inbusiness N O R T H WA L E S
J a n u a r y / F e b r u a r y 20 20
RURAL BUSINESS
Make your creative enterprise thrive
Going green
Is your company as sustainable as possible?
Sophie Howe's 2020 VISION
NEWS | LEGAL | DATES FOR YOUR DIARY | MENTORING | INSURANCE
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INTRODUCTION
Welcome Watching the news last night, I heard a story about a traditional bookshop that went an entire day of trading without selling a single book. Not one. Worried staff tweeted about the shocking business day, and soon enough author Neil Gaiman retweeted the bookshop’s plight. The next morning the same staff opened up shop to find over a thousand pounds worth of online orders waiting for them – it seems that the good people of Great Britain weren’t quite ready to see such a wonderful shop close its doors just yet, and so voted with their wallets in a bid to keep the shop open. This warming tale has a number of messages that we can take home. Firstly, there is no such thing as bad publicity. Secondly, never underestimate the power of media – be this social or otherwise. Thirdly, and most importantly, the high street needs you... If you are reading this magazine then it’s highly likely that you own your own business – so you know better than anyone how important each and every client, and every sale, is. But do you return the favour when doing your own shopping? Research on spending by local authorities shows that for every £1 spent with a smallor medium-sized business 63p stays in the local economy – compared to just 40p with a larger business. So, the next time that you want to buy a book, put your mouse away and get out to your local bookshop. Or, if you do need to shop online, make sure that you place your order with a local shop. If all business owners made a pact to support each other by putting their money where their mouth is, then we would all see a tremendous upturn in sales – and could feel good to boot. So, if you make one New Year’s resolution this year, resolve to support your high street and, in turn, your colleagues and local community as a whole. Happy shopping,
Kate Hamilton Founding Editor
25 Insurance
In this issue:
38 Awards
15 Interview inbusiness | 2020 | 5
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WHAT’S INSIDE
CONTENTS 09 NEWS The latest from the world of North Wales business 13 INTERVIEW WITH… Sophie Howe, the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales 19 INFORMATION ASSURANCE Are you covered? 22 RURAL BUSINESS Creating in the countryside 25 INSURANCE Welcoming The County Group to North Wales 27 DATES FOR YOUR DIARY North Wales business events 32 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT How’s your carbon footprint?
Editor Kate Hamilton Publisher Grant Hamilton Sales Manager Scott Lawson Art Director Simon Marriott Marketing Manager Carly Redgers Office Manager Sian Roberts Distribution Manager Nigel Smith Contact Us editorial@ksgpublishing.co.uk sales@ksgpublishing.co.uk 01492 472052 2nd Floor, 23A Abergele Road,
35 CREDIT SERVICES Becoming a payroll partner 38 AWARDS The benefits of entering business awards 41 COMPETING IN BUSINESS Are you at the top of your game? 43 LEGAL Are you familiar with the laws of the road? 44 MENTORING Advice that could take you to the next level 47 MOBILE GENERATION Harnessing the mobile revolution 49 STARTING UP Are you ready to take the business plunge?
Colwyn Bay, LL29 7RS North Wales In Business is an independent, regional magazine produced by KSG Publishing. It is available via subscription and from a range of networking events taking place throughout North Wales. Disclaimer: All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part (electronically or in print) without written permission is strictly prohibited. Every attempt has been made to ensure the accuracy of published content, and any views or opinions presented are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of North Wales In Business magazine. The publishers assume no responsibility for any damage, loss or injury arising from participation in, or as a result of, any offer, competition, information or advertisement contained within the magazine. North Wales In Business magazine does not endorse any of the advertisements featured. All words and images remain the property of their respective owners and all copyrights are observed. North Wales In Businesss magazine is not associated with any newspaper group. Privacy Notice. You can read North Wales In Business magazine’s Privacy Notice in full at www.ksgpublishing.co.uk
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BUSINESS
NEWS ANWYL BREAKS GROUND IN ABERGELE Housebuilder Anwyl Homes has officially started build on a new residential development on Llanfair Road in Abergele. The site, which is circa nine acres in size, will comprise 72 new homes, 10% of which will be affordable. Planning permission was granted in June 2019. The new development, to be called Dôl Gele, will feature a range of two-, three- and
WALES COMMERCIAL PROPERTY FUND MAKES FIRST INVESTMENT Ken Skates, the Minister for Economy and Transport, has welcomed the first investment from the £55 million Wales Commercial Property Fund managed by the Development Bank of Wales. Launched last year to encourage SME developers to invest in Wales’ commercial property market, the fund is financed by the Welsh Government. Loans from £250,000 to £5 million are available with a maximum five-year term for mixed-use and commercial development projects in Wales. “The Welsh Government’s Economic Action Plan recognises that businesses of all sizes across Wales need modern sites and premises that will enable them to expand and grow. The £55 million Wales Commercial Property Fund is key to delivering that and is already encouraging smaller developers to invest in
communities,” commented Skates. “The aim of the fund is to support the development of over 400,000 sq ft of much needed industrial and commercial space across Wales as part of a wider property delivery plan over the next ten years to deliver against the ambitions set out in our Economic Action Plan.” Cenydd Rowlands, property director for the Development Bank of Wales added: “The Wales Commercial Property Fund is designed to help unlock commercial developments at a local level throughout Wales. The nature of the shortterm flexible funding is ideal for smaller developers who are looking to progress speculative developments.”
RECRUITER CELEBRATES FOUR DECADES IN BUSINESS 2019 was a memorable one for the team at North Wales recruitment firm, Supertemps. The Colwyn Bay and Anglesey-based group, which unveiled a new Bangor office just weeks ago, has taken on new staff in past months and grown its presence in north east Wales and Chester. The company’s IT, engineering and executive arm S2 Recruitment has also enjoyed a solid period despite uncertainty over Brexit which led to many industries delaying their hiring and expansion plans. Managing director Sarah Ellwood (pictured) is confident 2020 will see an upsurge in job appointments and is working closely with clients and candidates to help meet skills gaps and demand in numerous sectors. And to mark Supertemps’ 40th anniversary she revealed there will be a series of events throughout the year to unite people from all aspects of industry and foster a sense of collaboration and entrepreneurship. Among them will be the popular free employment law seminar series with Manchester-based JMW Solicitors at M-SParc, Gaerwen, on Thursday 27th February, and St Asaph’s OpTIC Centre on Wednesday 4th March. “We are also planning a summer celebration as a thank you for the support we have received over the years,” said Sarah. “To be reaching such an important milestone makes me incredibly proud personally, as the business was launched by my mum Dorothy in 1980. Having helped her to take it from our family home to employing staff in offices across north west Wales and to have grown and grown over such a long period of time is remarkable, but we have done so through hard work and dedication to the people and companies we work with.” Supertemps and S2 Recruitment will also be revealing special Spring offers and discounted permanent placements following consultation with business clients. www.supertemps.co.uk
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four-bedroom new homes, helping to meet the demand for housing in the area. “We are delighted to have broken ground on our latest development in North Wales and are looking forward to build progressing in Abergele and the development taking shape,” commented Phil Dolan, managing director of Anwyl Homes Cheshire & North Wales (pictured). “It is great to be back building in Abergele. Our last development at Parc Hendre completed in 2019 and proved to be one of our most popular for new home purchasers to date. It’s also fantastic to help support and sustain local and skilled trades people, continuing to deliver our award-winning product in the region.” Dôl Gele is scheduled to take two years to build. The first properties will be released for sale in spring, with a show home expected to open in the summer. www.anwylhomes.co.uk
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NEWS
ARE YOUR READY FOR A MUTINY? The Enterprise Hub – a collaboration between Menter Môn and M-SParc in Gaerwen – has launched Miwtini, a new business start-up programme for people in Conwy, Denbighshire, Anglesey and Gwynedd. The Miwtini programme will be holding training sessions on a variety of entrepreneurship topics to help individuals “make it happen”. The aim is for them to come into the programme with a business idea and leave ready to start, with a community of like-minded people to help them along the way. The workshops will encourage participants to try something out, making something happen, do something different or begin something new. The programme will also highlight the Enterprise Hub’s co-working office spaces available across the region. These include M-SParc on Anglesey and its satellite locations; Conwy Business Centre in Llandudno Junction, Rhyl’s Clwyd Chambers and bases in Ruthin, Botwnnog, Dolgellau and Porthmadog. For further information turn to page 49
DEVELOPER CLINCHES A SHARE OF £500 MILLION CONTRACT
NEW FIRM OPENS IN MOCHDRE Warehaus Signs is a new signage company based in Mochdre run by brother and sister duo Tashka and Krystn Yeomans. Specialising in creating unique signage for both corporate and public customers, designer Tashka and creator Krystn decided to bring together her passion for art and design and his practical skillset to launch Warehaus last year in 2019. Since then, they have been creating bespoke signage, unique products and designing various items that aim to reflect each one of their client’s individual visions. Their philosophy is built on the foundation that they can bring your ideas to life. Offering all aspects of vinyl work, banner printing, shop signage, window graphics and etchings, vehicle wrapping and graphics, large format printing, event and corporate signage, laser cut and engraved items as well as bespoke pieces, Warehaus Signs are currently taking on new projects. hello@warehausevents.co.uk 10 | inbusiness | 2020
A North Wales developer is celebrating after clinching a share of a £500 million 10-year construction contract with a top social housing provider. Brenig Construction are the approved contractor for all Flintshire-based Wales & West Housing schemes in North Wales worth up to £2.5 million as part of WWH’s commitment to building 6,000 new affordable homes across Wales in the next decade. The expanding developer, based in Mochdre, near Colwyn Bay, employs 70 staff, 15% of them apprentices and trainees, and has already handed over a £445,000 scheme for three new threebedroom homes in Ruabon, near Wrexham. They are now well advanced on a £1.28 million project to build 12 one and two-bedroom apartments in Earl Street, Flint, which is due to be completed this summer. The company was launched in 2012 by former youth club pals from Glan Conwy Mark Parry and Howard Vaughan who are now joint managing directors and winning a place on the WWH framework is a significant step for them. “We are the only firm on the list for projects in North Wales worth up to £2.5 million as part of Wales & West Housing’s ambitious project and we’re delighted to have signed this key partnership with them,” commented Parry. “This is very important to us as it will help us continue to provide opportunities in terms of jobs and apprenticeships as well as in developing skills and in showing that we have the capability here to carry out important projects. The sub-contractors we use take on apprentices from the area and use local supply chains so that major developments like this involve, invest in and benefit the local economy and community and here in Flint we are using bricklayers from the town and electricians from Greenfield.” https://brenigconstruction.co.uk
Pictured, from left: Alison Hammans, WWH Development Officer; Howard Vaughan, Brenig Managing Director; Sean Huxley, Brenig Project Manager; Gary Cook, WWH Land Manager; and Mark Parry, Brenig Managing Director
SUPPORT FOR WELSH SOCIAL ENTERPRISES Since 1982 the Wales Co-operative Centre has helped to strengthen and empower Welsh communities by supporting the growth of co-operatives and social enterprises. In November 2019 the group launched the Social Business Wales New Start project to support startup social businesses across Wales. “Social businesses are often created to address a social problem,” commented Business Advisor Robert Hughes. “Unlike private businesses their profits are not distributed to shareholders who are driven by profit maximisation. Instead, their profits are reinvested back into the business or a specific social objective to increase its social impact. A social business is often a multi stakeholder organisation and is representative of its community or community of interest. Social businesses can include social enterprises, co-operatives and employee-owned businesses. Some high street names that have adopted this model include John Lewis Partnership and Welsh Water. Our team of experts can offer you one-to-one advice to help you start up a social business and make it flourish. We can advise you right from the ideas stage, to starting to trade, incorporating the business, and training people up. Thanks to funding from the European Regional Development Fund we can offer this support for free.” www.wales.coop
INSPIRE YOUR TEAM WITH AN AWAY DAY Adventure Parc offers totally unique, fun and exciting team building activities designed to re-energise your team, reward their hard work and celebrate their achievements. From surf lessons to indoor caving, climbing walls and zip lines to mountain biking and gorge walking, the adventures offered at Adventure Parc in the heart of the Conwy Valley are designed to invigorate, exhilarate and pump up your team. It’s corporate events team is on hand to help you plan every step and ensure that your away day happens without you even breaking a sweat. And, if you want to try-before-you-buy in order to ensure that it’s just the day out that your team needs, then get in touch with Tansy Rogerson to organise your taster session and tour of the fantastic facilities that Adventure Parc has to offer. t.rogerson@adventureparcsnowdonia.com
MONEYPENNY BOLSTERS ITS TECHNOLOGY TEAM Moneypenny, the world’s leading provider of outsourced communications for businesses of all shapes and sizes, has recently expanded its product development, infrastructure and data insight team and is further recruiting from across North Wales for its fast growing team. The latest recruit to the team is recently appointed Head of Data and Insight, Abed Ajraou (pictured). Ajraou joins with a wealth of experience in data insights and business intelligence. Abed previously co-founded a blockchain start-up and is a visiting professor of Big Data, Analytics, Data Science and Business Intelligence at Kedge Business School in France. “We are delighted to welcome Abed to our growing team,” commented Global CTO, Pete Hanlon. “Moneypenny is investing heavily in technology and product development to further establish ourselves as the world’s leading provider of telephone answering, outsourced switchboard, Live Chat and customer contact solutions. There are plenty of opportunities to help further grow the business and we are confident Abed will be a great asset to the team.” Ajraou added: “I am excited to be joining the Moneypenny family. My main focus is to leverage the value of our data to increase our business profitability. I will be exploring ways to maximise every customer insight to create more opportunities for customer centric solutions. I am really looking forward to working with the team and helping the business grow.” www.moneypenny.com
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NEWS
SELF-STORAGE GIANT OPENS NEW CAERNARFON SITE Rapidly-growing self-storage giant Lock Stock is heading way out west to open its 18th storage park at Caernarfon. The new facility on the town’s Cibyn Industrial Estate will offer space for over 150 units on a 1.1 acre site. It confirms the Denbigh-based company as the UK’s biggest containerised self-storage company and gives them close to 3,000 units at their sites which extend from Holyhead on Anglesey along the North Wales coast down to Shrewsbury and Newtown in Powys. The Caernarfon move follows the recent openings of storage parks on the Glendale Trading Estate at Sandycroft, adjoining Go Outdoors on River Lane, Saltney, and at Coleshill, Flint, alongside the A548 North Wales Coast road. “The business continues to expand organically by responding to demand – our sites at Bangor and Llandudno Junction are very popular and it makes sense to extend our service along the North Wales Coast,” commented Lock Stock commercial manager Jeff Woods. “We pride ourselves on the great service we offer, the convenience, the round-the-clock access and the security and believe this is why our existing sites are receiving more and more enquiries for storage space and we are reacting to meet that demand. We also look to see where the demand is coming from and if it is from somewhere we don’t already have a storage park as is the case with Caernarfon then we look at finding a suitable site.” The Cibyn storage park is due to open this month by which time it will have been resurfaced and equipped with an office, security fencing, lighting and cameras, and with keyless 24-hour access. http://www.lockstock.biz
HOSPITAL SITE RENOVATION WILL PROVIDE £75M ECONOMY BOOST The redevelopment of the historic North Wales Hospital site in Denbigh will provide 300 new homes and a £75 million boost to the local economy. It will also reclaim and restore the central section of the magnificent Victorian Grade Two star listed building which opened in 1848 and which was at the heart of a complex which at one time housed 1,500 patients and employed 700 staff. Developers Jones Bros, of Ruthin, have begun a Pre-application Communication Consultation ahead of submitting a planning application to Denbighshire County Council for the first phase of the redevelopment of the site which has been derelict and a magnet for vandals since the hospital closed in 1995. The intention is for the U-shaped central section with its impressive façade to be restored and turned into residential apartments complemented by a mix of services which could include shops, restaurants and a gym for local residents. “We have worked closely with Denbighshire County Council on the redevelopment of the site which has important and
historic connections with the town of Denbigh and the wider Vale of Clwyd,” said Helen Morgan, of Jones Bros, who is overseeing the project. “It is our intention to create a development that is sympathetic to the area and that restores the vital links between this historic site and the town. We estimate the project will inject £75 million into the local economy and create jobs on the site and in the wider economy as well as creating high quality housing which will blend into the environment. Jones Bros is a long-established family company with its roots in the Vale of Clwyd and the majority of our workforce are from the area and this development affirms our commitment to the region.” www.jones-bros.com
NORTH WALES MEANS BUSINESS CELEBRATION AWARDS ANNOUNCED In celebration of delivering ten years of leadership and management funded programmes, the team at Bangor University are hosting the North Wales Means Business Celebration Awards. Held at The Kinmel & Kinspa in Abergele on Friday 24th April 2020, the awards are open to all North Wales businesses whether they have taken part in a university management funded programme or not. For further information about the awards and sponsorship opportunities contact Jackie Whittaker at Bangor University. j.whittaker@bangor.ac.uk
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BUSINESS FOUR LAUNCHES IN NORTH WALES Leading finance, accountancy and law firms have joined forces to give talks and advice at a series of free business events. Edward Hughes Solicitors, Bowden Financial Planning, Knox Commercial & Insolvency Solicitors and Williams Denton Accountants are among the most recognised and respected companies in North Wales. They have united to organise Business Four North Wales, an event to be held by the four companies four times a year, with four separate topical themes. David Jones from Edward Hughes Solicitors, which has offices in Rhyl and Colwyn Bay, said the move was a natural one given their history of working together. “All four businesses have been around for a long time, and over the years we have found ourselves referring clients to each other more and more,” he said. “It made sense to unite as one group, albeit informally, and give existing and prospective clients the opportunity to network and receive help and advice, while also benefiting from a presentation on a key business theme.” John Bowden, Director of Bowden Financial Planning in Colwyn Bay, added: “These events will be informative but also light and accessible,” he said. “One thing we have found is that many businesses are in a position of ‘unprotected success’, where they are so busy with the day-to-day they are not safeguarding the commercial side and the valuable assets they have created by their hard work as they move forward. There is often a lot of crossover in what we do, so it will be good to talk about hot topics and concerns or legislation changes in our sectors, and rather than people coming to see us individually it’s an opportunity for us all to be under one roof.”
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NEW FOR CHIEF EXECUTIVE FOR COLEG CAMBRIA Coleg Cambria is beginning the decade with a new chief executive who plans to take the award-winning institution “to the next level”. Yana Williams has a long-term vision for the north east Wales college and will build on the foundations laid by predecessor David Jones OBE. The former CEO/Principal of Hugh Baird College in Liverpool vowed to put students at the heart of every decision and unite communities and industry behind a fresh strategy that will make Cambria “even more innovative” in the future. Williams was both a student and manager at the former Deeside College – which merged with Yale College in Wrexham to form Coleg Cambria in 2013 – and looks forward to the journey ahead. “I have always followed the college’s progress, so I’m pleased to see how it’s grown and am delighted to be back,” she said. “We have a real opportunity to become the best college in the UK; Cambria is established and respected, the links and partnerships are already in place and we have a fantastic reputation. Together we can develop that potential across all of our sites and be the ‘can-do’ college for our communities, for industry, and most importantly, for our students.” Her first task will be to begin developing a strategy for the future, embracing technology and looking at modern ways of working that reflect today’s society while “future-proofing” the organisation. www.cambria.ac.uk
ACADEMY LEADS SOCIAL ENTERPRISE REVOLUTION An innovative new organisation is leading a business revolution that can help communities across North Wales and empower local people to realise their own potential. That was the message of Lee Waters AM (pictured), the Welsh Government’s Deputy Minister for the Economy and Transport, at the official launch of the Social Enterprise Academy. Creating Enterprise, a subsidiary of housing association Cartrefi Conwy, has secured the licence to set up innovative Wales-wide learning and development programmes for companies, social enterprises and public bodies. The Social Enterprise Academy is using the model trailblazed in Scotland that’s now been replicated across 14 countries as far afield as Canada, China and Australia and Africa. Creating Enterprise, based in Mochdre, near Colwyn Bay, which was recently named as one of Wales’ fastest growing companies at the Fast Growth 50 awards, is working in partnership with the Wales Co-operative Centre who is delivering the programmes in South Wales. “I think the Academy has huge potential and I have a lot of faith that it will be a success,” commented Waters. “It has the potential to be a very powerful economic development tool. Social enterprises have already generated billions of pounds in Wales and with the direction and vision offered by the Academy can influence the sector in parts of the economy where the private sector is not flourishing. The Academy is not going to reverse every economic problem that we’ve ever had. But it has the power to empower people to help people to realise their own potential, because they’re acting in the spirit of common purpose. It is about being part of a business, but it’s also unleashing a wider potential, and I think that just on a human level is a very powerful idea.”
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PROFILE
Interview with… Sophie Howe, the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales
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Not only is Sophie Howe the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales – she is the only Future Generations Commissioner in the world. And, with a remit set out in law to be “the guardian of the interests of future generations in Wales”, she certainly has a tough job ahead of her. But everyone has to start somewhere and Sophie, who was appointed to her role in 2016, is currently focusing on the year ahead. But just what are her major concerns for 2020, and just how can they be avoided? “2020 has begun with the climate emergency dominating the airwaves and headlines, with devastating and potentially long-term consequences,” she explains. “Countries such
as Australia have been fighting fires for over three months which have intensified burning through communities, Jakarta is experiencing unprecedented flooding and glacial floods are becoming a possible threat to countries from Norway to Pakistan and Nepal. “Following the Welsh Government’s declaration of a climate emergency in April last year, the latest draft budget published before Christmas shows a shift in focus on expenditure that reflects the urgency on needing to become a low [carbon] society sooner rather than later. I have welcomed many of the aspects of the budget, greater investment towards active travel and electric vehicle infrastructure (sorely missing in Wales), nature based solutions and a greater focus on decarbonisation within the Housing Innovation Programme.” But are those aspects of the budget enough to protect our future generations, or should the Government be demonstrating how it analyses those budgets in the first place, and then prove whether such programmes are contributing to a low carbon vision? “Countries such as New Zealand have a closely monitored well-being budget that is adaptable to change where needed and, as a city, Oslo has an ambitious target of being zero-carbon by 2030 with its carefully scrutinised climate budget,” continues Sophie. “At the very least the Welsh Government could quickly develop their approach to budgeting in line with my advice that supports the requirements of the Well-being of Future Generations Act that ensures that all levers are used to respond to the climate emergency so that everyone from
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PROFILE
“Many businesses in North Wales supply services to the many public services in the different towns and villages and, what I would like to see, is greater emphasis on businesses supporting public bodies in contributing to the well-being goals”
the public sector to businesses contribute to a behavioural change needed. “2020 will mark the fifth year since the Well-being of Future Generations Act was passed, and as this ground-breaking legislation gains more interest worldwide (England is looking to pass a similar piece of legislation with a second reading shortly led by Sir John Bird and Caroline Lucas) there is more pressure on us here in Wales to demonstrate how the legislation is leading to fundamental culture change, and that our services and businesses are collaborating to ensure that jobs and skills are future-proof and that the health of our, people, communities and environment are benefiting from the Act.” Pressure indeed. But is the Government, and indeed the country, concentrating on the low carbon agenda, or have we all been side tracked by the recent election? “The past year has seen much upheaval and uncertainty, but in Wales we need to really focus on how the Welsh Government and other public bodies are delivering and contributing to the well-being goals,” adds Sophie, who has been described by The Guardian newspaper as the ‘World’s first minister of the Unborn’. “As required by the Act I will be publishing my Future Generations 2020 report which will provide an assessment of the improvements public bodies should be making and showcase the vision and ambition of the legislation, including the many good examples already taking place throughout Wales. Although businesses are not legally bound by the Act I hope that we collectively as individuals, organisations and businesses apply the Act. It is time to show the world what
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we are doing and how other countries can adopt the same practices so that the sustainable development principle is rooted everywhere, in everything.” But what about the unborn generation? How should the Welsh Government be preparing for their future? “The Act is a really key framework for thinking and acting for the long-term, creating the environment for cultural change so, in some ways, Wales is ahead of many countries by having the legislation help frame a different approach to the way we work and live,” says Sophie. “Procurement has the potential to address local economic, social, environmental and cultural challenges. In Wales, the public sector spends £5.5bn annually on works, goods and services and the Well-being of Future Generations Act provides an opportunity for us to ensure public money is spent wisely in a way that improves economic, social, environmental and cultural wellbeing. I undertook a Section 20 Review to look at the extent to which Public Bodies are embedding the Act into procurement contracts, and the extent to which procurement is supporting delivering public services and I found that economic growth has become unbalanced and many communities across Wales are being left behind.” So what’s the answer? Can building inclusive local economies help? “Absolutely,” explains Sophie. “For example, research by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) found that when local
authorities spend money with small firms, the local economy benefits by an average of 58%. As social businesses are anchored in their communities, investment in them stays in the community, and is recycled for wider economic and social benefits. I look forward to seeing how the funded projects are helping Wales test how we can best support the foundational economy.” Wales is certainly making headway in regards to the economy, and it seems hopeful that in other key areas, such as health, we will see transformational change with prevention at the core of every budget. But what about the young people themselves? “We are also showing leadership in allowing our 16-17 year olds to be able to participate in our democratic services and, along with the Welsh Youth Parliament and programmes like my Future Generations Leadership Academy, I hope that the government will continue to collaborate with our future generations in all areas of society,” continues Sophie. “Likewise there is much discussion on the future of education. In November, with Professor Calvin Jones of Cardiff Business School, we have produced a white paper for discussion on how we ensure our children have the right skills for future jobs and that the curriculum and qualifications system are future fit. I hope that the Government, as they embed their new curriculum, drive forward with new ways of learning so that we are not lagging behind as the fourth industrial revolution but leading the way.” Sophie has led a number of high profile interventions around transport planning, education reform and climate change – challenging the Government and others to demonstrate how they are taking account of future generations. Her actions have led The Big Issue magazine to name her as one of the UK’s leading changemakers, but since change doesn’t happen because of a single person, what can North Wales business owners do to help?
“Many businesses in North Wales supply services to the many public services in the different towns and villages and, what I would like to see, is greater emphasis on businesses supporting public bodies in contributing to the well-being goals,” adds Sophie. “The Act has been called a common sense Act, and it is why many of our Universities and organisations have signed up to it, and I hope that now there is greater awareness of its ambitions I hope to see closer, productive working relationship that support foundational economy, boost the use of the Welsh language and culture and ensure sustainable choices are being adopted.” Sophie’s office has produced a number of frameworks to support people in working to the Act, such as its Future Generations Framework which helps people deliver projects and infrastructure that is fit for the future. “We also produced suite of guidance with practical guidance on how everyone can maximise their contribution to the well-being goals through my Art of the Possible programme,” concludes Sophie. “Although its early days, we are having very positive responses to the guidance, and I think that it is a good place to start as any in embracing a new way of working and living.” n … n
For further information on Sophie Howe and her work please visit https://futuregenerations.wales
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ERW WEN ROAD • COLWYN BAY • LL29 7SD sales@powlsons.co.uk • www.powlsons.co.uk
INFORMATION ASSURANCE
Rest assured Information Assurance – what is it and should I care?
If you have information that is critical to your business in any format – paper, electronic or even photographic – then yes you should. Why, because the information you process that helps your business operate, succeed and even provide an edge over the competition has value to both you, your competitors and, unfortunately, criminals.
Does this sound far fetched? Ever heard of WannaCry that took down part of the NHS by encrypting files with ransomware, or Carphone Warehouse’s data breach? The Office of National Statistics say that four in every ten UK
Information Assurance (often thrown together with Cyber Security) is the discipline of protecting assets (mainly information, but physical also) from harm, with the ultimate aim being to limit and reduce risk to business operations from both internal and external threats. Information in its many forms is critical to the survival of all businesses large or small, whether it be a finance spreadsheet tucked away on a laptop to a large complex CRM database hosted around the world. The data gathered / processed by you has value when turned in to information, but what would happen if that information got lost, deleted, stolen (hacked and released) or a fire destroyed it? Can you still operate as a business? How much information could your business lose and still continue to function? What impact would it have on your business reputation, especially in the case of loss of personal information (GDPR), credit card details (PCI DSS), etc? So ask yourself what would be the impact if tomorrow you can’t access your business email, your documents, client contact details, find that contract, find that proof of payment, pay your staff, or couldn’t access any business information at all in physical or electronic format, or customers find that their information has been released to the public domain?
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INFORMATION ASSURANCE
businesses suffered some sort of breach or incident in 2018, with this figure likely to be even higher in 2019. The point being made is that accidental and malicious actions can interrupt business operations and reduce customer confidence – is your business prepared if any of these risks developed in to a real event? There is also another side to consider. Not all threats are external, with as many as 90% of incidents caused by staff both accidentally and deliberately. It can be triggered by pure intrigue or malice, perhaps a disgruntled employee wanting to cause deliberate damage. So what can we do? There are some good practices which can be adopted with very little cost. Start by thinking about what information you have – you will surprise yourself how much you have and how important it is to your business. The core principles of Information Assurance are the Confidentiality/ Integrity / Availability (CIA) Triad: N Confidentiality – keep things confidential only giving access to people that need it, be it to buildings, offices, cabinets, emails, systems, etc N Integrity – to make sure that information is secure from accidental / deliberate modification or deletion, e.g. Finance, HR info, etc N Availability - to make sure that systems, services, information is available when needed, and can be accessed Threats / Impacts Understand what information or systems are critical to your business – effort should only be focussed on the information or systems that are critical. It can be as simple as making a list of your assets, defining their business criticality, and then focussing efforts accordingly. Access Control Only allowing staff access to information on a need-to-know basis, so they only have access to the information they need to perform their duties. This limits the spread of information, and makes it easier to control, and identify who has, and can access data. Classification All data should be assigned a classification which is meaningful to the business, for example: N Commercial information = COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL N Finance = COMPANY SECRET N HR Records = PERSONAL INFORMATION This helps staff understand that COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL /
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COMPANY SECRET information is to never be sent outside the organisation. Some homework for you… 1. Know what laws / regulations you need to abide by for your industry / sector, GDPR etc 2. Assess what information / assets you have that are critical to your business (what can’t you be without) 3. Assess where this information resides – paper / filling cabinets / electronic, etc. 4. Carry out a risk assessment to understand the risks to the information a. Fire b. Malware c. Theft d. Hackers e. Accidental deletion f. Deliberate deletion 5. Document all of the above 6. Put in place policies and processes to control staff actions 7. Review this information at least annually to track changes in your business 8. Talk to your staff – make sure they are aware of the real risks here and ensure they are on board, and take some ownership themselves to help keep your business information safe. n This article is for educational purposes only, and is not any form of advice or guidance
USEFUL LINKS National Cyber Security Centre 10 Steps to Cyber Security https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/collection/10-steps-to-cyber-security HMG Cyber Security Breaches https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/cyber-securitybreaches-survey-2018
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FEATURE
Creating a buzz
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Building a business is always hard but, says Janet Hill, building a rural business requires a certain creative spirit…
One of my favourite metaphors for collaborative, creative communities is the humble beehive.
Honey bees have long been admired for their industrious nature – the worker bee established a powerful symbol of hard work and unity for the city of Manchester during the Industrial Revolution, and there is plenty of evidence that their honey was held in high regard by the very earliest civilisations. The sweet, golden stuff was even found in the tomb of Tutankhamun – and, even more astonishingly, it was still edible! And as a passionate advocate of communities coming together to create in rural areas, the beehive motif really resonates with me. Creative rural hubs – spaces where individuals and businesses can come together to collaborate, be inspired and produce creative goods or offer services are popping up all over the UK. Let me extend my honey bee metaphor a little further. You see, just like beehives where female bees outnumber males by around 100 to 1, creative rural hubs are also dominated by women. Like many rural enterprises, bees operate sustainably and benefit the natural environment around them. And, like beehives, they also generate significant financial returns. The estimated value of bees’ work stands at 265 million euros globally each year - those agricultural crops aren’t going to pollinate themselves -
Rural creative businesses are a vital subset of this group, evolving at great speed beyond the ‘food and farming’ stereotype 22 | inbusiness | 2020
whereas creative industries currently contribute for more than 5% of the UK economy. Rural creative businesses are a vital subset of this group, evolving at great speed beyond the ‘food and farming’ stereotype. As the Select Committee on the Rural Economy noted in its recent report: “[Rural areas] are now as economically diverse as urban economies, contributing a significant amount to the national economy with the potential to flourish and contribute even more to our wellbeing and prosperity... some of the biggest economic opportunities are in the rural parts.” I’ve seen creative rural hubs develop both organically - for example, in my regular all-female co-mentoring sessions where we gather to talk business and share delicious locally sourced food each month - and more formally - for example, wild.work, a co-working movement for creative businesses based in the countryside. Hardly a week goes by at the minute without news of another big corporation going into administration while countryside-based independents seem to be thriving - at least in my anecdotal experience. It’s difficult to get a handle on accurate growth figures as employment is often used as a key metric, and creative industries – and particularly those in rural areas – often rely on the self-employed and freelancers. That said, though,
It seems abundantly clear to me, however, that we ignore the creative industries – and especially those in rural areas – at our peril
employment in creative sectors as diverse as marketing and advertising, architecture, performance and crafts has grown in more accessible rural areas, meaning that the true scale of growth is likely to be much bigger. The fact of the matter is that government policy and funding has historically favoured urban areas over the countryside. Rural businesses already face numerous challenges – travelling long distances to clients or stockists, poor broadband connections, the dreaded “brain drain” which can make recruitment and collaboration more difficult for those based in the countryside – but alongside these, lack of investment is a very real problem. Going forward, funding bodies and councils need to ensure that development advice and grants are available to all – not just those based in the cities or in certain industries. The Select Committee on the Rural Economy has made a whole host of recommendations centering on key areas such as affordable housing, skills training and digitalisation, but critics are already questioning how long before their calls are swallowed up by ‘more pressing’ political issues. Will the momentum last? It seems abundantly clear to me, however, that we ignore the creative industries – and especially those in rural areas – at our peril. At a time when ‘big business’ is becoming a less predictable beast and Brexit threatens significant changes to many conventional rural enterprises, we need to get innovative in our thinking. Viva the creatives! n
JANET HILL lives at the foot of the beautiful Welsh Hills with her two children, six cats, six dogs and an assortment of wild ducks. She is the founder of The Hills, a new website that promotes the too-often unsung heroes and beauties of our British countryside. www.lovingthehills.com
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24 | INSIDE BUSINESS | 2019
INSURANCE
Wales gives a warm welcome to The County Group North Wales has said ‘Croeso i Gymru’ to one of the UK’s largest insurers after it acquired its fourth business in the region.
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There has been another warm Welsh welcome for The County Group following its latest takeover of Bruce Edward, Jones & Company in Caernarfon, which has seen all staff members retained including its three partners at the helm, Aled Edwards, Paul White and Mark Jones. Bruce Edwards, Jones & Company, who specialise in commercial risks with a focus on business insurance, is the fourth firm in the region to be acquired by The County Group after its purchase of branches in Colwyn Bay, Denbigh and Wrexham. The County Group, which is one of the UK’s Top 25 Insurance brokers with annual client premiums of more than £90 million, has 22 employees across North Wales – the majority of which are original staff – with the four branches boasting more than 150 years of combined experience in the industry. Group managing director, Alastair Christopherson, said: “I am delighted that we have managed to secure another fantastic business that complements our strategy. We have completed three very successful acquisitions in North Wales and really wanted to extend the reach of the business towards Caernarfon, the Llŷn Peninsula and Anglesey. North Wales is a great region for us and the expertise and reputation of Bruce Edwards, Jones will only enhance our business further. Aled Edwards, partner of Bruce Edwards, Jones & Company, added: “We felt The County Group was the right fit for Bruce Edwards, Jones, enabling us to continue the growth trajectory of our business while still being able to offer an excellent personal service to our clients. “We now look forward to working with the whole team over the
coming years to build our presence further in North Wales.” The other firms acquired by The County Group were Brady and Jones Insurance, based in Colwyn Bay, which still has original owner Mike Jones leading the team, George Williams Insurance in Denbigh, whose branch director George Williams has continued in his role, and Wrexham Insurance which is led by branch manager Liz McGuire but still has former owner Dennis Seward among the staff. McGuire says the branch is very much part of the community. Fundraising for local charities has become a regular feature. The last event was a cake sale for Cancer Research. She said: “We have noticed that when we quote/sell travel insurance and go through the medical questions, lot of customer declare cancer diagnosis of some kind. We all know someone that cancer has touched, whether it’s family or friends. The response to that event was heart-warming. So many people popped in just to give to the collection helping us raise much needed funds for an incredible charity.” n
The County Group, which was formed in 2003 and offers the complete spectrum of business and personal insurance products while caring for its customers and colleagues, is one of the UK’s largest insurance brokers. They provide a full range of products for all aspects of modern day life, providing peace of mind to its customers whether they be business owners, taxi and private hire drivers or local residents. There’s a full range of products for all aspects of modern day life: • Local business owners – all areas are covered from pubs, surgeries, shops, liabilities and premises to manufacturing, care homes and fabrication etc • Local resident – private cars, homes insurance, motorbikes and caravans etc • Local taxi and private hire driver – covering public hire, private hire, chauffeur, mini-buses, coaches, liability and breakdown etc
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COMPETITION
WIN TWO SPACES ON A COURSE OF YOUR CHOICE ALLS Training, based in Denbigh, is running a competition to win two places on the training course of your choice. Available courses cover: Health & Safety, First Aid, Fire Safety, Food Safety and Manual Handling. Director Amanda LawsonStoner has over 15 years professional experience in the consultancy & training industry and the qualified, accredited and experienced tutors at ALLS Training are dedicated to creating a safe, relaxed and enjoyable learning environment, where all attendees can enjoy a positive learning experience. To enter, simply send your name and company information, along with which course training you would like to win, to: editorial@ksgpublishing.co.uk by Friday 28th February 2020, making sure that you put “training competition� in the subject line of your email. Amanda Lawson-Stoner ALLS Training 07788 494948 info@alls.co.uk www.alls.co.uk
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General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Notice We collect your information when you enter our competitions, and store this information on our systems. We will use this information to contact you if you are the competition winner, and to contact you occasionally with details of relevant offers and items which may be of interest to you. If you win the competition, your name and the town where you live may be printed in a future edition of North Wales In Business or online. We will also share your information with the competition provider, and they may contact you with details of relevant offers. Please see our full Privacy Notice online for further information.
DATES For your diary
February
3rd FARMING CONNECT MAKING TAX DIGITAL Coleg Cambria, Ruthin 6-8pm 4th WEST CHESHIRE & NORTH WALES CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ROUND THE TABLE BREAKFAST Coleg Cambria, Connah’s Quay 8:30-10:30am 4th WOMEN IN BUSINESS NETWORKING KEYNOTE SPEAKER: KATIE HAYWARD, FELIN HONEYBEES Quay Hotel, Deganwy 9:30-11:30am 4th DEGREE APPRENTICESHIPS FUNDED PROGRAMMES & PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Glyndwr University, Wrexham 8-9.30am
4th BUSINESS WALES TAX AND BOOKKEEPING WORKSHOP M-Sparc, Gaerwen 1-4pm
5th BUSINESS WALES DYNAMIC MARKETING Bangor University, Bangor 9:30am-4pm
4th CIPD MID AND NORTH WALES CREATING WELLBEING IN THE WORKPLACE Bryn Williams Porth Eirias, Colwyn Bay 8-10am
5th – 12th BUSINESS WALES STARTING AND RUNNING A BUSINESS – TAKING THE PLUNGE Bangor University, Bangor 5:30-8:30pm
4th NETWORK MUM BALANCING WORK AND FAMILY LIFE White House, Rhuallt 9.30am-12pm
6th NORTH WALES BUSINESS CLUB DINNER St. George’s Hotel, Llandudno 7:15pm
5th POWER HOUSE GROW YOUR TRIBE, GROW YOUR BUSINESS Chateau Rhianfa, Menai Bridge, Anglesey 9.30-11.30am
6th NETWORK SHE COFFEE CONNECTIONS MEET AND DEVELOP NEW CONTACTS Cae Mor Hotel, Llandundo 10:30am-12:30pm
5th SUPERFAST BUSINESS WALES SELL MORE WITH DIGITAL ADVERTISING The Management Centre, Bangor 9am-1pm
6th RCS WELLBEING IN THE WORKPLACE Celtic Royal Hotel, Caernarfon 9-11am
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EVENTS
6th CELEBRATING ENTERPRISING WOMEN IN NORTH WALES Tir A Mor, Llanrwst 7-9pm 10th BUSINESS WALES DYNAMIC MARKETING Gladstone Library, Deeside 9:30am-4pm 11th SUPERFAST BUSINESS WALES SELL MORE WITH SOCIAL MEDIA The Wild Pheasant Hotel, Llangollen 9am-1pm
11th FSB CONNECT Springfield Hotel, Holywell 9:30-11:30am 11th COLEG CAMBRIA FREE CYBER SECURITY CHECK Coleg Cambria, Connah’s Quay 8-10am 12th SUPERFAST BUSINESS WALES SELL MORE WITH SOCIAL MEDIA Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor, Dolgellau 9am-1pm
11th FGH BUSINESS FORUM MAKE 2020 YOUR YEAR The Stamford Gate Hotel, Holywell 8-10am
13th SUPERFAST BUSINESS WALES LET’S GET DIGITAL Gwesty’r Trearddur Bay Hotel, Trearddur Bay 9am-4pm
11th BUSINESS WALES BRANDING & MARKETING OpTic Glyndwr, St. Asaph 9:30am-4:30pm
13th BUSINESS WALES TAX AND BOOKKEEPING WORKSHOP Clwyd Chambers, Rhyl 1-4pm
11th FARMING CONNECT MAKING TAX DIGITAL Glynllifon College, Llandwrog 6-8pm
13th RCS & THE ENTERPRISE HUB SELF-CARE FOR THE SELF EMPLOYED Canolfan Centre, Pwllheli 2-4:30pm
11th BUSINESS WALES TAX AND BOOKKEEPING WORKSHOP Gladstone Library, Deeside 1-4pm
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18th BUSINESS WALES INTRODUCTION TO TENDERING WORKSHOP The Avow, Wrexham 10am-4pm 19th RCS MANAGING SICKNESS ABSENCE & RETURN TO WORK RCS Bangor Office, Bangor 9-11am 19th HWB MENTER / ENTERPRISE HUB INSTAGRAM STRATEGY Wrexham Enterprise Hub, Wrexham 12-2pm 20th BUSINESS WALES STARTING AND RUNNING A BUSINESS – TAKING THE PLUNGE Gladstone Library, Deeside 10am-4:30pm 24th BUSINESS WALES TAX AND BOOKKEEPING WORKSHOP The Management Centre, Bangor 1-4pm 25th FOOD SERVICE EXPO Venue Cymru, Llandudno 10am-4pm
25th SUPERFAST BUSINESS WALES SELL MORE WITH DIGITAL MARKETING Dylans Restaurant, Llandudno 9am-1pm 25th BUSINESS WALES BRANDING & MARKETING Bangor University, Bangor 9:30am-4:30pm 25th BUSINESS WALES INTRODUCTION TO TENDERING WORKSHOP OpTic Glyndwr, St. Asaph 10am-4pm 26th BUSINESS WALES TAX AND BOOKKEEPING WORKSHOP Conwy Business Centre, Llandudno Junction 1-4pm
27th ENTREPRENEUR SUCCESS WORKSHOP WALK AWAY WITH THE ROAD MAP TO LASTING ENTREPRENEURIAL SUCCESS Grosvenor Hotel, Chester 9am-4pm 27th BUSINESS WALES STARTING AND RUNNING A BUSINESS – TAKING THE PLUNGE Wrexham Enterprise Hub, Wrexham 10am-4:30pm
March
2nd BUSINESS WALES STARTING AND RUNNING A BUSINESS – TAKING THE PLUNGE Wrexham Enterprise Hub, Wrexham 1-4pm
27th SUPERTEMPS FREE EMPLOYMENT LAW SEMINAR M-SParc, Gaerwen 8-10:15am
3rd BUSINESS WALES STARTING AND RUNNING A BUSINESS – TAKING THE PLUNGE Hwb Denbigh, Denbigh 10am-4:30pm
27th SUPERFAST BUSINESS WALES INCREASE YOUR WEB TRAFFIC Canolfan Centre, Pwllheli 9am-1pmm
3rd BUSINESS WALES TAX AND BOOKKEEPING WORKSHOP Wrexham Enterprise Hub, Wrexham 1-4pm
4th SUPERTEMPS FREE EMPLOYMENT LAW SEMINAR OpTIC Centre, St. Asaph 8-10:15am 5th MON COMMUNITIES FORWARD EQUALITY & DIVERSITY AWARENESS M-Sparc, Gaerwen 9am-12pm 5th BUSINESS WALES DYNAMIC MARKETING Glasdir Centre, Llanrwst 9:30am-4pm 5th SUPERFAST BUSINESS WALES SELL MORE WITH DIGITAL MARKETING OpTic Glyndwr, St. Asaph 1-5pm 8th NETWORK SHE INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY AFTERNOON Quay Hotel and Spa, Deganwy 2-5pm 9th FOOD SERVICE EXHIBITION Eirias Park, Colwyn Bay 10am-4pm
27th BUSINESS WALES STARTING AND RUNNING A BUSINESS – TAKING THE PLUNGE Galeri Caernarfon, Caernarfon 10am-4:30pm 27th WREXHAM BUSINESS PROFESSIONALS POWERING REGIONAL PROSPERITY Catrin Finch Centre, Wrexham 8:15-10:30am
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EVENTS
10th SUPERFAST BUSINESS WALES SELL MORE WITH SOCIAL MEDIA Wrexham Enterprise Hub, Wrexham 9am-1pm 10th BUSINESS WALES INTRODUCTION TO TENDERING WORKSHOP Gladstone Library, Deeside 10am-4pm 12th BUSINESS WALES STARTING AND RUNNING A BUSINESS – TAKING THE PLUNGE M-Sparc, Gaerwen 10am-4:30pm 12th ENTREPRENEUR SUCCESS WORKSHOP WALK AWAY WITH THE ROAD MAP TO LASTING ENTREPRENEURIAL SUCCESS Grosvenor Hotel, Chester 9am-4pm 12th SUPERFAST BUSINESS WALES GROW YOUR TOURISM BUSINESS WITH SOCIAL MEDIA Anglesey Business Centre, Llangefni 1-5pm 16th BUSINESS WALES BRANDING & MARKETING Wrexham Enterprise Hub, Wrexham 9:30am-4:30pm 16th BUSINESS WALES INTRODUCTION TO TENDERING WORKSHOP Bangor University, Bangor 10am-4pm 17th NETWORX DEESIDE Northop Hall Hotel, Flintshire 9-11am
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18th CHAMBER OF COMMERCE & HMP BERWYN LUNCH & TOUR OF HMP BERWYN HMP Berwyn, Wrexham 12:30-2:30pm
24th BUSINESS WALES STARTING AND RUNNING A BUSINESS – TAKING THE PLUNGE Wrexham Enterprise Hub, Wrexham 10am-4:30pm
18th CIPD WALES NORTH WALES CONFERENCE Catrin Finch Centre Glyndwr University, Wrexham 8:30am-4:30pm
25th NETWORK SHE COFFEE CONNECTIONS MEET AND DEVELOP NEW CONTACTS Grosvenor Pulford, Nr Chester/Wrexham 10:30am-12:30pm
19th SUPERFAST BUSINESS WALES SEO TO GROW YOUR BUSINESS Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor, Dolgellau 9am-1pm
26th NORTH WALES BUSINESS DINNER Quay Hotel, Deganwy TBD
19th BUSINESS WALES DYNAMIC MARKETING Clwyd Chambers, Rhyl 9:30am-4pm 19th BUSINESS WALES TAX AND BOOKKEEPING WORKSHOP Business Wales Unit 21, St. Asaph 1-4pm
24th SUPERFAST BUSINESS WALES OFFICE 365 TO GROW YOUR BUSINESS Conwy Business Centre, Llandudno Junction 9am-1pm 24th BUSINESS WALES TAX AND BOOKKEEPING WORKSHOP Gladstone Library, Deeside 1-4pm
If you are running a business event that you would like to see included in the next issue of In Business, then please email it over to editorial@ksgpublishing.co.uk for consideration
SAVE THE DATE! North Wales Means Business Celebration Awards and Dinner Friday, 24th April 2020 Venue: The Kinmel & Kinspa, Abergele
“OPEN TO ALL NORTH WALES BUSINESSES” In celebration of delivering 10 years of leadership and management funded programmes at Bangor University. For further information about the awards and sponsorship opportunities contact: j.whittaker@bangor.ac.uk Further details available in the next issue of North Wales In Business magazine
All events correct at the time of going to press. North Wales In Business magazine recommends that you check the details of any event before organising travel. Please note that many of these events require pre booking
A NEW AND EXCITING NETWORKING INITIATIVE FOR NORTH WALES
House
CONTACT | COMMUNICATE CONNECT | COLLABORATE
CONTACT • COMMUNICATE • CONNECT • COLLABORATE The Power House gives you the ideal opportunity to make new contacts from across the region so that you can connect with the business men and women who will help you grow your business, grow your tribe and grow your confidence.
Meeting once a quarter at a different venue across the region, The Power House will open up new doors, new opportunities and bring you into contact with new and interesting people who are interested in who you are and what you do. Offering four tailor made membership packages to represent the diverse business community of North Wales.
UPCOMING EVENTS 05 Febuary
02 April
13 May
Chateau Rhianfa, Beaumaris Rd, Menai Bridge
Dylan’s Llanduno, East Parade, Llandudno
Celtic Arms, Northop, Northop Country Park Golf Club, Mold
Visit our website to book and see future events! Meet The Power House Executive Team
N E L S O N M YAT T SOLICITORS
UNDEB EWROPEAIDD EUROPEAN UNION
Cronfa Datblygu Rhanbarthol Ewrop European Regional Development Fund
Brought to you in association with Co & Associates
t. 07876 262 126 e. info@the-powerhouse.co.uk w. the-powerhouse.co.uk
CARBON FOOTPRINT
A step in the right direction No matter what size your business is, says Ruth Lloyd-Williams, there are steps that you can take in order to leave as small a carbon footprint as physically possible…
We have all heard of the unlikely Swedish teenager and climate activist Greta Thunberg. The then 16-year-old with Aspergers Syndrome, who in August 2018 grabbed the world’s attention and who on 10th December 2019 was announced as the Time’s Magazine 2019 Person of the Year. Greta has achieved what researchers, scientists and activists have otherwise failed to do for decades: to get the world leaders to take the climate threat and its consequences seriously – well most of them anyway. Australian prime minister, Scott Morrison is sadly learning first hand, the devastating impact of choosing to declare that “now is not the time to talk about climate change”. He may have had an economy to grow but now he may have one on its knees and the worlds full attention to boot. In the 16 months plus since her original school “strike for climate”, Greta has addressed heads of state, the UN and inspired four million people to join the global climate strike on 20th September 2019 – the largest climate demonstration in history – including 17-year-old Beth Irving, protest organiser from South Wales who coordinated the protest in over 30 towns and cities across the UK, mainly in schools and colleges. And although the government has passed a law requiring the country to eliminate its carbon footprint, Downing Street criticised school children taking part in the protest. Greta has persuaded world leaders to make a commitment to reducing their carbon footprint, but has she persuaded you to make a commitment to reducing yours and that of your company? Well, in order to do that you need to firstly understand what carbon footprint actually is. Through the power of Google and according to takepart. com the definition of carbon footprint is “the amount of greenhouse gases – primarily carbon dioxide – released into the atmosphere by a particular human activity. A carbon footprint can be a broad measure or be applied to the actions of an individual, a family, an event, an organization, or even an entire nation. It is
32 | inbusiness | 2020
usually measured as tons of CO2 emitted per year, a number that can be supplemented by tons of CO2-equivalent gases, including methane, nitrous oxide, and other greenhouse gases”. If you want to do something about your carbon footprint check out sustainablebusinesstoolkit.com (other websites are available) who claim: “Sustainable businesses are companies that excel in increasing their triple bottom line (profits, people and planet)”. How is your triple bottom line, what can you commit to do that will make a difference? It can be as easy as reducing energy use, reduce fuel use, recycle more and sustainable procurement. Take a look around your office and work space – what small changes can you make now? We put the challenge out to members of the executive team of the Power House, asking them to commit to making a change and to share their ideas on how they plan to make a difference… Simon Dutton from DBTI has committed to switch to a green energy supplier (tick); adopt a retired guide dog (tick – now walk rather than drive) and run LEGO® Serious Play® workshops for the ‘Young People’s Global Dialogue on Climate Change’. This is an international initiative being put together by LEGO
David Evans, director of Dylan’s
Simon Dutton from DBTI
Steve Bale of Print Approved
David Paveley, principal at North Wales Honda
Serious Play facilitators worldwide and set to launch on Earth Day in April. He is looking for groups of six to eight young people to participate in this free event – if you are keen to know more contact Simon on imon.dutton@dbti.co.uk
everything from sandwich wrappers to drinks bottles and all paper based materials are recycled. By bringing fluids to work in the same bottles we have dramatically reduced waste, and reduced collections.”
And carbon footprints can be reduced in the hospitality industry too.
And as for Network She and Co & Associates – what have we done and committed to? Well, we have reduced our need to print “paper work” to virtually nothing. Having once printed off everything including booking forms for each event, totalling over a 1,000 documents a year, all our booking forms are now digital. Not only a huge saving of paper and time – but also of ink and therefore a huge saving on our outgoings. We have committed to using recycled paper and on a small, yet practical personal note I now have an erasable and re-useable notebook – check out ElfinBook – for those of us who still relish the use of pen and paper and aren’t ready to go totally digital.
“At Dylan’s we are committed to doing our bit in addressing climate change through reducing our carbon footprint,” explains director David Evans. “We have started with steps towards exchanging our utility contracts to companies that only provide sustainable sources of power, exchanged our company cars for 100% electric vehicles and substituted all single use plastics for sustainable alternatives in our restaurants during 2019. We have also continued to promote local produce – therefore benefiting both the environment and local suppliers.” Meanwhile Steve Bale of Print Approved tells us why print is good for carbon footprint: “By 2040 the communication technology industry is set to produce 14% of all carbon emissions. European forests store almost 80 billion tonnes of carbon. Printing is one of the most carbon friendly industries using paper from managed forests. One tree cut, three planted, equivalent to 1,500 football pitches per day.” With 215 million hectares of forests, only South America has a higher percentage of forest cover than Europe. North Wales Honda is also conscious of CO2 and N02 with the vehicles it retails, and the impact on the environment as individuals in its business. “To counter N02 we have ceased sales of Diesel cars in the last quarter of 2019, and in 2020 retail versions of our popular Jazz, and prestigious SUV, the CR-V are now Hybrid,” explains principal Dave Paveley. “From June onwards we also release the new Honda E plug in Electric car. The business will have three electric charge points available for customers from March onwards and by 2022 our entire range will have Hybrid and plug in versions of all models. “The business has since 2014 recycled all used engine oil, batteries and tyres. All waste packaging is also recycled,” he continues. “The staff have also adopted a recycle policy on
We are also reducing our fuel costs. Those meetings incurring an hours travel time each way and considerable fuel, are now a call or an email. Try Skype or Zoom if you still need that face-to-face interaction, and email if you’d rather not. There are so many small things that you can do that will make such a difference to your profits, people and planet. So, in 2020, make a point to increase your triple bottom line – Happy New Year. n
RUTH LLOYDWILLIAMS Having never had any youthful aspirations to own her own business, no one is more surprised than Ruth Lloyd-Williams that she now owns not one, but two successful businesses. Ruth currently spends the bulk of her time supporting members of the business community via Network She and The Power House, and the rest empowering women and young girls in sport, education and employment via her registered charity, the Network She Foundation. ruth@networkshe.co.uk
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Supporting Communities
SAVINGS • Instant access to savings • Christmas savings account • Junior savings account
LOANS • Personal Loans from £50 to £15,000 • Choice of repayments • No early repayment penalties • Decision made by people not computers
PAYROLL SAVINGS • Save straight from your salary • Borrow straight from your salary • Over 40 existing partners, including local authorities Branches at: Caernarfon • Llandudno Junction • Rhyl • Wrexham • Denbigh
Contact us
0333 2000 601 www.cambriancu.com @cambriancredu
@cambriancredu
Cambrian Savings & Loans is a trading style of Cambrian Credit Union Limited. Registered Office: 144 Conway Road, Llandudno Junction, Conwy, LL31 9ND. Authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and Prudential Regulation Authority Registration No: 213672
FINANCE
On the right foot
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Becoming a payroll partner can help your staff get on a better financial footing says Ann Francis.
Supporting the financial well-being of staff is good for them, good for the community, and good for business too.
Payroll partners are those employers who work with their local credit union to offer a range of financial services to the workforce as a perk of employment. Across Wales more than 140 payroll partners, organisations large and small, support the financial welfare of their staff by encouraging them to save or borrow responsibly with their local credit union. Becoming a payroll partner makes good business sense. The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Developments (CIPD) has reported that poor financial well-being can cause: N Higher stress and anxiety levels N Reduced physical and mental health N Lower staff productivity N Poorer job performance N Reduced ability to concentrate N Increased likelihood of absenteeism Meanwhile, research by the Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals (CIPP) found that significant personal debt and financial stress causes the loss of 17.5 million UK working hours each year.
Credit union payroll savings enable staff to save by having a nominal sum of money taken from their salary and placed into a credit union savings account – before they have the chance to miss or spend it. Saving this way each month can build a pot for a big occasion, like Christmas or a wedding, or be a rainy-day fund for when the washing machine breaks or a car MOT comes back with a nasty surprise. There is no cost to the employer in running the scheme and, as with any bank or building society, all savings with a credit union are guaranteed up to £85,000.
ANN FRANCIS is the general manager at Cambrian Credit Union. To find out more about becoming a payroll partner go to www. cambriancu.com
Along with savings, payroll deduction can help staff access loans with affordable interest rates, helping them to avoid high cost credit, ‘payday’ lenders or asking their employer for ‘subs’. As credit unions are not-for-profit community savings and loan providers, the money saved benefits the members, local community and economy, not third-party shareholders.n
inbusiness | 2020 | 35
£65,000
Wellington Road, Rhyl
£325,000
Vale Street, Denbigh
• Shop unit located on wellington road
• Ideal location for businesses
• Superb location
• Versatile accommodation
• Size 61’ x 24’2
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• Three floors
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• Rear store room
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• Rear garden
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• Viewing recommended
• Potential to be bed & breakfast / appartments
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Glamping Pod Site, Graigfechan • 5 bedroom house
• One bedroom annex
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£225,000
Offers in the region of (O.I.R.O)
£175,000
The Square, Corwen
£125,000
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• Ground Floor Shop
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• 2 One Bed Flats
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• Corwen Town Centre
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• Ample Storage Space
• Basement
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FEATURE
Winning combination Entering your business for an award has many benefits for your business, and also for your community. Nia Kirkham reports.
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Now is the time of year when many of us think about setting goals for ourselves for the year ahead, and for your business. If those goals include building your customer base, building your profile, press coverage and social media activity, then, entering your business for an award should be on your list. I’ve spent many years working alongside the Conwy Business Support team organising the Conwy Business Awards, however when I talk to business owners about nominating themselves for particular awards, I am often met with hesitation around nominating yourself – and I hear you. But small and growing businesses like yours are the unsung heroes of our economy and there is no shame in nominating yourself and giving yourself a little toot of your horn for your hard work. In fact, everyone is busy and as much as your customers, fans and peers would love to spend the days thinking about nominating your business for great awards, they don’t have time and don’t know your business the way you do. Entering and winning business awards demonstrates to your customers that your business is at the top of its game, reinforcing their reasons for using you in the first place presents many excellent opportunities for you and your business. Conwy based firm Limb-Art are a multi award winning Welsh design and manufacturing company dedicated to producing cool prosthetic leg covers. I asked owner Mark Williams about his award winning experience… “Having spent 18 months developing a unique, new product, we knew social media would be very important to help launch the business and reach our customers, so we entered our first awards in an effort to gain publicity for our social media pages and to provide content for our website blogs,” he explains. “We won and along with our first award, the Stelios Award for Disabled Entrepreneurs, came a very welcome £10,000! Immediately, we saw a spike in our social media traffic, followers and orders. This drove us to enter more awards. We realised very
38 | inbusiness | 2020
quickly that with each award came a spike on becoming finalists and another on winning. “Winning each award triggered news coverage from local and National papers, magazines, local radio, BBC and ITV news and even an invite onto a BBC TV quiz show!” continues Mark. “Looking back on our whirlwind first year trading and going on to win two Conwy Business Awards (New Business and Innovation Business of the Year) SME Awards (Social Inclusion Business of the Year) Wales Start-Up Award (Manufacturer of the Year) and Daily Post Award (Business Start-up of the Year) I couldn’t recommend enough to any business to apply for business awards. The networking opportunities and publicity this gives you is definitely worth the effort.” Katie Isaacson of the Daily Post Awards agrees. “Entering awards gives businesses a chance to shout about their success and recognise their businesses and teams achievements,” she explains. “Being shortlisted for an award is a great independent endorsement which can make a business stand out from their competitors. Awards can also be a great opportunity to meet other successful businesses, learn from each other and share success stories and of course the awards ceremony itself is a great night out!” This was really felt also by managing director of Alpine Travel, Chris Owens. “We were delighted to win Tourism Business of the Year at the 2019 Conwy Business Awards; it was welcome and deserved recognition of all the hard work the staff here at Alpine Travel have put into the company,” he said. So, I can tell you’re thinking about it aren’t you? Hang fire though, there are thousands of different business awards to enter for small businesses and entrepreneurs, from the well-known to the industry-specific. Also, consider the cost against the return on investment, some are free to enter, but some charge a hefty fee, so avoid applying for every award you find. Instead, find the right ones for you and whether you’re aiming for a local, regional or national award. Some, like the FSB Small Business Awards, will have different stages moving from regional to national.
Nominations for the Conwy Business Awards will open in February
Find awards based on your strengths and expertise and those that reflect your values, and also importantly that reflect your customers values. Consider what awards your competitors have, how are they using the award to their advantage, and isn’t it time you scooped the award this time?! Professor Dylan Jones-Evans OBE, founder of the prestigious Fast Growth 50 awards which identifies the fastest growing firms in Wales said: “In Wales, we are often slow to applaud the performance of individual businesses in Wales, but the 50 firms that make up every year’s list are more than worthy of praise. The biggest kick is when ownermanagers come up to me and say that being part of the Fast Growth 50 award has enabled them to win new business, enter new markets, get more favourable terms with suppliers, and access business support programmes – that it not only recognises the best in Wales but makes a tangible difference to the performance of these businesses.” So don’t dilly dally, add an award to the bucket list – we think you are doing a wonderful job and your name should be in lights! n The Conwy Business Support Team are very pleased to announce that the Conwy Business Awards 2020 Headline sponsor is Cartrefi Conwy. Nominations for the Conwy Business Awards open in February. You can see who the 2019 winners were and find out more at www.conwybusinessawards.com / www. gwobraubusnesconwy.com or email gwobrau@conwy.gov.uk/ awards@conwy.gov.uk for further information
NIA KIRKHAM has managed the operations and business development at the Conwy Business Centre in Llandudno Junction for the past ten years which, as well as being a hub for business support, also offers business premises and conference and meeting rooms for hire.
Conwy based firm Limb-Art are a multi award winning Welsh design and manufacturing company
inbusiness | 2020 | 39
B ECOM E A B E T TER MD
ESP E NTR E PR E N E U R S U CC E SS PROG R A M M E L A N D I NG I N 2 0 2 0
MORE MONEY MORE TIME MORE FREEDOM L AU NCH DATE: JA N 2 0 2 0 LI M ITE D S LOTS , BOO K N OW BOO K A D I SCOV E RY CA LL W ITH M A R K B RYA NT: W
usemy.com/callmark
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mark@markbryant.tv
LEADERSHIP
Business: A Professionals Game
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I love how a new year gives us the opportunity to review, reset and refocus. Given that we are now in a new decade it feels even more exciting.
For me, I am taking the opportunity to look back at my entrepreneurial journey and distill my biggest lessons and write my first book.
While conducting my initial research I came across some statistics that shocked me and had I known about it 20 years ago, my approach to business would of been completely different. I decided to become an entrepreneur whilst I was at university. No one told me the game I decided to play was as difficult as competing on the international stage in sports or in the Olympics. In the last 20 years the number of businesses in the UK has grown from 3.4 million to 5.9 million, while the percentage that are employers has reduced from 32% to 25%. Of the 25% that employ people, most are stuck in the micro company range size with between one and nine employees. Only 4% have a team of between ten and 49, and only 1% make it as a medium or large company. Add to these statistics the five-year survival rate of just 42.4% it just goes to show running a business is not easy. While there are some amazing lifestyle businesses that operate with relatively low employee numbers, my goal was always to grow and scale a company to medium and, perhaps one day, large. If we relate this back to being an athlete playing in the top 4% or, tougher still, 1% of the world stage, most would of started their career as a young child, they developed their skill playing the game, practicing and most importantly receiving training
and coaching from experts in their field. While I attended university and got myself a Masters, I was never taught the art of running a business or the subject of entrepreneurship – or even how to manage money. It was only by chance that I stumbled into personal development eight years into my entrepreneurial journey when things started to change. So, if you are a business owner and reading this column, the advice to take into this next decade to make it your best yet, is to work on yourself as hard as you work on your business. “The only way it gets better for you is when you get better. Better is not something you wish, it’s something you become.” Jim Rohn Check out the events section of this edition and get yourself booked onto some of the amazing courses and events that are happening in North Wales. And keep your eyes peeled as well for our Entrepreneur Success Workshops kicking off in February too! If you need any support or guidance, feel free to message me. All the best for 2020! n
MARK BRYANT is an award winning entrepreneur and professional speaker, investor, coach and mentor now serving the entrepreneur community to create conscious and positive change.
inbusiness | 2020 | 41
42 | inbusiness | 2020
LEGAL
On the road
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Drivers who use their vehicle to tow a trailer, whether for work or in a personal capacity, need to ensure they are familiar with the laws of the road says lawyer
A recent court case looked into a fatal accident at Tal-y-Lyn in Gwynedd, when a trailer being towed by a sheep farmer collided with a car.
Unfortunately, such accidents are not uncommon, and it appears that much needs to be done to raise awareness on towing legally and safely. It can seem very complicated but it is extremely important that drivers know what they can and cannot do.”
legal rules and requirements of towing. These rules are especially important when carrying livestock. The movement of livestock in transit can’t be predicted so it is extremely important to ensure the weight is distributed as evenly as possible by using internal safety gates. Many people don’t think about how they tow or secure their load and just because a person has been towing for a long time, it doesn’t mean they are towing safely or legally.
Government guidelines state that if a driver passed their car driving test on or after January 1, 1997, they can tow a trailer up to a certain weight - but if they want to tow a heavier weight, they must pass a towing test to obtain a BE towing licence.
It’s important to stop and think about how you are towing and drivers not required to take the BE towing license test may think of taking it as a refresher.
There will be some drivers on the road who can legally tow without a licence, but it should be emphasised that every driver towing, with or without a licence, should adhere to the
Thinking about how you tow could avoid potentially disastrous consequences, that can tragically be far greater than a fine or a driving ban, but the loss of life. n
LLINOS ROBERTS is a member of the commercial and agricultural property department at Lanyon Bowdler’s Conwy office and hopes that her local knowledge and rural roots will be of benefit to clients. She is fully bilingual and is happy to receive instructions in English and/ or Welsh.
inbusiness | 2020 | 43
MENTORING
A helping hand Asking for help is often the last thing on a business owners mind. But, says Chris Dhenim, if you ask the right person then a little help can go a very long way…
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It can sometimes feel lonely being an entrepreneur or a small business owner. You have a lot on your plate and the buck always stops with you. You knew it would be that way when you started your business, but that doesn’t mean that you wouldn’t occasionally like a little support. That’s where business mentoring can come in. It’s an invaluable service for business owners and sole traders, offering potentially vital advice, guidance and help. You can link up with a likeminded professional as your mentor, who will have experience and expertise in your field. What is business mentoring? At its simplest, business mentoring is a relationship between an entrepreneur or business owner, and a mentor who has the benefit of wide experience. The idea of a business mentor is that they act as a guide, offering both practical and general advice to help smaller, younger businesses to get started, grow or develop. The best mentorship relationships usually involve mentors and mentees in the same field. The mentor may have been in much the same position as their mentee some years earlier, so will have direct experience and expertise to offer. A business mentor isn’t an employee of the company they help, or even a contracted consultant. In most cases,
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business mentors are volunteers. They offer their time and experience freely in order to help other businesses and professionals to succeed. Their own experience may have involved struggling to get a business off the ground, or running a large, thriving firm. Either way, they can offer the kind of guidance and support that can make all the difference. They also know that successful businesses lead to a robust economy and that’s good for everyone. The exact nature of the relationship between a mentor and the business they help will differ. It takes the shape by which it can provide the most help to the company in question. Generally speaking, contact between mentors and mentees can be through face-to-face meetings, phone or email. A mentorship can be a very casual relationship, where mentors simply make themselves available by phone if and when a mentee might need them. They may occasionally get together to discuss business plans and how a business may develop. Alternatively, things can be more formal. Meetings can be scheduled on a regular basis and planned to cover specific issues. In some cases, mentors may even agree to provide other more direct support, such as giving presentations to staff or helping out in other ways.
When might your business need a mentor? Succeeding in business isn’t easy. It takes dedication, time and sacrifice. Through the life cycle of a business, there will be many different challenges. There are lots of times when a mentor’s help could be the difference between success and failure. Here are some examples: N When you’re starting out – There are many challenges associated with starting a new business, from sourcing premises to raising finance. A mentor who’s been through it all can make things go far more smoothly. They can help you avoid pitfalls, seize opportunities and may even connect you with other contacts who can help. N If growth has stalled – All businesses can experience periods of stagnation. After early growth, things can stall, and business owners can often find themselves at a loss as to how to escape such periods. A mentor can offer crucial ideas and ways forward. They will be able to look at things from a different perspective and that can be really helpful. N When implementing a change – You sometimes need a big change of direction to grow a business. That might mean changing your target customers, developing new products or introducing new practices. Those kinds of major changes can be daunting. Having an experienced ear to offer your ideas to can make things so much easier. N If you feel uninspired – Even the most dedicated business owners can sometimes feel stuck in a rut. Things may have become stale and everything you do seems to have little or no effect. A mentor can provide new ideas and goals. That kind of support is just the ticket for getting re-energised and newly inspired. N In the event of a specific problem – Advice and guidance are crucial if your business suffers a setback. A new competitor may have appeared on the scene, for example, or you might have lost a contract that was the backbone of your operation. A mentor who’s gone through something similar can help. They can explain how their business recovered and give you advice as to what you need to do. N When you lack confidence – The decisions you need to make as an entrepreneur or business owner are not small ones. It takes a lot of confidence in your own judgement to make them without any outside assistance. Your mentor can help you to locate the courage of your convictions and take the plunge. What can a business mentor offer? If you recognise your company’s current situation in the list above, you might need a mentor. Good mentors can bring many things to the table for small businesses as they provide a fresh perspective on business issues. Staff, colleagues and friends can all offer advice – but advice may be coloured by their positions and their relationship with the business. Mentors can act as an impartial sounding board. That’s crucial when the toughest decisions have to be made. A mentor is not a silver bullet that will solve any problem with any business. As the above shows, however, they can offer crucial support in a variety of different ways. If your business is based in Wales and you think it might need a mentor, Business Wales could be the place to turn.
A mentor can offer crucial support in a variety of different ways Business mentoring with Business Wales Business Wales run a free mentoring programme for business owners in Wales who want support from an experienced business person. If you need help to market or grow your business, implement a change, or deal with a particular challenge, then this programme could give you invaluable guidance. To take part, simply register with Business Wales. A local mentoring agent will then reach out to discuss mentoring needs. Based on those needs, companies are matched with the most appropriate mentor, with relevant knowledge and skills. That mentor will come from a database of successful business people from a wide range of industries. The mentoring agent will talk to the mentor and the company about the possible match. If they both agree, an initial meeting will then be arranged. All being well, a mentorship will be agreed and further contact arranged. In the event of any issues, the mentoring agent will always be on hand to mentors and mentees. n
CHRIS DHENIM is an investment executive for the Development Bank of Wales, providing flexible business finance for companies based in Wales from £1,000 up to £5 million. Finance is tailored around the individual needs of a business and can support businesses to set up, strengthen and grow. For further information visit: www.developmentbank.wales or www.bancdatblygu.cymru
inbusiness | 2020 | 45
We create Incredible
So you get results
01745 823 400 info@worldspancreative.co.uk www.worldspancreative.com 46 | INSIDE BUSINESS | 2019
MARKETING
Special Offer
Making the most of mobile
Worldspan Creative is offering a free digital audit, worth over £120, to the first 10 companies who get in touch. Email info@ worldspancreative.co.uk with your and your company’s name
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The mobile revolution has brought us supercomputers in our pockets but, asks Daniel Townsend, are businesses making the most of this technology?
Mobile devices can be used for far more in business than just sending email. A big trend in enterprise software is to bring a lot of the benefits that we enjoy in consumer apps to business apps.
An example is the use of the camera, which apps such as Snapchat have used to great effect. The camera is an incredibly useful tool for businesses, too. At Worldspan, we have built apps for customers where the camera is used to do brand audits, track supplier deliveries, scan QR codes, and much more. The camera is the real workhorse of computing in the 21st Century, and it can help streamline many business processes. Another benefit of mobile devices is GPS integration, which allows the location of the device to be recorded. This allows an app to take a photo, and associate it with a certain location, which is great when taking photos out in the field. And finally, with the increasing popularity of machine learning, mobile devices are able to understand a lot more about the world around us than ever before. In particular, image classification, whereby objects can be recognised within images, is poised to transform many common workflows. Imagine taking a photo of a car, and the system telling you which model of car it is, and who owns it. The technology is already here. Along with the portability benefits of mobile technology, and people’s familiarity with it, mobile devices are ready to take a larger role in businesses. The brutally competitive smartphone and tablet industry has resulted in amazing value for both consumers and businesses. Arguably, there is no better deal in hardware technology right now than a £330 iPad. It has a high definition screen, laptop-level performance, all-day battery life, robust build quality and at least five years of security updates. When coupled with the right software, it is a compelling option for businesses looking to invest in leveraging mobile technology.
DANIEL TOWNSEND is lead developer at Worldspan Creative, helping to digitally transform businesses across North Wales and beyond. To find out more about Worldspan Creative’s services, as well as seeing past client work, visit www.worldspancreative.com or email info@worldspancreative.co.uk
A common concern is ‘what if the devices get stolen?’ The devices can be enrolled in a Mobile Device Management (MDM) system, which allows you to track the location of the devices, restrict which apps can be installed, and even remotely deactivate them. So the next time you’re purchasing IT equipment, or troubleshooting a business problem, think whether mobile technology can help revolutionise your approach. n
inbusiness | 2020 | 47
GETTING STARTED
Are you ready to set sail? A leading business support organisation could have a mutiny on their hands in 2020.
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The Enterprise Hub, a collaboration between Menter Môn and M-SParc has launched Miwtini – a new business start-up programme for people in Conwy, Denbighshire, Anglesey and Gwynedd. The Miwtini programme will be holding training sessions on a variety of entrepreneurship topics to help individuals ‘make it happen’. The aim is that individuals come into the programme with a business idea and leave ready to start, with a community of like-minded people who will be able to help them along the way. The Miwtini workshops will encourage participants to try something out, make something happen, do something different or begin something new.
are accessible for a wide variety of individuals. We will even have a cohort running purely in the evening and at weekends in order to be flexible to the needs of those who are currently in employment,” said Anna. “They’re particularly aimed at those who want to set up their own business but need that extra advice and support. There will be six different topics and the workshops will take place at our Hubs across Anglesey, Gwynedd, Conwy and Denbighshire, so we hope to see plenty of people in attendance.”
She added: “We are also keen to highlight the free co-working spaces we have available to start-ups in the region, which are already proving popular. The culture of remote Miwtini facilitator Anna Openshaw (left) and Sara Roberts, coordinator for the working and flexibility is on the rise Enterprise Hub (right) The programme will also highlight the and co-working spaces brings with Enterprise Hub’s co-working office them greater benefits than working spaces available across the region. These include the main from home, such as networking, creating connections and a Hub in M-SParc on Anglesey and its satellite locations; Conwy sense of community. We really love this project; it breaks every Business Centre in Llandudno Junction, Rhyl’s Clwyd Chambers rule and encourages people to think outside the box and be and bases in Ruthin, Botwnnog, Dolgellau and Porthmadog. daring. Sara Roberts, coordinator for the Enterprise Hub, said the organisation is taking a more radical approach to business support. “We are encouraging people to be more independent and forward thinking, to go their own way and be creative,” she commented. “We want to do things a little differently and reflect the rapidly-changing nature of today’s instant world and advances in technology. The idea of a ‘mutiny’ is what appealed to us, the pirate spirit. We want people to be rebellious and challenge the status quo, to come to us with their ideas and be inspired – and it’s all at no cost as a Hub member!” Miwtini facilitator Anna Openshaw says training will be delivered throughout the year, starting at M-SParc in Gaerwen from January 29th 2020, followed by Conwy and Rhyl in March. “The sessions will be held every other week for 12 weeks, on varying days of the week, times and locations so that they
“That’s the Menter Môn way, and why the organisation continues to be at the forefront when it comes to business support, bringing like-minded people together and doing things differently.”. n
FOR MORE INFORMATION visit www.hwbmenter.cymru, email post@hwbmenter.cymru or call 01248 858 070. A list of upcoming events can be seen on Eventbrite www.enterprisehub.eventbrite.co.uk. Follow @ hwbmenter on social media for the latest news. Start your adventure, join the Miwtini! The Enterprise Hub is part funded by the European Regional Development Fund through the Welsh Government.
INSIDE BUSINESS | 2020 | 49
SECTION HEADER VEHICLES
The damage of diesel No, the government did not tell us to drive diesel cars. And yes, says David Paveley, they are bad for the environment!
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Let’s start with a statement of fact; diesel cars produce on average 11.5 times more NOx than a petrol car. NOx is produced from the reaction of nitrogen and oxygen gases in the air during combustion, especially at high temperatures. In areas of high motor vehicle traffic, such as in large cities, the amount of nitrogen oxides emitted into the atmosphere as air pollution can be significant. In summary N0x is bad and, in large quantities, very bad. Lifethreatening bad. Back in the year 1886 when the first car as we know it was produced, and soon after productionised on a grand scale, no one was worried about air pollution – we simply wanted to get mobile without having to feed a horse! Early cars were not tested for safety, let alone emissions. In 1923 the first Diesel Truck arrived on the scene, as pulling heavy goods required more torque. And this was the start of the emissions scandal, without knowing it. Because diesel engines could develop more low-down grunt, they soon became very popular with the growing industry. Petrol cars became the mechanism for freedom. Freedom of where to work, holiday, visit distant friends and family and, of course, look cool! The petrol car was the must-have accessory post WW2 – especially in the USA where it encouraged the fast food industry to grow at an unprecedented rate of knots, with the introduction of drive-through’s.
Diesel cars did not become accepted with private buyers until the 1970’s and, in the 1990’s, sales really took off as high mileage drivers saw the obvious benefit of substantially better fuel consumption over a petrol engine car. The mass production car makers now had to adapt their designs and production plants to keep up with demand, while under the radar the diesel engine was now contributing high levels of N0x into the earth’s atmosphere while test houses were set up to measure C02. This is where it gets confusing as diesel cars produce 20% less C02 than petrol cars! But the N0x is the worst of two evils. But C02 contributes to global warming. I could write a book on this subject. Fast forward to the Paris study on the impact of the cars and trucks on the city, and you will find the results alarming. To move forward and continue the freedom our cars allow, for both business and personal use, we need to eliminate N0x and lower C02. So how do we do that? A good step forward, was the Euro6 standard for both petrol and diesel car engines. Introduced in 2015 to reduce harmful emissions, this was a good short-term solution. Simply put, older diesel engines are higher polluters and, if I was a betting man, will get taxed off the road. In the not too distant future, many major cities around the world are rolling out clean air zones banning pre 2015 Euro 6 compliant cars and, in some cases, all diesel cars. The future of the car is Hybrid, all Electric, and Hydrogen cars. Next issue we will talk about range anxiety and what it is like living with the new technology cars – not to mention a few myths. n
DAVID PAVELEY started out as an amateur rally driver before graduating to a professional status. Making his way up to the World Championship he fast became a go-to driver to develop road, race and rally cars for some of the world’s leading car makers. David enjoyed a parallel career in automotive journalism, contributing to Top Gear and Pulling Power, as both a driver and writer. Deciding to hang his helmet up professionally David worked all over the world as the Global Motorsport Director for Sparco, before moving to North Wales to rescue the ailing Honda garage, which is now a thriving business, and which also is a home to Lotus and GroupB Motorsport.
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www.deliverysolutions.uk.com inbusiness | 2019 | 51
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