Parents in Business Magazine Summer 2022 by parentsinbiz

Inspiring, educating and celebrating grassroots businesses

SMART WAYS TO GROW YOUR BUSINESS Financial Planning for business owners

Summer healtH

Plus

E TO YOUR GUINIDS U R A N C E

B U S IN E S S

IN CONVERSATION WITH Robert Douglas

ISSN 2754-8821

£5.00 SUMMER isSue

Why I started a career academy for mums

9 772754

882003

Welcome to our Summer Issue

s the year progresses and we enter the month of July, Summer can be a wonderful time of year, with warm, sunny days and lighter longer evenings, often filled with the smell of BBQs and squeals of delight from the paddling pool! On page four, Neela Prabhu, a qualified licenced homeopath, shares top tips to help you get through this season’s minor health issues quickly and naturally. Our cover star is Robert Douglas he is the director at Signature Pictures Academy, a social enterprise dedicated to combatting youth unemployment and diversifying the UK film industry by t aining and securing ongoing work for black, Asian and minority ethnic youngsters. He is a husband and father of two boys aged 4 and 8. Robert also runs an Instagram account documenting fatherhood and breaking down stereotypes. (Page eight) Due to increased demand, high energy prices and supply chain issues, inflation has risen d amatically – and is expected to rise further in 2022. We cover what can small business owners can do in their business to reduce the impact. (Page 30) We have interviews with celebrity makeup and hair artist Christina Flach, the CEO of Pretty Girl Makeup and a sepsis awareness advocate. (Page 22) Terry Blackburn is an award-winning entrepreneur and founder of seven successful businesses in property investing, life insurance and mortgage brokerage. (page 26) And Mimi Nicklin is the bestselling author of Softening The Edge, a podcast host and the CEO of a global advertising agency. (Page 34) Happy reading!

Bridget

Bridget Daley, Editor bridget@parentsinbiz.co.uk PS Don’t miss the AUTUMN issue OUT 3rd October.

Inspiring, educating and celebrating grassroots businesses www.parentsinbiz.co.uk JULY 2022

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Contents

on the cover

6 Summer Health Summer can be a wonderful time of year with warm, sunny days and lighter longer evenings, often filled with the smell of BBQs and squeals of delight from the paddling pool! Neela Prabhu, a qualified licensed homeopath shares op tips to help you get through this season’s minor health issues quickly and naturally.

16 Smart ways to grow your business One of the most challenging parts of running a small business is managing its growth. How do you find the time – or budget – to expand? Namoi Summers, founder of Go Get Organised, shares smart ways to grow your business in a cost-effective and sustainable way.

on the cover

18 Managing exits & associated risks No matter how well run your business is, the truth is, at some point, every business owner and manager will need to part ways with members of their team. Tutu Popoola gives helpful tips on how to carefully manage how people leave your business.

8 In Conversation with Robert Douglas Robert is the director at Signature Pictures Academy, a social enterprise dedicated to combatting youth unemployment and diversifying the UK film industry by training and securing ongoing work for black, Asian and minority ethnic youngsters. 12 Eating well when you’re short on time Lucy Patel, a BANT Registered Nutritionist, shares strategies to help you to eat well, if you are short on time, we have never been busier, and it is crucial that we don’t neglect to nourish our bodies. on the cover

14 Why I started a career academy for mums Created from her experience, Jane Knight has created a platform to support mums to find work, sta t a business and get their mojo back after having a family. Fast forward to 2022, and Successful Mums is now an accredited and award-winning team of 15, having helped over 6,000 mums.

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20 Turning my pain into my passion After discovering that two young family members close to her suffered abuse, it created a passion in Esha Johnson, she did not want others to go through what they had been through, so ConverSafe was born. 22 Interview with Christina Flach Celebrity makeup and hair artist Christina Flach is the creator and CEO of Pretty Girl Makeup and a sepsis awareness advocate. She partnered with Sepsis Alliance to produce awareness campaigns highlighting sepsis; her husband died after a brief bout of sepsis in 2018. 24 Losing people we love, coping with family loss Whether an expected or unexpected death, losing a close friend or family member is the hardest challenge many of us face. The painful emotions can stay for long, and some can be in a state of shock and disbelief about the loss. Is there a way to prepare for grief when it comes?

22 26

on the cover

26 Interview with Terry Blackburn Terry Blackburn is an award-winning entrepreneur and founder of seven successful businesses in property investing, life insurance and mortgage brokerage. Terry, who aims to own 1,000 properties by the time he is 45, has only just started.

36 Your guide to business insurance Are you thinking about getting business insurance? If you are, then you’re not alone. If you run a business, you probably need business insurance because it is a vital component for ensuring that your company stays at the maximum efficiency l vel.

28 Let’s talk business with Clare Clare Morris is the Parents in Business Magazines “business troubleshooter”. Clare has the answer to the questions you submitted.

38 Our directory members If you are on the lookout for products and services, we showcase some of the products and services Parents in Business Directory members offer.

30 What does the high inflation rate mean for small businesses? Due to increased demand, high energy prices and supply chain issues, inflation has risen d amatically – and is expected to rise further in 2022. What can small business owners can do in their business to reduce the impact.

40 Book reviews Shona reviews Softening the Edge: Empathy: How humanity’s oldest leadership trait is changing our world. Written by Mimi Nicklin *Cover photo credit Jonathan Dwyer - www.honestsource.co

on the cover

32 Financial Planning for business owners Running a business can bring many great benefits, but itv also means you are responsible for building your financial future. Getting the right foundations in place will make this easier in the long run. 34 Interview with Mimi Nicklin Mimi Nicklin is the bestselling author of Softening The Edge, a podcast host and the CEO of a global advertising agency, and a mother to a 5-year-old daughter, a loud bulldog and a sleepy persian cat. They live between Sri Lanka, South Africa and Dubai but are originally British and from Hampshire. Disclaimer Views expressed in the articles are those strictly of the authors. Every effort is made to ensure that all information given is correct but Parents in Biz limited accepts no liability for inaccuracies, errors or omissions that may occur or their consequences. This publication is copyright and may not be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form without written permission from the publisher. Copyright includes (and not limited to) the content syndication of the RSS feed of this publication. The content and images used in any of the articles of this publication. The Parents in Business Magazine logo and any of its derivatives.

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Contributors

Meet the people who have taken part in the creation of this issue

Our trusted panel of contributors give you essential advice on everything from PR to wellbeing and finance.

SHONA CHAMBERS, MARKETING CONSULTANT Shona Chambers is a Marketing Consultant and owner of Shona Chambers Marketing, a Marketing Agency based in Nunhead near Peckham. Specialising in helping Small Business Owners and Freelancers with their Marketing. *Photo credit Portrayed Photography www.shonachambersmarketing.co.uk SOUMYA KARKERA, LIFE COACH Soumya is a life coach for children and parents. She creates a safe space for children and parents to talk about their problems, find ways o move forward and feel empowered. Helping parents and children create a toolbox that has all the essential tools to navigate themselves has been her life’s work. www.linkedin.com/in/soumya-karkera CLARE MORRIS, FOUNDER OF CM RESOURCE Creating, refreshing, or enhancing your business model. Clare shares business growth ideas and strategies for new, developing, and established businesses. She can help you innovate, evolve and love what you do. www.cmresource.co.uk LUCY PATEL, BANT REGISTERED NUTRITIONIST Lucy is a BANT Registered Nutritionist and specialises in chronic stress, peri-menopause and hormone imbalance conditions. As a busy working Mum and business owner, she understands how living a healthy lifestyle when you are ruled by your to-do list can be very challenging. www.lucypatelnutrition.co.uk TUTU POPOOLA, FOUNDER & LEAD CONSULTANT OF SLEEK HR Tutu Popoola is the Founder & Lead Consultant of Sleek HR, an outsourced HR & Diversity, Equity & Inclusion consultancy for creative businesses in the UK. She is an Accredited Member of HR Independents and Member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) www.sleekhr.co.uk NEELA PRABHU, FOUNDER OF HOMOEOPATHIC HARMONY Neela is a qualified licensed homeopath with almost 20yrs experience as a community pharmacist. Homeopathy is a holistic alternative form of medicine which dates back more than 200yrs. Outside of her homeopathic work, she enjoys kickboxing and the gym. She has 2 young daughters and 2 cats. www.homeopathicharmony.co.uk IAN RICHARDS, FOUNDER OF WORK TO LIVE FINANCIAL PLANNING Work to Live Financial Planning specialise in helping parents take control of their financial future, helping you make the right decisions at the right time about spending, saving and investing your money. They focus on helping you to balance being able to live a great life now with preparing for the future. www.worktolivefinancialplanning.com NAOMI SUMMERS, FOUNDER OF GO GET ORGANISED GO Get Organised offers a wide range of professional support services to businesses at affordable hourly rates, including virtual admin, marketing, web design, social media management, and more. It also hosts GO Get Networking, an ongoing programme of free online networking opportunities. www.gogetorganised.co.uk

JULY 2022

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Summer health

Summer can be a wonderful time of year! Warm, sunny days and lighter longer evenings, often filled with the smell of BBQs and squeals of delight from the paddling pool! However, it can be a miserable time if you suffer with hayfever or other summer ailments. Here are my top tips to help you get through this season’s minor health issues quickly and naturally.

1. Hayfever

3. Sunburn

neezing, itchy eyes and a scratchy throat! These are all common hayfever symptoms and can ruin summer days. Certain foods release stored histamine, whilst others stop the ‘cleaner-upper’ of excess histamine in your bloodstream (Diamine oxidase). Try avoiding these foods and see if your histamine levels fall and hence lessen your hayfever symptoms: alcohol/ cured meats/ shellfish/ chocolate citrus fruit/ strawberries/ kiwi/ pineapple/ food additives like nitrates, sulphites and sulphur dioxide/ alcohol/ black tea/ Rooibos tea/ and green tea.

Prevention goes a long way with sunburn. Avoiding the hottest times of the day (11am-3pm), wearing a widebrimmed hat and drinking plenty of water can all help. Using a natural eco-friendly sunscreen can also help but should not be relied on. If you have been burnt, then drink lots of non-alcoholic fluids, and keep the area c vered. DuoDerm extra thin dressing is an alginate dressing which can prevent scarring and can be used on most burns.

The supplement I would recommend is zinc, as our bodies dump zinc when we are stressed. Zinc and histamine are on a ‘see-saw’, so when one is high, the other is low. An example of this is if you have been stressed all week and then head to a BBQ at dusk. You enjoy a glass of wine, some prawns and strawberries, and suddenly your hayfever symptoms are through the roof. Your body has dumped zinc, and pollen falls back down to earth at dusk. The prawns and strawberries release stored histamine, whilst the wine blocks diamine oxidase. Your intense hayfever symptoms are starting to make a lot more sense. These foods decrease histamine levels: capers/ radish greens/ watercress/ dill/ coriander/ fennel tops/ carob/ kale/ red pepper/ red onion/ radicchio/ and apples.

2. Insect bites and stings These can be very itchy and sometimes painful, especially if they swell up or become infected. My go-to is Calendula cream which takes away the itch almost immediately. I only use it on unbroken skin. If you have been stung by a wasp, pour vinegar on a clean pad and apply it to the area. If it was a bee, then make a solution of bicarbonate of soda and do the same. Tea tree and citronella essential oils can be applied directly to unbroken skin to prevent insects from coming near you due to the strong smell of both oils. You can burn citronella candles too.

I always have some in my house for those pesky oven burns. If your sunburn has blistered, do not pop them, as this is quite a high risk for infection. Cool applications such as a bag of frozen peas or ice cubes wrapped in cling film will help to take the heat and pain out of sunburn.

4. Travel sickness Until teleportation has been invented, we must rely on cars, boats, trains and planes to transport us to our holidays. Feeling nauseous results from a mismatch of information coming into our brains from our body. If you are reading a book in the back of a car, your eyes are telling the brain that you are stationary. However, the rest of your body is sensing/hearing that you are moving through time and space. This mismatch creates a nauseous feeling by stimulating your brain’s vomiting centre. Try looking at the horizon if you are on a boat go outside on the deck in the fresh air. Take regular breaks on a car journey and sit in the front if possible. Avoid reading or looking down. Again, keep your eyes on the horizon or the road ahead. I hope you found these tips helpful. Homeopathy is an alternative holistic form of medicine which dates back more than 200yrs. There are homeopathic remedies to deal with all the above issues and more. Contact me for further information.

Neela Prabhu Qualified Licenced Homeopath www.homeopathicharmony.co.uk

JULY 2022

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Robert Douglas

IN CONVERSATION

obert is the director at Signature Pictures Academy, a social enterprise dedicated to combatting youth unemployment and diversifying the UK film industry by training and securing ongoing work for black, Asian and minority ethnic youngsters. He is a husband and father of two boys aged 4 and 8, they recently welcomed our dog, Marlow, to the family. Robert also runs an Instagram account documenting fatherhood and breaking down stereotypes.

JULY 2022

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Tell us about your journey. How did you get here? I have had a long, winding journey to where I am now. I started out working a mundane job in a call centre, and in my free time, I helped run a fringe theatre company in Bristol, writing and producing our own work across the city. This enabled me to express my creativity and actually laid the foundation for what I do now. When I got married, I moved away from Bristol and needed to pay a mortgage and support a family, so I entered the corporate world as a training and development manager for a large car brand. I learned so much about business and people and about how to deal with the challenges that come from being a POC in the corporate environment. I did this for 7 years until I realised that I’d done what I was there to do and needed to be fulfilled with a creative ole. I found like minded people, and after a few years, a big leap of faith and being in the right place, Signature Pictures Academy (SPA) was born, and I love it. It was born out of a passion to help those who often get overlooked in the film/tv industry, but we were ven more emboldened by the murder of George Floyd and the subsequent racial justice movement. SPA was thrust into a position where huge organisations and household names wanted to work with us in the name of diversity. This is where we have come into our own. It’s like my creative experience, and my former career experience prepared me and came together in perfect union!

“The work I do on social media is about promoting positive images of black fatherhood and helping people understand the impact of racism and racial stereotypes.” How do your values show up in the work you do? I love seeing people develop. That’s what I am about, and it’s actually become reflected th ough my work life, home life and social media profile. My career has always been about seeing people develop and helping people to achieve. The work I do on social media is about promoting positive images of black fatherhood and helping people understand the impact of racism and racial stereotypes, which I feel is helping to develop those who seek to understand antiracism. In my business, I help develop young people to achieve their dream job in film Often our lives operate in silos, and even things are compartmentalised, so the goal for my life is for all areas to connect. That’s how I believe I’ll make a real impact.

What’s been the biggest obstacle you’ve had to overcome? One of my biggest obstacles has lasted a few years. After the birth of my second son, my wife was unable to return to work and ended up going through an employment tribunal. As a result, the situation was not expected and came at the last minute, which was so stressful for her, and my priority became about supporting her through the process. It also meant she had to hastily find another job which cut her income by almost 50%. During the same period, I had made a career change, and in order to do that, my income also dropped by 40%. So we found ourselves in a situation where we were supporting a family on half of our household income. Just over a year later, at the height of the pandemic, I lost my job with a week’s notice and, as a result, and actually for the best, started Signature Pictures Academy. This was the toughest period of our lives to navigate. A new business with no income (living off of savings), a new job, a new family and the pandemic on top. I look back now and cannot understand how we got through that relatively unscathed.

How do you manage your time between family and business I am really strict with my time. As much as I have to work hard to grow a business, I refuse to do it at the expense of my family. I want to look back and say I built a successful business and legacy to pass on, but also say I was there for parent’s evening, sports day, school pick up, family dinners, bedtime and all the other things that go into having a family. I start work after the school run, and often I am required to commute to London for meetings. I have set clear boundaries with my team, and they know that I cannot be in London before the school run and I have to leave in time to get back for the school pick-up. I am blessed to be in a position to be able to do that. Could I grow the business bigger and faster by sacrificing family time? P obably, but I don’t want that to be my story. Despite what motivational business speakers will tell you, it is possible, you just have to be clear about your boundaries before upfront and don’t be shy. That’s when you start to integrate your work life seamlessly. At the same time, I acknowledge this is a privilege.

How do you keep yourself motivated? By reminding myself of the job that needs to be done and the change that needs to happen. I look back over messages or comments from people that have benefitted f om what I have provided, which keeps me motivated. I also like to celebrate my achievements publicly, not in a self-centred way, but I enjoy my job and enjoy the impact it has, so celebrating that and hearing how impactful the work has been keeps me motivated. On a more general note, I have personal training sessions, which are great for keeping active and motivated.

What advice can you share with a parent who wants to start a social enterprise? Make sure you are firm in what you want o achieve and keep reminding yourself of the vision and the people you want to impact. Like any business you start, you have to really enjoy what you do so you can get up each morning to do it, but with a social enterprise, it’s really easy to get caught up in yourself and what you want. A social enterprise should always reflect what the people you aim o impact need. I can tell you from experience that prioritising making money quickly rather than staying true to the cause is a very real temptation. Secondly, I would say make sure it works with your family. Running a social enterprise can be demanding, and slow to see financial reward (you ll probably get emotional rewards really quickly).

Who or what inspires you? Being surrounded by creativity and seeing people succeed inspires me completely. Through the business, I get to see people come to us not knowing where to start and then see them working in the industry they love, busy and making a living. For some, that means turning their whole life around. There is nothing better than that. I am inspired by anyone I come across that has passion for what they do and doesn’t accept society’s expectations of them. They just do their thing. I could listen to those people talk all day even if I am not personally into the subject. *Photo credit Jonathan Dwyer - www.honestsource.co Hansof Waller - www.hansofwaller.com

Robert Douglas www.signaturepicturesacademy.co.uk

JULY 2022

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Eating well when you’re short on time Eating three perfectly balanced meals each day is a great goal, but we can all appreciate that this just isn’t possible every day. Life gets in the way, some weeks, we don’t plan as well as we would like, and we find ourselves resorting to quick-fix foods just to ensure both ourselves and the family are fed. This is fine – it’s normal, and it’s real life! Learning strategies to help you to still eat well while short on time is extremely important.

e have never been busier, and it is crucial that we don’t neglect to nourish our bodies with the food they need as we try and keep up with the constant demands on our time.

Your first meal of the day is important (but it doesn’t have to be breakfast) We have probably all heard the phrase that breakfast is ‘the most important meal of the day. In some ways, this is true; the first meal you consume after your vernight fast can be a strong predictor of how you eat for the rest of the day. But let’s face it, not everyone is a ‘breakfast person’. So, let’s instead focus on your first meal of the day, whether its at 7:30am or 11:00am.

Breakfast has a tendency to be refined, carb-laden - oast, cereals, pastries, bagels - often quick fix foods we g ab while rushing out the door or eating in the car on the way to work. With refined carbohyd ates, the energy in the food is released quickly, giving you an initial boost, but with an inevitable crash, 1-2 hours later. In order to avoid this, the key is to include some protein, fibre and fat in o your meal, which will slow down the energy release and reduce the chances of a 10am energy crash (and cravings for more bready goodness!) Here are some quick, tasty options for how to easily prepare a balanced meal to start your day off right: • • •

Opt for wholemeal bread, add peanut butter, and have a handful of fresh berries as well. Start your day with a smoothie; include low-sugar fruit (berries, plums, cherries), some veg (spinach, kale, avocado), some ground seeds and a dollop of full-fat yoghurt. This takes seconds to make and is great for consuming on the go. If you have a bit more time, whip up some scrambled eggs (this takes about 2 minutes), and have this on wholemeal toast with a few cherry tomatoes

Whether it’s 7am or 11am, this first meal is impo tant. If you start the day with a well-balanced, slow energy release meal, it will help you stay focused and productive long into the afternoon, reduce cravings, and avoid the dreaded ‘3pm slump’.

Quick Go-To Snacks If you have no time to prepare even a two-minute snack, never fear. Here is my list of ready to eat healthy snacks that are perfect for popping straight into your bag or desk drawer. • Deliciously Ella – Chocolate Dipped Almonds • Squirrel Sisters – Fiery Chilli Roasted Cashews • Graze - Punchy Chilli and Line Nutty Protein Power • Nine9 bar – Chia seeds & Berries In summary, the key to maintaining steady energy, concentration and productivity throughout the day is to start your day with a well-balanced meal. Include slow-release carbohydrates, protein and fat to ensure your energy levels remain steady and improve your concentration and focus throughout the day. If preparing meals is a challenge, learning how to snack healthily to support your energy levels is vital. I offer an executive Health MOT service for busy working parents to help kick-start healthy habits and get support with eating and living well.

Lucy Patel BANT Registered Nutritionist www.lucypatelnutrition.co.uk

The Power of Snacking Some people really struggle to fit in well ounded, balanced meals consistently, especially with the demands of work, life admin and childcare duties. This is where understanding how to snack well can be a game-changer. Snacking can come with a lot of negative connotations, associated with idly picking at crisps, cakes and biscuits. Whilst these foods have their place, relying on them on a daily basis to keep you going is likely to lead to out of control blood sugar, constant cravings and weight gain. Snacking done right is a great way to mitigate hunger when we know we will be eating later than normal and keep our energy levels balanced when time isn’t on our side. As busy working parents with constant pulls on our time and attention, knowing how to snack to nourish our body and support our energy and concentration is powerful.

Two-Minute Snack Hacks Creating a nutritious and tasty snack is simple - the key is to have a good range of healthy ingredients around so you can quickly build a delicious and well-rounded snack when you get those little pockets of time. Here are some of my favourites: • Apple slices or oat cakes with peanut butter • Hummous on toast with sliced cucumber • Bowl of full-fat yoghurt with some fresh berries • Cucumber sticks wrapped in sliced ham or turkey • A handful of unsalted cashews/almonds and dark chocolate

JULY 2022

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Why I started a career academy for mums

My name is Jane Knight, and my background is working in enterprise, funding and education, teaching, careers and coaching – all of which were a solid base for me when I founded Successful Mums Career Academy in 2014.

reated from my experience of facing resistance in returning to work part-time and having nowhere to turn, I wanted to provide a go-to platform where mums could find work, start a business and get their mojo back after having a family. Fast forward to 2022, and Successful Mums is now an accredited and award-winning team of 15, having helped over 6,000 mums.

I launched the academy 8 years ago when I identified a market gap to help mums return to work or start a business. I had recently become a mum, and I embraced the joy of motherhood, however, the reality was that when you have a baby, you can lose your mojo and struggle to find out where to start when it comes to working around your family.

“Managing family life alongside being a business owner means a lot of juggling, and I haven’t met anyone that has managed this 100%.” When starting a business, there are many challenges put in your way, but I was fortunate to have a business coach from the age of 25 and a wonderful network of people I could call on. This didn’t stop the challenges, though. Applying for funding was particularly testing, especially as a new start-up! I did a lot of work for free to build up evidence and testimonials to use as part of the funding process. I now share the funding application process with others to fasttrack funding. Another challenge was generating an income, however, it’s about taking small steps, and I believe it is important to always have a plan B. I knew that if it didn’t work out, I would find a job, at least I would be a more entrepreneurial employee! The opposite of success isn’t failure, the opposite of success is never trying. Managing family life alongside being a business owner means a lot of juggling, and I haven’t met anyone that has managed this 100%. I do my best; I have systems in place, and I’m lucky to have great friends and family. I get up early to complete the life admin and dedicate time on a Sunday to dinner plan, sort out the week, the kid’s clubs etc. and when I can get the children involved in the housework. Sometimes I drop the ball I just pick it up and keep going. There’s a lot of advice out there for women that are starting a business, but my personal advice would be to be niche, the more niche your product or service, the easier it is to target your market audience. For example, a general photographer will need to do a broader marketing campaign than a photographer that focuses on newborns. Being niche means you can then build your reputation in that area.

Also, make sure you’re ready for a curve ball! If the pandemic has taught us anything, we need to be prepared to adapt! The impact of the lockdown meant more parents working at home, having to juggle homeschooling, Zoom calls and learning new ‘home-working’ software. The need for digital skills is even higher now and should be part of every mum’s development plan. We provide these skills, and of course, there are many fantastic courses out there too. Post-pandemic, we have seen so many more employers embracing flexible working and realising it is possible. Recent lobbying for flexible working will continue o support mums to return and sustain a career they love. We’re lucky to be working with employers who embrace women returners and employ our Successful Mum graduates on completion of the training programmes. Successful Mums have just won funding to support 500 London Mums in the next 12 months through our online coaching and training courses that include CV and LinkedIn, Career and Business advice, Digital and Social Media skills for Business Promotion, branding, and personal styling and lots more. We are also kicking off a project to work with 100 employers to make their workforce more “women returner” friendly through a number of women’s well-being projects, a menopause policy and free advertising on our Job Board. If you would like to find out more about our courses, employer programmes, or job board, take a look at our website.

“If the pandemic has taught us anything, we need to be prepared to adapt!”

Jane Knight Founder of Successful Mums www.successfulmums.co.uk

For women changing careers, imagine you are choosing your GCSEs, which subjects would you choose, then what would you want to do with those GCSEs. If you had a week to work shadow any of your friends or family in their day job, who would you choose and why? Think about your hobby, then think about how you can work in an industry or environment that is similar.

JULY 2022

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Smart ways to grow your business

ne of the most challenging parts of running a small business is managing its growth. How do you find the time – or budget – to expand? And when you do generate more business, how do you keep on top of it all? Luckily, these days there are more options available to small business owners other than employing more staff or contracting in extra help. Now that flexible and remote working has become mainstream, you can easily access the support you need when you need it.

Here are some smart ways to grow your business in a cost-effective and sustainable way. 1. Determine the best use of your time and outsource what you can There are many different tasks involved in running a business, and depending on the size of yours, you may well be doing all of them. Identify the ones you should concentrate on to grow – where your real expertise and drive lie. Make a list of all the other tasks that need to be done to support this and what could be outsourced. Your list might include things like: • Maintaining a contact database • Managing mailing lists • Monitoring inboxes • Making appointments or travel bookings • Typing up notes • Compiling reports These are the sorts of tasks that you could enlist a virtual administrator to carry out. This well-established role is often offered on an as-needed basis; in other words, you pay an hourly rate for the admin support that you use (and this might vary from week to week) rather than signing up to a regular contract. The benefits of outsou cing tasks in this way are obvious; there’s no big financial commitment, and you h ve the freedom to test out what makes the most significant difference to the growth of your business. Moving forward,

this will give you a better understanding of where to expand and strengthen your business infrastructure. 2. Identify what skills you lack and buy them in It’s important to recognise when you need to get some expert help. Trying to figure out how o do everything yourself takes up valuable time and may well produce substandard results. Many small business owners assume that buying in specialist skills is going to be prohibitively expensive. But in fact, many experienced professionals are available to work on a flexible basis, at much more reasonable ates than you might expect. Make a wishlist of everything you’d like to do – the things that you lack the skills to do yourself - in order to grow your business. Prioritise and put them in a logical order. They might be one-off projects or ongoing activities and could include things like: • Establishing your business brand • Designing and building a website • Carrying out market research • Compiling a marketing strategy • Producing marketing materials • Copywriting • Video production • Setting up and managing social media accounts

• Carrying out SEO (search engine optimisation) • Setting up PPC (pay per click) or other advertising campaigns It can feel like a bit of a leap of faith, but accessing expert help like this should make a huge difference to your business, and if you can track down some of the more affordable options, then so much the better. Having a strong brand, an effective digital presence, and a clear marketing strategy are essential if your business is to succeed and grow in a competitive market. 3. Make connections, build your reputation and exchange ideas It’s easy to get caught up in the complexities of running your business, but don’t forget to look up and talk to other people occasionally - even if it’s just virtually. Join a networking group and make sure you attend regularly. It doesn’t come easily to everyone, but it’s worth persevering, as there are many benefits o networking: • It enables you to make new connections (e.g. with potential clients, suppliers, partners)

• It helps you stay on top of business developments and market trends • It raises your profile and helps build your reputatio • It’s a chance to share good practice and exchange ideas • It gives you access to peer support and encouragement You never know what a networking session could lead to – maybe a lucrative client or a fruitful partnership – but at the very least, it will give you an energy boost and some fresh perspective.

Naomi Summers Founder of GO Get Organised www.gogetorganised.co.uk

• It opens you up to new opportunities (e.g. joint ventures and promotions)

JULY 2022

www.parentsinbiz.co.uk

Managing exits and associated risks

o matter how well run your business is, the truth is, at some point, every business owner and manager will need to part ways with members of their team. Either because they have to, such as in the case of underperformance and misconduct or because the decision has been taken out of their hands where there is a change of direction of their business, financial reasons or resignation. Regardless of how the exit came about, it can be quite a daunting experience, and as an HR Consultant, I am privy to quite a few exits, and I can say it’s never as easy as it may seem.

n most cases, it’s usually a last resort, and there’s always a lot of questioning on whether it’s the right decision and if there’s any way to prevent it. I can assure you, it’s nothing like Lord Sugar makes it look on ‘The Apprentice’ TV show!

This article provides helpful tips on how to carefully manage how people leave your business based on my learning as an experienced HR Consultant and what is allowable under UK employment law.

1. Follow Your Process

This may seem obvious but is often one of the pitfalls for employers exiting an employee from their team. If you have a process for managing disciplinary, redundancy and other forms of exits, it is always a good idea to ensure you are not in breach of your own policy and procedure. Where you are unsure of the right process to follow, please seek advice from an HR specialist to ensure that you are dealing with the matter correctly. As a general principle, if you are at the point of letting someone go, they should at that point be well aware that this is something that’s potentially going to happen and should not be a surprise to them. Poor performance isn’t something you just discover one day.

2. Treat Your Employee With Respect

Regardless of whether they resign or you’re letting them go, it’s important to show consideration and regard for them during this process. When informing them, go straight to the point and tell them the reason for your decision. They will remember how you managed this process longer than you do. Also, your other colleagues may be watching you navigate through this as an indication of how they are likely to be treated if they’re in the same position. Remember to thank them for their contributions and wish them the best. If you can, it’s always helpful to reassure them that you will help with references. Also, the popularity of websites like Glassdoor and social media means that job seekers and others researching the culture of your company will access information about how employees are treated, you don’t want them to see an avoidable bad review.

If the termination is immediate, make them aware of this and if there is a notice period in which you expect them to work, then let them know. You may also choose to pay them in lieu of notice. Sometimes, you may need to secure passwords and close accounts right away if there are risks to the business. A bitter employee can very easily begin a negative narrative that spreads quickly or hijack business accounts. Please weigh this decision very carefully and ensure that this employee poses a risk to your business before doing this.

JULY 2022

Be ready to tell the entire team as quickly as you’re able to after the dismissal or accepting a resignation. You want to quell any fears or speculation of other team members thinking they are next or if the company is having financial difficulties. Try to put yourself in everyone else’s shoes to understand it from their point of view and treat them all the way you’d want to be treated. Sometimes, especially for senior positions, you may want to agree with the exiting employee about the message you want to share with the wider team.

“the popularity of websites like Glassdoor and social media means that job seekers and others researching the culture of your company will access information about how employees are treated, you don’t want them to see an avoidable bad review.”

Unless you go through a certain set of steps, you’re leaving yourself open to being sued for unfair dismissal. Employment tribunals are not a fun experience for either party and can lead to financial loss and reputational damage to your business, especially if it’s as a result of poor and spurious decisions by rash managers.

3. Weigh The Risks

4. Inform Your Team

5. Confirm it in writing

Before the last date of employment, provide as much information as you can about any benefits, accrued holidays, date of final pay and amount in a letter and be available to answer questions. Sometimes, people need time for such news to sink in, so the printed documentation is helpful.

6. Conduct an Exit Interview

Exit interviews can be a valuable tool in gaining feedback on your soon-to-be- ex-employee about your organisation’s processes, what could have been done differently and why they are leaving if you don’t already know. You may already be aware of some of the information they provide, and you may discover new ones! I usually recommend sharing your topics in advance to give them an opportunity to come back with well considered answers and also guide the conversation instead of leading it. They will go on to work at many other places, and you want them to leave your company as an advocate and ambassador.

Further reading The Power of People Skills: How to Eliminate 90% of Your HR Problems and Dramatically Increase Team and Company Morale and Performance. Available to purchase on Amazon.

Tutu Popoola Lead Consultant and Director at Sleek HR www.sleekhr.co.uk

www.parentsinbiz.co.uk

Turning my pain into my passion

have been a counsellor for more than 15 years and have experience in working with children, young people, adults and families for over 25 years, so I am well versed in dealing with the trauma that arises from sexual abuse. That being said, nothing could prepare me for the shock I felt when I discovered that two young people in my family had suffered from the same abuse that I was supporting people with on a daily basis. I knew all the stats. I knew that 1 in 6 children suffer abuse before their 18th birthday and that lots of children don’t tell anybody at the time, but like most people, I didn’t think about it happening to anybody I knew. My experience prompted me to try and make a difference. Using my professional knowledge and personal experience, I created a series of workbooks called ConverSafe. To empower children and their parents to deal with potential dangers they may face. The workbooks are aimed at families with children aged 4 to 11, as well as carers and practitioners, and are designed

to address the topics of boundaries, consent, understanding ‘safe’, exploring ‘touch’ and ‘secrets’ in a fun, child-friendly way. They also introduce us to some of ConverSafe’s 32 characters, including Sally and Simon Safe, Barry Boundary, Becky and Bessie Breast, Victoria Vagina, Percy Penis, Bellamy Bottom and Mr & Mrs No.

“I knew all the stats. I knew that 1 in 6 children suffer abuse before their 18th birthday and that lots of children don’t tell anybody at the time, but like most people, I didn’t think about it happening to anybody I knew.” Most parents fear something bad happening to their children when they are not there, whether that is getting hit by a car, bullied or abused. There are a number of tools and websites out there that offer advice about sexual abuse, but when doing my research, I couldn’t find anything that put the parents fully in control of those conversations and or showed them how their children learn about things such as consent and boundaries. Many parents want to have those conversations but may not know where to start or what is age-appropriate, with ConverSafe, that worry is taken away as it is all laid out for them. Also, the lessons taught in the workbooks are lessons for life, there will never be a time when we don’t want our children to feel confident setting boundaries, understand consequences and be aware that they always have choices. With my workbooks, I am combining all my knowledge and experience and have created something fun and educational that could truly be effective.

What happened to those close to me created a passion in me. When I found out, I was angry and shocked. I didn’t want others to go through what they havd been through, so ConverSafe was born. Whilst it won’t save every child, the work and love that has gone into the workbooks will be worth it for those it does save. The ConverSafe workbooks are available to buy from Etsy and Amazon.

“There are a number of tools and websites out there that offer advice about sexual abuse, but when doing my research, I couldn’t find anything that put the parents fully in control of those conversations and or showed them how their children learn about things such as consent and boundaries.”

Esha Johnson Accredited Counsellor www.luminouscounselling.co.uk

JULY 2022

www.parentsinbiz.co.uk

Interview with Christina Flach

elebrity Makeup and Hair Artist, Christina Flach, is the creator and CEO of Pretty Girl Makeup and a sepsis awareness advocate. And has partnered with Sepsis Alliance to produce awareness campaigns highlighting sepsis; her husband died after a brief bout of sepsis in 2018. Tell us about your journey. How did you get here?

How would you describe your business success so far?

I have worked very hard to get to where I am in my career. My agent calls, and before I say,” Hello”, I always say, YES! Sometimes it is a corporate, fashion, athlete, CEO, and then you get a call to do 90-year-old academy award beauty Rita Moreno for People Magazine, and you are thrilled beyond words.

“life is so much more beautiful when you focus on the miracles, love and blessings that you do have.”

I started doing makeup as a teenager on my mother, family, and friends. This led to weddings, proms, and working with local Bay Area photographers. Over time, I managed to build a portfolio and submitted it to many agencies before I signed with FORD New York. I have been very blessed over the years to have loving and supportive agents, and for the opportunities they have presented me. Without them, I would not have been able to work with prestigious companies such as Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Carolina Herrera, Elle Magazine, and Time Magazine, ABC, FOX, NBC, along with many celebrities, including Rita Moreno, Hilary Swank, Tyler Florence, Bobby Flay, Journey, and Metallica. My client list has grown, and I can’t believe the amazing clients I have worked with over the years.

Before starting Pretty Girl Makeup, I was a mum driving around five children and in a constant battle with trying o get my lip gloss to stay on while drinking water. I couldn’t seem to find one that would ’t disappear after one sip of water. This led me to become a beauty chemist, and with lots of hard work and time, we were able to formulate my own lip gloss line. It was definitely a longer journey than I originally anticipated, but as I tell my children, figure out what you love doing so much that you don’t mind being unpaid, and then figure out how o get paid! My father raised me to try my best and do more than is required with a smile on my face and without complaining. With these lessons he taught me, I was able to get to where I am today, and I hope that I can pass these lessons on to my children as well.

You have partnered with Sepsis Alliance. How did the partnership come about?

I have been entirely self-funded since 1999 and have made it through the loss of one of my son, my husband, and of course, the coronavirus pandemic. These personal losses certainly seemed like insurmountable obstacles at the time, but I have always managed to get myself and my company back on track. After my husband, Ken Flach passed away from sepsis in March 2018, I was inspired to partner with the Sepsis alliance after they contacted me, asking if I would be willing to raise awareness for sepsis in his honour. It was an incredibly difficult time, but I slowly learned that spreading awareness of sepsis helped me get through it, as I am able to help people avoid what my husband Ken and I went through. I have been on hundreds of podcasts, TV segments, radio shows, and magazines to talk about the warning signs of sepsis and what people can do. I do not want anyone to feel the grief my family and I felt after the loss of Ken. Somehow along the way, I have now started to speak about grieving in a positive way. I am very proud of the educational funds I have set up at The Northern Light School in Oakland, California and the Beau Friedman Outdoor Classroom at the Edna Maguire School in Mill Valley, California. Education and nutrition are very important to me. Teaching children about eating vegetables, cooking and science experiments from seeds that they have planted, cared for and harvested, and helping to have scholarships for the underprivileged truly brings so much joy to my heart.

How do you manage your time between family and business?

Who or what inspires you?

There are so many people who inspire me; my friends, my kids, my family, the list goes on. Each of these people have given me motivation and nuggets of wisdom over the years, yet one that always sticks out to me is my client and dear friend Tyler Florence. I spend a lot of time with him as his makeup artist, and I am always blown away by his incredible work ethic and creativity, this inspires me to try to be as great as he is. Through working with him, and many others, I have learned to motivate myself to be the best person I can be every day. I have worked very hard to create an amazing life, raise happy, kind and healthy children, and build a company and career that I am very proud of. It’s been a lot of hard work, but as Tyler says, “if it was easy to be exceptional, everyone would.”

“Before starting Pretty Girl Makeup, I was a mum driving around five children and in a constant battle with trying to get my lip gloss to stay on while drinking water.”

www.prettygirlmakeup.com *Photo credit Richard Shiu Photography www.richardshiuphotography.com

I have gotten to where I am today by being incredibly disciplined. I wake up early every morning with a plan of attack for the day. I try my best to get as much done as possible instead of beating myself up over little things like I used to. Something I have learned over the years is to feel good about all the things I have accomplished in the day, and knowing that tomorrow is a new day, I can get even more done. Feeling regret or guilty isn’t productive; maintaining a positive attitude and feeling good about what you’ve done sets you up to be productive tomorrow. It is easy to focus on the negative, what we don’t have, and what we haven’t accomplished, but life is so much more beautiful when you focus on the miracles, love and blessings that you do have.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

I love being outdoors. Whether it’s hiking, golfing, playing tennis or going to yoga, when I am outside, I am happy. However, these pale in comparison to the joy I feel when spending time with my children, which is always the highlight of my day. I feel very blessed not only for where I am now but also because I am able to work from anywhere I want, which allows me the time to travel and visit family and friends.

JULY 2022

www.parentsinbiz.co.uk

Losing people we love, coping with family loss

Is there a way to really prepare for grief when it comes? Whether an expected or unexpected death, losing a close friend or family member is the hardest challenge many of us face. The painful emotions can stay for long, and some can be in a state of shock and disbelief about the loss. I lost my father 5 years ago to Cancer. I struggled to cope with uncertainty, and being far away from home was anxiety provoking. Waking up, I constantly worried and stressed about not being able to see him during his last moments of life.

went through so many emotions every day, from feeling hopeless to hopeful, happy, sad and deeply depressed. At times I felt I was failing at life because I was struggling to cope with grief.

After he was gone, I yearned for him deeply, and the feeling to be connected with him did not stop. My husband lost his father this year, and our family is going through this process again. Unlike me, my husband is finding it hard o share his emotions. From my own experience, I am aware this is an area of his life that needs more empathy now, so as a family, we are providing him with the space to cope with his feelings in the best way possible. Some days have been more challenging than others. After all, our loved ones earn a special place in our hearts and lives, coping with their permanent separation can be painful both physically and emotionally. Everyone reacts differently to loss and have their own individual coping mechanisms for grief. Though these conversations are not easy to start and hold, talking about grief and bereavement can be a good starting point for families. Experiencing the death of loved ones can have a massive impact on children and young people. It is important to know that children grieve differently, knowing that they are not alone in this process can be comforting. With the right support at the right time, they can face the future with hope and confidence

Here are some suggestions to help children cope with loss: •

As a parent, you cannot take their pain of loss away, but you can make them feel safe by being there for them when they need to talk or just need a listening ear.

•

Allow them to express whatever feelings they are feeling. You can support them by putting a photo album together, doing drawings, making a scrapbook or telling stories (this is a definite winner). ven writing unsent letters can help them cope with their grief.

How can you help yourself during these times of loss, here are some suggestions: • Talk about your loss to friends and family members that you can fully trust and show empathy towards you during this time. • Allow yourself to feel all the feelings, blocking it can lead to problems further down the line impacting various aspects of your life. • Try and hold onto things you enjoy doing, it brings a sense of control and normality. • Avoiding unhelpful ways of coping like excessive smoking, excessive drinking, and drugs to numb the pain makes the situation worse. • Reach out for professional help if emotional well-being and mental health are continuously deteriorating.

Moving on in life means accepting the loss and

learning there is no fast way to plan or fix grief. Sometimes it can creep in slowly after days, weeks or months; other times, it can hit like a ton of bricks. I am learning to let myself go through it, riding the waves and knowing I can immerse in it when I want to and safely reach the shore to carry on with my daily life.

Soumya Karkera Life Coach Children & Parents www.linkedin.com/in/soumya-karkera

• Depending on their age, volunteering too much information may be overwhelming, and knowing when to share is important. • Children can have many questions, try not to dismiss their questions and answer them honestly. Don’t feel pressured to have answers to all their questions. • Stick to routines as much as possible, I found this very helpful for our family. •

A decline in their overall emotional well-being, school engagement, academics, losing confidence, low self esteem, withdrawal from friendships, and isolation are all symptoms that are expected initially. If this continues for a longer period of time, they may need professional help.

“It is important to know that children grieve differently, knowing that they are not alone in this process can be comforting.” JULY 2022

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Interview with Terry Blackburn

erry Blackburn is an award-winning entrepreneur and founder of seven successful businesses in property investing, life insurance and mortgage brokerage. Terry, who aims to own 1,000 properties by the time he is 45, has only just started. He continues to set himself exciting new targets and goals. Terry’s popular Rags to Riches podcast, which boasts millionaire and billionaire guests, is currently in its 42nd episode and has been downloaded in 58 countries and has generated tens of thousands of downloads since launch. Terry has 3 children aged 9, 6 and 5, and one is due in July.

Tell us about your journey. How did you get here?

I came from nothing and stumbled into self-employed life insurance sales at age 19. During this time, I also built and sold businesses, and in the last 7 or 8 years, I began to buy property. I’ve recently started buying bigger properties, including hotels, land and glamping sites. I have dealt with a lot of negativity along the way. People told me I couldn’t do what I was doing or that I was too young. I had to just ignore this and keep working hard and powering through, which brought me to where I am today. I now have eleven different companies and a property portfolio worth over 10 million.

What inspired you to write Be a Lion? Be a Lion has an important message, and I felt like people needed to hear it. So many people need a wake up call to understand that they shouldn’t have any self-doubt.

If you start listening to your own self-doubt or other people doubting you, you won’t get anywhere. You need to dust yourself off, get on with life and create the life that you want.

Many people don’t realise that you can change anything you want - from your personal life to the way that you look, your finances, your job, your caree , your house and even your personality. You can shape your life and design it in the way you want.

How do your values show up in the work you do?

Family is important to me - my mum, brother and uncle all work for me in one of my businesses. I always try and act with integrity and treat other people how I would like to be treated or how I would like my children to be treated. Despite there being over 100 people employed across all my businesses, I think my businesses have a family feel to them. We all get on personally, go out socially and work together. Something else that’s important to me is having fun. I don’t want my workplaces to be completely serious. I want to create an environment where people can have a laugh and where they actually want to work – not somewhere people show up just to get a paycheck or to have a job.

You have been in the financial services since 2009. What’s been the biggest obstacle you’ve had to overcome?

The biggest obstacle anyone will face is self-limiting beliefs and not believing you can go to the next level or reach a certain place. I don’t pay much attention to the economy, politics or the news because it’s all negative. I only focus on myself because I’m in control of myself and my own economy.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

I don’t really have time for any sports or hobbies. I see work as my hobby because I love my job and what I do. Most of what I do consists of working, going to the gym, spending time with my partner and children and occasionally going out with friends. I’m very happy and content with how I spend my time because I love what I do, but I definitely do ’t work all hours of the day – I haven’t worked a weekend for easily 6 or 7 years.

There’s no point in focusing on what’s going on in the wider world. I need to just focus on myself, my team and my business. As long as I get that right, everything else will fall into place.

Who or what inspires you?

How do you manage your time between family and business?

I’m inspired every day by lots of different things - everything from my team, podcasts, books and motivational videos on YouTube. My partner inspires me – she runs her estate agency business well while being an amazing mother. I’m also inspired by my friends, network, and anyone doing big things.

I get up early, usually between 5 and 5.30 every morning, so I can exercise, read, and meditate before the kids get up for school. Your kids also have to understand why you work – so that they can have the nice things they enjoy and their holidays.

BE A LION by Terry Blackburn is available on Amazon priced at £14.99

It’s difficult. I h ve to be very structured and use my diary for everything. My diary isn’t just for work, it includes going to the gym, picking the kids up from school, and going out for meals with my partner. Everything is scheduled in my diary.

Monday to Thursday, I am full on and flat out, but I spend all weekend with them when I’m not working. A couple of times a month, I will finish work early and spend some ext a time with them on a weekday evening. Being structured with your approach is key, and you have to have support from your partner.

How do you keep yourself motivated? Goals - I write my goals and read them out loud every morning. Setting personal goals, goals for your family, and goals for your work will keep you motivated in every part of your life.

I like to speak to people who do more than me - people who have got more property than me, bigger businesses than me, or are fitter than me. Talking to them inspires me to do more and keeps me motivated.

My children inspire me when I see them progressing. If they repeat things I’ve said about integrity or working hard, it inspires me because I know I’m influencing them o be good adults when they’re older.

www.terryblackburnproperty.com

“ People told me I couldn’t do what I was doing or that I was too young. I had to just ignore this and keep working hard and powering through, which brought me to where I am today. I now have eleven different companies and a property portfolio worth over 10 million.”

I also read books and listen to podcasts. I believe you can be motivated in every part of your life, and all day, every day, I’m doing things that move me closer to where I want to be.

“ I always try and act with integrity and treat other people how I would like to be treated or how I would like my children to be treated.”

JULY 2022

www.parentsinbiz.co.uk

LET’S TALK BUSINESS WITH CLARE

STRAIGHTFORWARD SOLUTIONS AND STRATEGIES

ello, I’m Clare – your positively creative Problem Solver I’m at my very happiest partnering with business owners like you to strengthen and confidentialy move your business forward. When not working you’ll find me outside, rain or shine running or wild gardening! Clare Morris is the Parents in Business Magazines

“business troubleshooter” answering your questions.

Q I have 3 children under the age of 10. I set up my business selling pre-loved children’s clothing online. My business is doing well, but my husband does not support my dream. He earns an excellent salary, and we are financially stable. He believes I should focus more on being a housewife. I find it so frustrating. Anonymous A What support would you like from your husband? Is support what you need, or possibly belief, interest, or freedom to grow?

If your family system is viewed in a particular way by your husband, then this may be the area that needs further understanding. You may not change the viewpoint, but he may be able to see that your home life is not threatened or that you will resolve any potential disruption or changes as a couple. Do you have a business plan? Your husband’s input could be helpful as he will see the future and potential in a more structured way. Try not to assume what your husband is thinking. And ask that he gives you the same respect before you both begin your conversations. Do you have a time where you could both enjoy a calm space without interruptions? Keep talking, but more importantly, keep listening to what each has to say. Take time out to consider each comment if the conversation is becoming heated. Pausing is helpful if you need to check your emotions.

Q I’m a single mum and a freelance graphic designer. I raised my prices 6 months ago, and I need to raise them again. How do I explain the new raise to my current clients? Graphic Designer A Price increases are sensitive. Give plenty of time for your customers to adjust to the change.

Before increasing costs, are there time saving costs you can make? Removing unnecessary business tasks, withdrawing unprofitable add-ons, and not going ab ve and beyond your design remit. Giving you back a lot of invoiceable hours. If you have already taken these steps, make sure to segment and personalise your message. This change will have an impact on your client, so clarify this and try not to use a blanket email. Keep it short and kind. Call it a modest increase (if it is!) Don’t be too wordy, it can come across as defensive or apologetic. Customers just need to know the facts. ‘Everything else is staying the same is a reminder of how great your service already is! Without knowing more, I am being quite broad, but I hope this gives you a positive way to communicate with your clients by being precise and concise. And make it very easy for customers to reach you and talk about the changes ahead.

Q I am a business visibility coach. I recently held a live free webinar, over 50 people signed up, but no one turned up. It really knocked my confidence. How can I get my confidence back? Anonymous A Starting positively, please remember you have 50

potential clients who liked what you offered, and you can continue to market to them (GDPR permitting). Big cheer. Keep your confidence by messaging those who missed and apologise – yes, say you’re sorry. That you missed them and didn’t give a countdown to the event, explain the gain or that there was a freebie and would they be interested (suggestions). You could offer a free or discounted session! Translate into your own ideas. For the next one – stay on a roll here. You have your 50 keen sign-ups, why not ask them about a preferred topic, timings and duration for the next webinar. Every failure is a step to success. This is a learning opportunity for you, please build it into your business goals as a positive for the future success of your webinars. Recall free webinars you have attended and why. See if they match your offer, pitch and value for time. Webinar fatigue is a thing not to be underestimated.

“Clare has been the breath of fresh air that we so desperately needed! Always a pleasure to speak to and immediately able to offer such practical and creative advice.”

Q I have 2 children under the age of 5, and I am expecting my 3rd baby. I need to hire a virtual assistant to assist me in keeping my business ticking over. I have asked around in Facebook groups, but all the hourly rate quotes are out of my budget. I am worried about how I will cope when I have my baby. Do I pause my business and explain that I am on maternity leave on my website? Anonymous A First, I would love to know if these are key clients for you? Do you look forward to working with them? Are they adding value to your business?

If yes to the above, then maybe you could look at just offering one evening a week/fortnight/month for exclusive access to your expertise – and by doing so, implement a new pricing structure that funds a little more freedom when you are enjoying your life/work balance. Or, if it’s no. And leaves you without a main income. Would it be an opportunity to look at your business solutions and re-work them according to the sectors, client types/size etc., that you could enjoy working with at times of the day that are most suitable to you. Both of the answers seem to indicate a good time to reevaluate your financial and personal goals alongside your preferred customer and ways of working. I hope the answers help you see where your enjoyment and energy are most rewarded.

I am ready to answer your questions, which can be anything business-related, but don’t restrict the situations to just inside work. If they are affecting your life-work balance, I would love to address these. Click here to send your questions to me or email Info@parentsinbiz.co.uk Connect with Clare www.cmresource.co.uk JULY 2022

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What does high inflation mean for small businesses?

here’s quite a lot to keep in mind when it comes to high inflation and small businesses. It’s important to know that small businesses have an obligation to provide service to their customers, but this gets a lot more difficult to do when inflation is higher. Considering that right now, in the UK, we are experiencing a period of high inflation, it’s important to recognise what the impacts can be on a small business. Hopefully, when you know what to expect, it’s easier to make plans to deal with these problems. What does high inflation mean?

How inflation influences businesses

So, when we talk about high inflation, what are we talking about? We are referring to the inflation ate, which is all about the rising price of things, but the amount of money people have does not rise to match. This creates a sort of gap which is very difficult o overcome.

Inflation can impact a business in quite a substantial way. First, one of the big problems is that the amount of sales you start to make goes down. Your products might still be the same price, they might even be the same quality, but there is not enough money for your consumers to spend. Inflation is impacting them as well, so they suddenly do ’t have the income to spend on goods and services that they might usually have enjoyed.

The problem essentially begins when the rate of inflation goes up too high. Inflation is normal in an economy, but usually, it sits at around 2%. We have a big problem when it goes up to something like 5%, which is what it’s been recently. The prices for things are rising, but the amount of money we have to spend isn’t. The gap is getting wider, so even though you have the same amount of money, it’s not buying you as many services as you want it to. It’s not giving you what you need.

However, the more immediate concern with inflation is its effect on your prices. You might find that your suppliers suddenly start asking for more money, they start charging you more to get the same volume of products, which means your supply goes down, which means you can’t meet the necessary demands, and in some cases, you have to put your prices up. The overall profitability of your business goes down when inflation rises. ou find that you h ve to start spending more and more to be able to meet basic financial obligations like loans and utilities. You have the same money and budget, but it’s not going as far as it used to because prices are rising.

How to deal with inflation So, how do you deal with inflation as a business? Its obviously not something that we want to happen, but it is, so we have to prepare for it and deal with it as best we can. However, it’s not that straightforward. There are strategies you need to start implementing now if you want to avoid the massive problems with inflation One of the first things you can do is aise your prices slightly to cope with inflation. This is not necessarily something that people want to do because you’ll be worried that you’re going to put businesses off dealing with you or that your customers are not going to want to deal with you, but to a certain extent, it helps to protect your business from inflation. When the verall quality is there, and you have a good relationship with customers and brand loyalty, people don’t mind spending a little bit more money for the products that I love. It’s just a case of ensuring you don’t raise them too much to alienate your customers. Something else that you can also do is keep a firm grip on your finances. This means you must look at your budget and what you’re spending on and cut back on unnecessary expenses. You can help better prepare for inflation by keeping a proper track of what you are spending and when because when prices start to go up, you need to start getting ruthless with your savings. Your business only has a certain budget to put towards things, so if some services need to be downgraded or cancelled and other solutions found, that’s just how it has to be. JULY 2022

It’s also a good idea to make sure that you talk to suppliers and manufacturers. Make sure that that relationship remains strong because when they have to start raising prices, it will be the business as they don’t have good relationships with that go first. It might be wo th seeing if you can lock in a deal with them now and ride out the worst of the inflation So, inflation is an ongoing p oblem that many businesses are facing. It’s important to try and make sensible decisions to avoid any severe impacts from inflation, but at the same time, that’s not the easiest of things to do. Ultimately, you have to try and develop long-term strategies to cope with these things, but remember that your relationship with a customer has to be at the centre of what you do. Without your customers, it’s nothing. You can’t have a business without your target audience, so you have to try and keep them at the forefront of your decision-making. Even if you have to look for alternate ways to do things to save a bit of money to keep offering things at the price as you do, or offer a deal and maybe take a bit of a financial loss temporarily, inflation is going o be here for a while, so you have to work out how to retain your customer base long-term.

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Financial planning for business owners

eing a business owner gives great opportunities in terms of how we live our lives but also being able to use the business to fund it. There is a massive connection between your personal life and business life, to the point where they are practically inseparable! Financial planning for business owners is the process of managing both your personal and business finances. Here are the foundations you need to have in place when running your business.

What sort of business are you running? Is it a lifestyle business that allows you to earn enough to do the things you want? Or are you looking to build a growth business that you will be able to sell in the future? Both types will impact on how you plan not only your business but also your personal life. By understanding what you are trying to achieve, you can review whether the business is fulfilling its purpose. If you are not sure, then perhaps r visit why you started the business in the first place.

The right structure This means having a separate bank account for your business and personal life and putting aside money for tax each month in a separate account. The new starter banks often have useful features that can help you separate it out.

Cash is king Still true in both business and personal. Having a cash reserve in the business can help you invest or cover periods were earning less. Ideally, you would also have 3-6 months of savings as a buffer to cover any unexpected expense in your personal life.

Get organised There’s no getting away from it, this bit is a pain. You may be avoiding it for fear of what you will find, but at least you will have clarity.

Start with the following: Find the value of your investments or pensions. Look up current balances/rates on any credit cards or loans. Pull together in a simple spreadsheet to give you your net worth.

Spending plan This can be tricky if your business earnings fluctuate or you are in the building stage. However, you want to build out a spending plan that allows you to be in control of how your income is spent. In simple terms, there are four main areas to focus on when it comes to your spending: fixed bills, general spending, lifestyle spending and future you. Go through bank statements to understand your fixed bills as they won’t change. Then with the remaining amount, assign a portion of income to the other areas of your lives, start with paying yourself first then build f om there. This doesn’t have to be done on a complex spreadsheet an old school sheet of paper can work fine. If you can also set up a banking system to mirror these areas of your spending plan, ie. An account for each. If your income fluctuates, you can build a base spending plan o cover what you have to spend, then a separate spending plan for the months where you earn more.

Protection Your biggest asset in the business will be your ability to earn more money. What would happen if you were to die or be unable to work due to an accident or sickness? You should consider several types of insurances, such as life cover and income protection. It is there to protect the people that matter most to you should the worse happen, as you don’t want them to face financial ruin in the unlikely event something happens.

your personal plan by investing into pensions. This is the most tax-efficient vehicle for ext acting money from the business as a business owner. There is no corporation tax to pay on pension contributions, and you receive tax relief as well. Most people can put up to £40,000 into a pension each year, and this could be paid directly from the business. Even if you are not in a position to do this, making a monthly contribution from business is going to help you build up your long term wealth. Even if you are building your business to grow, you should also be investing in a pension to reduce the risk and reliance on the business sale to achieve your goals.

Invest in your business It is a challenge to balance investing in the business with also improving your personal financial situation. Ideally, you will do both. The key is to be intentional and feed this back into your bigger vision. If your goal is to sell the business, you may need to focus on reinvesting money into the business to do this, if it’s a lifestyle business, it may be better used to build your personal finances The goal in any planning is to use your money to create the life you want for yourself and your family. Money is just the tool. Running a business can bring many benefits, but it also means you are responsible for building your financial future. Getting the right foundations in place will make this easier in the long run.

Ian Richards Founder of Work to Live Financial Planning www.worktolivefinancialplanning.com This guide is for information purposes and does not constitute financial advice, which should be based on your individual circumstances. If you need financial advice, you should speak to a trusted financial advise .

If you own an Ltd company, life insurance can be taken out tax efficiently via the company for your dependants. If you have shareholders or a bigger business, you will likely want to consider other insurances such as keyman cover or shareholder protection.

Have a personal plan You will likely have a business plan in place, but do you have a personal plan. What’s your vision for your life outside of work, what do you want to be able to do, and who do you want to spend time with? Getting clear on the big picture will help you make financial decisions in both areas of your life. Your actions may come back to what sort of business you are trying to build. Your business and personal plans will likely overlap, but they are both equally important.

Pensions for tax planning There are two main ways to benefit f om a business. Building it to the point where you can sell the business for a lump sum. The alternative is to use the business to fund

JULY 2022

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Interview with:

Mimi Nicklin

imi Nicklin is the bestselling author of Softening The Edge, a podcast host and the CEO of a global advertising agency, and is mother to an ever chatty 5-yearold daughter, a loud bulldog and a sleepy persian cat. They live between Sri Lanka, South Africa and Dubai but are originally British and from Hampshire. Tell us about your journey. How did you get here? I think I was always meant to be here. My dad is a writer, not formally in the ‘author’ sense but both professionally and as a storyteller within our family. I never gave much thought to why it was that his stories were always so brilliantly told, so accurately and powerfully human, until the summer of 2018. One afternoon that summer, I was sitting with a very wise life coach, and she shaped a sentence that had value well beyond the conversation it was based in. It was as if for all my working life, I had been waiting for someone to put this question to me so that I could finally name the thing I was missing. She asked, “Have you ever considered that what you are framing as intuition in leadership is actually empathy in leadership?” I hadn’t. For my entire career, I had put my skill with people, and my passion for organisational culture and relationships, down to ‘intuition’. But on that day in July 2018, everything changed. For the first time in ver

fifteen years, I realised that empathy was the ‘thing’ that my dad and I shared. This was what made me my father’s daughter and the creative strategist and CEO that I am today. I started to research what this meant, and before I knew it, I had a bestselling book and a podcast reaching 85,000 people, all focused on a passion for creating more understanding of empathy in our workplaces and world.

“I had written 30,000 words from a beach in South East Asia without ever considering it might one day become a book.”

What inspired you to become an author? The truth is that I never thought about becoming an author until I wrote Softening the Edge, but once I identified the reach and impact of the Empathy Deficit globally and started to write, I couldn’t stop. I feel that this book wrote me, rather than the other way around. Softening the Edge focuses on something I have been passionate about for my entire career—the sustainable wellness of our workforce, treating people with kindness and decency, and the future of effective leadership that sustainably promotes human values as well as the financial alue of every business. After I arrived in the Middle East, as a single mum to a baby, in 2018 to take on a leadership role that was entirely different from the one I thought I had accepted, I based much of the evidence in the book based on my experience of leveraging empathy skills to make direct and profitable change. In that way, the book was as much cathartic as it was a professional thought piece. Faced with a broken business and zero client base at the time, I turned to empathy as the only way I knew of to turn the business around. It worked, and my book shares that story.

How did you move from the idea of a book to an actual book? I started to write about empathy, its influence and the decreasing levels of it that we see and feel in the world of work and society today over the summer months. I was passionate about talking about the terrible levels of loneliness, the burnout, the corporate anxiety, the apathy, and the absenteeism.

“Before I knew it, I had a bestselling book and a podcast reaching 85,000 people, all focused on a passion for creating more understanding of empathy in our workplaces and world.” Not to mention the numbers of Millennials fleeing the corporate world for more balanced and controllable universes of entrepreneurial or freelance life. So passionate I was about these themes that I had written 30,000 words from a beach in South East Asia without ever considering it might one day become a book. A few months later, it was not only a book but an entire shift in my career and focus. The key to writing a book is to start!

How do your values show up in the work you do? I was committed to being an empathetic leader long before I began writing about it. I always believed that an empathetic leader is someone who can bring empathy and leadership into coexistence, whilst mastering anger, disappointment, and impatience, to be able to continually create a culture where people feel valued, cared for, and encouraged to

JULY 2022

perform. I knew it was possible, yet it was often missing. Today, I call these values and this leadership approach, Regenerative Leadership. It focuses on leaders that value aligning people’s wellbeing and individual needs, with business decision making, on an ongoing basis are able to continually fill the emotional and connectivity deficit the Empathy Deficit, behind so many of our wider social and emotional issues. To this day, I train my teams in this fundamental empathetic principle: that there are many more good people than bad and that people respond to their own realities in their own way. These are values of humanity, and they are the path to sustainable growth.

What advice would you give to a parent? Who is struggling to take their idea forward? I have learnt in these years that you need an equal balance of tenacity and patience, fuelled by an ever present passion for your idea. It can be exhausting, and it can often feel like you are speaking to a silent void beyond your laptop, but if you show enough commitment consistently and authentically to yourself and the world, you soon see likeminded people showing us in your universe. It’s a lesson in never giving up. I remember in 2020 telling my publicist that if every day someone replied to me and mentions that my work or ideas are of value, I will keep sharing. So far, every day, I get one small sign this work is worthwhile, and I keep going. My takeaway is that success favours the ludicrously tenacious!

How do you manage your time between family and business? I don’t! I use instinct every day to work out where I am most needed at that time and then create balance around that – but I do this by ensuring I commit a fair amount of my income to childcare so that my daughter has consistent support alongside us in this journey. We mums can do a lot, but we simply can’t do it all and offering my little girl love and consistency from multiple people, whatever my workload, is key to me. I feel very lucky I have this capacity and work tirelessly to ensure it stays that way.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time? What is spare time?!

Who or what inspires you? So many people and so many things. My father inspires me for his wisdom and never-ending patience for life, my boyfriend inspires me for his unwavering belief in celebrating the everyday little things, and my daughter inspires me for her ability to see people and life exactly as it is right now.

www.findfreedm.com

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YOUR GUIDE TO BUSINESS INSURANCE Are you thinking about getting business insurance? If you are, then you’re not alone. If you run a business, you probably need business insurance because it is a vital component for ensuring that your company stays at the maximum level of eﬃciency and doesn’t have to worry about issues along the way. Understanding what types of business insurance is available, working out what you need to do, and making the right choices are vital for getting things done.

What is Business Insurance? Business insurance is a paid service you participate in, which helps shield certain aspects of your business from ﬁnancial damages or other issues. So, for example, insurance to repair damages to the premises, or the stock, business insurance to protect you from being sued or penalised for practices, etc. The exact type of business insurance you have will vary according to your kind of business. Understandably, it is important to check out all of the diﬀerent options.

Why Do I Need Business Insurance? Unfortunately, what you ﬁnd is that when you run a business, there are a lot of chances for things to go wrong. Not every business is plain sailing throughout, and there are many situations where you may ﬁnd yourself losing resources or money quite quickly. Business insurance is designed to protect you, look after you, and make sure that your experiences, such as they are, are good ones. It means that if something does happen, you’re not going to go bankrupt.

How to Choose Business Insurance

Picking the right kind of business insurance for your needs and requirements can be a challenge. You have to make sure that you choose the right type of business insurance because otherwise, you’re not going to get the experience you want.

There are many diﬀerent things to consider because every type of insurance has its pros and cons. You have to think about what kind of insurance you want and how this will inﬂuence your experience, and we understand this can be a challenge.

You have to consider your own needs and requirements. What is your budget? What kind of business are you running? If you’re a business dealing exclusively online, you may not need public liability insurance, for example. It’s all about taking a look at what’s on oﬀer to ﬁnd what will work for you, and yes, this can take a bit of time, but it is ultimately worth it in the long run.

What Types of Business Insurance Exist? You might be interested to know that there are multiple diﬀerent types, which makes a massive diﬀerence in the kind of experience you have.

Contents insurance will protect your business if the contents within the property you have goods are stolen, damaged etc. So if you’re a business that deals in stock and the stock becomes damaged, your contents insurance will help to pay for the cost of replacing them.

Professional indemnity insurance is a good idea for anyone who is working as a consultant. An accountant, a consultant, a third-party surveyor, anything like that where your opinion is being treated as a necessary asset, professional indemnity insurance means that you can protect yourself in the event that something goes wrong, and your clients attempt to sue you for monetary gain.

Public liability insurance protects you from any damages sustained by the general public during their use of your business. Suppose you have a premises where a customer will come and interact. In that case, you need to have public liability insurance to ensure that you are not liable for compensation if an accident occurs.

Other types of insurance are product liability, employers’ liability, cyber and data insurance, personal accident insurance, business interruption insurance, key-man insurance, credit risk insurance, plant and machinery insurance, business income insurance, commercial property insurance.

It’s a good idea to take a look at a trained professional's opinion if you are going to endeavour to get the right kind of experience. This makes sure that your options are the best they can be, which is not always an easy task. It may take you a little while to ﬁgure out what’s best for you, but it is worth it in the long run. Just remember to shop around and never be taken in by the false promises of anybody.

Parents in Business Directory Joy Foster TechPixies

Salihah Agbaje Spoken World Productions

Bhavini Lakhani B81 Designs

TechPixies is an award-winning CPD accredited online learning platform with a social mission to help women leverage the power of modern technology (Social Media, WordPress and MailChimp) to improve women’s access to employment or help them to start a business.

Spoken World Productions are a Theatre in Education organisation operating across London and the globe (virtually!) to bring fun, educational and enriching Drama lessons to primary aged children.

Bhavini is a Milton Keynes-based graphic designer with a shed-load of passion and the experience to match. She has been a print-focused graphic designer for over 14 years, working in-house and for agencies before breaking free and setting up B81 Designs in 2011.

www.techpixies.com

Their sessions are designed to work in line with all subjects and can be tailored to the individual curriculum. So if you are a school teacher, home educator, enrichment officer or parent seeking a drama package for your child to enjoy, they can help.

Bhavini loves working with clients of all shapes and sizes, from Barclaycard and British Gas to business-to-business start-ups. www.b81designs.com

www.spokenworldproductions.com

Patience Modevi Otentikcare Patience created Otentikcare as a wellness hub for women because she believes that wellbeing should be an everyday practice and that even the smallest things in life can bring calm, comfort and care. With this in mind, she shares the mindful products and practices that have revolutionised her own well-being in her online space. She stocks authentic, sustainable products for mind, body and soul wellness, with a particular focus on products for ladies over 40 who are conscious of their wellbeing. www.otentikcare.co.uk

Beverley Bispham - Luvlybubbly Craft Parties Luvlybubbly Craft Parties organise kid’s craft parties for children, where young passions for fashion are born. They strive to inspire the youngest minds of our generation with creative and fun craft parties. They are based in North North East London and organise kid’s craft parties all around London and surrounding areas– including Kent, Essex, Herefordshire and parts of Sussex. www.luvlybubbly.co.uk

Georgina Fihosy AfroTouch Design Afrotouch Design is an unapologetically Afrocentric brand that produces personal stationery items that showcase West African designs uniquely and memorably. Each product is based on and designed with a touch of West African print fabric. The vibrant colours and unique designs allow our customers to connect with the beauty. Many potential customers struggle to find station ry and gift items that refl ct their culture, so AfroTouch Design exists to fill thi space within this industry. www.afrotouch.design

You can find these businesses and more on our online directory Michelle Molyneux MJM Virtual Solutions

Louise Worsley Worsley Training

Nadene Martin Format Services Limited

Your everyday virtual admin solution provides personal assistant support to conquer general admin tasks, so consultants and small businesses can focus on growing their business. They offer a range of flexible packages to suit your needs, drawing on our expertise in education, Health and Social Care, GDPR and proofreading to name a few.

Louise has over fifteen years of hands-on First Aid experience, both as a global expedition leader and as a parent. She draws from this to bring First Aid to life for participants, providing practical training grounded in realistic examples of how the techniques could be used. Louise is qualified th ough and regulated by Rescue Emergency Care, Nuco Training and ProTrainings.

Format Services is a Virtual Assistant Company taking care of all of your administration needs. Offer various services which can support you to grow your business, and you can view them further in the Services section. There are many benefits of outsourcing your administration, which you can discuss further as every business is unique.

www.mjmvirtualsolutions.com

Julie Hawkins – Single Mums in Business Network The primary objective of the SMBN is to help you gain exposure to your business. They concentrate on driving traffic to their member’s pages so that you are seen. The secondary objective is to reduce stigma and dispel misconceptions that single mums are work shy. It is the passion of founder Julie Hawkins to raise awareness of the real issue is that work is not in sync with school and wages are not in sync with inflation www.singlemumsbusinessnetwork. com

www.worsleytraining.co.uk

www.formatservices.co.uk

JOIN THE DIRECTORY The Parents in Business Directory is here to help you! Featuring your business with us will boost your visibility levels. We will ensure that your business, and more importantly, what you offer, is seen by the RIGHT people. www.parentsinbiz.co.uk/join-the-parentsin-business-directory/

JULY 2022

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Book Review

Read through Shona’s book reviews, and discover the best business books.

Softening the Edge: Empathy: How humanity’s oldest leadership trait is changing our world. Written by Mimi Nicklin What do you think about when you hear the word empathy? It’s unlikely to be the workplace. For many of us, the reason we left the corporate world in the first place was the lack of flexibility o care about the person as an individual that we need to feel wanted at work. Mimi Nicklin, the author of Softening The Edge, has a long history as an account manager & strategist for some of the world’s top advertising agencies. She comes at the book as a millennial woman with a fresh view of the modern worker’s needs and as someone who has built and led teams across the globe and knows what works and what doesn’t. Softening the Edge begins by defining what mpathy is. The ability to understand and share the feelings of another. Barack Obama talked about the empathy deficit back in 2006, stating “ There’s a lot of talk in this country about the federal deficit, but I think we should talk more about our empathy deficit. “ Bringing it into the present, the last two years have been particularly hard for most people working and living in the time of Covid. Whilst modern technology has allowed us to work from wherever we’d like in the world, as Mimi suggests, this isn’t always the best for the person. Humans have evolved to be social creatures, reliant on the tribe for energy and warmth as well as emotional safety. Working remotely with no other option was never going to be a winning long term human success story, no matter how much we all enjoy the odd day tucked away here and there. I found the examination of what makes a workplace human friendly to be very interesting. It was not necessarily about spending lots of money on office esign but bringing in comfort through cushions, adding life with real plants, and even playing music to help soothe the mind during times of high stress, which seem to make the most impact. There are great suggestions on how to build relationships with difficult people nd bring them around to your way of thinking. Points on eye contact and showing appreciation of everyone’s efforts, large or small, help build empathy. I’d really recommend reading this book if you are looking for other solutions to problems you may be experiencing in the workplace or in your own business. Available on Amazon

Shona Chambers Marketing Consultant www.shonachambersmarketing.co.uk

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