SBT issue 450

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SUSSEX BUSINESS TIMES

WE SPEAK TO KULJIT MOORE-JUNEJA AHEAD OF NATIONAL FERTILITY AWARENESS WEEK RUNNING FROM THE 1ST TO THE 5TH NOVEMBER 2021

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 1

S E RVI NG TH E SUSSE X BUS I N ES S COM MUN ITY S I NCE 197 5

with

Sam Thomas

The podcast that talks about the highs and the lows of running a business and being an entrepreneur.

We hear from Sussex based Business owners about their journeys, discussing the good, the bad and everything in between.

Kaplicky, 19/08/2021

AppleUser121212, Fri

Love the authenticity of this podcast

Inspiring and relevant business podcast

I love a business focussed podcast and this is a great one, so fascinating to hear the stories of how the owners started their businesses. A really authentic discussion as well, it’s so important that the low points of the journey are discussed as well as we all have them.

This podcast is a great listen for any business owner. Lots of wisdom from business people who have been there and got the t-shirt, with a great story to tell along the way. The passion of guests and the superb presenter, Sam Thomas, comes through every step of the way.

Listen on

County Business Clubs Content Hub

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SBTWelcome

W E LCO M E

Welcome to the latest, packed issue of SBT

The last few weeks have been amazing attending some great events, especially the iconic Best of British Brighton at the Grand

with nearly 500 guests at the end of September. I know there were times over the last 18 months we questioned if that would ever happen again. (How great it was that it did)

Ahead of National Fertility Awareness week from 1st November, this month’s cover feature I had the great pleasure in speaking

with the amazing Kuljit Moore-Juneja, owner of Sussex Downs Fertility clinic and discovered fertility is not just about overcoming issues. It is also about offering people choices.

You would have hopefully all seen I have been busy in the podcast studio at Plus X, chatting to some of Sussex’s most well-known

business owners and entrepreneurs about their business journey. Creating some great content for the growing County Business Clubs community. Thank you all for your support with the podcast, especially my amazing sponsors James Johnson, Picture Book Films.

As always, this issue is packed with insights, advice, and great content across a variety of sectors, written by the Sussex business community for the Sussex business community.

Thank you all as always for your continued support and I hope you enjoy the issue, Sam Thomas, Managing Director

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Issue 450

Cover 450

Managing Director/Publisher Sam Thomas sam@thebusinessgroup.co.uk 01323 819 012 Production & Design Kim Butler Accounts Clare Fermor accounts@thebusinessgroup.co.uk 01323 819 016 Published by The Business Group Sussex Ltd. Unit 1a Swan Barn Business Centre, Swan Barn Road, Hailsham, BN27 2BY Printed by L&S Printing Limited Hazelwood Close Worthing BN14 8NP 01903 821005 www.ls-printing.com

All material in this publication is strictly copyright and all rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is prohibited. The views expressed in Sussex Business Times Magazine do not necessarily represent the view of The Business Group Sussex Ltd. Every care is taken in compiling the contents but the publishers of Sussex Business Times Magazine assume no responsibility for any damage, loss or injury arising from the participation in any offers, competitions or advertisement contained within Sussex Business Times Magazine. All prices featured in Sussex Business Times Magazine are correct at the time of going to press.

Copyright The Business Group Sussex Ltd. 2020 ©

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05 11 15 21 27 33 39 43 49 53 59 65 71 77 83 87

Monthly News

A round up of news and good news stories from across the County

SBT Finance

What does growth look like for the East Sussex Small Businesses?

SBT Legal

Doubling ground rents – Will the Leasehold Reform Bill help me?

SBT People Management & Recruitment

Multigenerational workplaces and remote working Future proofing: is your business ready for a future that includes everyone?

SBT Cover Feature

We chat to Kuljit Moore-Juneja ahead of National Fertility Awareness Week

SBT Start Ups & Entrepreneurs Why company data is critical? -BIPC

SBT Good Business

Don’t Know what to do? Good – Matthew Bellringer

SBT Sales & Marketing

What is representation & why it matters? Stephanie Prior Blend – A CRM (kind of) - Whitespace

SBT Tech

Silicon Brighton launches initiative to address inequalities in tech

SBT Charity

Rockinghorse round-up Southern Sheeting trek 50km across SAS training ground for charity

SBT Motor News

Driving Laws you didn’t know existed - Rivervale

Chamber News

We hear from Sussex Chamber & Brighton Brighton Chamber

SBT Networking & Events

Network My Club make an exciting return to in-person events Jackie’s Networking Adventures continued...

SBT Sport

Laurence Elphick Asks – A round up of sport from across the County and much more…

SBT Lifestyle

Sussex Spirit Makers scoop Top Award Wine of the Month

SBT Ask the Expert

How to make big things happen even if you’re an idiot – Lee Bridges And Then What? Ask the Expert special - Yaron Engler

SBT MONTHLY NEWS

SBT MONTHLY NEWS SPONSORED BY:

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 5

From L to R: Councillor Stephen Holt, Councillor David Tutt (Council Leader), Caroline Ansell MP, Nick Ansell, Christina Ewbank

Bonners celebrates official launch of new flagship store in Eastbourne

The official opening of Eastbourne’s biggest music store was celebrated in rock n’ roll style with more than 70 guests.

Bonners hosted a

Monthly News

VIP launch party

at its new flagship premises at 9

Faraday Close on

Thursday, September 30, with music, food and tours of the store.

Guests included Caroline Ansell, MP for Eastbourne and Willingdon; Councillor David Tutt, the Leader of Eastbourne Borough Council; the Mayor and

Mayoress of Eastbourne; local business

leaders, music teachers and local bands.

6 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

Tony White, co-owner of Bonners, said:

ranges across the major brands.”

enjoyed having a look around our new

Bonners has a huge range of guitars

“It was a great turnout and people guitar, piano and keyboard store.

“These premises allow us more space to display the fantastic instruments on sale and allow customers to try before they buy, which is really important.

“Our new facilities have been well

received. They include a guitar and amp testing booth, video suite, an

extended guitar workshop and wider

from brands including Gibson, Fender,

Epiphone, Ibanez, Martin, PRS, Gretsch and more. It also boasts a room full of Martin acoustic guitars.

The Eastbourne store has the largest selection of acoustic pianos, digital

pianos and keyboards south of London with brands including Yamaha, Kawai, Feurich, Roland, Hammond Nord, Casio and Korg.

MON T H LY N E WS

Inside the Bonners guitar workshop

Bonners co-owner Tony White at the microphone

The store’s on-site guitar workshop and

repair centre can handle anything from a

basic re-string to more in-depth electronic repairs and pick-up replacement.

Now in its 45th year of trading,

Bonners was opened in a small shop in Ivy Terrace in Eastbourne town centre by musician Peter Bonner,

who was a resident act at the Kings

Country Club working alongside global artists such as Neil Diamond, Dusty Springfield and Tom Jones.

The popularity of Bonners meant more

space was soon needed and it moved to a larger space next door, followed by a

second shop in Grove Road in the 1980s.

Over the years, Bonners has gone from

strength to strength with a further move to Langney Road in 2005 to accommodate the ever-expanding business.

Tony had a stint of work-experience at Bonners aged 14 and ‘absolutely

loved it’. This was quickly followed by a Saturday job, when he would often be tasked with promoting pianos in the Arndale Centre, then a full-time

position throughout the 1990s. In

Additionally, Tony has his own YouTube

his business partner Myke Edwards

piano and keyboard instruments on

2000, he took over the company with

channel where he demonstrates new

who had joined Bonners in 1990.

offer, which has attracted a following of

They have since opened two new

Bonners stores in Reigate, Surrey, and

more than 30,000 subscribers.

Bonners, which employs 20 full-time

in Milton Keynes.

staff across its three stores, saw piano

The new out-of-town location for

with parents buying them for at-home

for Bonners.

instrument as a new pastime and for

the Eastbourne store is a perfect fit

Tony said: “At 11,000 sq ft across two-

and guitar sales soar during lockdown children and people taking up the mental health benefits.

storeys, this store is more open and has

Christina Ewbank, Chief Executive

previous town centre site.

of Commerce, said: “Bonners is

“Crucially, here we have 20 parking

stories and I am delighted this well-

getting to us by car is easy or for anyone

to thrive and adapt despite the

a more relaxed atmosphere than our

of Eastbourne & District Chamber

one of Eastbourne’s great success

spaces and excellent road access, so

established business has continued

travelling by train, Hampden Park railway

difficulties posed by Covid-19.

station is just a short walk away.

“I wish the Bonners team well in their

“Both the guitar store and piano and

new Eastbourne home.”

experienced and helpful team, so

Visit online at bonnersmusic.co.uk

keyboard centre are staffed by an

existing and new customers can use

our specialist knowledge to make an

informed decision for their purchase.”

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 7

MO NT H LY N E WS

Midnight scoops GOLD for best Public Sector Campaign Award

Midnight Communications has added yet another gong to its heaving awards cabinet with an award for best Public Sector Campaign at the recent CIPR PRide awards.

The agency was

Monthly News

recognised for the

team’s outstanding

work on behalf of its client, public sector

and civil service membership club, Boundless.

The team developed a creative

integrated campaign to boost awareness of Boundless and its role as a champion for the public sector and civil service through ownership of Public Service Day, supported through PR, film,

research, advertorial, social media and public affairs.

8 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

Joint Managing Director Flo Powell

great results on behalf of our clients.”

tough for those working in public service

The CIPR PRide Awards recognise the

and then the Covid pandemic creating

of public relations practitioners across

turn that on its head and celebrate public

are the most prestigious and rigorous

commented: “Life has been incredibly

over the last couple of years with Brexit

outstanding talents and achievements

a perfect storm. Our campaign aimed to

the UK’s regions and nations. They

service in all its glory, charting an increase

awards of their kind.

in appreciation and restoring pride.

“I’m hugely proud that our team took home the gold award for best Public Sector Campaign – it was a tough

category. Our focus is always coming up with fresh ideas and nothing

motivates us more than achieving

For more information, please visit www.midnight.co.uk.

MON T H LY N E WS

Michael Gietzen included in UK’s Top 50 Most Ambitious Business Leaders for 2021 The managing director of Identity, the events agency responsible for some of the UKs largest events over the last two years, has been included on LDC Top 50 List.

LDC Top 50 Most

Monthly News

Ambitious Business Leaders for 2021,

supported by The

Times, identifies and

celebrates the UK’s most ambitious business leaders behind growing

medium-sized businesses from every

sector and region of the UK economy.

The programme, now in its fourth year,

celebrates the inspiring leaders behind some of the UK’s most successful and fast-growing businesses. Identity is

the only events agency to feature in the 2021 list.

Michael was nominated by Identity’s Director of Live Events, Janet Dodd.

Janet said: “I’m pleased that Michael’s ambitious leadership has been

recognised. Since I joined Identity

three years ago I have been inspired by Michael’s desire to make Identity the

UK’s largest events agency. This ability to encourage and motivate others,

combined with his general optimistic

and positive approach to the business

makes him a great business leader and very worthy of the accolade.”

Michael Gietzen said: “I am delighted to be a member of the LDC Top 50.

My ambition for Identity is limitless.

As well as delivering world-class events for some of the world’s

largest brands and organisations,

Identity’s team of 200+ talented event professionals blaze an important trail for improvements in sustainability

within our sector. There’s a lot to be proud of at Identity.”

Despite the challenges of the last 18 months, Identity continued to

expand, attracting heavy hitting industry talent

and winning prestigious corporate clients,

including Panasonic, Unilever and RollsRoyce Motor Cars, amongst others.

LDC’s John Garner

added: “The last 18

months have presented challenges that none of

us could have foreseen, but despite everything, it’s fantastic to see

that so many business leaders have achieved remarkable things.

Congratulations to all

those featured and we look forward to seeing

their continued success

and impact, and contribution the broader UK economy.”

Identity has experienced extraordinary

success over the last decade – this year it ranked in 25th place in the Sunday

Times Fast Track 100 companies and

last year received a Queen’s Award for

Enterprise in International Trade. With its

HQ in Sussex and a new office in central London, Identity boasts some of the

sector’s most experienced and highly creative professionals.

Identity’s work has been in continuous demand across the private and public

sectors, making it one of the few

continuous rising stars in the events sector – even amidst the pandemic.

Following the success of its faultless delivery of the G7 Summit in June,

Identity is now in the final stages of

preparations for COP26, taking place in Glasgow in November. The vital climate

talks will be the largest ever gathering of heads of state to take place in the UK. Identity is actively recruiting for

a number of key roles, in various departments including account

management and production. Visit

https://identitygroup.co.uk/careers/ for more information.

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 9

MO NT H LY N E WS

Irwin Mitchell Advises Landlink Estates on Forward Funded Deal

Landlike Estates completed £18.6m sale of first phase of Saltbox Business Park, West Sussex to Knight Frank investors.

Monthly News

September 27th 2021

Bognor Regis in West Sussex, which

property assets going forward.”

Landlink Estates has

businesses and provide 4,000 jobs.

Landlink Estates was advised by Will

£18.6 million forward

Landlink Estates Ltd is an independent,

Owner/developer

completed on the

has the potential to accommodate 150

funding sale of the first phase of Saltbox

privately owned property development

Landlink Estates was advised by law

managing over 6,500 acres of land and

Business Park to Knight Frank Investors.

company based in West Sussex

firm Irwin Mitchell.

property. It is part of the Langmead

Saltbox Business Park is an industrial/

long-established portfolio of fresh food,

retail/logistics/warehouse park in Bognor Regis, West Sussex situated in 17 acres of land. The first phase of the scheme

Group, a family-owned business with a farming, and property businesses.

Paul Hanson, CEO of LandLink Estates

included 3 plots in which the owner

said: “We have recently expanded our

B2 and B8 to deliver a range of trade,

to step up our work across both the

from 2,500 to 150,000 sq. ft.

land sectors. This deal with Knight

Phase 1 of the Business Park is now

the institutional market and we are

the-art Warburtons distribution facility,

add value to our extensive land and

achieved planning consent for B1 (C), industrial, retail and warehouse units

fully operational and houses a state-ofas well as a new Aldi food store and Starbucks and Greggs drive thrus, all of which are anticipated to open in Q3 2021.

The site benefits from proximity to Gatwick

Airport and the international commercial and ferry

ports at Southampton

and Portsmouth, as well as quick road access to the M27. It falls within

Enterprise Bognor Regis, a

70-hectare commercial and employment development opportunity located on the northern edge of

10 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

management team and are planning

commercial development and strategic Frank Investors is our first step into looking for further opportunities to

Marsh of Marsh & Baxter and CBRE,

and law firm Irwin Mitchell, led by real estate partner Guy Sackett.

Guy Sackett said: “It’s been exciting

to advise Landlink Estates on its first

foray into the institutional market and to help them deliver a great result in what remains a challenging market for commercial development. This

area of West Sussex, with its good

transport links, has been growing in popularity and our client has been

able to take advantage in the growth

in demand for quality warehousing and logistics facilities to secure a good

sale. We hope to continue working with

Landlink Estates as they explore further opportunities to unlock value from their

land and property assets in the region.”

SBT FINANCE

WHAT DOES GROWTH LOOK LIKE FOR EAST SUSSEX SMALL BUSINESSES?

BY ALWAYS POSSIBLE

SBT FINANCE SPONSORED BY:

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 11

What does growth look like for East Sussex small businesses in a year like no other?

Businesses don’t grow on their own.

They need the

Finance

fundamentals: processes,

infrastructure, strategy to grow.

funding and a

is having people with drive, motivation and skills to push the business on.

always possible has been lucky enough to work with a range of incredibly

impressive, resilient businesses across East Sussex through the South East

Even with the best plans in place, growth

Business Boost (SEBB) programme,

sometimes exciting and opening doors;

Development Fund.

plans are at the mercy of external forces: often scary and the unpredictable.

But the most important factor that

determines whether a business will grow

12 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

part-funded by the European Regional

A year into the programme, we’ve seen some amazing examples of drive in the

face of the some of the most challenging

economic conditions ever. It’s fascinating to see both new and established

companies take a long look at their

business goals to work out what kind of

growth is important to them, and chase it.

Here’s the stories of three of those businesses.

Shrub Provisions

Shrub Provisions Ltd was founded in September 2020. Their aim is to

supply chefs and restaurants with the highest quality produce from farms in

FI NA NCE

SEBB grant to make the most of

heart of the South Downs National Park.

improve their efficiency.

themselves quickly, with 92% occupancy

better-than-expected trade to date and

Shrub invested in a van, fridge and

Despite COVID-19, they had established in the first 9 months of trading.

racking. This is allowing them to more

Demand for business has been high.

allows them to reduce weekly collection

residents booking UK holidays. They

than double their delivery orders and times by 6 hours. It allowed them to

improve storage capacity & facilities

as well as increase the range of chilled

COVID has caused large spikes in UK wanted to make the most of the positive trading conditions to grow.

products. Leaving them in great shape

From guest surveys, it became clear that

clients re-opened in the summer.

vehicles, and also explore the local area by

to build up their business when their

Tidmas Townsend

a high number prefer to limit their use of

other means, are active and love activities.

Tidmas Townsend is a business

With part funding of £10,000 from a

company is 65 years old and over the

investing in an electric van to offer more

packaging printer & manufacturer. The past 12 years turnover has increased

by 400%, staffed by passionate people,

alive to new opportunities brought on by the rise of e-commerce.

They’d noticed a gap in the market.

Demand for short runs (50 – 10k) of

printed large-letter boxes was growing.

Such bespoke packaging is highly

popular for sales of e-commerce items,

SEBB grant, Alfriston Wood Cabins are

customer transportation: from pickups, to paddle-boarding excursions and curated

day trips to the best local establishments.

Living and working in a national park meant they wanted their business

to grow but only in a way that was

right for their local area: promoting

environmentally low-impact practices throughout their business, proving

Sussex and Kent and to provide full

but hard to get hold of in small quantities.

sourced produce comes from. There is

The company purchased print equipment

If you are an E Sussex SME or sole

links between restaurants and farms are

to create an offer of full colour boxes

look at the SEBB programmes to get

transparency on where the sustainably a concern across the industry that the

part funded by a £10,000 SEBB Grant

not as clear as they should be.

for micro sellers: a customer base

They quickly built up a network of 25

of retail during the COVID-19 pandemic.

COVID hit their plans hard, with half

Investment in new technology at the

they survived by pivoting to a veg-box

in that can be measured in days while

markets to boost revenues.

operate the equipment.

Shrub decided to use the spring

Alfriston Wood Cabins

investments with the help of a £4700

two self catering woodland cabins in the

farms and 50 restaurants to supply.

turbocharged by the further move online

their client restaurants closing. However,

right time has meant efficiency savings

delivery business and trading at farmers

the business will create 2 new jobs to

2021 period to make their first capital

They opened in July of 2020, offering

growth can be sustainable.

trader with an idea for growth, take a some expert help and funding to make the most of your motivation.

always possible are a strategic

development company led by designers, educators, and business specialists. www.alwayspossible.co.uk South East Business Boost Programme has been part funded by the European Regional Development Fund 2014-20. It is a partnership between Southend-on-Sea Borough Council, Essex County Council, Kent County Council, East Sussex County Council and Thurrock Council.

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 13

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For help and advice on your bookkeeping and accounts, please call our friendly team

T – 01403 588639 14 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

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SBT

LEGA L

LEGAL

DOUBLING GROUND RENTS – WILL THE LEASEHOLD REFORM BILL HELP ME?

BY MAYO WYNNE BAXTER

EMPLOYMENT LAW: EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY IN THE MODERN WORKPLACE

BY ALEX JONES, 365 EMPLOYMENT LAW

SBT LEGAL SPONSORED BY:

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 15

Doubling Ground Rents – will the Leasehold Reform (Ground Rent) Bill help me?

The topic of

Legal

Leasehold Reform

has been hot in the

press and media for

quite some time now,

whether it is to do with extortionate doubling ground rents, developer’s

charging large sums of money for the owners of leasehold houses to buy

their freehold, or cladding that does not meet fire safety regulations, for

the last two years we seem to have

been gaining some momentum with

16 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

regard to potential reforms; has the Government finally listened?

In 2020 the Law Commission

published three final reports on Leasehold Reform. The reports

addressed buying your freehold or

extending your lease, including the

options to reduce the price payable and exercising the right to manage.

The Law Commission was also tasked with considering how to reinvigorate commonhold tenure, which was

introduced by the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002.

In January of this year, the Government announced that legislation would be

introduced, in this parliamentary session, tackling some of the areas in which reform has been recommended.

One of the most common questions now posed to the Enfranchisement Team

here at Mayo Wynne Baxter is ‘will the reforms help me, and if so, how?’

LEGA L The proposed reforms can be summarised as follows:

• A right to a new 990-year lease for owners of flats or houses

• The reduction of the ground rent to nil

• The removal of marriage value from the amount payable to the freeholder

• The creation of a simple Government

backed lease extension price calculator

The Government has only, so far,

tackled one of the above four items: ground rents.

Unfortunately, high/onerous/doubling

ground rents are causing a number of issues in the leasehold market. We

are faced with mortgage lenders that

refuse to lend on leasehold properties where the ground rent doubles every

Charlotte Clarke

5, 10 or 15 years throughout the term

of a lease. It is the stance of mortgage lenders that seems to be driving the response from buyers, and in the

market in general. A buyer will not take the risk of purchasing a property that

they cannot get a mortgage for, either now, or at a later date. In addition, even if the ground rent in a lease

doubles less frequently; say every 20,

25 or 33 years, buyers are still reluctant to proceed AND sellers are then faced with the prospect of spending, in

some instances, large sums of money to remove the doubling ground rent.

High yearly ground rents also pose an

additional risk; that is if the ground rent goes over £250 per year (£1000 a year

in London), then the lease is classed as an Assured Shorthold Tenancy and the Landlord has a mandatory ground for possession if you are in arrears.

The ‘ground rent crisis’ has to be tackled,

and the Government has attempted to do so; draft legislation has been published and is currently being considered.

The draft Leasehold Reform (Ground Rent) Bill that has been produced

will apply to new long leasehold

further legislation, at a later date, which

to current Leases, or retrospectively.

It is too soon to know if this amendment

residential properties. It will not apply

removes ground rent for all leaseholders.

Long leasehold means a lease of

will be accepted.

rent that a freeholder (Landlord) can

In short, if you already have a high yearly

more than one peppercorn per year.

will not help you. In addition, if you are

from charging administration fees

property, high or doubling ground rents

Freeholders that charge more than a

Bill receives Royal Assent. The draft

to £5000. The draft Bill will apply in

amended. We will have to wait a few

21 years or more. The only ground

charge in a long Lease cannot be for

or doubling ground rent, the draft Bill

The draft Bill also bans freeholders

looking to purchase a new leasehold

for collecting a peppercorn rent.

can be imposed if and until the draft

peppercorn also face being fined up

Bill in its current format could also be

England and Wales.

more months before we know what the

The draft Bill is currently on its 1st reading

final Bill will look like.

with the House of Commons, having

We also still have a long way to go before

of Lords (1st reading, 2nd reading,

impact on existing leaseholders.

reading). There are also five stages to go

Charlotte Clarke

amendments are considered and made (if

Tel: (01273) 477071

completed five stages with the House committee stage, report stage and 3rd

Leasehold Reform has a meaningful

through the House of Commons before

Associate Solicitor

agreed) and the Bill receives Royal Assent.

Email: cclarke@mayowynnebaxter.co.uk

An amendment has been requested to the draft Bill, aiming to ensure

that the Government does introduce

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 17

Employment Law: Equality and diversity in the modern workplace As an employment law specialist for over 20 years, the issue of equality and diversity in the workplace has evolved over time, in terms of both the legal protections afforded to workers, and the cultural shift in attitudes to workplace equality.

Whilst those cultural

Legal

attitudes have

evolved, for those

workers who are on

the receiving end of

discriminatory acts, it is often harder

than ever, in practical terms, to enforce the rights they have.

Discrimination and the Law

The rights that workers have in respect of

non-discrimination are under The Equality Act 2010. This piece of legislation, when brought into law, largely combined the

various non-discrimination rights under

legislation such as the Sex Discrimination

18 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

Act, Race Relations Act, and Disability Discrimination Act into one piece of legislation. Whilst it updated some

interpretations of rights, based on case

law, it was largely aimed at harmonising

the various rights that had been brought in over the previous 10 or so years.

The Equality Act provides protection from discrimination for workers,

employees and, in some cases, the self-employed, on grounds of nine

“Protected Characteristics”, namely

sex, race, disability, age, religion and belief, sexual orientation, gender

reassignment, marriage/civil partnership and pregnancy/maternity.

For obvious reasons, some of those

protected characteristics apply to all, and some to qualifying workers i.e. disability, maternity, but the simple

position is that workers are protected from discrimination on grounds of

those protected characteristics. That discrimination applies to both direct

discrimination, which cannot be justified in law, and indirect discrimination,

which can only be objectively justified as a defence. The rights relating

to disability also have a duty, on

the employer, to make “reasonable adjustments”, and in respect of

maternity rights, these overlap with

LEGA L

sex discrimination rights, particularly in respect of flexible working.

Practical Considerations

I often deal with employers who have had employment tribunal claims

brought against them for alleged acts

of discrimination. This is from both the

perspective of defending those claims, and bringing them for workers. Whilst

some acts of discrimination are aggressive and obvious, many are not, and some of the examples that I see are easily

avoidable. I have specifically seen the

following examples come up regularly: 1)“But we have all of the Policies in place”

Employers often obsess over policies,

particularly relating to non-discrimination.

They spend a lot of time putting them

in place, and often train staff on them.

This is where the problems start for

them, because they then do not consider actual discrimination in the workplace,

the triggers for it, and when it has taken

hold. I have often seen examples where despite obvious evidence of workplace discrimination, the employer often

refuses to accept it can be occurring,

because they have the policies in place that indicate it is not tolerated. It is

good practice for employers to bring in someone external, even on an annual

basis, to road test their policies through some practical examples.

2) “We have followed the Flexible Working Policy”

Subject to qualifying criteria, employees

have the right to request flexible working through a process set out in law. That process is only the right to request

flexible working, not have it granted.

Employers often, as a result of that,

have a silo mentality about a flexible

working request. If an employee requests flexible working, through the process or otherwise, and the reason for that

request is for a protected characteristic, the employer needs to engage with the

reality of that request, and not rely on the process as being one of request

only. I have seen lots of examples where employers refuse a flexible working

request, because the process lets them, without understanding that any such refusal could be discriminatory. This

is particularly prevalent over the issue of employees returning to work part

time after maternity leave, or in respect of reasonable adjustments as a result of disability. I recently represented an employee who had made a flexible

working request, which had been refused

Alex Jones

under the policy, that by it’s refusal was

a failure to make reasonable adjustments due to that employee’s disability, and

therefore discriminatory. Even up to the final hearing, the employer could not

understand how the discrimination had

arisen, when they had complied with the Flexible Working request process.

3) “We treat everyone the same”

The whole purpose of discrimination

legislation, is to even the playing field.

I see a number of employers who have a starting position of treating everyone the same, which then causes indirect discrimination e.g. “we don’t have

flexible working and everyone is treated equally”, or “we don’t need to maintain the lift to the third floor, and everyone is expected to take the stairs.” This

type of positioning is classic indirect discrimination i.e. on the face of it,

everyone is equal, but in practice, it

affects one minority group on grounds

of their protected characteristic. In law,

indirect discrimination can of course be

objectively justified, but employers need to think about that in advance.

Enforcement Issues

Whilst the position in law is one of

protection for employees, and a means of resolution for both employer and

employees, the practical reality is more complicated. The Court and Tribunal

system has been brought to it’s knees

by a decade of cuts, and it can be up to

a year before even basic employment rights come before an Employment Tribunal. This is not ideal for either

employees or employers, as the issue

hangs over them for an extended period.

With that in mind, parties can often

engage in practical and constructive settlement discussions, but if that is

not possible, the issue is often there for extended periods.

Modern Working

The issue of modern working practices, including remote working, was not

necessarily envisaged at the time the

Equality Act came into force. A specific update of the law as regards non-

discrimination is needed, as without

it, Employment Tribunals will interpret obligations differently, and conflicting legal authorities will arise.

The simple position is that employers

who consider discrimination issues in

advance, and how they work in practice, will always be better placed than those who don’t!

Please always take advice on any staff related issues.

By Alex Jones, Managing Director, 365 Employment Law Tel: 01903 863284

ajones@365employmentlaw.co.uk www.365employmentlaw.co.uk

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 19

Selling, buying or starting a business?

Call us on 0800 84 94 101 Offices across Sussex

www.mayowynnebaxter.co.uk 20 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

SBT

COVER FE ATU RE

PEOPLE MANAGEMENT & RECRUITMENT

MULTIGENERATIONAL WORKPLACES AND REMOTE WORKING

BY LOCH ASSOCIATES GROUP

IS YOUR BUSINESS READY FOR A FUTURE THAT INCLUDES EVERYONE?

BY MO KANJILAL, CO-CREATOR OF WATCH THIS SP_CE

SBT PEOPLE MANAGEMENT & RECRUITMENT SPONSORED BY:

A one stop shop for all your employment, commercial law and HR requirements.

Our award winning Solicitors, HR Consultants, and Wellbeing experts provide pragmatic solutions for businesses and individuals.

From day-to-day HR support tailored to your business, through to legal advice, wellbeing and mental ill health issues, we are here for you.

How we can help: Expert employment and commercial law advice HR support and management training Wellbeing services Training and development Negotiation and drafting of Settlement Agreements Dispute resolution Mediation

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 21

Call us now for your free consultation.

www.lochassociates.co.uk

01892 773970

info@lochassociates.co.uk

PEOPL E MAN AGE M E N T & R EC R U ITM E N T

Multigenerational workplaces and remote working

Today’s workforce is a multigenerational one. Teams can include a range of different generations often referred to as baby boomers, Generation X, millennials, and Generation Z. With many of us now

HR

working remotely or in a hybrid way, the

differences between the generations are

becoming increasingly apparent with new challenges being encountered by employers when recruiting and managing a multigenerational

workforce. So how can you manage a multigenerational team effectively ?

Generation Types

The multigenerational workforce can consist of -

• Traditionalists: born between 1928 and 1945; climbing the corporate

ladder within the same company for

their entire career, most are retired or work fewer hours.

• Baby Boomers: born between 1946 and 1964 might also be known as

“Workaholics” as they have rejected and redefined traditional norms and values.

• Generation X: born between 1965 and 1979 are independent and sceptical, introduced a true work-life balance.

• Millennials: born between 1980 and 1995 crave new experiences, work

best as a team, and require regular feedback.

• Generation Z: the younger workforce who are born approximately starting in 1996 and are digitally savvy and well-connected.

22 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

Recruiting

of simply making training sessions

journey is going through your

important to consider if that will work

One of the first steps in the employee

remote because staff are at home, it’s

recruitment process. It’s important

best for all new starters.

strategies to ensure they suit a

Ideally, you need to have an

inadvertently discriminate against

ability to deal with technology or

to a particular method of contact or

staff, they may have not worked with

Millennials and Generation Z mainly

system previously and showing them

for jobs, while Baby Boomers are

be enough. New starters may also be

phone calls.

tolerance for staff who are not tech

The Equality Act 2010 applies prior

isolated within the remote workplace.

recruitment process. The Act makes it

what is required based on each set of

of age. Employers should ensure they

understanding of the employee’s

and induction processes, ensuring

training, encouraging staff to take a

example of where age discrimination

methods of communication. Having

process is by including a statement that

place each day can help new starters

to keep reviewing your recruitment wider audience and that you do not

understanding about an individual’s

generations who may not have access

work on various platforms. For some

recruitment platform. For example,

a particular type of technology or

engage through social media to look

how it works remotely once may not

more likely to be receptive to emails or

badly affected if colleagues show little savvy, resulting in new starters feeling

to employment and starts with the

For employers, it is vital to consider

unlawful to discriminate on the grounds

circumstances and establish a good

review and consider their recruitment

limitations to provide appropriate

compliance with the Act. A common

team approach and using effective

can take place during the recruitment

a buddy system where check ins take

job applications must have a minimum

get to know new systems better too.

considered for the role. This could

Retaining and Managing Employees

candidates who are obviously less likely

that everyone in your team has

number of years’ experience to be

discriminate indirectly against younger

During employment it may be assumed

to meet that requirement.

been video calling and adjusting to

Induction and on boarding employees

is important to check on everyone’s

technologies with ease although it

With more employees working remotely

capabilities. Stereotypically, Millennials

avoid a one-dimensional approach

new technology quickly, but other

employers need to be careful to

and Generation Z tend to understand

to managing staff inductions. Instead

workers may find this more challenging.

P EOP L E MAN AGEM EN T & R ECR UITM E NT

Different generations may feel

person or use technology effectively

reconsider how they track progress

differently about having the

to recreate this is important. As with

against objectives and targets as well

opportunity to work from home. It’s

any stereotypes it is important not to

as ensure their teams are still working

often considered a benefit if you can

rely on these and employers need to

effectively together.

fit in the school run and pop on the

be cautious not to allow assumptions

washing, however younger employees

about age influence decisions about

At Loch Associates Group we offer

may be cramped into a bedroom

training, progression, or hybrid

training in managing remote workers

balancing a laptop a bed. Giving the

working policies when considering a

as well as diversity and equality

option of office working full time,

multigenerational workforce.

training. This training not only

and not making remote the standard pattern can help address this.

supports your managers in making

Managing remotely

the right decisions and increases their

It is crucial to consider how employees

confidence in dealing with situations

One important element of retention

are engaging their managers when

at work but it also helps to protect the

is building a culture that people

working remotely. Managers may

organisation in being able to avoid or

want to be part of. Ensuring that this

need to be more flexible with their

defend discrimination or other

culture includes learning from others,

management style and consider

Tribunal claims.

at different stages in their careers

how they manage performance in

can be tricky in a predominantly

a remote environment. They may

remote environment so addressing

need to alter their communication

times when people work together in

methods, increase the frequency and

www.lochassociates.co.uk

A one stop shop for all your employment, commercial law and HR requirements.

Our award winning Solicitors, HR Consultants, and Wellbeing experts provide pragmatic solutions for businesses and individuals.

From day-to-day HR support tailored to your business, through to legal advice, wellbeing and mental ill health issues, we are here for you.

How we can help: Expert employment and commercial law advice HR support and management training Wellbeing services Training and development Negotiation and drafting of Settlement Agreements Dispute resolution Mediation Call us now for your free consultation.

www.lochassociates.co.uk

01892 773970

info@lochassociates.co.uk

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 23

PEOPL E MAN AGE M E N T & R EC R U ITM E N T

Future-Proofing: is your business ready for a future that includes everyone?

By Mo Kanjilal, Co-Creator of Watch This Sp_ce If you want to create a

HR

future-proof business, then including

different types of

people, perspectives

and ideas in everything you do is critical.

Without that, you will lack the different perspectives you need to innovate.

Here’s the thing though, it’s easy to say

that’s what you will do. It’s a bigger task to actually create an inclusive company that looks outwards and engages with everyone.

The Business Case

Research shows that teams that include a diverse range of people output

around 19% more innovation. Diverse teams make decisions quicker with

around half the number of meetings.

And you know what? Innovation +

24 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

Quick Decision-making = success.

And that success means higher profits, better productivity and happier and more engaged employees.

Yet despite this evidence showing that diverse teams perform better, the majority of companies are still

dominated by homogenous teams of

people from dominant groups. In fact,

recent research shows the gender pay

gap has widened and that more people from ethnic minorities have lost their

jobs during the pandemic. And that’s

just two aspects of the different types of people in society.

When we talk to organisations about the

business case for diversity and inclusion, there’s always lots of nods and looks

of interest. Yet real change in the wider

world is so slow. To make radical and transformative changes takes work,

engagement and tenacity. Maybe that’s why progress is taking a while.

People

Transforming the people involved in your business means reaching out to very

different types of people. This is where we see so many organisations talking about diversity and inclusion, but not

really doing much about it. It’s easier to follow the same patterns of recruitment and to hire people you know. It’s easier to network with people who are similar to you. A more complex task is to

radically reimagine the whole process.

To create new and inclusive

recruitment processes means change.

Obvious right? So why is it that this is

P EOP L E MAN AGEM EN T & R ECR UITM E NT

not what happens in reality?

Well, it’s because it’s easier to fall back into the same

patterns. People are busy, and it’s easier to carry on as you

are. But if you want to create a world where people are

included, and you want to reap

all the benefits of diversity, then things have to change.

● Take a critical look at how

you recruit and what needs to change

● Consider how you

communicate about recruitment

● And think radically about new relationships you need to

create and different networks you need to find

The journey of change is

ongoing. You need to look

at what happens during the

recruitment process. Involve

different types of people. And be prepared to challenge yourself

and your team on your decisions.

It doesn’t stop at recruitment,

Consider using online collaboration

they join environments where they do

types of people, how are you going to

And definitely have a good think about

where everyone feels they can belong,

will need to think about how you make

for creative ideas. Whether it’s online

enable them to contribute their best.

be environments where people may

the future. Younger people are attracted

progressing people’s careers.

different idea. And those forums are

different people. Not the ones who just

Processes

people are happy to hold all of the ‘air

processes. If you do not radically think

but are they definitely the ones who

people who join will not be able to

be missing out on some incredibly

either. When you have recruited different

tools like Miro or Google Jamboard.

not feel welcome. To create a culture

ensure they feel they can belong? You

whether meetings are the best place

you need to shake things up.

people feel welcome and how you

or face-to-face meetings, they can

That’s also what will attract the talent of

And then how you make decisions about

struggle to tell a group if they have a

to businesses who actually include

often the places where certain types of

talk about it.

And that brings us onto working

time’ and dominate the conversations,

Only by making space for all these

about how you work, then different

have the best ideas? You might

that will survive and thrive in the future.

contribute as fully as you want. They

valuable perspectives.

If this is all sounding daunting and like a

bring new ideas.

For those fantastic business benefits

hello@watchthisspace.uk and we can

So that means considering how

work to do. People are not going to

will not feel they can disagree and

you ask people for their thoughts.

different voices can you create a business

lot of work (which it is!), email

of diverse, inclusive teams, there is

talk you through our Inclusion Framework.

be happy and perform at their best if

www.watchthisspace.co.uk

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 25

ADVISORY / TA X / AU D I T

New look, same great service

Building a Brighter Future An accountant should do a lot more than just report on how your business is doing. They should help you identify opportunities to improve your profit levels and then support you in trying to achieve those improvements. We strive to understand what our clients want to achieve and are then proactive in recommending solutions that add value.

We take a collaborative approach with our clients, working with them to provide a valueadded service rather than simple compliance. The focus is always on client service, with open and honest relationships.

Contact us E: info@carpenterbox.com in

www.carpenterbox.com 26 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

SBT COVER FEATURE

WE SPEAK TO KULJIT MOORE-JUNEJA AHEAD OF NATIONAL FERTILITY AWARENESS WEEK

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 27

We speak to Kuljit Moore-Juneja ahead of National Fertility Awareness Week National Fertility Awareness Week runs from November 1 to 5 and aims to shine a light on what support is available for the estimated one in six couples impacted by fertility issues in the UK. In total, 3.5 million

Cover Story

people across the

country are struggling with fertility right now and a campaign is

poised to help signpost them to the right support - no matter what stage they

have reached in their fertility journey.

Locally, the Sussex Downs Fertility Clinic, part of the iTrust Fertility group of fertility

clinics, has been providing treatments and

28 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

investigations for three decades. During

that time, it has treated in excess of 7,000 patients and firmly established itself as

a leader in its field. The clinic has above average success rates and has been in

the local area for over 30 years now. The services it provides to both private and

NHS patients have been so successful it

has recently relocated and up-graded to a new purpose-built clinic in Alder Close,

Eastbourne. For patients’ convenience,

it has also satellite consultation services

at a number of other locations in the Sussex area to make services more accessible in the region.

With an above-average success rate and a carefully selected team of 50 clinical and support staff, it is a major Sussex success story.

Formerly located at the Esperance Hospital and now at Alder Close,

Eastbourne, the team is also excited to

COVER STO RY

announce a further clinic in Kent, in a

purpose built centre where local patients will also be able to access NHS and privately funded treatments.

Under the new ownership the centres

have benefited from massive investment in state of the art lab equipment plus

attracting experienced specialists to the

area in order to deliver a comprehensive service to patients.

Official figures reveal that the clinics

achieve success rates of five percent

above the national average across all

age categories. This includes both per

cycle and per embryo transferred as well as pregnancy rates and live births.

Sussex Business Times spoke to the

clinic’s owner, Kuljit Moore-Juneja, and discovered fertility is not just about overcoming issues. It is also about offering people choices.

Kuljit, could you tell our readers about your background in pharmaceuticals and why you moved into fertility?

“My background has always been

in healthcare and making a positive

difference to individuals. From an early stage in my career I have always been drawn to management and leadership roles within health service delivery.

During my time in pharmacy I realised I wanted to apply my knowledge to

other areas of healthcare and in order

to make a difference I needed to be in a leadership role – a position with the ability to be involved in the decision making process.

I moved into corporate management

when I was at Boots and then ventured from there into dental care and from

there into the NHS to grow and develop

the fertility services for the largest fertility centre in the UK.

“Fertility came about for two reasons - my own personal experience with fertility

and one of my previous roles in London.

I was with a big NHS trust and they were

struggling with private services and fertility - as well as other specialties. My role was to support the growth and development

of this unit. It was fascinating to see how

little knowledge there was out there about fertility and how much more we could do as a sector to educate and inform

patients. That is where my passion grew

and when I decided that this is what I want to do for myself. I knew I could do it well.

That was in 2014.”

The Sussex Downs Fertility Clinic has been established for 30 years. Kuljit

explained: “It was set up by the BMI as part of their Esperance hospital. They set up four or five across the country

at the time. In 2018 BMI had a change of ownership and as part of this new

ownership it was looking at its overall

portfolio of hospitals and the Esperance was one of the hospitals that needed

capital investment. A decision was made to sell the entire hospital site.

“The fertility service was part of this site and BMI decided to sell it too. So I bid

for the contract to buy the services and most importantly to carry on providing these service in the locality.

Our bid was successful. The two other

competitive bidders were bigger in terms of clinics but their aim was to close the service and run it as a satellite to their London clinics. Part of our success

was our commitment to developing and growing the fertility services locally and investing in a new centre and staff.

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 29

C OVE R STORY You established the Sussex Downs

Fertility Clinic in 2019, can you tell us about the facilities, what the clinic

offers and the patients you work with?

“We offer treatment to anybody who is

eligible, i.e. anybody who fits our criteria for treatment. The reason we have a

criteria is so that we are not setting false expectations. We use evidence-based

practice. Our inclusion criteria is based upon BMI (Body Mass Index) and age

of patients because we know, beyond those limits, there is less chance of a successful outcome for patients.

“We offer treatment to NHS patients those who are entitled in Sussex and

can get the funding. For private patients,

those who want to pursue private funding because they are not entitled to NHS

funding, we also offer a bespoke service.

The Sussex Downs Fertility Clinic is providing services that are clearly

in high demand, with 1 in 6 couples

now experiencing fertility difficulties.

Can you tell us more about the facts,

30 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

figures surrounding fertility and the importance for raising awareness?

“Declining fertility in England, as with

access this funding. It has opened

up possibilities that were not always available some 20 to 30 years.

almost all developed countries, is a

“Additionally there is more confidence for

choosing to start a family later in life,

Many women decide that they are not

cent decline in sperm count since 1970.

are in a relationship and want to have a

growing issue – in part owing to people

single people. This market is growing.

along with other factors such as a 50 per

going to wait to find ‘the right person’ or

“I think it is lifestyle, stress and choices.

child right now because they are ready.

Fertility services give choices to those

“The treatment we offer is personalised

have a child because I’ve tried naturally

needs are individual and our services

gives people the ability to make informed

requirements. With the regulations

possibly, it wasn’t as accessible previously.

becomes more ‘main stream’, patients

“The NHS funding also helps a lot of

how to start their fertility journey.

Sussex is very fortunate to have the

The process is just much more easily

offers funding up to the age of 39 or

to have more information available to

fertility treatment - if they are eligible.

that it is the correct information. That’s

“I think it is great that people can

Experts’ sessions.

who have thought ‘I am never going to

for our same sex couples too. Everyones’

and it has not worked’. Our fertility service

are built around their needs and their

decisions and to access treatment where,

changing and as the whole area of fertility

people access our fertility service.

are actively looking for the signposts on

NHS funding it has. In Sussex the NHS

understood now. It is always a good thing

40 for couples for up to two rounds of

everyone. However it’s just as important why we have launched the free ‘Ask The

COVE R STO RY

“Then there other factors such as stress, lifestyle, career, finances and so on that often result in people starting families

want to do, don’t wait long - please

speak to your doctor or see an expert.”

later. Fertility is one of those areas in

Fertility treatments are being added to

advances in medicine and science has

tell us about your thoughts on this?

life where technology, research and

given people much more choice and

flexibility to decide: This is right for me

in my life right now therefore why should I have to wait for the stereotypical path when I can make my own path? Our

fertility services enable people to make

those decisions when it is right for them.

On raising awareness about fertility

services, Kuljit added: “Firstly, I would

advise everyone to access services as quickly as you decide this is what you want to do. Remember age is always going to be a big factor. No one can avoid that. Biology is what it is, so

anyone who is in their 30s, who hasn’t found ‘the’ person, or doesn’t want

to have a child right now - consider freezing your eggs.

Seek out and use the advice that is available at clinics like us.

In general there is not enough people talking about this option, but freezing

your eggs, freezes time to a certain point and gives you choices. For those who

may be thinking that it is something they

some staff benefits packages, can you

“Recently a number of key employers, such as Natwest and Centrica, have

included the cost of fertility treatments

as part of their wider employee benefits package. This is something that I am passionate about. It gives people

support and choice especially to career minded women who may not have thought about this.

“Fertility checkups and services should

be available as part of a corporate benefit package. Once people are aware of

their ‘fertility status’ then they can make decisions and choices. Of course, from an employer’s perspective offering this

support helps avoid stress, anxiety and promotes well-being as well as raising awareness among employees.

Businesses already offer health checks and eye checks. But what they don’t

routinely offer to women (and men) is

the chance to have the check-up that tells them ‘this is your fertility health

right now and this is what it means for you over the next five to 10 years’.”

Kuljit refers to benefits packages offered to women between certain ages by

big corporates and IT providers in the

United States, and said fertility should be talked about much more.

She said: “I think the UK and Europe are behind in that sense. There is a

huge lack of support for those having

treatment. The number of patients that we see who say ‘I have got to have an

early morning appointment’ or ‘I’ve got to do it after work’ is astounding. How

is this any different to having an eye test or having to see your GP or having a dentist appointment?

“You could quite easily walk into an office and say you are going to be

late tomorrow because you have got an eye test or dental appointment.

How many of us can walk into the

office and say they have got a fertility

clinic appointment because they need treatment? There is still a stigma.

“We have to move away from that stigma and make it okay - for both men and

women. For men, (because on the whole treatment is mainly based around the

woman) how many can come to work

and openly say ‘My wife/partner is having fertility treatment and I need time off tomorrow to support her/him’?

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 31

C OVE R STORY

“With Covid, many couples and single people who are going through fertility issues have been isolated from their

next for Kent with additional locations coming soon.”

support network. The mental health

For Kuljit and her dedicated team,

patients. Our clinics offer free counseling

about reducing stress and saving time.

impact is a very real one for fertility

sessions to every patient and the feedback from this has been incredibly positive.”

With established clinics now in

bringing services closer to patients is After all, having fertility treatment is

already stressful enough. “Accessibility is important to all patients,” she said.

Bromley and the Sussex Downs

To celebrate its re-location, the clinical

the future plans for growth?

has launched a series of free ‘Ask the

Fertility Clinic in Eastbourne what are

“For the next 12 months our plan is very clear. It is about stabilisation of the two

centres in Eastbourne and Bromley. We will focus on what we do and continue

team at Sussex Downs Fertility Clinic

that works really well. It makes our

service and expertise accessible for both NHS and private patients. It is

something that we will be looking at

32 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

as part of its newly developed iTrust Fertility brand.

The success to date is a testament to how one woman combined her own

experience of fertility and her skills to create a leading fertility services for Sussex and Kent.

who want future choices.

support from leading fertility clinicians.

approach, so that’s why we are offering

“The satellite clinic model is something

well-earned reputation for excellence

fertility to ask questions, get advice and

outcomes, while supporting our patients what happens next.

the Sussex Downs Fertility Clinic has a

Now it offers real hope - not just those

an opportunity for anyone struggling with

Kuljit said: “When it comes to fertility,

through that journey. And then, let’s see

proven record of safe, effective care,

Expert’ sessions. These sessions provide

to do it exceptionally well. Keep up

our success rates and positive patient

With consultant-led services and a

we know there’s no ‘one size fits all’

these ‘Ask the Expert’ sessions. These sessions provide unfettered access

to a wide range of fertility expertise,

resources, services and support and are open to all, NHS or private.”

To book your free place email: marketing@thfg.co.uk

who have fertility issues but to those

Fertility Awareness Week runs from

November 1. It sets out to challenge

perceptions of what both fertility and infertility mean - to make the issue

of fertility a topic everyone can feel empowered to speak out about

For more information visit www. thesussexdownsfertility.com Telephone: 01323 410333

Email: marketing@thfg.co.uk

SBT

COVER FE ATU RE

START UPS & ENTRPRENEURES

WHY COMPANY DATA IS CRITICAL BIPC SUSSEX HAS THE ANSWERS

HOW TO TURN YOUR SIDE HUSTLE INTO SUCCESSFUL CAREERS THESE ENTREPRENEURS SHARE THEIR SECRETS

SBT START UPS & ENTRPRENEURES SPONSORED BY:

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 33

Contacts, Collaborations and Competitors - Why company data is critical

How to get the business information and contacts you need with the help of BIPC Sussex and why they’re so essential to success.

“No man is an island,

New Business Donne, 1623)

entire of itself; every man is a piece of

the continent, a part of the main.” (John

No person is an island, and no business is either. To attempt to strive alone is to

ignore the help, support and experience of other businesses which is, we assure you, readily available.

There are many reasons a start-up

or growing business should gather

information about other companies.

Firstly, if you’re considering investing,

34 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

partnering or simply working with another company, you need to know how reliable and financially stable they are. Who are the directors? Have they previously run

successful companies or is there a trail of short-lived disasters left in their wake?

Learning from the experiences of others is another key reason – start-ups often feel like they’re striving out blindly into

the unknown, but other companies have been there, suffered what you have and

found their feet, so you can take heed of their lessons instead of repeating them.

It’s the old Google adage – whatever you search for, at least one person has been

there before. Established companies will

often field a question or two from a startup on a particular subject, and happily share lessons learned. You can speak to your local chamber for a wealth of companies who will support you.

And on the other end of the scale,

companies that did not stand the test of

time can be looked into as to what led to their closed doors.

Then there’s suppliers and manufacturers.

Building a trusted supply chain can feel daunting to a new producer, whether

you’re sourcing local ingredients for a

new baking company, or machine parts

N EW BUS I N E S S

for a creation you’ve just patented.

Looking into companies who not only provide the supply/delivery/

manufacturing you need, but are

logistically ideal, financially sound and

share the same ethics as your company can be time consuming and frustrating.

And of course, there are those business

customers you need to reach – if it is your company who is a manufacturer, supplier,

deliverer, or perhaps HR, training, research & development and many more who deal B2B, how do you find your customers?

How do you get through to new

companies who are your ideal customers, and break into the established chains of long trading companies?

Finally, company data can help you

understand how you are performing in

comparison to your competitors. A better understanding of your competition can help you create effective strategies to improve your competitive advantage.

We have the answer to all the above

questions at the BIPC on our companies’ databases that are all free to access.

FAME & Kompass Easy Business

These two fantastic online databases – FAME, which focusses on companies

in the UK & Ireland, and Kompass Easy

Business, which is global, will both

analyse a company in detail - Who is

the director? How long have they been

trading? Are they financially secure? - as well as allow you to make company lists

based on your specifications. Looking into

how many companies have been forced to close trading since COVID began? Or how many have started since then? Perhaps how many companies have female

directors? Make detailed contact lists

down to the level of detail of, for instance, companies incorporated in the last 3

years in Brighton, in the fast-food industry, which have more than 10 employees –

and get the contact details of the specific department in that company you need.

EMIS

Although primarily focussing on

established and emerging markets and industries, this huge database, which

also has a section dedicated to industry news, also contains global company

Local Data Online

LDO by the Local Data Company, is a very different information source.

This database will concentrate on

a local area – Brighton Marina, for

instance – and tell you basics about

the companies therein. Using the map, the locations of the bakers, florists, bars, restaurants are highlighted,

informing you of the companies, the unit sizes and locations, how many

are independents vs franchises and the opening & closing rates. Using

the comparative functions of the site, you can also compare with easy to

reference graphics data on the top 5 coffee chains across the UK, or the

distribution of tea rooms and cafes in the South East.

All of these databases hold thousands of pounds of information and you can access it for free at the BIPC.

information. With a different lilt of intent

Find out more at

focussed on market research and so

or email bipc@brighton-hove.gov.uk

to the previous databases, EMIS is the companies’ function can show

www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/bipc

you not only insight into a particular

company and create a company list, but also highlights company news, company comparisons, mergers & acquisitions and equities.

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 35

N EW B US I N E S S

How to turn your side hustle into successful careers These entrepreneurs share their secrets.

Owen Findley - OR8DESIGN

New Business

Owen Findley - OR8DESIGN

As searches for

Luke Hodson, Founder of Awesome

Owen Findley - OR8DESIGN

by 138%* year-on-

hustles and small businesses in 2021

10 years ago, says his work has been

‘side-hustle’ grow

year (49.5K searches per month), and

#SmallBusiness gets an incredible

36.1 BILLION views on TikTok, it looks like many budding business hopefuls are looking to take the leap into entrepreneurship.

In the last 12 months, searches for online retailers are up 18%, courier services have experienced an 80% uplift and

home baking businesses rose the fastest at a 157% year-on-year increase**.

Whether you’re looking at selling your

own bakes and cakes or art and makes, Awesome Merchandise has teamed up with three independent small business owners to share advice on how to

market your business, including tips

on merchandising, social media, and building your brand.

36 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

Merchandise says: “The rise in side-

has been exciting. It is amazing to see people become creators and utilising

social platforms to elevate their brand in ways that weren’t possible just a few years ago.

“As specialists in branding and printing,

Owen Findley, who founded OR8DESIGN described as a ‘minimalist wanderlust’; he sells prints, pins and patches all

inspired by nature, travel and adventure.

Owen splits his time between working at the charity Carers Leeds and running his design business.

we’ve been lucky enough to support many

Building your business is a gradual

ways to create a brand that will not only

Owen says: “It’s been a gradual process

on their journey in understanding the best unleash the passion behind the concept but also bring forward the identity of the person behind the business.

“Chatting to some of these talented small business owners allows us to

process

getting to this point. It started as just something I did on evenings and

weekends; then when I started making some money from the design work, I

slowly reduced my hours at the day-job.”

share how others can follow in their

Switching up social media content

visual and personal ways.”

market his business, he says: “I tend to

footsteps and market their business in

Interviews with three entrepreneurs on building a brand in 2021

When it comes to using social media to just use Instagram these days. I try to

get a balance with what I post – no one wants to follow an account that is just

N EW BUS I N E S S screaming ‘buy buy buy’ all the time.

past, I’ve also used old test prints and

products, but then also balance that

business cards and flyers.”

I share some posts about prints and

out with behind the scenes stuff (people

misprints and re-purposed those as

seem to enjoy seeing the process

Hattie Clark - Freelance illustrator

studio) and then me and my family just

Leeds can often be found drawing inky

behind screenprinting and shots of the living our lives.”

Meeting likeminded people at events and online

“Doing face-to-face events is a great way to meet people that might not

already know your work. Also interacting with other makers online, sharing their

work, tagging people who are at events

you are doing, all of that can help build a community and hopefully some of their followers will come over to you.”

Designing business cards that help you stand out

“When I’m doing live events, people love to walk away with a business

card, so I always make sure I have a stack to hand. I got Awesome

Merchandise to print mine on a lovely dark brown card, and then I modified them to look like little luggage tags – it’s a bit of extra work cutting the

Freelance illustrator, Hattie Clark is from type, wobbly people and animals in

various oversized accessories. She works with a variety of clients to create bespoke illustrations for branding, merchandise

and editorials. She sells her own designs

and products through a range of national stockists and her own website.

From student to businesswoman Hattie says: “I pursued illustration

straight out of university. In the early days, I was building my business

alongside other jobs. I’ve been working

in illustration full time since 2018. A year ago I moved to the centre of Leeds and into a brilliant shared studio/workspace called Duke Studios! It’s been great for

me as I’m regularly making connections, meeting like-minded people and getting out of the house to be fully creative! It

felt like the biggest change and step up

for my business as it continues to grow.

corners and punching a hole in them,

“It’s not always been my full-time job,

really helps them stand out (picture

I think it took me a little while to find

but people seem to like them and it

but I’m really happy to say it is now.

above). I hate waste and so in the

my feet and have the confidence to

Hattie Clark - Freelance Illustrator

push my career as a full-time illustrator, but I’m not looking back now! I’m

pushing forward and continuing to

build both creatively through the work

I make and behind the scenes with the businesswoman side of things.”

Engaging with your audience

Hattie uses a variety of social media

platforms to showcase her work. She

says: “Make the most of free platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, Twitter

etc… Start building your audience here

and keep them engaged with interesting and regular content. I think (depending on a little on what you want to do)

keeping it personal is always a good idea! Your audience feels connected

when you show lots of yourself in what you do. If they’re invested in you and

what you and your business in the early days, they’ll stay with you.

“It’s a great way to connect with similar small businesses, creatives and seek

inspiration in others doing completely

different things! It is also a really useful tool for finding work and a variety of

opportunities. Quite a few of my jobs and stockists have and continue to come directly through Instagram.”

Connecting beyond social media

“Starting a newsletter is another great

Hattie Clark - Freelance Illustrator

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 37

N EW B US I N E S S

Sophie Kemp - SILK Jewellery

tool to reach new people and keep your current audience interested and up to date with what you’re doing. I find it

useful to share new products, recent pieces of work and let people know

about upcoming events! I try to keep it

playful and visually interesting as I hope to add a bit of fun to email inboxes!

Using stickers to create a brand identity Hattie makes her packaging distinctive with stickers. She says: “What’s not to love?! I use them to brand my prints,

other smaller products and to package

orders. It makes the designs, my name and brand more recognisable.”

Sophie Kemp - SILK jewellery SILK jewellery is a small batch,

sustainable, feminist jewellery brand

based in the founder Sophie Kemp’s

hometown of Whitby. She started SILK

during the pandemic as her music industry life as a production and tour manager had come to a halt, and she wanted to keep moving and adapting with the times.

Establishing a business in the pandemic Sophie says: “SILK is my own version of resilience to the pandemic, and trying to spread that kind of vibe to other women across the UK. I love making all the

38 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

Sophie Kemp - SILK Jewellery

decisions, making the jewellery, packing

Final words of advice to hopeful

to customers etc. Don’t get me wrong,

own business

the orders, editing the website, chatting there been a few teary moments so far

just trying to navigate my way through a very competitive industry, but I think its more than worth it.”

To TikTok or not?

Despite the popularity of small businesses on TikTok, Sophie says: “I really find that TikTok is super overwhelming for tiny

brands like me. Everyone is expecting to just blow up on TikTok, but really I think

trying new ideas is great. I don’t spend a lot of time worrying about TikTok I have

loyal customers that keep coming back to me, so I spend more time trying to

keep those guys happy than on TikTok at the moment.”

Keeping branding sweet and simple Sophie says: “My branding and

packaging are quite minimal, I use

cards, stickers and jewellery pouches to promote SILK to the world. I use a local

Whitby girl, Georgina Estill, to make and print the cards. She does an incredible job of designing and printing them for

me, and we are currently looking at new ways of improving the packaging I send out to customers”.

entrepreneurs looking to start their

Owen says: “Take it steady. There’s

no need to jump straight in and go fulltime from day one. Having a regular income from my day-job has really

helped me experiment, take time to

find what works and be happy playing more of a long-game.”

Hattie agrees: “Keep going! It’s

definitely a bit of a journey where you continue to learn and develop as you go. If you have an idea and ambition to start your own business, go for it!

It may be tricky at times, but keep

moving forward and it can be incredibly rewarding. Within my own work, I love looking back and seeing how far I’ve

come with not only my illustrations and ideas but my ability to organise and grow my own small brand.”

Sophie adds: “Don’t overthink it, stay in your own lane and don’t wait any

longer. JUST GET GOING! Waiting for your brand to be perfect is a waste of

your time, your brand will evolve once its moves.”

SBT

COVER FE ATU RE

GOOD BUSINESS

DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO? GOOD.

BY MATTHEW BELLRINGER

SBT GOOD BUSINESS SPONSORED BY:

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 39

GOOD B US I N E S S

Don’t know what to do? Good.

We’ve all been there. Something unexpected has happened. It is time for a meeting. That meeting. The more people talk the more one thing becomes clear; no-one knows what to do.

The longer it goes on,

Good Business

the more confused everything gets.

Arguments break out.

Frustration boils over.

Eventually, painfully, a course of action gets chosen. The same one as before.

Yet the one thing everyone knows is that “same as before” will not help.

At work - and going all the way back

to school - people expect us to have a ready answer. Not knowing is a failure.

Something to be ashamed of. Something to hide. So we act as if we know what to do. That leads to wasted effort, missed

opportunities and avoidable disasters. It

leads to meetings just like the one above.

The problem is that we are not allowed to go off-script. There is a script - an

40 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

expected order - at work. Something

happens, so we do this, and then we get the right outcome. Repeat and

profit. When those things stop lining up, however, we do not know what to do.

This article is about what to do when that happens. A guide for what to do when you do not know what to do. As you

develop this ability you will both explore

opportunities and understand threats that would otherwise be overlooked.

Working with limited knowledge is a

vital professional skill. As you develop

expertise, you are more and more likely to encounter problems that differ from

anything anyone else has seen before.

The increasingly unpredictable operating

environment we now work in is more and more likely to create situations where

no-one knows what to do, whatever their level of expertise.

Does this sound like a scary prospect?

It does not have to be. Working at

the edges of what we know is a skill

that can you can learn like any other.

Some people find that this kind of

work is something that they have an

innate talent for. Some find that they have been doing it all along without realising it.

You don’t have to start from scratch

Just because we do not know exactly

what to do does not mean we have to

do nothing. Having a framework which

increases the chances of finding better options is an effective way of way of

avoiding the paralysis of indecision or the oblivious same-as before action.

GOOD BUS I N E S S

You can think of it as a set of hints to get things moving smoothly again.

1. Recognising

Noticing that it has happened at all is the most important part of going off-script. The first signs it has

happened are subtle. They can show up in emotions like apathy, anxiety,

frustration and boredom. These might

be directed at yourself, other people, or the situation in general.

The point of recognising is simply that.

To notice that something is up. For most people, that means giving yourself a bit

of time to allow these things to emerge.

When we are always rushing from one

thing to another, we never give ourselves the chance to recognise that something does not feel quite right.

Prompt questions: - Has something changed?

- Does this feel different to before?

- Does something feel “off” here?

2. Exploring

This phase is about allowing yourself

the chance to find different approaches and explanations than the obvious.

It can be as simple as doing nothing

except being with the feeling and the

sensations you are experiencing when

you think of the situation. Many people find it easier to do this exploration in a more active way, though. You

can doodle, free-write, mindmap, or anything else you find helpful.

One thing that can make this step

harder is getting ahead of the situation.

Often things need time to work

themselves out before a solution

presents itself. Jumping straight from “things don’t feel right” to “I need to

do something now” will lead to more

of the same outcome as before. If you

find yourself completely stuck, stop. Do something else. Go for a walk, listen to music, make some food. Sometimes

focusing on other things allows inspiration to emerge.

Prompt questions: -W hat do I understand about what is happening?

- What don’t I know about the situation?

-H ow would someone different see

this? Naming a specific person can work well here.

3. Enacting

This step begins once you have a

sense of what is happening. It is about exploring what, if that is true, you can then do about it. The key here is to

experiment and try things out. You do

not have to be right first time. The nature of working off-script is that you can

never be sure it is going to work. By the time you have figured out enough to be

certain, the opportunity will have passed or the threat will have materialised.

There are two things to check here.

First, that whatever you try is safe

enough that if it does not work, you and others will not face significant losses.

You do not want to go all-in on a single

solution to a complex problem. Second, make sure that whatever you do is

intrinsically worthwhile. That covers you against any potential losses. If things

do not work out as expected, but you

had fun and learnt something, it is much harder to call the experience a failure.

Ultimately, you want a light, fun way to explore an interesting new path. Even though the situation may be serious,

being playful will the solution allows you the freedom to try new, more effective approaches safely.

Prompt questions: - What would this look like if it were easy?

- What is the least I can do to try this out?

- Who is best placed to try this out with?

4. Reflecting

It is easy to overlook this last step.

Looking back feels tough when there are

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 41

GOOD B US I N E S S what you may have been

told. Some stand to lose by

doing things differently, and

others have given up. Those people are unable to help.

Instead, find those doing their own off-script work

in related fields. They may not be in your immediate

surroundings, but they will be there somewhere.

Surroundings matter, and doing this kind of work is

not always practical or even safe. If you always need to ask for permission, justify yourself, or you get into

trouble, it is unlikely your

fault. Finding a better place

to do what you do is always an option, and creating that

so many pressing things to attend to. It is only by looking back and integrating

what we have learnt that we can get real benefits from what we now know.

You can do the reflection immediately after you have tried things out or

sometime afterwards. The best approach is often both. Ask yourself and others questions about all aspects of what

happened. Bring the experience towards a conclusion which you can use in the

future. Write this in a document, record a video, draw a diagram or represent

it some other way. You do not have to

share this with anyone, though doing so can be useful.

The reflection process is about tying up loose ends and making sense of what has happened. It is about exploring the implications of what you have

discovered. Now you can move forward with a more solid foundation.

Prompt questions: - How did that feel? What felt good, and what felt bad?

- When might this approach be better

42 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

than the conventional one? When might it not?

- What have you learnt from doing this?

- What are the implications for me?

For others?

The real world

A guide like this looks neat and tidy

on the page. That it is simple does not mean that following it is easy, though.

The messy, tangled and ambiguous nature of reality makes it tough to

implement. It is a practice. A cycle.

One that gets better the more you do it, and the more you adapt it to your own needs and your own understanding of the world.

There are no precise answers here. It is less about finding what is “right” than about finding what is “helpful”. Ways

of seeing things which enable positive, meaningful action. Going off-script enables us to write a better script,

rather than repeatedly falling off the edge of the page.

Even though it can be hard, working off-script is not impossible, despite

space is part of the work

itself. Things will not always change

overnight, but they will change. Just

because it has always been this way

does not mean that it always will be.

About the author

Matthew Bellringer works with people who think differently to develop novel approaches to deep-rooted,

complex problems. He offers

consultancy and facilitation to

neurodivergent individuals and the organisations who want to benefit from their unique talents.

You can find out more about his work,

watch his liverecord podcast Delightful Dissent, and join the online community

at https://www.divergentpathfinders. com - You can also connect with Matthew on LinkedIn

SBT SALES & MARKETING

WHAT IS REPRESENTATION & WHY IT MATTERS?

BY STEPHANIE PRIOR

BLEND - A CRM (KIND OF)

BY WHITESPACE

SBT SALES & MARKETING SPONSORED BY:

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 43

SA L E S & MARK E T I N G

What is representation & why it matters?

Within the last 18 months, we have seen a range of organisations consider ways in which they can enhance representation through people, processes and procedures.

However sometimes

Sales & Marketing

it is questionable as to how many

have fully grasped what this actually

entails and how to make changes that support growth, strong leadership

and innovation. Many businesses may struggle to know where to start…

What is representation?

According to Google’s dictionary,

‘representation’ is, “the description or

portrayal of someone or something in a

particular way.” Systems of representation are used by people to organise the world through signs, symbols, languages, cultures and characters.

44 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

But for leading Media & Cultural Studies Professor, Stuart Hall,

representation goes a little further. Hall describes representation an event, which takes place when someone

takes information and presents it to you. However depending on who is representing, will provide different

meaning to what is being represented.

Therefore, what makes representation meaningful is dependent on how and who is represented.

Representation has always been

of interest to me. As a mixed raced young girl growing up in Sussex

during the nineties, I experienced a

range of challenges due to a lack of

representation. As a result, I would

regularly question my identity and what

this meant to others. Why was there few people like me on TV? Why were Bond Girls never black? Why is Scary Spice

‘scary’? Why is blackness not embraced in commercial beauty and fashion?

These questions were brought on by

narratives that were being presented

(or not being presented) in the media,

at school and other external forces. In many ways a lack of representation in marketing adverts and media spurred me on to promote inclusion and

diversity in a personal and professional level. Although at times it has taken a lot of confidence building and

SAL ES & MARKE TI NG personal development to challenge

commercial ideologies and represent

an alternative, the biggest hurdle I have

experienced when challenging a lack of

representation, is not my own perception of myself, but the perception that

others may hold of me in terms of what I represent or don’t. Thankfully, life has

moved forward in many ways since my

youth, but as we continue to see, there is still much progress to be made.

In 2018, Disney executives behind

Marvel did something that had never been done before. They created a

blockbuster movie that had a black led

contribution to the community they

campaign or stand for. Many others may not have

internal procedures that are reflective of their brand’s

media & marketing.

Accountability is key and this must be

tackled at leadership level to avoid any

future backlash from campaigns.

cast, production and marketing team.

Representation in

most successful movies. Marvel’s

Brighton & Hove

It went on to become one of Marvel’s ‘Black Panther’ made millions and

the marketing behind this supported

earnings reaching over a billion dollars.

Children and adults bought into this film because it provided a new and

refreshing narrative – leadership and success through a black superhero.

Marketing & Representation

In recent years we have seen a range of

corporations take on diversity & inclusion based marketing initiatives to reflect the

organisation’s stance on humanitarian as well as political causes.

We have also seen a shift in marketing and media. Many advertisements now use a variety of models, cultures and

environments to represent their brand’s

identity and values. But not all brands get this right. This issue is likely to be a result of a lack of diversity and understanding on a decision-making level.

Many businesses have used rainbow branded logos and black squares to

promote their organisation’s stance for events such as Pride and campaigns such Black Lives Matter. However if

we review their internal and external

progressions, in many cases, businesses are yet to actually make some form of

the Community promotes itself

as a diverse and

inclusive city. Every year, thousands of

Stephanie Prior

tourists visit the city to take advantage

of a range of offerings, including

Brighton Palace Pier, Brighton West Pier, Pavilion Gardens and more.

Brighton is also hub for entertainment – music concerts, theatre, car shows,

marathons, and not to mention one of the largest and most successful Pride events in Europe. In recent years, Brighton has become a leader in

business technology, with the industry

generating more than a billion pounds.

The city additionally attracts diversity and new talent through Brighton &

Sussex University. Both universities bring hundreds of students on a national and international level.

According to the latest government

census recorded in 2011, approximately 15% of residents identified as non-

white. The next census is likely to show that this percentage has increased.

Yet this is not always represented in how the city is marketed, not to mention its

business make up and local leadership.

Whether this has been overlooked or

ignored, there is still much opportunity to represent the city’s cultural offering not just to support its community, but

the businesses that operate within and

around the city, the students who study here and the tourists who visit.

In many ways, representation requires a

top down approach. When leadership is representative of the lived experiences and talent of its community, we

are more likely to encourage trust, innovation and accountability.

Creating meaningful representation

requires us to be open to working with talent that has always been available

but at times overlooked. It also requires more innovative thinking and collective

discussions on how we can use marketing, media and other resources, to better

communicate reflective representation.

Stephanie Prior

Business Development & Marketing Manager

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 45

Blend - a CRM (kind of) Ever since I started building for the web I’ve had a bit of an aversion to “off-the-shelf” solutions.

That’s not to say that

Sales & Marketing

they’re no good - far from it. The ever

expanding range

of online services

for small businesses is so rich and

varied there is almost too much choice when it comes to making a decision

that is right for you, and if you make

the wrong choice it can be difficult to change. When you’ve been using a

certain system to manage your dayto-day affairs, it can often be more hassle than it’s worth to migrate to

something else so you just live with the inconveniences and workarounds and accept them as part of the process.

46 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

This is partly why I’ve always had a

tendency to build things myself. Our website CMS, Traffic, has been in

existence since I was a freelancer. I originally built it for myself before I

even realised there were open source solutions available like Wordpress

(which was still just a blogging tool). I

don’t believe that it’s pointless to build

something just because there’s already something similar available.

When we started Whitespace we had already been talking about building

some kind of project tracker to keep

on top of our work so I started putting something together, beginning with a

simple client database. This soon led to adding an estimate and invoicing

system, and soon after that a database to keep track of all the domain names

and hosting packages that we manage for clients. We’ve been using this in-house system from day 1 and

we’ve named it “Blend”. The projects

database had been added quite early

on, but due to time constraints I never quite got it “production ready” so we settled for an existing system which we’re still using.

Last year, our friends and collaborators Ticktockrobot expressed an interest in

a similar kind project tracker. They had

SAL ES & MARKE TI NG

that further changes after sign-off can incur additional fees. This was quite

important to them because animation can be very time consuming to alter

so it’s really important that things are checked thoroughly.

The system is working very well for

them and they’ve received really good

feedback from clients. What we like best about this approach is that everything happens on Ticktockrobot’s own

website. They have a login to access

Steve Elford

their projects and there are no other

links to remember - the overall focus is keeping it simple for the client.

“We came to Whitespace, who built and host our current website, with a rather challenging brief. Often

we find clients are unsure as to the process in creating an animation, and often during the production process feedback gets lost in a

string of emails and conversations

that can be hard to track, revise and

review. We wanted to create our own bespoke client portal that would enable the client to review each already used software like Basecamp,

stage of the process and provide

easily became bloated with so many

manner, all in the same place. We

was easy to lose focus and stray from

it was always easy for our clients to

database already in place we saw an

and to the point. Many off-the-shelf

interface and build a front face for

many options and features that end

the two with an API.

functionality of the portal, without

Trello, Monday etc., but found that they

feedback in a clear and concise

“boards” and comment threads that it

wanted it to be part of our website so

the original brief. With the projects

find it. Lastly it needed to be simple

opportunity to use Blend as the “admin”

project management tools have too

clients on their own website, connecting

up clouding and confusing the pure

Ticktockrobot is an animation studio

being used or required.

and their projects, like most design

Steve, Whitespace’s Head of Web,

before final delivery. We built this into

we were trying to achieve. As we

points and gave them the ability to

to use it, we discovered certain

of feedback for each stage. The client

usability. Every time we suggested

tick a box to confirm they understand

out the details before employing

jobs, go through 2 or 3 interim stages

understood immediately what

the client interface with clear sign-off

progressed with the build and started

specify the number of allowed rounds

features were needed to improve the

is able to leave comments but must

these Steve took the time to thrash

it perfectly. The process has been

a challenging yet rewarding and a fun one to work on, largely in part

to Steve’s patience, understanding and forthright attitude in creating

something that has already become the centre point of our production process. We can’t recommend

Whitespace highly enough. The end product works brilliantly and as

intended and is already improving

both client relations and production efficiency for us. Thank you!”

Simon Armstrong, Creative Director, Ticktockrobot

I guess you could call Blend a “CRM” but it’s certainly not as involved as

something like Hubspot or Salesforce.

It’s also not an accounts system to

the level that Xero or FreeAgent are

(although it does talk to Xero behind the scenes to keep accountants happy).

It’s a powerful tool for us now; we built it for simplicity but it has a little bit of everything. It’s a bit of a blend.

If you need a more bespoke solution for your own internal processes, please get in touch.

Steve Elford, Director of Web Development at Whitespace

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 47

Digital, design & branding

We are a full service creative agency specialising in design, web and marketing.

Founded by three passionate creatives.

whitespace.studio 4 St. Georges Place, Brighton BN1 4GA 01273 258000 / hello@whitespace.studio 48 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

SBT

COVER FE ATU RE

TECH

SILICON BRIGHTON LAUNCHES INITIATIVE TO ADDRESS INEQUALITIES IN TECH

A BRAND NEW INITIATIVE, DIVERSE SUSSEX

SBT TECH SPONSORED BY:

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 49

Silicon Brighton launches initiative to address inequalities in Tech Silicon Brighton has been working hand-in-hand with the region’s tech community to support digital success and growth since it was founded in 2019.

Tech

By working with local

of reports there are online to find there

●8 4% of all interview requests go to

learned that many

and hospitable place for everyone.

●3 in 5 women have been discriminated

business leaders they organisations were

keen to proactively

improve their approach to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), but were unsure how to approach this.

Increasingly over the years, there has been a lot of talk about the issues

surrounding DEI in the technology

sector and how to address it. Despite many businesses’ desire to do better,

you only need to look at the multitude

50 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

is still some way to go until it is a fair

Amongst the hundreds of stats available, reports such as Hired’s UK Tech

Workplace Equality Report and further research has highlighted that:

● Women make up only 18% of all UK tech roles

● The vast majority of tech workers

identify as white (66%). Just 3% are black, 17% asian, 2% hispanic and 6% mixed race

men and only 16% to women

against in the workplace because

of their gender and 29% have also experienced sexual harassment

●3 8% of non-white people been

discriminated against because of

their ethnicity, 21% experienced bias

during the interview process and 15% experienced harassment

●A n estimated 54,000 mothers every year are forced to leave their jobs because of mistreatment

●A quarter of LGBTQIA+ people have

TECH

found they are paid up to £14,999 less than a heterosexual colleague

● 71% of neurodiverse people aren’t taken seriously at work

There is often a lot of focus on diversity

at the recruitment stage and while this is a key aspect of the DEI journey, building an inclusive culture that welcomes

different needs and strengths is critical in order to address inequalities.

A lack of diversity and inclusion not only impacts the wellbeing of staff, but society as a whole. It hinders

businesses’ ability to attract and retain people who think differently, innovate and add value to the bottom line.

Job seekers understand the importance of DEI and will overlook companies that fail to demonstrate that people from all

walks of life are included, valued, treated fairly and have a feeling of belonging in their organisation.

Research also shows that diverse businesses are far more resilient

and adaptable to change. People from different backgrounds and lived experiences bring new

perspectives and fresh ideas, enabling

To help organisations create actionable

services with everyone in mind.

of resources packed with advice

In response, Silicon Brighton has

into different categories; Awareness,

organisations to build products and

unveiled a brand new initiative, Diverse Sussex.

Launched in September at a special

change, we have put together a library and guidance. This toolkit is split

Attracting, Selecting, Onboarding, and

Belonging; and is designed to inform their knowledge and practices.

hybrid event - which featured an

No matter where you are in your

winning Global Diversity, Equity &

if you’re a tech business (or have a

- the initiative has been developed

you to sign up. Doing so solidifies your

can improve, but why many fail to

contributes to our shared learning. You

illuminating talk from multi award-

diversity, equity and inclusion journey,

Inclusion Leader, Sheree Atcheson

tech team) in Sussex we encourage

to unearth not only how businesses

organisation’s promise to do better and

implement successful DEI strategies.

will also gain access to growing our

Speaking on the initiative, Co-Founder

toolkit of resources and support.”

Steve Rackley said: “Diverse Sussex

To learn more and become a Diverse

actionable change. Through annual

www.diversesussex.com.

is powered by data and propelled by

Sussex signatory, visit

reports consisting of

anonymised and aggregated data from businesses in the

community, we can pinpoint where challenges and

imbalances lie, where we’re improving, where we’re

lacking, and where we must focus our collective efforts.

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 51

Race ready?

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With many people heading back to the office, is your business IT ‘race ready’ so you can properly compete with others in your sector? Or are you getting left behind?

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It’s faster for remote working, cheaper, more secure and compliant, scalable, always on the latest technology and billed monthly according to what you use. Talk to us directly.

01444 443200

info@extech.co.uk

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We can take any business with between 5 and 100 active users of IT, into the full Microsoft Cloud platform.

52 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

SBT CHARITY

ROCKINGHORSE CHILDRENS CHARITY ROUND-UP

WE LOOK AT THE LATEST NEWS

SOUTHERN SHEETING TREK 50K FOR CHARITY ACROSS SAS TRAINING GROUNDS

CHOSEN CHARITY PARTNER:

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 53

C HA RI T Y

Rockinghorse round-up John Barnes a smash hit at Best of British Brighton sporting lunch for Rockinghorse Football legend John Barnes was the guest speaker at the Best of British charity sporting lunch at The Grand Hotel in Brighton on Friday 24 September.

With 480 guests in

Charity

attendance, this was

the largest event in aid of Rockinghorse since lock-down measures

were eased and it raised over £31,000 for the well-loved Sussex children’s charity.

The Best of British Brighton lunch,

generously sponsored by Rubix VT, had the pleasure of hosting John Barnes, the legendary Liverpool and England

left-winger turned TV football pundit, for the afternoon.

John regaled the guests with tales of

his life and career, including some great stories about his involvement in the

England team at the 1990 World Cup,

the team manager Bobby Robson and his fellow England legend, Gazza.

During the event Ryan Heal, Director of Best of British welcomed guests

and thanked John for being such an

54 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

enjoyable speaker: “It’s so wonderful

Rockinghorse, spoke on behalf of the

venue to support a cause so close to my

along to support us today. It’s so great to

get together and having John here for

hear from the legend that is John Barnes,

to be back with everyone at this great

charity: “Thanks to everyone who came

heart. We’ve really missed being able to

be at another Best of British event and to

the afternoon has really put the cherry

not to mention everyone’s generosity in

on the cake.”

helping raise so much for Rockinghorse.”

The money raised at the event will go

Nick Poyner, Managing Director at Rubix

equipment aimed at supporting poorly

support the event: “Having started Rubix

towards funding a range of projects and

VT, was really pleased to be able to

babies and children throughout Sussex.

VT in September 2020, we’re fortunate

These include resuscitation training

this wonderful charity. I’ve supported

in Chichester, toys to distract children

years, even running a marathon for them,

to be able to sponsor today’s event and

equipment for St Richard’s Hospital

and sponsored Rockinghorse over many

waiting to be treated in the A&E

and will continue to do so in the future.”

Children’s Hospital and a battery pack

Rockinghorse is the official fundraising

Mann Baby Unit, helping to transport

Hospital in Brighton. The charity

maternity ward to the specialist unit.

disadvantaged children in Sussex for

Janella Merritt, Head of Fundraising at

www.rockinghorse.org.uk.

department of the Royal Alexandra

to power a resuscitaire in the Trevor

arm of the Royal Alexandra Children’s

premature babies safely from the

has been supporting sick and

over 50 years. To find out more, visit

CHA RITY

Rockinghorse round-up Get your tickets for the Rockinghorse Emerald Ball!

Rockinghorse announces the return of their annual fundraising ball, celebrating their 55th year.

The charity will be

Charity

hosting its major

fundraising event of

the year at The Grand Hotel in Brighton on

Saturday 19 March 2022. The emeraldthemed Ball will be sponsored by DMH Stallard and co-sponsored by FRP,

Cardens Accountants, and Creative Pod. It’s a welcome return for the ever-popular

event after its cancellation in 2020 and this occasion will be celebrating the well-loved charity’s 55th anniversary, having been

established by Dr Trevor Mann in 1967.

Rockinghorse is best-known for its work with the Royal Alexandra Children’s

Hospital and Trevor Mann Baby Unit

in Brighton, but they also support the Special Care Baby Unit in Haywards Heath and many

18 months children’s mental health

being able to hold this event so we

the pandemic with a big increase in

fantastic evening at the Grand Hotel.

health related issues.

“I’d like to thank our headline sponsors

The charity is hoping that there will be a

Ball once again this year, and extend our

to come along to the ball, especially after

Accountants, and Creative Pod for

has been hit particularly hard by

admissions to hospital for mental

can’t wait to welcome everyone to our

DMH Stallard for kindly supporting our

keen interest amongst their supporters

thanks to co-sponsors FRP, Cardens

the lack of special occasions since the

helping to make the event possible.”

to raise a large sum of money to help

Tickets for The Rockinghorse Ball are

throughout Sussex.

of 10. And the charity is offering an early

Rhian Walsh, Finance and Operations

each table booked and paid for before

beginning of 2020. And they are hoping support these much-needed projects

now on sale, priced at £850 for a table

bird offer with a free bottle of bubbly for

Director, said: “Our annual Ball provides

the end of November 2021.

to come together and enjoy an evening

To book your table or for more information,

to raise vital funds. We’ve really missed

enquiries@rockinghorse.org.uk

a wonderful opportunity for supporters

of entertainment, whilst also helping us

call the charity on 01273 330044 or email

other children’s centres and

paediatric services across Sussex.

Next year’s ball will be raising

money for a range of specialist

equipment and

support for children to help manage

their mental health and wellbeing.

During the last

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 55

C HA RI T Y

Rockinghorse round-up Rockinghorse appoints new CEO Rockinghorse Children’s Charity announces the appointment of Donna Holland as their new Chief Executive Officer.

Donna takes up her

Charity

role with the well-loved children’s charity after working in the charity sector for the last 20

years, bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience to the position.

Her appointment follows on from Ryan Heal, the previous CEO, who stepped down earlier this year after eight successful years at the helm.

Donna joins Rockinghorse from

Concordia where she was Deputy CEO, supporting the charity to expand and

improve their youth programmes across

Sussex. She has previously been Interim

CEO at Brighton-based charity Maternity Worldwide, as well as holding senior

roles with many national youth charities over the past twenty years.

Donna is also currently a Trustee of

Grassroots, the Brighton-based, suicide prevention charity and she has held

trustee roles at several other national and local charities. Her passion has

always been working for charities that support children and young people.

Phil Frier, Chair of Trustees for Rockinghorse said: “We are

delighted to welcome Donna to

the Rockinghorse family and we’re really looking forward to working with her. She brings a wealth of

experience in leading charities with a

collaborative, kind and compassionate approach, not to mention a passion 56 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

for supporting children and young people and for the local area of Sussex.

She joins us at a pivotal

time for the charity after a

challenging 18 months, but

we believe that we have made a strong choice in selecting someone with the strategic

vision to lead Rockinghorse

through the next phase of our development.”

And Donna is really looking

forward to a new challenge.

She said: “I am delighted

Donna Holland

to be leading Rockinghorse into the next chapter of its

incredible history. I have long

admired the work they do, and it is

a tremendous privilege to have been chosen for this role.

“As someone who lives and works in Sussex, I’ve seen first-hand the

impact the charity has and I’m really

looking forward to continuing the vital

work of Rockinghorse with a team that shows professionalism, warmth and

understanding of the issues faced by

sick and disabled babies, children and teenagers across Sussex.”

Phil added: “Donna is joining an

incredible staff team with a great mix of skills and experience along with a

brilliant team of committed and expert fundraisers and administrators. We believe that with this appointment,

Rockinghorse has the right team to carry out our mission of supporting

the children’s hospital and other local children’s health provision.”

Donna added: “I am very much looking forward to getting to know all the

incredible projects we are currently

fundraising for, and I’m determined

to ensure that every pound raised for

Rockinghorse is spent on making the

maximum impact for sick and disabled babies, children and teenagers across Sussex. I can’t wait to meet everyone and get started!”

Donna starts her role on 1 November.

To find out more about Rockinghorse

Children’s Charity, take a look at their

website at www.rockinghorse.org.uk.

CHA RITY

Southern Sheeting trek 50km across SAS training ground for charity

A team from Southern Sheeting raised more than £6,000 for homeless charity Crawley Open House when they took on a gruelling 50km hike across an SAS training ground.

The building materials

Charity

supplier signed up for Trekfest 2021 after

seeing the incredible

support Crawley Open

House offers to local people who want to have a place they can call home.

Together they walked across the Brecon Beacons on Saturday 18 September,

opting for either the more challenging

50km route or the shorter 25km route.

Tony Hobbs, Managing Director, Southern Sheeting, said: “As a family-run roofing business, putting a roof over people’s

heads is close to our hearts and when we saw the incredible work at Crawley Open House we knew we wanted to help.

“We were so moved by the dedication and compassion of the team of

experienced project workers and

support staff who help residents and

day-centre guests to live independently.

“During our visit we learned homelessness

the highest peak in South Wales.

It really can happen to anyone. We’re so

Joanna Morfield, e-Commerce Manager

can’t thank our supporters enough.”

routes were extremely challenging, and

Southern Sheeting, which is based in

SAS choose to train there!

£5,000 and exceeded this, generating

“There was only a little rain at the start, but

affects some 240,000 people in the UK.

pleased with the total we raised, and we

East Grinstead, set a target of raising

said: “I think we can all agree that both we can definitely understand why the

more than £6,000 in donations.

this cleared up and we were very lucky to

The team included Managing Director

walking. It was a great team building event

have mild weather, which was perfect for

Tony Hobbs, e-Commerce Manager

for us and the atmosphere was brilliant.

McCullough, Contracts Assistant Liam

“There were a lot of sore feet at the end

Joanna Morfield, Team Leader Stephen O’Callaghan, HGV Driver Ben Pellett and

of it, but we’re so proud of the money

Yard Operative Will Clark.

that we raised for such a good cause.”

Trekfest 2021 took place in Brecon

There’s still time to donate to Southern

features rolling countryside and stunning

by visiting: https://www.justgiving.com/

Beacons National Park in Wales, which

Sheeting’s fund for Crawley Open House

views. It is also the favourite location

fundraising/southern-sheeting-supplies

Selection process. The routes included

For more information, please visit

for the hill phase of the SAS and SBS

both the Corn Du ridge and Pen y Fan -

www.southernsheeting.co.uk.

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 57

C HA RI T Y

Christmas market

Join us for our Care for Veterans’ Christmas Market and support our local artisans.

Charity

Come along to peruse the wonderful stalls,

• Santa’s grotto

maybe something lovely for yourself too!

• Mince pies and cakes

get a few of your Christmas gifts, and

Date: Saturday 27th November 2021

Time: 12pm until 6pm

Where: Care for Veterans, Gifford House, Boundary Road, Worthing

This Christmas, we are very excited to be hosting a wonderful Christmas Market at our facility in Worthing.

• Christmas Market with over 25 amazing independent traders • Mulled wine and beer tent • Hot food

• Christmas gifts and decorations

58 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

• Games and prizes including our Grand Prize Draw • Live entertainment

• Christmas trees and wreaths If you are interested in a stallholder space, please email christine.gillott@careforveterans.org.uk including

information about your business and we will get back to you right away. Stalls are £25 and a beautiful two-tier market stand will be provided upon arrival.

SBT MOTORING NEWS

DRIVING LAWS YOU DIDN’T KNOW EXISTED WITH RIVERVALE LEASING

UPDATE ON GRANTS & SCHEMES FOR EV DRIVERS WE TAKE A LOOK AT THE FACTS

SBT MOTORING NEWS SPONSORED BY:

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 59

MOTO RI N G N E WS

Driving laws you didn’t know existed

Driving for many means freedom, fun and an easy way to get from a to b, whether that’s for commuting or pleasure.

Motoring News

When we initially

road. You could be going out for dinner

seem like a fun and cute idea, especially

test, it means setting

you need to consider is where you park.

However it can be a big cause for

pass our driving out on the open

road - and a time to

or just fancied a drive - but something

If you’re looking to save money and find

a free parking spot, this is where this law

when they pop their head out the window. distraction when it comes to your driving.

could catch you out.

Rule 57 in the Highway Code states:

limits, don’t drive through a red light,

Rule 248 in the Highway Code states:

other animals are suitably restrained so

many that aren’t as common.

facing against the direction of the traffic

be aware of the driving laws around

us. We all know to stick within speed but what about the other laws? The

We’re going to share with you the driving laws you didn’t know existed and the

ones to be aware of the next time you set foot on your journey.

Night time parking

Driving at night can be a lot calmer than during the day with less cars on the

60 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

“You MUST NOT park on a road at night flow unless in a recognised parking

space.” This is because when a car is

parked against that traffic flow, there’s no indication to catch the headlights of an

approaching vehicle, and therefore, your

car may be a potential hazard to the road.

Unrestrained pets

Driving along with your pet in tow can

“When in a vehicle make sure dogs or

they cannot distract you while you are driving or injure you, or themselves, if you stop quickly. A seat belt harness, pet carrier, dog cage or dog guard are ways of restraining animals in

cars.” There isn’t a direct penalty for

unrestrained pets, however, the risk is that you could be charged for driving without due care if your pet distracts you - and that’s why it’s important to restrain them properly.

MOTOR I NG N E WS Rule 244 states: “You MUST NOT park partially or wholly on the pavement in London, and should not do so elsewhere unless signs permit it. Parking on the pavement can obstruct and seriously inconvenience pedestrians, people in wheelchairs or with visual impairments and people with prams or pushchairs.”

Honking your horn Driving can be stressful and many Preparing for snow

When winter hits, driving around can be

dangerous and require more preparation before you leave your house. We’ve all

been there when we were in a rush and didn’t have time to remove all the ice

and snow from our car, just enough of it to give visibility to the road. But, did

you know, it is against Rule 229 in the Highway Code.

Rule 229 states: “Before you set off you

drivers around us can be dangerous or block where we’re going, causing inconvenience on the road. If you do need some tips on how to handle the stress we do have a short list of

think about when you’re on your next Mcdonald’s run. Find out more about these driving laws here.

Splashing a pedestrian

Driving in rainy conditions isn’t exactly ideal and means we have to be a bit

warier of who is around us, in terms of on the road and on the pavement too.

Big puddles can amount when rain is

they pass. However, this isn’t actually

however, that doesn’t mean you should

allowed, and is punishable as it can be

honk the horn to share your road rage.

The horn is designed to alert or warn another driver of your presence, not for

legible.” This means, next time there’s a

warn other road users of your presence.

to do just that.

MUST NOT use your horn

You never know when you might have to

•w hen driving in a built-up area

your vehicle is moving and you need to

heavy snowfall, take the time and care

Never sound your horn aggressively. You • while stationary on the road

be prepared for snow to hit these days

between the hours of 11.30 pm and

Maybe the cars we all drive could have

user poses a danger.”

7.00 am except when another road

towards our greener future there are

Paying at a drive through restaurant

environmental factors go... Check out

In the age of digital technology, we use our

Environment.

natural to whip it out instead of your debit

Parking on a pavement

at a drive-through. However, because

especially in busier cities or towns with

running is illegal, you could get a £200 fine

It has been illegal to park on London

pay with it at a drive-through.

fine to pay if this is the case, however, it

Rule 149 states: “You MUST exercise

many options, good and bad, as far as

with your phone

The Best and Worst Vehicles for the

phones as a way of payment, and it’s only

seen as careless driving.

In the Road Traffic Act 1988, Section 3, it states: “If a person drives a

mechanically propelled vehicle on a road or other public place without due care and attention, or without reasonable

consideration for other persons using the road or place, he is guilty of an

offence.” If you’re caught doing this, you could receive 3-9 points on your license and up to a £5000 fine.

There you have it, 7 laws to be wary

of the next time you head on the road.

We’re here to help you keep as safe as possible and if you’d like to contact us

today for any car leasing queries, please get in touch.

card when making payments, including

Finding parking can be a tricky task,

using your mobile phone with the engine

no available parking spots in sight.

and 6 penalty points on your license if you

sign permits it.

your debit card instead is something to

Driving. You might feel very stressed,

number plates are clearly visible and

isn’t illegal elsewhere in Britain, only if a

impractical to stop.” That means, using

of that, with vehicles splashing them as

Rule 112 states: “The horn. Use only while

pavements for over 40 years with a small

genuine emergency when it is unsafe or

blog 10 Ways to Reduce Stress While

MUST ensure that lights are clean and

something to do with that. As we move

driver, except to call 999 or 112 in a

heavy and pedestrians can see the brunt

aggressive purposes.

with the unpredictablilty of the weather...

driving or when supervising a learner

practices that could help you via our

MUST be able to see, so clear all snow and ice from all your windows and you

mobile phone, or similar device, when

proper control of your vehicle at all times. You MUST NOT use a hand-held

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 61

MOTO RI N G N E WS

Update on grants & schemes for EV drivers You may well know that the government has been incentivising us drivers to look towards the electric vehicles market for some time now, in order to get us better on track to meet the “Road to Zero” plans to be carbon neutral by 2050.

If you own an off

Motoring News

road car parking

space, you are likely eligible for a grant

of up to £350 off the

cost of installing a charger at home.

At Rivervale, we’ve teamed up with Virtus Energy so you can include

the cost of a home charger in your

monthly leasing rental with any of our

qualifying electric / hybrid vehicles.

62 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

You’ll get assistance through the

home charger installed.

will also help you choose the best

But that’s not the only incentive the

OZEV grant application. Virtus Energy placement for your charger, and start the planning process for installation.

government is offering.

Your charger will be set up and ready

Low-emissions grants

lease vehicle. We’ll even plant a tree

chargers you can get money towards.

in partnership with eforests. For more

off the price of a new low-emission EV

for the delivery of your brand new

That’s right, it’s not just the home

in your name with every installation,

The government is offering a discount

information, we’ve put together a

comprehensive guide about getting a

too, through both vehicle dealerships and manufacturers.

MOTOR I NG N E WS What do I have to do?

gross vehicle weight, which can travel

will discount the grant money from the

without producing any emissions

price you pay for the vehicle. EVs can

less than 50g/km. Large vans such

the government is offering a maximum

e-Ducato and the Mercedes Benz

Nothing. The dealer or manufacturer

for a minimum of 96 km (60 miles)

value of the car, and show that in the

and have CO2 emissions reading of

be expensive, but every little helps -

as the Citroen e-Dispatch, the Fiat

grant of £2,500.

e-Sprinter all qualify in this category.

Is my van eligible for the grant or just

Some taxis, trucks and mopeds qualify

The government has identified seven

your plans for any new EV purchase.

which of these are entitled to the grant

Does every car advertised as ‘low-

• Motorcycles

Unfortunately not. The government

• Large vans

eligible for the grant, which you can find

my car?

categories of vehicles, and explained

too, so it’s certainly worth factoring into

• Cars

emissions’ qualify for the grant?

• Mopeds

has set out a list of all models that are

• Small vans

on their webpage.

• Trucks

Cars, which were previously known as

There are different requirements for

that expel CO2 emissions of less than

become familiar with to be sure your

(or 70 miles) without producing any

• Taxis

‘category 1’, are classed as vehicles

every category, which you’ll have to

50g/km, and can travel at least 112km

vehicle is eligible.

emissions at all. That takes many

For a motorbike, for example, the grant

hybrids out of consideration.

will foot 20% of the RRP, to a cap of

Some popular car models which

CO2 emissions and be able to travel a

BMW i3, the Mazda MX-30, the Mini

between charges.

Peugeot e-208 - but the list goes on.

A small van, meanwhile, must be less

Another consideration is that cars

produce less than 50g/km in CO2

cost less than £35,000, at the RRP

minimum of 96km (which is 60 miles)

With the average price of electric

That counts vehicles like the Citroen

eliminate a fair share of the EV models

£1,500 (the motorbike must have zero

are eligible for the grant include the

minimum of 50 km (which is 31 miles)

Electric, the Nissan Leaf and the

than 2,500kg in gross vehicle weight,

eligible for this grant must also

emissions and be able to travel a

(including VAT and delivery fees).

without producing any emissions.

cars coming in at £44,000, this does

e-Berlingo, the Nissan e-NV200 and

you might’ve held in consideration.

others. The grant is capped at 35% of

The grant is good for 35% of the RRP of

the Renault Zoe van, amongst plenty of RRP, capped at a £3,000 limit.

your EV, with a cap at £2,500.

Large vans too can qualify for this

Government plans for an EV-

£6,000 or 35% of the purchase price.

On 28th September, transport

in between 2,500kg and 3,500kg

raft of new measures to help position

grant, which will pay up to a cap of

focussed future

This category is for vehicles weighing

secretary Grant Schapps laid out a

the UK as a leader in the future of transport technologies.

One of these measures was the proposal of more EV charge points around the UK - and making sure that these are designed inclusively, for all drivers.

The proposal suggests “a robust and expansive ChargePoint network that

will allow everyone to make the switch to electric”. With the government’s

commitment to phase out the sale of new ICE (internal combustion engine) cars by 2030, this is a welcome development,

making sure that little is standing in the way of the aspiring EV driver.

It looks like it’s never been easier to go

Green, and with all of the technological

advancements made year on year in EV

technology, EVs are genuinely looking to be the forerunners in terms of function and delivery in the automotive future ahead of us.

In early 2022, the reformed Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS) and Electric

Vehicle Homecharge Scheme (EVHS) will come into place.

Let’s break them both down: Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme (EVHS)

You have until 31st March 2022, for

installations using the current EVHS scheme.

The last claims for instillations under the current scheme are 30th April 2022 and will be for exceptional reasons only.

The reformed EVHS scheme is designed to accelerate provisions in apartment blocks and rental accommodation.

The reforms to the EVHS will be delivered through a new digital

platform for OZEV ChargePoint grants (available in early 2022.)

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 63

MOTO RI N G N E WS For people living in flats and renters: • A maximum of £350 is

available towards the cost of installing a ChargePoint.

• Only 1 application is permitted per person.

• T he applicant must have a qualifying electric vehicle.

• T he property must have dedicated offstreet parking.

• Provided through a new digital platform.

For non-resident building owners (including non-resident building owners):

• A maximum of £350 is available towards the cost of installing a ChargePoint.

• A maximum of 200 applications per year per applicant.

• Applicants must have a registered

business or be a public authority. Or, if they are a private entity, you may

be registered with Companies House, have VAT registration, or be a private

registered provider of social housing.

• The property must have associated private parking.

• There is no limit as to how many

ChargePoint sockets can be installed in each property (within the overall number of grants available).

For apartment block owners:

registered provider of social housing.

• The property must have private parking.

• There is no limit as to how many ChargePoint sockets can be installed in each property (within the overall limit of £30,000 per property).

• A minimum of 5 bays must be provisioned with at least one having a working ChargePoint.

Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS) The scheme is expanding to provide more support for SME’s, small accommodation businesses, and charities. There will be continued support for businesses to install charge points for their staff and fleets using the current WCS digital platform.

For small accommodation businesses (like B&B’s and campsites) and charities:

• A maximum of £350 is available per socket towards the cost of installing a ChargePoint.

• A maximum of 40 grants are available.

• Applicants must be a registered charity or an accommodation business with less than 250 employees.

• The accommodation business must be a registered business with Companies House or have VAT registration.

• A maximum of £30,000 funding is

• The site must have off-street parking.

• A maximum of 30 applications per year

For commercially-let property owners:

available per building. per applicant.

• The amount of grant available per application depends on:

• The amount of parking bays

being provisioned with either

a ChargePoint socket (up to £850 available per bay).

• Or the supporting infrastructure for

a ChargePoint to be installed at a later date (up to £500 available per bay).

• Applicants must have a registered

business or be a public authority. Or, if they are a private entity, you may

be registered with Companies House, have VAT registration, or be a private

64 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

• A maximum of £350 is available per

If you’re not sure how charging an electric car works, don’t worry we’ve put together a handy guide about connector types, charging at home, work or on the go.

For small and medium-sized businesses: • A maximum of £15,000 is available per building towards the cost of installing charge points.

• A maximum of 5 grants are available.

• There is no limit as to how many ChargePoint sockets can be installed at each site, but there are only 5 grants available.

• Grant amounts depend on how many parking bays are being provisioned.

•U p to £850 is available for a bay with a ChargePoint •U p to £500 is available If a bay is provisioned with supporting infrastructure.

• Applicants must be a registered business with Companies House or have VAT registration, with less than 250 employees.

• The business location must have associated private parking.

• A minimum of 5 bays must be provisioned, at least one of which must have a working ChargePoint.

• The allocation will be in addition to that available under the current WCS. • This will be provided by a new digital

socket towards the cost of installing a

platform for OZEV ChargePoint

ChargePoint.

grants (available early 2022).

• A maximum of 100 applications per year per applicant.

• Applicants must be a registered business or a public authority. If they are a private entity, they may be registered with Companies House, have VAT registration.

• The property must be a commercially let unit and have parking associated with it.

• Charge points must be installed in private parking spaces that are reserved for staff or fleet use.

If you’d like to learn more about changes to the grants, or need help finding the right EV for you, contact our team on 01273 433480, or request a callback at a time that suits you. www.rivervaleleasing.co.uk

SBT CHAMBER NEWS

HYBRID: SEIZING THE OPPORTUNITY

ANNOUNCING A BRAND-NEW EVENT FROM BRIGHTON CHAMBER

CALLING ALL BUSINESSES AND BUSINESS GROUPS TO GET INVOLVED

LET’S HELP SHAPE FUTURE SKILLS NEEDS

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 65

C HA M B E R N E WS

Hybrid: seizing the opportunity Announcing a brand-new event from Brighton Chamber

As the world

Chamber News

steps carefully but

confidently back into three dimensions

post-Covid, one thing

is certain about the next normal – the future will most definitely be hybrid.

To celebrate and mark the dawn of the

new hybrid age, we’re holding a brandnew, carefully curated event on 12 November: Hybrid.

Bringing together leading thinkers and entrepreneurs to share their stories of

never wasting an opportunity, and their vision of the brave, new hybrid world.

They’ll talk about why you should always

Why Hybrid?

we can bring from change, even in a

authenticity and humanity of work

inspired and with a skip in your step.

the next normal, our lives continue to

Meet our first two keynote speakers…

While many of us have missed the and life in-person – as we adjust to be hybrid.

seize an opportunity and the positives

crisis - to leave you feeling connected,

Professor Robin Shattock

Hybrid is our forward-looking event,

Immunologist Professor Robin Shattock

share their stories of the past 18

Ebola and rabies - and has been at the

Founder of Brighton Gin.

since the start of the pandemic.

where three keynote speakers will

has worked on vaccine projects for HIV,

months with our host, Kathy Caton,

centre of a search for a Covid vaccine

66 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

Head of Mucosal Infection and

Immunity with the Department of

Infectious Disease at Imperial College, London, he gave a lecture in 2019

talking about the need to prepare for

an inevitable global pandemic, without knowing that it would arrive so soon.

At Hybrid, Robin will talk about the extraordinary events of the last 18 months, his aims for what he and

his colleagues will do next, and his aspirations for how we can benefit from the knowledge gained.

CHAM BE R N E WS

Professor Robin Shattock

Sanjay Lobo

Sanjay Lobo

Sanjay has drawn on his wide-ranging

the hybrid age and watch our inspiring

working as an in-house lawyer for

grow his three-year startup to where it

slippers for shoes.

career he didn’t seek out in law, led to a

where he gets his work ethic, learning

Hybrid is open to all – you don’t have

talks, all without having to swap out your

Sanjay Lobo caught the start-up bug

experience across many sectors to

lastminute.com. What started out as a

is today. He’ll be sharing the secrets of

series of senior roles across Europe at

not to fear change, and the power of

to be a member of Brighton Chamber

corporates experiencing rapid change.

being able to influence.

to attend.

Fast forward to 2019, and he came

How can you join Hybrid?

With thanks to our event sponsor,

In the spirit of hybrid, you can join us

Edward Street Quarter. And to our

onHand, a tech platform helping

either in-person and online.

event partner, Ironworks Studios.

need. It was an answer to some of

In-person, we’ll be at Ironworks

Hybrid is a brand-new event from

and some of his own. His father was

nibbles and catching up – and you’ll get

November – in-person at Ironworks

now their CEO.

multi-purpose event and studio space

more and get your ticket here.

across the now award-winning

vulnerable people get the help they society’s most difficult problems –

Studios. There’ll be drinks, networking,

Brighton Chamber, being held on 12

onHand’s first customer, and Sanjay is

to watch our speakers in a unique new

Studios, or online via Zoom. Find out

But in response to the pandemic, Sanjay

in the heart of Brighton.

made a huge change to their business

Online, we’ll be streaming the talks via

route altogether.

can raise a glass of bubbles to celebrate

model, setting the company on a new

Zoom. So, if online is still your thing, you

And for more updates, news and events

from Brighton Chamber, sign up to their mailing list.

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 67

C HA M B E R N E WS

Calling ALL Businesses and Business Groups to Get Involved Let’s help shape future skills needs Chamber News

Local Skills

fixes but means that, in the mid to long-

Skills have never been

the narrative and improved prospects

Improvement Plan a more important

topic as we re-open

term, we can plan to see a change in

for Sussex businesses and employers.

our economy and lives in general.

Over the next few months, we will

A range of industries, including

representative groups, to identify the local

work with employers and employer

engineering, manufacturing,

needs and solutions to address them.

hospitality, cultural, land-based, health

There is universal agreement that only

challenges at present – these issues

up approach we will generate a plan

have been exacerbated by Brexit and

and more importantly, some of the

construction, digital, visitor,

and care are reporting acute skills

through a collaborative and joined

are deep rooted and systemic but

that truly recognises the skills needs,

the pandemic.

solutions that colleges, universities

We are committed to ensuring the

to address these.

they need to stimulate growth.

It is also recognised that we need to

Through the Local Skills Improvement

that is already available, and this project

facilitate further collaboration between

Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs), local

and business employers.

build on the wealth of existing evidence

This will gather evidence from a wide

that really will make a difference to

businesses of our region have the talent

Plan trailblazer pilot, we hope to

the education and training community

range of employers of all sizes and

across all sectors to develop a clear

and providers will need to implement

build on the intelligence and information will work closely with businesses, Local authorities and local skills groups to

to develop a skills improvement plan

Sussex’s productivity and prosperity.

plan of what skills provision is required

Overall purpose is to:

in the region.

• Build shared understanding around

When the Chamber delivers this

• Extend collaboration between

support, engaging with hundreds of businesses, the county will have an

evidence-based skills audit of a sort

never seen before. It will ensure future skills delivered by education and

training provides actually match what

firms require and deserve in the future.

This is unlikely to produce any quick

68 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

skills needs

education and training providers and

employers to meet identified needs in priority sectors

• Deploy innovative and effective ways of reaching employers and collating

futures skills needs in a meaningful way

• Translate needs into an effective tool to support providers adapt their offers

Benefits to Business and Providers:

• Improve productivity and fill skills gaps with locally-grown talent

• Create international competitiveness • Increase economic growth

• Strengthen links between employers and further education and providers

• Place employers at the heart of defining local skills needs

• Improve the skills system will be crucial to building an agile and adaptable workforce

•S upport people to get the skills

our economy needs and give them

opportunities to progress in their careers.

• Make sure people can access training and learning flexibly throughout their lives

• Support growth industries Together we can: • Add value

• Be different

• Challenge the norm

• Provide new insights

• Disrupt the status quo • Be innovative

Business organisations, town chambers,

other business groups and representative bodies are ALL actively encouraged to

involve their business members to ensure we all help shape future skills needs.

How to get involved: Book

your place now onto one of our

workshops below or email skills@

sussexchamberofcommerce.co.uk There will also be a series of virtual meetings, surveys, polls and other activity for you to get involved.

CHAM BER N E WS Collaboration and joint working

other areas, notably Surrey

statements

and Essex which also fall

“Sussex and Kent Invicta Chambers of Commerce, Coast to Capital

Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and Southeast LEP are pleased to

within the two LEP areas.”

Ana Christie, CEO of

Sussex Chamber added:

“The Sussex Chamber led

be working collaboratively on the

LSIP will play a key role in

Improvement Plan (LSIP) trailblazers for

needs, therefore helping

development of two Local Skills

articulating employers’ skills

Sussex and for Kent & Medway.

to ensure our region can

The relationship between the Chambers

needed to fill highly skilled

Advisory Panels (SAPs) will be key to

the forefront of technology

representatives bringing a wealth of

key to improving productivity

and a commitment to understanding and

jobs. The LSIP will help

produce talented people

and the LEPs’ employer led Skills

jobs and keep the county at

understanding demand, with business

and innovation. Innovation is

expertise and sector specific experience,

and creating highly skills

tackling skills gaps.

make sure the provision of

Further Education partners from Sussex

future needs of employers.”

colleges and providers are primed to

“The Sussex Chamber of Commerce

emerging challenges.

Providers are pleased to be working

The LSIPs will build on existing data

of work, in support of a countywide

to better understand skills shortages

tackling local skills gaps. Working

Book your place now!

geographies. This joint approach will

involvement, enabling you to be in the

Ana Christie, CEO

Ana Christie

technical training meets the

and Kent are also engaged to ensure

consider approaches to respond to the

and the Sussex Council of Training

in collaboration on this important piece

and research activity from the SAPs

commitment to understanding and

in priority sectors within the LSIP

together, we will support provider

allow us to share lessons learned with

best possible position to consult on,

Date

Time

Virtual/Face-to-face

Wed 27 October

1.30pm to 4.30pm

Face-to-face

Thurs 28 October

9am to 12 pm

Face-to-face

Wed 10 November

1.30pm to 4.30pm

Face-to-face

Thurs 25 November

9am to 12pm

Face-to-face

and consider, the new approaches

developed through the plan. Regular updates will be shared with the

membership to keep you abreast of developments.”

Get involved to help shape future skills needs.

Sussex Chamber of Commerce

Details Workshop – Devonshire Park Lawn Tennis Club, Eastbourne

Workshop – The Hawth Theatre, Crawley, West Sussex

Workshop – Jury’s Inn, Brighton (by the train station), East Sussex

Workshop – Fontwell Park Racecourse, West Sussex

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 69

HEADLINE SPONSOR

GLENN HODDLE FRIDAY 12TH NOVEMBER HILTON METROPOLE, BRIGHTON

JOIN US AT OUR CHARITY EVENT WITH GUEST SPEAKER, GLENN HODDLE. ARRIVAL FROM 12PM WITH THREE-COURSE LUNCH BEING SERVED AT 1PM.

£80 PER PERSON £750 TABLE OF 10 FOR VIP PACKAGES PLEASE CONTACT FOUNDATION@SUSSEXCRICKET.CO.UK IN AID OF SECURE YOUR PLACE BY VISITING WWW.ETICKETING.CO.UK/SUSSEXCRICKET

70 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

SBT NETWORKING & EVENTS

NETWORK MY CLUB MAKE AN EXCITING RETURN TO IN-PERSON EVENTS WITH NETWORK MY CLUB

JACKIE’S NETWORKING ADVENTURES WITH COUNTY BUSINESS CLUBS

SBT NETWORKING & EVENTS SPONSORED BY:

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 71

N ETWORK I N G & E V E N TS

Network My Club launch new inperson and online events schedule

September was a month to remember as it marked Network My Club’s first in person events for 19 months!

Network My Club had

Networking & Events

to adapt their business considerably during the pandemic. As a

business networking

membership organisation, all their events were cancelled and they had to move all of them online.

But September marked the launch of their new events schedule, returning

to in-person events at iconic sporting

venues and combing that with online on innovative online platform, Remo.

They kicked off the month in Sussex at

the Amex Stadium, followed by other inperson events in London at the Kia Oval and The Ageas Bowl in Southampton.

It was a special feeling at the events, which were their first back for 19 months, with

72 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

the mood almost celebratory as people

Bradley Hatchett, Founder and Managing

returned to face to face networking.

Director at Network My Club, added; ““We

And it wasn’t just returning to in-person

particularly at the Amex Stadium, where it

online event themes, which are hosted

from across Sussex in-person again.

The four themes (Motivate, Bring a Mate,

professionals to attend events is increasing

their own bespoke agenda and purpose,

already, we expect the November event to

saw a real demand for last month’s events,

events, but a launch of their new four

was great to be engaging with businesses

on the interactive online platform Remo.

Confidence amongst businesses and

Collaborate and Educate) each have

and based on enquiries and bookings

and take place in Network My Club’s

be just as popular, if not more!”

very own virtual networking lounge.

Want to try out Network My Club?

The Motivate and Educate themes

You’re more than welcome to go along

Former Global Retail Director of Ted Baker

online, before joining and you can find the

Collaborate was with the Watford Chamber

www.networkmyclub.co.uk.

included guest speakers Chris Browne,

to an event or two, in-person and/or

and Sleep Expert, Zena Everett. The

upcoming event schedule at

of Commerce to allow members to expand their networks across borders from the comfort of their home or office.

N ET WOR K I N G & E V E NTS

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 73

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Jackie’s Networking Adventures BETH MERCER PHOTOGRAPHY

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BRIGHTON BUSINESS EXPO

BRIGHTON BUSINESS EXPO

7 T H O C TO B E R , 2 0 2 1

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BRIGHTON BUSINESS EXPO

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BRIGHTON BUSINESS EXPO

Brighton Expo - Thursday 7th October 7 T H O C TO B E R , 2 0 2 1

Celebrating 10 years

!

Networking & Events

of local Business,

the Brighton Expo

returned last week on

Thursday 7th October.

Hundreds of local businesses attended

the annual event at Brighton Racecourse.

Visitors had the opportunity to openly

network with attendees, whilst exploring the exhibition packed with a variety of local exhibitors showcasing their products and services.

There 78 local businesses exhibiting

74 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

and the buzz and atmosphere in O the the classic pens, notebooks, 7TH C T O B E R ,She 2 0 2had 1 room was incredible.The event was

extremely well organised, Mike Monk

!

and his team did a cracking job. The Expo saw a huge variety in business

being offered and their opportunities between exhibitors as well as hosts.

Now one thing my daughter always

says to be when going to an event of this nature is, ‘mum, don’t forget the

freebies please.’ Well...There were so many freebies and the merchandise

standard and offerings have moved on in the last 5 years. Ella, my daughter was not disappointed.

mugs but then also a key ring

containing a poncho, a phone stand

and cleaner in one, chocolate brownie and the list goes on.

Although it was never intended to give

Ella these products to be rated, she did anyway and came up with two winners for Best merchandise 2021…

And the winners were Making your own bath salts from Camile Pierson at Float spa and the Stationary jars from Carol Whitney of the old ship hotel.

N ET WOR K I N G & E V E NTS

Charity golf day - Friday 17th September On Friday 17th

Networking & Events

September, we held

our second #share77k golf day at East

Brighton Golf Club,

which we co-hosted with the amazing

County Business Clubs, and powered by TPG Sports Events.

We were greeted by beautiful sunshine for the entire day and spectacular sea

views, and it was a fantastic day raising over £6,000 towards our #share77k charity campaign.

We had 18 teams battling it out for the coveted S7 Ted’s Trophy, with some superb scores being recorded.

Congratulations to SIA Group for

winning the event, with their team

recording a whopping 98 points, and to Bud Johnson of Rivervale picking

up the best individual score, with an impressive 43 points.

Sadly, no one got a hole in one to take home the 5k cash prize or a golfing

holiday, but I am sure that will happen at

who went round the course fining

one of our events one day!

people for messing up his sand with

Massive thank you to Rockinghorse and

2 and also dishing out bunker fines,

coming along and helping on the day

along on the day.

from Clock Tower Sanctuary for also

We are very lucky to have great

ever so important to use our events

mentions to Me&You, Eagle & Beagle,

people about their challenges and how

supporting this particular event.

Janella and Amanda specifically, for

and saying a few words, and to Mark

bunker fines, to Hazel for manning hole and to Jo from Whitespace for coming

saying a few words on the day too – its

#share77k partners, with special

to give our charities a platform to tell

MCR Media for their superb efforts in

everyone can help.

Another cracking golf day, and next up

On the day we also printed out

for the #share77k campaign is a pool

every single charity. Thanks to our main

Clubs & Metro Bank, supporting our

fantastic support, and to all the 18 hole

we have a final charity raffle before we

amazing raffle prizes – so a big thanks

fingers crossed we can hit our target!

Racing, WPZ, TPG Sports, Wakehurst

For anyone looking for more information

your kind donations.

make a donation – please head to

To our other volunteers on the day, to

justgiving.com/fundraising/share77k

brochures which had information about

tournament hosted by County Business

sponsor Southern Sheeting for their

cause – on November 11th, and then

sponsors. We were spoilt with some

reveal our grand total in November –

to funky hampers, HR Smart, Arena

Place and Fitzrovia Hotel, London – for

on the #share77k campaign or to

our JustGiving page – https://www.

our Lifeguard Jay from Oakwood Lofts,

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 75

N ETWORK I N G & E V E N TS

Better Business Worthing - Thursday 23rd September “It was a super

organised, well communicated event, we had a wonderful

welcome from

Tracie (@Tracie Davey) and her team from the Chamber. The room was light and airy, plenty of space and distance from each of the stands

(hope they continue at the Leisure Centre - it did make a difference).

Alpha was in attendance representing the benefits all things health and

safety - along with representation from Alpha’s sister company @Rescue2 as the event’s medic cover (sponsored

by Alpha) who was on hand all day (luckily only a hot tea incident to report) and @FaceFitTestingUK.

It was so great to see ‘real’ people,

after so many months of being virtual - but we were all very sensible! So

good to Mr Sam Thomas in his pink

jacket - looking very smart. So many local businesses from gin to care

services to recycling your coffee cups - something for everyone to benefit

from - we are really looking forward to next year’s event.”

Best of British - Friday 24th September What a superb event this was at the Grand Hotel with 470 guests along with guest speaker, Ex-Liverpool and England footballer, John

Barnes. The food, service and the

Rockinghorse team were fantastic as always. The event raised

over £30,000 for the wonderful

Rockinghorse Children’s Charity.

Looking forward to the next one.

Good Business Club - Plus X 30th September This was my first experience of the Good Business Club, limited to 30 spaces it was a lightly structured

networking event. Interestingly I didn’t know anyone at this event which is

unusual. The room was predominantly businesspeople with startup

businesses around a year old. The

structure of the evening gave people the opportunity to talk to everyone

in the room with 3-4 mins a table to

talk about you and your business to

their participants. All in all a very good event for small start-ups.

Jackie’s Networking Adventures Next Month will include Mythbusters with CBC, Brighton’s Big breakfast club and Nyetimber Harvest.

76 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

SBT SPORT

THE MAGIC OF POTTER

SBT SPORT REPORTS ON GRAHAM POTTER

CRAWLEY RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB

AN INCLUSIVE CLUB FOR THE COMMUNITY

EMMA RADUCANU

BRITAINS NEW SUPERSTAR!

SUSSEX CRICKET – THE FOUNDATION FOR EVERYONE

SBT SPORT CATCH UP WITH CHAIRMAN, JON FILBY

SBT SPORT SPONSORED BY:

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 77

S PORTS

The magic of Potter

A couple of months

Sports

ago, ahead of the new season, SBT

Sport reported that Graham Potter’s

position had potentially looked under

threat after the struggles of last season hovering around the relegation zone and finishing 16th with just 9 wins

from 38 games, despite the style of

football being a marked improvement on seasons past.

Fast forward then to the beginning of

October and the Seagulls are perched much more comfortably at the heady heights of 6th, having won four and

drawn two of their first seven games, just two points off Chelsea at the top

with their only defeat being a 0-2 home defeat to a resurgent Everton.

It is worth noting that last season, the

Albion took twenty-one league games and until the end of January to win four matches.

I know it’s early days, but could the Seagulls realistically be challenging

for Europe come April/May next year!?

Now before anyone tells me to cap a

lid on my excitement, let’s look at the evidence your honour.

78 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

Every Brighton fan will tell you that last season, the Seagulls were seriously lacking in the luck department, and yes, they may be using up all their

good fortune owed to them now - a

late winner at Brentford and the very

enjoyable and satisfying 95th minute

equaliser at Palace spring to mind – but tell me watching Brighton now hasn’t

become a more pleasurable experience?

Even the compliments uttered by the variety of pundits on BBC and Sky

seems to be expanding every week. The Potter way is becoming noticed.

Is it therefore a case that the players

have simply become more confident and now have more belief in his way? What is clear to see is that the team appears

more composed on the ball and patient

in possession whilst realising the need to spring from defence to attack with more speed of thought. They appear to be

more resilient, even when the opposition are on top and there seems to be a

united determination to work as a unit and not give up.

Individual players, like Leandro Trossard and Joel Veltman have stepped up

and seem revitalised this season, the former being helped no doubt by his

International call up into the Belgium set

up. Adam Lallana is having an increased say in controlling the midfield and then there’s new signing, left back Marco

Cucurella. With his exciting energy and

pace going forward down the left-hand side, he’s become my new favourite

Albion player. In defence, the partnership between Dunk and Duffy is playing like they’ve never been apart, particularly

pleasing given Duffy’s unsuccessful loan spell at Celtic last season seemed to

knock his confidence. Add into the mix the inevitable forthcoming return of the lightning quick Tariq Lamptey on the

right and Albion fans have every reason to be optimistic this season.

When Graham Potter was appointed,

many people questioned Chairman Tony Bloom’s gamble to bring in a manager unproven in the Premiership and with

limited experience. Time will tell of course but for now, Potter has most definitely brought the magic back to the Amex.

S PO RTS

Crawley Rugby Football Club The last time I spoke to Crawley Rugby Football Club they were proud of their ethos to become an inclusive club for the community, so this month I wanted to find out more about why Crawley was voted the Rugby Club of the Year at the Guinness National Rugby Club Awards in 2019.

Crawley RFC was

Sports

formed in March

1950 and by the early 1960s they had built

their own Clubhouse

on the site which is now known as the RAM club. The club stayed at

West Green playing fields until 1993 when the clubhouse was sold, and

with support from Crawley Borough

Council, they moved to their current

home, Willoughby Fields in Ifield, where the club has hosted many county and

national sides over the years including the England U19s when Johnny Wilkinson played for them.

with society. As an amateur club,

young people whilst adhering to their

floodlit, eight changing rooms, a well-

relying on members’ subscriptions,

Enjoyment, Discipline & Sportsmanship.

clubhouse and bar, Crawley boasts

club offering coaching to primary and

So, what does the future hold? Crawley

be an inclusive club with the aim of

which has resulted in helping five

develop & modernise the clubhouse

wider community whatever the age,

competing at a reasonable level.

entertainment facilities for its members,

Over the past few years, the club has

partners/sponsors and event attendees.

section with teams at every age from

at the club with a large Halloween and

youth squads, with family co-operation,

senior men’s teams, with the 1st XV

together with a charity weekend where

to develop both their team coaching

the 2019 Sussex Cup, together with a

an exhibition game with over £30,000

the senior playing squads, additionally

and the Crawley Jets Wheelchair rugby

comedy night once a month, regular

policy with openness and support of

team available in the town!

poker and many more events and

core values of Teamwork, Respect,

With four pitches, two of which are

Crawley is run purely by volunteers,

equipped weights room and a modern

and is also a successful community

over 300 members and is proud to

secondary schools within the town,

RFC has a strategic plan in place to

bringing the enjoyment of rugby to the

secondary schools create rugby teams

and to provide catering and party/

gender or capability.

guests, players, families, business

They also possess a thriving Youth

also increased the events being held

They also plan to further enhance their

U7’s through to U18’s as well as three

fireworks display open to the community

collaboration, and inclusion, as well as

playing in the London league who won

ex-international rugby players played in

skills with the depth and strength of

Veteran’s team, a thriving ladies team

raised. The club also holds a successful

enhancing their diversity and inclusion

team, which is the only disabled sports

quiz nights, pool competitions, darts,

the LGBTQ+ community.

games for the community.

Crawley RFC are continually seeking the

Crawley’s strength is very much

want to find out more, visit

Also heavily involved with local charities, the club runs a monthly Sunday social

for people to play games and integrate

about growing and developing their

support of local businesses, so if you www.crawleyrfc.com

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 79

https://www.foxnews.com/sports/emma-raducanu-wins-us-open-leylah-fernandez

Emma Raducanu – Britain’s new superstar!

Last month many of us witnessed the first qualifier in the tennis Open era to win a Grand Slam singles title as 18-year-old Emma Raducanu won the US Open to become the first British woman to win a Grand Slam singles title since Virginia Wade 44 years ago at Wimbledon.

Emma Raducanu was

Sports

born 13 November 2002 and became

only the fourth British woman to reach a

Grand Slam final in the Open era, and

the youngest British Grand Slam finalist since 1959. After being ranked 336 in the world, she now has a career-high Women’s Tennis Association (WTA)

ranking of world No. 22 and is the current British No. 1. Raducanu was born in

Toronto, raised in Bromley and made her WTA Tour debut in June this year.

At Wimbledon she was entered as

a wild card and managed to reach

80 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

the last sixteen in her first major

tournament. Having beaten two top-50 players at the All England Club, she had to retire from the fourth-round

match with breathing difficulties and

dizziness when trailing 6-4 3-0 against Australia’s Ajla Tomljanovic. She put this down to the intensity that other players would have been used to

and her body simply wasn’t ready.

Fast forward then as she played more matches leading up to the US Open

- reaching the quarter-finals of an ITF

Tour event in Pennsylvania and the final of a WTA Challenger event in Chicago and then coming through three rounds of qualifying at Flushing Meadows to

build up her strength and stamina.

What about her background then? Her

father, Ian is from Bucharest in Romania while her mother, Renee originates

from Shenyang, China and she and her

family moved to England when she was just two years old. Raducanu started

playing tennis at the age of five but as a child, she was a keen sportswoman participating in various activities,

including basketball, golf, karting,

motocross, skiing, and horse riding.

But she wasn’t even a teenager when a decision had to be made about her

future. Motorcross and motorsports were her passion, but as her tennis career

S PO RTS

https://www.usnews.com/news/sports/articles/2021-09-11/the-latestteens-raducanu-fernandez-meet-in-us-open-final

progressed, she realised she couldn’t

carry on with her passion and opted for the tennis racket as the way forward.

After first grabbing a tennis racket

thirteen years ago, Raducanu went on to join the Bromley Tennis Academy before her potential was spotted by the Lawn

Tennis Association. The governing body took Raducanu under its wing, with the

youngster taking part in camps and trips abroad before progressing through the age groups.

While that support has clearly been

important, her parents’ influence has

undoubtedly also helped as the teenager displays composure on the court as well as appearing to be grounded off it.

“I think that the calmness and the

mental strength definitely comes from my upbringing, I think my parents

have both instilled in me from a very

young age to definitely have a positive attitude on court.”

Unfortunately, her parents were unable

to see any of her matches or her triumph in person because of the then strict

travel restrictions to the United States.

While Raducanu holds both British and Canadian citizenship, she also is fluent in English, Romanian and Chinese.

Smiling, chatty, polite and seemingly

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/09/14/emma-raducanu-to-earn-2point5million-for-us-open-win.html

taking it all in her stride, Raducanu appears very comfortable in the

spotlight, both with fans and in postmatch interviews.

However, there are no guarantees that young players with talent will

continue to be successful. An example is Britain’s Laura Robson who reached the US Open fourth round as an

18-year-old in 2012 before her career

was derailed by injury. But if Raducanu does stay healthy, former Grand Slam champions Martina Navratilova and Virginia Wade predict she will win multiple Grand Slam titles.

“When you see that kind of talent,

that won’t be denied. The only thing

that could deny is her body,” said 18

major singles titles winner Navratilova,

while British legend Wade agrees. “No

question - I’m sure she will win majors…

She will be sharing them with a handful who will be dominating the game.”

While Eastbourne’s Johanna Konta has reached two Grand Slam semi-finals in recent years, there is certainly a buzz around the future for Raducanu.

Wade remarked: “girls are very mature

really at 18. She is smart she thinks very

well, and she talks very well... I think she is going to be able to handle it, but there is an awful lot she will have to handle.”

Not least after the announcement that Raducanu was splitting with Andrew

Richardson, a former British tour player who coached her to her US Open

title after he’d replaced Nigel Sears.

The latter had guided her through

Wimbledon and had coached former top-five ranked players Ana Ivanovic

and Daniela Hantuchova. With rumours abound about who would step up to

the challenge, including former British

Number One men’s player Andy Murray being mentioned, at the time of writing no decision had been made.

After spending some well-deserved time off with her family, last month,

she picked up her racket again for a

few practice games with the Duchess of Cambridge at the LTA’s National

Tennis Centre, but her focus is now on

preparations for a return to competitive action. The 18-year-old is competing

at the Indian Wells Masters this month, the biggest event left on the calendar this season and will then leave for

Romania to play in the Transylvania

Open. Ultimately though, her sights will be set on the first Slam of 2022, the Australian Open title.

In the meantime, she appears to be

everyone’s favourite to win this year’s Sports Personality of the Year. That would be an incredible end to an absolutely incredible year.

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 81

S PORTS

Sussex Cricket – the foundation for everyone

With the end of the domestic cricket season last month, SBT Sport decided it was a good time to catch up with the Chairman of The Sussex Cricket Foundation, Jon Filby to find out more about the role of the Foundation within Sussex’s cricketing community.

The Sussex Cricket

Sports

Foundation (SCF) is

the charitable arm of Sussex Cricket and as well as raising

£150,000 each year to run community

projects across the county and to fund

the Academy Ground at Blackstone, the

Foundation is also responsible for running all the recreational cricket across the

county. Their aim is to actively change lives through cricket across the community by using the game and the Sussex Cricket

brand to deliver accessible and enjoyable opportunities that grow the sport, tackle

inequalities, improve health and wellbeing

opportunity to participate in cricket, and

season. Additionally, women’s’ cricket

Day’ during which 270 children and

now over one hundred clubs in Sussex

and enable people to fulfil their potential.

last month saw their ‘Discoverability

is growing exponentially and there are

Investment in women’s cricket and

young adults came from across the

providing junior sections for boys and girls.

undoubtedly seen an increase in

at the 1st Central County Ground.

I asked him how can local

of the aims of the Foundation, there are

programme is targeted at supporting the

the Foundation?

sections, which is more than double the

suffer from loneliness or dementia.

“Local businesses interested in finding out

two years ago. Much of this success

One of the biggest and continuous

opportunities that exist to support cricket

models such as Sussex girls, Freya

but every registered charity across the

at jon.filby@sussexcricket.co.uk and

latter having had a superb season, also

new and varied ideas for people and

businesses to our SCF Annual Gala Lunch

its profile across the Country has

county to participate in cricket activities

numbers and with inclusion at the heart

Added to this, their Sporting Memories

now 54 clubs in Sussex with women’s

older members of the population who

number offered across the county just

businesses get involved to support

more about what we are doing and the

will have been helped because of role

challenges facing not only the Foundation,

in their local community can contact me

Davies and Captain Georgia Adams, the

country is fundraising and presenting

we would be delighted to welcome local

leading the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy

businesses to support the Foundation.

with Glenn Hoddle at the Hilton Metropole

an integral part of the Southern Brave

According to Jon, cricket across the

great event and is selling very fast. Tables

recent Hundred competition.

more popular than it is now. He points to

In addition, the SCF have prepared

to grow each year with ten new teams this

Crawley and Brighton and Hove get the

from a further ten teams for the 2022

winners, Southern Vipers and also being team, which reached the final of the

plans to ensure that people in both

82 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

county is booming and has never been

the fact that the men’s League continues season and already having applications

Hotel on Friday 12 November. It will be a of ten are available for £750.”

SBT LIFESTYLE

SUSSEX SPIRIT MAKERS SCOOPS TOP AWARD

& LAUNCHES HANDCRAFTED ARTISAN BRANDY

COUNTY BUSINESS CLUBS WINE OF THE MONTH

WITH BRIGHTON & HOVE WINE CLUB

SBT LIFESTYLE SPONSORED BY:

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 83

L I FEST Y L E

Sussex spirit makers scoops top award & launches handcrafted artisan brandy Small batch Pinot Grape Spirit wins 3***star endorsement Spirit of the Downs, the

Lifestyle

artisan Sussex-based drinks company has

won three stars at the

prestigious Great Taste

Awards and added two more products to its range of premium limited-edition

vintage spirits. In a first ever, Spirit of the

Downs Brandy, handmade in Sussex and

aged with French Oak (barrels) has won a one-star Great Taste Award.

Michael will be travelling to the finals of the Great Taste Awards in Harrogate to

see if Spirit of the Downs has won the top prize of a Golden Fork Award which has

whittled down 14,000 entrants to just 33

finalists. The Golden Fork Awards pits the regions of the Uk as well as international entrants against each other from across

Great Taste food and drink categories, 14

will win a top Golden Fork Award and one will be the Supreme Champion.

Multi-award-winning Spirit of the Downs has been created from grapes grown

by small batch English sparkling wine

producers, in and around the South Downs National Park in Sussex. These premium small batch vintage spirits have been

created by wine specialist Michael Yeoman using traditional production methods with

a combination of both indigenous, wild and champagne yeasts. Each bottle of small batch distilled spirit is unique to a single

vintage and varietal. (Labelled with its own unique limited release number).

Michael Yeoman, Founder, Spirit of the Downs, says: “I have been inspired

84 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

by the quality

of wines being

produced here in the Sussex

and along the

South Coast to

produce a range of fine spirits to

complement the sophistication and quality

coming out of the local area. Spirit of the Downs can be drunk

on its own, over ice, with a good quality tonic as

a long drink or to

sparkling wines, to add complexity and

add complexity to a range of cocktails

depth of flavour.

of the quality that we have been able

Spirit of the Downs will also launch five

that we have worked so closely in the

local vineyards from the 2020 vintage

are extremely excited about the future

Plumpton Estate and Tickerage with

but a new style of drinking vintage

Champagne Mix and Pinot Noir which

(as a cocktail ingredient). I am so proud to produce, and even more proud

new varietals coming out of several

traditional style with local vineyards. We

which include Breaky Bottom Vineyard,

and establishing not only our brand,

varieties of Seyval Blanc, Chardonnay,

spirits in the South of the England.”

will be released in Spring 2022.

Sustainability is a core value of Spirit

For more information about Spirit

English wines is used to produce the

spiritofthedowns.co.uk/shop/

of the Downs where waste from

range of artisan spirits. In a virtuous

cycle waste produced by Spirit of the Downs is used at Trenchmore Farm

as a fertiliser for their award-winning cider. Spirit of the Downs brandies

are also being used by local vineyards as a ‘secret recipe’ dosage for their

of the Downs please visit https://

L I FE STYLE

Spirit of the Downs, Pinot Grape Spirit Great Taste Award Winner 3*** Star, IWSC Bronze medal 2020 RRP: 50cl £30.00 Spirit of the Downs is a sustainable product using pressed grapes

from English sparkling wine production to create a unique craft spirit.

After distillation, the pomace from Spirit of the Downs is used to (feed the cattle and) help fertilise the apple orchard at Trenchmore Farm, near Bolney.

Great Taste Judges: “This is rather exceptional - there’s a beautiful creaminess to this eau de vie. It carries its alcohol so lightly, it’s

positively dangerous. Raisin notes are prominent and give just a

touch of sweetness to this sublime drink. Aromas of dark honey and

raisins on the nose. The playful flavour was surprisingly delicate and

gave a long, satisfying finish. Very sophisticated.” Great Taste Award tasting notes.

Spirit of the Downs, Handcrafted Artisan Sussex Brandy, Chardonnay varietal aged with French Oak, Vintage 2019 Great Taste Award Winner 1*Star rating RRP: 50cl £31.00 Small Batch Distilled using English Sparkling Wine Grapes – Limited

release of 250 bottles of 50ml. This brandy benefits from eight months of aging on the Chardonnay grape and aging with French oak to provide a

“VS” style Sussex brandy. The grapes help create a more intense English brandy with plenty of fruit with flavours of sweet caramel, Crème Brule, Raisins and balanced oak with smokiness and long finish.

Great Taste Judges: “A refined and elegant spirit with a rich limousin oak spiciness. Remarkably smooth with a very slight toast/smoke

character and sweet biscuity note making this a very accessible and

easy drinking brandy with a refined medium dry fruit flavour. Absolutely delicious.” Great Taste Award tasting notes.

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 85

WI N E OF T H E MON TH

County Business Club Wine of the Month October 2021

Court Garden Blanc de Noir Brut 2015

So the South East’s wine makers are beginning to harvest their wines this

month. This year has had its challenges in terms of early frost, mildew due to

dampness and botrytis/rot later in the

season. Most producers are harvesting a couple of weeks later than usual and

some have not harvested because of a poor harvest. I have seen some good

harvests so not all is lost for this year’s producers. For this month we have

chosen a family wine producer called Court Garden.

Background to Court Garden

Run by the charismatic Howard and his son Hugo, Court Garden have a

wide variety of still and sparkling award winning wines and are positioned near Ditchling in East Sussex, just off the

South Downs a couple of miles North

of Ditchling Beacon. The vineyard and winery is set in surroundings down a

long winding road. They have their own vineyards and regularly host events

including weddings, tastings and the occasional opera.

86 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

The wine makers notes for this wine are;

which makes them a good fit for many

Silver lime-leaf green, fine fizz; good

food pairings.

lemon grass accent; lovely delicate style

Background to English Wine and

dosage. Nicely defined mid-palate with

The South East of England and Sussex

yeast autolysis and green fruit with

with good balance between acidity and

Wine of the Month

rich flavour, clean and crisp finish.

in particular are leading the way in

Made using the traditional method of bottle

compete head to head with many

lees adds to the complexity of the flavour,

some local wines and for those special

sparkling wine production and will

fermentation, where long ageing on the

leading Champagnes. Why not try

our Blanc de Noirs pairs wonderfully

occasions such as Christmas.

aperitif. 2015 was a perfect Spring set an

Michael Yeoman,

with food as well as being enjoyed as an

abundance of fruit which developed well

brightonandhovewineclub.co.uk

a Green Harvest. This allowed us to finish

Michael Yeoman owns Brighton and

producing some lovely wine.

a range of Sussex spirits using the

So what is Blanc De Noir?

He specialises in working with small

in July, but a challenging Summer required with ripe fruit, albeit with a smaller crop,

The term Blanc De Noir is used when the wine maker only uses the red

grapes such as Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier grapes. The red grapes typically provide more fruit and intensity than Chardonnay

Hove Wine Club and also creates

pomace from English wine production. batch wine producers in and around Sussex and the South Downs.

SBT ASK THE EXPERT

HOW TO MAKE BIG THINGS HAPPEN EVEN IF YOU’RE AN IDIOT

LEE BRIDGES, REFORM FINANCIAL

ASK THE EXPERT SPECIAL

WE ARE DELIGHTED TO HAVE PARTNERED WITH YARON ENGLER

SBT ASK THE EXPERT SPONSORED BY:

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 87

AS K T H E E X PE RT

How to make big things happen even if you’re an idiot

“Success is neither magical nor mysterious. Success is the natural consequence of consistently applying basic fundamentals.” ― E. James Rohn

There’s a moment in

Ask the Expert

time when your heart starts to beat and

there’s a moment in time when it stops.

I wish I knew what happened on the

other side of those moments but I guess that’s the exciting part. What happens in between, however, is humbling.

After that very first beat, that very first touch of life, your heart will continue to run consistently until you die.

Consistency is life. I often take some

time to think about the grandiose of that concept. It’s overwhelming to say the

88 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

least. One moment you weren’t there

and the next moment you are. And until

that consistency stops being consistent, you continue to be.

Why is this important? Well, because if

you can get the following right then you will have cracked one of the biggest secrets of progress and success.

And yup, I did just gag in my mouth when writing “one of the biggest

secrets of progress and success”.

Sounded like one of those all too

common bro-marketing clickbaiters

you see advertising on socials, where

the self-proclaimed ‘guru’ explains how “you too could be your own boss and

make £2,000 an hour in 9 easy steps”, whilst lolling their sleazy butts all the way to the bank…

The difference between what I am telling you and what they are selling you is that my ‘secret’ actually works. It’s just not sexy, quick, or easy…

Without a shadow of a doubt

consistency is second to none when it comes to levelling up. And while paying 3 instalments of £99.99 for

12 ‘nutrition for dummy’s’ E-books, a

ASK T H E E XPE RT behind the scenes interview with (insert name of newest fad diet ‘expert’), and a ‘certified 9-steps to visible

abs’ downloadable video-course can

potentially get you gassed up enough to get started, consistency is the big

boss that will keep you going and get you the actual results.

I will say this once and once only, but I

want you to read it around 20x (I could

write it down 20x but then I’d be wasting time, and I hate wasting time. I never waste… Godamnit!)

If you work towards your goals daily

with focus, resilience, an open mind, and a willingness to be completely

wrong, you will be great within a few

weeks, amazing within a few months, and limitless within a lifetime.

Fact: You are what you repeatedly do.

Fact: You can change what you repeatedly do.

Fact: I’m about to drop a Kanye West’sego-sized knowledge-bomb

If you currently have some negative traits that you want to get rid of, or

some positive traits that you want to experience more of, then I have the answer: do stuff that makes you better! Every... single... day.

That’s it. It’s that simple. And spoken like a true prodigy, right?!

Well, the premise is simple. The blood, sweat, and tears not so much.

Wanna’ be fitter? Exercise every day.

Wanna’ get more sales? Hustle every day.

Wanna’ bulletproof your mindset?

Develop every day.

Wanna’ learn more? Educate yourself every day.

Wanna’ gain confidence? Do all the above every day.

Wanna’ build a house? Lay bricks every day.

The really great news here though is

that idiots like me can reap benefits just from leveraging consistency. Here’s an adequate analogy...

Think of all your goals as houses (your

business, your health, your relationships, your charity etc). You need each house to be complete, and you need them to endure the test of time. To do that you must have strong foundations (your

Lee Bridges

mindset), lay bricks (your consistency), and put on the roof when you’re done (your execution).

Now think of one of your goals, and the

it’s MOT, washing machine breaks, dog/ kid poops on carpet...) the build begins to feel unsustainable.

house that represents it. You can think

You give up.

finished with the roof on and everything,

You now have four sorta’-walls with no

of it as your dream house if you like, fully and built by you. The complexity of the

build resembles the size of the goal you want to achieve. You gas yourself up,

draw up the plans, and are xmas-dayas-a-5-year-old-excited to get started laying those first few bricks.

You wake up on the first day of the

build and jump out of bed. You drive to your new plot and start mixing cement

and laying bricks. Wow! It doesn’t look like a house yet but it’s a start, and it feels good to make some progress, albeit a little.

Your job after the first day of brick laying is an extremely important one: to get

up tomorrow and continue to lay more bricks. Your job the day after is even more important: to get up again and continue to lay bricks.

By the end of the first month your excitement for the project has

dwindled and the reality of life being an unrelenting pain in the butt has started to deplete your morale.

The next few months of the build are

even more important, but with more life crap (bills, other people, backache, the

media, running out of money, car needs

roof. You have lost time and money. You haven’t seen your friends and family

much because you’ve been spending

all your time on the build. And when you

have seen them you’ve been cranky and tired and worn out aka no way to live.

You go back to your mediocre life having ‘tried your best’ and forget about your dream house. Sound worthwhile?! Me thinks not...

So how do you get all your houses

finished? I suggest you keep going no matter what, even if that’s just a little bit more, every day. As long as your

efforts are daily then you will continue to make progress and you will find

ways to navigate the problems that inevitably arise.

Just. Keep. Going.

So what unfinished builds do you

currently have? Do they have strong foundations or do you need to do

some work on yourself? Is the build

worth the time and effort? What can you do right now to strengthen your mindset and lay another brick? www.reform-financial.co.uk

www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk 89

AS K T H E E X PE RT

Ask The Expert Special

We are delighted to have partnered with Yaron Engler to bring you this Ask the Expert Special.

Earlier this month to recognise mental Ask the health awareness Expert day, Yaron joined our MD Sam Thomas in the podcast studio to record a special episode of the County Business TALKS, Discussing mental and the importance of creating a safe space for Men to “open up”, get vulnerable, and choose to live a more meaningful life.

This month Yaron shares his CROP® Method which serves as the foundation of his work with his 1:1 Clients as well as the group work he does with men in the AND THEN WHAT? Programme. The CROP® Method is about nurturing and growing – as well as eliminating those things in your life that are holding you back. The system has been developed and honed over 3 decades and remains an ongoing process of discovery.

The CROP® Method works in a cyclic pattern and with every cycle, you experience deeper connections – with yourself and others – as well as a greater sense of purpose.

The four parts of the Crop Method are: C - Cleansing & clearing Most of the heavy lifting takes place

90 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk

at this stage. Cleansing & Clearing is about taking a deep look at your life and identifying those habits, actions and people that are holding you back. It can be very exhilarating but also very challenging – most of us are holding on to a lot of bullshit! This process is continuous and the sessions with Yaron are very fluid to help you find your own pace and level of intensity. We can look at this as a process of “unlearning” as well as making new discoveries – about your physical and mental wellbeing, your past and present relationships and the way you respond and react to events in your life.

R - Reconnecting (with your inner voice) Once you have done the Cleansing & Clearing stage, the truth just bubbles up – irrepressibly – and all the “noise” just washes away. “Knowing” becomes “being” – being present, being honest, being wonderfully alive. Discovering your inner voice can be overwhelming – which is why being with other men undergoing the same experience is so important.

But understanding your true values will also create far deeper, more meaningful connections with your partner, friends, family and colleagues. Emotions become a tool for growth instead of a burden, and you’ll start living life on your own terms, learning how to say “no”, while still being open to new challenges and experiences.

O - Observing Observing is about seeing, with clarity, the impact that our actions and inactions create in our lives. As your self-awareness grows, you will start seeing where fear, conflict and confusion typically arise, and learn how to let go of negative behaviours.

Working both individually and as a group, this stage may involve meditation, breathing exercises and other practices to guide you into presence.

P - Playing Playing is a vital part of the work we’ve undertaken so far and – obviously – it’s a lot of fun. Our aim is for you to spend most of your time in this section playing at the level of your full potential. Of course, there will still be challenges but you will now have the skills and resilience to help you navigate these obstacles – and keep on playing! In our sessions, we’ll use humour and risktaking to help you stretch yourself and push boundaries. You’ll learn how to nurture your creativity, enhance your vision and exercise more control over how you really want to live.

For more information about opportunities to work with Yaron visit www.yaronenngler.com

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SPONSORED BY GET TICKETS HERE

TICKETS - £30.00 VENUE - BA I360 THURSDAY 18TH NOVEMBER 2021 FROM 6PM IN AID OF ROCKINGHORSE CHILDREN’S CHARITY

JOIN US ON THURSDAY 18TH OF NOVEMBER FROM 6PM FOR AN EVENING OF MUSIC, AN EXCLUSIVE i360 FLIGHT WITH GREAT FOOD, DRINKS, RAFFLE PRIZES, EXCLUSIVE OFFERS AND MUCH MORE COUNTY BUSINESS CLUBS - BRINGING THE LOCAL BUSINESS COMMUNITY TOGETHER 92 www.sussexbusinessgroup.co.uk