Inspiring, educating and celebrating grassroots businesses
THEWhyCO-CEO two heads are
better than one
Why parents need to prioritise sleep, now more than ever
Why PR is more than media coverage
Plus
ness i s u b r u o Y questionsd answere
IN CONVERSATION WITH Pepa González
ISSN 2754-8821
£5.00 WINTER isSue
5 Top tips to help you build a business around your kids
9 772754
882003
Welcome to our Winter Issue
F
or small businesses, the last few years have been a wild ride. With rising costs of living and supply chain disruptions, many wondered how they could survive in this unpredictable climate - but while it is not easy, In this issue, learn all about their resilient strategies for success! Are you a CEO who feels overwhelmed and stressed? You’re not alone. Rebecca Oatley is here to offer her advice and insights on how to lead your business in today’s ever-changing world. Money-related stress is a reality for many business owners. But did you know that this pressure can also affect your physical and mental wellbeing? Luckily, there are steps you can take to improve your financial wellbeing. Page 26. When done correctly, PR can help you achieve your business goals faster than you thought possible. Read on to find out how you can make the most of PR for your small business. Page 28. We interviewed inspiring business owners whose ventures have made big waves. Pepa González, founder of luxury childrenswear brand Pepa London located on Belgravia’s Elizabeth Street - an exclusive shopping destination. Not to be outdone, Lisa Carter has achieved massive success as CEO and Founder of Discussion Box, which had an incredible turnover of £1.2 million within just one year since its launch! Dav Sehra also impresses us with his innovative menswear collections Acre & Row. Dominique Hughes & Rebecca Da Silva Lima joined forces to establish the perfect changing bag; they know their stuff having five kids between them.
Bridget
Bridget Daley, Editor bridget@parentsinbiz.co.uk PS Don’t miss it SPRING issue OUT 17th April 2023
Inspiring, Celebrating & Educating www.parentsinbiz.co.uk JANUARY 2023
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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10
6 Get set for a happy, healthy winter While winter can be a challenging season for staying healthy, it can also be a lot of fun. There are so many things to do indoors and out, and with a bit of preparation, you can make sure you stay healthy all season long.
from competition to consumer feedback through social media platforms - managing a business is far from simple and entails immense pressure for whoever holds the CEO role.
on the cover
16 Interview with Lisa Carter Lisa Carter, CEO and Founder of Discussion Box, made waves in 2018 when she bootstrapped the new business to a turnover of £1.2 million just one year after its launch. In addition - her fashion jewellery brand NIKAO saw rapid success as well. We interviewed Lisa, an inspirational mother of three.
8 5 Top tips to help you build a business around your kids Juggling child-rearing duties and the desire to launch a business can overwhelm ambitious parents. Rest assured, though - with careful planning, there is potential for balance between career aspirations and quality family time! For those interested in becoming their own boss while still making ample room for precious moments spent together, Read how to get started. on the cover
10 In Conversation with Pepa González We interview Pepa González, an ambitious entrepreneur and proud mother of one, who has created a luxury childrenswear brand that celebrates the rich heritage look blended with strong roots in traditional British design. Pepa London is based in Belgravia’s Elizabeth Street, an exclusive shopping destination. 14 The Co-CEO: Why two heads are better than one Rebecca Oatley, Co-CEO of The Wilful Group, knows that success in today’s business environment requires the leadership and expertise of more than one head. With an ever-changing global landscape impacting most businesses,
CONNECT WITH US @parentsinbiz
on the cover
19 Why parents need to prioritise sleep, now more than ever Sleep is essential to our health and wellbeing, yet many parents struggle to prioritise it. The demands of work, childcare, household tasks and leisure can mean that sleep takes a back seat. Charlotte Hillyard, an Infant Sleep Consultant shares why we need to prioritise our sleep. 22 Interview with Dav Sehra Dav Sehra, founder of the menswear brand Acre & Row and a Bedford resident, began his journey into fashion ten years ago when he interned for a denim design company while attending night school to hone his craft. Dav’s ambitions have continued to thrive, as you will read in this interview. 26 How to improve your financial wellbeing Running a business can be thrilling and rewarding, but there’s no denying that money-related stress is an ever-present reality. Unfortunately, evidence suggests this financial pressure doesn’t just affect our pockets—it can also impair physical, mental, and social wellbeing. Find out how you can improve your financial wellbeing.
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on the cover
28 Why PR is more than media coverag Think PR is just about getting a bit of press coverage for your business? Think again. Here, small business PR expert Pippa Goulden addresses some common myths about PR and shows us how it can be an effective tool for business growth when it’s done properly. 30 Interview with Rebecca Da Silva Lima & Dominique Hughes We interviewed Dominique Hughes and Rebecca Da Silva Lima have five children between them; they had a vision of creating the perfect changing bag for parents. With that dream in mind, Jem + Bea was born in 2015; this multiaward winning accessories brand took shape. on the cover
32 Your business questions answered Need expert advice to help you navigate the treacherous business terrain? Clare Morris, a renowned Business Support & Growth Adviser, Developer and Troubleshooter, is at your service. She listens carefully to understand what’s happening (or not). Clare answers your questions.
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36 Is your employer brand affecting your recruitment and retention? To get ahead as an employer in this competitive landscape, it’s essential you stand out with your branding; creating one tailored for success can help ensure you attract top talent who fit into your business. Tutu Popoola, the Director and Lead Consultant at Sleek HR, advises how your business can stand out. 38 Pivoting your business in challenging times With the current economic situation, many businesses are struggling to stay afloat. It can be difficult to navigate these challenging times, but there are strategies you can use to pivot your business and make it successful. Here is an overview of how you can pivot your business in challenging times. 40 Book review Discover the best business books for your success with Shona’s book reviews! Check out her review of Alex Mars’ Mission Possible – an insightful journey into how businesses can reach their fullest potential.
34 My journey from engineering to fashion Karen O’Brien, the creative force behind Taffy Tots Clothing, has crafted an amazing selection of stylish outfits and accessories for babies through to toddlers. Combining her own custom designs with a focus on gender neutrality, she shares her journey.
Disclaimer Views expressed in the articles are those strictly of the authors. Every effort is made to ensure that all information given is correct but Parents in Biz limited accepts no liability for inaccuracies, errors or omissions that may occur or their consequences. This publication is copyright and may not be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form without written permission from the publisher. Copyright includes (and not limited to) the content syndication of the RSS feed of this publication. The content and images used in any of the articles of this publication. The Parents in Business Magazine logo and any of its derivatives.
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Contributors
Meet the people who have taken part in the creation of this issue
Our trusted panel of contributors give you essential advice on everything from PR to wellbeing and finance. SHONA CHAMBERS, MARKETING CONSULTANT Shona Chambers is a Marketing Consultant and owner of Shona Chambers Marketing, a Marketing Agency based in Nunhead near Peckham. Specialising in helping Small Business Owners and Freelancers with their Marketing. *Photo credit Portrayed Photography www.shonachambersmarketing.co.uk PIPPA GOULDEN, THE PR SET Pippa Goulden is the founder of The PR Set, offering a flexible approach to PR for small businesses, entrepreneurs and innovators. She has a DIY PR membership to teach you how to do PR for your own business, as well as working 1-2-1 with clients. www.theprset.com CHARLOTTE HILLYARD, INFANT SLEEP CONSULTANT AND FOUNDER OF ‘THE GIFT OF SLEEP’ Charlotte Hillyard is an Infant Sleep Consultant and founder of ‘The Gift of Sleep’ and is passionate about helping families improve their little ones’ sleep. Based in Essex, Charlotte helps families via her 1-2-1 support package services, Sleep Clinic sessions and with the Mind charity, supporting mums on their local programme ‘Mums Matter’. www.thegiftofsleep.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 SIMON PAINE, CEO OF THE REBEL SCHOOL Simon Paine is the CEO of The Rebel School (formerly Pop-Up Business School), which he founded with Alan Donegan in 2012. As well as helping start-ups realise their business dreams, he has coached, trained and facilitated senior leaders from some of the world’s most famous companies, including Microsoft, British Airways, and Thomson Reuter. www.therebelschool.com LUCY PATEL, BANT REGISTERED NUTRITIONIST Lucy is a BANT Registered Nutritionist and specialises in chronic stress, perimenopause 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 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 balance living a great life now with preparing for the future. www.worktolivefinancialplanning.com
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Get set for a happy, healthy winter Winter can be a challenging time to embrace an active, healthy lifestyle, but with the right preparation and planning, it is entirely possible - even enjoyable! Taking advantage of this stunning season offers countless opportunities for fulfilment that you won’t want to miss.
Nurture your Natural Defences
Eat Seasonally
Now is the time to ensure you are nurturing your own natural resilience to the winter bugs lurking around the corner, and there are many things you can do to ensure your own natural defences are working efficiently. Key nutrients here are Vitamin C, found in lots of foods such as oranges, spinach, peppers, tomatoes and potatoes, and zinc, found in red meat, beans, lentils and if you’re feeling fancy, oysters! Oysters have the highest amount of naturally occurring zinc in any natural food.
Buying and eating seasonal produce isn’t just better for the environment; it’s better for your health too. Seasonal produce clocks up less air miles and is, therefore, fresher and more nutrient-dense than produce that has been on a long-haul journey across the world. Winter sees parsnips, broccoli, squash, cabbages, leeks, and onions flourish – the perfect makings of warming and nutritious soups. Seek out your nearest farmer’s and maker’s markets and support local growers as much as you can.
Embrace the Cold
Vitamin D
Spending time outdoors, regardless of the season, carries a multitude of health benefits that will boost your sense of wellbeing. Exposure to natural sunlight promotes the production of serotonin, known as the ‘happy hormone’. Boosting your serotonin helps combat low mood, which many experience during the darker, colder months. Frequent exercise also increases your serotonin production, so an outdoor walk is a win-win. Wrap up warm, get your boots on and enjoy the experience of nature in the refreshing and cooler weather.
As we wrap up from the cold, it can be difficult to ensure we are getting enough Vitamin D to see us through the winter months. From September to April, we rely on sourcing Vitamin D from our food rather than the sun, so it is important to include lots of Vitamin D-rich foods in your diet. Eggs, mushrooms and oily fish such as mackerel, salmon and sardines all contain good amounts of Vitamin D. As an insurance policy; you might want to consider a 25mcg Vitamin D supplement to ensure your levels remain steady until the sun re-emerges in Spring. It’s always advised to consult a doctor before you take supplements.
Practice Moderation It can be easy to over-indulge over winter; with Christmas produce available earlier each year, it might feel like we have been eating mince pies and cheese for a couple of months before Christmas even arrives! Whilst you should absolutely enjoy these treats, it’s always good to have some alternative options, so you don’t go overboard. When only a warm hug in a mug will do, instead of a sugar-laden gingerbread latte, opt for a winter tea such as apple spice, cinnamon, ginger or cranberry.
“Taking care of yourself is very important and it does not make you selfish.” – Unknown
JANUARY 2023
Frequent exercise also increases your serotonin production, so an outdoor walk is a win-win. Wrap up warm, get your boots on and enjoy the experience of nature in the refreshing and cooler weather. Lucy Patel BANT Registered Nutritionist www.lucypatelnutrition.co.uk
www.parentsinbiz.co.uk
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5 Top tips to help you build a business around your kids
A
s a parent balancing your need for income (and adult time!) and spending precious time with your kids can be a constant struggle. Add in a desire to run your own business, and you could be looking at a recipe for burnout! But, as many of you have proved, it doesn’t have to be that way. Running your own business can provide the flexibility you’re looking for to make money while spending as much time with your kids as possible. So how do you get started?
ONE
Keep it simple Most people get stuck thinking they need to be the next Karen Brady or Richard Branson to start a business. It’s not true. Look at your past skills, your hobbies or things you find frustrating to find a simple product or service that you can sell and start your business as a mini-experiment. A mini-experiment takes the pressure off and allows you to try out ideas in a low cost and low risk way before you decide to invest more time and energy into an idea.
TWO
Be fully present As a parent, you’re probably going to be time poor and figuring out how to work on your business in between your parenting responsibilities of chef, head of entertainment, head of family finance, head of toilet activities and general clearer upper of all things spilled. It can be tempting to try to multitask – sending emails while half watching their ballet lesson or helping them with their art homework while on a call, but you usually get caught out or write something random in the email. Our brains just aren’t wired for multitasking! Instead, see if you can figure out which moments of the day you are able to fully immerse in your business versus which moments you’ll be fully present with your children. Be considerate with your time, so you can focus with a clear head - even if it’s just for half an hour or an hour a day. Be kind to yourself, take small, consistent steps and build the business at the pace that fits with your family.
THREE
Work smarter, not harder Being a parent means you don’t have time for fluff! Think of the products, services and activities that will positively impact your well-being and your cash situation. What ideas will shift the needle the most? What would fill your heart with happiness if you could spend your time doing it?
FIVE
Your secret weapon: other parents Through Nursery, parent toddler groups and schools, you will have access to several hundred parents through text messages, WhatsApp groups, children’s parties, school events, and even standing at the school gate chatting. If you haven’t done so already, start making friends, being visible and getting known because they are the people you’re interacting with regularly and, therefore, the ones most likely to buy what you’re selling.
Focus on one kind of product or service idea first. That will tell you who your target audience will be, and then you can take as much action as possible to reach them and start selling. Learning sales skills and asking for money are one of the key things to learn when you’re starting a business.
FOUR
Borrow, barter and get stuff for free As a parent myself, I know the speed at which having children disintegrates your available cash reserves. Back to that mini-experiment, it can take a few goes at getting a business right, so spending as little money as possible is going to empower you. Let’s you find out If you’re going to like it and if it’s going to work for free before you invest any money. You can build a brilliant website for free (www.Wix.com). You can get free business cards and free printing if you look for the offers. You can use social media for free. You can try to borrow or barter what you can’t get for free. Search sites like Facebook Marketplace or Freecycle for physical things, negotiate with independent venues to bring people in during their downtime or swap your skills with someone else to get what you need.
Zoe Chapman, the founder of KiddiWhizz, attended a Rebel Business School course in 2020. She promptly put all these tips into action, and this is what happened: “When my son was little, I designed a portable toilet for children and always dreamed of seeing it for sale on the high street. I spent over two years learning about the world of e-commerce and building a network, but I lost money and I lost confidence. I knew that I’d gone wrong, but I didn’t know where, and was desperate to get proper guidance and advice to help me without flushing any more money down the toilet in doing it!” says Zoë Chapman, founder of KiddiWhizz. “2020 was looking like a write-off (for developing the business), but within days of attending the Rebel course, I’d utilised all the hard work I’d previously done and took a leap of faith. Within a month, I was holding my manufactured product and had formed a company with a clear vision.” As you can see from Zoë’s example, when you use your existing network and resources and take focused action, you can create a business that fits around your kids. It’s not always easy, but it’s no longer an either/or situation – you can do both! If you want help to turn your ideas into a business and get your new venture off the ground, join one of our free 2-week Rebel Business School courses. www.therebelschool.com/events
Simon Paine Co-founder and CEO of The Rebel School www.therebelschool.com
IN CONVERSATION
Pepa González Founder of Pepa London (formerly Pepa & Co) Pepa González, is the founder of Pepa London, a luxury childrenswear brand. She runs the business alongside her husband, and they have a son who is 2 years old. Pepa London successfully fuses a rich heritage look with strong roots in traditional British design. Collections are exclusively available online or at their flagship boutique on Elizabeth Street London, Belgravia’s exclusive shopping destination.
Tell us about your journey. How did you get here? I moved to London from Andalusia in Spain to work in the marketing department for the Spanish Embassy, but when that contract finished and while I was looking for a new job, I worked as a nanny in London, working for British families. It was then that I noticed how difficult it was to find traditional clothing for children here in the UK that I was used to seeing back home.
What inspired you to start your business? I decided to launch Pepa & Co in 2013 and move into fashion. Initially, I started handpicking my favourite Spanish childrenswear brands and bringing them to the UK. After building up a close network of Pepa & Co fans and listening to exactly what my clients wanted, I started designing the pieces myself (with no formal training), and the collection had more cohesion. The Pepa & Co label became my most successful collection, so it seemed natural to continue designing the clothing myself. Although I didn’t complete any official qualifications in fashion design, much of my inspiration comes from my family and how my mother used to dress my four brothers and I when we were growing up. I stole from my mother her interest in classic children’s clothing and dressing well. She regularly dressed my older brothers in the most formal outfits, which is normal for Spanish culture. She always said clothes help us to transmit who we are and how we feel everyday. And we should care about what we choose to wear. But at the same time, she always made a very clear point, ‘clothing is just clothing’; we shouldn’t give it more importance than that, and it’s really the person inside that counts. I also take a lot of my inspiration from my British family in-law and the traditional styles that were worn from past decades.
How do your values show up in the work you do? Fair, honest and down-to-earth. I aim to ensure that the team is happy doing what they do and to support them in their work. I started this company without knowledge, so I always believe in young employees who bring the right attitude to the table, even if they don’t have much experience. What matters is believing in what you’re doing – there are competitors out there, but the only thing the client is going to feel is whether you put a lot of passion and a high attention to detail into the quality of your product. In a small company, you need good communication between departments and the flexibility to be quick and reactive, making things very easy for everyone. It’s important to me that everybody in the team understands what’s going on across the whole company – what each person is doing in every team, from planning and product development to marketing, because everything is interconnected.
What’s been the biggest obstacle you’ve had to overcome? As a small company that started from scratch and with no experience at all in the industry, I had to self-learn a lot! There have been many ups and downs, finding out for myself that things are not easy; manufacturers prefer to work with established businesses, which is tricky when you are just starting out. I was unaware of the amount of work involved in starting a business. When I started the business, it was just me doing absolutely everything from sourcing the product to updating the website, marketing, dispatch and customer service! Clients were quite surprised to hear that I, the founder was at the end of the phone or email, handling their queries and providing the customer service. You soon realise that you cannot do everything, and I employed a small group of staff to assist me with the dayto-day running of the business. We are now a team of 20, including the shop staff and those at headquarters.
How do you manage your time between family and business? I make sure I am home for bed and bathtime every day and work Monday – Thursday. Friday is the day Matthew and I spend together and where possible, I try not to work or answer emails at the weekends. It’s quite a challenge.
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What do you enjoy doing in your spare time? We love spending time with our friends and family, long walks in the country and a deserved lunch or cup of tea! I love cooking and baking and those little moments when Matthew brings his little stool and comes to the kitchen to “help” me are so enjoyable. He is very curious and loves being active and learning! I enjoy spending my time with him so much, playing football outside or building pieces. I also love taking a bit of time to look after myself and do Yoga and Pilates when I can.
“ I started this company without knowledge, so I always believe in young employees who bring the right attitude to the table, even if they don’t have much experience.”
Who or what inspires you? I admire Anya Hindmarch and Jo Malone. They are both such inspiring women. Their vision and brands are, for me, absolute perfection. And, of course, from Spain, Amancio Ortega (Inditex). I used to regularly read everything about him and am truly inspired by the retail empire he has created. He is one of those unique people that is born once every 50 years, and it shows you how someone who had a dream, even with no university knowledge at all about what he was doing, can make it happen and become one of the most influential people in the world.
“ When I started the business, it was just me doing absolutely everything from sourcing the product to updating the website, marketing, dispatch and customer service!”
www.pepaandcompany.com
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The Co-CEO: Why two heads are better than one
Rebecca Oatley, Co-CEO of The Wilful Group, reveals why two heads are better than one when running a successful small company. Being a CEO seems like an impressive role. Out at the front of the company, delivering the success of the business, developing and pursuing the strategic vision, and directing the evolution of the product, the people, the marketing, distribution and finance. It’s a big job. Now factor in recent and enormous changes to most British businesses. Take, for example, the global outlook (and competition) for most firms, environmental and social responsibilities, inflation, pressure from investors, the talent squeeze and the continuous feedback loop from customers through social media. Running a company has become so complex and the responsibilities so great that being a CEO is no longer a one person job.
T
hat’s possibly why a relatively new model is being pursued by many companies, including my own – that of the Co-CEO, a role that grew out of the tech industry and startup economies. The Co-CEO follows wisdom which says that two heads are better than one, and recent studies have shown that the performance of publicly listed companies with Co-CEOs in place delivered greater value for their shareholders than singularly directed firms.
A Co-CEO in an SME When 99.2% of British business is classified as SME or micro, is a Co-CEO possible in a smaller business? The answer is yes, but you must be open to giving up elements of your job and your business, to move it forwards into the future. It’s an alternative path to growth, but in the rapidly changing world that we find ourselves in, we must innovate to survive. The first change is to our day-to-day role and responsibilities. A Co-CEO could be the answer for many smaller firms that hit the inevitable challenge of not having enough hours in the day to drive growth plans. Bringing in a Co-CEO could unlock the time and strategic skill set needed to move your business forward. For years, I was a Founder of my own business. As Founders, we have a habit of micro-managing, running finance, thinking about client work, and finding new people, new offices and systems. It’s a constant juggling act. The day-to-day rarely gives enough time to look to tomorrow. In contrast, a CEO role, by its very nature, has a future focus, considering how to grow and overcome obstacles that prevent progression. Switching into a CEO role is a big change for a Founder, and there’s a risk of carrying on doing the day job and not thinking about tomorrow, particularly after having been an MD for so long. That’s where a move to a Co-CEO role comes into its own.
Divide and conquer to move forward faster My business partner, Narda Shirley, and I share the day-today responsibilities of running a business, but it’s definitely not a job share. As Co-CEOs, we have naturally gravitated to different parts of the business and ultimately played to our strengths. I moved towards people and culture, while Narda focused on delivering the best product. Immediately having someone who is your partner, enabling you to do what you enjoy, creates positive energy. This is an important initial step in the process.
Of course, there are challenges with being a Co-CEO. One is producing a clear definition of who is responsible for what. Now and again, there has been some confusion about who is owning a specific project or idea. Narda and I have known each other for long enough to have an open dialogue, and even if it has become a little heated a couple of times, we are forgiving because we are focused on the same goal and the best for Wilful. We are only a year old as a merged entity, joining our respective businesses. As entrepreneurs, we are both quite impatient when it comes to the speed of progress. With the merger, we had an expectation that the two companies would unite quickly, but the reality is that both founding companies have long-standing histories, and therefore cultures and working practices were different. There has been an unforeseen adjustment period in year one.
Creating a diverse and self-managed culture Our impatience has, in fact, created solutions. I have spearheaded new Group values. We have brought in a head of HR who has helped establish the employer brand, and we have run events to bring the two teams together as well as establish committees for everything from culture and fun, Corporate Social Responsibility and BCorp. By being Co-CEOs, we are each recognised for our individual experience and the expertise that we bring to the wider business, and we want to encourage others to develop their expertise and share in the same way. We are working hard to develop a self-managing culture in which we hire experts with every individual responsible and respected for what they bring and proud to share it. I suppose you could call it diversity of thought throughout the organisation.
Moral support is priceless Yes, there is the occasional difference of opinion, but this is far outweighed by having moral support and a coach to discuss problems and solutions. Having a peer mentor to feedback or hold me to account over something which isn’t right or not what we have agreed.
Alongside responsibility comes our skills as leaders. We both lead the business, but we have different leadership styles, and it’s important to find the right place within the organisation for that style. Narda is highly creative, visionary, connected and very smart. She creates opportunities and new ideas and initiatives for the team. She inspires. I focus on route and direction and share that plan with others, inspiring them to join the journey.
Having complementary personalities is a must. We must be content for one of us to be dominant in the organisation whilst the other supports, and then the next week, happy to step back. There is no place for hierarchy in any co-CEO relationship.
Dividing responsibility releases the time to move the business forwards, unearthing new opportunities, building awareness and new connections individually and together. Agree on the areas where you are progressing but share the ideas and opportunities with your partner.
At the end of the day, both CEOs are ultimately driven by the success of the business, which means looking after each other too. We’re both parents, and we recognise that giving ourselves time with family is important. We give each other permission for our individual wellbeing. After all, who else other than the CEO can allow you to take time out for yourself?
Giving permission
Rebecca Oatley Co-CEO of The Wilful Group www.thewilful.com
Who is responsible for what? JANUARY 2023
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Interview with
Lisa Carter
L
isa Carter is from Bristol, a mother of 3, 2 sons aged 24 and 13 and a daughter aged 4. Lisa is the CEO & Founder of Discussion Box, which she launched and bootstrapped in 2018 and saw a turnover of £1.2 million in its first trading year. Lisa is also the founder of NIKAO, her fashion jewellery brand, which she launched at London Fashion Week in 2016 and has been worn and endorsed by the likes of Beyonce, Rita Ora, Kelly Rowland, Zendaya and featured in magazines such as Vogue, Cosmopolitan and Forbes.
Tell us about you? How did you get to where you are now?
I am a mother of 3 children aged 24, 13 and 4, a designer of the jewellery brand NIKAO and CEO & Founder of Discussion Box; a virtual event platform for brands, creatives and individuals to host and access meaningful conversations. I started what was a successful career in B2B publishing sales at a very young age, which then led to me launching my own boutique B2B technology publishing company after just 4 years in the industry. When the economy crashed in 2008, I pivoted my publishing business to in-person B2B events, which took shape around 2010. Then fast forward to 2018, with over 10 years experience in events, my pain point of access restrictions associated with in-person events became an increasingly growing issue. With the experience I gathered over the years, I decided to break down the accessibility barriers associated with in-person events by designing and building my own virtual event platform; this would allow access to more voices and life or career-changing content on a global scale.
How do your values show up in the work you do?
I am extremely passionate about platforming women and people from underrepresented communities, and I strive to enable this in my business endeavours. Discussion Box currently has two products, the first of which is “Spotlight”, created to encourage relevant and valuable discussions on topics about women in business in the hope of providing better representation across all industries and sectors worldwide, ultimately helping more women to get to the top and stay there. The second soon to be launched Discussion Box product is a SaaS/subscription-based model of the platform, with the main focus on building community and having access to content through virtual events that, for many, especially those from marginalised groups or in remote locations, would be otherwise inaccessible.
I operate with integrity in all that I do, which is a quality that can often be lacking in sales, so I enjoy being able to grow a business and sales team where selling with integrity is at the core of how we operate, really challenging the status quo and changing the narrative in what has traditionally been a very misogynistic and toxic industry.
What’s been the biggest obstacle you’ve had to overcome? Being a mum to my first child at just 18, unable to complete further education and navigating life as a young, single mum determined not to become a stereotype, I often felt overwhelmed by life and the prospect of our future. Despite the adversities that I faced, I was still able to build a stable and successful life for my son and me, and I continue that today with all of my children.
How do you manage your time between family and business? My children are very integrated into what I do. I have built things around my life to serve my busy schedule without neglecting my children’s needs, although sometimes nothing seems to be enough and mum guilt creeps in from time to time. I structure my day in a way that means I am able to do the school runs, attend school events and switch off at weekends to make way for quality time. It’s a lot to balance, and being a mum means on any given day, an unpredictable scenario may occur, such as one of the kids being home sick from school; but thankfully, my work can be done remotely, and I have designed the Discussion Box HQ with space for my kids to be there whilst I’m working in the office if that’s
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ever a need. I understand that I am building something that will completely change my children’s lives and create generational wealth. My entrepreneurial life is very demanding, so having a perfect balance isn’t always possible in pursuit of changing the narrative for my children and me. Therefore, managing my time well is sometimes impossible, but I try not to be hard on myself about it as idyllic motherhood, and the perfect work-life-balance is often a myth!
“ I understand that I am building something that will completely change my children’s lives and create generational wealth.” What does success look like to you? Being financially independent and free and being able to provide stability and a happy home for my children and I.
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How do you keep yourself motivated?
Who or what inspires you?
I remain motivated by remembering my reason for doing what I do. Sometimes it all feels tough, especially when you’re feeling tired or defeated because the reality is that things aren’t always going great, the entrepreneurial journey takes many twists and turns and comes with highs and lows, but by reminding myself of my “why” I am always able to find the strength and resilience to persevere and keep going. Your purpose has to be big and meaningful enough to fuel your staying power.
My mother is my inspiration. I inherited her determination and ability to turn a little into a lot, and I am forever grateful for her support and guidance. For example, my mother showed me how to get the job done and remained consistent even when the world seemed like it was falling apart around her. She never gave up, and that remains an inspiration to me to this day.
What advice can you share with a parent who wants to start a business? I built Discussion Box whilst being a stay at home mother. I had no investors, no dedicated workspace and very little support. I attended Zoom meetings with prospective clients all day every day to generate the money I needed to grow the business and was able to do all of this by breastfeeding my daughter as the enabler. Breastfeeding kept her relaxed and happy whilst I pitched and spoke to prospects, with them being none the wiser. At times, my circumstance felt frustrating, challenging and far from ideal, but I am so glad that I pushed through. I know what it looks like trying to balance a business whilst being a parent, and often the realities are far from ideal but don’t let that stop you. Don’t wait until things feel perfect to start pursuing your dream or building your business because that time will never come. Embrace your circumstance and make it work for you. Make it a part of your story and do what you can with what you have; it will be more than enough if you remain determined and put the work in. Women are resourceful, and we somehow find a way, your way doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s, your journey is unique.
“Your purpose has to be big and meaningful enough to fuel your staying power.” www.discussionbox.com www.nikaojewels.com
Why parents need to prioritise sleep, now more than ever
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e hear it all the time, sleep is hugely beneficial for both our physical and our mental health. When we sleep, our immune system strengthens, reducing the risk of cancer, inflammation, improving our mental health, skin, memory recall, and so much more. The body seriously needs to sleep. Yet many of us parents don’t make sleep a priority. I get it, it’s hard. Juggling nursery/school runs, after school clubs, our children’s social life, family, friends, and not forgetting our business. Sleep just sadly falls further down the priority list. Instead, we sneak in those extra hours in the evening to focus on our business, catch up with housework or even to have that precious ‘me’ time, which is not a bad thing at all. However, it’s important to moderate this long term, so this doesn’t lead to chronic sleep deprivation.
So, what happens to us when we don’t have adequate sleep? For Infants and Young Children, sleep deprivation can typically present a number of symptoms such as trouble concentrating, mood swings, impulsivity, problems with getting along with others and lower school performance. Sleep is fundamental for their rapid brain growth and developmental changes. For those that sleep well, studies have shown that children have better problem-solving skills, a longer attention span, improved learning and are better at regulating their emotions than those not sleeping well. Just like our children, parents need good quality sleep too. When we have great sleep, we have better concentration and creativity, enhancing our productivity and decision-making skills. However, when we experience poor sleep, we can feel irritable, perhaps unwell even, or have trouble recalling things, aka ‘brain fog’, and some experience difficulty coping with everyday life. Poor sleep can take many forms, it can be caused by short sleep durations and/or fragmented sleep. Both of these can result in difficulties with progressing through sleep cycles in a normal, healthy way. As the months go by, we can get used to simply functioning in this way, accepting that this is just the way it is, for now, anyway. But there are risks that come with that. Studies have shown that even moderate sleep deprivation affects driving performance to the same degree as low-level intoxication. This is because our reaction times are slower when we are tired, meaning the chances of an accident are higher. JANUARY 2023
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How much sleep is enough? This varies depending on how old you are, but adults typically need between 7-9 hours of sleep a night. In comparison, Infants need between 12-15 and Children between 9-11. Our sleep needs change as we age, as our body secretes less melatonin, the ‘Sleepy hormone’. Melatonin is a natural hormone produced by your pineal gland, which is located in the brain. Our pineal gland receives information about the day-night cycle from the retinas in our eyes and then releases melatonin, typically 1-2 hours before bedtime. The pineal gland secretes the highest melatonin levels at night and minimal amounts during the day. It plays an important role in regulating our sleep wake cycle.
Common Sleep Challenges As busy parents with an ever ending to-do list, we can sometimes encounter issues with falling asleep and remaining asleep. Typically, when we experience high levels of Cortisol, which we usually associate with stress, our sleep patterns and circadian rhythm are affected. We can find ourselves waking up in the middle of the night and struggling to get back to sleep or perhaps waking early the
next day. This then has an impact on us, as we start the day with deflated energy levels. But the good news is, there are so many things you can do to prioritise getting great sleep!
When we sleep, our immune system strengthens, reducing the risk of cancer, inflammation, improving our mental health, skin, memory recall, and so much more. 1. Exercise Exercising in the daytime can reduce sleep onset (the time it takes to go to sleep), meaning it’ll help you fall asleep faster. It can improve our sleep quality and is also a great stress relief. Exercise has also been proven to help children, with studies showing that physical activity in the daytime has led to children sleeping longer at night.
2. Set a consistent sleep routine for you and your children This is SO important. When we think of a bedtime routine, we often associate this with our children; however, this can be hugely beneficial for us parents too. Having a wind down routine and going to bed at a similar time each night can really help the body adjust and prepare itself for sleep, meaning it cuts down on the amount of time spent waiting to fall asleep. Obviously, there will always be exceptions and events on, and that’s totally okay, life is all about balance! 3. Magnesium intake Increase your intake of Magnesium rich foods such as bananas, dark chocolate, avocados, almonds, leafy greens etc. Magnesium plays an active role in the nervous system, which can help relax and calm us. You can even add Epsom salts to your bath – this is a great way to raise levels. 4. Try and avoid electronic devices before bed. I know – this is a toughie! But the blue light emitted from our electronic devices can suppress the production of melatonin, which can result in trouble falling asleep and waking up the next day. Sleep is an integral part of self-care. It’s about consistently prioritising your sleep where you can. Insufficient sleep will generally only make it harder to regulate your emotions, cue frustration and irritability, which isn’t a great combo when you have children around! There will always be occasions like illnesses, holidays, events etc where this isn’t possible and that’s okay, real life has to and will happen. But on the days you can, do.
Just like our children, parents need good quality sleep too. When we have great sleep, we have better concentration and creativity, enhancing our productivity and decision-making skills.
Charlotte Hillyard Infant Sleep Consultant and founder of ‘The Gift of Sleep’ www.thegiftofsleep.uk
JANUARY 2023
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Interview with Dav Sehra Founder of Acre & Row
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av Sehra is the founder of the menswear brand Acre & Row. He lives in Bedford with his wife and 9 month old daughter.
Tell us about your journey. How did you get here? My journey into business started when I got into the fashion industry around 10 years ago - I started off interning for a small denim design company whilst attending night school to learn how to cut and sew. That was such an invaluable year for me as it allowed me to gain a very strong understanding of the anatomy of a garment, as well as how to be creative in designing garments for myself and knowing how to take them from a drawing to an actual wearable piece. I then moved into freelancing for small streetwear brands as a pattern cutter - helping bring the designs to life and working closely with workshops to ensure a smooth process with production. Around 2014/2015, I found myself with an opportunity to move away from men’s streetwear and work in men’s tailoring. It was something very new to me; however, I had always been intrigued how the fit and look of a men’s suit hadn’t changed in over 50/60 years (albeit small changes in trend with regards to the cut of the suit). It was the one part of menswear I thought would be
amazing to be a part of - rich in history and continuously relevant without changing its fundamentals. After a long stint working with a few tailors, I decided in 2020 to set up my own brand, Acre & Row. I wanted to showcase a very specific colour palette and style of suit, which encapsulates a more simplified approach to tailoring. This has since turned into a great personal project in trying to help clients create the ‘perfect’ wardrobe based on fabrics, colour and silhouettes. It has been an amazing journey so far, and running a business has been a totally new experience for me - challenging yet full of exciting opportunities.
“ My values have ended up being a pretty central part of the business - transparency, honesty and hard work.”
How do your values show up in the work you do? My values have ended up being a pretty central part of the business - transparency, honesty and hard work. These three, in particular, are the core values which I have instilled in the business, and I work with suppliers who share the same values. I made it a priority to be transparent about our supply chains and manufacturers - both local and overseas. I think it is extremely important to be able to share this information with clients who want to know exactly how and where their garments are made. In the past, I’d worked with brands who were more reluctant to share this information with their clients, and I knew this wasn’t how I wanted to work when I started my brand. Our relationship with each individual client is so important, creating a garment is such a personal experience, and it does cost more than buying an average high-end high street suit, so we ensure we have a fully transparent and personal approach – it’s not simply transactional. Personally, I think this is the approach the luxury sector should be taking. People want to know they are being looked after and getting value for their money. The value for money in our business is the highest level of customer service, it’s that simple.
What was the last thing you did that made you really proud? Being proud of things I have done is something I am trying to do more often. When running your own business, you can sometimes get fixated on achieving better results and not actually looking back to see how far you have come. So, I would say the last thing that made me really proud was a client who messaged me to say how excited and great he felt wearing his new blazer and chinos. It’s the small things like this that make it worth it.
How do you manage your time between family and business? I would say this is still a work in progress. The business is still in its infancy, so I am still heavily involved in the day to day as well as constantly ensuring I am doing things I need to keep it growing in the right direction. However, I do always make sure I take a half day on a Saturday and try to switch off completely on a Sunday - my wife, and I always try to take our little daughter out for brunch and have a nice walk every Sunday wherever we can.
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How do you keep yourself motivated? I think I have always been a motivated individual and can be very self critical, so always striving to do better in whatever area of my life that may be - as cliche as that may sound. I would also say making mistakes. For me, personally, making mistakes is something that can happen often in garment making and just running a business in general. A lot of our business is about the finer details, and sometimes things can be missed - not very often, but it does happen - and when it does, it is a very humbling experience. No matter how well we understand making a well-made suit when things go slightly wrong, it motivates us not to get complacent. Having a mentor and someone to look up to has also played a big role in keeping me motivated. There have been a few people I’ve met along my journey, some of which I am actually good friends with now, that have inspired me to continually improve my skillset; from a craftsmanship perspective as well as from a business perspective. I think it has been massively rewarding to have someone to look to and be inspired by to keep motivated, especially when running your own business. It can be pretty tough at times, so having people to talk to who have been through it really helps.
“ Being proud of things I have done is something I am trying to do more often. When running your own business, you can sometimes get fixated on achieving better results and not actually looking back to see how far you have come.” Who or what inspires you? I am inspired mostly by the past when it comes to the brand - generally speaking, within tailoring, I feel like there is always an element that is influenced by how men would dress in the ‘20s/’30s and iterations of some elements of the suit is taken, whether it be the cut, the cloth or even the accessories. But, in my personal life, I would say I am definitely inspired by my peers and other brands. I think it is very important to collaborate and talk with others doing something similar to you. I feel like you can have the same type of business with completely different customers yet still have similar people appreciating the narrative or story you are trying to create with your brand. But, aside from my inspiration for my business, I would have to say, my wife. She inspires me everyday to be better, work harder, and, most of all, take time to enjoy life. She is quite honestly the main reason my business is successful and why we have so much fun as a family!
www.acre-row.com
JANUARY 2023
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Don’t let your finances stress you out- Here’s how to improve your financial wellbeing
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oney is stressful, especially when you are running a business where your level of income may change on a monthly or even weekly basis. The evidence shows that poor financial wellbeing can affect physical, mental and social wellbeing. It doesn’t exist in isolation from other aspects of our wellbeing, so by taking steps to improve our financial wellbeing should have a positive impact on other aspects of our lives.
What is financial wellbeing, and why is it important? Financial wellbeing will mean different things to different people and will vary over the course of your life. There is no set level of income, wealth or financial circumstances that you need to achieve to have good financial wellbeing. Many affluent people will not have financial wellbeing, whilst others earning less may have good financial wellbeing. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau in January 2015 released a paper called Financial well-being: The goal of financial education and they summarised Financial Wellbeing as “financial well-being can be defined as a state of being wherein a person can fully meet current and ongoing financial obligations, can feel secure in their financial future and is able to make choices that allow enjoyment of life.”
What does good financial wellbeing look like? The foundations for those who state they have good financial wellbeing are: • Control of month-to-month spending • Capacity to absorb financial shocks, such as periods without work • Confidence that you are going to meet your goals • Choices to enjoy life • Clarity and security for those you leave behind This is a good starting point that you can look to emulate, but before this, I would suggest taking some time now to think about what having good financial wellbeing would mean to you as an individual. How to improve your financial wellbeing? 1.Get control over day-to-day, month-to-month finances A fundamental of good financial behaviour is to spend less than you earn, without this foundation, you will always struggle with your finances as you will have to take on more debt in order to fund your lifestyle. Having a personalised spending plan, so you are in control of your money will increase your confidence and give you better peace of mind. You will also have great clarity over your financial situation, how much you are spending and what you need to earn. This all starts with getting financially organised, knowing your numbers, what you own (assets) and what you owe (debts). Stop burying your head in the sand and find out your current position; this will give you the starting point to move forward. Having the capacity to absorb a financial shock Have an emergency fund to set aside money for unforeseen circumstances. This can give you confidence by knowing that you have a safety net in place, meaning you don’t have to worry about loss of earnings or unexpected bills. You also need to have the right insurances in place should the worse happen, such as life insurance or income protection.
Being on track to achieve your financial goals
Next Steps
Those with financial wellbeing are confident of achieving their plans, they will either have a formal or an informal plan and are actively taking steps towards achieving these goals. Your financial goals will depend on your current situation, but it is important to begin to think about what financial goals you have. These may be foundational such as building an emergency fund, to more lifestyle goals, such as making work optional.
Although there are 4 key elements, according to the research, having good financial wellbeing doesn’t mean you need to have all these four elements in place simultaneously. There will be some that will be more relevant at this time of your life, and others won’t.
Once you understand what your goals, you need to take action to help you achieve them. This may be building up your savings, putting money aside for investing or paying into a pension for when you are older. When setting your financial goals, ensure that you put the fundamentals in place before moving on to aspirational goals. Having the financial freedom to make choices Financial Freedom will mean different things to everyone. For those who said they have a strong sense of financial wellbeing - it was having the ability to make choices that allow them to enjoy life. This could be going out for a nice meal, travelling or being able to help family, friends or the community. Getting into a financial position where you have more freedom may take some time, but it can greatly improve your wellbeing in the future.
Being able to do this all stems from having a financial plan in place and being on top of your finances so that you are building wealth for the future to give you the opportunities you desire. At a base level, you need to have enough money to cover the basics such as shelter, food, warmth and clothing, but once these are covered, just earning more money and buying more stuff won’t necessarily equate to being happier or more fulfilled. The next level when it comes to financial planning is knowing the purpose of money in your life and what really matters to you. This means you can start aligning your use of money with what is important in your life and your values. By doing this, you will improve your wellbeing, which may mean you do not need to earn more to be happier.
Ian Richards Founder of Work to Live Financial Planning www.worktolivefinancialplanning.com This guide is for information purposes and does not constitute financial advice, which should be based on your individual circumstances. If you need financial advice, you should speak to a trusted financial adviser.
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Why PR is more than media coverage Think PR is just about getting a bit of press coverage for your business? Think again. Here small business PR expert Pippa Goulden addresses some common myths about PR and shows us how, when it’s done properly, it can be an effective tool for business growth.
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here’s a lot of confusion out there about PR; what it is, what it does, and who should do it. PR has a reputation as a dark art, something that can only be done by specialists – the PR industry has done a great job of
making you feel that you need a big budget and a little black book of contacts if you want to do it for your business. But I’m on a mission to show that’s just not true. There’s also a myth that’s perpetuated (often by PRs themselves) that it’s all about press coverage, but there’s so much more to PR than that.
I speak to many business owners who’ve dipped their toe into PR and found that it’s too expensive and hasn’t really worked for them, but I believe that’s because it hasn’t been done properly. A bit of press coverage here and there isn’t going to do much for your business. But put in place an effective PR strategy that works to your business objectives and your target audience – that’s when you reap the PR rewards (and trust me when I say that there are many)
So what actually is PR? If we take it back to basics, PR is about getting other people to talk about your business. So unlike advertising, where you pay for an advert to say what you want it to say, PR is about getting other people to tell their audience about you – for free. It’s that endorsement that makes PR so powerful, someone else is saying you’re great rather than you having to tell people yourself. It might be a journalist giving you some press coverage in a magazine or newspaper, but there are plenty of other PR routes, whether it’s being a guest on a podcast, influencer activity, a guest blog post for a brand with an aligned audience, an invitation to sit on a panel or a brand collaboration. These are all hugely powerful in terms of endorsement and creating trust triggers for your business. PR can help you to build your brand, tell your story and position yourself as an expert in your field. It can help you stay relevant and consistently visible and build your reputation. And it can drive sales too. PR also has other benefits, including helping your SEO, creating talkability for your business, driving traffic to your website, getting you in front of new audiences, creating opportunities for collaboration and building relationships with other businesses within your network. We’re living in a time when social media isn’t as effective for businesses as it used to be, combined with the cost of living crisis and the pinch being felt by so many consumers. PR can help you stand out against your competitors and reach your target audience in a very powerful, effective and low-cost way.
PR for Growth So, where do you start? My advice to the small businesses I work with is to break it down and build a strategic approach first before you do anything. The best PR – the PR that will have an impact on your business and help you to grow it, is the PR that’s done strategically. Trying to get a bit of press coverage here or the odd partnership there isn’t going to have much of an impact whilst draining your time and deflating your confidence. Focusing on building a strategy to help you reach your business objectives and target your audience is key to doing PR that will make a difference to your business.
Despite what the PR industry may have you believe, PR isn’t rocket science, you just need to learn how to do it and build the confidence to go out and do it. JANUARY 2023
Sometimes that will be media-focused, but if your target audience isn’t reading The Daily Telegraph, there’s not much point in putting all your energy into getting in there. Putting a strategy in place helps you to say no to things that aren’t going to make a difference and instead focus on the things that will. When done properly, PR can be instrumental in effecting growth in your business. One product business I work with had £1500 in sales from one influencer post, and another was approached by Liberty after the buyer read about them in a magazine. One of my DIY PR members has been paid to speak as an expert in their field (having joined with no experience in their sector!). Another member got a huge influx of orders after being featured on This Morning, and another had a 400% increase in web traffic from a podcast interview. This is PR being effective because it’s being done properly, with a focus on their target audience and what they want to achieve as a business.
My advice to the small businesses I work with is to break it down and build a strategic approach first before you do anything. Know your audience Understanding who your target audience is before you start is the key to doing effective PR. It’s really important to remember that you aren’t your audience, just because you don’t read particular magazines or spend your time on social media doesn’t mean that your audience isn’t. Do your research. Get to know your audience; know what media they read, where they’re hanging out online, where they get their information from, who they follow, and what they listen to. This will really help you to be targeted in your efforts trying to reach them and mean that you’re not wasting time on things that aren’t going to help shift the dial for your business.
Can you do it yourself? I want to empower as many small businesses as I can to do their own PR – you don’t have to spend big budgets on PR agencies these days to create conversations around your business. You can upskill yourself (or a team member) and go out and do it yourself. Despite what the PR industry may have you believe, PR isn’t rocket science, you just need to learn how to do it and build the confidence to go out and do it.
Pippa Goulden Founder of The PR Set www.theprset.com
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Interview with Rebecca Da Silva Lima & Dominique Hughes Founders of Jem + Bea
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ominique Hughes and Rebecca Da Silva Lima have five children between them; they had a vision of creating the perfect changing bag for parents. With that dream in mind, Jem + Bea was born in 2015; this multiaward winning accessories brand took shape.
Tell us about you We have known each other since secondary school and have five children between us, say’s Rebecca. Before launching Jem + Bea, I designed leather accessories for Mulberry, Anya Hindmarch and Burberry. Dominique was a lawyer with a serious handbag obsession and a strong desire to leave the city. We joined forces to create changing bags for parents that were functional, sustainable and stylish. We named the business after our two youngest children, Jemima and Beatrice.
Why did you decide to start your own business? We were both working mums with young children finding the commute and lack of family time a strain. As a bag designer and bag enthusiast, we were pretty disappointed with the changing bags that were on the market and could see huge potential for a successful new venture creating modern and functional changing bags that would also give us a more flexible working role in our day to day lives. We bravely took the plunge, set up the business and haven’t looked back.
What’s been the biggest obstacle you’ve had to overcome? We have tried to grow the business organically without the need for financial investment or borrowing, which does put constraints on our working capital, we just have to
watch our cash flow carefully. Our stock levels were also detrimentally affected by covid and the mass temporary closures of manufacturers over the last few years, and the repercussions of this are still ongoing. This has affected almost every brand, but things are almost back to normal now.
What does success look like to you? Being content with our jobs, making parent’s lives easier with our thoughtful designs, and being recognised for our work as a sustainable company all stem from the success of our business.
“ We try to compress our working day into school hours as much as possible, so we are usually having a working lunch to make the most of our time at HQ.”
If you were to give advice to a parent thinking of starting a business, what would it be?
www.jemandbea.com
Be prepared to put the hours in outside the normal working day. To fit around family life, we are up early, responding to emails before the day starts and finishing the day once the children are in bed. In the first few years, when we were getting started, our phone was attached to us, It held our emails and social accounts, all of which needed attention 24/7. Switching off can be really difficult, and I don’t think we had an actual ‘day off’ bar Christmas Day, for many years. Be strict with your time and try not to let it become all consuming. Also, ask friends for advice who are in business – you can learn a lot even if the business is not similar to yours. Be engaged on social media – it will be your best marketing tool.
How do you manage your time between family and business?
We try to compress our working day into school hours as much as possible, so we are usually having a working lunch to make the most of our time at HQ. In terms of holidays, we have become better at this over the years and now try to take at least a week or two a year where we are not allowed to check our emails – though the temptation is always there! It’s important to do this to be totally disconnected and be fully immersed in family time. That said, you will often find children in our HQ drawing all over our whiteboards during school holidays.teaching us at the time, I am glad they did, as that base has allowed me to push on.
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LET’S TALK BUSINESS WITH CLARE
Your Business Questions Answered
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ello, I’m Clare, Business Support & Growth Adviser, Developer, Troubleshooter I’m here to listen, support and share my business experience with you. Helping you to move through things that have you stuck and clear a path when things get too much.
Tell me what’s happening or not happening! Let’s talk together and refocus business for you.
The Big Question from 2022 I ran a poll via LinkedIn, asking parents in business about their current hot topic. ‘How to grow my business’ scored the highest. This edition is focused on ways you can move your business forward. Bringing positive energy into 2023. How to grow your business Your gut says, “It doesn’t feel like the right time to talk or even think about growth”! However, continuing to provide your service or product is genuinely good for the local community, suppliers, customers, and commerce.
SMEs account for three fifths of the employment and around half of turnover in the UK private sector* So, as you can see, small business contribution to the economy is huge, and if we focus on what is possible to achieve in your business, this and your percentage is going to get bigger.
Barriers There are a variety of blocks to growth, some physical and some emotional. A physical example could be skills - marketing, customer service, delivery - so it would be valuable to see if you can collaborate, skill swap, outsource, or use alternative methods within these less confident skill areas. (More about collaboration below in Vision & Visibility) An emotional example is mindset, how we feel about change. An essential part of your growth conversation will centre around what you can do differently, better, more efficiently, with higher value and lower investment. Switching your entrepreneurial vision to high and wide beam.
Follow these up with your own questions, it’s amazing how talking to yourself out loud brings about some insightful answers.
Vision & Visibility Your vision is now as a disruptor rather than a duplicator. And you can go small or big. This isn’t about spending money; it’s about getting noticed. Think of the ideas or opportunities you might have banked in the last year or two. Intending to return to it but never did. Now is the time to revisit those ideas or consider new ones. Such as: Ask The People – this is deservedly first because we are talking directly to people who follow or buy from you. If you are already marketing to your customers, whether online or by newsletter, this is the time to find out exactly what they want! Collaborate – there has never been a better time to amplify your impact by sharing your message. There’s no dilution here if who you choose is aligned with your values and sees the opportunity as a joint effort. Referral & Recommendation – when was the last time you asked for a review? Well, now’s the time. If you’re already selling, then you have a list of people who could share why they bought from you. Recommending others because their experience was so good. Community – there are so many groups on Facebook, LinkedIn, or even your local area, that need your expertise. No hard sell. Just share what you know and what works. Building confidence in you and your business. Membership – consider your budget, research the options, and see who will elevate your business in return for a monthly or annual fee. Research is key here, you want members who are also potential customers or access to them via newsletter, for example.
Podcast – is there one out there that would benefit from your service or product? You could talk for free and get publicity for free. Advertising that you can amplify on your website, in your newsletter or via social media. Newsletter – if this has been on the back burner for a while (like mine!), then dust it off and reignite the spark. Don’t send out a sales letter. Create something of value. Share ideas on how to best use your product, make it last longer, grow taller, feed you better. Connect with other owners (particularly with a compatible service/product) and say you’ll put them into your newsletter/flier if they could help do the same. Courses – this doesn’t have to be expensive. If you can do it online, even better. Check out www.thinkific.com. Work out your costs in time, product, marketing and then value your offer. Start small. And don’t be put off if it doesn’t work straight away. Any failure is a lesson in getting it right next time.
SME turnover was estimated at £2.3 trillion*
Funding & Grants For the last few weeks, I have focused on local government funding. If you need something that could be supported by growth funding, check this out now. It will only be a matter of time before these pockets of money get withdrawn or run out. Search revenue grant, match funding, CAPEX grant funding. Confidence It’s all well and good banging on about all of this stuff, but if you’re not feeling it, it’s not going to happen. So, what can we do about that? One of my favourites is to look back at all the kind words said about you, your service or product. As an instant boost, it’s a winner. Put them together in an easy to see smile file. Share them on your website, in your newsletter, and on your social platforms. What bigger impact is there when your customer says you’re great? When was the last time you jumped up and down and said, “I’m brilliant”? Well, you should. It’s a fact that saying positive and encouraging things about yourself does change your internal perspective. And… Third person talking seems to work best. Clare, you’re doing great work. (Read your reviews out loud) Clare, you are going to be BRILLIANT talking at a Masterclass in December. (Gulp) Clare, you can do a newsletter, you’ll ENJOY sharing knowledge and tips. Don’t keep them to yourself when someone out there could really benefit from them. Start small. Q: Clare, what’s stopping you from sending out your newsletter? A: I can’t think of anything valuable to write Q: Clare, have you read any of this article back to yourself?
Introduction And finally, here’s something not many of us are comfortable with. So, let’s break it down and make it user friendly. Here’s mine. What do I do? Why do I do it? How do I do it? Who do I do it for? - I help business owners through growth and stuck periods. - I enjoy being part of the eureka moments when owners find their way to move forward and see their value. - By listening to what’s happening, providing the space to think clearly and creatively, and being their accountability person. - Business owners who want to grow or change. But are currently stuck, overwhelmed, too busy, too shy. In a nutshell I listen to business owners! So they can move forward and grow. By telling their story, harnessing their motivation, and marketing themselves. Sustainably, with purpose and thoughtfulness. Now, get out there and introduce yourself! *FSB 2021 figures
“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.” Click here to send your questions to me or email info@parentsinbiz.co.uk Connect with Clare www.cmresource.co.uk
A: Oh, I suppose I could share some of these tips. JANUARY 2023
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My journey from engineering to fashion I left school just before my 18th birthday and began an Engineering degree course, something that I had planned for several years. After a placement between 3rd and 4th year, I knew the industry I was heading for didn’t hold what I wanted out of a career. On graduating, I spent a year working as a structural engineer in the oil and gas industry. This time helped to confirm that engineering was not for me. I enjoyed aspects of the work, but ultimately it didn’t fulfil me.
Having volunteered at a local school, I found myself drawn to a career in education. I completed an intensive, 1-year post-graduate course and loved every minute of my training. No matter how many times I stood in front of the same group of teenagers, it was never the same experience. It was some of the most tiring but rewarding years of my life. During my years as a teacher, my partner moved in with me, we got engaged, moved house, got married and fell pregnant. I worked as far along my pregnancy as I could and prepared for full-time motherhood. Three children and 10 years later, I could see a return to work looming. I would like to say that I was excited at the prospect of the next chapter, but the thought of returning to work terrified me.
I had always seen teaching as something I wanted to return to. Despite being fully aware of the workload involved, I had previously considered teaching to be a career I could fit around my family. That didn’t feel possible now, knowing what motherhood expected of me. At this point, my sister had not long had her first child and had asked me to make some clothes for her son (sewing clothes had been a hobby of mine since my teens). She showed me some of the small clothing brands that were appearing on Instagram and suggested starting my own business.
As a result, Taffy Tots Clothing was founded. I am working from my studio at home, so I am here in the morning when my boys leave for school, and I meet them in the kitchen for a cuppa and catch up when they come home. I can fit my work around them and what we need as a family. Even more than that, I am doing something I love and building a brand I’m proud of. It’s not all roses, and I’ve had to learn a lot. One of the biggest hurdles has been facing imposter syndrome. This is a career that I’ve not specifically trained for or studied at an academic level. What I continue to remind myself is that there are aspects of all my training and studying that have brought me here, and I can draw on those experiences and learn to grow and evolve my business.
JANUARY 2023
Karen O’Brien Founder of Taffy Tots Clothing www.taffytotsclothing.co.uk
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Is your employer brand affecting your recruitment and retention? Most of the employers that came to our stand at our last business exhibition asked about recruiting new staff and retaining current ones. They were struggling to attract good candidates, and some were losing really good staff on a high scale.
This is one of the aftermaths of the pandemic and comes as no surprise, as there is a skills shortage in the UK, and there are currently approximately 1.2 million vacancies in the country across all sectors, according to the Office of National Statistics (ONS). This means there are more jobs available than skilled people to fill them. As an employer, you need to stand out from the crowd to attract the right people for your business. This is why your branding is really important.
G
enerally, branding itself is often labelled as a marketing term. If you think of your favourite brand, things like their company logo and messaging come to mind. Why are they your favourite compared to other similar brands? It could be the quality of their products and services, their reputation in the market, or the great customer service they provide. All these factors and more are part of their branding and are important because they create an instant and lasting impression for either the right or wrong reasons. All businesses want their branding to be appealing for the right reasons.
An employer brand is your company’s reputation as an employer and what you can offer to your employees or job seekers. It’s the way you are perceived and how you differentiate yourself from similar organisations to you that enables you to attract, recruit, retain and engage the right people in a dense labour market. Through social media and other advances in technology, it is easier than ever for jobseekers to research their prospective employers online; therefore, it is important for companies to be able to easily demonstrate their values and the benefits attached to working for them. Their brand acts as an advertisement to potential employees. However, poor branding can damage the company and its future prospects, as can any reports of poor employee experience, bad reviews, or poor employee rewards. This will lead to the build-up of negative opinions, damaging the brand and turning away potential employees.
The Current State of the Labour Market The pandemic has highlighted the need for employers to focus on their employer brand, so they are appealing to potential employees. It has shone a light on working conditions enforced by employers, especially in creating a safe environment to work in. Employers risk damage to their reputation if they are found to have any failings, which
could have an impact on future candidates’ perception of the company in terms of how they look after their staff and keep them safe. Recent statistics show that 50% of job candidates have said that they wouldn’t work for a company with a bad reputation, even for a pay increase, whilst 86% of HR professionals say recruitment is becoming more like marketing. These show that potential employees value the state of their place of work highly, even when compared to other key incentives such as their pay. Companies that don’t focus on any of their resources often end up paying higher salaries than other companies as they need the extra incentive to attract the top candidates in the market. Therefore, companies can potentially save money whilst chasing the top talent for their available roles just by paying attention to and utilising their employer brand.
Key points to focus on
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Respond to both positive and negative reviews. Through responding to reviews, the employer can show that they are active and are working to maintain a good employer brand. By responding to negative reviews, they can show that they are addressing concerns and working to fix them. Potential employees will see this when researching the company and applying for roles and will see that the company is engaging with its employees and any issues.
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Reflect on the actual experience of employees. Use current employees as advocates for your employer brand. Companies must not just repeat their values and their rhetoric, as jobseekers would have heard most of the points before from other companies. Through creating a positive work environment and looking after current employees, the employer brand will grow as happy employees talk about it.
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Ensure a positive experience during your onboarding process. Once you’ve made an offer and it’s been accepted, you may think that you can take your foot off the employer brand marketing pedal. Although often overlooked, this will help them settle into their role more effectively.
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Managing internal communications and regularly keeping your employees informed of new developments could make them passive or active ambassadors. This works in favour of your business because they share information about your company in a more authentic way, and people are likely to trust the information more.
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Corporate social responsibility is also an important consideration in how your brand is perceived. If you support a local charity or social cause, you should publicise this. Some of our clients offer paid volunteer days for their employees to support causes important to them. It’s an employee benefit that many find attractive and gets used a lot!
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When people leave your organisation, it’s important to manage the process sensitively. They may be on their way out but could still be a great ambassador for your business.
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The pandemic has proven that many jobs can be done whilst working from home, and many are used to that style of life. Moving forwards, working from home, or a combination of both, will become a highly attractive pull to prospective workers, and the company’s stance on the issue will undoubtedly have a large impact on their employer brand.
Tutu Popoola is the Director and Lead Consultant at Sleek HR. We offer an outsourced HR consultancy service to small and medium size businesses across the UK. Do you have any questions about this article or other HR related matters, please email hello@sleekhr.co.uk
• Communicate what makes your company unique, what it stands for and its aspirations and align all of this with the top talent that you want to attract. •
Use social media to your advantage. Active social media pages highlight continued attention to the employer brand. Additionally, being active on webpages such as LinkedIn and Glassdoor will help to engage jobseekers and build the company’s reputation.
JANUARY 2023
Tutu Popoola Director and Lead Consultant at Sleek HR www.sleekhr.co.uk
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Pivoting your business in challenging times
W
ith the current economic situation, many businesses are struggling to stay afloat. It can be difficult to navigate these challenging times, but there are strategies you can use to pivot your business and make it successful. Here is an overview of how you can pivot your business in challenging times. Understand Your Target Audience The first step in pivoting your business is understanding your target audience. Do you know who your target audience is? Taking the time to understand the people you are selling to is key to achieving success with your business. Once you have identified this group of people, create content that speaks directly to them and discover relevant marketing channels, such as social media and email campaigns, podcasts, or even branching out onto blogging sites. Understanding your target audience can help with countless decisions too - how much should you charge for your product or service? What type of products or services do they need or want? By having a thorough comprehension of their needs, wants, and preferences can really put your business in a position for prosperity. Develop New Strategies Now that your target audience has been pinpointed, it’s time to create some fresh strategies to reach them. Consider boosting your Search Engine Optimisation and ensuring your website is ranked high on the search engine results pages. On top of that, designing content that speaks to potential customers should also figure into your plan. And if you’re feeling ambitious, explore different markets or begin offering new products or services that are more suitable for modern times. Plus, adapting digital tools like virtual meetings or webinars can keep customers and clients informed without paying the usual fare that physical meetings come with. Stay Flexible Staying flexible and adapting to new ideas are essential to staying ahead in the game. When determining a course of action, it’s crucial not to become too attached to one plan, as things can often take unexpected turns. Additionally,
being adaptable and prepared for even unorthodox solutions can help ensure continued success for your business, especially during these unprecedented times. Now more than ever, the savviest businesses are built upon the ability to remain malleable despite the potential difficulties that may arise from changes in the market or overall strategy. Therefore, it is wise to keep open to different concepts and approaches that could bolster productivity over taking too-fixed of a stance. Moreover, promoting a culture where quick yet informed adjustments can be made vis-a-vis altered circumstances ought to be of paramount concern to all organisations seeking further advancement. It is reassuring to know that there are strategies that can help you pivot your business in difficult times. It comes down to understanding your target audience and utilising marketing techniques that match the interests of this audience. Additionally, re-engaging old clients and trying to acquire new ones can benefit your business. Keep in mind that people are looking for innovative businesses doing something different during these times. Therefore, it is important to remain creative and reinvent yourself if necessary in order to make it through these challenging economic conditions. With the right dedication and hard work, you can make it happen and see success come out of these unpredictable times.
There’s nothing quite like the magic eye of a graphic designer to give your business that extra wow!
Brand Identity Marketing Material Business Stationery Advertising
www.b81designs.com
design that
champions your brand JANUARY 2023
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Book Review
Read through Shona’s book reviews, and discover the best business books.
Mission Possible Written by Alexandre Mars Alexandre Mars is an entrepreneur, philanthropist and author. His companies include technology businesses and social enterprises. Mission Possible is a book of general business advice from someone who has been there and done that and wants to help others achieve their dreams too. I found this a great read, the chapters are bite-sized, making it pretty easy to fit in a bit of business advice each morning. What can you expect from Mission Possible? It’s a mix of advice from the author’s lived experience blended with crowd sourced wisdom from well known founders. In an early chapter, Alexandre writes that success comes in knowing how to stand out from the crowd, to make your idea more attractive than other products on the market. As he says, how else can you expect to grow? I found this thought provoking, it’s interesting to look at the established giants of business and try to work out how they did that and bring that back to your own small business. Each chapter included well-known business owners’ examples of how they’d been inspired or overcome challenges. I enjoyed finding out how Ben Silbermann, founder of Pinterest, came up with the name in chapter 11, which is all about branding. In fact it wasn’t him at all but his wife who said;
‘If your idea is to pin your interests on a wall, why not call it Pinterest?’ The domain name was available, so he bought it. The book offers advice on networking, fundraising, and marketing, as well as the strengths an entrepreneur will require. Whilst nothing is covered in huge depth, it is a useful, practical read that could easily be part of your research whilst starting up a business or just a source of inspiration to the busy small business owner. Available on Amazon
Shona Chambers Marketing Consultant www.shonachambersmarketing.co.uk
JANUARY 2023
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