In
Workplaces across the country aren’t providing working mothers with the support packages, pay-rises and promotions they need – according to a survey of 6,000 UK professionals.
The number of days women in the UK work ‘for free’ due to the 14.9% gender pay gap across all ages and types of work
We’re going to be compensated fairly for our jobs, we’re going to be given the opportunity to make choices about our bodies and we’re going to be safe Lena Dunham
News
6 Upfront: The top international news stories involving women in business
22 In The Right Direction: Good news stories from around the world
14 Highlights of the recent FlexForward forum in Brighton
17 Juliet Turnbull of 2to3days on employers taking a flexible approach to flexible working, if they wish to attract experienced female staff
24 Highlighting two female business leaders who ought to get more recognition that they currently receive
30 Tanya Borowski highlights the life-affirming benefits herbs available to you on your windowsill can have
32 A new book on how global companies take on digital disruption
34 The work of Carolyn Bew, whose work has been compared to that of Beryl Cook
36 Tess de Klerk relaxes at the sumptuous Carlton Tower Jumeirah in central London
38 A brief snapshot of art and culture cross Sussex and Surrey
40 Motoring Editor, Fiona Shafer, MD of MDHUB interviews Barney Dines, CEO of Heritage Parts Centre in Shoreham-by-Sea
8
BIG STORY
Melanie Sykes
The former and TV presenter has written a book opening up on many issues including neurodivergence
FEATURE
28
Alison Jones of Kreston Reeves discusses the benefits of what great customer care is to your business
PUBLISHER: Maarten Hoffmann maarten@platinummediagroup.co.uk
EDITOR: Tess de Klerk tess@platinummediagroup.co.uk
MOTORING EDITOR: Fiona Shafer fionas@platinummediagroup.co.uk
COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR: Lesley Alcock lesley@platinummediagroup.co.uk
EVENTS DIRECTOR: Fiona Graves fiona@platinummediagroup.co.uk
EVENTS MANAGER: Žaneta Bealing zaneta@platinummediagroup.co.uk
HEAD OF DESIGN: Michelle Shakesby design@platinummediagroup.co.uk
SUB EDITOR: Alan Wares alan@platinummediagroup.co.uk
WWW.PLATINUMMEDIAGROUP.CO.UK
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I just love bossy women. I could be around them all day. To me, bossy is not a pejorative term at all. It means somebody’s passionate and engaged and ambitious and doesn’t mind learning.”
Amy Poehler
• Personal finance advice
• Retirement planning
• Business support
• Generational planning
• Tax year-end advice
I’m proud to represent both male and female clients. And, while it goes without saying that both can experience the same stressors, there’s no avoiding the fact that women face several unique challenges.
My 20 years’ experience has shown that women can therefore greatly benefit from highly personalised financial advice, which takes these challenges into account. This is why I’m so passionate about empowering women with the confidence and tools to help them achieve their long-term financial goals.
So, whatever your financial journey so far, let me give you the guidance, support, and stability to help you plan a happy and financially secure life.
Since our inception, we’ve regularly received feedback from working mothers, and mothers who would like to be in work but who find the juggle impossible or not financially viable. Women who have passion, skills and expertise but who find themselves either sidelined or overwhelmed in jobs not offering the flexibility that they need; women experiencing the ‘Motherhood Penalty’.
Th is month we look closely at a survey putting the Motherhood Penalty in numbers and statistics, while we hear from Juliet Turnbull from 2to3 days and Rhiannon Williams from Zen Communications about why true flexibility for parents in the workplace is key to resolving the overwhelming UK job vacancies.
For our July Big Story we champion Melanie Sykes who is on a mission to bring knowledge of autism to more people, which is a cause close to our hearts here at Dynamic.
We, of course, also have our fantastic regular features such as Art and Further Reading for you too, while you can read all about The Carlton Tower Jumeirah in London in our Travel section.
I hope you enjoy what we’ve curated for you this month and, as always, do get in touch to let me know if there are topics that you would like to see covered in Dynamic.
Editor, Dynamic MagazineThe British Standards Institute (BSI) has published new guidance to help organisations retain experienced and talented staff after a consultation with experts and the public.
The Menstruation, menstrual health and menopause in the workplace standard (BS 30416) sets out practical recommendations for workplace adjustments as well as strategies that can help employers meet the needs of those experiencing menopause or menstruation.
It comes after research from the Fawcett Society suggested about 10% of those experiencing menopause have left the workplace due to symptoms such as hot flushes, dizziness, insomnia, and muscle and joint stiffness. This figure rises to 25% for those with more severe symptoms.
Research has revealed the UK gender pension gap show that the average male pension equated to £8,466 while the average female’s equated to £4,285; a 49% difference, according to the latest review of the Gender Pension Report by the Government Actuary’s Department (GAD).A 46% difference was also seen between actively contributing males and females in legacy accrued final salary benefits, and a 35% difference between male and female actively contributing members post-2014 accrued career average benefits. The difference also highlights how females taking career breaks or working part-time significantly impacts upon pay and pensions; a balance that needs addressing.
Kreston Reeves has introduced an industry leading maternity and adoption leave policy that will see new parents receive full pay for 21 weeks. The policy, which took effect from June 1st, offers all qualifying staff an enhanced maternity and adoption leave way above the statutory minimum (currently £172.48 a week). The policy also allows shared parental and adoption leave alongside paternity leave. It follows the firm achieving B Corp status, recognising the need to balance profits with purpose. Sharn Manku (right), HR Director at Kreston Reeves, said, “Kreston Reeves has an ever-growing female workforce. We look to support our staff in every way we can, including the development of tomorrow’s leadership teams.”
❛ ❛Women belong in all places where decisions are being made… It shouldn’t be that women are the exception
Ruth Bader Ginsburg
New research reveals trending employee demands of 2023 around the world. The study, conducted by job hunting experts at Lensa, analysed the number of annual searches surrounding workplace demands.
Menopause leave is the most increased request globally. The past year has seen a huge increase of 336%, in contrast to the number of companies actually offering menopausal leave around the world.
Mental health support, a topic covered many times in Dynamic, shows the second most increased request. According to the World Health Organisation, the Covid pandemic resulted in a 25% increase in the prevalence of mental illnesses such as depression.
Karren Brady’s Women in Business & Tech Expo takes place on October 18th and 19th at ExCel in London
Many of the UK’s leading employers will be exhibiting, all looking to scoop up the country’s best female tech talent. It is also an opportunity for those companies to promote their diversity and inclusion agenda to thousands of mid-senior level female professionals. Karren Brady and Steven Bartlett headline on each of the two days, while the sponsored roundtable sessions are close to selling out.
Potential exhibitors should contact emma@hubexhibitions.co.uk for more information, stand availability and pricing.
The Gateway Women’s Centre in Portslade, which provides a safe space for women going through a time of crisis or emotional difficulty, has received support from Off The Fence, a charity which supports vulnerable children and women as well as the homeless. A Capital Appeal ultimately raised over £540,000, meaning the doors to the new premises opened on December 1st 2022.
If you would like to donate or volunteer goods or services to Off The Fence, call 01273 417597, or email gen.fox@off thefence.org.uk
n Meanwhile, The Board of Trustees at Off The Fence has appointed Reverend Julio Abraham, as its new CEO. Abraham was most recently the CEO of Derby City Mission.
“Julio is a leader and entrepreneur with an extensive experience in charity leadership, social enterprise and business,” said a spokesperson for the charity.
Women are always saying, ‘We can do anything that men can do.’ But men should be saying, ‘We can do anything that women can do.’
Gloria SteinemAfter (above) Before (right)
Freeing yourself was one thing, claiming ownership of that freed self was another
Toni Morrison
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Women that ask for certain boundaries can be misconstrued as difficult.
Many men ask for what they want, which is great, but we should be allowed the same courtesy.
It is our right to equality
Melanie Sykes
For many years, Melanie Sykes was a regular face on TV, in shows such as ‘Today with Des and Mel’, ‘The Big Breakfast’ and ‘ The Great Pottery Throw Down’, and even the face of Boddingtons TV commercials.
But hers is a story, perhaps not uncommon among women in the celebrity spotlight. In November 2021, she was diagnosed as autistic, something she feels has released her and opened her up. She has now published her autobiography highlighting the many issues which caused her to fight with alcohol, mental health issues and coercive relationships.
Melanie Sykes was born in Ashton-under-Lyme, (then Lancashire, now Greater Manchester) on August 7th 1970 to an English father and an Anglo-Indian mother. She grew up locally, and played in the Ashtonian Brass Band on the baritone horn.
She fi rst came to public prominence in the mid-1990s as the popular face advertising local brew Boddingtons Bitter on television.
Sykes’ TV presenting career started as a host on Sky One. She moved on to be a reporter for four years from 1997 until 2001 on Channel 4’s The Big Breakfast. Her other credits include presenting stints on ‘I’m a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!’ In 1999, Sykes presented ‘Melanie Sykes’ Southall Stories’, a documentary for BBC Two on Asian culture in Great Britain. She has also hosted a variety of awards ceremonies, including Miss World, the BAFTA Awards and the Q Awards. Despite her 25-plus years as a recognised and wellrespected TV presenter, she regards the industry as a ‘horror story’.
As a result, in 2016, Sykes launched her own online women’s lifestyle magazine ‘Frank’ - “The magazine for open-minded women of all ages across the world.” What Sykes offers in her magazine is an opportunity for women to tell their stories in the way they see fit – to be ‘frank’. While the magazine publishes articles and opinions from a variety of writers on myriad topics, it has also proved an essential vehicle for her to open up on her mental health and neurodivergent issues.
In October 2021, at the age of 51, Sykes wrote to the readers of Frank magazine to say that she had been diagnosed as autistic. She opened up about the ‘life-changing’ diagnosis, and her relief that things in her life had fi nally started to “make sense”. Rather than be bogged down by any societal prejudices, Sykes stated that the diagnosis was
‘life-affi rming’, and she would be ‘celebrating’. She felt it offered her a deeper understanding of herself and her working and home environments.
One such example Sykes offered was that she had always struggled with earpieces while live on air. The director in the gantry would say something, and, “I have often accidentally responded to the director in my ear, live on air, as I cannot juggle the person I am interviewing and the person in my ear at the same time.”
Her neurodivergence would previously manifest itself in a manner Sykes herself didn’t understand. “There’s a sense of relief about it and a sense of mourning. Not because I don’t want to be who I am, it’s that I wish I’d known sooner so I could have understood exactly why things were rolling the way they were rolling.
“I’ve been vulnerable to abusive people, I’ve been vulnerable to people that lie because I only see and take on board what people tell me. I’ve always been a bit funny with jokes, if somebody tells me something with a deadpan delivery I believe them.”
Sykes had also had a public battle with alcohol. She declared herself sober in 2017, but despite this, her life in the spotlight affected her mental health and, after she was diagnosed autistic during research for Frank magazine, she had a breakdown. She recovered from it through therapy and exercise – and decided to speak out.
From this, Sykes has written her autobiography, in which she states that she has fi nished with mainstream television and all of the unpleasantness she encountered as a woman in the industry.
‘Illuminated: Autism & All The Th ings I’ve Left Unsaid’ written by Sykes herself recounts many of these horror incidents including how collecting a Royal Television
In November 2021, she was diagnosed as autistic, something she feels has released her and opened her upPresenting with Des O’Connor The Boddington’s advert The Big Breakfast with Chris Evans
Frank magazine, launched by Sykes in 2016, differs from Dynamic inasmuch as this publication focuses far more on women in business, and all of the surrounding issues of women in work, in commerce and in leadership; Frank is more at the lifestyle end, but with personal stories and issues to the fore.
Society award was “tainted” as she “kept being touched up by a TV personality, who would not leave me alone. He was grabbing my breasts and being a complete pest. I felt sick.”
The book chronicles Sykes’s experiences of sexism, abusive relationships and racism, while providing an insight into the often toxic culture that she claims pervaded the fashion and showbusiness industries during her career.
Those stories of sexual coercion come thick and fast in her book, including one colleague - get this - laying on the floor just to look up her skirt. She threw a drink on him, and it was all captured on camera, which was bad enough, though the show was edited to take out the oddball intrusion – making Sykes, “look like I was crazy.”
She alleges that she was also quite often “thrown under the bus.” As an example, Sykes recalls the time she and game show co-host Mark Wright fi lmed a pilot, only to have it cancelled as it fell foul of TV gambling rules. However, the press release issued about it cited, “Mark and Melanie had ‘failed to understand the concept of the game’.” Sykes fumes at re-telling this story.
She fi nally decided to leave television presenting after co-hosting Celebrity MasterChef in 2021 with Gregg Wallace. He told her, despite not having had as long a TV career as Sykes, that the show would “do a lot for you.” That was the fi nal insult, and made her “decide to end my television career once and for all. I was done.”
She felt she had been “tap-dancing for corporations who couldn’t give two hoots about my wellbeing”. As a result, presenting on television now no longer interests her.
She hopes her book and the two fi lms currently in production would shine a revealing and positive light on autism, especially as her son was diagnosed autistic as an infant; and issues affecting vulnerable women, such as coercive control.
Sykes told The Guardian, “Women that ask for certain boundaries can be misconstrued as difficult. Many men ask for what they want, which is great, but we should be allowed the same courtesy. It is our right to equality. But if you challenge their status quo, you are considered a problem.
“Men do not talk to other men the way they speak to women because they would be in deep danger of getting punched on the nose if they did. Not all men, but quite a few, save up all their anger and anxiety and unleash it on women.
“For too long women who don’t fit a notion of normal have been deemed ‘mad’ or ‘crazy’”.
Sykes said she only wanted to use her profi le now to help people, including by highlighting campaigns against domestic abuse and harassment. Writing her story had helped her, while hoping that it would help women recognise if they are in coercive relationships.
‘Illuminated: Autism & All the Th ings I’ve Left Unsaid’ by Melanie Sykes is published by HarperCollins, 2023
Sykes said she only wanted to use her profi le now to help peopleOn Masterchef
RHIANNON WILLIAMS, Managing Director of strategic PR and Communications agency Zen Communications, explains how there is an untapped demographic desperate to get back into work, but who are unable to because they need more flexibility than the standard nine-to-five model allows
Traditional nine-to-five working is archaic at best. Covid-19 highlighted this like never before with around a million workers leaving their employment and re-evaluating their work-life balance. As a result, the UK is experiencing a record high in job vacancies that employers just cannot fill. And many, including senior politicians, are campaigning for the over 50s - dubbed the ‘Covid retirees’ - to return to work and help our economy recover, citing enhanced flexibility as a way to entice them.
However, there exists an even greater core demographic within our communities which is being massively overlooked, and which possesses a wealth of experience, energy and expertise that could be invaluable to our economic viability and growth. There are thousands of mums, dads, and carers out there desperate to get back into work, but who are unable to simply because they need more flexibility.
It’s 2023, yet parents are still having to choose between a career and children, because the constraints of traditional employment hours simply don’t work for their families.
A new national report into the childcare crisis by charity Pregnant Then Screwed revealed a staggering 76% of mothers who pay for childcare - let that sink in for a momentthat’s three in four mothers - say it no longer makes financial sense for them to work, with one in four saying the cost is now over 75% of their take-home pay.
Putting this further into perspective, the Childcare Survey 2023, conducted by charity Coram Family and Childcare, found the average annual cost of a full-time nursery place for a child under three in Great Britain is now almost £15,000. For one child. Yet parents have to pay, because they need this childcare to be able to work the traditional nine-to-five hours most employers require.
At Zen, we’re staunch opponents of this hugely antiquated way of working. Why can’t individuals choose to drive forward successful careers, not lose all their hard-earned income to childcare, still be fabulous parents, and even take time out for their own self-care or hobbies?
We’re continually looking for ways to evolve and encourage a better life/work balance (in that order), and when Covid-19 hit, we saw a unique opportunity to really push the boundaries. So, on June 1st 2020 we officially abolished the working week.
We now adopt a totally flexible approach, whereby our team is actively encouraged to work its hours to suit their individual lifestyles, with the autonomy to make decisions on when and where they work. And this wasn’t just a ‘right thing to do’ decision - we based it on the latest science around performance which points to natural energy and focus cycles that we all run throughout the day.
We’re proud to have completely re-written the rulebook and revolutionised the way we do business. By adopting a genuine flexible working policy we have truly empowered our team to stay well, be happy, and work even more productively. The majority of our team are parents to young children, and our approach ensures they don’t miss out on those all-important events and milestones. Aside from us as parents having the opportunity to always be present at sports days, parents’ evenings, and nativity plays - we’re all individuals with duties, interests, and desires outside of our careers.
So many incredibly knowledgeable and experienced people are overlooked simply for requesting flexibility in their hours. They have the potential to bring outstanding talent
to the table, yet they’re not being given the opportunity to return to careers they love. Instead, they’re forced to either accept unemployment or carry out menial jobs that don’t match their skillsets because they just can’t make it work.
There is a vast pool of highly-trained, experienced and resourceful individuals out there - ready, willing, and eager to work - if true flexible working was an option to allow them to continue their careers and nurture a family. Who doesn’t love a Win:Win? By flipping the traditional working approach on its head, we’ve been able to attract (and retain) exceptionally skilled individuals - meaning our team isn’t just happier than ever - but stronger, more productive, and more loyal too.
Isn’t it high time organisations re-thought their approaches in order to attract this core demographic of exceptional talent and bring real, tangible benefits to all - their teams, their clients, and their business?”
www.zen-communications.co.uk
It’s 2023, yet parents are still having to choose between a career and children
FlexForward was a true Brighton homecoming after four years of London, Surrey and online events – and what a triumph it was
There were great keynote speeches from David Blackburn, Chief People Officer at the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, and Dr Charlotte Rae, Psychology Lecturer at Sussex University and specialist in the four-day week. Dr Rae set the scene for how flexible working needs to be more inclusive, focused on trust, employee wellbeing, communication and a constant dialogue between employers and employees.
As ever, it is a solution to the challenges in a tight labour market and should be used as a tool for great management and as a pillar of business culture.
Modelled by SMT and managed by middle management who, at present, seem to be most in need of support.
There were so many great topics which we will explore in the blog and white paper which resulted in a fabulous day of sharing and action. Thank you to all our peer mentors, sponsors and partners.
www.flexibilitymatters.co.uk
At People’s Partnership we’re proud to have built straightforward, accessible and trusted products that help people build financial foundations for life for more than 80 years.
We like to do things a bit differently. People’s Partnership doesn’t have shareholders, which allows us to reinvest our profits into our services and members.
Our flagship product, The People’s Pension, puts simplicity at its core. The People’s Pension is trusted by more than 100,000 employers in the UK, with more than 6 million members trusting us to invest £20 billion of their savings.
We’ve always been the people’s partner and always will be. peoplespartnership.co.uk
Juliet Turnbull, founder and CEO of 2to3days, recommends employers take a flexible approach to flexible working, especially if they wish to attract experienced female staff
Each week I speak to companies telling me that they want to fi nd experienced female talent to join their organisations. I also speak to experienced female talent who want to fi nd organisations that they want to work for.
The main connection piece, or more accurately the disconnection piece, boils down to the ability to work flexibly. 76% of people want to work flexibly. So, what’s stopping flexible working being the norm for all?
Most are Baby Boomers and Gen X who have spent their careers working in a full-time office culture (predominantly male workplaces). The main fears around flexible working are that:
• Productivity will drop.
• Clients won’t be serviced properly.
• It’s hard to manage a workforce working different hours, from different locations.
The evidence says otherwise. Flexible working improves productivity, increases staff loyalty, promotes innovation and inclusivity. What needs to happen is a shift in mindset, and the will to pilot new ideas.
Leaders need to ask themselves some searching questions.
• Are you aware of your beliefs around flexible working? Are you an advocate of integrating work into your life?
• When you see behaviour that doesn’t support people to integrate work into their lives, do you ‘call it out’ or ignore it?
• What’s your set up at home? Do you share domestic as well as working responsibilities equally?
The implementation of flexible working often comes unglued here because they aren’t given sufficient training to support a flexible workforce. They get blamed for adopting a blanket approach to managing staff by having them in the office five days a week rather than accommodating and managing individual flexible working requirements. It’s easy to depict them as the fall guys. The onus should be on the senior leadership team to upskill and train their managers as they are often the heroes of the day.
There is no ‘one size fits all’ solution to flexible working – and this is a good thing. It is forcing leaders to be better communicators, to listen harder, to understand the needs of each individual to be able to perform their job to the best of their ability.
Advocates for change and flexible working tell me this is precisely what they’re doing. With an open mind and a willingness to experiment, organisations can transform their working practices; the prize for those who do will be to attract and retain the experienced female talent they’re so desperate to find.
Otherwise, companies become a ‘fl ight risk’. It’s time to buckle up. Keep your belt on whilst you work your way through some turbulence of changing work patterns but enjoy the fl ight as the destination – for all is sweet.
Juliet Turnbull, Founder & CEO 2to3days www.2to3days.com E: juliet@2to3days.com76% of people want to work flexibly.
So, what’s stopping flexible working being the norm for all?
Dynamic has a very special offer for all women who run their own business or are in a senior management role within any SME as we are determined to level the playing field.
The Help to Grow: Management programme as detailed here is normally 90% subsidised by the government and the participant pays only £750. Dynamic Magazine is sponsoring a number of places on the course therefore it will be totally free of charge to Dynamic readers!
This is a unique offer 100% sponsored by Dynamic Magazine
This mini MBA-style programme is designed for business owners and senior leaders of small and medium-sized businesses, Help to Grow: Management is a 12-week course that helps your business reach its full potential for growth, resilience and succession planning.
Benefits:
n In-depth training
n Invaluable 1:1 business mentoring
n Bespoke Growth Action Plan
n Low cost, high impact
n Peer-to-peer networking
n Time away from your business to work on your business
This course, accredited by the Chartered Association of Business Schools, is
being delivered by the University of Brighton. Working in collaboration with industry experts and experienced entrepreneurs, the course covers strategies for growth and innovation, digital adoption, leading highperformance teams, financial management and responsible business practices.
With the support of an experienced mentor, you will also create a bespoke growth plan for your business.
To facilitate busy work schedules, the course is a mix of both online and in person workshops.
1 Strategy and Innovation
2 Digital Adoption
You will be supported by an experienced business mentor who will support you in producing a growth plan, and taught by experienced academics and practitioners from the School of Business and Law.
The Help to Grow: Management is delivered by leading business schools across the UK who have been awarded the Small Business Charter (SBC) by the Chartered Association of Business Schools (CABS).
Help to Grow is a 12-week course designed to be undertaken alongside full-time work. The time commitment is 50 hours over 12 weeks. Learning alongside other business owners, you have the opportunity to learn from your peers and network.
Using a combination of online and face-to-face sessions alongside case study workshops, you will have the opportunity to apply the concepts being taught to real-life situations faced by business leaders. By the end of the course, you will have a tailored Growth Action Plan to help you lead and grow your business.
3 Internationalisation and winning new markets
4 Vision, mission, and values
5 Developing a marketing strategy
6 Building a brand
7 Organisational design
8 Employee management and leading change
9 High performance workplace
10 Efficient operations
11 Finance and financial management
12 Implementing growth plans
YOUR GROWTH PLAN
n Develop your leadership and management skills, enhancing employee wellbeing and engagement
The University of Brighton has a long history of working with small to medium-sized businesses, and a strong track record of delivering business growth programmes.
The school of Business and Law is home to the Centre for Change, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management (CENTRIM), which works with partners in industry, academia and government producing
groundbreaking concepts to explain, harness and improve innovation, entrepreneurship and change management.
The 2021 Knowledge Exchange Framework results place the University of Brighton in the top 10% for universities for public and community engagement, and in the top 20% for skills, enterprise, and entrepreneurship.
n Identify what drives productivity and growth in your market, and understand what this means for you
n Learn how to advance responsible business practices, including more inclusive and greener practices
n Understand how to innovate your business model, including adopting and investing in new and digital technologies
n Identify key domestic and export markets for your business and develop strategies for segmentation, positioning and targeting
n Generate strategies to improve operational efficiency, allowing you to save time and money
Gatwick/Crawley: September 22nd 2023
Brighton: September 25th 2023
To be eligible for Help to Grow, the following criteria must be met.
Your business must
n Be a small or medium-sized enterprise (SME) based in the UK
n Employ between 5 and 249 people
n Have been operational for at least one year
n Not be a charity
You must
n Be a chief executive, owner/founder or senior manager
n Have at least one person reporting to you
n Commit to completing all sessions
90% of the programme cost is covered by the Government, and your cost would therefore be a total of £750.
However... men who apply using the PLATINUM100 code will receive 50% discount, courtesy of Platunim Business Magazine, and their course will cost £375.
Meanwhile, women using the same code with receive 100% discount, courtesy of Dynamic Magazine, meaning their course is FREE.
This month, we catch up with a female business leader who has recently completed the Help to Grow Management course to hear her views and how it may benefit her organisation and her personal development
❛❛ The course has helped me realise that I am not alone, that the issues and problems I face leading an SME are similar to those faced by others. It has made me appreciate that I know more than I thought, but there is still more to learn as I want to be the most effective leader I can be.
I particularly enjoyed the finance module; this helped me get my head around an area that I was not as familiar with. The face-to-face workshop has made me much more confident around figures and the financial planning tools. I cannot wait to get stuck in.
I’ve already told someone I know they really must sign up as they would really benefit from the course. What I would say is that Help to Grow Management is a great course to give
you a helicopter view of all that is involved in running a small business, it helps identify areas to work on and it’s a great opportunity to network with other like-minded people.
Here at Spark & Bell, we are passionate about lighting. Our handmade products ensure that you have a unique lighting experience that reflects you and your needs. ❜❜
GILLESPIE OWNER AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Spark & Bell90% of the programme cost is covered by the Government therefore a total cost of £750. The good news is that for Dynamic readers there are a number of FREE places for women on the Gatwick programme when you quote PLATINUM100 when signing up. MORE INFORMATION
WWW.BRIGHTON.AC.UK/HELP-TO-GROW
As we know, early detection of cancer is crucial. The University of Oxford and the NHS have been trialing a new blood test with very positive outcomes. The Galleri test appears capable of detecting 50 types of early-stage cancers, often before symptoms show, by flagging up fragments of tumour DNA, even pinpointing where in the body they originated.
Trials involved 5,500 people with suspected cancer and the blood test correctly identified two-thirds of positive cases. In the vast majority of diagnoses – 85% – it also revealed the site of the cancer.
Saudi Arabian biomedical researcher, Rayyanah Barnawi (pictured), returned to earth after a 10-day mission on board the International Space Station. Barnawi’s field of expertise is stem cell and breast cancer research. She tweeted regular updates while carrying out experiments on human immune cells in microgravity.
Bidding an emotional farewell from the space station, she tweeted: “Every story comes to an end, and this is only the beginning of a new era for our country and our region. Thanks to everyone who has helped us.”
The mission was privately funded on a ship supplied by Elon Musk’s Space X
S.Lab, a Ukranian start-up company, which produces a biodegradable alternative to polystyrene, has won an award of £25 000 to help scale up its product. The as-yet unnamed product, which is made from mushrooms and hemp, has been around since 2016 and has now completed a successful pilot for cosmetics maker L’Oréal, where it could be used to cushion shampoo and conditioner packs. Companies such as Samsung and Sony, meanwhile, have been exploring whether it might be suitable for packaging fragile television sets.
Many menopausal women are unable to take HRT for the relief of menopausal symptoms. In fact, hundreds of thousands of women in the UK alone cannot take it. Now the drug fezolinetant brings hope as it was found to reduce the frequency of hot flushes by up to 73% in clinical trials.
The drug has been approved by US regulators and could be given the green light in the UK by the end of the year.
The world is getting safer, according to the World Bank’s latest homicide figures and crime survey data from England and Wales, as offered by the UK’s Office for National Statistics (ONS). The ONS estimates that total crime in the UK was down 12% in 2022 compared with the year leading up to the pandemic.
Murders decreased by 11% across England and Wales, following a global trend illustrated by the World Bank’s figures, which show homicide rates falling everywhere except in the US and Latin America. Overall the news among the OECD’s 38 members is encouraging: 20 countries now have murder rates below one per 100,000, compared with just five countries three decades ago.
However, police recorded sexual offences across England and Wales rose by 19%.
Entrepreneur Maggie Grout is using 3D printers to create cheap school campuses in rural Madagascar. The ‘Thinking Huts’ take just 18 hours to build and cost around $40,000. Their modular construction allows for easy expansion of campuses.
“From that first project, I really learned how to streamline the logistics,” said Grout. “I learned how to put together the supply chain when there is not a lot of locally available materials. And then I learned how to work together with the local people.”
From the onset, Grout said she wanted to rely on the locals as much as possible. During the first project, she learned how to best manage a team of cross-cultural partners. She used local people to install traditional windows and doors, and worked with the Madagascar Ministry of Education to bring in teachers.
Her long-term goal is to establish the ‘Thinking Huts’ in many countries.
I encourage women to step up. Don’t wait for somebody to ask you
Reese Witherspoon
Women are the real architects of society
In our exclusive Spotlight feature, we highlight women who are doing good things in their community. They’re not always seen but we think they should be.
Jarmila is the Founder, Consulting Chief Marketing Officer and Managing Director of YUnique Marketing. Here she tells us of her journey...
Like many, I left university with a degree, but no idea about which career I wanted to pursue. I started work as the sole sales and marketing employee of a small software start-up company, and was responsible for rapid growth in both sales and team size. I then moved on through progressively larger companies – predominantly in the tech sector – until I ended up in senior marketing leadership roles in large multi-nationals like IBM.
However, I never felt completely fulfi lled working for a massive enterprise, no matter how senior the role. So, with some trepidation and minimal funding, I founded YUnique Marketing Ltd in March 2016. I wanted to make the knowledge, experience and mentorship of a Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) accessible to smaller businesses and make a real impact to the SMEs that form the backbone of UK PLC.
I realised that what they needed was a flexible, on-demand consulting CMO service and that’s the niche I aimed to fi ll. As the business grew, I offered a potentially challenging proposal to my husband. I asked David to join me as a partner when the marketing franchise he was contracted to came up for renewal. I can’t guarantee that working with your life partner is the right choice for every couple, but for us it has worked out well – thankfully!
2019 was a tough year business-wise as many companies held off on investing in marketing due to uncertainty over Brexit. Then we both got COVID pretty badly in March 2020 and were bed-ridden with very high fevers for two solid weeks, followed by a further couple of months of recuperation. It was a very worrying time for both of us and our two teenage daughters who had to look after themselves.
When we recovered, I took time to strengthen my probono engagement with the various education and business institutions I was involved with, and volunteered for more mentoring and coaching.
As businesses re-emerged from lockdown, my raised profi le (Chair of Institute of Directors Surrey; Chair of the Business Women in Surrey group etc.) and our flexible, accessible and cost-effective offering have thankfully led to a significant upturn for our company. The past 12 months have been our most successful so far.
I am a passionate believer in the power of good businesses to make the world a better place and I am dedicated to empowering those who embrace profit and purpose through marketing excellence.
www.yuniquemarketing.com
I never felt completely fulfi lled working for a massive enterprise, no matter how senior the role
Kristina founded the Sussex-based angel investor network, South East Angels, to respond to the gap for early-stage investment in the region. Here is her story…
From starting with five members in November 2020, South East Angels has grown to become the most active angel investor group in Brighton, with members having invested £1m in innovative startups to date.
Investor members are local high net-worth individuals who have either previously built and sold a company themselves or have invested in a number of startups already. Kristina appreciates having a varied skillset and different backgrounds in their group, meaning members bring different perspectives to all the opportunities they look at.
In a male-dominated industry and a complex ecosystem, Kristina has built one of the few female-led angel groups in the country, and created a go-to hub for local founders to raise early-stage funding and a valuable community for angel investors where they can connect, learn, and grow.
Over the past ten years, female angel investors have been involved in deals worth £2.34 billion, backing over a thousand female-founded businesses and helping to create more than 10,000 jobs, according to a recent study published by Beauhurst and the UK Business Angels Association.
But out of the 36,800 angel investors in the UK, only 14% of them are women.
Gender diversity is not the only challenge. Just 1% of angel investors are black, and there is a general lack of diversity of thought and experience to appropriately represent the need for capital and innovation. Kristina is on a mission to change this with the ‘Future Angels’ initiative, which aims to encourage more women into angel investing through education and networks.
In order to act on rectifying the findings of The Alison Rose Review of Female Entrepreneurship report published in 2019, the Investing in Women Code is a government initiative, supported by the UK Business Angels Association, for organisations who provide finance to entrepreneurs to commit to supporting equality in all their interactions with entrepreneurs.
South East Angels has signed the code as a commitment to supporting diversity in access to finance. All companies who sign the code commit to providing data on application and investment activity, disaggregated by gender, and will be collated in an annual report by the Department of Business and Trade.
It is also a commitment to adopting internal practices that aim to improve the potential for female entrepreneurs to successfully access the tools, resources, investment and finance they need to build and grow their businesses.
South East Angels was recently awarded Dynamic’s Best New Business Award.
www.southeastangels.co.uk
Out of the 36,800 angel investors in the UK, only 14% of them are women
Workplaces across the country aren’t providing working mothers with the support packages, pay-rises and promotions they need –according to an extensive new survey of 6,000 UK professionals.
The survey from specialist recruitment firm Robert Walters found that the odds are truly stacked against working mothers – both those living with their partners and those living alone/without a partner
Strides have been made but sadly not far or fast enough, with almost two-thirds of working mothers (56%) saying that they are yet to be given a promotion from their current employer, despite the fact they felt they’d earned it – a 14% difference compared to working fathers who have said the same.
In fact, over a quarter of working mothers (27%) stated that they aren’t even aware of the route to a promotion10% more than their male counterparts answering the same question. A fi fth of working mothers (18%) surveyed stated that they wanted more support from management to understand how to get a promotion.
When it comes to pay, we see a similar story – just under a quarter of working mothers in white-collar roles earn £42,000 compared to 53% of working fathers who earn this or above; an unacceptable statistic.
The difference is even more pronounced when you move further up the pay bracket – with just 6% of working mothers earning £75,000 or above as opposed to 21% of working fathers who take home this level of pay.
The difficulties continue at home with just 10% of single* mothers saying that they are able to ‘live comfortably’ on their salary – with almost a quarter (22%) relying on additional income streams such as credit cards, pay day loans, or side hustles. Th is figure is twice as much as single fathers, and three times as much as cohabiting parents.
Meanwhile, fathers who cohabit with their partner reported feeling the least impacted by cost of living– 35% stated they live comfortably with a disposable income (vs 28% of single fathers and 23% of cohabiting mothers who said the same).
Coral Bamgboye, Head of Diversity and Inclusion at Robert Walters commented, “The data highlights how working mothers are not only losing out on guidance and support for promotions, but they are also finding it significantly harder to reach the higher echelons of pay, which still seem to be dominated by men.
“Th is is having knock-on effects to how comfortably they can live day-to-day – hitting single mothers especially hard, with almost a quarter having to rely on credit cards and payday loans to get by.”
Three times the number of fathers in professional roles earn over £75,000 compared to mothers
The survey also drew a stark line under the lack of support that working mothers receive from their employers, with 36% stating that balancing work with personal commitments is a key roadblock to work. As well as a lack of support, one in five single mothers report experiencing active discrimination against their personal circumstance in the office, almost double the number that was reported by single fathers.
All of these factors contribute to an overall lack of confidence. 27% of working mothers claim they lack the confidence to highlight their own wins. Th is lack of confidence in women at work appears to have a direct correlation with the success rate of negotiating pay, with 19% of single working mothers reporting that they haven’t received a pay rise after negotiation, compared to just 5% of single fathers who said the same.
Coral adds, “In some parts, we have managed to shift the dial on the experiences for women in the workplace and progress has and continues to be made. However, what is concerning is this small cohort within this group – the working mother – whose experiences are largely going unrecognised. Working mothers feel they are stuck when it comes to progression, pay and support from employers –and more needs to be done to address this, particularly in this cost-of-living crisis.
To help address these inequalities companies can:
• Organise more inclusive conversations from senior figures around career progression and pay-rise opportunities
• Offer adaptable flexible working options such as late starts or early finishes to coincide with school times
• Childcare support options to allow working parents more time to focus on important projects.
www.robertwalters.co.uk/content/ dam/robert-walters/country/united-kingdom/ fi les/whitepapers/D-and-I-report-gender.pdf
Twice as many fathers in professional roles earn £42,000 and above compared to womenBy ALISON JONES, Partner at Kreston Reeves
Providing great customer care – including asking for honest feedback – is good for your business. The feedback you get from your customers is important as it helps you to improve your services, shape products and services and ultimately improve and grow. It also helps build relationships with customers to nurture them for the longer term.
It can be difficult to put a financial value on providing great customer care due to the unique relationships that all businesses have with their customers, along with the different products and services they offer. Businesses, however, count the cost financially when things go wrong, and they don’t provide the products or level of service expected. They can certainly expect a lot of feedback then, but it is important to learn from this, whatever the size of the business.
With so many different channels to communicate through, it is important for business owners to be leading the way, understanding what their customers and clients really think of their products and services, and identifying and tackling issues as soon as possible. Many great brands and businesses have been built with a focus on providing excellent customer care in sectors where others were failing to deliver.
That said, it is difficult for many business owners at the moment, especially in certain sectors where the wider economy is lagging. Many have been struggling with inflation and rising costs and have had to pass those costs onto customers. Some might be struggling with recruitment and retention which can affect service levels. Ultimately, there might be so many factors that are outside of the direct control of a business owner that have an impact on the feedback it gets.
And consumers have changed. We have high expectations; we want everything yesterday and we are more willing to complain when something doesn’t go right.
Th is is one of the reasons it is important for businesses to communicate with their customers, to listen and to learn and to talk to them about what is going on. It builds trust, demonstrates integrity, and shows customers that you care.
Business owners who manage the expectations of customers will ultimately provide better customer care and have a better relationship with them. ‘Under-promising and over-delivering’ is one way of approaching this, but businesses spend a considerable amount of time and effort building organisations and brands that can fall short on fairly simple measures.
It can be difficult to put a fi nancial value on providing great customer care
For example:
• Make sure someone answers the phone and can direct the customer to the right person. People get fed up with getting lost in endless phone screening options or cut off. Consider having a chat option online, one of the many ways AI could help your business, but also have ‘real’ people who can step in and talk to customers.
• Deal with an email as quickly as possible – even if it is an automatic reply to say it has been received and which sets out the response the customer can expect. Th is will help you manage your customers’ expectations.
• Make sure customer details are correct – name spelling, titles, pronouns really matter to people.
• Ask customers how they want to be communicated with and what works best for them.
• Make sure that what you are offering is within your experience and technical capabilities so you can deliver what the customer wants.
• Thanking customers for their business and asking if they will recommend you can help convert new sales, improve your public image, create loyalty, and increase profitability.
It is important that your customers understand that their feedback matters to you, and that you will use the results to better service your customers. All feedback – both positive and negative – helps you shape your business future.
By working in partnership and to a timeline, the whole team (both you and your customers) knows what is expected of it and what is important to your customer.
Why not take the time to review (honestly) how you and your team are doing and if you are providing the customer care expected and deserved? I am always happy to discuss your approach with you if you would appreciate some independent feedback.
Business owners who manage the expectations of customers will ultimately provide better customer care
Consider looking at your windowsill or in your garden rather than immediately turning to the medicine cabinet when feeling the bothersome symptoms of many an ailment, suggests health specialist TANYA
BOROWSKI
Herbs have been used since the beginning of humanity, and for good reason as they have multiple, proven healing properties. A healing herb – otherwise knows a medicinal plant – is either collected from the wild or intentionally grown for its medicinal, or curative, value. A plant’s leaves, bark, roots, seeds, and/or flowers can be used to create your very own herbal remedies. Here are five of my favourites...
Basil is rich in the phytonutrient eugenol – again helping with many digestive issues, such as bloating, excessive gas and digestive spasms. Basil as an essential oil acts as a natural adaptogen – a herb that can act on the adrenals and balance stress levels and reduce anxiety.
The health benefits of oregano come from a super charged blend of plant compounds: carvacrol, thymol, eugenol and beta-caryophyllene. Carvacrol and thymol are powerful antioxidants, which means they help to prevent free radicals from causing oxidative damage to our cells, which is linked to conditions such as heart disease, diabetes and dementia. It’s also a fantastic antimicrobial - often used as an anti-fungal, antibacterial and an antiviral .
Thyme is rich in plant phenols such as thymol and carvacrol which are powerfully anti-spasmodic, making them potent cough suppressants and an effective remedy for sore throats. Thyme also benefits the digestive system; thymol stimulates the wave like motions – peristalsis – so that food is not held in the stomach for prolonged periods of time. It also has antispasmodic action and can help to relieve cramping and reduce bloating. Finally, thyme is also a carminative, helping to prevent the formation of gas in the gastrointestinal tract which helps to combat flatulence and wind.
A plant’s leaves, bark, roots, seeds, and/or flowers can be used to create your very own herbal remedies
Peppermint is often used to relieve symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, including indigestion, dyspepsia, and gut muscle spasms. The healing properties of peppermint are related to its smooth muscle relaxing ability. Once the smooth muscles surrounding the intestine are relaxed, there is less chance of spasm and the indigestion that can accompany it.
Spearmint is another wonderful herb that has an anti-androgenic effect; that is, it can reduce testosterone levels in women that are associated with acne. Hormonal acne is often caused by a type of hormones in your body called androgens. The most well-known androgen is testosterone.
Androgens cause increased sebum production which is produced by sebaceous glands located in hair follicles. Increased sebum leads to a higher chance of blockages, which lead to breakouts. In two clinical trials, women with hirsutism (male-patternhair growth) drank spearmint tea twice a day for either five days (2007 study) and for 30 days (2009 study). The hormone levels in their blood were then measured. In both trials, testosterone levels decreased by about one-third.
Deriving its name from the Latin word “salvere”, meaning “to be saved”, it has many uses. Traditionally, sage was used as a remedy for inflammation of the mouth and throat, as it helps to strengthen and tone the gums, acting as a great preventive against gingivitis and gum disease.
Sage also has the power to enhance memory. It inhibits the enzyme acetylcholinesterase which breaks down one of the brain’s ‘chemical messengers’, acetylcholine.
Finally, one of the most common symptoms of menopause is uncontrolled and unexpected sweating and hot flushes. Sage has been traditionally used to treat these symptoms. In a small open multi-centre human study with 71 menopausal women, sage was found to be effective in reducing hot flushes after eight weeks. Worth a try, ladies?
So next time you are doing your weekly shop, pick up a new plant pot to pop on your windowsill and start trying some of mother nature’s healing herbs. Bon appetit!
In health, Tanya.
www.tanyaborowski.com
Herbs have been used since the beginning of humanity, and for good reason as they have multiple, proven healing properties
Alexandra Jankovich and Tom Voskes are the co-founders of leading digital strategy consultancy firm SparkOptimus. Together with Adrian Hornsby, they are co-authors of the book ‘Disruption in Action: 7 inside stories of how global companies take on digital disruption’.
Disruption in Action reveals how to take on digital and win. It tells seven company stories, covering the high-level strategy through to the operational nitty-gritty, all based on the authors’ inside experiences as Europe’s leading digital transformation experts. They take a unique fictionalised approach to dig deep into not just the tech, but also the people side of change, which is always where the real complexity lies.
Digital disruption presents leaders of traditional companies with a cluster of challenges. Firstly, it often implies big changes to the business model, meaning big risks. Secondly, it requires big investments in projects that may not be profitable for years – something that is well-accepted in digital startup-land, but much less so among corporate
STRATEGY FOR BUSINESS: UNLOCK DATA ASSETS AND INCREASE INNOVATION WITH A RESULTS-DRIVEN DATA STRATEGY
By Simon Asplen-TaylorPublished by KoganPage (2022)
Data and Analytics Strategy for Business outlines how to build consistent, high-quality sources of data which will create business value. It explores how automation, AI and machine learning can improve performance and decision making. Filled with real-world examples and case studies, this book is a stage-by-stage guide to designing and implementing a results-driven data strategy.
Data and Analytics Strategy is a stageby-stage guide to designing and implementing a results-driven data strategy
shareholders. And thirdly, in new digital markets, there are no reliable predictors of success. Th is is one thing if you’re a startup; another if you’re a large company used to industry gold standards and established KPIs.
These challenges are less about technology than human mindsets and expectations, which in many ways are much harder to change. It would be simpler if you could just buy something to fi x the problem or pass it to someone else – which is indeed what many companies try to do.
One option is to buy some IT, but large-scale software overhauls developed outside the business tend to be a poor fit for the company’s needs and fail upon launch.
Another is to make some digital acquisitions, but large corporates often pay over the odds for startups that fail to grow, get bogged down by corporate rules and don’t change the core business.
Another is to launch an innovation lab, but it’s estimated that up to 90% of these fail to deliver. Set up outside the business with a lack of clear goals, these often descend into “innovation theatre” for C-suite leaders.
Another is to appoint a new CDO-come-DigitalMessiah from a big tech company, but they don’t know the business and, lacking internal allies, struggle to get much done.
So what does work? Th is is what is explored in ‘Disruption in Action,’ and to sketch out an example here, we can look at a fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) company. As is typical, they had bought a number of digital acquisitions, but next found one was getting attacked by a new startup that was buying all their online traffic.
The FMCG leaders were inspired to fight back, but knowing they couldn’t win a straight buying war, they looked to leverage their advantages as a large corporate: they had superior industry knowledge and a large existing customer base. They used these to help the acquisition turbo-charge growth, but more significantly, through the increased collaboration, they started to see ways to improve their core business, especially around the use of data.
There are two keys to this success: fi rstly, a meaningful engagement from leaders with digital (as opposed to just a handing-off of the problem); and secondly, a tangible business case where solutions were being found for real customers. Together these open the door to changing mindsets, at which point, the technology aspect just becomes a means to an end.
Published by Dallalpedia LLC (2023)
Impromptu is a speculative, in-depth conversation involving GPT-4 – a Large Language Model Artificial Intelligence. By discussing real-life stories and potential applications, it paints a future in which Artificial Intelligence is a tool that can push the limits of education, creativity, business, and more. Join the conversation, and prepare for an exciting future that will unlock the true potential of humankind.
By
QuHarrison & Terry Keeney
Published by John Wiley and Sons Inc (2023)
The Metaverse Handbook provides insight into a new technology platform that offers huge commercial potential to digital professionals, creatives, and business leaders. It explains what the Metaverse is, how it works, and ways to integrate it into business strategies to capitalise on its offerings.
They take a unique fictionalised approach to dig deep into not just the tech, but also the people side of changeBy KELLIE MILLER
Carolyn Bew is a British artist working as a painter and printmaker. Her prints use the traditional etching and aquatint process that goes back to the 15th Century. She is indebted to mark-making and gesture, always returning to an expressionistic handling of materials.
One can’t help smiling when you see Carolyn’s art; it oscillates between dark and light, like the moon and sun. Her work depicts people and animals – often in absurd or unsettling situations. The animus is concerned with the dynamic and emotionally charged landscape of childhood, the complexity of relationships and the sense of self.
Her works focus on three areas, drawing, painting and print. Her drawings are approached by digging deep psychologically to birth her paintings and prints. Carolyn says her drawings are a physical manifestation of thought. In contrast, her paintings are observational sketches of an idealised world that she cannot separate from her original conceptual source.
Carolyn employs symbolism and metaphor as a way of storytelling. When viewing her works, celebration, friendship and community, either in relationship with animals or one another, spring to mind.
Her paintings are reminiscent of the late Beryl Cook’s humorous paintings depicting people in pubs, abluting or sunbathing. Like Beryl’s paintings, they are amusing, with elements of light heartiness. Yet, Carolyn’s brush strokes are freer, adding drama, and there is always theatre in her pieces, revealing different aspects of our characters. Although playful energy often emanates from her paintings, there can be a deeper conversation and message to be had, revealing an undercurrent of moodiness or unease.
Th is discomfort is evidently seen in her prints which often feel rebellious and can confront us with power struggles and inequalities. She visually references the works of feminist philosopher Julia Kristeva. Julia’s Intertextuality Theory proposes that everything we read passes through a series of coded fi lters rather than via a presumed direct route from the writer’s intention to the reader. Like the visual arts, what you see is not always what the artist meant.
Carolyn’s work has been shown in group and solo shows across the UK and is held in private collections worldwide. Her artworks can be seen and enjoyed at Kellie Miller Arts Brighton.
Her paintings are reminiscent of the late Beryl Cook’s humorous paintings
By TESS DE KLERK
Jumeirah invested a staggering £100 million to revitalise the original 1961 Carlton Tower, undertaking a comprehensive renovation project that reached into every corner of the hotel. Completed in 2021, this endeavour went beyond a mere refurbishment of the decades-old building. Instead, the Dubai-based hotel group aimed to completely redefine the hotel’s identity, desiring to position it as one of the most opulent establishments in London.
The hotel’s location is truly enviable. Situated on the doorstep of Cadogan Place Gardens, an oasis accessible only to local residents and Carlton Tower overnight guests, you’re privy to the lush green lawns and exclusive tennis courts that epitomise the quintessential London lifestyle. And if that’s not enough, you’ll find yourself just a stone’s throw away from the high-end boutiques of Sloane Street, a shopper’s paradise where fashion dreams come true. Moreover, the world-renowned Harrods and Harvey Nichols are mere minutes away, inviting you to explore their treasure troves of luxury and style.
Our Junior Suite felt fresh and tranquil, thanks to its tasteful decor, muted colour palette, and abundance of natural light. The spacious layout created a lovely airy atmosphere and the luxurious little touches such as monogrammed slippers and edible scrabble pieces welcoming us just went above and beyond.
The cloud-like bed was heaven, the pillows were perfect. But if they weren’t I could’ve ordered others from
Our Junior Suite felt fresh and tranquil , thanks to its tasteful decor, muted colour palette, and abundance of natural light
ACCESSIBILITY: A number of rooms have been adapted for wheelchair users
FAMILY-FRIENDLY: Yes, interconnected rooms and kids’ menus are available
PET-FRIENDLY: No
From £1,148 PN for a Superior Room in July
the pillow menu. Likewise, the beautiful marbled bathroom had everything you might need including a deep-soaking bathtub, bath salts and products from the fantastic Grown Alchemy brand.
Did I mention the welcome fruit bowl? Not your average apples and pears fare. No, we had dragon fruit, mango, lychee and mangosteen. Funny what can make a girl’s heart flutter.
Dinner at Al Mare was delicious and the wine pairings were even more so! Al Mare focuses on Italian cuisine while The Chinoiserie restaurant, with its ornate decor, offers all-day dining as well as Afternoon Tea by world-renowned Pastry Chef Jessica Prealpato. Unfortunately, we did not have the time to indulge but Chef Jessica’s creative English garden-inspired Tea is by all accounts rather special.
The hotel boasts exceptional facilities, with a standout feature being the second-floor pool, which sets itself apart from typical basement setups. Encased by a glass roof, this 20-metre pool is arguably the finest among London’s hotel offerings. Adjacent to the pool are separate changing facilities for both men and women, complete with steam rooms and saunas, providing a complete wellness experience.
Talise Spa offers a range of luxurious treatments, and I indulged in a relaxing massage that left me feeling completely renewed and invigorated. The tranquil ambiance of the spa, coupled with the expertise of the therapists, created a haven of serenity within the bustling city.
At the uppermost level of the hotel, guests can find The Peak Fitness Club, a truly outstanding facility. Manned by expert trainers and equipped with state-of-the-art equipment, it caters to all fitness needs. The club also offers a multitude of complimentary classes, taught with expertise and precision. What makes this fitness club even more exceptional is its panoramic views of London, which are unobstructed and far-reaching.
What truly sets Carlton Tower Jumeirah apart is the unparalleled level of service that permeates every aspect of the guest experience. Plus the location... and the magnificent views from the upper floors... and the fantastic pool, to name a few. I, for one, will happily visit again.
The multi-award winning spa booking platform works with over 600 spas in the UK and Ireland, arranging spa days and breaks for up to 6,000 people a week. As Europe’s number 1 spa specialist, the talented team works closely with spas to create packages that showcase the best each destination has to offer. Customer service is central to everything they do, with their UK-based team of spa experts ready to help individuals find the right experience for them.
www.spabreaks.com/venues/the-peak-fitness-cluband-spa-at-the-carlton-tower-jumeirah
BRIGHTON & HOVE PRIDE 2023
Brighton Fabuloso is the UK’s biggest LGBTQ Pride festival and the Brighton & Hove Pride official fundraiser for the Brighton Rainbow Fund.
Described by The Guardian as “the country’s most popular LGBT event,” the Brighton & Hove Pride Festival is a vibrant celebration of all that is wonderful about our city’s diverse community, with visitors from across the globe enjoying its spectacular celebrations.
Preston Park, Brighton August 4th-7th www.wearefabuloso.org
Bodiam
Throughout the summer holidays visit Bodiam Castle’s Medieval Fair for family fun. Follow the Castle and the King Built trail to discover masons, minstrels and kings. Join in with medieval games and activities over the summer holidays. Weave your way around a mini jousting challenge, create your own mini-castle in the sandpit or see if you can hit the target in soft play archery.
Bodiam Castle, near Robertsbridge
All summer
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/sussex/ bodiam-castle
Arlington
An RHS Partner Garden, being a naturalist garden in a rural setting provides a peaceful space to relax and appreciate the selection of unusual plants including mature trees and shrubs. The garden is divided into three areas offering a sensory experience with plants providing colour, scent and texture in all seasons.
Bates Green Garden, Arlington nr Hailsham
Every Wednesday
www.batesgreengarden.co.uk
Before the Spice Girls, Sugababes and The Saturdays…
It’s the 1970s and feminism is on the rise. Fed up with the male-dominated entertainment industry, Anna, Dee and Q take the future into their own hands and form a rock band. Can principles and ambition co-exist? And can their friendship survive in the dog-eat-dog world of rock?
Chichester Festival Theatre, Chichester
July 24th - August 16th
www.cft.org.uk/events/rock-follies
Bexhill
After selling out the De La Warr in 2022, Jo Whiley returns with some special guests to bring you more of the best tracks from the greatest decade for music. Think Blur vs Oasis, Fatboy Slim, Primal Scream, The Verve, The Chemical Brothers, Faithless, The Prodigy – and a whole lot more.
De La Warr Pavilion
July 15th
www.dlwp.com/event/jo-whiley
Borde Hill
Opera Brava presents La Bohème by Puccini, performed with a chamber ensemble against the magical backdrop of the Elizabethan Mansion House. Set in Paris in the 1830s among a group of impoverished Bohemians, the opera centres around the tragic love affair between the seamstress Mimi and Rodolfo, a poet. The international cast are sensational and bring out the heart of Puccini’s magnificent score.
Borde Hill Gardens, nr Haywards Heath
July 21st
https://bordehill.co.uk/events/la-boheme
Brighton
Alan Bennett’s play is both touching and superbly funny. Bring your picnic and marvel at the machinations of politicians, the pretensions of The Prince Regent, the ridiculous prescriptions of the doctors, and the remarkable intervention of the formidable Dr Willis. And raise a glass to the devoted love of Mr and Mrs King!
Brighton Open Air Theatre
July 12th-15th
www.brightonopenairtheatre.co.uk/ event/the-madness-of-george-iii
Petworth
Immerse yourself in culture at the prestigious Petworth Festival which hosts first-class artists from around the world every July.
Performers include Tenebrae, Jess Gillam, Clive Anderson, The Manfreds, Shakatak, The Jive Aces and Amaan and Ayaan Ali Bangash with Jennifer Pike plus family theatre, live talks and much more.
Market Square House, Petworth
July 11th-29th
www.petworthfestival.org.uk
Dynamic’s Motoring Editor, FIONA SHAFER, MD of MDHUB interviews long-term MDHUB member Barney Dines, CEO of Heritage Parts Centre in Shoreham-by-Sea
Who knew that one of the biggest spare parts specialists for classic VW and Porsche cars in the world is based in pretty cool and sunny Shoreham-by-Sea?
Established in 1986 as VW Heritage by David Ward, the business has rebranded in recent years as Heritage Parts Centre. This exciting business is now led by CEO Barney Dines alongside co-directors Paul Howard and Mark Rikard, and currently employs 80 people in the UK and Germany.
It sells and manufactures spare parts and accessories globally for classic VW and Porsche – both wholesale and retail – and has highly ambitious plans to grow the business from a turnover of £12million currently to £40 million in the next five years.
A lifelong car enthusiast, Barney joined the company 22 years ago, working his way up to Sales Director until he took over as CEO in 2017.
Was it your intention when you set out on your career path Barney to run a company or be a business leader?
No. Originally, I was driven to be a lawyer – motivated by watching TV programmes like Legal Eagles in the 1980s. But that plan didn’t work out.
I got into cars at 15 when my grandmother gave me some money to buy a car. I didn’t want to buy a normal car like a Fiesta, so instead bought a VW Beetle after watching a TV show about a car show called Bugjam.
I fixed it up with fellow car enthusiast Paul (co-director Paul Howard, whom Barney met when
he was 11 at junior school). We were so busy doing up cars that neither of us did very well in our A-Levels, and did not get the grades to go to University. Instead, we both got a job in the local VW place called Big Boys Toys (BBT) in Thurrock, Essex where we were both very regular customers.
We basically took over running the place and eventually the owner wanted to sell, and split Paul and me up to run two sides of business with a view to us buying it. It didn’t work out at the time, so we exited and bought a share of Heritage from David instead and we went onto acquire BBT a few years down the line.
Paul has always worked on purchasing, with me on sales. I often refer to us as a pantomime horse; I am the front end with the sales and marketing, and he is the back end with purchasing and product. And he won’t mind me saying that!
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I didn’t want to buy a normal car like a Fiesta, so instead bought a VW Beetle
You and your leadership team have very ambitious growth plans. What challenges do you need to overcome to achieve this growth?
It can be very lonely at the top at times when I used to feel like I was running the business on my own with my co-directors. That is why I decided to build both a senior leadership team and a broader leadership team around me to help achieve our ambitions.
We are all working to our own version of EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System ) and Rockefeller Habits, which is proving very effective.
Our key challenges that we need to overcome as a team to achieve this growth are :
1. Speeding up the development on our website
2. Competition is stiff – and purse and wallets strings are stretched with the cost of living crisis
3. We only supply classic cars which are people’s passion and not used on a daily basis.
4. Net Zero 2030 is a potential risk for us too.
In three words, how would you describe yourself as a leader? Driven, fair and ambitious.
How would you describe your leadership style?
I work very hard to be a facilitator and coach rather than telling people what to do. Having worked my way up through all levels of the business, this is not easy. I find it quite hard not to revert to diving in and resolving problems. I try really hard not to but it doesn’t always happen! I have always done quite well, quite easily but I have learned from the assistance of a coach to adapt my ‘intuitive’ leadership style to adapting my leadership style to match the different situations that arise on a day-to-day basis.
If you could improve one thing about yourself as a leader, what would it be? Stop myself from reverting to giving advice, and to be more disciplined on really focusing on things, and not leaving them to the last minute. I can be easily distracted to the next new shiny thing...
Given your appetite for learning, what is your best business book? I have always enjoyed learning and aim to listen to at least two business books a month when I drive from my home in London down to the factory in Shoreham. I listened to ‘Senzu Art of War’ by Sun Tzu whilst in the gym yesterday as it is only an hour long, and am currently halfway through ‘Good to Great’ by Jim Collins. My favourite book is definitely ‘Scaling Up’ by Verne Harnish, although ‘Good to Great’ is coming in a very close second.
What well-known entrepreneur would you like to have dinner with (or invite on a site visit of Heritage parts), and why?
It’s got to be Elon Musk. I think it is incredible what he has done with Tesla and what he is doing with Space X.
I often refer to us as a pantomime horse; I am the front end, and Paul is the back end
What is your proudest professional moment and why?
Becoming CEO of Heritage. I had always had it in my sights and wanted to be at the top of the tree – it was nice to be recognised by former owner David Ward to take over as MD. Fortunately, Paul had no designs on being MD, and was happy for me to be the front end of the ‘panto horse.’
But ‘reaching the top of tree’ and ‘ambition achieved’ can be a double edged sword as you get all the good and the bad bits of the role. Nobody ever really wants my job. I have said to Paul, “Do you want my job?” and he always says, “No way!”
Whilst I used to love my Sales Director role, I now equally love the challenge of running a business and motivating the team. It also fits in better with my family life. No two days are the same, which keeps it interesting.
What is your proudest personal moment?
This has to be when my daughter Margot was born three years ago. I have just had a really lovely six days with on my own her whilst her Mum was away on holiday, which is the longest time I have spent with her on my own and we had just the best time. I read child psychology books as well as business books as there is often some crossover. If a child plays up, they might need a bit of mum and dad time, similar to a Sales Director needing more MD time!
If you were to lead a ‘dream company’, what would it be? Space X !
What would irritate me most about you if I sat next to you on a long-haul flight?
Very loud snoring and random twitching – so I am told. In order to maximise the value of travelling Business Class, I would probably drink too much red wine and end up talking the hind leg off a donkey.
What would be your superpower? It has to be a teleportation device. But then again, if I did have one, I would not have time to listen to my audio books, and I would probably end up doing lots of silly little tasks again!
How do you relax?
I like to spend time with my daughter, eat and drink, watch Sci Fi, go to the gym, run, swim and travel.
Knowing what you do now about running a business, what are the top three pieces of advice you would give to someone who is either setting up a business or thinking of taking over a business?
1. Make sure you are passionate about the business and what it does.
2 .It pays you what you need to earn
3. Listen to people – you don’t need to know all of the answers, which is probably the best thing I have ever learnt.
I have said to Paul, Do you want my job? and he always says, No way!
