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CREATING A BUSINESS THAT SUCKS Sir James Dyson talks research, design, how to stay ahead of competitors, and why he loves Japanese bins
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Dominic Lill Online Editor
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Talk Business has undergone a transformation from print to digital
elcome to a very special edition of Talk Business, since the last issue of the magazine the world of business has kept turning; the Brexit arguments are in full flow, the Budget has been released, and some damning evidence of tax evasion has been produced with the Panama Papers. Many exciting things are happening in business, and many exciting things are happening at Talk Business. Talk Business has undergone a transformation from print to digital. The total redesign of our website has given us a fresh, engaging new look and the change in address from www.talkbusinessmagazine.co.uk to www.talk-business.co.uk highlights the new direction we are headed. The magazine is alive through all the past issues on the new website available at the click of a button. New interviews and advice from the best in business is added daily, allowing a constant stream of incredible content. At The Business Show on the 11th and 12th of May, we are here to support and celebrate all the amazing businesses that have risen from using our experts advice over the past few years. Talk Business is recognisable as the magazine that brought you interviews from successful entrepreneurs; Piers Linney, Michelle Mone, Sarah Willingham and many more, including our cover star Sir James Dyson and we will keep producing this content every day. This mini magazine showcases the best of the original magazine and the new website. The interview with James Dyson from our final issue appears in full; find out what seven lessons Rory Lewis learned in his many years as a freelance photographer; five international marketing tips for businesses; Oliver Hammond is back on the road to review the Jaguar XE S. So, go to www.talk-business.co.uk to discover the best business advice and information from the experts, or share your success, get in contact and be part of Talk Business. www.talk-business.co.uk
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CREATING A BUSINESS THAT SUCKS Engineering marvel, and famed British inventor, Sir James Dyson explains how time, patience, and persistence is key to UK SMEs being able to make British engineering and design a force to be reckoned with once again
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e search the Internet via an American search engine, we get our electronics from Japan, and we import our clothes from Pakistan. Our cars are invariably German, Swedish, or French. Our food is Indian, Chinese, or Mexican – and even much of the fish caught for the quintessentially traditional British fish and chips is sourced from just off the shores of Norway. It seems that everywhere you turn the world is getting smaller, and international lines are becoming more and more blurred. However, despite many reports of the ‘death of British creativity and invention’ over the decades (seriously – there seems to be another scare report every other year), British exports to the EU alone have increased by 2.5% every year since 1999, so we must be doing something right. And okay, many years may have passed since the likes of Alexander Graham Bell and Charles Babbage were flying the flag for the ‘British is best’ brigade, and the names of great inventors could be recited by hordes of 10-year-old schoolchildren but, for all the talk we hear of the UK being surpassed as one of the great engineering powerhouses these days, there is mercifully still one shining light among the foreign imports that keeps the flame alight for British ingenuity – and chances are one of their products is sitting in your house right now. That’s right, it’s a Dyson. Founded by Sir James Dyson in 1993, Dyson has become one of those names that is synonymous the world over with quality (although funnily enough, many cultures refer to the vacuum cleaner as a ‘hoover’ – a rival company’s name, and one of the early success stories in the industry). And where one company gains success, imitators will try to follow in their footsteps. That’s why the dedication and effort that goes into creating a Dyson, and coming up with new patents and ideas is vital to maintaining this British icon’s place at the forefront of the industry.
Here in the UK, I was told a clear bin on a vacuum would revolt people. The Japanese embraced the bin’s transparency; they liked to see what their machine had sucked up So what is the key to staying ahead of the counterfeiters, knock-offs, copycats, and genuine competitors? “When I started out, protecting and renewing my patents almost bankrupted me. At times, investing in the most recent piece of equipment is enticing. But – and speaking from experience – I’d urge young minds to opt for securing the legalities of their idea. If a design is protected legally, then the longevity of their project is secured,” revealed the entrepreneur, who developed more than 5,000 prototype designs between 1979 and 1984 alone. “At Dyson, we prioritise our technology. For us it isn’t about following trends, but putting our best ideas forward, and taking and embracing risks. We work on an idea until it is fully functioning, until the problem is solved. Secondly, it’s about investment and expansion. Last year we committed £1.5 billion in investments to future technology, including £1 billion for the research and development of new machine technologies. We have a 25 year pipeline of technology, and none of our machines come from behind those doors until our engineers have iteratively developed and tested each element of the machine to the highest of standards.” Strangely enough, Dyson had to take his original invention over to Japan to hit the mass market, as it wasn’t seen in the most favourable light at first www.talk-business.co.uk
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Good technology comes with time, patience, and development. Young inventors shouldn’t be afraid to fail
on UK shores. In this way he gained a valuable lesson in never taking no for an answer, and believing in yourself and your product. “Here in the UK, I was told a clear bin on a vacuum would revolt people. The Japanese are early adopters of new, disruptive technology, and over there they embraced the bin’s transparency. They liked to see what their machine had sucked up. The UK and countries across the globe soon followed suit,” smiled the Norfolk-born inventor, who actually began work on what would eventually become the Dyson vacuum cleaner way back in 1974. So, given that many are constantly bemoaning the lack of British inventors, and are forecasting the death of UK engineering, how does Sir James see the British industry’s chances compared to other technologically advanced nations, such as Japan and South Korea, and what was it that got him interested in engineering in the first place? “As a young boy I had a natural curiosity for the inner workings of things. I was always dismantling old radios, trying to understand how they worked. Twenty two years ago, I bought what was the top of the range vacuum cleaner, a Hoover Junior. The machine didn’t work properly. It was clear that dust clogged the pores in the bag, compromising the machine’s suction. I had this nagging feeling that there was a better 6
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way to do it. It may have taken 5,127 prototypes to create a fully functioning alternative, but the result was the world’s first bagless vacuum cleaner,” beamed Dyson. Espousing the importance of that time and attention to detail, he added; “At present, there is a predominant culture for quick, overnight wins. Good technology comes with time, patience, and development. Young inventors shouldn’t be afraid to fail. Thinking long term and learning from errors makes for a project that will stand the test of time. “Immigration is key to the UK staying ahead of upcoming technology nations. It has been estimated that Britain will need 640,000 extra engineering minds by 2020. While home grown is best, unless we keep our borders open to the brightest and the best, our position as technology leaders will slip – rapidly. UK tech start-ups need to support our own, and welcome those from abroad who have studied here in the UK, if we are to maintain and accelerate our position as market leaders.”
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Despite having the money and power to leave the inventing and hard graft to others, he explains that he still enjoys getting to work on the research and development side of things as often as possible. “Being surrounded by blue sky thinkers who are straight out of university certainly keeps me young; their ambition and drive is infectious. As chief engineer, I have the opportunity to see each and every project from pencil on paper, to prototype, to working machine. It’s even more exciting from those days when I was building cardboard cyclones in my shed. Our engineers recently radically re-engineered our cordless cleaner heads. Originally, the head they designed could pick up the average amount of dust found in a home. I took it a step further and I discarded five times the amount of dust in a home on
the carpet – and ground it in with my foot. The result of their iterative designing achieved just this. And there is now a rig of my foot and weight in RDD!” he chortled. Today, the company is much more than just vacuum cleaners. As all successful companies that wish to grow must do, Dyson has diversified into other markets – though being a leader in new technology is always an underlying theme. From the Dyson Airblade hand dryer to the Bladeless fan, there are a myriad of products that are changing the way we live, and have seamlessly assimilated themselves into our everyday lives. But, given all of these inventions, does Sir James have a particular favourite? “That’s like asking me to choose a favourite child!” exclaimed the billionaire who, despite being placed 22nd on the Sunday Times’ British Rich List 2015, has never forgotten his roots, and the hard work it takes to ensure success. “Every machine that we produce marks a step change in our problem solving capabilities. If I have to choose, the Dyson Digital Motor (DDM) – which we have invested over £250 million in the development of – may be it. The DDM spins up to five times faster than a Formula One engine, enabling our cordless machines to match the suction of corded, full size vacuums.” So, despite the naysayers and detractors of the UK tech landscape, there is comfort in knowing that, at least in one little corner of our glorious island, there is hope yet for British design and engineering. And for any budding technological entrepreneurs out there wondering whether their curiosity and ingenuity will ever be worth it in a market increasingly flooded with cheap foreign products, perhaps it is worth remembering that, sometimes, it is beneficial to go with an idea that really does suck. Contact: www.dyson.co.uk www.talk-business.co.uk
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LIFESTYLE
On the road IN THE SPOTLIGHT: JAGUAR XE S
Oliver Hammond is back on the road to review the best business cars for Talk Business. This month he has taken the Jaguar XE S for a spin.
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ccording to the Indian-owned British luxury car manufacturer’s PR machine, the new XE “redefines the concept of the sports saloon” and is “the driver’s car in the global premium mid-size segment.” Blimey; bold claims, indeed – and hang on a minute, hasn’t the BMW 3 Series always universally been considered to be the ultimate driver’s car? Currently top of the XE tree, the 335bhp S variant, priced from £45,000, isn’t pitched as a rival to BMW’s 431bhp M3, which starts at £56,000.
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Rather, the Jaguar is essentially up against the BMW 340i M Sport, which produces 326bhp and is priced from £40,000. The XE S gets off to a healthy start thanks to its sleek, aggressive, soul-stirring front end, complete with S bodykit, red brake callipers and J-blade daytime running lights. My test XE S was fitted with the optional Black Pack, giving it a gloss black grille and side power vents, along with 20” Propellor alloys. Balancing menace with beauty, the XE S looks a peach from the front and side, with coupé-like proportions. Despite the clear
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F-Type echoes, its derriere appears a little stunted and pedestrian, especially when the red light clusters blend into Italian Racing Red. Inside, Jaguar’s XE S is a mixed bag. The test car’s two-tone red and black leather set my heart racing from afar but despite being comfortable lacks that ultimate feeling of quality. JLR’s rotary gear selector is still a hit and I’m not disappointed over the XF’s motorised vents not having been carried over to the XE, but some of the switchgear feels quite flimsy,
soundtrack, even when pushed hard. The XE S’s undeniable forte, though, is at cornering. The steering is nicely weighted for everything from slow-speed manoeuvring to high-speed chucking, providing enough feedback to keep the driver feeling involved. Combined with a composed chassis and rear-wheel-drive tail-outon-demand shenanigans, the XE S cements itself as a true driver’s car that can’t help but produce beaming smiles. Refined and smooth in urban areas,
unbefitting for a Jaguar. The new infotainment system instantly reminded me of Suzuki’s at first, but I warmed to it in the end, the menus proving intuitive. The Meridian sound system performs thoroughly decently and although I’m not a fan of head-up displays, it forms a regular conversation piece. Space up front is perfectly adequate but backseat passengers above average height and girth will struggle, as the rear is rather cramped in the knee and shoulder departments. On UK roads, where the most potent version of the XE frankly can’t be shown to let itself down, the S is, fortunately for Jaguar, remarkably good. Its supercharged 3-litre V6 engine comes from the base F-Type and, frankly, the 340PS it produces, along with a 0-62mph time of 4.9 seconds and a top speed of 155mph are more than enough and can be explored more fully, dishing up dollops of fun for drivers across the experience spectrum. The engine certainly propels Jaguar’s compact sports saloon towards the horizon quickly enough, delivering its power in a smooth, linear fashion. It’s just a crying shame the saloon is aurally rather subdued, lacking any V8-esque snap, crackle and pop
the adaptive dampers deal with ubiquitous potholes, speed bumps and surface imperfections surprisingly well. After covering 250 miles during my week with the 194g/km XE S, I averaged 24mpg compared to the official combined figure of 34.9mpg. Prices for the Jaguar XE S start at a whisker under £45,000 and the standard specification encompasses Torque Vectoring by Braking, Adaptive Dynamics, red brake callipers, sports suspension, Dynamic Stability Control, Autonomous Emergency Braking and Rear Parking Aid. Optional extras fitted to the test car bumped its price tag up by a smidgen over £10,000 to £55,163, though, by the time the £1,000 full-width sliding panoramic sunroof, £1,000 carbon fibre veneer, £1,035 heated and cooled front and rear seats, £1,000 head-up display and £1,540 advanced parking assist pack were accounted for, to name but a few. Jaguar’s XE S isn’t the most commodious of premium mid-size saloons, its cabin is a mixed bag and unless restraint is shown over the options list, it begins to look decidedly expensive. Contact: www.oliver@petroleumvitae.com www.talk-business.co.uk
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MARKETING
5 top tips for international marketing Taking the decision that you want to expand your marketing efforts to an international audience can be a great opportunity to grow your brand and reach new regions
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ur top five tips will help you reach an international audience and take your company global.
Going “Glocal” – getting it right When working on a global marketing campaign, remember that it doesn’t mean local, market-specific plans and initiatives should be excluded. International marketing is all about looking at the bigger picture, whilst thinking “glocally” – reflecting on both global and local considerations. This can often be hard to do, but setting parameters within which local marketing operates will give teams the freedom to monitor more local programmes. Some areas are best delivered locally, especially when working on tactical initiatives and partnerships. Others such as branding, strategic marketing, large-scale campaigns, social media strategies and global PR can be delivered from one central marketing team, to ensure consistency across the board. Media mix – what works best? Marketing channels vary from territory to territory. In some countries, you may rely mostly on social media or online advertising. Getting it right is crucial. In China, Ren Ren and Weibo are popular social platforms but in the Middle East, SnapChat is the platform of choice. In others, it could be outdoor advertising, local newspapers or radio. Engaging with your local marketing teams from the beginning will ensure you reach the most popular social platform for that region, safeguarding you from costly and timely errors. Don’t get lost in translation When a company wants to take that first step, it shouldn’t be rushed. Simply popping your website into Google translate is not enough to ensure success in a new region. We’ve all heard stories of global brands getting it wrong. Many produce campaigns that may work in one region, but when translated they either don’t make sense, or worse still are considered offensive. They have literally been lost in translation. It isn’t enough to simply translate your content and website into target languages if quality is your goal — don’t serve second-rate content to
your international clients. Hire a social media manager who’s fluent in the local language to translate and manage all online activity. This will ensure that you give your campaign as much chance of success as you can. Bridge the cultural gap Gone are the days when global campaigns and strategies were applied in a blanket fashion across international regions – it simply doesn’t work. Understanding the local culture, sense of humour and how people search for content, will ensure that you reach the local audience. It’s difficult to replicate brand acceptance across multiple cultures, shown through something as simple as international colour symbolism. In Peru, white is associated with angels and good health, but in Korea and some other Asian countries white represents death, mourning, and bad luck and is traditionally worn at funerals. If you’re in a global marketing role make sure you research your markets thoroughly and take the time to get to know the international teams you will be working with. Having people on the ground, who know the culture and speak the language will ensure that your global plans are fruitful. It’s not all about Google Global search engine marketing is a combination of choosing the correct search engines and understanding keywords. If you don’t have the two working in unison, it doesn’t matter how great your marketing campaign is, it won’t be a success. Research which search engines are used by the markets you are pursuing. Don’t assume its Google globally! With international search engine marketing, don’t focus on translating keywords into foreign languages, as this simply won’t work. Instead, work with native speakers trained in search marketing to decide which native keywords would best correlate with your website. Remembering that one size doesn’t fit all when marketing your brand globally, will help you along your journey, to ensure your campaign is successful. Heidi Myers www.meltwater.com/uk/ www.talk-business.co.uk
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Lessons learned
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ory Lewis is a successful freelance photographer, who has had to balance his art with running a business and producing a superior product. Rory gives us an insight into his life as a freelance business man and how he has turned his passion into a business. KNOW WHAT YOU WANT It’s important in an industry like photography, where you’re working with a number of companies and on a number of jobs on any given day, to know what you want in your career. If you don’t have a good idea of what you want you’re likely to end up taking work that doesn’t appeal to you, and is
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Rory Lewis, speciality portrait photographer, looks at the seven things he has learned since starting his business, with the benefit of hindsight.
therefore much harder to get through. Work that doesn’t inspire you might be something that you do in the short-term, just to get established, but if you don’t know what you’re aiming for it can seem like a deep, dark tunnel that you’ll never get out of. It helps to write down where you want you and your photography business to be in 1 month, 6 months, and 1 year. This might be a monetary goal, it might be a client you’re aiming for, or it might be a number of successful jobs. But, stick to these goals and update them as you go!
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DREAM BIG There’s nothing wrong with having a big dream, but big dreams need to be supported by a big work commitment and if you don’t understand that, success may always be only on the horizon. My dream at the start of my career was to match my salary at the job I had left to be a freelance photographer. It was a big ask considering I was starting in the bottom, but I told myself I had to do it within three months, or I would need to get another job. I did it in a month, and although it was hard, it was the early win I needed to get me through the hard times ahead. DON’T FOCUS ON THE MONEY, BUT DON’T FORGET IT Obviously if you’re running a photography business you’ll need to keep a pretty good eye on your finances. I was probably a little bit too obsessive about this. I calculated how much I needed to make every day of the working week, and then filled up my day working towards that total. But, on the days I didn’t make it, I didn’t allow myself to lose hope. The money was important, but it wasn’t the end of the world. I kept it at the back of my mind, without allowing myself to obsess too much about it. ASSERT YOURSELF, BUT REMEMBER YOUR CLIENT’S EGO One of the biggest things that I had to learn when I started photography was how to massage your client’s ego. The best piece of advise I’ve learned is that “The client is always right, even if you have to lead them to their own opinion“. Since then I have worked to follow that advice, which allows me to both assert my own knowledge and opinion about a job, at the same time as allowing my client to think they’re the driving creative force. The things we do for work.
There’s nothing wrong with having a big dream, but big dreams need to be supported by a big work commitment
TAKE THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE AVAILABLE When I started freelancing, I was ready to take any work. And believe me, I took some shocking jobs. I’m talking, freebies and low paid portrait photoshoots that no one in their right mind would view. But it was money, and I told myself that I had to take it because it might lead to something else. And it did. The more work I did, the more I came to understand the industry, and the easier it was for me to find better clients who paid what I wanted. Now I’m getting more than 10 times that amount to do something twice as enjoyable for clients I really love.
FEASTING & STARVATION You could also caption this one ‘Survive The Now, And Build For The Future‘ because one of the things you’re likely to notice about photography is that there are periods you’re run off your feet which I call feasting, and periods you’re desperate for work which I call starvation. But, it can be survived. If you have a lot of control, you can try and schedule work in the off periods. Alternatively, you can work your backside off when the work is there, and
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The money was important, but it wasn’t the end of the world. I kept it at the back of my mind, without allowing myself to obsess too much about it
then give yourself time to recuperate and rest when the work is gone. I sometimes have to do this, and the key thing to learn is just to let yourself relax and enjoy the downtime, it doesn’t last forever. ENJOY IT, AND LEAVE HAPPY If there was one thing that I went into freelance photography knowing with absolute certainty, it was that I wanted to enjoy my job. Up until that point, I had worked a wide variety of different jobs, and in the end I had hated all of them. I was working in industries I didn’t like, for people who didn’t appreciate me, and for purposes that (in many cases) I wasn’t even sure of. It was important for me that I really enjoyed my photography career, so I made myself do it. I took jobs that I wanted, refused work I really didn’t want, and took pride in the fact that I was working freely for myself. I engaged in my own personal projects to keep my creativity energised. Personal projects are a great impetus for photographers to show what they can do. So I’m going to enjoy it while it’s happening, and leave it satisfied of my success. Contact www.rorylewisphotography.com
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