The Business Owner Magazine - March 2021

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th e b e st magaz i ne s p eci f i ca l ly f o r bus i n es s o w ne r s

THE BUSINESS

OWNER MAGAZINE WHERE ARE YOUR NEXT SALES LEADS COMING FROM? Sales leads are the lifeblood of your business, and knowing where, and how, they are coming in is key to building your business.

THE SNOWFLAKE GENERATION..

Millennials are up and coming in the business world, and the global pandemic has seen a number of young people turn entrepreneurs. We talk to a powerful millennial as she give her thoughts on the strength of the generation.

ARE YOU CYBER SAFE? ARE YOU SURE? CHECK OUT OUR GUIDE ON PAGE 14...

Letter from There is finally light at the end of the tunnel, but there is still a way to go and the coming months will continue to be a challenge. Spring is here and there already seems to be a buoyancy returning slowly but surely as we all adapt to our own roadmaps. Now is the time to commit to your own roadmap, your own goals and your own success.

We continue to speak with business owners and entrepreneurs across the UK and there is renewed optimism. Entrepreneurs will always continue to strive for driving forward and seeking new opportunities, for adapting to situations and aiming for success.

In this issue we look at a number of different businesses, including two in particular, one a completely new business founded during Covid and another being an example of change of tack for a business owner and their response to the pandemic. You will have seen on the cover the words “snowflake” and we strongly recommend that you read this empowering article.

the best maga z i ne sp eci f i ca lly f o r b u si ness o w ner s

THE BUSINESS

OWNER MAGAZINE

Business Owners come in all shapes and sizes and have a variety of different needs and wants, but what we all have in common is the desire to build something and share it with the world. This publication aims to share those stories, struggles, innovations, tips and glories, positively.

NO click bait, NO hard sells, NO doom and gloom, NO whining, NO rehashed PR content.

DON’T BE DISCOURAGED. IT IS OFTEN THE LAST KEY IN THE BUNCH THAT OPENS THE LOCK. - unknown

table of 05

Better employee engagement

09

Meet the boss - Jacqueline Dyer

10

exhausted with burnout!

12

The workplace post-covid

14

cyber risks

20

source of your sales leads

22

The snowflake generation

26

company overview - Klink fitness

29

brexit, one month on...

No material may be reproduced in any way, or translated, without written permission of the publishers.

COPYRIGHT © 2020 IPLUS MEDIA

Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to ensure that adverts and articles appear correctly, but The Business Owner Magazine cannot accept responsibility for any loss or damage caused directly or indirectly by the contents of the publication.

The Business Owner Magazine is published by iPlus Media.

Editorial: hello@iplusgroup.co.uk Telephone: 01242 312121 | Website: iplusmedia.co.uk Head office: Suite 2, 14 Union Street, Stroud, Glos, GL5 2HE

The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of its publisher or editor.

people

better employee engagement =

better business success?

Employers around the UK had a horrendous 2020 so it is only natural that several areas of employee engagement have taken a backseat.

With the pandemic leading to tremendous changes in terms of how the world works, there also comes change in the sort of experience employees look for from their employers and business leaders. The core drivers for engagement have not changed, however its importance has been elevated in recent months.

Everyone should enjoy their work. When they do, talent stays, customers are happy, and organisations succeed.

So, what is employee engagement and why is it so important?

Employee engagement is the ‘involvement and enthusiasm of employees in their work and workplace.’ (Gallup).

An engaged employee is defined as one who is fully absorbed by- and enthusiastic about- their work and so takes positive action to further the company's reputation and interests.

Employers want engaged employees because, as well as being happier, healthier, and more fulfilled, they are more motivated and deliver improved business performance.

Research has repeatedly pointed to a relationship between how people are

managed, their attitudes and behaviour, and business performance, with organisations with high levels of employee engagement achieving greater business success.

If money is the language of business, engagement is the language of motivation and only through motivation does anything get done. When employees are engaged, they are naturally motivated to do work that is interesting, meaningful, rewarded and supported.

There is no quick fix to creating an engaged workforce and there are many common misconceptions. Many people think that engagement is about money; thinking that if you pay more, employees will be more engaged. When actually, it has been proven that only 4% of people identify pay as being key to their engagement.

This is not to say money is not important; if people are paid dramatically below the market rate then it will impact on how they are valued and in turn their engagement.

So, how do you create a highly engaged team?

72% of employees state that saying a simple THANK YOU would make them feel more motivated and help build morale.

Meaningful work

That is to say 2 in every 3 employees would be more productive if they were recognised.

When it comes to recognition saying thank you is so important; recognising the work the person has done, showing them, they are notice and valued.

People want to contribute to a higher purpose, beyond the practical needs of earning a living. Leaders must ensure that the organisation’s mission and purpose are clear and aligned with the employee experience. Managers play a significant role in helping employees understand how their role and daily tasks contribute to the organisation’s mission. Make a point to frequently explain how upcoming work will affect the business and help to fulfil the organisation’s mission or purpose.

Personal Development

Investing time and/or money in developing your employees and their skills can lead to them becoming ‘masters’ of their trade/vocation, benefitting them and the organisation. It is also worth looking beyond traditional training methods, and turning to podcasts, e-learning etc, which can also be supported in the world of remote working.

Encourage staff to share their knowledge with each other and empower more experienced employees to train others.

Think about charity and volunteering opportunities too, which can help employees develop skills they could not learn in an office environment.

Employee wellbeing

Ensuring your business looks after its people is paramount. Wellbeing initiatives can increase employee engagement and productivity because employees will feel valued and looked after – they will feel that they matter. Wellbeing programmes will also contribute towards decreasing your absence rates. Ask your employees to put their health first and play an active role in their physical and mental health by organising social activities, offering support, etc.

The future of employee engagement

Over the past decade and more so in recent years, employee engagement has transitioned from a nice-to-have metric to an essential strategy for doing business.

Employee engagement matters now more than ever. By developing a culture of employee engagement, leaders can forge strong, resilient organisations, teams, and individuals.

Employee Voice

Ensuring your employees are listened to is key to making your staff feel valued, appreciated, and respected. Taking your employee’s opinions on board will help you make positive and productive changes in your organisation that will retain key talent and assist organisational growth.

Recognition and Reward

Recognition motivates, provides a sense of accomplishment, and makes employees feel valued for the work they do. It also sends a message to other employees about what success looks like.

If you need more information on how important employee engagement is for your business, head to:

www.hr-star.co.uk

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meet the boss - covid special

Jacqueline Dyer - Name

Jacqueline Dyer

- Company

Giant Bradley’s Sweet Shop

- Position

Owner

- Industry

Online Confectionery Retail

What was your job role before Covid?

I have had many different roles within different industries. Pre-Covid my last role which I was made redundant from due to Covid was working in Customer Services, for a mail-order company, and prior to this I was a Web Design/Admin Assistant.

Could you describe your career path for the reader before Covid?

My career path has been very varied; I trained as a Building Surveyor at University but for one reason or another didn’t end up pursuing it.

Pre-Covid I will admit my career path has been largely determined by my two children. I have wanted to be there for them and watch them grow up therefore the roles I have worked in have been chosen as they were flexible in regard to the additional responsibilities I have as a

mother.

What is your new role/business?

I am the owner of an online sweet shop.

We stock a large variety of sweet gifts, pick and mix items as well as other sweet shop items. All items are delivered direct to the recipient’s door and all prices include free delivery.

How did this come about?

I’d considered setting up my own business for years but for one reason or another never took the plunge.

It was after being made redundant and struggling to find a role that was flexible so that I could care for my two children and also one that was forward thinking in regard to Covid that I decided that now was the moment that I would set up my own business.

Why did you decide to choose this?

Why an online sweetshop? Well, a friend suggested sweets and after much deliberation and drawing on experience I had gained working in different industries I decided it was a really good idea as it

What is the most important task you carry out each day?

Assessing and ensuring orders are filled and analysing marketing results.

What advice would you give to your 21-year-old self about your career journey?

was going back to something I knew in many ways and then expanding on it.

To be laid back about what lies ahead; you never know where you will end up or how you’ll get there. Just enjoy the good times and be hopeful and optimistic through the hard ones.

I had worked in retail, designed websites, worked in administration roles and also customer services over the years. The name was inspired by a local famous man - William Bradley (known as Giant Bradley) - as he lived in the town of Market Weighton which is where we are based.

What causes you the most stress at work?

What was the biggest challenge to getting started?

If you could instantly change one area or thing about your business, what would it be?

I think the biggest challenge to getting started has been deciding on the stock. The range of sweets is so vast, where to start has relied on taste-testing and research but, which products are stocked is dependent on the demographic and market that you want to target.

Few people dislike all forms of sweet so deciding what area of this market you want to specialise in has been difficult in some ways.

Are you optimistic, realistic or pessimistic about 2021?

I believe I am realistic about 2021. There is hope in regards to Covid and the vaccine, but we are all having to make adaptations to our lives in the meantime.

Being solely online has many benefits in this regard, but many people are struggling to make ends meet and this obviously is reflected in sales.

I work long hours starting at 8am some days and working through til 11pm, sometimes later! I juggle this with being a single parent which can be difficult at times - especially at the moment! - with homeschooling.

To be honest at the moment there is nothing I would change; I am very happy with my business and how it is growing and developing.

What do you do to unwind?

I enjoy family time, baking, writing and a walk.

Pre-Covid, a nice meal out and socialising.

If you could give a single piece of advice to a start-up entrepreneur what would that be?

That there are times when all you seem to do is work but the blood, sweat and tears will be worth it. That and as long as you have enthusiasm and love for your business then it has every chance of succeeding.

Thank you for taking the time to speak with us Jacqueline, it is great to hear a positive COVID story!

If you are interested in Matt’s services, please head to: www.giantbradleyssweetshop.com

wellbeing

with burnout!

The 17th March 2021 will mark the 1-year anniversary of my personal training facility being forced to shut due to Covid. Since, compounded by storm damage during Summer 2020, it still remains closed. Sadly, I am far from alone in this predicament - this is the blight of many businesses out there.

The past 12 months have led to many business owners doing what they do best, rolling up their sleeves, digging deep, showing innovation, motivating workforces, and surviving!!

Inevitably for many this has led to exhaustion, just at the point when we need the resolve to cope with the reopening after lockdown but would normally be considering some R&R with the family!!

With the idea of a holiday and time to recuperate unlikely we need to look at other ways to recover.

developing many long-term (chronic) conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some cancers.

Research shows that physical activity can boost mood, self-esteem and energy. It also improves sleep quality as well as reducing your risk of depression, stress, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

Eating healthy food can help to prevent certain diseases such as stroke, type 2 diabetes and heart disease and it can reduce your risk of developing some cancers. A healthy food intake will most likely prevent you becoming overweight or obese. If you are overweight or obese, eating healthy food and creating a deficit will help you lose weight.

These benefits alone should prompt us all to reassess, refocus and prioritise healthy food and exercise!!

However, the reality is very different. Time pressures, deadlines, family, embedded habits and cumulative tiredness makes the thought of exercise daunting let alone having to sort a healthy food routine.

But consider that with these both in place the following are likely to happen (relatively quickly): - Increased energy

- Quicker recovery

- Increased productivity

- Less irritability

- Better sleep

- Better focus

- Less sickness

- and more!

If this were available to purchase as a packaged strategic business growth plan, most business owners would sign up straight away and roll out across their workforce!!

With a little help from my health and wellbeing platform Xerlife all of this is available!! Right down to printing off your weekly shopping lists, recipes, exercise videos and tracking your progress!!

Exercise and food should play a huge part in this. The physical and mental benefits of regular exercise and healthy eating are well documented.

Exercising regularly will lower the risk of

All it takes is a few small tweaks to your weekly routine, the realisation that healthy eating doesn’t take long to prepare and finding the exercise that energises you!!!

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people

Let’s take a look at

As the vaccination for Covid19 rolls out the long-awaited light at the end of the tunnel is coming into view and our thoughts can tentatively begin to return to future plans.

post covid-19

Whilst many of us are looking to return to the things we loved before the pandemic began, are we seeing a shift in thinking around going back to a physical workplace?

And how will organisations manage the workforce that has faced very real personal changes and navigate their way through all the different belief systems and experiences the pandemic has created.

Return to the workplace

Whilst the balance has very obviously swung the other way and we have demonstrated that working from home can work, is the solution to the new workplace less binary than before, and is a hybrid model a reality?

In a LinkedIn study of UK C-level executives from mid-sized companies, it found two-fifths expect employees will be resistant to going back when offices reopen.

“

With a more flexible future likely, the biggest challenge companies will have beyond safety concerns is how they can create inclusive workplaces and cultures that work for remote workers, hybrid workers, and office-only workers says Janine Chamberlin, Senior Director at LinkedIn.

And yet it would seem that despite research and evidence many leaders want to get back to how we were prior to the pandemic.

Whenever the return begins there will be many hurdles to overcome and, according to PXhub.oi, the employee-engagement tool, the three biggest concerns for employees returning to work are: - Contact and proximity to others - Shared spaces being contaminated - Travel to and from work especially where the use of public transport is common For businesses some of these issues will be far more easily overcome than others, and perhaps this will lead to more flexibility around working hours and where we work initially but, once we look at the longer-term picture, will there be an expectation on employees to adapt and return to our pre-pandemic ways? The greatest tool a business can use to gain employee buy-in, is to ask and respond to employee experiences.

It is important to remember that the 8-hour working day was developed in the Industrial Revolution some 200 years ago. We now live in the Technological Revolution and have seen only too well how effective technology has been in our lives throughout the pandemic, so are we now ready to look at a new model? Hybrid hours and hybrid workplaces?

What else will the post-covid workplace bring?

The pandemic has been a leveller in terms of 'who we are' beyond the working person we’ve all had a window into each other’s lives and witnessed the lives we are all juggling, as well as the mental health impact Covid19 has had on so many. As the workforce begins its slow return to a new normal, organisations will need to navigate the realities so many have faced, and anxiety will be one very real part of that new picture.

All of this will push the need for well-being higher up the agenda as we consider our duty of care to employees. From sickness absence and compassionate leave there will be a real emphasis on businesses to better understand the needs of employees and offer a more compassionate workplace.

Equally, there will be a need to understand that without careful consideration a rise in grievances and disciplinaries may be very real as all the different views of the last year begin to collect under the same roof again.

So, whilst compassionate workplaces may seem fluffy to some, the reality is far from true. In fact, according to the CIPD “Negative interactions and work environments often result in toxic and bullying workplace cultures.” Compassion leads to the long-term benefits of an organisation. It is vital therefore that going forward from the pandemic we look at ways to put well-being higher up the agenda and adapt our practices to enable the sustainability of the future of work in our workplaces.

Where do you see yourself, or your business, in the next 3, 6, 12 months? Back in the office, or still working from home?

What about your employees, how do they feel?

If you need HR help during this time, contact Fresh Seed:

01926 357 355 www.freshseed.co.uk

operational

risks

and Insurance Solutions for SME UK businesses There has never been a more crucial time to review your cyber security protocols, take any necessary steps to strengthen them and get some robust cyber insurance in place, to ensure continuity of your business should the worst happen.

CAVEAT:

It is very important that companies understand that even the most robust cyber defence doesn’t guarantee 100% security, so having cyber insurance is an important backstop, augmenting the steps the business should already be taking to defend itself. Strong security protocols together with a bespoke insurance policy can make sure you are appropriately covered.

In its report, ‘Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2020’, the Government’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport presents some sobering facts: www.gov.uk/government/statistics/cyber-security-breaches-survey-2020

Basic information security protocols for any business If you own a business, chances are you have

- Almost 46% of businesses report having cyber security breaches or attacks in the past 12 months.

facts

In case you weren’t aware, the risks to businesses from cyber criminals is large; the problem is growing and only going to get worse. E-criminals have exploited staff working from home, with weaker endpoint security over the past 12 months, increasing their activities and putting hacking at an all-time high.

- 32% of those businesses hacked said they were experiencing issues every week in 2020.

- Phishing attacks rose from 72% to 86% in 2020 (Viruses and Malware dropped from 33% to 16%).

- Amongst businesses attacked, one in five experienced a material outcome, losing money or data. Two in five were negatively impacted eg: requiring new measures, having staff time diverted or causing wider business disruption.

- The average cost to businesses that experienced hacks was £3,230 rising to £5,220 for medium to large firms.

- Only 32% of businesses report being insured against cyber risk.

- Insurers ‘often played a major role in guiding organisations on cyber security’. laptops, mobile phones, staff, customers, products, payments, etc. Cyber criminals are after your data, money, intellectual property, or they’ll simply hijack your digital systems and hold you to ransom until you pay for the release (ransomware).

What is the bare minimum you should be doing?

- Backing up your data.

- Protecting your organisation from malware by installing the right software - Keeping your smartphones (and tablets) safe through password protection - Using complex passwords to protect your data - Avoiding phishing attacks by ensuring your people are aware of what to look for If you aren’t sure that you are doing enough, run through this really useful guide from the National Cyber Security Centre.

A donation diversion – A phishing attack The Phish The financial controller of a medical research company received an email purporting to be from Microsoft Office 365 Support Service.

They said they had received some emails which they’d quarantined for safety, but he could access them by clicking on the link below. Naturally he wanted to see the emails he’d been sent, so he clicked on the link and entered his Microsoft log in details when requested to view them. He’d just been socially engineered.

They’re in Now the hacker had full access to the financial controller’s computer. They accessed his inbox and set up a forwarding rule, that all emails arriving from a specific charity, who paid the research company large, regular amounts of money, be sent to a dormant folder and immediately marked as ‘read’.

www.ncsc.gov.uk/collection/small-business-guide

If you think you are already well protected, why not go through their ‘Exercise In a Box’? www.exerciseinabox.service.ncsc.gov.uk

What kinds of attacks should you look out for?

We could be here all day writing about different cyber attacks, but the Phishing Attack is one of the most common that you and crucially, your staff, should be aware of.

Phishing attacks are a form of social engineering; somebody manipulating you, a human, not a computer, to do something for them.

How does it work?

Generally, you will receive an email or a text from an organisation or individual you may know which, without closer inspection, looks genuine. In reality, they are trying to get you to click on a link or provide information which could allow them unfettered access to your entire business.

With phishing attacks, one click is all it takes.

The diversion The fraudster then emailed the charity’s accounts department, asking them to send all future payments to a new bank account.

No suspicions were raised at the charity as it came from a verified, known to them account. The next payment sent was £76,328 but of course it never arrived. It was only when the financial controller of the research company rang the charity to chase payment that the hack was uncovered.

The recovery Thankfully, one of the banks involved was able to claw back £27,653 and the charity claimed for the remaining £48,675 under the cybercrime section of their insurance policy with one of our trusted brokers, CFC. Without cover the charity would have suffered an unthinkably large loss.

How could this have been avoided?

2 Step Authorisation Aside from recognising the bogus email in the first place, this attack could have been

avoided by the research company having 2-step authorisation set up on their email account, ie. Every time the account is logged into, it requires a 2nd form of identification (sometimes a code sent by text) to ensure the person trying to access the account is genuine.

Call Back Procedure If the charity had a 'call-back' procedure in place, whereby all requests to change accounts or anything similar were double checked by a physical phone call, then this would have been stopped before the damage had been done.

Help is at hand We understand that this can be rather daunting and that you may need help to navigate this potential minefield; What are your risks? Are you doing enough? What more do you need to do?, etc, so we’ve created an industry-leading cyber proposition package to help our clients to identify, manage, insure and respond to cyber-attacks.

The good news is that with robust information security procedures, good staff training and specialist cyber insurance you will be covered for any eventuality and you can rest safe knowing your information security is being protected.

The Partners& cyber proposition is: - Risk insights – a library of documents that we share with clients, informing them about cyber risk: - What it is and how it affects them?

- What cyber risk looks like in their industry/sector?

- Cyber case - studies by industry/sector - Kynd Reports – (via our ecosystem partner Kynd) we provide a free analysis of the external cyber threats facing the client’s organisation, presented in a Red-Amber-Green format, as a PDF document. These reports include a section that compares the client’s level of cyber security against its industry/sector peers.

- Tailored Cyber Insurance Quotes: - Fully configurable cover/limit options - Benchmarking data - coverage - showing how much coverage organisations in each sector usually purchase (something clients often ask,” How much cover do we need?”)

- Benchmarking data – types - to show the types of cyber claims prevalent in each sector, and ranking them by the level of financial impact they have on the organisation.

- Breach Response smartphone app, with ‘ask us anything’ technical service, instant reporting of cyber events, and always-on threat detection for a client’s network.

- Cyber Security Services – (via our ecosystem partner Mitigate Cyber) we can offer clients: - ‘Mitilearn’ - cyber security awareness training for a client’s staff - ‘Mitihack’ - simulated phishing and hacking (penetration testing) to help clients stress-test their cyber security and identify vulnerabilities - ‘Miticert’ - Cyber Essentials certification so our clients can demonstrate their commitment to excellence in cyber security - ‘Miticomply’ - centralised policy template library and policy management tool, helping clients achieve and maintain GDPR compliance.

cyber

myth busters But I don’t need cyber insurance because… ‘…we invest heavily in our IT security and data compliance’ Reality: Great that you have security measures in place but no matter how good it is, if a member of staff clicks on a phishing email, you are still vulnerable. ‘…we outsource our IT so we’ve removed our exposure to risk’.

Reality: Even if you outsource your IT chances are, you’re still liable.

Assuming you’ll be able to claim back damages from a 3rd party is a risk. ‘…we don’t collect any sensitive data so there’s no need for us to worry about GDPR or cyber insurance’.

Reality: Any business that relies on a computer system to operate, has a very real cyber exposure. ‘…cyber attacks only affect big businesses – we’re too small to be a target’.

Reality: Cyber criminals target the most vulnerable companies, not just the most valuable. #lowhangingfruit ‘…cyber is already covered by other types of insurance we have’.

Reality: Traditional insurance policies lack the depth and breadth of standalone cyber cover.

For more information, please visit

www.partnersand.com/businesses/insurance-types/cyber-2/ or call Matthew Clark on 07775 537387

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E E R F R O F Y R T ITMEN M M O C O 1 4 DAY, N

T TRIAL

Are you getting enough leads?

your sales leads?

sales

there is a number of sources available, and we take a look at a few examples In this article we look at sources for new sales enquiries and how there are so many different sources to choose from and why tracking is vital. A source of a lead can be as simple as a referral from a friend of a friend or as sophisticated as remarketing AI algorithms, but a source of a lead can come from anywhere.

The last few years have seen the emergence of digital marketing as the leading source of leads for the majority of B2C products and for a number of B2B products, with the key players being Google and Facebook in terms of advertising spend. Those of us who saw the start of Google and the direction of Facebook there was always going to be a point where both Google and Facebook would recoup their huge investment in technology to give people a free platform.

You need to think carefully before you invest in digital marketing and it is not only finding the right person internally or the right external partner, but what do you do when you get a lead through your digital advertising. I look at the huge investment into gaining clicks, leads and forms being filled in, but make sure you have a strategy to capitalise on these leads rather than just ignore them if they do not convert.

In terms of printed materials, you should consider how you use printed materials as they still have a use as a source of leads, not just for B2C but very much for B2B if done as a part of a lead strategy. Leaflets, business cards, flyers, brochures and, even when people can meet again, then signage can play a significant part in generating leads and you should consider the use of printed materials. The use of local directories or even Church magazines are a great source of leads in particular for those in B2C and for many trades-people and home-improvements companies.

the pros Are you struggling to get new sales leads? why not outsource?

LEt’s take a look at the pros and cons...

PROS:

The recent events of Covid has led to a different approach to face-to-face meetings; from arranged appointments through to trade exhibitions - most have had to go online. Moving forward, face-to-face meetings will return, but there is a place for online meetings for a number of reasons.

However, people do buy from people and that is achieved through meetings and conversations either in person or online. In person meetings are the best way to get to know someone and you should include networking and exhibitions as a really good source of leads.

You must remember that a lead is in a number of cases qualified, especially from an ecommerce point of view – a sale is not only a qualified lead, it is a new customer and you can exploit the lifetime value of that customer. In many cases, a lead is just that: a lead. You then need to have clear processes in place to turn that lead into a customer, Unfortunately, many companies do not have a clear process to take a lead and turn it into a customer.

Finally, you need to record the source for all your leads, for the simple reason being you need to know where to continue to invest your sales and marketing money.

Great to hear from iPlus Sales CEO, Phil Coley, as he shares his expertise with us.

If you want more information on the sales services Phil can offer you, please head to:

www.iplussales.co.uk

- It could be very cost effective - hiring full time salespeople can be expensive so outsourcing on a part time basis may be a much better option until your cashflow allows for more.

- Gain an experienced team - if your current sales team lacks experience then outsourcing may be a huge plus for you.

- No extra cost on office space - using an outsourced company means you don’t need to use any office space, or resources.

- Greater competitive advantage - you may find that outsourcing gives you access to skills and knowledge which can give you a competitive edge over your competitors.

- More time to focus on other things - by outsourcing your sales and lead generation you will have more time to spend on the things you and your current team do best.

CONS:

- May have less knowledge of your business field - you may find that the outsourced team doesn’t have as in-depth knowledge of your business as you do.

- Possible risk of security - using an outsourced team may leave you company open to security risks, so be sure to choose a company you trust to handle your sales.

operational

generation YOUNG PEOPLE; DREAM, RISE UP, TAKE RISKS, LOOK AT LIFE WITH A NEW SMILE, GO FORWARDS, DO NOT BE FEARFUL! - pope francis

I think there's a time for everyone, when your generation gets a little bit of stick.

Right now, there's no doubt about it being the turn of millennials. The 'snowflake' generation.

Millennials sit between Gen X and Gen Z, with a birth date range of 1981 to 1996. It's a hard place, to be a millennial.

We were born into a world where the internet consisted of dial-up connection, and using the landline was only possible if somebody wasn't on the computer. We remember the dial-up tone, having 5 channels on the TV, and mobile phones relying on pay-as-you-go.

However, we are also the generation who grew up alongside tech. Our teenage years were littered with awful Facebook photos and mobile phones that could suddenly be used to browse. The huge acceleration of technology has brought about 'early-onset nostalgia' - our childhoods feel so out of reach, because of the differences in the world around us - and yet really only a decade or so has passed.

As a millennial business owner, there's a huge expectation for you to know everything about the online world. The ins and outs of social media, the latest trends, the how-tos, it's a result of the assumption that we were born into the digital world.

However, there are plenty of millennials who don't necessarily know how to navigate the online landscape, or how to use it to their advantage from a business perspective.

When Coronavirus hit, this became more obvious than ever - those who were not online, who didn't know how to make a name for themselves without word of mouth, floundered beneath the world of online shops and products. They couldn't jump into working remotely, or building a business online, despite there being this belief that millennials know everything because they were 'born digital'.

I'm a very proud millennial. I love that I'm a part of this generation - the generation who are now coming up as leaders in the world.

Whilst I may be considered a 'younger' millennial at 28, it's not a label I shirk off. I believe it is being a part of this generation that has led me run a successful online business which works with people across all age-brackets, abilities, skillsets and passions.

The millennial mindset is often spoken badly - we are the first 'snowflake generation'. However, at the core of the snowflake mindset is simply a shift. It's a shift in the traditional way of thinking 'accept what you're given' and instead is a cross-over between yes, taking what you're given, but also going out and getting what you want.

I don't think there's anything strong or admirable about putting up with things that you shouldn't. Whether it's discrimination, long working hours, unrealistic expectations or lying in business to get ahead. As a generation, we're looking at how to do things differently, and how to do things better. We know from our own experience and pushback, that if you're in the right mindset you can grow and change and be an example of what the world could be. If not putting up with crap makes you a snowflake, then I'm extremely passionate and proud to be one.

environmentally. We want to make the world a better place.

I very much believe in the impact that our generation can have. If you're a business owner, you should be taking guidance and inspiration from all walks of life - all ages, all ethnicities, all demographics - everybody has something to offer that could improve your business or teach you new things.

The sooner we can stop putting ourselves into generational categories, and start looking at ourselves as people with a passion, the sooner we can create a future that we all want to be a part of.

The relationship between millennials and tech has positioned us as the pioneers of grabbing opportunities as they're presented to us - and they've never been presented so readily, thanks to the instancy of the online world. It's never been easier to build a brand and or build a business, anyone could start a business and launch it within a couple of weeks if they know what they're doing, and millennials are at the heart of those who are doing this.

You can never generalise an entire generation based on the actions of thoughts of a minority, but this seems to have happened. As a proud millennial, I say that we're wanting to do things differently, to shake things up and make things better for the planet. Culturally, socially,

Do you need support on your personal brand journey? Head to Hannah’s website, or YouTube for some great advice:

www.hannahpower.co.uk www.youtube.com/channel/UCMdk0nHVlwWSHw6yYDIsTyQ

BE THE LEADER your eight-year-old self would want you to be

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company overview

Klink Fitness

Welcome to the Business Owners Magazine quick interview – conducted in a very socially distanced fashion! Here we try and get an insight into a company leader and their industry to find out what makes them tick and how their challenges and lessons could help you in your business.

- Name

Graeme McCoy

- Company

Klink Fitness

- Position

Founder

- Industry

Fitness

What does your company do?

Klink specialises in the Manufacture of premium modular dumbbells. We have just recently launched our patent pending Fitlok Dumbbells in January of this year.

Tell us a bit about the background of the founders of the company?

I (Graeme) am the co-founder and managing director of Springfort Precision Engineering along with my brother-in-law. We started this business in 2018 and we have been growing steadily and have enjoyed taking on the challenge of growing a business.

Nikita is a staff nurse who specialised in Pancreatic and Liver services from 2009, and now works for Springfort (officially since October 2020) to assist in the running of the family business. Nikita was always involved in the business, but it has been great to have a role for her officially.

How did the idea for the product come about?

The idea for Klink Fitness came about during

the Covid19 pandemic. With a lot of fitness clubs and gyms closing during the first lockdown, myself and my wife hired fitness equipment from our local gym.

Unfortunately, we felt frustrated with the amount of equipment lying around. During the summer months we both enjoy getting outdoors for a workout but having to move 4 or 5 sets of dumbbells was always a chore.

My wife felt it would be fun to design a new concept of adjustable dumbbell. We undertook some market research and saw there was only a small variety of adjustable dumbbells on the market, with all them being very similar and for us, not that pleasing to the eye. We thought it was a great opportunity to create something compact, modern and innovative that could be stored away very easily in the home. We believe we have achieved this as our dumbbell kit can easily be stored away in a neat transportable case to allow for workouts outdoors, meeting up at fitness

Would you have developed the business and the product if Covid had not happened?

100% no. This idea was sparked from lockdown.

What motivates you?

clubs or personal trainers training their clients at different locations.

Where is the product made?

Klink Fitlok Dumbbells are manufactured in Northern Ireland. We really want to focus on keeping all our production here in the UK and Ireland and, all being well, help our own economy recover after the last year of covid.

What were the challenges of starting a company in Lockdown?

Difficulties came with no face-to-face meetings with suppliers. At the early stages, suppliers either closed or placed their staff on furlough so processes to longer to complete due to longer lead times. Nikita was still working as a staff nurse over the first lockdown, so we had to juggle her work, the business & our daughter not at school.

How well has the product been received?

We have had very encouraging feedback. People really like the concept. The aesthetics of the product have also been greatly received. We are delighted with the encouraging feedback.

What are you plans for the future with the company and the product?

We have plans to expand our product range. We already have a lot great ideas we want to bring to life. We both share the same vision.

The challenge is something we both thrive on. We both like to be busy & this has been something new & exciting for us. We have enjoyed every process of getting our product to market. We make a very productive team.

What advice would you give to someone thinking of taking a product to market?

Absolutely go for it. Take the leap to try something new. Have realistic expectations that the process will take time. Use good suppliers. Quality is essential, your suppliers must be reliable, understand your product and deliver on time.

Thanks Graeme To shop the Fitlock Dumbells, please visit

www.klink.fit

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HOW DOES IT AFFECT

BREXIT,

YOUR BUSINESS LEGALLY? Business lawyers at Gloucestershire’s Willans LLP have put together a quick guide which makes essential reading for businesses, particularly for those who process personal data in the EU.

The pandemic has understandably diverted attention and resources for many businesses, at a time when Brexit preparations may otherwise have been top of the agenda.

Nonetheless, the transition period is now over, and a clearer picture of the future relationship between the UK and EU has emerged. Read on to find out what your business needs to do now, what can wait and what measures should already be in place…

What data-related matters may affect my organisation? Do I need to act now?

As the UK is now outside of the EU, it is regarded as a ‘third country’, and as a result many UK companies will need to have an ‘EU representative’ in place to act as a direct contact for the individuals whose data they are processing, and also data protection supervisory authorities in the EEA. You will need an EU representative if your business does not have offices or branches in the European Economic Area (EEA) and you are offering goods or services to individuals in the EEA, or monitoring their behaviour through e.g. targeted advertising or data ‘profiling’, and are holding or processing their data for those purposes.

This has become a requirement for UK businesses as of 1 January 2021, and for businesses in the rest of the world it has been a requirement since 2018.

The EU representative serves as a contact point between your organisation, the supervisory authorities in the EU

and relevant data subjects. They will be able to help you with holding data processing records, be a point of liaison between EU supervisory authorities and handle subject access requests.

Various data protection services organisations can act as your EU representative, such as Willans’ sister company, Willans Data Protection Services.

How does Brexit affect GDPR more generally? Has anything changed?

The Brexit Treaty allows for personal data to flow freely between the UK and the EU (and EEA) for a four month period, extendable to six months. So, in this respect, things won’t change for another few months.

Information Commissioner, Elizabeth Denham, said “This means that organisations can be confident in the free flow of personal data from 1 January, without having to make any changes to their data protection practices.”

The ICO adds “As a sensible precaution, before and during this period, the ICO recommends that businesses work with EU and EEA organisations who transfer personal data to them, to put in place alternative transfer mechanisms, to safeguard against any interruption to the free flow of EU to UK personal data.”

This is because, although it is hoped that following this period the UK’s data protection laws will be formally deemed ‘adequate’ by the European Commission, allowing free data flows in both directions, this is by no means certain, and the proposal faces opposition in certain quarters.

Four to six months is not a long period of time if you need to put operational changes in place, and you would be well-advised to start preparing if the changes are set to affect your business. Contact Willans for bespoke support with this.

What about commercial contracts? Has anything changed now the transition period is over?

It’s not too late to review contracts, particularly looking at the definitions of key terms. For example, if it refers to the EU as a ‘territory’ you need to identify if the definition covers member states ‘from time to time’ or does it specifically name countries? It would also be sensible to review any contractual mechanisms in place for pricing, and who would be liable should goods take longer as a result of border delays, for example. Read more about commercial contracts post-Brexit on Willans’ website.

I’m an employer. Are there any specific changes which affect me?

There are no immediate employment legislation changes as a result of the end of the transition period. It is worth bearing in mind though, that the UK courts will not be bound by new decisions of the ECJ to the extent that they were, although all previous ECJ decisions are enshrined into UK law.

If you employ EU citizens, you will probably be aware that a new points-based system and a new ‘skilled worker’ immigration category is now operational in the UK. Read more about the business immigration requirements that your business will be subject to.

Need legal support or advice?

Willans’ business team are on hand with straightforward, approachable legal support, whatever challenges your business may face in the months or years ahead.

You can also get to know some of the firm’s employment and corporate lawyers by viewing a free Brexit webinar on the firm’s website. www.willans.co.uk/knowledge/brexitwebinar/ For more help, or advice you can find out more about Willans here:

www.willans.co.uk

do you want to the business owner magazine?

There are a number of flexible options available to you. The Business Owner Magazine is a great place to advertise your business to other business owners.

Get in touch to find out all the details. hello@iplusgroup.co.uk 01242 312121

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OWNER MAGAZINE

HOPE Hope is the place where you want to go Hope is the person who you want to know Hope is the feeling that carries you through and hope is the future for me and you.

- ms Moem

t he b e st magazi ne spe c i fic a lly for busine ss owne rs

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