BizCom Issue 9 - April May June 2020 - Bringing Businesses to the Community in St Albans by thebusinessescommunity

WHERE BUSINESSES MEET THE COMMUNITY Issue 9 - April/May/June 2020

Meet the team behind Debenhams Ottaway Let’s get to know the people behind the businesses - what’s available locally in the amazing city that is St Albans!

Meet Paula of Hummingbird Solutions

Learn how to do the Rubiks Cube

INSIDE THIS ISSUE THE

Meet Kavya at Madison HR

Businesses COMMUNITY

ADL Electricals Arbonne Dance2gether Debenhams Ottaway

21 28 12 8

Events

GameChanger

Headcase Barbers

Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce

Hummingbird HR

Kick Pistol

MacPro Design and Print

Madison HR

Oaklands College

Popdance

Rubiks

Simon Leslie

STANTA

TBC Team

The Brandit

The Woo Hoos

Voispeed

THE

Businesses

2 2

COMMUNITY

Well, when we said we wanted 2020 to be a GameChanger, this isn’t really what we had in mind!

NHS

2020

However, we don’t have much choice but to roll up our sleeves and adapt our businesses and our lifestyles as much as we can. Lots of businesses have had to think differently, learn new tech skills, get on camera (which is waaaay out of a lot of peoples comfort zones), jump into the unknown and get stuck in. But the positivity, comradery and support has been truly incredible. People sharing their knowledge and skill sets to help others, looking out for each other, encouraging others, coming up with ideas for each other it’s been amazing to see.

And online meet ups with friends - I had a zoom party for my birthday with pals and it was fantastic. Now setting up more zoom calls with friends that I haven’t seen for a while too - it really is bringing the world closer together.

And online meet ups connecting businesses with people they may never have connected with, enabling lots of businesses to come together, see new and familiar faces and share how this is affecting our businesses and coming up with new ways to do things.

Positives will come out of this - for business, for pleasure, for people, for the environment. We will learn new things, learn how to adapt and learn that people are what makes the world go round.

Plus, for many of us, it’s been about bonding with our families. Spending more time with each other - learning more about each other, spending quality time together. And, how clean is your house now? Decluttering, sorting out cupboards, getting all the jobs done that you’ve been putting off for ages.

Best wishes to you and your family and give us a shout if you need help with anything between thousands of us here in St Albans, I’m sure we all can help.

Enjoy! Sue and the TBC St Albans Team

We want to know about YOU and YOUR business - email stalbans@thebusinessescommunity.com to find out how to get involved 03 5

It’s a Team Thing!

When you take on staff, you have a fantastic resource that can propel your business to the next level, but it may occasionally come with difficulties. By the time you realise you need expert help with an issue, relationships with your employee, suppliers or customers may have been irreparably damaged. Madison HR is a full - service HR consultancy that can help you find the best talent for your vacancies, implement high - quality benefit programmes, improve employee communications and morale and ensure your business maximises its potential. From recruitment to redundancy, retirement or resignation, we are with you every step of the employee journey. Your business needs to avoid staffing problems to keep everything running smoothly – after all, a business is only as good as its least productive employees. Getting to the root of issues as quickly as possible is a key driver in your success as an employer and profitable company. So, don’t wait for problems to arise before calling in help. Leverage our 30 years of HR expertise in an ongoing relationship

where we work alongside you to ensure you become the very best employer you can be. When you are growing, let us help you find the perfect person for your new role. Once you’ve found new talent, welcome them using our carefully crafted induction process to help them feel at home immediately. Nurturing your employees with relevant and appropriate benefits for their life stage and providing career and personal development opportunities will go a long way to creating a motivated workforce and retaining your key talent. If you need to downsize or deal with employee performance or conduct issues, we are there to advise you of your legal duties and rights. Be a proactive employer and #haveaconversation – pre-empt any problems with Madison www.madisonhr.co.uk

The Power of Print and the Human Brain! 2020 is rather an exciting year for us here at Macpro Design & Print Ltd. as we are celebrating our 20th year in business! Over the years we have seen many changes in the industry, most noticeably a move away from the traditional long print runs to smaller print volumes that have become more creative in nature - often required within short timeframes ;0). Interestingly though, despite all of the changes, one thing that still remains the same is the powerful role print plays in the marketing mix. If you were at the GameChanger in January you would have heard Gail touch on this topic in her presentation.

www.macprodp.com Curious as to how you can utilise print marketing in your business? As specialists in design and print we are always happy to share our knowledge / experience. Have a friendly chat with us today on

01727 850771 we look forward to hearing from you :0) The Macpro Design & Print Team

Q) Why do we get excited about print marketing? A) Because of the results it brings our customers! In fact, we think of it as a secret weapon that can drive the success of your business. Part of the answer lies with (neuro)science and the power print has on the human brain! For a start, print creates connection. And connection creates sales. And we all want more of those, right? For more of an insight into who we are and to discover why print marketing is your best friend, we have written a short blog post which we hope you will find thought provoking.

Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no F in Sales by Simon Leslie, one of our GameChanger Conference speakers - a book about selling in all market conditions! All proceeds go to Beam.org

Order your copy HERE 06

We are Stronger Together I’m Paula and the owner of HummingbirdHR which has always had the same ethos that we are here to support businesses in the community, and it seems even more prevalent in these current uncertain times. With the onset of Coronavirus, we have been providing advice to many businesses and have put together a list that may help you in the coming months.

Survival Tips

These are just some of the actions we are encouraging businesses to do during this extraordinarily difficult period:• Up the Communication – we think happy people = great business, so with businesses having to change their ways of working be even more inclusive and keep an eye on their wellbeing. Email me at paula@hummingbirdsolutions.co.uk for tips on how to manage people working from home. • Have a flexible Business Continuity Plan – make sure you gain input from your people and review it constantly. You may have to react quickly to things that are outside your control. • Make sure you are aware of the Government Support available. They have introduced some outstanding measures to keep businesses in business. You can receive regular updates by registering here Gov.uk. • ACAS is a good source of information for both employees and employers which you can access here ACAS.

• Professional Development - now is a great time to encourage your people to engage in some online learning. Consider Open University LinkedIn Learning Udemy • Check your Insurance to check if you can claim. • Now is a perfect opportunity to think about the Community and put our name down as a Volunteer and encourage our teams. We are here to help you. If you would like a free no obligation chat, my number is 07950 709037 or 01727 572627 or contact us via www.hummingbirdsolutions.co.uk

We chatted with award-winning law firm, Debenhams Ottaway right in the heart of St Albans Hi guys, we love your offices in St Peter’s Street, here in St Albans, have you been in those premises long? Thank you. Although at the moment we are all working remotely, we are still very proud of our offices. They match the Debenhams Ottaway personality – well established, lots of gravitas but with a modern twist. We redecorated the client areas a few years ago to bring a more contemporary, professional feel to the place whilst staying in touch with the building’s Georgian heritage. More recently we refurbished the kitchens, meetings rooms and most importantly the toilets! We are currently working on a breakout room for staff where we can all eat together, grab a coffee with our colleagues and hold our social and client events. We work hard for our clients, but we also believe in having fun. In the last few months, we’ve held quiz nights, chocolate making workshops, a murder mystery evening and even chair yoga. We are looking forward to all being back to together in our offices!

with. Even in the current situation we are currently helping our clients via Skype, FaceTime, Zoom and telephone and its working really well! We are regularly told by clients that they recommend friends, family and colleagues to us not just for our expertise but for our approach and friendly professionalism. Apart from your incredible history, what do you think makes Debenhams Ottaway stand out from the crowd? Almost every business will tell you that they focus on client service but very few really do! We have brought client service alive by appointing a client experience director, bringing together a client experience team of lawyers, secretaries and business support to develop a “blue print” of what exceptional client service looks like at Debenhams Ottaway and what we have to change to deliver it. We regularly test how we are doing by sending surveys to our clients and carrying out mystery shopping

You’ve also got offices in Radlett and London too, is that right? We do have another office in Radlett and a small space in London where we see our London and international clients who prefer to meet us there rather than in Hertfordshire. And you provide a wide range of services, from corporate and commercial property, to employment, divorce and separation, life planning, litigation and wills and trusts and buying and selling your home. Is there any particular area that you particularly specialise in or do you have specialists in all of these fields? We have specialists in all these areas but equally as important is that we have people who our clients find it easy to work

exercises. We take on board everything we learn from that research and are constantly looking for ways to improve. Absolutely everyone at Debenhams Ottaway is

involved and every single one of us has a client experience objective to achieve during the course of the year. So, if someone knows that they need a solicitor, what would your advice be on how to choose the right one for the right job? What should they look for? We believe so strongly in the team at Debenhams Ottaway, we would simply say ‘choose a Debenhams Ottaway lawyer!’ But if you want a bit more detail, we suggest you make sure that the lawyer has the right expertise - the website is a good place to start for this. I would also look for a lawyer who has worked with clients similar to yourself - for example if you are own and run your own business, you would want

a wealthy family with lots of children and grandchildren and want to set up trusts for them, you will want to talk to a lawyer who not only has that expertise but has lots of experience of putting it into practice in a way that really works for their clients’ individual needs. And with your corporate services, can businesses book in a meeting with you to see if you are the right fit for what they do, or how does that work? Of course, they can. They can talk to my partner Andrew Yates who has been with the firm since 2014. He knows everything there is to know about buying and selling businesses, partnership agreements, shareholder/investment agreements, loan notes and a great deal more. He and his team work with businesses in Hertfordshire and beyond and their clients come in all shapes and sizes from entrepreneurs, to banks, large and small owner managed businesses and SMEs. We can help any client and have a particular focus on healthcare, banking and charities. And can you tell us a bit more about your team - we understand you are a friendly bunch? As a partnership we are unusual in having a 50/50 split between male and female partners – this is very rare in law firms. We believe it brings a more balanced and diverse culture. We have a reputation for being friendly and we are proud of the fact that our people stay with us and grow with the business. We also have a reputation for being very open to new ideas and encouraging everyone to come up with suggestions and be involved in bringing them to life.

a lawyer who understands that kind of business. And finally find a lawyer who has worked on similar opportunities or problems before – for example if you are

Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce Established in 1924, the Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce is a privately run membership organisation which can open doors for local businesses and organisations of all types and size, by helping them to grow their profile and connect with other businesses locally, nationally and globally, through a range of membership benefits and networking opportunities. As the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) Accredited Chamber of Commerce for Hertfordshire, members can benefit from association with 52 other UK chambers and a network of 41 chambers globally. We have a dedicated BCC approved documentation team who can help with the issue and certification of documents to ensure your goods and services are exported in accordance with international law and procedures. Our expertise in organisational development, training, marketing and sales combined with our business experience and established events programme will enable you to foster strategic partnerships, connect with other members and provide you and your staff with the knowledge and confidence to grow and sustain your business. Our networking events and advisory groups are an ideal forum for voicing your opinions, networking with other businesses, sharing ideas and best practice and developing collaborative partnerships. With four levels of membership we are sure to have the package to meet your business needs. For more information on Chamber Membership, please visit www.hertschamber.com or call us on 01707 502180 or alternatively you can email us on enquiries@hertschamber.com

ARE YOU THINKING OF STARTING YOUR OWN BUSINESS or NEED HELP WITH AN ESTABLISHED ONE? Then St Albans Enterprise Agency (known as STANTA) can advise you. Businesses under 3½ years old are eligible to join the Herts Start Up Programme which gives 12 hours of advice and training – AT NO COST to you! Business advice meetings for existing clients or new clients, can be done by telephone, Zoom or Skype. Email: advice@stanta.co.uk to arrange an appointment. STANTA usually run a wide variety of business training courses: Bookkeeping, FB/Instagram, Google Analytics, SEO, Presentation skills, Build and maintain a Website, and more, and these will resume once the current situation is over. In the meantime, we are hoping to deliver some of our courses online in the future. Keep an eye on our website for news on this: www.stanta.co.uk

Here’s a quote from a happy client: “My meeting at STANTA was one of the best steps I have taken so far since setting up my own business. The adviser’s ability to quickly understand my business, combined with his incredible knowledge and experience in retail and marketing, really helped me to see the key areas that I need to focus on” If you’re looking for a small office or a permanent desk in a shared office, we have these available at Stanta Business Centre! Click here for further information. St Albans Enterprise Agency Suite 19 Stanta Business Centre 3 Soothouse Spring St Albans Herts AL3 6PF

Dance2gether offer all ages and abilities… …the chance to get up and dance! ‘Strictly’ is our thing, everything Ballroom and Latin, and with many years of teaching experience after competing as a youngster, we can offer yourself, your children or your grandchildren, an experience that can last a lifetime. Obviously, classes are ideally held in a studio, but with a little organising, for the time being, we are running classes virtually! Although not ideal, this means that those who are a little shy and nervous about entering a studio, can now enjoy the class in the comfort of your own home! Yay! We have our kids classes, our adult classes and even private tuition online. Class times are being held at the normal non-virtual time, but private lessons can be anytime… If you want to organise a group party, easy, we can all join virtually and enjoy learning while at home… its also a chance to be social online, and see familiar faces. So, if you want to have a virtual Strictly experience, in the comfort of your own home, get in touch with Sam on info@dance2gether.co.uk, or 07974 173020.

See you on the other side! Sam x

If you’d like to feature in the next issue of Bizcom get in touch HERE Subscribe to receive

WHERE BUSINESSES MEET THE COMMUNITY into your inbox every quarter Don’t miss out on getting to know more about local businesses in St Albans and what they have to offer Making #ShopLocal even easier Subscribe here 13

TBC TEAM SHEET A Quick Word ABA White Rooms Accentuate beauty Accord HR Consulting Ltd ACE Digital Marketing Consultancy AddVance ADH Web Design ADL Electricals ADS Digital Aims Alban Care Alison Diana Coaching Allegro Blinds (St Albans) Alterra Business Consulting Ltd Amber Mountain Marketing Anna Banana Yoga Annie Griggs Photography AP Brand Communications Appleonia Beauty Studio Arbonne Ashridge Technologies Atlas Translations Audus Kitchens Avin Accountants AVS Smart Solutions Bead Creative Beautiful Bea & Tropic With Eileen Beejal Coulson Best Theatre Arts Ltd BH Compliance Ltd Big Buzz Solutions Blissfully Organised Blue Mole Promotional Merchandise BLS Computer Solutions Ltd BNI Networking Body Balance Clinic Ltd Body Endurance Body Therapy, Hyperbaric Oxygen & Drug-Free Healing Ltd Bona Fide bubbleHUB Buckets and Bubbles C2 Group Captain Tortue Catherine Batour Make Up Beauty Style Centre4Excellence Cerimonia

Chameleon HR Ltd. Chantel’s Gifts Cheryl Louise’s Hairdressing ChipsAway St Albans Chris Hobson Weddings Christopher Place Shopping Centre Chunkydory Jewellery Conroy Performance Corker Cars Ltd Cositas Counselling Foundation Create Communications Crisp Accountancy Ltd Curiosity & Clarity Dance2gether Daniels Estate Agents Darcy-Salinger Consultancy Deirdre Swede Nutrition Digital Jen Digital StAlbans Distinct Physiotheraphy Dizzy Bee Kitchen Dogtastic Dream Team Movers Limited Duguid Communications Ltd Earthworks EIC Insurance Services Ltd Emma Hayes Massage Emma Kosh Interiors Emmy’s brigadeiro Enhanced Optical Services Eve and Adam Evolution Pest Control Evolvy Workshop Community Excalibur Auctions Ltd Excel Beauty Cosmetics Ltd EYES on St Albans Faces by George Farr Brew Ltd Feel Good Enough Finestay Seviced Apartments Fircroft Associates Ltd Firestarter Creative Ltd Flagship Wines Floral City Flourish With Social Media Flowers by Catherine Forever Living

Funzone Fancy Dress & Dancewear Functional Therapies Gather + Give GHPS Ltd Glow Training Ltd Gold Nugget Designs Good Beyond Ltd Great in 8, A Gradual Better You Gymboree Play & Music St Albans Hadham Health Ltd Haiders Hannah Sessions Design Hays Travel Headcase Barbers Helen Frusher Forever Living Helen Louvieris Hypnotherapy Helen Stephens Coaching Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce Herts Garden Rooms Herts Health and Wellbeing Vital Wellness Clinic Herts Kitchen Holistic Massage Group Hindlip Design Ltd Holiday Inn Express St Albans Home County Rentals Home Property Finders Hour Hands House of Colour - St Albans Hummingbird Office Solutions Ltd Hypnos Wellbeing Ian Silverstein - Creative Thinker IGM Indu Khurana Inspire Music School Invoke Finance Isagenix Nutritional Health Jackie Wilks Coaching & Development Jasmine Jewellery Jaxstar Solutions Jeremy Banks Photography Jonathan Emmerson - Cushions, Fabrics and Homewares Jonathan Emmerson - Cushions, Fabrics and Homewares Judy Britten Reflexology KCH Nutrition Kijiko

Lacon Designs Lady A Photography Laura Anderson Coaching Lawyer In The Making LDS Louise Driving School Leafi St Albans Museum and Gallery Leightons Opticians lifeadmin LifeWorks Lilac Leadership Lili Oli Ltd Little Big Ego Louise’s Antenatal Classes Lower Red Lion Lydia Berman Creative M & T Group MacPro Design and Print Ltd MacRat Madison HR Magnificent Munchers Maria Isaeva Financial Advisor Marshalwick Magazine Metro Bank PLC Mettle Milers Michael Williams Furniture Ltd milknfizz Milo + James Ltd Mindful Pathway Montet Designs Motion Designer Moveology Mums Unlimited My Local DJ My Mustard MyWorkMode Network and Security Limited Newborn Love Photography by Sara and Lee New Frame Councilling & Psychotherapy Nikki Vallance Coaching Ltd Nordikka Interiors LTD Norwex Oaklands College October Design OnBrand Group One Home Interiors Orient8 Consulting Ltd Oxygen & Drug-Free Healing Ltd Peer 2 Peer Perfect Match Presenters (PMP) Perfect Moment Florists Planit Purple Pocket PA Popdance Ltd

Positive Reflex Therapy Powder Eight PQA PR with Perkes Practical Change Partners Prestige Medical Beauty Principal Chauffeurs Print Shop St Albans Prestige Medical Beauty PTA Social Rachel Bailey Spanish & English Tutor Rachel Varndall Travel Counsellor Raring2Go RDS Fitness Redbourn Autos Regali Gift Wrapping Ltd Regeden Retromum Catering Rinceoiri le Cheile School of Irish dancing Ripe Tomato RK Interior Architectural Design Rocket Girl Coaching Rolling Snowball Marketing Rothamsted Enterprises Rumball Sedgwick Sajona’s Small World SamSocial SASA School of Performing Arts Sigrid’s Language Training SJ Locks Social Elements Media Social Jooce Socially Mindful Spaces St Albans Decor St Albans Enterprise Agency STANTA St.Villa restaurant and cocktail bar Stagearts Catherine Stephanie Belton Photography StEPs C.I.C Straight Talk Social Media Striking Places Photography Style by KPA Superstar Communicator Tarbys Tailor Together Tea & Memories Temple Spa The Barefoot Accountant Ltd The Best of St Albans The Brandit The Business Network South Herts The Carpet Store

The Cobbled Kitchen The Endless Bookcase The Flying Physios The Hospice of St Francis The Marketing Hive The Mercuré Noke Hotel The Nutritional Medicine Clinic The Physio Specialist The Pilates Workshop The Signing Company The Virtual Marketeer Think Big ThreeR Consulting Tickled Pink Interiors Timber Club TimeOut4Me Torrington Hall Total Care Personal Training Total Legacy Care Tracey Baum Coaching Trestle Arts Base Trio Telecom UK Business Buddy Uskuri Theobald Architect Utility Warehouse Valuing Minds Varangian Virtual Accounting Services Verulam Clinic Verulam Fencing Verulam Tile Warehouse Viburnum Ltd Victoria Bell Nutrition Visionary Accountants Voispeed Wagada Watersplash Swim School West Hertfordshire Swim School Puddle Ducks Westminster Lodge WUKA ltd XPG Events Limited Yellow Lizard Your Divorce Coach Yoga with Stacey Landau Zebra Stripe

Come and join an incredible team! 15

Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re part of

TBC Membership Get your business in front of thousands in St Albans and the surrounding areas FIND OUT MORE HERE

– PLEASE ENQUIRE TO URTHER DETAILS.

…but even more so in these strangest of times. Letting your customers know whether you are still able to provide your service, or whether you have adapted what you offer, or whether you’ve had to temporarily postpone your business for the upcoming months - communicating with people is key. So whether that be via emails, social media, images and information on your website make sure you are communicating. Plus there’s tons of ways you can do this: • Creating your own images and comms via the likes of software such as Canva if budgets are tight, but make sure you stick to your brand guidelines • Updating your website yourself or working with your tech team • Working with a graphic designer to create a series of visuals for you to use now and in the future Whatever works best for your business and your budgets, make sure you are communicating.

www.thebrandit.co.uk

PRIVATE MEMBERS CLUB & HOTEL

re Club, we are offering you k your first event with us, s of bubbly is on us.

Communications are really important at the best of times,…

EVENTS ABOUT US

MEMBERSHIP

WHERE ELEGANCE AND INNOVATION MEET

With an enviable range of Member benefits including a rich events program, reciprocal clubs, preferential rates

Nestled just two minutes from Liverpool Street, in a secluded square in the thick of one of the world’s most dynamic business districts. Previously a converted 18th century warehouse and a large Georgian townhouse, Devonshire Club comprises 68 beautifully appointed bedrooms, restaurant Number V under Michelin starred executive chef Adam Gray, stylish bars and lounges, meeting rooms and private event space, an enchanting garden room with private terrace, and a state-of-the-art gym. www.devonshireclub.com

with partner sites via Accor and Mantis Collection, and partnerships with TRUTH gym to name a few, Devonshire Club offers an oasis of peace and comfort for London’s high flyers.

In addition to the various Club spaces where members can meet colleagues and clients for meetings, or host a meal with their friends, Club members can also benefit from four private meeting and events rooms. Located on the first floor, our meeting rooms have a dedicated events team. Our first floor members’ area also boasts its own kitchen – ensuring the highest standard of service and quality is provided, whatever the occasion. The rooms are fully equipped with state of the art AV and presentation facilities, as well as high-speed Wi-Fi and full climate control. Our Cocktail Bar, Library Bar and Garden room also provide a superb backdrop for your events and our experienced team will transform the rooms into any desired set-up with a welcoming and relaxed atmosphere.

membership@devonshireclub.com

events@devonshireclub.com

What kind of things can we help you with? We’ve got tons of experience in the events field and would love to help your business be completely ready for your upcoming event

IN THE HEART OF THE CITY

E-COMMS AND WEBSITES

EVENTS AND SIGNAGE

Did you know that we can also help with email communications as well as websites? Whether that’s providing you with a designed email template that you can use in the software of your choice (mailchimp, Get Response, MailerLite for example), or helping you to build your “lists”, create your communications and deliver them regularly for you.

And, at Kall Kwik, right here in the centre of the City, we can help with all aspects of events and signage. From banner stands, to desktop stands, to complete exhibition graphics.

We can also build websites from scratch, or work with you on your existing site to make sure it’s working as hard as it can for you - your website is your “shop window” and we know how vital it is for your business!

From name badges, lanyards, promotional items and “A” boards - we work with you to ensure nothing is forgotten for your event - we’ve got tons of experience in the events field and would love to help your business be completely ready for your upcoming event.

REPORT AND ACCOUNTS Get in touch with us to find out more sales@city.kallkwik.co.uk

Our team are experienced in the design and production of those all important “Report and Accounts”. We understand the importance of accuracy, confidentiality, and deadlines.

COPYWRITING Stuck for words, or would value an “outsiders’ point of view? Our copywriting team love getting their teeth into the goals and objectives of your project and will work with you to get the right messages across in the right way to the right people.

6 IN THE HEART OF THE CITY

The Woo Hoos WILL go ahead but with a difference! What on earth are the Woo Hoos? It’s usually a night where we get together to celebrate incredible achievements in business. However, this year, which is the 4th year of the “Woo Hoos”, we will be running the event digitally! Woo Hoo!

We didn’t want businesses to miss out on us all celebrating their incredible achievements (especially in the current climate) so will be going ahead but in a different way! On 20th April we will release the nominations. As a TBC member, you can nominate any business you feel deserves a pat on the back. This can be for anything, i.e. starting a business, overcoming hurdles, going for it, going international etc. The first 30 businesses nominated will receive a digital Woo Hoo! Our sponsors will film themselves saying why that person has been nominated, and we will invite the “winners” to video their response. We will then put those videos together and release one “winner” video per day throughout June – celebrating 30 business achievements – woo hoo!

We already have incredible sponsors on board! Take a look HERE Meanwhile, if you would like to be a sponsor, find out more here but hurry as we have limited places and they SOLD OUT for 2019 very quickly! Use #TBCWooHoo2020 in social media prior, during and post the event! Nominations for 2020 will open on Monday 20th April so get thinking about who you would like to nominate. It’s a fantastic event for businesses and a great way to celebrate incredible achievements.

Who will you nominate?

Apr-Jun Check the TBC Calendar HERE for all events

(as more are added all the time) and as to whether they are online or at some point can be offline.

Wednesday 15th April STANTA Online Workshop

Thursday 16th April

Online Jelly meet up

Friday 17th April

STANTA Online Workshop

Friday 1st May

Online Jelly Baby

Thursday 14th May

Online Jelly

1st - 30th June

The WOO HOOâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s!

Friday 5th June

Jelly Baby

Thursday 18th June

Jelly

For all your electrical needs My name is Anton Leto, I am a local electrician and I do anything from changing light bulbs to full house re-wires. I have 100% customer satisfaction - so for all your electrical needs get in touch for a no-obligation chat.

antonleto22@outlook.com T: 07810 771020 Facebook adlelectricalstalbans

The team at Covid-19 Business Support all own their own businesses. We know it’s more than just a job, we know it’s personal and success means more than just money. Don’t give up, don’t wait and see. Now is the time to take action, now is the time to shout about your business from the rooftops, to make plans for the future, to grow your business. The time is now and we’re here to help. Visit www.covid19business.support for more information 21

It certainly was a GameChanger! We knew that 2020 was going to be different. We knew that we wanted to make a change in 2020. But we didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know it was going to be that much of a GameChanger!!!!!

The current lock down has certainly changed the way we run our businesses. For some of us it means postponing things, for others it means adapting to new ways of doing things - there will be a lot of positives that come out of this. We just have to find them. The feedback we got from the Business GameChanger Conference was fantastic. Steve Clarke and Simon Leslie did amazing jobs as speakers as did a selection of our exhibitors. All there to share their experiences, their journeys and what’s been real GameChangers for them.

Some of the advice given is very apt: What would have to happen? What would you have to do, be or have in order for this to be a GameChanging year?

Steve gave us a very simple Sat Nat for our businesses - review it every day/ week/month: • Vision for your business - where are you going and why? • Who are your clients? What do you sell? What’s your niche? • Values - what is important to you? Non-negotiables? • Where do you want to be in 3-5 years time? Profit, People, Products, Prizes • What 6 things need to happen in the next 90 days to move you towards your goal? • What do you need to action? What do you need to abandon?

Business is simple….it’s not always easy, but it is pretty simple - Add Value, Build Trust, Be Nice. Be aware of your own COMFORT zone and your STRETCH zone (I’m sure we’ve all be out of ours right now!) Surround yourself with positive people. It’s the application of knowledge that counts - when all is said and done, there’s a lot more said than done - it’s all about the ACTION. Set and share clear goals that really stretch you. Commit and take action every day towards that goal. Focus!

If you would like additional support, a 1:2:1 session or would like to know about future events and workshops with Steve - then give him a shout steve@steveclarke.info - he’s a friendly chap! 2020 is definitely a GameChanger for all of us - let’s make it a positive one! Big thanks to Monir Ali for the photos, to Yellow Lizard Media for the video, to our headline sponsor Peer2Peer Boards, Silver Sponsor OnBrand, all our exhibitors and to Rothamsted Conference Centre.

Keep calm and carry on At Oaklands College, we have been working hard to ensure the learning experience of our students is not affected by the nationwide school and college closures. We want to ensure that during these difficult times our current and future students can still achieve their full potential. Our staff have been working closely with our students, whilst remote learning and studying from home. With this in mind, the college has set out to provide its students with an online learning environment where they can contact their tutors, access student resources and even engage in online video classes via Zoom and Microsoft Teams. The college will continue to support and stay in touch with current and new students over the next few months. As well as learning, we will continue to keep students up to date with any exciting new developments, and share good news and student success stories. For new students starting in September, there will be an

opportunity to talk to one of the tutors about their course either on the telephone or online and we will also be holding a series of Course Information Activities to help new students prepare, for the start of their September course. As well as this, Oaklands College has been providing wellbeing and study tips for students through recent weeks, via their social media platforms and student portal. Students have been encouraged to take regular breaks, plan their day ahead, set themselves small exercise challenges and even participate in the collegeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s online yoga sessions, to ensure their mental and physical wellbeing is cared for. Find out more at www.oaklands.ac.uk

Local Bands are still here! We spoke with St Albans based band, Kick Pistol, as to how the lockdown has affected them: Robert Sheppard, lead vocalist and bass guitarists of St Albans based band, Kick Pistol said:

Support your local bands and download their music - you can find Kick Pistol on spotify or visit their website at www.kickpistol.com follow them on instagram @kickpistol

“Due to us now having more free time, we’re able to spend more of it on writing new material for the band”. Ernie Wybrow, lead guitarist agrees “Whilst we’ve still had school work to do (we are all studying for our A levels next year), having this break is giving us lots of time to practice individually and get creative. Plus, we’ve been having plenty of band video calls to discuss our social media, marketing and plans for when we can get back together. It’s been great chatting with other local bands too such as Kevin Lynch who is running a virtual Album Launch Party on 17th April online”, said Nate Shribman, the drummer of the band.”

Beat the Boredom and Step away from the Fridge! We are all looking for ways to BEAT THE BOREDOM and keep the kids (not to mention ourselves!) entertained and out of the fridge!

may even get a little bit competitive!

So, why not check out our FREE Guide on How to Solve the Rubik’s Cube in 8 Easy Steps?

So, what are you waiting for? www.TotalLegacyCare.co.uk/Rubiks

We have a free interactive guide and all the videos to help you learn How to Solve the Rubik’s Cube in 8 Easy Steps.

Most of us have a Rubik’s Cube (probably unsolved!) hanging around the house... Get those Rubik’s Cubes out, or treat yourself to a new one (where you can’t peel the stickers off to cheat your way to a solve!) and get learning. Learning how to solve the Rubik’s Cube will keep your mind active and keep you entertained, it is a great family activity and

Don’t forget to share your achievements with us and any fun activities that you incorporate the Cube into. As Rubik’s Ambassadors we will then share your photos and videos to feature on the Official Rubik’s Brand Social Media platforms!

Did you know that you can now Popdance online?! If you fancy keeping active, learning some fun dance routines to your favourite tracks from the 80s, 90s, 00s and current pop - then take a look at our central timetable.

Check out when classes for Tots, Kids, Teens, Family, Adults and Seniors are available here

www.popdance.co.uk/dance-classes-online

Grab your legwarmers and let’s have some fun!

Many of our Popdance Teachers are setting these up and they are going down a storm with not only their regular class attendees, but also people who’ve been waiting to Popdance for ages, and people wanting to get active during the lockdown Have fun dancing to the likes of Bruno Mars, Taylor Swift, Wham, Beyoncé, Olly Murs, Little Mix and tons more.

Keeping well during the lockdown Sarah Oglethorpe of Arbonne explains importance of boosting your immune system during COVID-19 lockdown. Arbonne has a great range of nutritional products to help build your immune system. Two of my favourite products are Greens Balance & Multivitamin & mineral boost. Greens balance is created from a blend of fruit & vegetable which offers all the benefits of eating a wide range of fruit & vegetables in one scoop! Multivitamin & mineral boost contains 19 vitamins including B -complex, Zinc and vitamin A, C, D, E which helps build your immune system. Order online or take a look at other nutrition, health & beauty products www.sarahoglethorpe.arbonne.com

Locks in lockdown We had a chat with Paul Lesnik of Headcase Barbers on Holywell Hill to find out how it all started and how he’s getting on in the lockdown: Did you know that you always wanted to be a Barber, or how did that come about? From a young age I had always been interested in my own hair and trying to keep it in good shape, I also had a huge interest in product and how to use it etc, so it was on my mind and as I went into my early teens I knew university wouldn’t be for me so I starting thinking about what I enjoyed in life knowing that I couldn’t do something everyday for work that I wouldn’t enjoy!

Do you have any tips for people who are contemplating cutting their own hair at the moment or asking their family to do it for them. We’ve heard that a lot of kids are going for skinheads. My biggest tip would be don’t touch it!!!! You’re not going to be seeing anyone much at the moment so hold tight and wait for the professionals! If you must then yeah go for the skinhead look, it’s easy to achieve but it doesn’t suit everyone, me for example!!

Did you work for many Barbers before getting your own franchise? My shop is actually the 1st barber shop I’ve worked in! I actually trained in hair salons and worked with both women & men’s hair and the time came eventually for me to move into barbering as my passion was really in shorter hair.

Are you prepared to be rushed off your feet when the lockdown is over? I for one cannot wait to get my roots done - lol We will be as prepared as we can be! I’m hoping all our clients don’t walk in at once!

When the doors are finally open, how do people book, or will they be forming an Did you always have your eye on Holywell orderly queue? Hill for the shop? We run a walk in service as we believe this works I was desperate to be as close to the town best for our shop and the clientele we have....and centre as possible and initially I was negotiating yes we hope everyone will be understanding if on the shop that is currently “Le Creuset” but it the queues are big! We have coffee, beers, soft was crazy expensive and the landlord wouldn’t drinks, comic books & magazines and a seriously budge on the cost so then I opened my mind to good playlist to hopefully keep everyone other areas. I actually did my training and spent entertained if there is a bit of a queue. my early years in a salon on Holywell hill so I knew it could work. Thanks Paul, let’s hope we can have a nice cold beer and a haircut with you guys very soon. How are you coping in the lockdown, we Headcase Barbers - Holywell Hill guess it must be very frustrating as you www.headcase-barbers.com/st-albans will see lots of people who are in need of a haircut but can’t have one? I’m coping well…thankfully my family have kept clear of the virus and fingers crossed it stays that way! I’m getting to spend a lot of time with my wife and our 11 month old boy so that’s really nice as he’s changing all the time so I’m getting to witness some of the things I might ordinarily have missed out on!

Rapid remote working with VOIspeed phone technology

Our phone technology is ideal for remoteworking with a live user interface, and in recent weeks our team has met the challenge of rapid deployment for entire companies. 30

At VOIspeed Ltd our team were all working from home in and around St. Albans the day after the PMâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s announcement. Fortunately, our technical team had called our clients the previous week to see whether they had contingency plans and were using our technology to meet this new reality.

Response varied enormously and we advised on the initial set up: • To install our VOIspeed phone technology on their laptops or home computers, so that they could use their business extension at home and see their remote team;

• To set a status phrase informing colleagues that you are on a webinar or video call – this helps seamless communication and encourages people to take message for others.

• To ensure all workers had the VOIspeed App downloaded on their mobiles, and had practiced using a mobile to call from their company phone system! • To consider call volumes, suggesting businesses with high phone usage such as call centres, and individuals such as receptionists take home office phones configured to their phone system with a power cable, as often Power over Ethernet is not available at home. People have a preference, and choosing a desk phone, mobile App or both provides some freedom under lockdown! To support remote teams and improve their communication and productivity our advice is constantly developing. To date we have advised people to: • Conference call: Every morning we have a quick team call to have a chat and see where we can work together. This feature is included in our phone system as standard and is a simple ‘dial in’ using much less bandwidth than video. • Setting phone to ‘do not disturb’ when away home-schooling, on lunch etc. • Using a group Team Chat (much like on a What’s App group). • To upload photos to our live user much as you would on social media.

We hope these tips on our technology may help some of you in your businesses, whether you are a VOIspeed user or not! If you could do with some expertise at this challenging time on technology for your remote team, or even about more niche technologies such as secure credit card payments by phone, please call us on 01727 848186. www.voispeed.co.uk