful and productive force. Unfortunately, it feels like it’s become him vs. her now, and we all must fight for our right to participate. So, I’d like to share two experiences that shaped my professional career and some key lessons that I hope will help you along your journey. Finding the Perfect Balance I’ve worked for small and large employers, each carrying its good and bad experiences. Don’t be fooled in thinking there is ever a perfect place to work, as I believe that may be the impossible dream. However, I started my professional career as an administrative assistant. Not the most glamorous position in a large company, but what I learned over the first 5 years was that everyone needs to start somewhere.

I will never forget the day that my line manager pulled me in to her office and said, “I think you’re great BUT, you behave like a bull in a china shop most of the time. The result is good for the customer, but the collateral damage you collect along the way is not good. There is a time and place for when you need to be the bull, but you’ve got it all wrong. If you don’t change your ways, you’ll never go higher in this company.” I was probably 28 at the time and this was a huge blow to my ego. I wasn’t ready to hear that information and certainly did not know what to do with it. It took some time to digest, but the reality is that my gender did me no favours and my behaviour was seen as being aggressive and pushy, versus assertive and ambitious. This was the first, but not the last time that I was told to tune down my personality. I had a choice to make in this moment, I could take the advice and change the way I behaved, or I could carry on in the same manner. My advice is to accept and act on any feedback you receive, especially from senior female leaders. These women have been around the company and have learned to play the game. Learn from their mistakes.

It is not always easy to hear negative feedback and most of the time you just want to forget it Work ethic, determination and ever happened. Don’t let your own people skills are what enabled me ego get in the way of your success. to take the next step into a more Solicit feedback from women that visible role in the same company. are older and younger than you. By this time, I had become known Accept their advice and use it to as someone that could be relied improve yourself. upon to get things done. Now, I will warn you that with ability This next sentence is especially comes responsibility. You become important. You will never be the ‘go to’ person. That may seem accepted by everyone, all the time. great, for a minute, but can easily THAT IS OKAY! burn you out. Another risk that you run, and I certainly fell into Change is Inevitable this trap, is believing your own The next lesson I learned was hype. about 10 years later, once I had

moved into a leadership role with people, managing responsibilities. You’ll be happy to know that I was fortunate enough to work for a company that put a big focus on leadership training, so I had the benefit of learning how to get things done through diplomacy, instead of being a bull. I had been promoted to a director level and was receiving positive feedback from my manager and customers on a regular basis. All was going well in my world until the word ‘restructure’ was uttered. Within a short amount of time, my role changed, and I was no longer people managing but I was reporting to someone that had much less experience in the role. This lesson isn’t so much about the actual change that happened but how I responded to it. I was fortunate enough to have a female mentor within the company, who was strong, smart, experienced and empathetic. I requested a meeting with her, intending to have my feelings validated. I shared everything that had happened ‘to’ me and it came out with buckets of tears. After a good 5 minutes of talking about how unfair this change had been, I finally stopped. What she said next was another ‘watershed’ moment in my professional career. “Life is not fair. Business is not fair. Dry up your tears, pull yourself together and tell me what you’re going to do now.” Not the words that I expected, but the ones I needed to hear. Change is inevitable and you must be able to adapt to it quickly without falling into a victim mentality. I encourage you to always have mentors or sponsors, who you can rely on when these big moments happen. It is easy to let your decisions and actions be driven by your emotions. I can’t say that it didn’t take a bit of time to get over this change, which felt very personal for me, however I did exactly as I was told. I pushed on and continued to work hard to get to the next role, which came within 6 months. Everyone has bad experiences and some of them can easily be viewed as a male vs. female challenge. It’s important to note that you cannot change company culture, politics, or relationships. You must learn to play within the rules, while maintaining your integrity. That may be one of the hardest lessons to learn, but I assure you it’s worth staying the course. Staying the Course Fast forward another 10 years and I have finally found my happy place. It may seem an odd question, but I have been asked how I was able to be so successful in an industry that is so male dominated. The answer was easy for me. I worked hard, I listened to experienced people around me and I acted on their advice. This does not mean that I still do not face similar challenges of negative mindsets,

workplace culture, gender bias and inequity from time to time. In my experience, how you respond to these challenges dictate your success. Don’t overlook the value that men bring to the table and leverage it as often as possible. Navigating the world of business can be complex, tricky, and political. I don’t expect, or want, an opportunity to be given to me based solely on my gender. I think we can all agree that women just want the opportunity to compete for the same roles and that our gender is not the only asset that is measured. It is important that women and men work together to raise awareness of the challenges and help remove these blockers so that the gender gap can be closed. In doing this, we can improve diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

Rebeka Goodale is Head of Product at The ai Corporation. ai is trusted around the world for developing innovative technology that allows our customers to create predictable success and grow profitably. Founded in 1998, we have a long track record of providing solutions to some of the world’s largest financial/payment institutions and international merchants. Our long-standing business partnerships are based on making things simple and explainable, both technically and commercially. By focusing in this way, we constantly strive to help our customers create highly profitable returns. Driving customer success by enabling simply safe and seamless payment acceptance: In line with customer demand, as the payment value chain continues to converge, ai enables our customers to simply take advantage of the evolution of payments digitations, by exploiting our fraud and analytical capabilities. Our payment gateway, issuing platform and European Money License also mean ai remains a trusted payment service provider. Enabling our customers to rapidly launch new, alternative payment types into their marketplace. Offering an end-to-end solution, using state of the art, explainable, machine learning to securely manage omni-channel payment transactions, via our cloud-based platform.

Business Digest April 2021