Businessjune2013 by RM Magazine

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Apprenticeship Scheme “...they demonstrate their long term commitment to remaining with our business...”

Robertson Milroy

Tells you how to avoid falling victim to the ‘late payment culture’

Exclusive Interview with Nick Hewer

Expect Fireworks 1

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The RM Business Team Editor in Chief Tony Wittridge tony@rmbusiness.co.uk Editor Amber Sudbury amber@rmbusiness.co.uk Art Editor Jade Warrington jade@rmbusiness.co.uk Brand Sales Manager Rob Wittridge rob@rmbusiness.co.uk Sales Manager Simon Parry simon@rmbusiness.co.uk Networking Barry Hicks whatson@rmbusiness.co.uk Administration Brooke Warrington brooke@rmbusiness.co.uk Other Contributors: Katie Flynn, Jessica Groom, Hayley Baldwin, Warren Knight, Yvonne Bendall, Cllr Michael White, Cllr Ron Ower, Steve Aston, Jill Poet, Wayne Heath, Kevin Hayler, John Parrett, Ivana Sidey and Colin Brush.

From the

Editor

I was invited to sit on the panel of judges for the regional final of Jack Petchy’s Speakout Challenge, which took place in Coopers school earlier on in the month. Standing up on stage and giving a speech in front of an audience on their chosen topic for two to three minutes, it was hard to believe that these performers were just fourteen and fifteen years of age. I was really impressed at the calibre of finalists and was very honoured to be a part of the judging panel. We will be at The Start Up Show on 5th June. Come and say hello. I’ve included one of my favourite books in this issue, ‘Think and Grow Rich’. I first read this book when I was twenty, which seems like a lifetime ago. I was doing a lot of personal development at this time and this book happened to present itself to me (law of attraction? But that’s another story). I then re-read it a few years ago and have since got it out to read it again. On both occasions, I have learnt something different and relevant to what I’ve been doing at the time. The very first lesson that I learnt, is that nothing worth having comes easy. Overnight success is a complete myth and luck is a word used by people that have no idea what it takes to truly ‘make it’. Success might be realised overnight, but the success happened because of the blood, sweat and tears that were invested in reaching a specific goal over a length of time. One of my favourite motivational stories of all time has to be ‘Three Feet from Gold’, which is narrated by the author, Napoleon Hill in the book. Most people choose to give up right at the very moment that they’re about to succeed. They decide that they’ve reached their limits and that enough is enough. This is the moment to strap in and push even harder, you’re so close to reaching your goal; don’t give up. It’s a great life lesson that the truly wealthy and successful have all experienced, and is also one of the first lessons that I learnt, which really changed my life and entire way of thinking. The essence of that lesson is that the absolute key to success is Persistence. It will overshadow talent any day of the week. Just ask Thomas Edison. Oh no wait, you can’t. Google it.

Amber Want To Talk To Us? 01708 475789 www.rmbusiness.co.uk Follow us on Twitter @RMbusiness and facebook.com/rmbusiness

Amber Sudbury Editor

Tony Wittridge Editor in Chief

Published by RM Magazine Ltd. Please note that while the publishers take care to be accurate, no liability will be accepted under any circumstance should any of the contents of this magazine be incorrect. All rights reserved. Reproduction of whole or in part without permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited. RM Magazine Ltd, 3-11 Grenfell Avenue, Hornchurch, Essex, RM12 4DN

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Tweets of the month Kirstie Alley @kirstiealley 15 May I don’t care if A&F sells above size 10. The point is their CEO took a stand against the “coolness” of “above size 10 kids” #standdownCEO Martin Lewis @MartinSLewis 16 May The key point about Google and billions in tax avoidance isn’t has it broken the law? No. But has it done something wrong? Yes. #DontBeEvil Andrew Verity @andyverity 20 May Ocado’s chief exec Tim Steiner told us @bbc5live that reports about its Morrisons tie-up had “upset some people at Waitrose”... politicshomeuk @politicshomeuk 20 May Former Treasury C’ttee chair Lord McFall on Mervyn King’s Help to Buy warning: “I can understand his nervousness.” @SkyNews

Andy O’Donoghue @RedCert 20 May Yahoo! buys Tumblr. Why? Social content. http://buff.ly/10HNJRL Yahoo! will be de facto search engine for Tumblr content: draw the crowd.

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lifestyle this month’s news

Tax Evasion One year after the media put celebrities such as Jimmy Carr and Gary Barlow under the spotlight for evading tax under the K2 tax shelter scheme, the headlines have been hit again with Google and Apple coming under fire for similar reasons. Google came under fire this month after a former executive, Barney Jones, said that he has ‘100,000 emails that expose a system that has “cheated” British taxpayers out of hundreds of millions of pounds over the past decade.’ Google have been accused of using its European headquarters in Dublin to all but eliminate its tax bill in Britain. To put this into perspective, Google’s sales in the UK are believed to be worth £3.2 billion, mostly routed through Dublin to the Bermuda tax haven, where corporation tax is levied at 12.5% compared with 23% in Britain. So in terms of figures, the internet giant paid just £7.2 million in corporation tax last year. Despite this, a Google spokesman has said, ‘As we have always said, we fully comply with all of the tax rules in the UK.’ However during a two hour heated interrogation at the Commons, Google’s vice chairman Matt Brittin, eventually admitted that ‘a lot of the aspects of selling’ do take place in the UK.

Similar to last year, the loopholes used in this case are not illegal, but is believed by many to be immoral, as made vocal by Margaret Hodge in the Commons, where she was heard to condemn the company’s behaviour and say: “I think you do evil. That is, you use smoke and mirrors to avoid paying tax.” Financial expert Martin Lewis agrees with Ms Hodge, saying that it was “time we had a little more fairness” from American firms such as Amazon, Starbucks and Google over their tax affairs in the UK. Whereby business secretary Vince Cable has added, ‘If you are a small company which can’t relocate overseas and has to pay a lot of tax, I can understand why people are absolutely furious.’ Despite heavy criticism, Google’s Executive chairman Eric Schmidt has defended the company’s tax affairs, stating that it is called ‘capitalism’ and ‘I am very proud of the structure that we have set up. We did it based on the incentives that the governments offered us to operate.’ He later said ‘international tax law could almost certainly benefit from reform.’ Will the UK see any changes implemented, or will the loopholes in the Taxing system continue to be used to the larger corporations advantage?

you may be

interested in... Think and Grow Rich An amazing classic that will affect the course of your life. One of the greatest motivational books of all time. Written by Napoleon Hill, Think and Grow Rich and the lessons that are written within the pages will undoubtedly stay with you for the rest of your life. Reading the thirteen step programme shared by Napoleon, offers a straightforward blueprint and a clearly defined path to achieving wealth and success for those that are willing to put in the effort. The very first copy of “Think and Grow Rich!” was sold in 1937, and eleven years later still ranked fourth in a poll taken from 300 successful young men and women who were asked, “What book or books most influenced your life and contributed to your success?” Taking 25 years to complete, and as a result of following and applying the thoughts and processes that he observed from some of the most powerful people at the time, Napoleon Hill became an extremely wealthy and successful man in his own right; simply by listening to his own advice. Thirty eight years on, “USA Today” published a list of the “10 top-selling paperback books about investments” in America for that month, even though the only investment advice given, is how to invest in yourself and others, “Think and Grow Rich!” ranked No. 1 on the list. Sixty six years down the line and Think and Grow Rich remains one of the greatest personal development books of all time, its lessons still valid and true. Read this book and it will change your life.

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Q&A

Can loopholes in tax be avoided?

Daniel Chase I think ultimately this is a difficult question on a whole. In order for the government to crack down on tax avoidance there needs to be an international enforceable agreement drawn up – Which seems unlikely when certain tax havens effectively use reduced tax to boost their own economy. The UK is a significant player in the international market and is worth billions to major international organisations, maybe the answer is to be firm with the corporates and refuse their trade unless they clean up their act. Economic considerations would need to be taken into account such as job loss and infrastructure investment although I do think it is unlikely larger corporates will abandon the UK market over Tax enforcement. I believe the biggest shame with the whole scenario is that currently HMRC appears to be extremely effective in enforcing tax payments from SME’s yet almost powerless when it comes to super groups which is more than frustrating to all of us honest taxpayers. If the economy is going to see the continued boost it needs the government needs to nurture SME’s and introduce a more structured Tax system – We have Tax brackets within personal tax based on how much you earn, The structure within business should be the same and any business conducted in the UK should be liable for it regardless of where your head office is based.

Daniel Chase, Director, Warrington Chase daniel@warringtonchase.co.uk

Steve Aston “We have all at one time been children, every one of us is likely to know and understand the benefits of finding ways to get out of doing something. From childhood we look for loopholes. We discover ways not to eat all our dinner gradually over time understanding which key elements of the meal our parents expect us to eat, so we can then leave the rest. We figure out ways of not tidying rooms. And then there are times when a great many of us know we should do something, but still do just enough to get along as students right now studying for their exams will be doing. We know the payoff for studying will be better all round, but if we know we can pass without studying at all then that’s the route many will take. Then we grow up to become adults and some of these folks take over at large corporations and start businesses of their own. And so the behavior continues when it comes to paying taxes. Only now we are busy living our lives so we pay others large sums of money to figure out ways for us to pay just what we can get away with. It seems to be human nature to find loopholes. Entertainers do it with clever offshore schemes. Coffee companies and internet companies do it with sophisticated in-house reporting systems. Even politicians do it with intricate expense accounts, second homes, and many perks including partners on their payroll...these are the people who are supposed to be helping improve our tax system and make it fair for every UK citizen. The interesting thing is these are mostly legal loopholes. Can loopholes in tax ever be avoided?...ask your kids and they will tell you it’s not likely.”

Steve Aston, Financial Advisor, MoneySprite Steve.aston@moneysprite.com

magazine The RM brand began in 2011 and started with just 4 members of staff. Now continuously growing and seeking new business adventures, their two very successful publications, RM Magazine and RM Business, as well as money saving service RM Rewards, the RM brand continues to reach new audiences and grow its readership on a monthly basis.

The estimated readership for RM Magazine is 100,000 people, all over Essex. The magazine is distributed throughout Essex in a diverse range of locations, from nationally known gyms, shopping centres and event venues to everyone’s favourite local boutiques. The main distributors for the magazine are The Liberty Shopping Centre Romford, The Exchange Centre Ilford and Romford Shopping Hall. Also, deliveries RM Magazine are made to 5000 ABC1 registered homes. RM Magazine first launched in September Distributing across Essex, Areas of distribution 2011 printing just 5000 copies, with only 40 include Chelmsford, Ingatestone, Shenfield, distributers and 4 members of staff. Fast forward Brentwood, Upminster, Hornchurch, Gidea Park, less than 2 years and there are now 25 thousand Romford and Ilford. Another 1600 magazines are sent out to existing customers, subscribers and local businesses. We like to get out there and mingle. The RM brand has a proven We’re serial minglers. track record of working to get customers a fantastic copies being printed, with over 300 distributors, ROI and the ability to boast that 83% of their 9 core members of staff and an overall team advertisers have re-booked campaigns. of 30. RM Magazine are the proud sponsors of Essex Fashion Week 2013, Duke of Essex POLO We’re pretty hot stuff. Our magazines aren’t 2013, Love Business Expo, South Essex Business hot though – well they are, but they aren’t. Expo and Havering Business Awards 2013. You can read them without burning your Hugely successful in Essex, it’s packed with fingers; they’re Hawt. all of the latest fashion trends, beauty tips, exclusive interviews, local food reviews and RM Rewards basically everything there is to love about Essex, RM Rewards was officially launched in March established themselves as the leading Lifestyle 2013 and is a service that allows all RM readers publication in Essex, for readers and advertisers to receive discounts and freebies from the shops alike. There is an online issue of every monthly and business in Essex. This may be at their publication, as well as a fantastic website for favourite boutiques, beauty salons, Restaurants, those who just can’t get enough of RM. The Bars and Clubs. RM want the people of Essex to social media presence is fantastic, with regular have the sparkly lifestyle without the price tag, retweets from cover stars such as Amy Childs. whether they are saving money when dining out, having a cut and colour, going clubbing, True. The exposure we can give our grabbing a snack on the go or having a cosy advertisers is as far reaching as the boarders night in – they want to present their readers with of Essex, aka, the centre of the universe. the best rewards. So what’s the facts?

10 rmbusiness.co.uk

business focus

The concept of RM Rewards means that local businesses will get promoted without spending a great deal of money. Supporting local businesses stands strong throughout the whole RM brand, with both magazines featuring and advertising all things Essex. Yep. It’s all about shopping local and we’re uber passionate about supporting local business. RM Business From April 2013, RM Business has been published along with the lifestyle magazine; however, this is a business to business publication. There are approximately 10,000 printed each month, an estimated readership of 30,000 and the magazine is distributed at over 30 networking events across Essex, on a monthly basis. Considering the magazine has only been published for a few months, this is a fantastic starting point which can only get better as time goes on. The online presence is just as impressive- the site has already had over 18,000 Unique visits. RM Business are also the proud sponsors of Love Business Expo (13th June), South Essex Business Expo (14th June), Duke of Essex Polo (13th July) and Havering Business Awards 2013. Have you seen our shiny new website? They are a magazine for local businesses, containing tips and advice to help businesses grow, interviews with business owners, relevant stories, finance, sales, marketing, workforce and many more sections as well as regular features with Councillors from various boroughs across Essex. RM Business is focused on helping local businesses in a professional and straight forward way, and as they’re a business operating

in Havering, they can relate to the difficulties that local businesses face every day. They’re committed to producing high quality content that assists with the growth and development of all businesses, from start-ups to well established companies, and they avoid the overused jargon that creeps into the business world. We have some fantastic contributors and advertisers, plus we don’t use jargon. Delivering top quality news and articles is at the top of our agenda. With an estimated readership of over 30,000 people, their clients’ campaigns have direct links to offices, boardrooms and thousands of business owners. There is a range of advert and advertorial opportunities available for businesses to gain and maximise their exposure. They work closely with their clients to understand their advertising goals and objectives, as well as taking the company’s budget into consideration. With this information they will create a package that will get the business noticed. The Team The RM team is pretty awesome. OK, we’re writing this, but we’re a great bunch of guys. Especially when we’re allowed to leave our desks and get a much needed glass of water; you should see us smile.

RM Magazine (Business & Lifestyle), 3-11 Grenfell Avenue, Hornchurch, Essex, RM12 4DN Tel: 01708 475789 | Email: hello@rmbusiness.co.uk | Web: www.RMbusiness.co.uk

nick hewer:

expect fireworks

12 rmbusiness.co.uk

business focus

After long anticipation the smash hit BBC show The Apprentice has returned. Nick Hewer says why this season’s candidates should be “ready for a fight”. “Viewers can expect fireworks”, smiles Nick Hewer, an ever-present on the show since it first aired back in 2005. “There are a host of punchy candidates who are going to make for a cracker. I always get sarcastic remarks when The Apprentice comes back around with people saying ‘oh, a new series of The Apprentice (yawn)’. But each time the show comes back fresh and with new angles, and that’s the magic of its format. It’s appointment television.”

the candidates who have appeared on the show. “When all is said and done, we love the candidates and we are immensely proud of them,” he says. “There have been a host of great contestants on The Apprentice over the years. Some names that spring to mind include Saira Khan, who has become a good friend of mine. And I am meeting a contestant from the 2012 show, Gabrielle Omar, who is a lovely, honest, open character and a fantastic architect.

“My golden rule for anyone going on the show is ‘tell the truth’ There is nothing worse than being found out to be a liar” Born in Swindon in 1944, Hewer began working in public relations in the mid-1960s and headed up his own PR company until its sale in 1997. Amstrad, Lord Sugar’s best known corporate monster, ‘hired’ Hewer’s firm, Michael Joyce Consultants, back in 1983 and the pair have worked together ever since, forming a solid friendship.

“Could I have been an apprentice at the age of 25? Not a chance,” continues Hewer. “I would have been terrified. They are putting all their cards on the table, so to speak, early in their careers, and it’s a tough process to go through.”

succeed. “My golden rule for anyone going on the show is ‘tell the truth’,” he adds. “There is nothing worse than being found out to be a liar.” Aside from The Apprentice, Hewer is continuing to flourish in his role as presenter of Channel 4’s Countdown, something he has done since January 2012. “What I love is the fantastical following it has, and not just amongst old people as might be generalised,” he says. “There are all sorts of demographics who watch the show religiously, from school children to students and upwards. The fan base for the programme is quite incredible. You’d be surprised at the number of viewers who won’t go away on holiday unless they’re assured that they can get to a TV set mid-afternoon! It’s a British institution having been going for 30 years, and I’m so honoured to be a part of it.”

With series nine of The Apprentice underway, Hewer urges candidates to “be prepared, determined and ready for a fight” in order to

Nick postponed early retirement to the south of France on the request of Lord Sugar, who asked for his help in negotiating with the producers of The Apprentice when the show was being discussed in 2004. Hewer landed one of the roles of Sugar’s aides on the show, alongside Margaret Mountford, who recently stepped aside for Karren Brady. He has been an ever-present, ever-watching tour de force, keeping a beady eye on the 123 candidates who have appeared across eight series. Loved and respected by the great British public, Hewer says he is full of admiration for 13

business focus - start-up diary

Daniel Chase will be featuring over the next five months, as the winner of our business start-up feature. We picked Daniel, and his company Warrington Chase, because we like the way that he does business. Customer focused and delivering on promises, Daniel heads a company that believes that business has to continue to evolve and change to suit, not only the times that we live in, but also the needs of the customer. This month, Daniel answers the question as to why he decided to take the leap, and start up for himself. From seeing a valuable gap in the market to delivering a service that he knew his customers deserved, Daniel stepped out into the market place for himself with an evolved and consumer focused business model, bravely breaking away from the safety of his accountancy recruitment job, and refusing to get left behind. Starting your own business can seem daunting at the best of times - so why exactly did I feel the time was right for me to sacrifice my security and go it alone? I’ll start with my profession; I’m a specialist accountancy recruiter with over 10 year’s experience. Recruitment Consultancy isn’t something that you would normally associate with entrepreneurialism, nor is it something that you would aspire to become as a child. It tends to be a profession you fall into, and as an industry it is very good at weeding out the people who just wouldn’t cut it on the floor. The hours are longer than you would expect – consultants invariably work 7:30am to 8 or 9pm. The targets are set almost impossibly high and there is a constant focus on making sure that you are ‘paying for your seat’. In my most recent role, working for a household name agency, I found that there was a focus on revenue generation, which far exceeded the focus on delivering what we were being paid for. Unfortunately for me I have never seen myself as a cog in a machine. I have never felt that if I made a mistake, that I can slink away into the background and hide behind an impenetrable brand that has an untenable attitude towards their clients. This I feel is the dying side of recruitment, every business has to evolve at some point in its lifecycle, or get left behind. The financial crisis has fuelled the need for recruitment agencies to adapt. The market is different now; organisations can no longer simply

14 rmbusiness.co.uk

rely on overdrafts and factoring agents to survive. We have seen brands that we have known our entire lives crumble in the fallout of the banking disaster. Recruitment was once a case of getting a bum into a seat, and now it has become a meticulously planned process. Longevity of the role needs to be considered. Will this person come on as a temporary or a permanent member of staff? Will they add value? Should I advertise myself or use an agency? How much will this cost me? I valued the fact that my job title stated I was a ‘consultant’ and I feel this is a key part of the role which has been forgotten in exchange for telesales. A consultant needs to consider that an organisation has a requirement, but also has concerns which need to be factored in. They want to be listened to and have a service tailored to them rather than fit into an agencies methodology. Not all companies can afford to pay thousands for recruitment, but that doesn’t mean they deserve a lesser service. I’m not the only person to realise this - James Caan of Dragons Den made his millions from running a recruitment agency with this attitude. Ricky Martin won a £250,000 start up fund from Lord Sugar for a recruitment agency as an apprentice winner; he also has similar consultant values. Ultimately these are the reasons why I decided to cut ties and go it alone. My clients had evolved, my market had evolved, my mentality had evolved – My employer had not. If I was going to be able to deliver the service that I felt was right, the service that my clients felt they deserved; then it was time to break away. I saw that gap in the market; the gap I felt was valuable enough to keep me secure. I knew I had a viable business concept, I knew it was a concept the market was screaming out for, and I knew it was time to not get left behind. Starting your own business isn’t necessarily about having a totally unique idea that will change the world. It’s about seeing the gap in the market that you know you can fill. It’s about giving people what they want and doing it right and at the right time. That’s why I started my business – I believed in adding value, working for my fee, and being a consultant; not just another salesman.

Contact me for 2013-2014 salary guides covering public practice and industry accountancy figures for inner London vs the Home counties. Twitter: @WarringtonChase Email: daniel@warringtonchase.co.uk Website: www.warringtonchase.co.uk Work Phone Number: 01708 629721 Mobile Phone Number: 07824 559654

work force - development

The top 10 mistakes people make when starting out, that can be avoided! It’s a fact… being a start-up is a risky business. In 2012, of the 424,161 start-ups, 20% will have folded within their first year, and 50% within three, but 20% of these businesses would still be in business after two and a half years if they had sought advice. Here we look at the most common mistakes we have found new business owners make. Suggestions as to how you can improve the chances of your business idea succeeding can be found by reading the full article at: www.thebiznessguru.com/news.

Not enough money. The most common reason why new businesses close is that the owner runs out of money. Cash flow is critical to any start-up business. I was once told by a very successful business owner; “turnover is vanity, profit is sanity.” Ensure your margins and credit terms are robust.

Not thinking strategically about your path to success. Starting a business is all about survival and the best place to start is with your business plan. This will enable you to develop your business from day one.

Losing momentum. You have ambitions to start a business so you create a website, try to make a few sales, go all out for a few months and then run out of steam. Building a business is all about momentum and long term commitment.

Doing it all alone. A “Jack of all trades master at none” attitude to business just doesn’t work. You soon realise that you do not possess the skills to do everything yourself. You need to understand what it is that you bring to the table and who you need to help you.

Not hiring right away. There will be tasks in any business that you should not be focusing on. Why are you doing admin work when you should be finding customers and promoting your business? Identify who can help you from day one.

Simon Fordham is an MBA qualified entrepreneur and a registered “GrowthAccelerator” Coach and “MentorsMe” Mentor. He has managed, led and owned a number of businesses in a variety of sectors. For the last ten years Simon has successfully mentored and coached executives and entrepreneurs, developing them and helping grow successful businesses.

Doing it just for the money. If you don’t truly love your business then you won’t be successful. Stories of famous entrepreneurs and how they built their organisations emphasise that it comes down to the root of loving what you do.

Don’t plan beyond Year One. You will have a hard time getting to the end of year one, therefore don’t start the business on a whim. These entrepreneurs usually run out of money and steam and close down after a few months.

Don’t build around the customer. Most entrepreneurs have the mentality of “if I build it, then customers will come” but invariably they don’t. Analyse your market and find a customer with a problem and solve it.

Don’t seek mentors. Research what other people have done to achieve success and implement those strategies into your own company. Find mentors who have business experience and will help you. Get some grey hair on board!

10. Don’t get involved in the community. Get involved in the small business community. Countless opportunities are generated by connecting with other entrepreneurs and finding out what they are up to and how you can help.

Simon welcomes approaches from businesses looking to develop and grow. He can be contacted direct by texting: “help my business” to 07758 237696. E: simon@thebiznessguru.com W: www.thebiznessguru.com 15

FROM FIRED TO HIRED

After being fired, your initial reaction may be to walk straight into the pub or dive face first into chocolate; this might help for a few hours, but what then? You’ve spent precious money that you should have saved, consumed a thousand calories and now feel even worse. Whether you face redundancy or a dismissal, here’s how to pick yourself up and get back in the game. MOVING ON THE AFTERMATH You’ve just been told and you’re clearing your desk. One million thoughts are running through your mind, but the first question to ask yourself is, was it was deserved? If you feel you have been sacked unfairly, make a claim for unfair or constructive dismissal, but see an employment lawyer first. Another possible reason could be the rocky job climate. “[Companies] need to cut jobs and reduce the cost of having full-time permanent employees. However, finding good new people is not easy, they take time to train up and they may not stay,” says Simon Broomer, Senior Career Counsellor and Job Search Coach at CareerBalance Ltd. If you feel like it was fair, it’s time to face the consequences. No matter what the situation, you’re in for an emotional rollercoaster. Elation, anger, guilt and fear are the common emotions that individuals can experience; some will even feel them all. “It can vary from hour to hour and from day to day,” says Broomer. The trick for dealing with such a mixture of emotions is to not make any rash decisions, don’t burn any bridges, and remain professional. You can try asking for a 30-day probationary period to prove your worth, but offer to leave quietly after this time if they still wish. However, it’s rare when someone gets their job back, as it makes things difficult for people on both sides of the desk. “A broken relationship is not easy to repair. There will be issues of distrust, loss of face, and gossip amongst colleagues. It is easier for the employee to move on and start afresh somewhere else.”

16 rmbusiness.co.uk

Just like a chocolate binge, visiting a recruitment consultant straight away won’t help either as emotions will be too high. “Do not call a recruitment consultant until you are calm and know what you want to do,” says Broomer. Instead, speaking to someone who has been through something similar will help. “Most of us have experienced job loss so there are plenty of people out there who understand,” he says. The next step is altering your CV. In a career climate where experience and contacts are the key to success, Broomer says you should not leave your last job off your CV, even if you were fired for poor performance. If you were made redundant, this is easier to tackle. “There is no shame in redundancy so explain what’s happened in a positive way, for example: “My company has had to cut staff and my job is one of those to go”. Whereas saying: “I’ve been fired,” can make it seem it’s your fault.” In the interview stage, should you be asked about why you were fired, be honest and explain what you have learnt from it. Although it may not seem like it at the time, being fired can have its advantages. For some, it’s the wakeup call they need, whereas others decide to embark on a new career altogether. Despite today’s unpredictable job climate, Broomer reminds us being fired isn’t the end of the world. “No job is for life any more. If you have valuable skills, knowledge and the right attitude you will find a new role.”

http://www.wikihow.com/Get-a-Job-After-You%27ve-Been-Fired http://www.yourofficecoach.com/Topics/what_to_do_if_fired.htm

“You’re sacked!” What to do after you hear the two words every employee fears.

work force

Funny reasons for getting the sack NETHERLANDS A McDonald’s waitress was fired after she added cheese to a hamburger and sold it to a co-worker. The fast-food restaurant located in Lemmer, Netherlands, argued this turned the hamburger into a cheeseburger, so she should have charged more. McDonald’s was ordered to pay the former employee over 4,200 Euros for the last five months of her contract. The fast-food chain had argued that the waitress had broken staff rules prohibiting free gifts to family, friends or colleagues.

CALIFORNIA Fourteen lifeguards in California were fired after a video of them performing a parody of Gangnam Style surfaced online. Their crimes? They were wearing city-issued lifeguard swimsuits and put this video together at the pool where they worked. They said that everything was filmed during their off hours, and just for fun. The offences were soon sunk, as the city voted to reinstate them a month later.

CALIFORNIA Another lifeguard making waves was Tomas Lopez, who was fired for saving someone’s life. When the 21-year-old went to save the man, he left the section of the Florida beach that was his responsibility to patrol. Even though it wasn’t technically his job, Lopez ran toward the man, but by the time he got there, others had pulled the drowning man from the water. Lopez’s managers claimed he put people in danger by leaving his post.

FLORIDA Think saving a life would only cause the one firing? Think again! Also in Florida, a waiter saw a woman getting carjacked, so he abandoned his shift to save her. Waiter Juan Canales rugby tackled the criminal, but when he returned to his shift, his boss fired him. Apparently he wasn’t that good of an employee. Indeed courage, dedication and loyalty are terrible traits to have when dealing with the public.

RUSSIA Tatiana Kozlenko, aw Russian air hostess, was sacked after she shared a picture of a hand giving a cabin full of passengers the finger. The image, which shows a hand flipping the bird to the backs of people’s heads, ended up on Twitter and went viral within hours. Aeroflot airline bosses soon found out and sacked Ms Kozlenko, but she claims it wasn’t her in the image.

Is the weather affecting your work? The temperatures may be rising, but are your productivity levels? According to psychologists, yes, they are! It’s 6:28am on a Monday morning and the sunlight creeps through your curtains, naturally waking you two minutes before your alarm triggers. You can see a slice of baby blue sky through the drapes, and feel the heat encasing you. You throw back your covers and head to the bathroom to cool your feet on the tiles. If only getting up for work every day was as easy as this. Instead, half of our mornings start in cold darkness, a rude awakening from our alarms, and we have to surgically remove ourselves from our beds.

“When the weather is good, you feel more open to work with your team.” We all know that our moods are improved by the summer weather, but how does this affect our performance at work? Will it make us lethargic and loath the fact that we’re stuck inside an office on such precious days? Far from it, says Professor Cary L Cooper from Lancaster University. “People feel more positive and motivated when the weather is better,” and this isn’t just because your boss might treat you all to a 99. Sunlight is the key that will lock away your winter blues. “Right now we’re like daffodils; we’re all beginning to come out as people. We’ve had a long winter, so good weather does affect performance in a very positive way. People feel more sociable and interact better,” says Professor Cooper. Better interaction means more teamwork and 18 rmbusiness.co.uk

improved productivity. “When the weather is bad, effectively we’re animals and we hibernate. We don’t go outside and get full spectrum light, so our mood is affected,” he says. “This ties in with work because most of our performance is in teams and with other people. When the weather is good, you feel more open to work with your team.” This then reduces arguments, and there is evidence that shows those who have had an argument are more likely to come down with a cold or flu than those who haven’t. So what goes on in our bodies to make us feel so positive in the sunshine? “Seasonal affective disorder (a mild depression) kicks in during winter, not so much when the days are short, but when the days are dull,” explains Dr Joan Harvey, Chartered psychologist at Newcastle University. “If you have a short day and there is sunlight, it’s probably less of a problem.” Bright days boost our brains in various ways. “Sunlight stimulates some of the feel-good hormones as well as helping you synthesise vitamin D,” says Dr Harvey. And the benefits aren’t just internal. Bronzed skin and lightened hair aside, the sun also enhances the appearance of objects. “In sunlight, greens look greener, so it changes the way we perceive things by enhancing colour, as well as messing about with endorphins,” says Dr Harvey. “We’ve known for years that yellow colours make you feel more cheerful, but the jury is still out on exactly how this works.” She also says if we had both sunshine and snow in January, we wouldn’t feel as negative. With post-Christmas stress far behind and everyone embracing fresh starts, it seems ironic that this is the time of year we crave a vacation. But if a holiday isn’t on the horizon, embrace this time of year, and a promotion could be.

work force

lifestyle

People that really enjoy their job, aren’t ashamed to admit it; they may even throw in a, ‘I have the best job in the world!’ Most of the time, it’s an impulsive statement simply describing a good day, but if you have a job similar to those in our list, you’re one very lucky individual indeed!

Best Jobs in the World AUSTRALIA Recently there were six, 6 month jobs in Australia, with titles including ‘Chief Funster’, ‘Wildlife Caretaker’ and ‘Outback Adventurer’. Any jobs with ‘funster’ or ‘adventurer’ in the title needs no explanation as to why they are ranking as some of the best in the world (one also includes VIP access to all of the biggest parties in Sydney – jealous or what?). All together, roughly 40,000 people applied for the positions, although not by the usual standard CV – even the application process for the jobs were fun. Each candidate had to upload a 30 second video of themselves explaining why they should get the job, if you can even call it that! Among the application videos, there was a woman snorkelling and a man having a pillow fight in his underwear in New York; the people judging the videos must have had just as much fun as those who made them, let alone the successful applicant!

SLEEPING We can only imagine getting paid to sleep, and if you are a sleep study participant, this is perfectly normal for you. Whoever said ‘you snooze you lose’ couldn’t be any further from the truth with this job. Even though you are having your physiological signs monitored every second, some studies go to the extreme and pamper their participants with scented beds and other sleep therapy items. There are also ‘secret hotel sleep testers’, who judge and review how good their sleep was that night, (and also get to sneak about James Bond style and use fake names. Well the fake name is optional, but who could resist?). A student from Birmingham City University gained the job of her dreams, quite literally! Twenty two year-old Roisin Madigan earned £1,000 for a month’s work… sleeping. She was hired to test out luxury beds every day for a month. Brands included Saviour Beds, who originally launched to supply beds for the Savoy Hotel, and she was instructed to spend 10am6pm in bed and then blog about her experience.

LIFESTYLE PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT While most of us are sitting at our desks, inside our offices and gazing longingly at what little Sun peeps outside our windows, Tommy Lynch is jet-setting to places such as Turkey, the Costa Del Sol and Dominican Republic. Why would he be flying to such beautiful destinations? Well it’s his job. Mr Lynch is a ‘lifestyle product develop manager’ at holiday super-brand First Choice. Life flies all over the world to, wait for it… test water flumes. With his only complaint being that it’s “a bit tough when it’s chilly and you have to strip off and shoot down the flume”, he admittedly states, “I do have the best job in the world. No-one believes me when I tell them what I do.” However First Choice and Mr Lynch are both in agreement that the job is actually necessary as well as important. Tommy said “There is a serious side to my job, which carries a lot of responsibility, but getting to check out the flumes is by far the best bit”, First Choice stated that “we understand how important swimming pools are to kids on holiday, which is why we appointed someone dedicated to finding the very best in the world.” No doubt there are thousands of hopefuls lined up for this when Mr Lynch retires! 19

Apprenticeships Engaging Employers There’s never been a better time to employ an apprentice Apprenticeships are thriving across England, with significant Government investment and a talent pool of over a million potential employees nationwide making it the ideal time for companies in Essex to take advantage of the opportunities for business growth provided by employing apprentices.

Currently, more than 100,000 employers in England offer Apprenticeships in 200,000 locations, covering over 170 industries and 1500 different job roles meaning the range of opportunities open to both business and young job-seekers is immense. Last year in Essex, almost 5,700 applications were made for Apprenticeship vacancies, an increase of 10% on the previous year, demonstrating the rise in popularity of Apprenticeships in the area. Research among employers has also demonstrated that Apprenticeships can help businesses grow by developing a motivated, skilled and qualified workforce with 96% of apprentice employers reporting benefits to their business. These benefits range from improved productivity and competitiveness, to better staff retention and recruitment cost savings. What’s more, in recognition of the advantages of Apprenticeships for young people, adults, employers and the economy, the government is investing £1.5bn in the financial year 2012-13. Through the National Apprenticeship Service, employers receive help with recruitment and training costs, and tailored support at every stage of the Apprenticeship recruitment process. Any a business with fewer than 1000 employees and has not employed an apprentice in the last 12 months may be eligible for a grant £1,500 per apprentice. David Smale, Head of Employer Accounts, London and the South East, National Apprenticeship Service says, “Recruiting apprentices has significant business benefits over other methods of recruitment; a fact identified by independent research. The process is fairly straightforward and financial support may be available.” One Essex business to make the most of the benefits offered by Apprenticeships is Spicerhaart, an estate agency and financial services company based in Colchester. Spicerhaart began offering Apprenticeships four years ago, and currently provide Intermediate and Advanced Apprenticeships in Business and Administration, Sales and Telesales, Customer Service and Management.

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Recruiting in this way has proved very successful for the business. “The benefits are immense,” says Bobina Dale, Centre Manager. “We have a talent pool of incredible people and we have seen so many success stories.” The apprentices trained by Spicerhaart have proved their worth to the company, as Bobina explains: “They take accountability for their work and are vigilant in their roles, minimising risk to our company and clients. They take on additional responsibilities and want to progress, which brings continuous improvement to the company.” Spicerhaart’s apprentices can expect to achieve qualifications during their Apprenticeships, which include NVQ Levels 2 or 3 in their chosen area, alongside Key Skills and ERR (Employee Rights and Responsibilities) certificates. The company’s Apprenticeships also emphasise personal development. Bobina says, “one of our apprentices joined us three years ago with no qualifications and very low self esteem. To see her receiving a Negotiator of The Year Award at our Annual Conference is clear evidence of the success of Apprenticeships.” “When apprentices begin to deliver award-winning performances and want to commit to further qualifications, they demonstrate their long term commitment to remaining with our business.” The company’s investment in Apprenticeships has also brought more job satisfaction to more senior members of staff: “Developing and nurturing new talent is one of the most rewarding elements of Apprenticeships,” says Bobina. The Apprenticeships delivered so far by Spicerhaart are just the tip of the iceberg. Once they have finished their training, apprentices move up into more senior roles and become advocates for Apprenticeships themselves. Some also mentor the next generation. Bobina explains: “We currently have 21 people on Apprenticeships, with more planned. We know from the commitment every apprentice gives that they will be with us long term, and will undoubtedly be our future stars. It is an

incredible and committed partnership between employer and employee.”

employing an apprentice. A team of experts, including small business specialists, will help employers:

In recognition of their commitment to Apprenticeships, the company was named South East Medium-sized Employer of the Year at the National Apprenticeship Awards 2012.

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One way that the National Apprenticeship Service directly supports employers is by providing the Apprenticeship vacancies online system, accessed through the apprenticeships.org.uk website, where employers can advertise their Apprenticeships free to a vast number of potential candidates who match their criteria. In 2012, over a million Apprenticeship applications were made via this system. This search tool is also available as an app, for Apple and Android phones which can also be downloaded from the website. Thanks in part to this access to vacancies, for both employers to advertise and young job-seekers to apply, Apprenticeships are becoming ever more popular, with people attracted to the excellent career prospects they provide. Half a million apprentices began their training in the academic year 201112 and nearly a quarter of these were aged 16 to 18. The number of Higher Apprenticeships is also increasing. Equivalent to degrees, more of these professional and highly skilled Apprenticeships are being offered each year. Vic Grimes, Divisional Area Director of the National Apprenticeship Service, London and the South East says: “For a strong and growing economy we must have a high level of skills to meet employer demand, and Apprenticeships are a vital way of achieving this. The National Apprenticeship Service is not only committed to increasing the number and range of Apprenticeships on offer, but also to ensuring the quality of Apprenticeships, which is so key to this growth. We want Apprenticeships to become the new norm for ambitious young people and expanding businesses.” Why should I take on an apprentice? Apprenticeships deliver for businesses of all sizes, with most employers citing a wish to improve their skills base as the main reason for taking on an apprentice, according to the British Chambers of Commerce. Companies offering Apprenticeships view them as advantageous to their long-term development, with 96% of apprentice employers reporting benefits to their business. Greater productivity is reported by around 72% of apprentice employers, with the average Apprenticeship completer increasing business productivity by £214 per week, a figure incorporating higher profits, lower prices and better products. Other benefits reported by around two-thirds of apprentice employers include improved products or services, the introduction of new ideas to the organisation, improved staff morale and better staff retention. Businesses can be confident that their apprentices will receive high quality training and qualifications from local training organisations. Employers also receive dedicated support from the National Apprenticeship Service during the process of

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lifestyle

Decide on your requirements with an Apprenticeship Adviser, and drive recruitment through the free Apprenticeship vacancies service; Deliver the Apprenticeship, working with a training organisation to reduce the burden on your business; Develop your apprentice, for example entering them into awards and competitions to put your business on the map.

What funding is available? Employers are responsible for paying the wage of their apprentice (the current minimum is £2.65 per hour). The National Apprenticeship Service funds 100% of the Apprenticeship training costs if the apprentice is aged 16 to 18 years old. If they are 19 to 24 years old, the business will receive up to 50% of the training costs; if they are 25 years old or over, there may only be a contribution depending on the sector and area the business operates in. Is there any support for smaller businesses? Yes, if a business has fewer than 1000 employees and has not employed an apprentice in the last 12 months, they may be eligible for AGE 16 to 24 (the Apprenticeship Grant for Employers), a grant of £1,500 (per apprentice) intended to enable smaller companies to take on an apprentice aged between 16 and 24. Thanks to this grant more than 18,900 young people have been able to start an Apprenticeship. How can I recruit an apprentice? The first step for any employer new to recruiting apprentices should be to contact the National Apprenticeship Service, the organisation that supports, funds and co-ordinates the delivery of Apprenticeships throughout England.

The National Apprenticeship Service provides a dedicated service to employers, offering free, expert advice and support to those looking to recruit apprentices for the first time, or expand the Apprenticeships they offer. Sue Welsh, Employer Accounts Manager, National Apprenticeship Service says, “Recruiting an apprentice is not just about factors such as filling vacancies, reducing recruitment costs, and improving that all important bottom line in these challenging times it is also about shaping and developing people in the culture of your company and investing in the future of your company. The National Apprenticeship Service are here to explain what this means for you and your company and provide support to you at every step of the recruitment process and after.” To find out more about Apprenticeships and the AGE 16 to 24 Grant, go to apprenticeships.org.uk or call NAS on 08000 150 600.

sales & marketing

Love Your Job, or Change Your Career My day to day workings include overseeing the work of my front end and back-end development team, sales and marketing team as well as looking to secure a second round of investment for my eCommerce Platform Gloople. This alone, is an exhausting task without even including meetings with my account, solicitor, recruiters, hosting company and channel partners. Regardless of the day to day business stress, I absolutely, 100% love what I do. I have worked very hard to be in the position that I’m in, and have had to sacrifice a lot to have my own business.

Written by Warren Knight www.warrenknight.co.uk @wvrknight

On average, a person doesn’t smile on a Monday morning until 11.16AM. Why? Because they are unhappy in their workplace. Running a business with a lot of pressure on your shoulders can be very demanding but if you can’t smile, then no one else in your business will.

You can look at life in two ways. One, your cup is always half empty, you never get anything finished, you have forgotten to call your accountant again and the reminder comes through the door from HMRC and life starts getting you down. Your energy is low, the atmosphere in the office is quiet and everyone is looking busy. Or, you can look at your cup half full; you can embrace the amazing opportunity to build something and are proud to say “WE did that” and each morning wake up with a smile that will bring a positive energy into every part of your day.

love what you do and do it for the right reasons If your cup is half empty, you need to do something about it. If you feel like you are stuck in an endless job, so far removed from your dream occupation, make a change. Everything you do in life will take you closer to that light bulb moment and the idea to start building something great for yourself. If you

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have something of value to offer that YOU believe could be a successful business, take that leap of faith and go for what you want. I had a business idea around four years ago and I turned that into a business that I believed in (at the time). After 12 months I realised something. I stopped having fun, I stopped smiling and most importantly, realised that the idea I believed in was actually, not what the market needed. I made the hardest, yet best decision when I decided to close the business down and focus on something I truly knew a community needed. Why am I sharing this with you now? Because it was one of the best decisions that I have ever made. Yes it was a hard decision to make but I knew it was the right decision. If you are looking for a new challenge and have a passion for the Internet, Gloople can help you. Within 3 months of finding a need in the market, Gloople launched its first website in January 2011. Today we are the UK’s 1st “Social Sharing” SaaS ecommerce platform designed for start-ups and small businesses to have a big brand experience, offering a multichannel environment. I write to you today as the Founder of a Million Pound Business. The moral of this story is, love what you do and do it for the right reasons. We are offering you the chance to work with us at Gloople where we as a team, believe in following our passion.

Ten Commandments for Effective Web Design When creating a super shiny new website, there are a few points that you will need to bear in mind. Not everyone gets it right, and some sites are downright ghastly, so in order to show your business the absolute best way that you can on the magical World Wide Web, be sure to adhere to these Ten Commandments for effective web design; you’ll be praying that you’d heard them sooner. 1.

Thou shall have a respectable load time Make sure your web site loads! You may laugh, but making sure that your site actually loads quickly is a big deal. If it doesn’t load within an average of two seconds, you may be loosing potentially clients.

Thou shall not use Flash It’s ok, just don’t use Flash! Flash has essentially be vetoed by Apple, so anyone with an iPhone or iPad won’t be able to view it, which would mean that your funky new rotating unicorn won’t be seen by a large chunk of people. And who doesn’t want to see a rotating unicorn?

Thou shall make it easy to mingle Make it easy for people to interact and share your website through various social media platforms. You may have heard, but it’s kind of a big deal these days.

Thou shall place call to actions appropriately You may have heard the expression, “keep it above the fold.” This may not hold true as much these days due to mobile technology, but keeping your latest deal or call to action above all other content is a great way of generating traffic to a specific section of your website.

Thou shall use inoffensive imagery Great photography does wonders for your website! We don’t mean whipping your brand new HTC one out and snapping a few shots of your office. Get a professional in to take some really nice visuals. Everyone loves great snaps!

Thou shall produce holy wording Read and re-read your websites copy for typo’s, grammatical errors and unimaginative wording, there is nothing worse than a poorly written website and it doesn’t look very professional.

Thou shall let the awesome design follow through There is no point in having a really great home page which draws people into your website, if your footer, pop-ups and interior pages lack the polish that your home page has as people will loose interest. Make sure you dedicate as much or even more time to considering the design of the other aspects of your site.

Thou shall embrace technology\ It may seem daunting, as a lot of people struggle to understand the new web technologies out there, but getting your websites toes wet in CSS3 and HTML5 will pay dividends later.

Thou shall eat fresh It can be a lot of work running a website, so you may start muttering curses when I say this, but try to create fresh new content for your website every month. This lets people know that your business is still active, and Google casts favourably leers upon new content being added to a website regularly.

10. Thou shall not live in the past Rather like a house, a website needs constant up-keep and you may even have to move. So every year to 2 years, it’s recommended that you update/re-develop your website to keep ahead of the competition. 23

What is Good PR? Public Relations can seem daunting and is quite easy to get wrong; with so many different methods and theories, it’s easy to get confused. The main objective of PR is for the right message to be put across to the right audience. There is no such thing as right and wrong in most parts of a business, as every company is different, however, there are some basic guidelines that make for ‘good PR’. A PR plan should be devised before anything else. It should clearly show where the business needs to get to, as well as any other aims and goals. You also need to decide how you want to be perceived by your audience, this will help you to figure out the best approach for your company. Step by step strategy Good PR must include a strategy; you must go into detail of just how you will achieve each step. Telling a client what they want to hear and not what they need to hear, isn’t the correct strategy. Each business’ strategy and approach will differ depending on what type of business they are. Once good products and services are secured, a good PR campaign can follow. If there is a huge launch that is not followed up by quality products or services, it will be a waste of time and money. All aspects of the business need to be at a high level so that customers and clients are not disappointed, as this poses the risk of damaging your company’s reputation. Socially communicate Good PR should help to build and sustain the brand name. In order to do this, you need to keep up-to-date with the constantly changing behaviours and requirements of your customer. There are many ways of doing this, although in recent years, customers and businesses have found it easier to communicate with each other through social networking sites. Surveys and polls can be completed by customers, suggestions can be made and it is a good platform for customer service. Good communication with the media, as well as customers, is vital. 24 rmbusiness.co.uk

Stop the press. Writing a press release can have a huge impact in any PR campaign. The text in a press release should be straight forward and to the point, using short sentences that are relevant to the subject. No exaggeration or side-stories are needed, the information should be put across in a way that can be easily read and followed. Depending on your audience, and the purpose of the press release, you need to choose the correct language. If you are aiming for a younger audience, you don’t want to over-complicate anything by using technical language. If photos are included, they should be carefully selected and relevant to the text. A good quality image will improve the look of any piece of text, it breaks up the copy and the whole piece becomes more appealing and pleasing to the eye. Record it. Learn from it. Records need to be kept of any progress. Without analysing and keeping track of progression, time and money may be wasted. Monitor your campaign and it’s results, this will give you the platform and answers that will ensure that every successive campaign, will be better than the one before.

sales & marketing

Sell, Sell, Sell! But think about it...

Selling a product or service isn’t as simple as making it, giving it a price and selling it; there’s also a lot of planning involved. Without a sales strategy, the business will lack a direction and structure when it comes to actually selling the product or service. It’s the same with a marketing plan. Planning allows you to be able to see where you currently are and where you need to be. It can be hard to perfect your sales and marketing technique, but when you do, it’s worth it. Here are a few tips that may help.

Sales Tips

Marketing Tips

Define your Audience: Whether you need to improve your sales or not, knowing all you can about your audience is always helpful. Defining your specific target audience allows you to refine your sales strategy and make it more efficient. Sometimes, the reason behind the failure of a business is that the target audience has not been defined. Without clear acknowledgement of who your products or services are aimed towards, it is unlikely that you will have a clear sales strategy. This is needed in order to develop consistency with sales, and gives structure to future plans, as well as knowing your place amongst the competition.

Plan: It is important to have a plan for any aspect of your business, especially in marketing. If you have a written marketing plan, all members of staff can view it and will be informed of the company’s targets and overall direction. A good plan will cover where the company is currently at, where you need or want to be, how long it should take, how you are going to get there and who is responsible for what. When all members of staff know what they are aiming for, everything becomes a lot clearer.

Study customer habits: Once your audience have been defined, you can study their behaviour. This means analysing the way in which they buy things, for example, if a particular product is selling well and then you increase the price, if it stops selling so well, you now know that people aren’t prepared to pay more for it. Also, if you have a good quality product or service and you are undercharging, you might notice that customers take a while deciding whether to buy it, leading to the conclusion that consumers are questioning the quality of the product. Daily routine: If you do several jobs within your company, it is easy to overlook certain things, such as sales techniques. This is why it’s important to have a daily routine, even if you set just an hour aside to concentrate on sales. Your sales routine may include daily, weekly or monthly targets. For example, you may aim to call ten potential customers each week. This will give you some guidance and ensure that nothing is overlooked. Build relationships: Building relationships with customers is absolutely vital when sales are involved. One of the biggest impacts on sales, is your relationship with the customer. You are representing your company, so essentially you represent your products or service. If you fail to make a good impression on the potential customer, they are highly unlikely to buy anything from you, which is why it is important to create a good relationship, and maintain it.

Smooth and efficient: Word of mouth is a powerful selling tool, and there are ways to ensure that you are getting it. By surprising your customers and going above and beyond your call of duty for them, they can only say great things about you. Ensuring all problems, complaints, returns, etc are dealt with quickly and fairly, also helps. Pricing strategy: Rather than just pricing your products on production costs plus a margin, you need to understand that pricing says a lot about your products or services. If something is priced fairly high, it is likely that people will find a cheaper alternative. On the other hand, it could show that the product is of high quality, and consumers may be willing to pay a high price for it. If you sell something cheaply that is similar to a competitor’s price, you are likely to enter into the market at a similar level. It’s all about how you want your brand to come across and where you think your products or service sits in the market. In depth planning and strategy will help you to achieve an accurate pricing level. Good customer service: If you have people talking about how great your company is, the last thing you want is for them to hear different. This is why it’s important to have great customer service. If someone has a problem or complaint, you need to respond to it quickly and politely. It has become highly popular for businesses to use their social networking pages such as Facebook and Twitter as a form of customer service. Receiving a complaint from a customer is never a great thing, however if you deal with it correctly, it’s likely that you will restore their faith in the business and they will be a returning customer. Long gone are the days of shying away from complaining customers; businesses that admit their mistakes are more respected than those that don’t. 25

Using Social Media to Build Relationships with Customers – Beginner Social networking sites can be used to build relationships between your company and the public as well as potential customers. There are a number of different sites that are perfect for specific types of communication, and it is more popular than ever for companies to have some form of online customer service, plus it’s an easy way to engage with clients.

Facebook and Twitter are ideal. Twitter is a micro blogging site with each entry consisting of just 140 characters; perfect for sharing short nuggets of information and company updates that are relevant to customers. Facebook can also be used in this way. Information can be posted on the company’s page and people that have ‘liked’ the page can then comment on posts or add their own post.

Here are a few useful tips for beginners on how best to use social media to build meaningful and lasting relationships with customers.

Give something back Competitions can be set up on Facebook where you may ask followers to ‘like’ a page or ‘share’ their picture to win. The same can be done on Twitter except you may have to ‘follow’ the company and ‘retweet’ a specific tweet. This engages the customer and can attract new ones. Competitions are always guaranteed to grab attention as there is always someone willing to enter and participate.

You look like a human One of the main benefits for businesses using social networking is that it gives your company a human face. If you are personable and use a friendly tone when interacting with customers or potential customers, you will break away from the stereotypical ‘robot responses’. Customers will then feel as though they are talking to an actual person that is prepared to listen to their problem and respond accordingly. Promote yourself – but not too much For general communication, such as letting the customers know what’s happening, promoting deals and running competitions, sites such as 26 rmbusiness.co.uk

Building relationships with customers is vital for businesses whether it is for Customer Service purposes or general interaction, however there is no point in having many ‘followers’ or ‘friends’ on social networking sites if you do not engage and converse with them. This is why you need to keep your content up to date and reply to customers when they have taken the time to interact with you. It’s just good manners.

sales & marketing

Using Social Media sites to improve seo – Beginner Once you’ve got the perfect twitter handle, set up your facebook page and updated all of your LinkedIn info, now’s the time to start sharing relevant and interesting information to those that you are connected with. Fill out all of the information and in as much detail as as you can to allow for the search engines to find your company as easily as possible. Sometimes companies find it relevant to list the names of their employees on their website and include the employee’s personal social media links, however, this is not vital and has to be agreed with the employee first. Although this doesn’t directly give a link to your website, it increases your company’s online presence.

Keyword Choices: Keywords are vital, however you need to thoroughly research the ones that you choose to use. There are several tools that you can use to do so and you need to find out the most commonly used phrases that are being searched by your target market when they are looking for a company such as yours. These keywords will make you easier to find. SEO Friendly URL’s: Ensure all pages of your website have a unique URL and that it is relevant to that page and sums it up in a few words. Rather than random letters and numbers at the end of the URL, change these to a few summarising words, as this will make the URL much more search engine friendly.

SEO stands for Search Engine Optimisation, and you can improve it by being on a number of social networking websites. The more sites that you are on that contain your name and a link to your website, the higher your profile will rise in the search engines. Also, research has shown that re-tweets and shares on social media may get content indexed much faster. This proves that social networking is a vital part of a company’s marketing strategy, and the more links that a company has to its own content, the more exposure they will get online, and the higher their profile will be on search engines. Apart from being on all of the relevant social networking websites, there are a few other simple things that you can do to increase your SEO that you may have over-looked: Alt Tags for images: by adding an alt tag to an image, the chances of it being indexed on Google Images increases. This is a simple way of driving traffic to your website where the image is being hosted.

Preventing Late Payments During a recession, managing and reducing the risk of late payment is essential. Indeed, both small and medium-sized enterprises are particularly vulnerable to the effects that late payments can have on cash flow, profitability, and ultimately the viability of a business. Mike Keanly Cash Flow

Profit versus Cash Flow

What is cash flow? It’s basically the movement of funds in and out of your business. You should be tracking this either weekly, monthly or quarterly. There are essentially two kinds of cash flows.

Profit does not equal cash flow. You can’t just look at your profit and loss statement (P&L) and get a grip on your cash flow. Many other financial figures feed into factoring your cash flow, including accounts receivable, inventory, accounts payable, capital expenditures and debt service. Smart cash flow management requires a laser focus on each of these drivers of cash, in addition to your profit or loss.

•

Positive cash flow: This occurs when the cash that’s funnelling into your business from sales, accounts receivable, etc. is more than the amount of the cash leaving your businesses through accounts payable, monthly expenses, salaries, etc.

•

Negative cash flow: This occurs when your outflow of cash is greater than your incoming cash. This generally spells trouble for a business, but there are steps that you can take to remedy the situation and generate or collect more cash while maintaining or cutting expenses.

Achieving a positive cash flow does not come by chance. You have to work at it. You need to analyse and manage your cash flow to more effectively control the inflow and outflow of cash. This analysis involves examining the components of your business that affect cash flow, such as accounts receivable, inventory, accounts payable, and credit terms. By performing an analysis on these separate components, you’ll be able to identify cash flow problems more easily and find ways to improve it.

A positive cash flow is actually needed to generate profits. You need enough money to pay your employees and suppliers so that you can make goods or supply services. It’s the sale of those goods and services that help generate a profit. But if you don’t have the money to make the goods or supply services, you don’t end up with the profit. So you need to structure your business to have a positive cash flow if you want your business to grow and profits to increase. Strategies to avoid Late Payments If you want to avoid falling victim to the ‘late payment culture’, consider the following strategies. •

Credit check your customers – Failure to research the credit history of both new and potential customers could leave your business at risk of late or even non-payment. Minimise this threat by conducting the necessary checks with the customer’s bank, a credit reference agency and some of their suppliers.

•

It is also advisable to monitor your customers’ payment trends on an ongoing basis, as this may allow you to spot potential problems before they develop into something more damaging.

•

Know your rights: Under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts Act 2002, businesses have a statutory right to charge interest for the late payment of commercial debt, at a rate of 8% above the Bank of England’s reference rate. You should make it clear that you will enforce these rights if an account becomes overdue. Should it come to the worst, seek legal advice about how best to pursue the debt.

Publicise your terms and conditions: Clearly print your terms and conditions for payment on all relevant documentation that is sent to new and potential customers. Terms should clearly state the payment period for any invoice – settlement is often expected within • Deposit policy: Establishing a deposit policy for works 30 days, although this may vary depending on the type in progress. For example, if you deliver a service such as of business. home repair, landscaping, etc. you can adopt a policy that customers pay a certain percentage of the total • Promote a positive payment culture: To encourage invoice up front before the job begins. customers to pay on time, you could consider offering small discounts for the early settlement of bills. If a Remember: customers who fail to pay their bills could customer is having problems with their payment, you jeopardise your business. Enforcing a fair but strict payment may want to negotiate a deal with them. However, be policy will protect your client relationships and your business wary of excuses – if they tell you the cheque is in the in the long term. post, ask for further details, such as the cheque number and the date of posting. • Invoice on time: Distribute invoices in a timely manner to ensure the payment process remains as efficient as possible, and prevent unnecessary delays by addressing the invoice to the correct contact and department. If a client has not paid on time, it is essential to pursue payment.

Robertson Milroy

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Allowable expenses What are Expenses? The word ‘expense’ can be defined as the money that is spent on something. Expenses for employees is a tax relief for any business expenses that you’ve paid for. ‘Tax relief’ summarises the idea that you either pay less tax to account for the money that you have paid out for being able to do your job, or if you’re self employed for your business, or you get that money repaid in another way, such as into a personal pension. There are many acceptable expenses such as business travel, tools, and specialist clothing.

Expenses only ‘count’ if you have paid out for something that is vital for you to be able to do your job and there are of course some terms and conditions. For example, you cannot ask for tax relief if your employer has already reimbursed you for the expense and has agreed a ‘dispensation’ with HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC). Also, there are some special tax allowance and relief rules and arrangements for people working on board a ship, working or living abroad and coming to work in the UK. How to Claim Expenses If you have to fill in a Self Assessment tax return, you’re a director or you have other income that you need to tell HMRC about, it is possible that you pay tax at a higher rate. You can claim for your allowable expenses in the employment page of the tax return. If you claim for your tax relief on your tax return, there is no need to fill out a form P.87. If you don’t have to fill out a tax return, you can claim your tax relief by letter, phone, form P.810 or form P.87. The first time you claim for your 30 rmbusiness.co.uk

expenses you will need to contact HMRC via letter, and if they total over £1,000, you will need to fill out form P.87 for them to find out additional details. If you contact HMRC by phone to claim your tax relief, you will only be able to receive it if your expenses total less than £1,000, you’ve claimed them in a previous tax year for the same employment, HMRC have accepted your earlier claim, and if you haven’t already been sent a P.87 to be completed. What is Form P810? If you want HMRC to check your income to ensure that you don’t pay too much or too little tax you can request a P810 Tax Review form to fill in. You can also use this form to ask for your allowable expenses, however, if they total over £1,000, HMRC will request that you also fill in form P.87 to give them more details about your expenses. What is Form P87? If you request it, want to claim expenses over £1,000, it’s the first that time you’ve ever claimed expenses, or you’re claiming expenses for a year before the previous tax year, you will be sent form P.87. It requires you to fill out details about your expenses and how you got the final figure of the amount that you wish to claim. If you have more than one job or you change jobs during the tax year, you will need a separate form, P.87, for each. If you do not fill out form P.87 once HMRC sends you this, they will not be able to allow your expenses, meaning that you may be paying too much tax.

money matters Acceptable Expenses Protective Clothing/Equipment: As a general rule, employees cannot claim for the clothes that they wear to work, however, if your job requires you to wear specific safety clothing/equipment, you can claim the price of these on your expenses, as it is a vital requirement for you to be able to carry out your job safely. For example, if you work in the building sector and you need overalls, gloves and goggles, you would be able to claim for these on your expenses as long as you have to pay for the repairing, cleaning and replacing of the items and your employer doesn’t reimburse you – you cannot claim for the initial buying of this clothing. Although, if you need specific equipment to do your work, for example hairdressing scissors, you will be able to claim for these on your expenses as well as maintaining and replacing the tools. Business Mileage or Fuel: Business mileage is the distance that it takes you to do your job. It can include travel to a temporary workplace but does not include normal travel between home, or anywhere that is not your work place, permanent workplace, or private travel. When travelling in a car, for tax purposes you can claim 45p for the first 10,000 business miles in a tax year then 25p for each subsequent mile, and for NICs purposes, 45p for all business miles. If you are travelling on a motorcycle, you can claim 24p for both tax and NICs purposes and for all business miles. Entertaining: Entertaining expenses are nearly always disallowed as these provide the most opportunity for abuse. There is a strict criteria for the forms of entertainment that are allowed. The rare exceptions must meet all of the following criteria. • Customers or potential customers are present • No member of the employee or office holder’s family are present • Purpose of the event is not predominantly social • The cost of entertaining staff and colleagues of the same organisation does not qualify to be included as an expense • A full explanation of the entertainment expenses is usually required as well as any receipts Non Acceptable Expenses Every-Day Glasses: If your job does not require you to use a computer screen, or any other VDU, you cannot claim employee expenses on eye tests. Also, if you are required to wear glasses or contact lenses for VDU work as well as normal day-to-day life, you cannot claim these on employee expenses. However, if an eye test is required by health and safety legislation for employees who are required to use a computer screen or

Funny Items Claimed on Expenses MP John Reid: claimed tax relief for an ice cube tray, the best part being is that it cost him £1.50. MP David Heathcoat-Amory: claimed for horse manure to be added to his list of expenses, coming in at a mere 70p per bag. MP Sian James: added a 59p Chocolate Santa to her expenses list. John Prescott: claimed £112.52 for a toilet seat! Jim McGovern: managed to drumb up a legal bill of £27,000 including a £23.90 single rail fare from Dundee to Glasgow, a £249.45 flight to Heathrow and a £24 train ticket.

any other VDU, it can be claimed. After an eye test has been requested by health and safety legislation, glasses and contact lenses that are required for VDU work, and only VDU work, can be claimed as expenses. Travel: When travelling to and from work, the money that you spend either on public transport or fuel will not qualify as refundable expenses. When travelling to or from your normal workplace either to or from home, or any other place you visit for non-work reasons, this is seen as ‘ordinary commuting’ by HM Revenue. However, if an employer reimburses an employee for ‘ordinary commuting’, then both the employer and employee will have to pay more money to HM Revenue, either in tax or NIC. Money spent on travel to and from home, or any other non work related place to a temporary workplace, can be included in your expenses.

Start Up Loans for Start Up’s Businessman James Caan, is probably best known for his role on hit television show Dragon’s Den and after quitting the show in 2010, he hasn’t slowed down. Instead he has poured all of his efforts into an exciting new venture, aimed at supporting a new generation of entrepreneurs helping to kick start their own businesses with none other than Made in Chelsea’s, Jamie Laing. “I wanted to work with Jamie and help promote Start Up Loans, giving thousands of entrepreneurs the capital to start their own business. What’s really valuable is sharing my experience about starting your own business, and obviously Jamie has his own business with Candy Kittens, so for existing entrepreneurs to also hear from people who have been there and taken a risk. Jamie’s concept with Candy Kittens is very in, very fashionable and it is a very quirky idea.”

Start Up Loans is a scheme that people who have started up their own business can identify and relate to, it has already helped over 2,000 people aged between 18-30 get their good ideas off the ground with cash donations, proving that both the dragon and the young Sloane have a keen eye for a good idea. So many times a good idea fails to take off because potential entrepreneurs don’t actually believe that they can achieve it. This is where Start-Up Loan differs from other concepts on the market. Jamie Laing’s passion for the project appears to be from his own experience; “When I proposed my idea for Candy Kittens, no-one believed I could do it, so that gave me the drive to succeed.” When discussing why he wanted to help promote the scheme, Jamie speaks with infectious passion, with phrases like, create your dream and make it come true while openly admitting he had no real business plan for Candy Kittens, ignoring advice from friends and creating the venture based on the three things he loved - fashion, sweets and girls. Now one year old and fast expanding, the ‘fashionable sweets’ sold alongside clothing and a cookbook online, plus pop up shops across London, it seems that passion is king in King’s Road for the maverick entrepreneur. James Caan in turn speaks of the scheme by cross referencing the ‘Investing in people with passion’ slogan seen on his personal website. But make no mistake; this is a government backed scheme that should be taken seriously. But with James as the chairman and over £100 million to fund and mentor young entrepreneurs and inspire the new generation it’s easy to see why.

32 rmbusiness.co.uk

...the scheme can help you too, as you too can help young minds grow and inspire their talent.

money matters

And the benefits are very much built around the individual with low cost unsecured loans, quality business mentoring and exclusive business products from their global partners. As James and Jamie said, all you need to get you started is passion; a hobby, idea or even the simple goal to want to be your own boss. If you are able to see a gap in the market, then a Start Up Loan could be perfect. The unique compulsory mentors have proved invaluable for the new businesses. James Eder, 29, said; “without the mentor and that type of structure, I don’t believe I would be where I am today” - founder of The Beans Group and studentbeans.com, a lifestyle portal for university students including the latest deals and discounts, not to mention one of the youngest entrepreneurs in the UK, founding the business at the age of 22, just two weeks before graduating from university. However if you are in the fortunate position of already possessing a fair amount of business knowledge, then the scheme can help you too, as you too can help young minds grow and inspire their talent. The role of a mentor should not be underestimated, as James Caan has said, “They are more important than the loan.” The Start Up Loans Company are always looking for people who have been on the journey themselves, or worked with SMEs before to volunteer their time and their commitment to help the young entrepreneurs. To become a start-up loans mentor you will need to have excellent communication skills, including active listening and interpersonal skills. You will need to be able to manage your time as a mentor and make the time spent with your entrepreneur as effective and productive as possible. You should be able to build honest and trusting relations with your entrepreneur so they feel confident in discussing with you their concerns

and challenges, as well as their achievements. Your knowledge and experience of the SME market, the particular business environment that accompanies this type of enterprise and your ability to work with young people will be most helpful when being a mentor. It is immeasurable how important it is to reflect and recognise progress and celebrate success, as well as having the ability to learn from mistakes and to not see these as a failure or a negative. The scheme encourages knowledge to be shared and seeks the best and most eligible people to become mentors, by filling out an online form and encourage the success of future businesses. There’s no easy way to determine whether an idea will succeed but the case studies speak for themselves. Emily Bendell, now 32 is the brains behind BlueBella, a sensual products brand that can today boast a multimillion pound turnover. In 2010 it grew by 120%, and 140% by 2011 despite only starting in 2005. Thanks to help from the Start Up Loan Company, BlueBella has attracted a top class management team. Alan Bell, former MD at the Body Shop at home, joined in 2007, and Janet Mudge, former Party Plan Director at Ann Summers, joined the business in 2010. By 2011, it was recognised in a multitude of business awards including the Fast Growth Business Awards, Growing Business’ Young Guns Awards, and the Women of Worth Awards.

“Without the mentor and that type of structure, I don’t believe I would be where I am today” James Eder

Emily is just one of many, as for many young people living in England wanting to take control of their future – this could be the kick start they need. Website: www.startuploans.co.uk 33

It is a competitive world out there, yet over 80% of Independent Businesses still process card transactions through their bank. Why? I’m going to address that question today, along with several other important ones that I’ve been sent this month. I hope that this will help when you’re choosing what’s right for your business.

I’m looking to accept cards for the first time; what’s the best solution for me?

How do I choose the right terminal for my business?

Initially there are two simple choices to be made. Firstly you need to look at whether your trade is one that expects to process the occasional card transaction, such as a plumber, or whether processing card transactions will be fundamental to your business. Deciding this will set you in the right direction.

There is a large range of options out there, but let’s break them down into three distinct types: Countertop, Portable, and Mobile.

If it’s the former, then a ‘pay-as-you-go’ facility would work best for you. This is a Card Reader that links to your Smartphone and will cost you a small set up fee, typically £60 with transactions charges in the region of 2.75%, but you are not tied into any contract. If it’s the latter, and you expect to be processing hundreds of card payments in a day, then you would need a Chip & Pin terminal. There are a variety of options, contracts, and prices available here which we will cover a little later. Which Bank should I choose?

The vast majority of retail businesses will need a Countertop terminal that sits by the check-out and is plugged into the power supply and telephone line. If there is only one point of sale, the till, then this is your option. Hospitality businesses such as restaurants and hotels will need a portable terminal with a base that is plugged into a telephone socket, whilst the actual terminal can be carried to the table; it connects to the base unit via Bluetooth, just as a cordless phone at home would. Mobile terminals can used in any place where a mobile signal exists and are ideal for deliveries, market traders, or anyone who is truly mobile. This is becoming more and more prevalent as businesses change.

It’s a common misconception that you have to choose a bank to process your credit & debit card transactions, and in fact, they will encourage you to do this when opening your business account with them. In actual fact, there are a number of Independent companies out there who can probably provide you with a better value proposition and much better rates, such as Annecto.

Annecto Tip: Make sure that whichever terminal you chose can work on a standard telephone line and a Broadband line, plus it should also be able to process Contactless transactions, ‘future proofing’ your terminal.

Annecto Tip: Don’t just buy on price. Find out the service that they will offer. Will they have one point of contact for all your questions? Will there be someone local who is on hand to install your terminal and assist you with your business moving forward.

My biggest frustrations in this industry are the hidden fees, the lack of transparency, and the poor advice given to Independent businesses; that’s one of the main reasons for setting up my own business. I saw the flaws and I wanted to change things. I’ve seen 2-3 companies claim that they can fix or

34 rmbusiness.co.uk

What do I need to watch out for when choosing my supplier?

cap your prices for the duration of the contract; they can’t! If you read the small print in their contracts or the detail on their web site then they also state that they can’t, this is poor selling at best, miss-selling at worst. Another common complaint is to do with contract length. All banks and independent companies will ask you to sign into a contract for 24-48 months, which is perfectly OK so long as you know what you are signing into. With any standard lease or rental contract for any product you purchase, you would expect to pay up to the remainder of the contract if you cancelled early. E.g. Car Lease / PCP plans or Mobile Phone Contracts. Annecto Tip: Do not sign with any company that will charge you a cancellation fee on top of the remaining rentals. Ask what happens when the contract expires, are you tied into a secondary (or rollover) period? If so, be very wary.

I feel as though I’ve painted a picture of an industry lacking in professional advice and poor service, which is quite deliberate as sadly, that is the truth. At Annecto, we are going to be one of the founding members of the new Association of Card Payment Professionals, plus we are backing the campaign to provide support for Independent Retail (www.independentretail.co.uk). Next month I’ll be answering questions on Ecommerce and how Independent businesses can complete with national chains, so please send me any questions that you want answered.

Website: www.annectouk.co.uk Email: hello@annectouk.co.uk Linkedin: AnnectoukLtd Twitter: @annectouk

What is PCI DSS? These are the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards that Visa & MasterCard mandate that any business accepting card payments has to adhere to. Annecto Tip: Ask your current / future provider to assist you in becoming compliant, if they can’t or won’t then you may wish to consider a different supplier.

save 30% by switching to Annecto Reduced Rates Faster Transactions Better Service

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0800 131 0049

All Annecto terminals will be set up and tested before they are delivered to you, therefore we know they already work. They will have your merchant number and details already loaded so all you have to do is to plug it in and you are ready to go.

Countertop Terminals

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Call 0800 131 0049 Email hello@ annectouk.co.uk Online www.annectouk.co.uk

From fleeing mobs to earning millions Telecity Chief Executive Michael Tobin’s success story proves poverty-stricken apprentices can become filthy rich. Petrol bombs, mob attacks and guns are not what you would expect to hear when a millionaire tells you about his upbringing. However, Michael Tobin of £2 billion data networks group Telecity says he had a “childhood from hell.” When Tobin was seven, he and his mother moved from London to Rhodesia, South Africa to escape his abusive father. But their journey towards safety was still far from their reach. Tobin was bullied and beaten at school, so they moved again when he was 11. Their new home in apartheid era South Africa was soon attacked by a mob brandishing petrol bombs and guns. This, plus the daily dose of violence, cast them back to London, “with literally just the shirts on our backs”. Back home and broke, their troubles still followed them. They lived in a squat in Stockwell for two years, where Tobin’s school life wasn’t any easier. He was beaten up on the rare occasions he went, so he made a few quid by selling pianos abandoned outside East End houses instead. However, his luck was about to change. Once he finished school at 16, an application for a Youth Training Scheme led to an apprenticeship with a maker of robotic systems for factories. He worked from 6am to 9pm during the week, and 12-hour days at weekends. These exhausting hours were made even more difficult from his commute. Desperate to escape his life Tobin endured the seven mile commute to work - on roller-skates. Suddenly the National Rail service doesn’t seem so bad. In spite of all this, he describes the role as an “incredible” experience that taught him advanced skills. He earned £16 a week, but was already training people far more senior than himself. After his four-year placement ended, Tobin joined a French maker of electrical vehicles called Goupil, based in Putney. The confidence and skills he had picked up from his previous apprenticeship meant that when the managing director had to retire early, he was made his replacement at just 23 years old. “What I gained was the confidence to apply for that first job. Before that, I didn’t think I was clever enough to do A-levels, let alone a degree,” he says. Since then he has built his own company and picked up many awards along the way. In 2010 he was named ‘UK IT Services Entrepreneur of the Year’ by Ernst and Young, was London Chamber of Commerce ‘Business Person of the Year’ for two years running, and shortlisted for ‘Business Charity Champion’ at the Business Charity Awards. Now Tobin is eager to lend others a life-changing hand. Last October he announced his support for the London Evening Standard’s Ladder for London campaign. This was set up to help the city’s unemployed youth, and Telecity have pledged to take on its first apprentice under the initiative. Last year the Standard reported that more than 700 London companies have responded to the appeal, with 150 apprenticeships confirmed and many more in the pipeline. Tobin’s plight to help others doesn’t end with training campaigns. He is Chairman of the Friends of The Loomba Trust, a charity which provides education and aid for children of poor widows in India. He is also a Board member of Byte Night, which raises money for Action for Children. Now he has over 25 years’ experience in senior roles across the telecommunications and technology sector, plus an estimated annual salary of £1.5 million. However, his story proves success doesn’t come easily, but when chances arise, they can be life-changing. “An apprenticeship isn’t everything. You can’t make the horse drink the water, but you can at least give it the opportunity to find the water,” he says. “If it hadn’t been for that apprenticeship I would probably be sweeping the streets.” In Tobin’s case, the horse hasn’t just found the water, it’s bathing in it. 36 rmbusiness.co.uk

Seriously successful stories Gordon Ramsay After a knee injury shattered his football career, Gordon Ramsay turned to his other passion: cooking. At 19 he enrolled at catering college, trained as a chef and worked in many kitchens. He now has several restaurants, awards, cook books and TV shows. John Frieda This renowned hairdresser began his career working part time in his father’s salon during his school years. His interest in hair led him to design his own line of hair products, which are now sold in Boots stores nationwide. Alexander McQueen The legendary fashion designer began his career at 16 as an apprentice at a Savile Row tailors. He then moved to several other designers before completing a Masters degree in Fashion Design at Central Saint Martin’s. His graduate collection was bought by fashion icon Isabella Blow, which launched his success. Henry Ford Henry Ford was a farm boy before becoming a machine shop apprentice. Eventually he became its chief engineer, and was able to build his first car. In 1908, the Model T began production, and around 19 years later, Ford had sold over 15 million cars.

business for the soul

Happy Staff = Happy Customers ORB auditors recently audited Rawley Plant Ltd, a company that has been trading for over 50 years. Jim Rawley, the company founder and grandfather of the current managing director Howard Rawley, believed that responsible business behaviour (or CSR) begins in the workplace, and established the company under the maxim, “happy staff equals happy customers.” The same ethos continues today and this has clearly paid dividends. Last year was the company’s most profitable ever and Rawley achieved a resounding Gold Level pass in each section of the Responsible Business Standard. It’s no secret that companies providing consistently high levels of customer service are likely to be more successful and more profitable. Ensuring staff are engaged, motivated and fully trained, not just at the customer facing end but within all sections of the business, is an essential element for ensuring customers are delighted. Engaged and motivated staff are also less prone to absenteeism and presenteeism and are generally far more productive, so looking after your people really is a win win. To ensure you have happy staff who are genuinely contributing positively to the company’s bottom line, the football club analogy works really well: • You need players with the right skill sets, but also with personalities that fit with the ethos of the club and the rest of the team. (Many business owners now prefer to hire on the basis of personality and “fit” than on existing skill sets.) • To ensure best performance, players need to be in the right position and they need to continually retain and improve their skills and fitness levels.

• • •

Each player must know exactly what their role is, how it interacts with their team mates, and how to cover other people’s roles if required. Everyone needs to know and understand the rules of the game. Managers should be able to engage, motivate and nurture players, and also deal with players who are underperforming and / or breaking the rules. Understanding and managing people is a key part of a manager’s role.

A safe workplace is also an absolute must. Health and Safety if properly embraced should be a business benefit and not a burden. And as anyone who has ever submitted a bid for a contact will know, having sound Health and Safety policies and procedures in place is an absolute essential if you want to win contracts. If you are embedding the CSR principles of ethical and responsible business behaviour, looking after your staff is quite clearly a key starting point. In summary, a good workplace has a solid foundation based on the rules (legislation and the company’s rules and code of conduct) and the implementation of best practice to ensure engaged, motivated and happy staff!

Jill Poet managing director of the Organisation for Responsible Businesses (ORB) www.orbuk.org.uk www.ResponsibleBusinessStandard.org.uk

2013

ENTRIES CLOSE 1ST JULY apply online www.haveringbusinessawards.co.uk or call 01708 560056

business for the soul

Image courtesy of http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/04/15/camilla-duchess-of-cornwall-money-week_n_3083351.html

Duchess of Cornwall Encourages A Financial Education Money has rarely inspired great art, but current accounts and ISAs are set to be the inspiration for youngsters in a push to get them to learn about the importance of money. The woman behind this important life lesson is none other than the Duchess of Cornwall, who has partnered up with financial education charity pfeg (Personal Finance Education Group) and Barclay’s Bank to launch a national competition aimed at encouraging young people to learn about the importance of money and finance.

Tracey Bleakley, chief executive of pfeg, said: “My Money Week is a great way to get involved in teaching children about money in a fun and engaging way, and we hope as many young people as possible get involved, especially as there will be six winners from different age categories, chosen by a judging panel.”

Financial education is a much overlooked essential in equipping young people with the skills they need to manage their money well, now and The competition will be a key part of My Money Week, which runs from Jun in the future. With personal finance now set to be taught in the National 3 to June 9, with the aim to improve the financial capabilities of 4 to 19 Curriculum from September 2014, there has never been a better time for year olds. This will range from developing their own A-Z of money through schools to get involved - and the My Money Week competition is a great creative writing or poetry. place to start. The notion of challenging young people to think creatively about money is not a new one. The My Money Week competition is now in its fifth year, although this year the initiative has been expanded beyond England to reach the other nations of the UK for the first time.

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Bill Gates

inspirational quotes

Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning

intelligent Charles change Darwin

It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most

, but the

one most responsive to

I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious. Albert Einstein

LAYING DOWN THE LAW With a long list of new regulations making their way into your workplace, what will their changes have in store for you, your job and your boss? Each year, April brings with it changes in many ways, but one that affects us all is the amendments in employment laws. Although many alterations have already made waves, there are more yet to surface in the summer. How will they affect you?

40 rmbusiness.co.uk

legal New PAYE Since April 6, a new scheme called the ‘Real Time Information Scheme’ has taken over the PAYE system. Employers no longer need to fill out P14 and P45 forms at the end of each financial year; instead they have to provide HM Revenue and Customs with real-time information about each employee’s PAYE deductions. This means employers report PAYE from their first pay day, on or after April 6 each time they pay their employees, rather than yearly. It has been proclaimed as the biggest improvement to the tax system in 70 years. So it won’t come as a surprise that this new system has got off to a flying start, with more than one million employer schemes using it in its first month. Redundancy Notice Period Most of us have experienced redundancy or know someone who has, and this common cause of job loss is about to get tougher. When employers used to make a collective redundancy consultation of 100 or more employees, they had to give a minimum period of 90 days between the beginning of the consultation and the date on which the first dismissals took place. However, in April this was reduced to just 45 days under the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act. This time is even less for a collective redundancy consultation of 20-99. A cut of people between these amounts have a mere 30-day period. Great for employers; bad for employees.

Symons & Gay

LLP Solicitors

Increased Pay You may not know it, but your statutory sick pay, and maternity/paternity/adoption pay has increased. If an employee has been off work for over four days in a row, they are entitled to weekly sick pay wage of £85.85 for up to 28 weeks. But when the calendar reached April 6, this soared to £386.70. That’s enough to give employers a headache.

capped. Former employees will only be able to claim up to a year’s pay or £74,200 (whichever is lower), with scope that this limit will be reduced in future.

The following day, maternity/paternity/ adoption rates have also increased, just not as dramatically, going from £135.45 to £136.78.

Whistleblowing Legislation A whistleblower is someone who informs the public, or someone in authority, of alleged dishonesty or illegal activities happening within an organisation.

The changes are scheduled for this summer, and as a result there has been a 44% increase in workers making claims. This surely shows that these changes are needed.

You can have maternity leave for 52 weeks, but statutory maternity pay is only paid for up to 39 of them, and is paid as 90% of weekly earnings for the first six weeks and £136.78 per week, or 90% of weekly wages if that amount is lower thereafter. Pay will rise for many others in October, as minimum wage increase with the main rate rising to £6.31 from £6.19 per hour. Unfair dismissal claims The new Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013 removes the two-year qualifying period for unfair dismissal claims where the reason is the employee’s political opinions or affiliation. In an attempt to stamp out “lightweight” cases, changes will insist claimants pay a £250 fee to make a claim, and a further £950 if it goes to tribunal. But don’t think this money can be easily given back. Payouts from successful cases will now be

There will be three key changes made to protect whistleblowers, the first being that employers will be liable for a worker’s conduct in victimising a whistleblower. Secondly, the need for disclosures to be made in ‘good faith’ has been removed. Although this may concern some, employees will still be encouraged to raise issues, and where a disclosure is not made in good faith, employment tribunal will be able to reduce compensation by up to 25%. Finally, a qualifying disclosure should be made in the “public interest”. A public interest disclosure is an exposé by an employee concerning the unlawful activity of their employer. These changes should be in action from 25th June. We’ll see if more employees hang up the whistle, or get louder.

01708 744211

www.symons-gay.co.uk | office@symons-gay.co.uk

Symons & Gay LLP was founded in 1911 and has been in business in South Street Romford ever since. Symons & Gay have an experienced team of Solicitors and support staff offering different areas of legal expertise, including Domestic & Commercial Conveyancing, Wills, Probate, Lasting Powers of Attorney, Deputyship, Litigation, Landlord & Tenant, Employment and Family Law. The firm provide Legal Aid where applicable. Symons & Gay feel their success is due to them being a friendly and approachable firm. We like to think that clients will receive professional advice but in a relaxed manner. The firm have Lexcel, the Law Society’s quality accreditation along with CQS, the Law Society’s conveyancing quality scheme. The firm offer a home or hospital visit for those unable to get to the office. We also provide a free 30 minute no obligation consultation.

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01708 462800 employerenquiry@havering-college.ac.uk www.havering-college.ac.uk Havering College of Further and Higher Education Ardleigh Green Campus, Ardleigh Green Road,Hornchurch, Essex RM11 2LL 50532BM 14/5/13

lifestyle

Thurrock gateway to the world Thurrock is not just a gateway from Kent into Essex; it’s also a gateway to the rest of the world with a long history of maritime activity. The decision for DP World London Gateway to develop the UK’s first 21st Century major deep-sea container port, and Europe’s largest logistics park within Thurrock, brings that maritime history right up to date. Essex Chambers may not have been opening doors for business when Queen Elizabeth 1st rallied her troops at Tilbury Fort, but we have been doing just that for over a hundred years and are developing a 21st century presence in Thurrock with the opening of a new office at the Thurrock Learning Campus in High Street, Grays. The Chambers offer a wide range of services to businesses large and small, whether a sole trader or a multinational company. With that maritime trading history in mind, businesses that are existing exporters can use the export documentation services that we offer. For companies looking for new overseas markets, or those wishing to look for new opportunities in countries that they already export to, we work with UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) to help identify possibilities. Closer to home, we run a range of events across the county that offer the chance to, not just network with other businesses, but also hear interesting and topical speakers offering practical business advice, or simply just an entertaining insight into local life. Our events are open to all businesses, but as part of the package that our members receive, there is a reduced price to attend. For those that want more than just the chance to network with fellow business people, but are looking for new or additional opportunities, we run a number of “Meet The Buyer” events, usually in partnership with local councils, including Thurrock. Our last event in Thurrock attracted 12 major companies, plus other organisations as buyers, and gave nearly 70 businesses the chance to have one to one appointments to promote their products or services. A further event is planned for this autumn, so look out for details on our website. We pride ourselves as being the voice of business for the county and regularly meet with politicians at levels of government to argue the case for business. Earlier this year, we entertained the

Minister for Trade and Investment, Lord Green, to a lunch with exporters of all sizes, who told him first-hand about their experiences in exporting and how they felt the Government could help in the future. Last year we met with Vince Cable MP, the Secretary of State for Business, at the House of Commons, and gave members the chance to tell him about running a business today. At a more local level, we regularly talk with Thurrock’s two Members of Parliament, Jackie Doyle Price and Stephen Metcalf, both of whom are great supporters of the Chambers. As I said at the start, Thurrock has a great maritime history, but also a great future and we want to be part of it. It is home to some major national and international companies, several of whom are already members, and we want to let businesses along the Thames Gateway know what the Chambers can do for them. Our new office complements our existing head office in Colchester and a second office at Southend Airport. It is run by a new recruit to the Chambers team, Sharon Saunders, who has considerable experience in business and will be working hard to raise the Chambers profile in one of the fastest growing areas of Essex, you may already have met her as she is getting out about signing up new members. We are particularly pleased that the Minister for the Thames Gateway, Brandon Lewis MP, has agreed to formally open our new offices which we believe shows the esteem in which the Chamber movement is held. If you want to be part of Essex Chambers of Commerce go to our website www.essexchambers.co.uk - or contact Sharon on 01375 265298. We look forward to hearing from you. Denise Rossiter Chief Executive, Essex Chambers of Commerce

Celebrating Havering’s vibrant and enthusiastic businesses community Councillor Michael White, Leader of the Council for London Borough of Havering Havering has always had a business community to be proud of – and here’s more proof of that! I’m delighted to say that three small businesses in the borough are in the running for a national award. Henry’s Coffee Bar in Elm Park, Havering Beauty Academy in Hornchurch and Heavenly beauty and tanning parlour in Harold Hill, have all been shortlisted in the Local Business Accelerators competition to find the UK’s most promising small companies and businesses. The winner, to be announced in October, will receive a year’s mentoring from Dragon’s Den star Deborah Meaden, among many other useful prizes. Successful small businesses are essential for the economy and for thriving local communities. I hope this inspires other people in the borough to set up or grow their own business. But that’s not all. Nominations have recently opened for the Council’s prestigious Havering Business Awards to recognise the great and good of our borough’s thriving business community. I can’t believe this is now the ninth year we have been running the contest. Previous winners say it is a huge honour to win, and it certainly puts your company on the map.

44 rmbusiness.co.uk

The Council is running a series of workshops to help people that are thinking of taking part. These will be at the Town Hall in Romford on June 6 and June 7, both from 10am-1pm; June 13 from 2-4.30pm; and June 13 from 5-7.30pm. To book your place or for details, call 01708 560056 or email info@haveringbusinessawards.co.uk. But hurry, because the deadline for nominations is July 1, with the winners revealed at a glittering ceremony in October. To download an entry pack, visit www. haveringbusinessawards.co.uk And finally, I’m delighted to say that Havering’s recent Business Expo was a resounding success. Held at the borough’s new youth and community centre myplace, in Harold Hill, it had exhibitions and displays from more than 40 local companies. They offered advice and help on many useful topics, such as finance, insurance, counselling, recruitment, marketing strategy and Havering Council’s I-procurement process and apprenticeships. It just proves how vibrant and enthusiastic our businesses community continues to be. For more details about business services, visit www.havering.gov.uk

in the borough

Every single business in Havering is important to us I meet with many businesses in my working life. Some have hundreds of employees, some have less than 10, but in the past couple of years, I have seen far more individuals running very successful businesses. At this present time, small businesses are the backbone of the UK economy. Regardless of how large or small the company, their success has been achieved to a greater or lesser extent, following the same principles, inspiration, hard work and a little bit of luck. But more importantly they have a passion and self-belief that they will succeed. However, I see far more that have a great idea, but are convinced that they couldn’t run their own businesses. Their reasoning for this is that they don’t believe in themselves. Business ventures succeed or fail depending on the attitude of the ‘owner’. You can’t just think your business is going to be a success, you have to truly believe it.

For some years now I have been working with my colleagues to create a high level of support for Havering ‘start ups’ and existing businesses, mentoring them, providing information, signposting, organising business events, and helping them recognise how good and successful they really are. Havering Council intend to build on their existing support activities, and deliver a more comprehensive service to the Havering business community, so watch this space. Exciting times ahead for our businesses and the reality is, that there are some great, successful businesses in Havering, and we are committed to acknowledging their success. Nine years ago, we introduced the Havering Business Awards to recognise the success of our businesses and showcase the exceptional companies and individuals that exist amongst the Havering business community. It is an award winning event that gives an opportunity to every Havering business, large, small or micro, to raise their profile through the marketing that surrounds the event, networking with their peers at the black tie Gala Dinner, and automatically being entered for other Awards across London.

All go for Leisure Centre Councillor Ron Ower

Help is available to complete the Entry Forms, and actually completing these forces you to focus on your business. You may surprise yourself once you’ve done it and think, ‘have I/we really done all that?’ Check out www.haveringbusinessawards. co.uk where you can download one of the many application forms. Don’t forget, you don’t have to be a major player to enter, it could just be you, working from home; a little jewel in Havering! Every single business in Havering is important to us and we want to recognise the great work you are doing. It’s also a time of discovery for us, we often come across companies that we didn’t even know exist! It is completely free to enter, even though the rewards are immense. Call me if you want to discuss the possibility of entering the Awards, or any other business related issue. Yvonne Bendall, 01708 432871 Yvonne.bendall@havering.gov.uk

Havering Council has given Planning Permission for the construction of a new leisure centre comprising of an ice rink, 25 metre swimming pool, multi - purpose dance studio fitness suite and ancillary cafe with associated disabled parking and cycle parking. The new centre will be built on the junction of Grimshaw Way and Western Road, just a stones throw from Mercury Gardens. The swimming pool will be suitable for leisure and competitive swimming, together with a teaching pool and poolside sauna and steam rooms. The pool will have 206 spectator seats and 4 wheelchair spaces. The upper floors of the building will house a new ice rink together with 855 spectator seats and 8 wheelchair spaces on the ground floor. The Council hope that the new centre will create around 50 new jobs. Sadly, the Council envisage that there will be a gap of around two years from when the existing Ice Rink was closed, until the opening of the new leisure centre. At the same planning committee meeting, planning permission was given to Morrisons to build a food store, petrol filling station, associated parking, and landscaping on the former Ice Rink site off Rom Valley Way and to also build up to 71 residential units comprising a mix of 3 bedroom town houses and two blocks of 1 and 2 bed flats.

I pointed out back in April that Havering Council had entered into a deal with Supermarket chain Morrisons, to sell them the Romford Ice Rink site in Rom Valley near the Queens Hospital, and use the cash to build a new Leisure Centre in the centre of Romford.

The proposed new food store is effectively built on a podium, with the frontage of the building elevated above street level in Rom Valley Way, therefore the ground floor of the development is primarily given over to car parking, servicing and access. Morrisons believe that the new superstore, which will be built on a podium, will create around 300 new jobs.

THE RM BUSINESS GUIDE to

NETWORKING

Written by Barry Hicks When networking, how do you remember the people you meet? If it’s a one off, and a busy meeting, you may unwittingly forget them within a few days. Obviously if you do a lot of networking it is difficult to remember everyone. I would suggest that if you want to recall someone, as well as the exchange of business cards, memorise one important fact that you can link back to them. For me, to retain a person in my memory, I would ask a question which I think is relevant. The question could be associated with their business or themselves and it would tell me something about them that I can associate and recall if necessary. I try to find out what interests them and then associate it with their name or business. There are many memory techniques that you could use, but I just ask their first name or surname, or company name and associate it with a place or an organisation or a keyword that I can remember. This works for me but you may have a different method that works for you. I would be interested to hear what method you use, especially if you do not have a good memory. Networking is about people and if you remember them they will remember you. If you have any networking news or involved in organising a network group or event in the coming months, please email me the details for consideration to be included on these pages. 46 rmbusiness.co.uk

This month’s featured event was my visit to The Essex Business Forum (EBF) breakfast meeting, held at Warley Park Golf Club, Brentwood. They meet every Thursday at 6.30am to 8.30am. My host, Scott Griffiths of Eseyo Ltd, allowed me go along to promote the magazine as well as introduce myself to members under my own company name. I arrived at 6.30am and was surprised to see most of the members were already there which gave me an impression that this was a really committed group. I was greeted and made welcome by several members while helping myself to coffee. The Chairman and Scott gave me a quick overview of the meeting so I didn’t feel uncomfortable and knew the format of the morning. Breakfast was served and everyone was seated by 7.00am. The meeting was chaired by Aidan Squire, and although the meeting was structured, it was informal as well as being business like and professional. There were 27 people in attendance, and after the normal introductions, the meeting began with an educational talk by David Plumley to aid and improve the member’s presentations. After this new member Alan Pegg of B Bright Cleaning Associates was inducted to the EBF and given the members pack.

Sixty second business introductions from each member followed, and among these were some really original presentations. These included items such as a photograph of a dog, a LED light bulb, a top hat, and a tool that looked like a dog bone, all of which I found most interesting. This was followed by a 10 minute showcase from Terry Maylin of TM Law solicitors, which covered all aspects of his business, then together with his business associate Aidan Squire, answered questions from the floor. The answers that they gave were very informative, especially on Probate and Powers of Attorney. Business referrals were then passed between members and reviewed with a summary of the amount of business done. (Web Site Quotes: On average every member receives £30,000 new business each year). Lastly it was announced that a new EBF Business Networking group is being launched on the 14th May at The Ivory Rooms, Billericay. I really enjoyable the morning and I am sure that the EBF Brentwood and the new EBF Billericay will attract many new members.

what’s on 4th june Essex Business Network

Southend, Park Inn Palace Hotel - 7am www.essexbusinessnetwork.co.uk

Barking & Dagenham Chamber of Commerce Summer Networking Reception 6.00 – 8.00 pm www.bdchamber.co.uk

Essex Business Club

Moulsham Mill, Chelmsford - 7:30pm www.essexbusinessclub.org.uk

Brentwood Networking Group

Nexus Network Group

The Business Show

Essex Business Forum

London Borough of Havering in conjunction with HCCI

BNI Barking & Dagenham College

Meet Old Brentwood Ashwells Road - 8am Contact, Colin Kirby 07717855435

Excel London - 9am – 6pm www.thebusinessshow.co.uk

Leaders Meeting Harefield Manor Hotel - 5:30pm www.havering.gov.uk/Pages/index.aspx

The Panda Ball

5th june

London - Holborn Bars - 8pm http://networkersball.co.uk

Select Network

7th June

Every Wednesday at 7.00am Chelmsford Golf Club www.select-network.co.uk

Essex Business Network

Redbridge College - 7am www.essexbusinessnetwork.co.uk

Eppnet Business Networking Meet The Bell Epping - 7.15am www.eppnet.co.uk

Brentwood Chamber of Commerce

Breakfast Meeting Marygreen Manor - 7:45am www.brentwoodchambers.co.uk/events.php

6th June Nexus Network Group

Meet De Rougemont Manor - 6:30am www.nexusnetworking.co.uk/index.php

Essex Business Forum

Meet Warley Park Golf Club - 6.30am www.essexbusinessforum.com

BNI Barking & Dagenham College -Integrity Chapter - 6.45am Stephen Webb contact 01708855125

The Business Cafe

Meet The Barn Brasserie, Great Tey - 6:45am www.businesscafe.biz

Essex Business Network

Brentwood Marygreen Manor - 8am Basildon Campanile Hotel - 8am www.essexbusinessnetwork.co.uk

Chelmsford Golf Club - 7am

Meet De Rougemont Manor - 6:30am www.nexusnetworking.co.uk/index.php

Meet Warley Park Golf Club - 6:30am www.essexbusinessforum.com

Integrity Chapter - 6:45am Stephen Webb contact 01708855125

Essex Business Network

Brentwood Marygreen Manor - 8am Basildon Campanile Hotel - 8am www.essexbusinessnetwork.co.uk

Brentwood Networking Group - 8am Meet Old Brentwood Ashwells Road Contact, Colin Kirby 07717855435

www.essexbusinessnetwork.co.uk

14th June

Havering Chamber of Commerce

Essex Business Network

Queens Theatre, Hornchurch - 7:30am www.haveringbusiness.co.uk

Essex Business Network

Witham, White Hart Hotel - 8am www.essexbusinessnetwork.co.uk

The Business Show

Excel, London - 9am – 5pm www.greatbritishbusinessshow.co.uk

Biscotti Brentwood

Marygreen Manor, Brentwood - 10am www.businessbiscotti.co.uk/essex/brentwood. html

11th June Essex Business Network

Chelmsford Golf Club - 7am Witham White Hart Hotel - 8am www.essexbusinessnetwork.co.uk

17th June EBANG - 3.45pm

Meet Dragon Enterprise Centre, Rayleigh www.businessadvisoressex.co.uk

18th June Essex Business Network

Southend, Park Inn Palace Hotel - 7am www.essexbusinessnetwork.co.uk

Barking & Dagenham Chamber of Commerce

Southend, Park Inn Palace Hotel - 7am www.essexbusinessnetwork.co.uk

London Southend Airport -7.45am Further details to follow www.bdchamber.co.uk

12th June

19th June

Essex Business Network

Eppnet Business Networking

Redbridge College - 7am www.essexbusinessnetwork.co.uk

Meet The Bell Epping - 7:15am www.eppnet.co.uk Contact. Tom Arnold 07971962617

Redbridge College - 7am www.essexbusinessnetwork.co.uk

Meet The Bell Epping - 7.15am www.eppnet.co.uk Contact. Tom Arnold 07971962617 47

whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s on 20TH June 2013

25th June

Nexus Network Group

Essex Business Network

Southend, Park Inn Palace Hotel - 7am www.essexbusinessnetwork.co.uk

Meet De Rougemont Manor - 6.30am www.nexusnetworking.co.uk/index.php

Essex Business Forum

Southend Peers-Breakfast Meeting

Essex Business Forum - Meet Warley

BNI Barking & Dagenham College

26th June

BNI Barking & Dagenham College

Meet De Rougemont Manor - 6.30am www.nexusnetworking.co.uk/index.php

Meet Warley Park Golf Club - 6.30am www.essexbusinessforum.com

-Integrity Chapter - 6.45am Stephen Webb contact 01708855125

The Business Cafe

Meet The Barn Brasserie, Great Tey 6.45am www.businesscafe.biz

Essex Business Network

Brentwood Marygreen Manor - 8am Basildon Campanile Hotel - 8am www.essexbusinessnetwork.co.uk

Brentwood Networking Group

Meet Old Brentwood Ashwells Road - 8am Contact, Colin Kirby 07717855435

21st June

Park View Suite, Chalkwell Park - 7.30am www.networking-on-sea.co.uk/mtgs

MarketingWeek Live

Olympia Grand, London www.marketingweeklive.co.uk

Essex Business Network

Redbridge College - 7am www.essexbusinessnetwork.co.uk

Newham Chamber of Commerce West Ham United - 7am www.newhamchamber.com

Eppnet Business Networking

Meet The Bell Epping 7.15am www.eppnet.co.uk Contact. Tom Arnold 07971962617

27th June Nexus Network Group

Park Golf Club - 6.30am www.essexbusinessforum.com

-Integrity Chapter - 6.45am Stephen Webb contact 01708855125

Essex Business Network

Brentwood Marygreen Manor - 8am Basildon -Campanile Hotel - 8am www.essexbusinessnetwork.co.uk

Brentwood Networking Group

Meet Old Brentwood Ashwells Road - 8am Contact, Colin Kirby 07717855435

28th June Essex Business Network

Chelmsford Golf Club - 7am www.essexbusinessnetwork.co.uk

Essex Business Network

Witham, White Hart Hotel - 8am www.essexbusinessnetwork.co.uk

Chelmsford Golf Club - 7am Witham White Hart Hotel - 8am www.essexbusinessnetwork.co.uk *For up-to-date information please visit www.rmbusiness.co.uk

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Known around the world as the ‘Sport of Kings’, polo never fails to attract the great and good, and for 2013 the Duke of Essex Grand Prix Polo is set to do just that. However this year, the event is set to be very different as it looks to become bigger, bolder and better. For starters the ownership of the event has changed. The King and Grand Prix Events recently acquired the Duke of Essex Polo from the previous owners and wasted no time in looking at how they could improve this much loved event. As their name suggests, the new team bring with them a wealth of experience in hospitality from the world of motor racing. They have set themselves a goal of making the Duke of Essex Grand Prix Polo the finest polo event in the UK today. The Gaynes Park venue in Epping has been replaced by a purpose built polo arena at Hyland’s Park Estate in Chelmsford (home to V Festival). The grounds of this beautiful Grade II listed building seem somehow more in keeping with the ‘Sport of Kings’.

50 rmbusiness.co.uk

about the social occasion as it is the sport itself, however it does not stop them looking to deliver a credible event that will attract some of the world’s greatest players. “We’re looking at striking a genuine balance between ‘sporting event’ and ‘social occasion’ which is one of the reasons for moving to Hyland’s House. They offered to accommodate an arena and of course it does help that the venue is a truly stunning setting.” Hyland’s House is part of the Hyland’s Park Estate which covers an impressive 574 acres of Essex Countryside. Like many stately homes across the country the main house stood empty for a number of years and slowly slipped in to a state of disrepair until the current owners restored the Grade II listed Villa to its former glory. The popularity of the polo, which is now in its eighth year, has already seen it firmly established as part of the British Social Season and the move to Hyland’s Park is expected to attract over 10,000 VIP’s and members of the public.

Gone is the single date and replaced by two: Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th July. The weekend is set to be the best VIP and Family outing in Essex.

For this year the main sporting arena will be surrounded by a wealth of entertainment including various VIP marquees, headline music acts, family fun activity and of course the sort of food and drink that would befit a royal guest or two … who knows who might attend!

The organizers are more than aware that the modern day spectacle of polo is as much

Once the polo’s finished for the day and the ponies are nicely tucked up on the hay, then

lifestyle

the party really starts. The VIP enclosures will be transformed into one off night spots with top club DJ’s and performances from current acts and legends alike, the perfect way to round off a true, top class sporting come social extravaganza. It’s well known that polo has never been known as an affordable pastime. However this year The Duke of Essex Polo Grand Prix will be doing its bit to open the sport up to the masses by offering reasonably priced family tickets alongside the stunning VIP packages that offer that extra ‘something special’. This year the VIP package tickets are split into three types, Silver, Gold and Black. Each of these tickets will give the holder entrance to the exclusive Paddock Club Enclosure from where the polo can be viewed from private decked areas during the day and from where the international music acts will perform in the evening. VIP ticket holders will have private buggy transportation to and from the main house, valet parking, access to the sun deck, private washroom and a complimentary barbecue that will run throughout the evening. For those wishing to go along for just the evening event there is of course a special dusk ticket which as the name suggests is from 5.00pm onwards and strictly for over 21’s only. It will include access to the Paddock Club Enclosure and access to the outside stage to see

the live bands and international artists with DJ’s starting at 9.00pm and going through to the early hours. “Opening polo up to the masses is an important part of the event for us this year” which is why the organizers have decided to offer a reasonably priced £20 adult ticket, along with a £15 child ticket with under 12’s accessing for free. These tickets allow access to the Grand Prix Polo Village with its show jumping arena, Shetland pony ‘dinky derby’, the Essex Dog Shoe Display Team, Formula 1 simulator, shopping village and access to the fairground. A Gourmet Food Village will be partnered by a Champagne and The Grand Arena Bar so no one is expected to go hungry or thirsty on the day. With Hyland’s Park positioned neatly in the very heart of Essex, getting there couldn’t be easier. As a country park, Hyland’s is unquestionably ‘Set for a King’ but for two days this Summer Hyland’s will undoubtedly be ‘Set for the sport of Kings’. The Duke of Essex Grand Prix Polo will be one the hottest tickets in town, and advance bookings are now available from:

www.dukeofessexpolo.com TICKET BOOKING LINE: 08451 246 123 51

lifestyle

POWER When I say power suit, push that throwback wardrobe disaster out of your mind; 2013 has it revamped and more stylish than ever. Ever since women broke free from the corset, clothes have reflected their emancipation. “Fashion is doing its job. It’s mirroring exactly our times,” says street style photographer Bill Cunningham in his documentary, Bill Cunningham New York. The power suit first emerged in the 1980s, and exaggerates a woman’s shoulders to give her a more masculine silhouette. However, now that women have almost become equal to men in business, the two-piece is back, but without the frumpy jackets and shapeless trousers. This season, the power suit has been nipped in and sexed up. On the SS13 catwalks at Balmain, Roland Mouret and Lanvin, provocative power suits were big business. The designers teamed a strong shouldered jacket with a bare chest for a masculine, yet seductive look. Yes, the broad shoulders are there, but so is the feminine waist, pulled in elegantly with a thick belt. We also can’t ignore the legs, which are either bare in a mini skirt or skinny in cropped trousers; but revealed or not, they are always elongated with simple heels.

Now, we don’t recommend you march into the office with nothing under your blazer than a bouncing bust, but this year’s power suit should emphasise your feminine silhouette, while maintaining that authority. To get your hands on your own slice of power, look to Selfridges and Net-a-Porter, but for a high street alternative, Zara is the best place to go.

Balmain - courtesy of catwalking.com

52 rmbusiness.co.uk

Roland Mouret - image courtesy of catwalking.com

A commanding female with an alluring figure; who could resist?

Alexander McQueen Contrast Lapel Jacket, £1,785.00 (image from fashionbombdaily.com)

The power suit, but not as you know it

YOU NEVER GET A SECOND CHANCE TO CREATE A GOOD FIRST IMPRESSION. ( SPECIAL CORPORATE SUIT OFFER).

John Parrett, owner of Fox Tailoring, has echoed this statement for many years. His theory is, if you look and feel good, you perform better at what you do - poetry to any employer. Whenever people talk about having a suit made, generally the automatic re-action is: ‘ that will cost a lot of money’. It depends on whether it’s a ‘Made To Measure ‘ suit or a ‘Bespoke’ suit. There is a difference.

The first 30 seconds in meeting someone, we form an opinion. If that is not good, it makes our job harder. But we cannot all afford a Bespoke/ MTM suit or jacket/trousers.

A ‘Bespoke’ suit is a garment that has a lot of ‘handwork ‘ in the internal construction. You would normally find this in Savile Row, where some of the finest Bespoke Tailors in the world are found. The whole experience is amazing. The fabrics are of the finest quality and you will be measured in great detail, resulting in a ‘pattern’ of your body shape being made, very similar to the ‘last’ in a pair of bespoke shoes. This is a time consuming and fairly expensive operation. The whole process of making the suit is approximately 3 months with 2-3 fittings involved along the way. It is a great experience but it could set you back £1500+minimum, depending on the quality of fabric selected. In fact you could pay up to £5000, even more.

Fox Tailoring appreciate that times are hard and money is not always there to spend on clothing, but it is an investment in your work and possible future promotions. We have had clients who have recommended employees to come to us so that we can ’smarten’ them up to make them represent the correct company image. We have therefore set up a special ‘CORPORATE SUIT PACKAGE‘ , to help clients achieve this. Starting at £495 ( RRP £575) for a pure wool 2 piece suit, you can purchase, from a range of approximately 50 business fabrics, a 2 piece for £395. This is a fantastic saving of £180. You could pay more than that for an ‘ off the peg’ suit, says John.

A ‘Made To Measure’ suit is made to your body measurements, but from a ‘pattern’ already set in place by the tailoring company. It is adjusted to the body measures of the client and cut individually and sewn by a machine. There could be a bit of handwork but generally it is an engineered garment. The other difference is that the canvas’s between the cloth and the lining are generally fused (glued) together, not found in a ‘bespoke’ suit as these are hand stitched. There is, however, stitching around the chest area in a MTM, as this enables the fabric to move a bit and therefore become fitted to the body shape. Most Ready To Wear suits are fused throughout, hence the difference between the 3 types of make and of course- price.

To enable us to maintain this offer, we need to have quantity of orders. We have a number of ‘corporate clients’ who have offices/branches in Essex and throughout the UK who benefit from this package, ranging from banks, investment companies, property organisations etc. We normally visit once every 6 months on ‘away day’ visits or even have monthly presentations at local businesses, normally around the lunchtime hours to promote our product/service. You don’t have to be a large organisation. If you have 6 people then, we will arrange for a consultant to visit you and discuss your requirements.

Fox Tailoring offer a Made To Measure service, but can supply Bespoke or Semi Bespoke if required. “Our client base is 75% businesswear and businesswear is regarded as a uniform”, says John, and people do not put it into the same category as their social wardrobe, and therefore perhaps do not care so much. Most people do not wear what they wear for work in a social environment.

For more information, receive this special offer or to arrange a presentation, please email john@foxtailoring.com or contact our team on the details below.

However, if you are involved in a people business either in sales or service then your appearance is very important, hence, ‘YOU NEVER GET A SECOND CHANCE TO CREATE A GOOD FIRST IMPRESSION’. We spend a large percentage of out time in the workplace in front of clients and therefore we need to look the part.

Fox Tailoring, 187 Station Lane, Hornchurch, Essex, RM12 6LL 01708 563 995 | E-mail john@foxtailoring.com Twitter: @Foxtailoring | LinkedIn: John Parrett | Facebook: Fox Tailoring 53

car review

MERCEDES e 63 AMG The new E 63 AMG has been given a major high performance boost in the shape of the top-of-the-range E 63 AMG S Model. With 585 hp and 800 Nm of torque, the E 63 AMG S Model is the most powerful vehicle in the E-Class range and the fastest E-Class ever offered in the UK. With an AMG rear axle limited-slip differential lock as standard, the new E 63 AMG S Model benefits from a 28 hp and 80 Nm increase over the standard E 63 AMG and is 0.1 seconds faster, reaching 62 mph from a standing start in just 4.1 seconds for the Saloon and 4.2 seconds for the Estate. The combined fuel consumption for the E 63 AMG S Model Saloon is 28.5 mpg, with 54 rmbusiness.co.uk

emissions of 232 g/km of CO2, and the Estate achieves 28.3 combined mpg, with CO2 emissions of 234 g/km – the same as the standard E 63 AMG Estate. The enhanced exterior of the S Model features exclusive design elements, including a highgloss black front apron with silver-shadow splitter, side sill panels and rear trim strip with silver-shadow inserts, an AMG spoiler in body colour, 19 inch AMG alloy wheels painted in Titanium matt grey, red brake calipers, and ‘S’ labelling on the boot lid. Inside, the unique interior includes black nappa leather upholstery with grey contrast stitching, silver seat belts, an AMG emblem in the headrests, an electric rear roller blind

for the Saloon, AMG door sills with white LED illumination, and an AMG instrument cluster with red applications and S Model badging. A choice of seven standard metallic paints and one non-metallic paint in Polar White for the S Model are complimented by two additional metallic paints, Diamond White and Hyacinth Red (£480), two designo metallic paints, Mocha Black and Graphite (£1,125) and two designo Magno matt paints, Allanite Grey and Cashmere White (£2,775). The E 63 AMG S Model Saloon is priced from £83,740 OTR and the Estate from £85,530 OTR, with both now readily available to order.

comes to Rainham AN EXCITING new trade show, the first of its kind in Rainham, will be “refreshingly fun and relaxed” according to organisers, who has already signed up two key Government agencies for the event. Rather than putting on yet another starchy business fair, Kathryn Painter, the owner of KEM Event Management, who lives in Shenfield, Essex, plans to inject some fun into the CEME Conference Centre, on June 14, when the doors open for the inaugural South Essex Business Exhibition. The event, which is being organised in partnership with RM Magazine, could attract up to 50 exhibitors and will be “the place to go for proactive business people”, revealed Miss Painter, who counts April’s Brentwood Fun Dog Show among her more recent successes. So far, the list of exhibitors includes key Government bodies Companies House and the Intellectual Property Office, who will be meeting and greeting visitors alongside businesses from a broad range of professions and industries. Miss Painter, 30, said: “The South Essex Business Exhibition will be the first of its kind for the area. “Yes, there will be lots of opportunities to meet new people and ‘talk shop’, and listen to some fascinating guest speakers, but there will also be plenty of fun to be had. “We’re lining up a whole host of entertainment and a raffle in aid of the Brentwood charity SNAP. “Our vision is to keep the atmosphere relaxed, as well as offering a fantastic opportunity for people to make some quality new contacts.” Key event sponsor John Palmer, from Nova Digital Media, revealed why he chose to get involved.

He said: “This show is a must for businesses from across the area, who are serious about broadening their network and building up good contacts. “Already, a number of progressive companies are on-board, and with all the extra value that SEBE is offering, such as the impressive guest speakers, there is so much to take away from the day. “We at Nova Digital Media can’t wait to meet many new people to find out exactly how we can help each other. “If they haven’t already, I strongly recommend business owners grabbing the last few spaces before they go, and if they miss out this time, then it’s definitely going to be worth investing the time to visit”.

Prices for an exhibition space for the day start at £285. Exhibitors will be able to gain access to the site from 9am on the day. The event is free to attend for visitors and will be open from 11am until 5pm. For more information, e-mail: admin@kem-event.co.uk or call 01245 790768. SNAP supports parents of young children with learning disabilities.

Technology Siva Cycle ATOM Gadgets can be a saving grace when it comes to our everyday commute, so here are some hot new gismos to make your commute a little more interesting. There is something for everyone, whether you like to leisurely cycle to work, type on the train, or watch videos while staring through a piece glass and looking like a robot.

Pedal for your phone’s life with the Siva Cycle Atom. This lightweight rechargeable gadget will mount easily onto most standard bicycle frames, and power up your phone as you cycle. So how does it work? The revolutions of the bike’s rear wheel charges a generator as it harnesses the kinetic energy. This will either power your phone, which you connect via a USB port, or store the energy in a 1,300mAh lithium battery. It is this battery that means its uses don’t stop when you hit the brakes. The battery pack detaches from the generator, so you can continue to charge your device away from the bike. “The Atom is for the modern commuter cyclist, the urban biker, the weekend rider, the gadget lover, the green fanatic, and anyone that’s ever needed a charge on the go,” says Siva Cycle on its Kickstarter page, a technology backing website. Last month it received its full funding on Kickstarter. The release date is expected to be around November, and will be priced at $105 (£70). Cycling to work just got a lot more energising.

Logitech Keyboard Folio mini Turn your iPad mini into a laptop with Logitech’s Keyboard Folio mini. The lightweight but durable case has a built in keyboard, which connects to the iPad via Bluetooth. The chic design can be personalised and has hidden magnets to keep the folio securely closed. When the folio is opened and shut, your iPad wakes and sleeps to save its battery. Its own battery life is also impressive. If used on average for two hours per day, you can type away for up to three months. This plus its built-in stand makes an iPad more alert than us at 7:30am.

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technology

Google Glass The most talked about gadget currently has to be Google Glass. This headset places data literally right before your eyes. Take photos, record videos, and get directions, all by using the touchpad on the arm of headset. But if raising your finger is far too much effort when it comes to technology, the voice control function will be your saviour. You can search, translate phrases, and send and record messages all by using just your voice box. You may think they don’t look as cool as they sound, but fashion designer Diane Von Furstenberg gave them the nod of approval by perching them on her models’ noses in her SS13 catwalk show. To get your hands on a headset, you can apply to be a Glass Explorer via google.com/ glass, until they go on sale. We say give it a couple of years, and they’ll be as common as sunglasses – that’s if they haven’t been reduced to a lens by then.

Bose AE2w Bluetooth headphones Bose have launched a set of wireless headphones called the AE2w. These brilliant Bluetooth buckets can connect with two devices at once, have a built-in microphone for making calls, and can connect with the iPhone’s Siri and Google’s search functionality. However, all of this technology comes at a cost. Bose have given the headphones a reasonable price, but they take three hours to fully charge, and you only get seven hours of life. Probably best for your ears though.