Inform Magazine - St Albans Edition - June 2021 by thebusinessescommunity

Issue 2 - June 2021

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Keeping you “Inform”ed with all the news, products, services, events and opportunities available in St Albans!

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What now for your business? Businesses COMMUNITY

Contents

Get “Summer Intensive” with Brilliant Theatre Arts

What are Virtual Tours - Immersive Walkthroughs tell us more

People buy from People - Archimedes Consulting share some top tips

Mums UnLtd support local businesses after the pandemic

Feel fabulous, get active and tone up this summer with Popdance 12 Don’t read this! Action Coach tell us why 14 Do your bit to help St Albans get Sustainable

Been made redundant, or thinking of starting your own business - STANTA can help 18 Eve and Adam share how to achieve beautiful skin

Herts Chamber are keeping the Heart in Hertfordshire

Bringing you tech tips from BT Skills for Tomorrow - getting work ready 24

No jargon, no fuss with The Brandit

Dementia Action Week - how can you get involved?

St Albans Answer to Flexible Working

Feature in Inform Magazine

Events for business and pleasure in St Albans

A St Albans News round up

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Businesses COMMUNITY

Welcome to issue 2 of Inform Magazine the digital magazine that brings you the latest news, events, products, services and opportunities available to you in St Albans enabling you to #ShopLocal easily

The launch issue was a resounding success, with, at time of writing, 623 people reading the magazine, for, on average 5 minutes and 29 seconds, with 75 click throughs to the businesses featured. Please do share the link to subscribe to get the magazine completely free every month with your family, friends and colleagues who live or work in St Albans - we really want to help businesses be found, be known and be supported. Enjoy - grab a cuppa, or something stronger, and read all about the amazing businesses we have here on our doorstep The TBC Team

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Summer Intensive Brilliant Theatre Arts are incredibly pleased to announce that this year’s Summer In-tent-sive project will be back and bigger than ever in 2021! Working under our EVEN BIGGER purple big top tent, Brilliant will produce two separate performance projects – a celebration of West End and Broadway Musical Theatre AND a promenade performance of Shakespeare’s hilarious play, As you Like It. Aimed at passionate young performers aged 7 – 21, this project will be an intensive workshop experience, with participants spending every day in our open-air, big top tent to create some truly special pieces of performance, before performing to a live audience. Over the course of each week, they will work with our professional Creative Team, focusing on improving performance skills, making new friends and creating fun-ﬁlled pieces of theatre . And this year, for the ﬁrst time ever, we invite all participants and their families to a picnic celebration after each performance to recognize all our performers hard work during the project! WEEK ONE: West End and Broadway Musicals Week (3rd – 7th August). In this celebration of the globe’s best musical theatre, participants will work on a variety of numbers and scenes from some of our favourite shows around, including Beetlejuice, Heathers, SIX, Matilda, Hamilton, Mary Poppins and more! There really will be something for everyone in this thrilling week exploring

acting through song, ensemble work and solo opportunities. Get back on stage and doing what you love in this exciting week of Brilliant musical theatre. Plus you will get to perform with a LIVE band! WEEK TWO: Shakespeare’s comedy As You Like It (10th – 14th August) Week Two sees us exploring the world of Shakespeare’s hilarious comedy of mistaken identity As You Like It, and creating an exciting promenade performance for our audience. Participants will work intensively on the text, developing their understanding, performance skills and knowledge. Brilliant make exploring Shakespeare’s works fun, engaging and unique, and we can’t wait to bring this hilarious comedy play to life! What are you waiting for? Get back to doing what you love this summer and join Brilliant for our Summer In-tent-sive!

The stage is waiting... Book now and for more details go to www.brillianttheatrearts.co.uk/events Brilliant Theatre Arts also offer weekly sessions in locations around Hertfordshire (offering small sized groups for detailed training) Thursday evenings 6pm onwards in St Albans, Hertfordshire Friday evenings 6pm onwards in Kings Langley, Hertfordshire Call 07535904101 or email hello@brillianttheatrearts.co.uk Feel free to check us out at brillianttheatrearts.co.uk

How can virtual tours beneﬁt your business?

If a picture is worth a thousand words then just imagine how much a virtual tour is worth! As businesses continue to look for innovative ways to showcase their wares and stand out from the crowd, virtual tours are becoming an increasingly popular tool in the marketing toolkit of savvy business owners across the globe. Indeed even in our own local town, forward thinking businesses are recognising the huge value that a virtual tour can bring to help showcase their business to potential customers. Take, for example, these local businesses - Visionary Accountants, BubbleHub, Trestle Arts Base and St Villa Restaurant - who’ve all embraced this unique technology to create a ‘digital twin’ for their business that gives potential customers a unique opportunity to step inside their business and enjoy a unique ‘walk through’ experience that really brings their businesses to life.

So what are the benefits of creating these unique ‘digital twins’ for a business and why is it that savvy business owners are starting to embrace this unique technology as an important part of the marketing mix for their business? We spoke to the local team from Immersive Walkthroughs to find out why virtual tours are becoming a key part of the marketing mix for many small businesses. Here’s four reasons why they felt they were seeing an uplift in these type of marketing requests... A virtual tour will grab your customer’s attention In this competitive online world, your business is vying to grab the attention of your potential customers. Statistics have shown that websites with virtual tours are viewed 5-10 times longer than those without. A virtual tour also helps instil extra confidence in your business as customers will love seeing where you work and naturally feel more affinity with a business that they can see.

A virtual tour increases traffic and engagement According to a study by BIA/Kelsey, 97% of consumers go online prior to making a purchase to research products and services locally. Whatever the business, whether retail, ofﬁces or service industry, the evidence suggests that more people will be willing to purchase or work with you if they have taken a look at you online and know who you are. Creating a virtual tour is quick and easy A virtual tour has a strong ‘wow’ factor but the great news is you don’t need any technical expertise to use them. We do all the ‘heavy lifting’ in terms of creating the virtual tour and 3D models and then once it’s live we simply provide you with a web code snippet to drop onto your website along with a direct link to the tour too. Plus your virtual tour can be integrated into Google Street view as well if needed which really helps maximise your online presence and visibility too.

You can use virtual tours in almost any business There are so many businesses that can benefit from a virtual tour. In the past we’ve created virtual tours for offices, estate agents, theatres, shops, meeting rooms, hotels, construction companies, furniture shops, car showrooms, care homes, gyms, boats and even private jets! The possibilities really are endless. Want to know more? Immersive Walkthroughs provides unique 3D virtual tours for a wide range of organisations to help them promote their business. If you feel your business would benefit from a 3D virtual tour then please do contact us and we’ll be happy to help. You can also view some additional examples here too... Immersive Walkthroughs is a Specialist Local Provider of 3D Virtual Tours that give people the freedom to experience any place at any time. Approved Matterport Service Partners and Google Street View Trusted Photographers. www.immersivewalkthroughs.com

Representing your business People buy people. Despite the pandemic, the digital revolution and any number of other changes, the truth of that bit of timeless advice does not change. So, if you lead a business - SME or bigger, you are the brand and people are buying you! Many business owners and leaders are not really comfortable with that. They don’t like the idea of having to sell, they don’t like the idea of having to be the “pushy salesperson” or to be the one doing the presentations at networking, industry or customer events. If any part of that is you, here are our 5 top tips to help:

1. Don’t Sell! What good salespeople know is you should ask, not tell. Don’t “show up and throw up”..i.e. pitch a bunch of information about you and your business. Ask your customer / prospect what is happening with them, what their aspirations and challenges are. Have a conversation. That way you will understand them and how you can help them. If you are actually helping people solve problems and

grasp opportunities, they’ll beat a path to you, no need for any pushy sales stereotypes.

2. Engage early Statistics show that most people these days know 60% or more of what they need to know about you/ your product/ your service way before they seek to speak to you. Why wouldn’t they in this digital age? To be really effective you need to start engaging with prospective customers before they have a need. That is why establishing a relationship with potential customers via thought leadership and social media selling / inﬂuencing have become important. Thought leadership may sound daunting, but think about what do you know that perhaps your customers don’t? What opportunities or problems are out there that they don’t see? Simply letting them know that is thought leadership.

3. People like people like themselves One of the leading thinkers on inﬂuence (Robert Cialdini) talks about “liking” being one of the main elements of inﬂuence. This boils down to getting on the same wavelength as your customers and prospects and establishing rapport with them. What do you have in common? What can you understand and empathise

with? Finding and stressing the things you have in common with people is a key skill, whether you are looking to inﬂuence an audience or an individual.

4. Speak well You do need to be able to be the face of your business so if you don’t like speaking at networking meetings and you don’t like doing presentations or speaking at events, this is probably a bull whose horns you have to grab. Speaking, like many other skills, is just learned. You just need to commit to developing your skill. Get a coach (we can help!), watch some videos, read a book, practice, get feedback and soon your conﬁdence will grow (your nerves will also decrease) and you will wonder why you shied away from making those videos, presentations or networking speeches.

5. Master online meetings and presentations Working and selling online are the “new normal”. Post pandemic, all businesses are wanting to keep some

of the time saving and efﬁciency of online meetings. You therefore cannot afford to look and sound like amateur night when representing your business in your online meetings and presentations. Get your lighting and audio right, master the functionality of the online video platforms, and use them well to make the right impact with customers and prospects. We offer a course on virtual presentation that can help!

Archimedes Consulting Ltd can help you present, persuade and sell. Drop us a note on enquiries@archimedesconsulting.co.uk to start a conversation. Check us out www.archimedesspeaks.com

Do you need business support?

If you a Mum with a small business or if you are thinking of starting one then come along to Mums UnLtd. For the past 10 years we have supported Mums to grow and develop their business. Our meetings provide support, ideas and motivation. At each meeting you can promote your business, learn valuable business skills and connect with other likeminded women. Unlike other business groups we do not charge a membership. We welcome along any profession and have a fun and friendly atmosphere. Mums UnLtd have groups in St Albans and Harpenden which all meet monthly. Plus, we also cover other areas including Hemel, Watford and other parts of the UK. We

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have been supporting Mums create and grow their businesses for over 10 years and have won both local and national business awards. We are currently meeting online with seven meetings a month. When it is safe to do so, we will go back to in person events but we will still be offering online meeting to work alongside this. A warm welcome awaits! With no membership fees, just a meeting fee its simple to be part of this effective way to grow and establish your business. Don’t just take our word for it – here are some reviews “I started attending in December 2020, I was made to feel so welcome by Debbie

and all the people that were there. The advice and support is just what I need as a working mum! I have been to other networking groups and this one is the best by far! Thank you Debbie”. Jennifer Clarke, Meditation Courses “Mums UnLtd is so warm and friendly with a great many highly skilled and talented professional people just waiting to assist each other”. Gail Hugman, Lessons Alive

Debbie Gilbert is the author of the bestselling book ‘The Successful Mumpreneur’ available on Amazon and all good book shops. A complete guide to starting and running a business around your family. This book provides great tips in an easy to read and actionable format.

Your first visit online is FREE. Visit our website and decide which meeting you would like from our list here www.mumsuntd.co.uk/events Then email debbie@mumsunltd.co.uk with your choice and we will do the rest. www.mumsuntld.co.uk This community is bursting full of support, not only do we offer meeting but we also offer training and larger events twice a year. The Shining Star Awards is an annual event which celebrates the success of our attendees. All this for NO MEMBERSHIP The creator of Mums UnLtd is successful entrepreneur Debbie Gilbert who also owns a marketing agency, Viva Business Support, The 3 Counties Expo and The Best Business Women Awards.

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Want to feel fabulous, get active and tone up for the summer? Don’t have much time to fit activity into your day? Not sure if it will make a difference? Want the feel-good factor every day? It’s easy peasey! Get a 15 minute Popdance Fit Dance Workout absolutely FREE. Just click on the link here, submit your details and we will send you a Popdance Fit 15 minute dance workout that you can do whenever it suits you. It could be that it’s your start to the day, with the feel good Pop music and our fantastic Popdance Teachers, it could be just what you need every morning. Or, it could be your mid morning or lunchtime 15 minute dance workout Or something you do in the evening, so you can have your tea guilt free! Whatever suits you - as it’s just 15 minutes, it’s super simple to ﬁt into your day. And, if you like the session, you can get 14 more on-demand Popdance Fit workouts for just £17. Dance with Kerry by the pool in Cyprus, get boogieing with Emma and her crocodile in Scotland, or get your groove on with Shauna in Dublin. We’ve got Popdance

Teachers across the globe bringing you the best fun dance workouts ever. Get your FREE 15 minute Popdance Fit Dance Workout here Or if you fancy ofﬂine classes, or a Popdance party, workshop or after school club - then ﬁnd out more via our website here

Our founder, Sue Wybrow, has lived in St Albans for 25 years - and it’s been amazing working with the team to connect with dance teachers across the world to bring all sorts of dance and fitness to the forefront of people’s health and wellbeing. If you are a dance teacher in St Albans or know of dance teachers anywhere in the world,, do get in touch to find out more about opportunities of working together, in all genres of dance and fitness. Get in touch here

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Don’t read this ➡ until you’ve seen this

Simplicity and sustainability I’m a business coach on mission to simplify businesses so they can run without their owners. My job is to guide the change needed to reach their next growth stage. Creating the headspace to go from Manager mindset to Owner-Investor. To make plans to exceed their current rate of success and expectations. To streamline their approach before they hire senior management or prepare to sell.

A lastng business legacy

One Step Beyond Hi, I’m Jeremy. ActionCoach St Albans. I’ve set up over 27 businesses and coached over 400 business owners in the St Albans area. I know what makes (and can break) a business! The most successful businesses are the ones that can look after their owners. How is yours treating you?

I believe in businesses that can work without you. I’m here to help thriving business owners take one step beyond. Who want a business that works for them – and not the other way round! To work less and grow more. To achieve sustainable growth, faster than they could alone.

No successful business owner can afford to waste time. If you’re seeing success now, it’s the right time to invest in making solid plans. The next downturn is never a good time to ask ‘what now?!’. My growth accelerator programme is ideal for you, if like me, you believe in businesses built on a legacy of pride, validation and gratitude, in order to be genuinely successful. I work best with like-minded owners who are prepared to step up. Make challenges. Tackle stress and celebrate their successes.

Let’s talk I’m Jeremy Graham-Clare. Here to help you and your business take one step beyond... To continue to support our local community in the St Albans area I am offering 5 Inform readers a gifted coaching session. Email us at Stalbans@actioncoach.com or visit our website stalbans. actioncoach.co.uk. So we can answer the question ‘What now?’.

St Albans Sustainability Festival St Albans Sustainability Festival is back and happening right now. Packed with Covid-safe events to encourage everyone to live more sustainably and connect with nature, find dozens of activities to join in with this week by visiting the programme at www.sustfest.org. Get out into the fresh air… This year, there is a particular focus on everyone’s mental and physical health. Many of the SustFest21 activities will invite residents to get outside and discover the district’s outdoor spaces in a Covid-safe manner. Follow self-guided trails and discover the trees of St Albans, the green spaces of Sopwell or the science at Rothamsted in Harpenden. Explore your own local streets with the SustFest21 Neighbourhood Scavenger Hunt. Or visit one of the Wilderhood Watch stalls popping up around St

Albans sharing seeds, seedlings and activities for all ages. If you like to walk and talk, book to join Friends of the Earth on a walk around Heartwood Forest and meet some like-minded people. Or perhaps you would like to try cycling – why not join a novice women’s cycle ride?

…or enjoy from home Many of the events can be enjoyed from the comfort of your own home. Don’t miss veteran campaigner, Jonathon Porritt, speak on 4th June about

Climate Change: The Decisive Decade. With talks on wide-ranging topics including Sustainable Transport, The Remarkable Trees of St Albans, Local to Global: from St Albans to Pakistan and Bangladesh and What Happens to Our Food Waste there is sure to be something to interest you. For foodies there is plenty to enjoy, including short ﬁlms such as Love Your Lunch and Kitchen Garden Cookery. There will be a great session on 3rd June with local chefs as they share recipes from the book Love Your Leftovers for The Cutting Edge of Food Waste talk. If you have young people in your household, get them involved with the SustFest21 young people’s event on 2nd June. Local politicians including Daisy Cooper MP and Bim Afolami MP will be on Zoom to discuss the climate crisis. This is a unique opportunity for those age 14-27 to quiz them.

your thoughts for the future and what actions you could take. During Sustainability Festival you can choose either to “do it yourself” with a group of friends or colleagues using our free downloadable materials or you can join a free Climate Conversation session on 1st or 2nd June led by a facilitator.

St Albans Sustainable Market The Sustainability Festival will close with a fabulous Sustainable Market on Sunday 6th June. From 11am until 4pm, central St Albans will be ﬁlled with carefully spaced stalls from local eco businesses and vegan street food. Whether it’s buying local vegetables with no air miles or swapping your single-use wipes for reusable alternatives, the Sustainable Market will give you lots of inspiration for small changes you can do that will make a big difference. All events and booking online

SustFest21 fun with a serious message Sustainability starts with community and there are plenty of fun community events to enjoy during SustFest21. Join a family-friendly Greenpeace Fun Quiz on 1st June or watch 2040: an optimistic ﬁlm on 4th June. On Sunday 6th June, drop in on a concert at the Cathedral where young musicians will be “Singing the Birds and Bees”.

At www.sustfest.org or on social media using the tag #SustFest21: Twitter @SustFest21 Instagram @sustainablesta Facebook @SustainableStAlbans

Have a Climate Conversation Do you want to talk with others about climate change, but you’re not quite sure how? Climate Conversation is the answer. It’s all about taking time to discuss the climate crisis,

Been made redundant? Thinking of starting your own business? Want advice on how to grow your new business? Then St Albans Enterprise Agency (known as STANTA) can advise you. STANTA runs the Herts Start Up Programme (HSUP) 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 in person. Email: advice@stanta.co.uk to arrange an appointment or telephone 01727 837760. Here’s what one of our clients said: “All of the contacts I’ve made have been because of the networking advice I received. How valuable was the advice! I cannot believe this service exists and is free - it’s honestly a little bit of magic!” We asked how likely would you be to recommend STANTA’s advice service?: “My answer to this is - yes, yes, yes, yes, yes” STANTA also run a wide variety

of business training courses for HSUP clients, some online and some in our conference room. Employees of established businesses can also attend for a small charge. Here’s a list of some of our courses: Setting up an online business, Bookkeeping, FB/Instagram, Google Analytics, SEO, Introduction to Social Media, Build and maintain a Website, Business Planning, Using Mailchimp and more! For a full list of courses running in June and July click here. “I simply didn’t realise this kind of training was right on my

doorstep. And for free, so winwin! There’s a huge breadth of expertise on so many topics. I’m already telling people about it.” Ofﬁces available at STANTA Business Centre, on a no longterm commitment basis, with a monthly all-inclusive licence that makes budgeting easy… and there is an on-site car park! Here’s an example of a vacant 4-8 person ofﬁce: (412 sq ft) See picture below. Click here for further information or to arrange a viewing.

For more information Call 01727 837760 or email: advice@stanta.co.uk www.stanta.co.uk

Achieving beautiful skin doesn’t happen overnight We look after our bodies by exercising to keep our muscles, and organs, fit and strong. To get into shape takes some time, investment and consistency. Did you know The skin is our biggest organ? It has a multifunctional role from keeping us hydrated, protecting us from nasties and regulating heat, to providing the scaffold to support our muscular, skeletal and vascular systems – so why is it sometimes overlooked? And why do we often think we can make changes to it overnight? Whether you are concerned about ageing, tone, pigmentation, skin laxity, acne or simply brightening up a dull complexion, Eve and Adam Beauty Clinic have a solution to suit. Skin is unique which is why your journey at the Clinic starts with a full skin analysis (45-60mins) with one of their experts, who have over 50 years of combined skin knowledge, where you’ll discuss skin concerns plus

lifestyle and diet in order to get the full picture. Often we don’t realise the dramatic effect, for example, stress and diet can have on our skin. A realistic end point is then discussed and, with lifestyle and budget taken into consideration, you will be prescribed a course of suitable facials and home care products from our range of Environ and AlumierMD medical grade skincare. It is important to establish a good homecare regime because you will want to increase the efﬁcacy of your treatment after each visit. They are honest and realistic about managing a client’s expectations too. Book your digital skin consultation here Some of the treatments prescribed, such as Environ facials & AlumierMD Peels, tackle the top layer of the skin (the skin you see) and some work deeper on the muscles, collagen and elastin, to sculpt, lift and rejuvenate. Their signature ‘Workout’ Facial and Venus Freeze Radio Frequency are prime examples of this. Often a bespoke combination of these treatments will be suggested in order to attain the overall desired results. Venus Freeze Plus also works on the body. It tightens and loosens lax skin but also stimulates lipolysis (fat reduction) where necessary. www.eve-and-adam.com/venus-freeze-plus/

If you simply want quick results you can arrange an appointment for anti-wrinkle injections and dermal ﬁllers at their bi-monthly clinics. Tuesday 25th May 4-8pm. Did you know they also treat Men? Coming soon a bespoke signature Deep Cleansing facial created just for men. Waxing, massage, hand and nail treatments also offered. For more information or to book appointment call 01727 854493 If you’d like to keep informed of updates, news and offers subscribe to their website, or to book online: www.eve-and-adam.com Follow on social media: info@eve-and-adam.com Instagram: @eveadambeauty Facebook: @eveadambeauty

Hertfordshire Growth Board to champion the ‘Let’s Keep the Heart in Hertfordshire’ Campaign

Hertfordshire Growth Board is to champion the ‘Let’s Keep the Heart in Hertfordshire’ campaign and drive growth, economic recovery and renewal across the county.

Hertfordshire Growth Board is made up of the County Council, the 10 district and borough councils and Hertfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership. Working together is how we continue our ‘joint’ success and create opportunities for everyone, now and in the future. By highlighting the opportunities for Herts based businesses, the ‘Let’s Keep the Heart in Hertfordshire’ campaign signals that the county is open for enterprise and innovation. Now with Hertfordshire Growth Board sponsoring this campaign, it sends out a very positive message of collaboration with public and private sector leaders working together to ‘build back better post pandemic’.

Patsy Dell, Director, Hertfordshire Growth, Hertfordshire Growth Board, said: “It has never been more important for businesses and public sector organisations to work together to help drive the growth of our economy and create a sustainable future for everyone. The past 12 months have placed an incredible toll on our communities. We are delighted to support this campaign and help create the right conditions for our people, places and businesses to ﬂourish.”

Briege Leahy, Chief Executive of Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce said: “Herts Chamber is delighted to have Hertfordshire Growth Board’s support with this campaign. In what has been an incredibly challenging year, the Chamber team and I have seen that businesses are keen to offer assistance to others wherever they can, which has been further highlighted in our Hertfordshire Heroes Award category in the Inspiring Hertfordshire Awards. The ‘Let’s Keep the Heart in Hertfordshire’ campaign’s purpose is to help re-build Hertfordshire and highlight commercial opportunities for Hertsbased businesses, and it is lovely to see how much take up we have received. We invite all Herts enterprises to get involved and spread the news that the county is open for new business and we will share contract opportunities for those seeking suppliers from within Herts.”

So far, the campaign has delivered a number of events including the Supply Chain Summit on 11th February, a Meet the Buyer webinar with BAM Construction on 26th February, an event on Sustainability with Ambition Broxbourne on 22nd April and numerous Virtual Networking events which have proven very popular throughout the pandemic. The Chamber Events Team are in the process of organising further webinars on the topics of Apprenticeships in partnership with Hertfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership, Sustainability and Meet the Buyers/Leaders. If you are interested in watching any of the Chambers previous webinars, you can do so through the website. Companies and organisations interested in taking part in the ‘Let’s Keep the Heart in Hertfordshire’ campaign should contact editorial@hertschamber.com or visit the website. #LetsKeeptheHeartinHertfordshire #KeeptheHeartinHerts

The Let’s Keep the Heart in Hertfordshire campaign, sets out to achieve a number of objectives in 2021: • Promoting ‘Buy Local’ • Organising Supply Chain, Meet the Buyer and Networking events • Showcasing Hertfordshire Professional Services • Launching a platform via the NEW Herts Chamber website to facilitate introductions to companies who have county-based contracts requiring suppliers, talent and services • Focusing attention on the talent pool of Hertfordshire residents by helping promote apprenticeships and other recruitment opportunities

Top Tips with Tania Bringing you tech tips from BT Skills for Tomorrow

Getting Work Ready

webinars. Offering support to jobseekers starting their careers or those looking for a change:

As we ﬁnally head out of lockdown and resume our new normal, many of us have taken the last year to review the jobs we do and how we do them. Making your C.V. Work for You

We may have been furloughed, made Looking for work at the near end of a redundant or quite like working from home. global pandemic can feel daunting, but time at home is an opportunity to make You might know someone who has sure you are ready when the right job finished their education and looking for a comes along. This interactive webinar is job for the first time or maybe you fancy designed to help you create a C.V. that a complete career change – then the BT reflects your experience and ambitions. Work Ready team are here to help! Expect reliable advice from BT experts, who will coach you on how to: Our Work Ready programme is part of BT Skills for Tomorrow and offers a wide range • Create a C.V. that showcases your of free advice, information, and support to personal brand help jobseekers make the most of life and • Tackle the most challenging things get a job in the digital world. about C.V. writing Take a look at our upcoming free 1-hour • Boost your resilience and motivation

At the end of the session, you’ll also be able to request a free one-to-one coaching call for additional support with C.V. writing.

Be a hit at interviews The job market is more competitive than ever, so it’s important to be as prepared as you can. This interactive webinar is designed to help you improve your interview technique, whether by phone, on a video call or in person. Get ready to shine at interview and secure the job you want.

Give your job application a boost This interactive webinar is designed to help you improve your understanding of the job advert itself, the application form, and sending the best cover letter that you can. Get ready to shine and secure the job you want.

Get a head start with Assessment Centres This interactive webinar is designed to help you improve your understanding and how to prepare for an Assessment Centres, to be at your best. Find the full list of webinars, and details of how to join here:

Check out this video from BT Sport’s Andrew Mensah and young entrepreneur Jack Parsons, CEO of The Youth Group. They share their advice on keeping a positive mindset and setting career goals. BT has loads of free resources to help you get a job at BT Skills for Tomorrow. Good luck! Tania Young leads on BT’s Digital Skills programme for older and vulnerable customers.

Get a head start with Assessment Centres 07/06/2021 14:00 Give your job application a boost 14/06/2021 14:00 Be a hit at interviews 21/06/2021 14:00 Making your CV work for you 28/06/2021 14:00

The Brandit Logos, branding, concepts, communication, first impressions, relationships, feelings, memorable, stand out, understanding, journeys, pain solving, results, sales, service. Just a few of the things that The Brandit brings to customers and their customers.

No jargon No fuss Simple, effective design helping you to deliver the best product or service you possibly can.

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Businesses COMMUNITY

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Let’s have a chat www.thebrandit.co.uk

Dementia Action Week 17 – 23 May was Dementia Action Week which saw communities nationwide raising awareness of dementia. During Dementia Action Week Alzheimer’s Society launched the Cure the Care System Campaign. The coronavirus pandemic has thrown into sharp relief the fragility of our social care system. Underfunded, difﬁcult to navigate, and often costly those who do access it, the social care system was broken long before the pandemic hit. But the effects of the last year have meant that unpaid carers have been under more pressure than ever. Time and time again we hear from carers who are ﬁghting to care for their loved one. With 40% of carers spending more than 100 hours a week looking after their loved one, burnout and exhaustion are all too common. On top of this, many are juggling their careers, families, and their own physical and mental health. Without support, a dementia diagnosis claims more than one life. This Dementia Action Week, we want to change things. People affected by dementia deserve better. Families deserve support, and reassurance that the social care system will give them the breathing space they so often need.

Here’s how you can help: • Spread the word about Dementia Action Week. This film highlights the

challenges of caring for someone with dementia without support – share with your networks to raise awareness, and help us #CureTheCareSystem • Become a Dementia Friend by learning a little more about dementia and committing to one small action that will improve the lives of people affected by dementia. • Sign our petition and download email signatures, zoom backgrounds, posters and more here: Come and join us as a volunteer, either with families (training course is required) or as a community volunteer and help us out when you can with a variety of jobs, activities and tasks.

Local Statistics: Less than 70% of people thought to be living with dementia in Hertfordshire have received a diagnosis and Alzheimer’s Society estimate that 18,000 people aged 65+ will be living with the condition in the county by 2025.

Why should businesses become dementia friendly? Dementia is one of the greatest challenges we face in society today. All businesses can contribute to tackling the social and economic impact of

dementia. From retail to housing, utilities to entertainment, ﬁnance to transport, all sectors have a part to play. Two thirds of people with dementia live in the community, not in residential care, and therefore are engaging with local businesses and service providers. We also know that the majority of people affected by dementia, will change their spending habits to support businesses that are more engaged and accessible.

louise.bates@alzheimers.org.uk to request a session. • Download the Alzheimer’s Society Dementia Friendly Business Guide here • Download our sector speciﬁc dementia friendly resources here Businesses might also be interested in raising money for Alzheimer’s Society by having a Denim for Dementia day with their staff. More info here

So what can you do to be more dementia friendly as a business? Become a Dementia Friend – attend or host a free Information Session delivered by Alzheimer’s Society volunteers in which you can learn a little more about what dementia is, how it can affect a person and what are the small things we can all do to help. Visit www.dementiafriends.org.uk for further information or email

Melior Workspace: St Albans’ answer to ﬂexible working.

Does your business need a boost? Are you wondering how a workspace can help? Find 3 reasons to dive into co-working today. It is estimated that over 23 million adults are working from home in the UK. That’s a staggering amount of people. It is also estimated that one in 5 of these adults are suffering from loneliness. Better mood = Better productivity

Co-working has been proven to decrease loneliness, with many workers agreeing that having great connections boots productivity. Collaborate and consult Melior Workspace brings together workers from all industries. By working alongside others from non-competing industries, you can pick the brains of others who possess thousands of skills to enhance your own knowledge. Need a quick IT ﬁx? Writer’s block? Or simply a little inspiration and

motivation? We’re sure you’ll find someone who can help. Be more you Working in a flexible workspace allows you to have more control over your job and your hours. Perhaps you need to meet a deadline, so you need to put in all hours, without the distraction of the kids, or perhaps you have a lunch date, so you just need to nail a couple of hours. Either way, we’re here for you ready and waiting. At Melior Workspace, we offer coworking when you need it. By visiting the website, you can simply ‘book and go’, no hidden fees or sign up charges. As well as co-working, teams also have the choice of hiring the entire office to hold team meetings, training or collaborative mornings.

Join us now to make the most of all our amenities such as: • Free parking for the whole team • Complimentary refreshments • Printing facilities • Ofﬁce supplies • High speed wiﬁ • Fitted screens • Large Chromecast enabled screen for presenting. Melior Workspace Limited T: 01727 576093 M: 07896617753 W: meliorworkspace.com

Do you have a business, product, service, event, news or opportunity to offer? Find out more about featuring in the next issue of Inform Magazine which comes out on 1st July. We have packages to suit all needs and budgets - starting from just £25 You don’t have to be a TBC member to benefit - take a look at our website to see how we help and support your business - from one-offs to ongoing support.

“TBC has been instrumental in helping me get my business off the ground and increasing my visibility exponentially. The team at TBC are sooooo helpful. Always on hand and suggesting new ideas to promote different facets of my business and always encouraging me to use all the features available (of which there are so many). The community and members are also helpful too - it really does help to know I am in the same boat as many others and I have made some good friends and connections from the networking events too. I would urge anyone looking to promote their business to join TBC. After speaking with Sue and the team, they suggested I shared my blog and added my new

service to the shop. On doing so I had a new patient book an appointment the same day ! It really does work. Thanks guys.” Sean Fraser Walker – Body Balance

“When I first joined our family business, Macpro Design & Print in 2015 looking after sales and marketing, one of my first aims was to raise our profile in the local area. I became a paid member of The Business Community (formerly known as SABs) as this looked a good place to start. This was such a good decision and joining the group has had a hugely positive impact on our business. We’ve gained new clients, reconnected with old clients, collaborated with other local businesses, made friends and had lots of fun along the way! Thank you to Sue and the team - they do an amazing job and have created a very special community that we love being a part of and cannot recommend enough.” Gail Carman - MacPro Design and Print

“Sue has demonstrated her skills as a business leader by taking the concept of The Business Community from a handful of businesses to the thousands which take part today. Her vision of a vibrant business community in St Albans has become a reality. Sue has always kept the concept of collaboration at the forefront of what she does and uses the Business Community as a forum to promote local businesses and push them to the forefront. Her passion is infectious and she is a constant inspiration to new and more established businesses.

Sue takes a very innovative approach to her leadership and is constantly coming up with new ideas. Whatever her next plan is, people want to be involved and readily jump on board. We all know that Sue can make the most obscure idea a success. The best thing about Sue is that she is so humble about her success and selﬂessly spends her time helping others, promoting local business and raising money for good causes.” Cheryl Luzet, Wagada

in June Check the TBC Calendar HERE for all events 1-6th June - Sustainability Festival 2nd June - Cambridgeshire Virtual Networking with FSB 2nd June - Preparing To Bid Within The Public Sector with FSB 7th June -

East of England: Delivering Sustainable Proﬁts – Quick Wins with FSB

8th June -

Get Started with Digital Advertising with FSB and Google Digital Garage with FSB Hertfordshire Virtual Business Networking with FSB Compelling Content Creation - Joolz Joseph for Herts Business Academy Easy ways to make your marketing work harder for you with content creation innovation

8th June 8th June -

9th June 9th June 9th June -

Mums UnLtd Online Networking Meeting Herts Chamber Virtual Networking Opportunity LinkedIn for Individuals and Businesses Workshop with STANTA

10th June - Athena St Albans Networking Meeting 10th June - Securing EU Citizen Rights & Points Based Immigration System with FSB 10th June - 10-11am - Putting Your Business In Front Of Customers 11th June - The Businesses Community Co-working Day at Melior Workspace 11th June - Hertfordshire PA Club 11th June - Mailchimp for Beginners Workshop with STANTA

14th June - Mums UnLtd Evening Online Networking Meeting 15th June - Bedfordshire Virtual Networking with FSB 16th June - Mums UnLtd Online Networking Meeting 16th June - The Business Network South Herts - Networking and Top Tax Tips for Small Business 16th June - Athena St Albans North 16th June - Search Engine Optimisation Workshop with STANTA 16th June - How To Set Up Your Policy Environment with FSB 17th June - The Businesses Community Jelly Online Meet Up 17th June - Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace: The Why, The What and The How with FSB

18th June - Cappuccino Connections with Athena 18th June - Planning and Creating a Website with STANTA 23rd June - Blogging, SEO, Lead Magnets & Landing Pages with FSB 23rd June - Building A Successful Brand Workshop with STANTA 24th June - Mums UnLtd Online Meeting 24th June - Managing your Mindset when starting a Business workshop with STANTA 24th June - Maximise Your Membership with FSB 25th June - Herts Chamber - A Practical Guide to Import Documentation & Procedure 29th June - Mums UnLtd Networking Meeting 29th June - Commercial Property In Uncertain Times - Finding Flexibility In Leasing - Herts Chamber 30th June - Excel for Business Owners workshop with STANTA 30th June - Developing partnerships, collaborations or consortia with FSB For more details on any of the above events, and for other upcoming events, head to the events page of the TBC website here Do you have events you’d like to share? Get in touch at stalbans@thebusinessescommunity. com to ﬁnd out more

Business Services Visionary Accountants (St Albans) - register your interest here for a free initial consultation to discuss your accounting needs. Our services include Tax / Personal Tax Planning, Management Accounts, R&D claims, Self Assessment, Bookkeeping, Payroll & AutoEnrolment. Joolz Joseph is ‘bubbling out ideas like a Disney character’ in her Power Hours this month. Just £125 with a 20% dc for TBC Members - find out more here VOIspeed provides business phone systems ideal for remote working on headsets or mobile phones. Unite your remote workers, franchise or even your networking group around a single system and geographic phone number. For further info call 01727 848186 www.voispeed.co.uk

Super Tax Deduction for Business! Now is the time to invest in new equipment and tech! Find out more here Hour Hands can save you time by taking on your business to-do-list and life admin tasks, leaving you free to focus on what’s important to you. Find out more here Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has appointed Loreta Lingyte as a new membership advisor for St Albans area. Connect with Loreta and learn about FSB here

Events Run for Home-Start Herts at this years virtual London Marathon! Visit our website for more details www.home-startherts.org.uk Rothamsted announces West End superstars for this summers ‘Musicals at the Manor’ concerts: www.rothamstedenterprises.com/ events/

It’s finally time to emerge from that home office. Come and book a desk at Melior Workspace to get work done or the entire office to meet the team. Free parking and complimentary refreshments. Visit at meliorworkspace.com

Family

Looking for targeted, cost effective, measurable results? Look no further: My Mustard & Google AdWords, a winning combination. www.mymustard.co.uk

I’m Lou the midwife and I offer a range of antenatal and postnatal services; including hypnobirthing. Please see www.louantenatal.com

Dance Dance2gether Ballroom and Latin classes and private tuition is starting back on 5th June! see www.dance2gether.co.uk for info or call Sam on 07974 173020

Hair Now the rush has calmed down get booking via our Facebook and Instagram links - @ headcasestalbans

Health and Wellness Aloe Vera & Beehive Products (Forever Living) from Nicky Packman - if you are looking for a little extra support for your digestion, gut health, skin, immune system and mobility, please do get in touch for a chat, or visit my online shop here The Osteopathy Clinic now offers hi tech gait analysis and bespoke 3D printed orthotics. Gait analysis can pick up a huge amount of information from your feet and allows the therapist to determine what other structures may be vulnerable to pain or injury (such as other parts of the foot, the knee or ankle, hips or even lower back). 3D printed insoles can correct a whole host of imbalances and give support to different areas of each foot, specific to where it’s needed the most. Please call 07545 322722 or visit www.osteopathy-clinic. co.uk for more info. Watch a day unfold in Earthworks eco-gardens in our slow video for wellbeing. Experiencing the natural world supports our wellbeing. So slow down, relax and find inspiration. Free to all; donations welcome. On our website www. earthworksstalbans.co.uk from 23 May.

to groups of 6 or 2 households until 21st June. Thanks!

Music Follow local band, Kick Pistol on instagram to keep up with their latest festivals and gigs and to find out about their new track which is coming out soon

Networking The Business Network South Herts. Join us on 16th June from 11am – 12.45pm for some excellent networking and a seminar on “Tax Tips for Small Businesses”. We work with you to help you meet the right people. Get in touch for more details: sharon@business-network. co.uk Have you lost your networking mojo?? Come and try out our Athena meetings in St Albans and get it back! (Plus some fab connections and training), structured yet informal business networking for women in business! The Athena Network St Albans www.theathenanetwork. com/katecherry/events

Retail Catch the summer sale at Lou Murphy Styles. Enjoy relaxed shopping, personalised service and pick up a bargain from her range of French fashions from Captain Tortue for ladies size 4-24. Get in touch for more info 07889 724299.

Hospitality Rothamsted Restaurant and Conference Centre in Harpenden are now open. Inside and outside seating is available in the restaurant - and our wonderful free hotdesking is back! Meetings rooms are available at 50% capacity. When using our restaurant space, please stick

Do you have news, events, products or services to share with St Albans? Feature them in the News Round Up section here or take a double page feature - find out more here

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Inform Magazine - St Albans Edition - June 2021

Articles inside