Parents in Business Magazine Autumn 2022

Inspiring, educating and celebrating grassroots businesses

MARKETING during an economic downturn

Plus

Small Business Spotlight

ure t a e F l a i c Spe the

in is h H o w t o fr o n g w it h y e a r s t u s in e s s your b

Mothers and Daughters in Business

IN CONVERSATION WITH Kat Vandal

ISSN 2754-8821

£5.00 AUTUMN isSue

9 772754

6 helpful tips for your small businesses to thrive in a tight market

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Welcome to our Autumn Issue

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s the year draws to a close, naturally, it’s time to reflect on where we want to be. Some of us might feel disheartened that we have not made as much progress as we’d hoped. We might think about how far we’ve come.

Between the cost of living and inflation, it might seem like there’s precious little to be done for this year. So how can you finish the year in a strong place with your business? What should you do to ensure that your business does well even in the face of hardship and the many trials that 2022 has brought? We take a look at them in this special feature; we share comments from parents who may be in a similar situation to you.

In light of interest rates rising to 1.75% in August 2022, the highest jump in 27 years and the current challenge small businesses face in recruiting and retaining staff. Tutu Popoola, Director and Lead Consultant at Sleek HR, shares helpful tips to employers to help them stay competitive in a tight employment market.

If you have entered Q4 in a marketing tailspin, especially if you are a product-based business with Christmas approaching, do not worry. Now more than ever, it’s imperative to have a strategic marketing plan in place. Natasha Rawley, a creative director, shares some top tips on developing a robust strategy and laying the path for Q1 2023.

We have interviews with Kat Vandal, founder of Vandalkids, Steve Bazell opened That Gin & Cocktail Bar and photographer Johanna Elizabeth.

Happy reading!

Bridget

Bridget Daley, Editor bridget@parentsinbiz.co.uk PS Don’t miss the WINTER issue OUT 23rd January 2023

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

We are a Work for Good Partner and give a proportion of proceeds to charity. www.parentsinbiz.co.uk

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Contents

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6 Mum and Dad’s the word Modern parents are under more pressure than ever before; social expectations of how we look, behave, parent, and achieve are at an all time high, under the ever-watchful eye of social media. to create the appropriate fanfare and gratitude to all the incredible and hard-working parents, here are some easy and practical tips on looking after your health and putting yourself back on the to-do list.

16 Heartbreak taught me how to take one step at a time Simon shares his personal, heartbreaking journey of when his daughter, Mia, was diagnosed with infantile acute lymphoblastic leukaemia at just seven months old in July 2017 and given a 50:50 survival rate of reaching the age of five.

on the cover

18 Financial protection for business owners Having the appropriate insurance is a key foundation of any financial plan. It ensures that those that matter most to you are taken care of should the worst happen. Having the right insurance in place can ensure that your kids can continue to live in the family home, cover the monthly costs, and maintain a reasonable lifestyle.

8 In Conversation with Kat Vandal Before launching Vandalkids, Kat Vandal worked for 14 years in retail Marketing, branding and visual merchandising for cosmetics brands such as Max Factor, Rimmel and Bourjois. Vandalkids is a clothing brand on a mission to champion kids’ creativity, make parents’ lives easier and be kinder to the planet.

on the cover

14 How to survive being sick and running a small business Being a small business owner is a stressful task at the best of times, but what happens when you get sick? It’s understandable to begin panicking. There are a few things that you can do to try and make being sick a bit easier; in this article, we explore some of these options before the worst happens.

20 Special Feature - How to finish the year strong with your business Between the cost of living and inflation, it might seem like there’s precious little to be done for this year. How do you finish the year in a strong place with your business? What should you do to ensure that your business does well even in the face of hardship and the many trials that 2022 has brought?

26 Interview with Johanna Elizabeth Johanna Elizabeth is a photographer. She was a midwife and started photography as a sideline, photographing the beauty of pregnancy, and that grew quickly into babies, kids and families. Her business has since grown and evolved.

She is married and has two daughters, Erin, 15 and Elsie, 8.

CONNECT WITH US @parentsinbiz

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on the cover

28 Marketing during an economic downturn If you have entered Q4 in a marketing tailspin, especially if you are a product-based business with Christmas approaching, do not worry. Natasha Rawley, a creative director, shares some top tips on developing a robust plan and laying the path for Q1 2023. Now more than ever, it’s imperative to have a strategic marketing plan in place.

30 Interview - with Steve Bazell Father of two, Steve Bazell, opened That Gin & Cocktail Bar in Warwick in May 2021. The team behind this fun and unique concept bar, believed to be the first of its kind in the UK, pride themselves on being able to take customers on a gin journey like no other, with access to more than 100 uniquely made-to-order flavour infusions.

32 Let’s talk business with Clare Clare Morris is the Parents in Business Magazines “business troubleshooter” It’s not often that before you’ve even launched your business, to pivot, but that’s exactly what happened to Futurum Group. Clare Morris share’s their case study.

on the cover

36 Small Business Spotlight - Mothers and Daughters in Business Meet the mother and daughter team that run a successful business together in Gloucestershire. After a pandemic that has disproportionately affected female-led businesses for the past 2 years, this family company is getting back on track and ready to launch full force into the business of empowering the nation’s female business owners.

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.

40 Book reviews Shona reviews How to be a founder – how entrepreneurs can identify, fund and launch their best ideas. Written by Alice Bentinck and Matt Clifford.

on the cover

34 Recruitment and retention: 6 helpful tips for your small businesses to thrive in a tight market In light of interest rates rising to 1.75% in August 2022, the highest jump in 27 years and the current challenge small businesses face in recruiting and retaining staff; this article provides some helpful tips to employers to help them stay competitive in a tight employment market

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.

OCTOBER 2022

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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 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

NATASHA RAWLEY, CREATIVE DIRECTOR, THE CREATIVE CABOODLE Natasha works with clients across many sectors, assisting with brand elevation, marketing strategy, content creation, social media management, social commerce, and sales-driven marketing. The Creative Caboodle was born over five years ago to provide a solution to business owners and entrepreneurs for all their marketing needs. www.thecreativecaboodle.com 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

OCTOBER 2022

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Mum and Dad’s the word Modern parents are under more pressure than ever before; social expectations of how we look, behave, parent, and achieve are at an all time high, under the ever-watchful eye of social media. We are in a unique situation where we are acutely and permanently aware of what everyone is doing every second of the day.

Whilst the benefits and opportunities social media has brought to us are clear, the through the keyhole type access we now have to everyone’s lives can lead to uncontrolled ‘comparisonitis’ and feelings of never being enough.

So, to create the appropriate fanfare and gratitude to all the incredible and hard-working parents, here are some easy and practical tips on looking after your health and putting yourself back on the to-do list.

Nourish from the inside out Health and vitality start on the inside; what you put into your body will reflect how you look and feel on the outside. It can be easy to reach for a convenient energy hit when we are rushed and time-poor, but relying too heavily on sugar and fast release carbohydrates can send your blood sugar (and your mood!) on a rollercoaster, causing peaks and crashes throughout the day.

The easiest way to remedy this is to do a little planning and ensure you have some well-balanced but accessible snacks available in the fridge. Berries, yoghurt, bananas, peanut butter, oatcakes, nuts, and seeds are great to have around the house. And having some cereal bars in your bag ensures you have something easily accessible if you’re on the go – brands like Nine bar, Squirrel Sisters and Kind are all great options.

Honour Your Need for Sleep It’s the first thing we sacrifice in favour of working longer hours or watching that extra episode of the latest series on Netflix. We have been conditioned to view sleep as a waste of time, as opposed to the regenerative, mood boosting, mind-enhancing, muscle-repairing wonder that it is (yes, it really does all of these things).

The quality and quantity of your sleep directly dictates your productivity and energy for the day. Honour your body’s need for sleep; it is the single most effective thing you can do to look after yourself.

Try to get between 7-9 hours of sleep each night and keep your bedtime as consistent as possible. If you aren’t getting between 7-9 hours of sleep, start going to bed 15 minutes earlier each week to adjust your routine and build up your hours gently.

Notice the Little Things

Soak Up Nature

In this culture of feeling the need to excel at everything and the internal and external competition this generates, it can be very easy to forget all of the little things that make us who we are and make our own lives unique. Look around you – what are the first three things you see that make you happy? Your favourite mug? Your garden? A photo of a family member? Taking time to notice the things around us that cost nothing but bring us joy every day can be a really great way of grounding yourself in gratitude.

Daily, gentle exercise outdoors is one of the best things you can do for your mind and body.

Eat A Rainbow We are all a little guilty of falling back on the same set of meals week in and week out. But this means we aren’t regularly giving our bodies the diverse range of different nutrients it needs to perform at its best.

Simple swaps can be very powerful; a red pepper has 1.5 times the Vitamin C and 11 times the Vitamin A of a green pepper. The key here is to focus on colour; the more colourful your shopping basket, the greater the range of nutrients you’ll be getting. Start small; choose just one new type of fruit or vegetable every week and add it to your weekly shop. If you need some recipe inspiration, visit my website and download your free copy of my ‘10 Fuss-Free Dinners for Time-Strapped Mums’. Its full of delicious (and quick!) recipes for those short on time.

You’ll get a boost of serotonin (the “happy” hormone) from being outside, and spending time looking at fractals, repeating patterns such as those found in leaves, flowers and snowflakes, is scientifically proven to reduce stress levels.

Recent research has found that spending time outside at the earliest part of the day can be particularly beneficial; early morning sun supports skin regeneration, doesn’t cause sunburn as it is low in ultraviolet-B light, and can help to regulate your natural circadian rhythm. Simply taking your morning brew into the garden (put a coat on first!) can be a great way of soaking up the early morning sun.

“The quality and quantity of your sleep directly dictates your productivity and energy for the day.”

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

OCTOBER 2022

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Kat Vandal

K IN CONVERSATION

at Vandal is the owner and founder of Vandal Kids.

Vandalkids is a clothing brand on a mission to champion kids’ creativity, make parents’ lives easier and be kinder to the planet.

Before launching Vandalkids, Kat Vandal worked for 14 years in retail Marketing, branding and visual merchandising for cosmetics brands such as Max Factor, Rimmel and Bourjois.

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Tell us about you. How did you get to where you are now?

I’m Kat Vandal, a French mum to a 6-year-old boy living in London. Before launching Vandalkids, I worked for 14 years in retail Marketing, branding and visual merchandising for cosmetics brands such as Max Factor, Rimmel and Bourjois.

I’m obsessed with upcycling, street art and street style.

Vandalkids is a clothing brand for kids aged 3-10 (and soon 16!). Our mission is to champion kids’ creativity, make parents’ lives easier and be kinder to the planet. We do this by making practical, comfortable, and durable clothes for kids to wear without worry and no fuss every day, over and over. Our clothes have been designed to last longer, with super soft cotton on the skin and a water-resistant shell where clothes suffer the most (from staining to rubbing) to reduce the need to wash and prolong their lifespan. But also designs thought through to be worn more: oversized styles, short sleeves for layering, so kids don’t grow out of them too quickly, adjustable waists for comfort. All this without compromising on style. Our first collection is inspired by 80’s street art, and every collection will have a strong artistic spin to it with cool art collabs to come. I’m passionate that kids’ clothes should be inspiring and enablers rather than a source of restriction or concern. And I believe wearing clothes for longer is kinder to the planet and easier for parents.

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

Something I value a lot is creativity. I believe that creativity will differentiate us from robots in the future and that it can help us solve personal, work and world issues. It’s a mindset I’m trying to nurture with my son every day, from art to creative thinking, which can apply to academics and practical life.

With Vandalkids, I’m also trying to make this brand not just about selling clothes but to have a higher mission to encourage and enable creativity in kids. From making comfortable, inspiring, practical mess-proof clothes that allows them to be freely creative to giving ideas and tips on how to be creative. It can be daunting for parents who consider themselves not creative and don’t know where to start, so I’m on a mission to help them too.

The truth is, as we grow up, we tend to reduce or forget our natural creativity; we are told we’re not creative, we’re not encouraged, or we just don’t spend the time to develop this trait. I believe we are born creative, but it needs to be nurtured and practised every day.

As for my work, I use my creativity daily to solve issues and make things happen with a low budget. For me, it’s about thinking outside the box and being resourceful, whether that’s recycling and upcycling items to dress up a pop-up store, or finding new brands to collaborate with to gain visibility without spending money on ads, or thinking about the issues with current kids’ clothes and how to improve them.

What’s been the biggest obstacle you’ve had to overcome?

Initially, it was to start a business in an industry I had no experience in, so learning about fabrics and production was the first challenge. But then, once everything was produced,

selling was by far the biggest challenge for me as I’m not a natural salesperson. I love to create and hope people will love it and buy it, but there is a lot more hustling involved which is not something I enjoy much.

“I’m also trying to make this brand not just about selling clothes but to have a higher mission to encourage and enable creativity in kids.”

How do you manage your time between family and business

How do you keep yourself motivated?

I have struggled a lot to find a balance. Initially, when I left my 5 day a week job in a big company on the other side of London, the idea was to spend more time with my son.

Be able to do drop-offs and pick-ups without running, get involved with school life and be present for our big move and refurbishment this year. But I found myself struggling to do it all. I would be obsessed with Vandalkids 24/7 and work evenings and weekends. I was more present physically but not mentally, with no boundary between work and life.

So recently, I have decided to slow down and make sure that I work only when my son is at school or occupied with activities, and I really switch off when he’s home, which made a big difference in our relationship and my mental health. It means I can do a lot less, but I have realised that it hasn’t caused a proportional difference in the result

Every little win motivates me: sales, magazine features, and happy customer reviews. These help a lot as well as networking, meeting other small business owners and doing ‘in real life’ events such as my pop-ups. Otherwise, it’s quite hard to remain motivated when alone at home behind a computer screen.

What does success look like to you?

“Surround yourself with experts who care about the brand, and make sure before you spend money on another consultant or freelancer that they love the brand and want it to succeed.”

For me, success is having a good work-life balance, making money doing what I love and having time for the people I love and myself. Which sometimes doesn’t always work with having a fashion brand on your own as it’s very demanding.

To emerge in the market, it requires a lot of work, and it’s relentless. I don’t have huge ambitions to massively increase my volumes and create an empire, so for me, it’s about finding that business model and that critical size that will allow me to be profitable without compromising on my personal life. I’m working on it.

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What advice can you share with a parent who wants to start a business?

Working for yourself, alone at home, can be a double edge sword. You’re comfortable and flexible, but it can be hard to get everything done due to a lack of motivation/clear deadlines as well as the distraction of household tasks and school duties. It’s also hard to be inspired due to a lack of experiencing life outside your home/seeing people.

I would say be very disciplined with your days. Even if you embrace the flexibility, it should still be fairly structured, so you don’t end up overwhelmed by the amount of work. Keep your daily to-do list short, so you are not feeling deflated at night for not completing it and trying to catch up. Set yourself a start and end time of the day, and take regular breaks (go for a walk, visit some stores, see people face to face, don’t stay home all day). Make sure that when you’re with the kids, you switch off, even if it’s just an hour and work again in the evening after bedtime. Create rituals for your physical and mental health (morning or lunchtime: sport, meditation, see a friend or call a friend to talk about everything else but work).

As for the business side of things, surround yourself with experts who care about the brand, and make sure before you spend money on another consultant or freelancer that they love the brand and want it to succeed.

Identify your strengths and weaknesses and make sure you get help where you’re not feeling as confident. Be quick with your decisions, but be patient with the results.

Try to feel empowered by mistakes: success is the result of a series of mistakes. See mistakes as learning opportunities, don’t dwell on them, and move on quickly with the learning knowing next time it’ll work better.

Who or what inspires you?

I’m inspired a lot by the street: the architecture, street art, street style, people, but also going out to experience new concept stores or concept bars/restaurants. Anything interactive, not just a classic museum, always give me more ideas.

My son and my partner also inspire me every day with their ability to think outside the box and their constant joie de vivre.

Kat Vandal www.vandalkidswear.com

OCTOBER 2022

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How to survive being sick and running a small business Being a small business owner is a stressful task at the best of times, but what happens when you get sick? It’s understandable to begin panicking. You cannot afford to have days or even weeks away from the office because you’re ill. As a parent business owner, the challenge has ramped up even more because you have to try and take care of yourself, your business, and your kids.

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here are a few things that you can do to try and make being sick a bit easier, so it’s important to explore some of these options before the worst happens.

Let’s take a look at a few things you can do to make being sick a little bit easier.

Automation If you develop an illness and have to take time away from your small business to focus on getting better, then you need to make sure that as many of the processes your business needs are automated. Automation is a very common part of owning a business, and most small business owners do choose to automate processes to free up vital time.

There are many programs that can automate basic tasks for you. Developing social media posts, responding to emails, sending out notifications, order fulfilment, and other basic business processes can all be automated with modern technology. It’s worth taking the time to do this even if you aren’t currently ill because automation gives you a lot of time to do other things.

Work with your support network When it comes to being sick and you have a partner, it’s essential to have a frank discussion with them about the nature of your business and what they can do to help you. If you don’t have a partner, you must let your support network know that you are sick and you’re going to need their help.

The best thing you can do is to have a plan if you get ill. This is where having a virtual assistant really comes in useful because they can ensure all the vital tasks are done to keep the business running.

We understand why this can be a challenge when it comes to getting sick as a business owner. However, it is possible to overcome an illness and still manage to keep things relatively put together. You need a solid plan in place for sickness, but that’s something you can develop one evening with a partner or family member.

Being a parent in business is just a series of coordinated efforts to ensure you work with people to accomplish things. If you were just in employment when you got sick, you’d use family members and friends to help you out, and it is the same principle here. Try and build a proper plan with people to prepare for the worst - it’ll make a big difference to your business’s overall success and health.

Build savings Having savings is an important safety blanket for any adult, and it is often the case that small business owners rely on it more. Unlike employment with a business or corporation, you don’t get paid sick leave, and you may not have anyone else to handle tasks for you, so the business may stop for a few days.

If possible, put aside three months of income or the basics for paying your bills. You don’t know how long you’ll be ill, so prioritise having savings for the important bills - your rent, mortgage, and utilities are all important.

Communicate When dealing with customers, communication is often important. Being sick is something that we all experience, and most people understand that when you’re ill, things are sometimes delayed. However, the one thing that people don’t like is unexplained absences and rudeness. It’s considered very bad business to simply vanish for days, especially if you’ve got customers making enquiries.

Most people will understand if you take the time to explain that owing to a personal crisis or sickness, you’ll be away for a few days. Therefore, if you are ill and think you need a few days off from your business to recover, put out a notification that lets people know. It could be a social media post or an email to your regulars. It’s not ideal, but at least you have demonstrated a willingness to communicate.

Prioritise your health The age-old debate about your business or your health is often one which people can argue endlessly about. Some people say that even if you’re sick, you need to focus on your business because losing momentum means losing relevance.

However, we take a different approach. We think it is ultimately better to focus on your health and put the time into getting better. Think about it like this. Would you rather have a few days of being sick, go back to work feeling better, or be under the weather for weeks at a time because you aren’t taking the right amount of time? Ultimately, it’s about prioritising your health because the longer you remain sick, the worse your business performs, and the harder it is for your business.

OCTOBER 2022

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Heartbreak taught me how to take one step at a time

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nes Leisure Trainers launched in December 2021. Simon Caulton (Ones Founder) designed and created lightweight, super comfortable and eco-friendly trainers for anyone who needs to stay on their feet all day. The brand creation was inspired

by Simon’s own personal, heartbreaking journey when his daughter, Mia, was diagnosed with infantile acute lymphoblastic leukaemia at just seven months old in July 2017 and given a 50:50 survival rate of reaching the age of five.

The experience was life changing. Mia was discharged after nine months after having intense chemotherapy, but with a further two years of continued chemo treatment at home.

With Simon’s work being predominately based within the Far East and Anjna’s work 15 minutes away, they decided that Simon would become a stay-at-home dad and look after Mia and Anjna would return to work.

“This was a very difficult time for me, I never imagined becoming a stay at home dad, this was the right logical step as a family, but I struggled with this adjustment.

The loss of my independence, loss of control, the trauma, isolation, I felt myself losing my purpose, my mental health spiralled downwards quickly, I needed to find a focus,” says Simon.

Simon’s first step was to seek help for his mental health; he got help identifying the PTSD he was suffering from.

He has since become a passionate advocate of men’s mental health, sharing his one step journey with various organisations. Speaking candidly and openly about his own struggles and the importance of seeking help. He has become an ambassador for the official charity of Wolverhampton Wanderers, Wolves Foundation, for over 2 years and their Head4Health cohort groups. The football team even invited him to talk about mental health at a premiership football match, highlighting the power of talking in 2019.

“We have become a family ambassador for Blood Cancer UK, continuously raising awareness and participating in fundraising events.”

Designing the trainers was an incredible chapter. I channelled all my pain and experiences into the brand.

Whilst Mia was in the hospital, we were occupants at the Ronald McDonald House Birmingham. This charity offers rooms to parents/families caring for a critically ill child in hospital. The house was a lifeline for us, a home away from home. Every morning I would get ready and sit at the edge of the bed, put my trainers on and stare at my feet, not knowing what the day would hold, I would take a deep breath and then take that One Step towards the door to take on my day. I spent so much time on my feet all day in the hospital I noticed my feet would become quite sweaty

and swollen, and my legs would often become tired and achy by the end of the day. I recall the need for something comfortable, lightweight, and breathable on my feet as it would be a very long day in the hospital.

Ones Leisures has three styles: the Broughton, the Cantlow, and the Cooksley, all poignantly named and dedicated to the three rooms we occupied at the Ronald McDonald House Birmingham.

When I started to do my market research, I identified that many regular trainers could be quite heavy and that the flat insole design would cause aching on the base of the feet when worn for prolonged periods. So, when I designed Ones, my brief became very clear to me, I wanted to create lightweight, breathable, super comfortable and eco-friendly trainers for anyone who needs to stay on their feet all day.

The Ones brand is about each individual’s #myonestepjourney. We have become a family ambassador for Blood Cancer UK, continuously raising awareness and participating in fundraising events. We have committed 10% of all profits to Blood Cancer UK for continued research in kinder, effective treatments and improving survival rates.

From the beginning, I was committed to Ones Trainers being eco-friendly and sustainable, so I partnered with Bloom Materials and committed to three of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. I drew on all my contacts from the far east and built a partnership with professional shoe designer Katie Ridges who helped bring my vision to life.

We are incredibly humbled by the immense support offered by Birmingham City University’s STEAMhouse Incubator, a unique centre dedicated to providing a space for collaboration, innovation and the development of new ideas, start-ups, and ventures. The pandemic, like for many businesses, also sent Ones development back, having lost our original manufacturer, Richard Scutt - the Incubator manager and Julian Beer, Deputy Vice Chancellor of Birmingham City University - provided sound advice and support to get back on track.

Ones won ‘Rising Star of the Year 2022 Award’ at StartUp Awards National Series.

Life has taught me the importance of taking One Step at a time. Whether you are on an uphill battle or striving towards something beautiful, we all have our own One Step Journey. Ones Trainers are designed for anyone who needs something comfortable, no nonsense and breathable so they can stay on their feet all day.”

Simon Caulton Co-Founder Ones www.ones.co.uk

OCTOBER 2022

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Financial protection for business owners

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aving the appropriate insurance is a key foundation of any financial plan. It ensures that those that matter most to you are taken care of should the worst happen.

This is especially true for parents running a business where they are the primary earner or where growing a business is key to the financial success of their family.

Sadly, most people are too busy to put the right insurance in place when they start a business or fail to increase their insurance as their business and earnings grow. Take a moment to think about the financial impact on your family should your earnings no longer be available whilst your children are dependent.

Having the appropriate insurance is a key foundation of any financial plan. It ensures that those that matter most to you are taken care of should the worst happen. This is especially true for parents running a business where they are the primary earner or where growing a business is key to the financial success of their family.

Sadly, most people are too busy to put the right insurance in place when they start a business or fail to increase their insurance as their business and earnings grow.

Take a moment to think about the financial impact on your family should your earnings no longer be available whilst your children are dependent.

Having the right insurances in place can ensure that your kids can continue to live in the family home, cover the monthly costs, and maintain a reasonable lifestyle.

As a business owner, you need to consider three main types of insurance.

Income Protection: This would pay out a regular amount, typically a portion of your usual salary, if you’re unable to work due to an accident or illness. It will continue to pay out until you can return to work, retire, or the policy term ends.

It’s a financial protection product that can provide peace of mind that you’d still be financially secure even if you’re unable to work for a period of time.

Critical Illness Cover: This type of policy pays out a lump sum on the diagnosis of certain critical illnesses that are specified within the policy. It’s a sum that can allow you time to come to terms with what has happened, take time off work, or adapt your home if needed.

Term Life Insurance: Life Insurance would pay out a lump sum to loved ones on your death. It’s a policy that can ensure your family are financially secure if you were to pass away. You can choose the amount to be paid depending on your circumstances, for example, how much remains on the mortgage. A Term Life Insurance policy provides insurance for a set period of time that you can choose, for instance, until children reach adulthood.

What do I need to have in place?

The level of insurance that you require will be dependent on your individual circumstances.

However, business owners often overlook protecting their income when this will be the biggest driver of their financial success over the years.

Income protection should be a financial priority, especially if you are the main earner in your household.

Often people have cover to pay off their mortgage and feel this is sufficient. However, whilst this is a significant monthly expense that would be cleared, there will likely be other outgoings that would still need to be paid for several years, especially if you have young children.

Consider your monthly outgoings after the mortgage and how these costs would be covered if you are no onger there.

There is a more tax efficient way to pay for your life cover if you run an ltd company.

The option is called a Relevant Life plan, where you can set up a policy through the business to pay out a life sum should you, the business owner, die.

This enables you to have the right cover in place and do so tax efficiently.

Keyman Insurance

• It will pay a lump sum to your beneficiaries which they can use to live off, giving you peace of mind that they will be okay.

This can be a Life of Critical Illness Policy that can be taken out on an employee within the business. It is designed for someone who is key to the running of the business and the overall profitability. This could be a director or a salesperson within the business. If that person was to pass away or be unable to work due to a critical illness, this could have a massive financial impact on the business. A Keyman Insurance policy can help offset this financial impact.

• As it pays out to a trust, you retain control of who will benefit.

Loan Protection

This is a better option than paying any life insurance after being taxed.

There are several benefits to having this plan, such as

•

It is extremely tax efficient and could result in a tax saving of nearly 50% if a higher rate taxpayer. This means the policy will save you money, especially if you’re paying current insurances from taxed income.

• Your beneficiaries would receive the lump sum quickly as it doesn’t require a grant of probate to receive the money.

For any limited company business owners, a Relevant Life Plan should be the first port of call when it comes to your protection needs.

Other insurances for ltd companies

Protection for business loans against the impact of death or critical and terminal illness of key members of staff who have a direct impact on the business’s profits, such as a business owner, director or employee with specialist skills.

If you have significant loans within the business, such as loans, commercial property, or overdrafts. Could these be covered if a key employee was to pass away or suffer a critical illness?

Having the right insurances in place for your family will give you peace of mind that they will be okay. As your business expands and your earnings grow, you may need to regularly review the cover you have in place to ensure it is appropriate for your lifestyle.

If you are running a larger business with several employees or several directors, there may be other insurances that you should be considering.

Ian Richards

Shareholder Protection

Founder of Work to Live Financial Planning

Where there are several directors, it is important to consider the impact of one of them dying or being seriously ill would have on the business. Shareholder protection can provide a lump sum to be able to buy the shares of the deceased director, ensuring the remaining directors retain control whilst the deceased directors receive a fair value for their shares. This needs to sit alongside an appropriate shareholder agreement.

OCTOBER 2022

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 adviser.

www.parentsinbiz.co.uk

19

special feature

How to finish the year strong with your business

A

s a business owner, you have every right to be proud of your business.

You’ve worked on your achievement while juggling raising kids and trying to do countless other things. You should feel naturally proud of it, and many people often do.

However, with that being said, how do you finish the year in a strong place with your business? What should you be doing to make sure that your

business does well even in the face of hardship and the many trials that 2022 has brought?

Between the cost of living and inflation, it might seem like there’s precious little to be done for this year besides stagger to the finish line alongside countless other business owners. However, you’d be wrong about that assumption. You can do some things, and we’ll take a look at them.

Revisiting your goals If you want to finish the year off in a strong position, then you need to take the time to revisit your goals and explore what you wanted to accomplish this year.

Like everybody, you started 2022 with goals for the year.

Granted, those goals probably became a little sullied and overshadowed by the chaos that the year brought with it, but at the same time, it is important to try to revisit those goals and see if any of them can be achieved in the few months we have left of the year.

When it comes to things like goals, they need to be smart, which basically translates to them being achievable, accessible, feasible, and focused around the idea of being something measurable. Therefore, instead of saying, “I want to get rich”, you could say, “I want to improve profits for this year by 10%”.

Remembering your why If you’re struggling to finish the year strongly, then you need to try and remember the why of what you set out to achieve.

Think about why you’re doing what you do or why you started the business in the first place.

• Did you start to provide for your family?

• Did you start to gain the freedom to live life on your terms?

OCTOBER 2022

• Are you doing it so that you can spend more time with your kids?

• Are you doing this because you hate the corporate environment and want to stay away from it?

Regardless of why you’ve chosen to become a business owner, looking back at that motivation is a good way to try and finish in a strong position this year. We all lose track of our motivation and goals when dealing with constant hardship. Between the rising costs of living, the energy crisis, COVID-19, and rising inflation rates, we’ve all been battered non-stop for the last couple of years. It’s understandable if you’ve lost track of the reason why you’re doing this.

However, this is the time to dig deep and look at why you’re doing it. Using your motivation as a reason to try something again or to work harder will help you to do well.

Letting go of limiting mindsets When it comes to life, we are constantly defined by limiting mindsets which impact our ability to drive our lives in the direction we want. These mindsets can be seemingly innocent - statements like “that looks like more work than I can handle” are commonplace.

www.parentsinbiz.co.uk

21

special feature However, these ideas and thoughts quickly form a mindset which stops you from trying to push things in the direction you should be going. The simple truth is that you can do anything you want, but for many people, this limiting mindset is what holds them back.

You need to understand that people have an innate drive to restrict their own abilities. We live in a world where the pursuit of excellence and achieving goals is very important, but at the same time, self-confidence is not a characteristic which is praised or even encouraged.

Read how these parents plan to finish the year strong with their business

Be kind to yourself The best thing you can do to try and finish off the year strongly is to be kind to yourself. It’s completely understandable to be put off by the events that have taken place. You might feel critical of your failings and successes, but this is not a healthy mentality. Instead, try to focus on the best possible way to look after yourself, which is being kind.

You’ve done amazingly well to come as far as you have in the type of situation that you have encountered. It’s perfectly natural to feel disheartened but think about everything you’ve managed to do. It’s absolutely incredible, and you should feel proud of yourself.

Finishing off the year from a position of strength is important, and feeling like you’ve accomplished something in your business is vital for self-esteem.

The thing you have to consider is that you’ve come so far already, and it is important to respect that growth and development. Your business is still here, even after COVID-19, even after the energy crisis, and while being a parent too? That’s amazing. That’s the kind of thing you should be proud of. However, you manage to cultivate that sense of pride, you should be able to feel like you’ve got what it takes to feel good about yourself.

Yes, the year probably hasn’t planned out in a way that any of us wanted. It’s also probably the case that you’ve had to battle many difficulties to get to this point, but that doesn’t detract from the fact that you have accomplished so much already, and it really is amazing. Even if your year doesn’t quite go how you want it to, you can still make positive changes and do amazing things. You just have to be prepared to find the last of your focus for the year and consider condensing your goals down into a few months.

You’ve got this!

Freyja Tasci, Apiwraps www.apiwraps.com.au Freyja is a mum to two and the founder of Apiwraps. Here’s how she plans to finish the year strongly: With a new ‘easy to post’ gift product just released and a busy retail period to finish the year, Apiwraps will be making the final quarter the busiest of the year.

For the last quarter, we’ll focus our attention on our corporate gifting opportunities and our ‘Gift-In-The-Post’ ranges, which are placed in selected retail gift shops around Australia. At Apiwraps, we have 8 departments with different seasons. People love sending a unique Aussie gift to their friends and family overseas, our Apiwraps products tick all the boxes being a beautiful Australian made eco-product that features local artists too - and it posts as a letter, so it’s super affordable!

As a small manufacturing business, we’re really fortunate to be agile and flexible with our operations, so we’ll be spending the first few weeks of the school holidays getting on top of our inventory as it ships out, before shutting up shop over the holidays for some family time. Our children help out in the warehouse during the school holidays, so it gives them some spending money for the holidays too.

Lauren Lunn-Farrow, The Expert Agency www.theexpertagency.co.uk

Damian & Adele Corney, Grafico Group www.grafico.com.au

I run The Expert Agency - the UK’s leading PR and media management agency for experts and thought leaders.

When I set up The Expert Agency, the goal and focus was to always be a long term player in the media industry. Despite the fact that world events have led to uncertain times, the news agenda still requires expert voices and influential thought leaders to add value and propel stories forward.

My goal with the business for the end of Q4 is to complete some great project work we have with the likes of Beauty Pie, Lorraine Kelly, Ruth Wrigley and various experts within the medical arena. My motto is always to play it forward to ensure the business has a strong array of projects lined up throughout the year.

My wife Adele and I run Grafico, a design print and signage company in Melbourne Vic (however, servicing Australiawide). We have 2 girls, Alessia, 6 & Sienna, 1. I started the business in 2004, so running the business alongside family life has always been our life since first starting a family with Alessia in 2016.

This ethos allows us to diversify and will see the end of the year celebrating announcements with two major publishers for our clients as well as four new client signings in addition to our current roster. We are doing more stateside as well and are currently not taking any bookings until March 2023.

Q3 is our time to flat plan, strategise and develop ideas.

That sees the business through the following year because we only flat plan client work and project work we can deliver on - the majority of our business is via referrals. We deliver strong results quickly.

We’ve had a very busy year with a growing business, completing The Block TV show for the 8th time, and whilst enjoying some growth, struggling with adding new staff to the growing business as with many businesses struggling to find suitable staff.

We plan to finish the year strongly by doing what we know best. Working hard just like we did tirelessly over the Covid periods of 2020/2021, where we worked the hardest we’ve ever worked in our lives; however, out of adversity, bred creativity.

Whilst running a successful business and juggling family life is difficult - we plan to work hard over the leadup to Christmas and then take some time off over Christmas to relax, recharge and reinvigorate, ready for another busy 2023!

I’m also hoping my daughter completes teething in Q4; that would be the best gift I could ask for.

The entrepreneurial life is one of challenge, work, dedication, perseverance, exhilaration, agony, accomplishment, failure, sacrifice, control, powerlessness... but ultimately, extraordinary satisfaction. - David S. Rose OCTOBER 2022

www.parentsinbiz.co.uk

23

special feature As a medically trained mental health doctor, for years, I have felt my skill sets and learnings about futuristic technologies were going to waste. My journey is now starting to get very exciting. Focusing on a topical “move (dance) to earn” economy with the generation of a blockchain based app that financially rewards those who use it. It is a win-win for all those needing instant gratification and seeking a passive income.

But it also has meaning for me. As a parent compromising heavily over the last few years, it showcases to me how women can succeed in this space and have a positive impact in the process.

Victoria Moy, The Mayfair Musings www.themayfairmusings.com As we move into the final months of 2022, it is really important to me that I don’t “drop the ball”. It’s very easy to submit to the lure of warm, cosy nights by the fireplace as autumn moves in, which can be detrimental to business.

I have been busy focusing on developing new business throughout the summer months and will be organising plenty of client events during the colder months.

I am looking forward to hosting some high end luxury events, and I’m glad I’ve given myself extra time to plan for them!

Hayley Tulett and Dean Holloway, Hay-De, www.hay-de.co.uk Hayley Tulett, co-founder of Hay-De, comments: We created our business to help parents manage the expense of having young children. Buying brand new baby equipment is often expensive and has poor value as children grow out of things so quickly.

Dr Lucy Davey, Wealth & Grace www.wealthandgrace.com I intend on finishing my new business on a high with investment and a clear roadmap to adhere to for 2023.

Never before have I felt the passion, drive and enthusiasm I have for my project showcasing the importance of mental, physical and financial fitness using the revolutionary web3 sector to portray the importance of mental wealth.

Since launching this year, the cost of living crisis has led to a huge surge in demand as saving money becomes critical for many families. I teamed up with my school friend Dean, who’s planning his own family, to create Hay-De. We operate a subscription model, and our vision was to make life easier and cheaper for parents by giving them the option to rent baby equipment. They use their subscription credits to buy pre-loved toys and other items or to exchange unwanted items for credits.

Hay-De makes being a parent more affordable and sustainable. Within weeks of launching, we’d filled a converted workspace with equipment, and our challenge for the coming months is to ramp up our operations to match rising demand. Our priorities this year are to boost our subscriber base and build a community around the trading and recycling of everything from baby equipment to toys and nursing aids. We hope to expand into clothes in the near future and roll out a collection service so we can pick up larger items that parents can exchange through Hay-De.

ACCESS EXCLUSIVE DISCOUNTS

OCTOBER 2022

www.parentsinbiz.co.uk

25

Interview with

Johanna Elizabeth

J

Ohanna Elizabeth is a photographer. She is married and has two daughters, Erin, 15 and Elsie, 8. She was a midwife and started photography as a sideline, photographing the beauty of pregnancy, and that grew quickly into babies, kids and families. Her business has since grown and evolved.

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

I was a midwife for 15 years, working in community settings. I launched the Teenage Pregnancy Service in West Sussex and then moved to the high octane of the labour ward. I started photography as a sideline, photographing the beauty of pregnancy, and that grew quickly into babies, kids and families. I launched my first studio, only leaving the security of my salary a year later when it could support me completely. For many years, I employed a large team of talented makeup artists and photographers and grew the studio into a booming, high volume business. We discovered boudoir photography and fell in love with it, realising the impact we were making on women’s lives.

However, I had a hankering for something more luxurious, and I wanted to spend more time with the women to truly connect with them and provide a more stellar service.

Not just with boudoir style, but portraits too. Two years ago, after moving that way for a while, the business finally

transitioned to just myself shooting, supported by a much smaller team of Ange (studio manager) and Rachel (digital editor). We haven’t looked back. Women travel from across the country to shoot with me, and I’m so proud that our message of empowerment and reputation of quality and service have earnt us such an incredible fan base. I’m truly honoured.

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

I love that someone described me as always being a midwife. Midwife literally translates as ‘with woman’. I truly am. I had a diagnosis of autism in the new year, and it’s been an interesting period of self-discovery so far this year. My traits shine through, and I think have must have supercharged myself in the world of business. My attention to detail and laser focus are positives. Also, a huge urge to support others and ‘do the right thing’ often drives those around me a little crazy. I can’t leave things alone.

How would you describe your business success so far?

Stellar. I’m so proud of how the business has evolved. In a constant upwards trajectory, we’ve come a long way. Selfemployment can be overwhelming, though. The pressure is insane. The highs and lows can be too much to handle at times. However, I wouldn’t change it for the world.

What’s been the biggest obstacle you’ve had to overcome?

I want to say the pandemic, but we’re finding this year the toughest yet. During the pandemic, we were fortunate to be included in the financial support from the government, and we took a bounce-back loan too. With the news of the energy crisis looming, with some clients still cancelling due to covid, the government support isn’t there this time. Our financial ‘buffer’ was sucked up in the pandemic, and we’re working hard to replace that. It’s hustle time. We’ve got some excellent plans ahead, but it’s a lot right now.

How do you manage your time between family and business?

For many years, I was dashing from school run to school run, one eye on the clock, juggling the business and home, while hubby had a heavily manual job. We were both exhausted and burnt out for a while. I was faced with needing to employ someone else to support the studio and realised that we could support hubby to leave his work and join us. He book keeps, does maintenance and has taken on the home 100%. This allowed me the space to focus on the business and find a balance with home life.

Who or what inspires you?

My family. Being present, striving for them. The women in my care. My daughters especially. I want to help create a better future for women. Women ( and men, I know) are faced with an onslaught of commercialism, telling them they are ‘not enough every day. Telling us if we buy this product or follow this, we will find happiness. It’s not true. I could write a book about all the women’s lives we’ve transformed, all I’ve learnt. The incredibly emotional stories of women discovering that they are enough, after all.

“I employed a large team of talented makeup artists and photographers and grew the studio into a booming, high volume business.”

www.johannaelizabeth.com

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

I don’t have much spare time, but I like to escape into something. I pick up fixations that last a few weeks or months (luckily, the business one has lasted years), and the most recent is painting. Reading is another one. I’m also the Chair Director on the board of the British Institute of Professional Photography. Supporting our profession and encouraging others to strive in their career is particularly enjoyable.

“I’m so proud that our message of empowerment and reputation of quality and service have earnt us such an incredible fan base.

I’m truly honored.”

OCTOBER 2022

www.parentsinbiz.co.uk

27

Marketing during an economic downturn

Here we are in Q4, and it’s a bit of a rollercoaster for small businesses. We are already feeling the strain of the increase in the costs of running our businesses and homes, and now we are awaiting the impact of the economic downturn on our revenue.

Product-based businesses are concerned about day-to-day sales and eagerly await new sale notifications, and service-based businesses are trying to retain clients and win new clients during a period where businesses may be making cutbacks.

Q

4 is a critical time for both business types; product-based businesses rely on the Christmas sales of Q4 to fund a large share of their annual profit.

Service-based businesses need to promote themselves to engage with

clients and ensure they are considered in the upcoming Q1 budget setting.

This is the time to ensure you are marketing yourself and your business to the highest level possible. Now more than ever, it’s imperative to have a strategic marketing plan in place.

If you have entered Q4 in a marketing tailspin, especially if you are a product-based business with Christmas approaching, do not worry. You still have time to develop a robust plan and lay the path for Q1 2023.

So let’s share some of our top tips.

1. Confirm the marketing channel that generates you the most income.

4. Shout about your good reviews

Do you measure the effectiveness of your campaigns? If you spend money on campaigns, are you regularly reviewing your ROI? Do you have custom URLs to measure the performance of your campaigns effectively?

This week alone, I have spoken to two clients that are not proactively building a mailing list. In the past, they have had impressive sales but now find themselves lost in the bombardment of noise from social media and are struggling to show up with the algorithms.

If someone has emailed you great feedback about your service or product, ask them if you can share it across your So often, when we start a discovery journey with a client, they channels, including your prime revenue-generating social are unsure which marketing channel is their primary revenuemedia channel and your website. Also, share the generating. Many are shocked to find out it’s Pinterest or top feedback at the end of your email LinkedIn over Instagram. campaign as often as possible.

This is the time to ensure When was the last time you reviewed If clients are tagging you via Instagram you are marketing yourself your analytics to know where your and sharing their love for your products revenue streams came from? and your business to the or service, always reshare this and create Website platforms such as Squarespace highest level possible. Now highlights to store them all in. and Shopify have these analytics more than ever, it’s imperative Get testimonials from clients past built into the interface and can very to have a strategic marketing and present to share on your website effectively and quickly create reports and channels. plan in place. detailing the traffic sources and the journey of the clients that purchased a service/product on your website.

5. How is your mailing list?

Do you have a feedback question on checkout to learn about your client’s journey and how they found you?

Now that you know your revenue-generating channel, your highest input should be focused here.

2. Once you know your best performing marketing channel, show up and engage.

When customers make spending choices, you need to be present and in their thoughts. Yes, spending may be less this year, but customers will continue to support people they like, trust and have an affinity with, so make sure you are showing up in front of the camera on your feed, whether that is Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook or Pinterest.

Protect your boundaries but share your story, and build that personal relationship with your current clients and potential ones. Let them know who you are, why you do what you do and why you love it.

Remember to engage with your followers. If someone leaves a positive comment on your post as a minimum, like it, or even better, comment on it and thank them. Answers those lovely DMs you received and send a message to new followers to thank them for their support.

Invest in and build your community of loyal customers.

3.Focus on your USP (unique selling proposition) Clients will be more particular about how they spend their money during a recession. Make sure you are shouting about your unique USPs. What makes your product or service any different? Why should people buy from you? What makes your product/ service special?

They have not been collecting data at the point of sale or asking regular clients that contact them directly if they can add them to their mail list.

With so much noise on social media, mailing lists are your most economical and direct channel to your clients. There is no need to bombard your client’s upselling every week, just a little hello once a month or quarter to keep you in their minds, an update about you, the business, new products or service offerings. Remember, customers will be spreading the costs of Christmas over several paydays this year, so a perfectly timed Christmas products email in mid-October is always a great idea! Invest time in your mailing list database. It will pay off.

6. Make sure you have good visual content Good visual content sells! Product photography, headshots and scene shoots are always a good investment, but sometimes budgets, time, or access do not always allow outsourcing.

So here’s the thing, practice makes you better! Take the time to set a scene, purchase a reasonably-priced backdrop, see where the best lighting is, and the most essential step is to take lots of images and get honest feedback from peers, friends and family who can give you valuable feedback on areas of improvement.

When you post those great images, do not forget to tag your products/services so the client has a direct route to purchase.

To support the Parents in Biz community, we have gathered three free-of-charge resources to assist with the above top tips. If you want access to these resources, sign up using the link below. www.thecreativecaboodle.com/parents-in-biz

Do you support communities such as Parents in Biz? Do you contribute parts of your income to a charity? How do you manage the impact of your business on the environment?

Natasha Rawley

These all make you unique.

Creative Director, The Creative Caboodle www.thecreativecaboodle.com/

OCTOBER 2022

www.parentsinbiz.co.uk

29

Interview with

Steve Bazell

S

teve Bazell opened That Gin & Cocktail Bar in Warwick in May 2021. The team behind this fun and unique concept bar – believed to be the first of its kind in the UK - pride themselves on being able to take customers on a gin journey like no other, with access to more than 100 uniquely made-to-order flavour infusions, from the traditional juniper and floral gins through to fruity offerings such as Pineapple, Watermelon, Passionfruit and Sicilian Orange and, for spice lovers, Pink Pepper, Black Pepper and Cardamon or Jalapenos gin. Those with a sweet tooth can also choose from a dessert range, including Cherry Bakewell, Black Forest Gateau and Biscoff.

Steve is also a dad to two children, a daughter aged nine and a son aged six.

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

Originally in the security industry, which included training, management and consultancy, my final role was training military personnel when they were leaving to civilianise their skills. This ran concurrently with security in the nighttime hospitality industry, leading to getting my first pub almost 15 years ago. I continued in the hospitality industry and, as it evolved, wanted to create a customer-led experience venue which is how the concept of That Gin Company was created.

The motto is ‘creating your perfect drink’ as we want customers to enjoy a more immersive buying experience.

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

Creating a personalised experience is key to the business, so it is ‘restaurant style’ in so much as it’s seated with menus, and we bring a couple of gins over and describe them to you as we explain the menu. But we also offer offmenu options or tailor drinks specifically to the customer, i.e. sweeter or changing the base spirit of a cocktail. We want to create gin that you cannot get anywhere else.

Our passion lies in finding your perfect drink and everything we do is to help the customer find the right drink for them.

My values in business are that of providing the ultimate customer experience so check backs/dialogue with the customers are integral parts of the buiness. I want them to leave feeling like they’ve had an experience, not just a couple of drinks.

“My values in business are that of providing the ultimate customer experience, so check backs/dialogue with the customers are integral parts of the business. I want them to leave feeling like they’ve had an experience, not just a couple of drinks.”

What was the last thing you did that made you really proud?

We launched our new range of gin as it has been a process of making the gin from scratch to producing the marketing/ branding to enable us to sell them online, but the real achievements for me are those of my two children. For me, effort is key to a lot of things in life, and their latest school reports both had maximum grades for effort. I truly believe once the foundations of effort are in place, then you are well placed to use that effort to find something you are good/passionate about.

Who or what inspires you?

My main inspiration is being a good role model for my children so they are equipped with the tools and characteristics to apply themselves later in life. The work ethic comes from my parents, and although, as children, I may not have appreciated some of the ‘realities’ they were teaching us at the time, I am glad they did, as that base has allowed me to push on.

www.thatgincompany.co.uk

How do you manage your time between family and business?

The bar is busy at the weekends, but we close on a Monday/Tuesday and open at 5pm on a Wed/Thurs, so I can take my children to school every day and pick them up 4 days out of 5.

How do you keep yourself motivated?

I truly believe in the product and am constantly looking at ways to diversify or offer more, so the passion keeps me motivated.

“My main inspiration is being a good role model for my children, so they are equipped with the tools and characteristics to apply themselves later in life.”

OCTOBER 2022

www.parentsinbiz.co.uk

31

LET’S TALK BUSINESS WITH CLARE

STRAIGHTFORWARD SOLUTIONS AND STRATEGIES

H

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.

The Dilemma

The Goal

Launching with confidence: a partnership evolved, a brand created, a business pivoted. It’s not often that, before you’ve even launched your business, to pivot, but that’s exactly what happened to Futurum Group.

As retirement coaching specialists, we started with a blank canvas. While that might make some want to bury heads in the sand, it was our opportunity to be unreservedly creative. Looking at what made the business original and aligning it with the company, partners, mission and vision for the future.

When Graeme Menzies and Sarah Harrison first contacted me, they had a business idea, shared complementary experiences that would make it a success and had a combined passion to drive it forwards. What they needed now was guidance to develop a business model that would see this proposition germinate and grow.

Starting a new business partnership has its challenges, but barriers to success are drastically reduced with a business model, clear planning and a project guide. The service they were going to provide to their clients was clear to them from the beginning. However, this was to change unexpectedly.

The Challenge Start-ups have a long list of essential jobs that need detailed deliberation and decisions. It can be overwhelming, especially if the process is new to you – even if you’ve done it before, there will be technological and business advances to consider.

Having a business adviser can uncomplicate the route, and with careful planning and plenty of positivity, become a hugely enjoyable process.

When we met, Futurum Group was a business idea with no name. I encouraged Graeme and Sarah to focus their thoughts on the community they wanted to build and what they would offer them. This would form the basis of everything that followed: visual identity, strong branding, consistent online presence, internal business systems, and the name.

Our core activity was to identify and understand our audience – who are they, what do they need, who are you, and how will you show your authority and credibility? Once we’d established this, it informed the development of our marketing strategy.

This was the exciting start of CMR working with Futurum Group. Using my creatively reframed Business Model, perfect for just such a mindful and kind project, we thoughtfully defined who the clients were and what their needs would be.

One key concern, and selling point of Futurum Group, is their clients’ mental and physical health, so I asked them to think more deeply about what that means: they wanted to encourage Resilience, Confidence, and Self-belief. Those ideas evolved into statements: Courage to Flourish, Strength to Withstand Change. Ultimately, this inspired the company logo – the mature tree with a solid baseline.

In our sessions, we discussed how the company name could encapsulate the unique proposition. They guide their clients towards a new future, so we were conscious that the name must have longevity, trust and confidence: the future is what they offer, and Futurum was a perfect summation.

Getting the partnership online required us to team up with a recognised web professional. We worked with a local, award-winning web developer, who designed the new website for which we provided the copy and ideas. Using Pinterest, a mood board helped capture the look, feel and customer experience Graeme and Sarah were looking for.

Their professional and personal LinkedIn profiles had a refresh, allowing them to use the platform to showcase their knowledge base and reaffirm their expertise.

Then Another challenge!

Results and the future

Midway through our collaboration, the world changed with the Covid-19 pandemic. In these situations, you either spin into freefall, or you can decide to pivot. Because of the work we’d put in at the beginning of the project, Graeme and Sarah could look at new ways that Futurum Group could make a difference for people affected and adapted their services accordingly.

Futurum Group has a solid foundation from which to forge ahead. The brand development is complete, their online presence is polished, and they can now actively connect with their peer group and new audience. Via LinkedIn, Futurum Group can share advice through articles and case studies, strengthening their position as specialists in retirement, redundancy and executive coaching.

Continuing to help their original client base of legal partners with retirement coaching, they began to support individuals who faced redundancy and businesses with an unclear future. A new executive coaching service opened the company up to more clients.

Efficient finance processes were implemented, and we put in place streamlined internal business systems so the team could easily lay their hands on data to support their daily work. These also allowed them to measure success, celebrate things that were going well, and tweak things that could perform better. The SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis that we regularly performed throughout the project will allow Futurum Group to continue staying ahead while keeping grounded and true to themselves.

“Clare helped us hugely by implementing systems and processes to make our lives easier, sourced a web developer and helped us to prioritise the tasks on our ever increasing to-do list. Throughout our time working together, Clare was enthusiastic, positive and proactive. We look forward to working with Clare again soon and thoroughly recommend her to other business owners.

With huge thanks to Clare for keeping us on track and managing the creation of our beautiful brand.”

“We needed help with all the elements of starting a new business, from finding an appropriate accounts system to getting the word out in the marketplace with a robust marketing strategy.”

Launching with Confidence, Graeme & Sarah, Futurum Group

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 OCTOBER 2022

www.parentsinbiz.co.uk

33

Recruitment and retention: 6 helpful tips for your small businesses to thrive in a tight market

I

n light of interest rates rising to 1.75% in August 2022, the highest jump in 27 years and the current challenge small businesses face in recruiting and retaining staff, this article provides some helpful tips to employers to help them stay competitive in a tight employment market.

The current cost of living and energy crisis is simply not sustainable for most people, and these events have influenced whether employers can recruit the talent they need to sustain their business and retain those they currently have. With inflation, the value of their salaries has dropped, and some employees may be looking to bridge this gap by seeking higher salaries. Employees asking for a pay rise during these difficult times is perhaps not unusual, but it can be tricky for small businesses to offer a salary increase when they are also feeling the pinch. This may force the talent pool of a business to seek jobs elsewhere. Are small businesses getting priced out of the talent market? Is recruitment and retention now out of their reach?

If your business is struggling to attract new employees or keep your existing staff engaged, then read on for some helpful tips that work for both parties involved:

ONE

Open communication with your team Due to the ongoing economic instability and redundancies, it is natural for your team to be concerned about their job security, no news is not good news in this case, it is important for you to communicate the financial standing of your business, so there is no room for assumptions. Although the economy is unstable, not all businesses are failing. If you have secured a new win, you should share this encouraging news with your team, and if you are average or affected by supply chain issues or other factors beyond your control, it’s still good to share some of this information with your team and focus on the positives or lessons learned from the experience. Some of your team want to know the state of the business and will prefer to have the stability of remaining in their role and growing instead of looking for a new job during a time of economic uncertainty.

TWO

Adopt flexibility Most people want to maintain a level of flexibility that allows them to have work/life balance, such as flexible hours, hybrid working or reduced hours. Since the Coronavirus lockdown, employees have come to expect some level of flexibility as standard. Most businesses were able to adapt to working from home really well, but we are now seeing a slow shift in requests by employers for employees to return to the office.

THREE

Cost of living bonus In August 2022, Lloyds Bank paid £1,000 to about 64,000 staff, and Irwin Mitchell gave £900 in April 2022 to help their team meet the rising cost of living. One of our small business clients has opted to stagger their bonus payment six months apart so they can plan ahead for the additional expense this represents. If this is a consideration for your business, you should find an affordable figure for your size and pay this as a lump sum or stagger it in instalments.

FOUR Salary increase

Some employers are offering up to 10% increase in salary. While this may be an enticing prospect, it’s important to consider if this increase is affordable to your business and not based on competition with other businesses, although it could also be argued that the cost of losing and replacing good employees will exceed this percentage increase. There is still a need to maintain a reasonable balance.

FIVE

Emergency financial support Businesses could offer interest-free loans to cover staff going through a major life change – for example, having a baby or looking to buy a house. Some businesses offer up to £2,000. This loan is also tax-free and is immediate money if employees are in a situation where they need it quickly and can be repaid in instalments. If offered, it should be advertised as a benefit, and this could be attractive to incoming prospects.

SIX

Free financial advice People are thinking of how they can make their money go further, and providing a solution to this may be a good strategy for your business to attract and retain staff. You could arrange for a financial planner who can host a session and then have one-to-one meetings with employees who want advice on matters such as debt, mortgages, loans and how they can reduce their energy bills As a business owner, I hope you find these tips helpful. When the economy is struggling, it’s important to have strategies in place so your business can attract and retain key staff.

Whichever step you take, remember to document all your actions and ensure all policies and procedures comply with the latest legislation.

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

OCTOBER 2022

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SMALL BUSINESS: Mothers and daughters in business

M

eet the mother and daughters team who run a successful business together in Gloucestershire. After a pandemic that has disproportionately affected female-led businesses for the past 2 years, this family company is getting back on track and ready to launch full force into the business of empowering the nation’s female business owners.

The pandemic gave these three women a chance to truly evaluate the situation of fellow businesswomen, and although the business was doing well before the pandemic, things certainly started to shift in these individuals when seeing how so many women were struggling. This was when the three family members decided to go into business together. With one daughter leaving employment and the other stepping out of a career break after having children to join forces with their mum’s company - Women’s Business Club. These three women are on a mission!

It’s no secret that the pandemic of 2020 brought to light a plethora of disparities for women

How to find success as a mother-daughter team “One of the biggest things that keep us together in business is our shared vision and values, “ says Lorah-Kelly, Creative Director and mum of two.

It was a vision that brought these women together during the pandemic, and their individual passion matched the company mission, working together made sense and being family was an added bonus. Together they campaign for a cause that matters to them and said that even if they weren’t in business together, the cause would still be something that would get their attention.

our specific expertise. It’s a tough balance to strike in any company, but particularly working with a parent, you need to have that separation on a professional level to drive the business forward. Ultimately we are here because of our individual expertise, and we bring those together for a shared vision.”

It’s clear to see that the company relies on each person doing their job well! And Angela has made it very clear that her children are in the company because they are the best women for the job.

The team all have very different personalities, and although their strength is that their skill and personalities complement each other, they have admitted at times, they clash. A key that Angela brought up is that she can’t pull the ‘mommy card’ when there is a clash, she has to separate how she would deal with a family clash to how she deals with a business clash but says that she has learned to be a better mother too because of this. She has learned to listen and respect their individual opinions rather than bulldoze them with the ‘mother authority’.

It’s no secret that the pandemic of 2020 brought to light a plethora of disparities for women as they shouldered the brunt of homeschooling and housekeeping whilst still trying to hold on to careers or businesses. This all-female, all-family team stood in defiance and with a joint vision and started 2022 with a renewed determination to see change for women. A shared vision and value set brought them through the toughest two years this generation has seen, and still continues to bind them together to keep going, no matter what.

Angela’s second daughter and the company’s Business Development Manager says, “As much as working well together and being attuned is key to this successful team, separation is key too.”

“We take ownership over our departments and are trusted as professionals to make important decisions based on

She says, “I employed them based on their incredible skills first and foremost, they truly are gifted in their specific fields. I would not have compromised the business just to work with my children, that is not a good way to do business.”

Working well together as mother and daughter is only truly successful if that personal relationship is strong.

It can be hard to separate work life and personal life, so it is important to take care of that personal relationship outside of work.

Angela says, “I absolutely love working with my daughters but have fought fiercely not to let work take over but to keep my role as a mother as the priority.”

The team has made a point of keeping work and family life separate - during the week, Angela is Angela, outside of work, she becomes “mum” again. Some practical ways they set boundaries include separate WhatsApp group chats for work or business, not checking company communications outside of working hours and focusing on spending family time together outside of work and having FUN! Together mother and daughters took up the plight of women just like them to help address work-life balance, the gender pay gap, flexible working and confidence, to name but a few of the issues women face on a daily basis in the world of business.

Looking ahead, the family team is excited about their plans to expand into North America and South Africa in the coming years, reaching as many women as possible with encouragement and practical training both in-person and online.

It’s clear to see that the company relies on each person doing their job well! And Angela has made it very clear that her children are in the company because they are the best women for the job.

www.womensbusiness.club

OCTOBER 2022

www.parentsinbiz.co.uk

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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 stationery and gift items that reflect their culture, so AfroTouch Design exists to fill this 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 through 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/

OCTOBER 2022

www.parentsinbiz.co.uk

39

Book Review

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

How to be a founder – how entrepreneurs can identify, fund and launch their best ideas.

Written by Alice Bentinck and Matt Clifford.

What does it mean to be a founder? This book defines a founder and the intended audience as being; “People who want to found a venture-backed, high growth startup that could one day be a public company.”

That might not be a massive segment of the small business community in the UK, but even if your ambitions in business don’t match, you can still learn a lot from reading this book.

One of the first things I found useful was the section on the 7 characteristics of founders. As the book states, you may not have all of them, but you are likely to see yourself in several.

These include being an outlier, demonstrating intellectual curiosity, showing clarity of thought, articulation of ideas, challenging convention, being driven and able to bring others along for the journey.

Thinking about yourself as a founder and what makes you tick is always interesting.

There is a focus on how to find a business partner, myths about starting a business, what to worry about and what not to, and which business models may aid you in your start-up phase.

I enjoyed the examples of successful start-ups being current business references, as many books on business recycle the same founder names as sources of inspiration (Steve Jobs and Apple, for example) If you are looking for sources of inspiration and a framework for your start-up, this is certainly an interesting guide.

“Ideas are journeys, not destinations. A start-up idea isn’t really something you have, and it’s something you create by working on it.”

Available on Amazon

Shona Chambers Marketing Consultant www.shonachambersmarketing.co.uk

OCTOBER 2022

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