The Informer - December 2018

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Members in the spotlight We look back with a round up of all our members who we have featured in 2018

Flying start Become a ‘known known’ to get noticed, supported and promoted

T h e

I n f o r m e r Issue 22

December 2018

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It takes 20 years to build a reputation and 5 minutes to ruin it.

If you think about that, you’ll do things differently.

Warren Buffett

REPUTATION

How to manage and protect your most important asset

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INTRODUCTION

ADAM BLASKEY FOUNDER & CEO The Clubhouse

W e l come Where has this year gone? No doubt a question that you are asking as the end of the year is now firmly in sight. Many of our members’ businesses are now growing faster than ever before, whether as a result of being better informed by data and analytics to take advantage of new opportunities, due to improvements in CRM and knowing our customers much better, through innovating how we do what we do, or being spurred on by increasing competition to retain our first mover advantage. Did someone say Brexit? An annus horribilis for the Prime Minister and which also hasn’t helped overall business confidence, but thankfully most of you have kept calm and carried on. As a result, it has been great to see many of our members’ businesses growing over the year and to have welcomed lots of new members to The Clubhouse.

This year has also been very busy for us.

Having opened The Clubhouse, Holborn

Circus in June, we are now looking ahead to opening further locations in both London and overseas. Our team is growing, having recently appointed Sophie Trosch as Membership Director, Rayna Chauhan as Meetings, Events & Partnerships Director and Alex Milner as Corporate Solutions Director. These are fantastic additions to our team to further help us in our aim: to make our members and their businesses more successful.

So as we have all worked so hard this year and the Christmas break is imminent, we have some great pieces in The Informer this month to reflect on. The first is on page 4 and follows last month’s members’ breakfast with Emma Woollcott, Head of Reputation Protection at Mishcon de Reya. Risks to reputational damage are greater than ever before as a result of fake news, hacking and the internet, so with Warren Buffet’s famous saying in mind, Emma highlights a number of ways in which

we can better help ourselves to protect the hard-earned reputation that we have worked hard to build. On page 7, Carole Gillespie writes about relationships, opportunities and how to make your own luck through the six behaviours that form the Relationship Code.

We have some great members’ events lined up for 2019 including a Members’ Breakfast on 30 January with Dr Martyn Newman, a renowned expert on emotional intelligence (EQ) who will kickstart the year with advice on how EQ can drive performance and leadership. Details of this are on page 6 along with our pick of festive events happening in the area this month, including the Mayfair & St James’s Association Christmas Carols on Tuesday 11 December. Finally, on behalf of everyone at The Clubhouse, I would like to wish you a very happy Christmas and all the best for a successful and prosperous 2019.

THE CLUBHOUSE P R O D U C T I V I T Y T I P #22

Stop checking emails

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The mere sight of a phone with notifications flashing and pinging raises stress levels, so on holiday, set clear expectations in your out-ofoffice message informing the sender that you are not available and won’t be reading email.

The beach or mountain is not your office!

DESIGN & ART DIRECTION

Christian Gilliham_christian@cgcreate.co.uk_07951 722265

To partner with The Clubhouse or promote your business in The Informer please email adam@theclubhouselondon.com Copyright. The Clubhouse London Ltd

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REPUTATION

M A N A G I N G R E P U T A T I O N

Emma Woollcott, Partner at Mishcon de Reya, explains how and why we should protect our reputation

“Reputation, reputation, reputation!

Oh, I have lost my reputation! I have lost the immortal part of myself…”

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hakespeare understood only too well what it meant to lose your “good name”, but even he could not foresee the impact modern technology would have on the calamity of reputational challenges. The potential today for wholesale reputational damage is greater not just because of the volume of new media – chiefly, of course, the internet – but also the speed with which information can spread.

That includes wholly fabricated allegations or “fake news”: not a new phenomenon, but certainly one that – thanks to social media platforms, anonymous blogs and troll factories – is now harder to contain.

All of this can seem daunting, but there are steps you can take to identify and minimise risks.

There are also legal tools that may help you, whether the problem is defamatory allegations, a data breach, or leaked private information.

Whatever the reputational issue, the ability to respond quickly is critical, and that goes hand in hand with being prepared. Some crises come out of the blue, but often they stem from events or lines of inquiry that are known in advance, allowing you, up to a point, to rehearse answers and hopefully pre-empt problems. If things do spin out of control, a proper crisis plan should include

engaging with key stakeholders and seeking expert advice, as necessary, at an early stage.

Our experience of advising both individual and corporate clients is that confident and decisive action can be highly effective, especially if thought through before damaging material has been published. You might, for example, have been tipped off, blackmailed or approached

by a journalist. A lot of our work happens behind the scenes, and the right approach can shape if not contain a story, to minimise the reputational fallout. We can also push for legal remedies, including a correction or apology, damages, or a final injunction preventing republication. In the right circumstances, we can even apply for an urgent or interim injunction, to stop the material in question being published in the first place.

Injunctions are more straightforward against a threatened breach of privacy; in fact, the privacy injunction appears to be alive and well, despite predictions that it would be rendered obsolete in the digital age. In a recent landmark case, the Supreme Court upheld an injunction preventing the further publication of accounts of sexual encounters that were already the subject of considerable speculation online, on the basis that discharging it would unleash an even worse “media storm”.

Modern privacy law protects not only the secrecy of private information (confidentiality), but also against intrusion. It therefore has a role to play even where the cat is already partly out of the bag. Likewise defamation injunctions, although harder to secure, are not impossible.

The bottom line is: think ahead. The more work you can do in advance to map out how you would react to a crisis, the readier you will be if or when the spotlight swings your way. ●

Whatever the reputational issue, the ability to respond quickly is critical, and that goes hand in hand with being prepared

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Meet. Work. Grow.

MEMBER STRAPLINE IN THE SPOTLIGHT

THE FACES OF 2018 Her e i s a l ook b a c k a t all o f o ur 2 01 8 M e m b e r s in t h e S p o t li g ht.

We l ook f orw a rd to sh ar in g m an y m o r e s uc c e s s s t o r ie s in 20 19 .

MEMBER STRAPLINE IN THE SPOTLIGHT

MEMBER STRAPLINE IN THE SPOTLIGHT

As one of the oldest headhunting brands with a heritage dating back to the 1940s, we are very fortunate to have worked with clients across all sectors delivering their senior executive talent.

NICK ROBESON MANAGING PARTNER

FEATURING:

We help internationally ambitious organisations explore, enter and expand into dynamic markets around the world (over 20 markets to date).

ED DIXON GROUP COO & MANAGING DIRECTOR

FEATURING:

MEMBER STRAPLINE IN THE SPOTLIGHT

KAREN PENN MAJOR ACCOUNTS MANAGER

FEATURING: H U D S O N

W A L K E R

I N T E R N AT I O N A L

MARK LEIGH CORPORATE FINANCE PARTNER

MEMBER STRAPLINE IN THE SPOTLIGHT

PAULINE HUDSON-EVANS CO-FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR

Realise Capital Partners helps ambitious entrepreneurs to grow and sell their business. We offer a combination of growth and corporate finance advice.

MEMBER STRAPLINE IN THE SPOTLIGHT

In the four years since our launch we have built up a portfolio of 27 investments, supporting those companies with over 30 follow-on funding rounds and helping them raise in excess of £100m.

In a GDPR world, isn’t it good to know that you can do more with personal data, with full privacy, security and consent – not less. Just use the digi.me platform!

FEATURING:

RICHARD FIFIELD PARTNER

FEATURING:

MEMBER STRAPLINE IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Working in collaboration with business owners, advisers and investors, we help to buy, sell, value and advise on management buy-ins and buy-outs.

LUCY SHARMANMUNDAY CFO

FEATURING:

As an executive search business focusing on premium and luxury goods and services, we have built long-term partnerships with some of the world’s most prestigious brands.

MEMBER STRAPLINE IN THE SPOTLIGHT

FEATURING:

Our platform, Eagle Eye AIR, enables businesses to create intelligent, realtime connections with customers, supporting real-time coupons, loyalty and stored value.

MEMBER STRAPLINE IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Comtrex supply point of sale, stock management and reporting applications to a wide variety of restaurants in the UK.

FEATURING:

MEMBER STRAPLINE IN THE SPOTLIGHT

JULIAN RANGER CHAIRMAN & FOUNDER

theclubhouselondon.com

FEATURING:

JAMES CODLING CO-FOUNDER & MANAGING DIRECTOR

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FUTURE EVENTS

Thank you to our inspiring guest speakers of 2018

The Clubhouse BANK

MEMBERS’ BREAKFAST Emotional Capitalists WEDNESDAY 30 JANUARY 8:00 am - 10:00 am £25 FOR MEMBERS AND THEIR GUESTS Dr Martyn Newman will lead an inspiring and educational seminar to kickstart our events programme for 2019. His key message is simple: to be successful in our personal and professional lives we need to practice the skills of emotional intelligence (EQ). To be great salespeople and leaders we need the skills to manage our emotions well and influence the emotions of other people toward positive outcomes. Participants will leave with a solid understanding of emotional intelligence, how it drives sales performance and leadership, and how it can be built through focussing on ten competencies.

SA V E T HE DA TE

We’d like to thank all of this year’s guest speakers who gave us entertaining and insightful talks, explaing how they turned an idea into a business, the challenges they’ve overcome and the future they’re planning. Each one has provided us with incredible inspiration and guidance.

Giles English co-founder of Bremont

Adam Brown founder of Orlebar Brown

Tim Steiner co-founder and CEO of Ocado

Matthew Crummack CEO of GoCompare Group

Phil Popham CEO of Sunseeker

Richard Joseph co-founder of Joseph Joseph

Dr Martyn Newman

HOW TO BOOK: VISIT THECLUBHOUSELONDON.COM OR ASK AT THE FRONT DESK

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CHRISTMAS CAROLS

ICE SKATING

Join us for the annual Mayfair & St James’s Association Christmas Carols followed by mulled wine and mince pies in the church, supplied by Berry Bros. & Rudd and Wiltons. This will be a wonderful evening including all your favourite carols, with one of the final carols sung entirely by candlelight. This year, the Royal Academy of Arts Choir will be leading the singing and also perform some splendid choir-only pieces.

When it comes to ice skating in London this December, it has to be Skate at Somerset House. The stunning courtyard is transformed into the most beautiful rink where you can skate day and night. Skate Lates features an extra special series of music nights. Après-skate, treat yourself at Fortnum’s Lodge and pop in to the Fortnum’s Christmas Arcade for some Christmas shopping.

6:30pm, TUESDAY 11 DECEMBER ST JAMES’S CHURCH, 197 PICCADILLY, W1

UNTIL 13 JANUARY 2019 SOMERSETHOUSE.ORG.UK

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Meet. Work. Grow.

MAYFAIR CHRISTMAS MARKET Get in to the festive spirit at the Mayfair Christmas market. The whole of Mayfair Place W1 will be closed off to traffic from 11am until 9pm, allowing visitors to shop, eat and drink at their leisure. The hand-picked range of stall holders will be presenting a veritable cornucopia of luxury gifts. Father Christmas himself will entertain on both days, with a special guest appearance by Santa’s live reindeer on Saturday. Check out the Lois Roederer Ice Bar, and enjoy the carol singers, roaming minstrels and DJs.

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FRIDAY 30 NOVEMBER, SATURDAY 1 DECEMBER, 11am-9pm

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NETWORKING

How to make business relationships work

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ack in 2002, Donald Rumsfeld, the US sufficient for a great relationship. In business, Carole Gillespie explores Secretary for Defense, answered a question networks, relationships and we need the additional ones of Understood and posed to him at the NATO HQ about the Valued to give a reason and relevance for working opportunities in her new War on Terror. He explained his approach to taking together. In the early years of a career or a business, book, Flying Start decisions on this topic by talking about unknown becoming a known known is the way to getting noticed, unknowns, known unknowns and known knowns. supported and promoted. In later years, it is the way In the context of networks, relationships and opportunities, what to do good business, more easily and more often. The question then is might a potential supporter say to you? Maybe “If you are an unknown how do we put these double strength pillars of mutual support in unknown, I have no idea of your existence. If you become a known place? The answer comes through the deceptively simple and natural unknown, I will know you exist, but won’t know what you are capable application of the six behaviours contained in the Relationship CodeTM. of or whether I can trust you. If you become a known known, I may In summary, they enable us to build the Pillars through helpful visibility, or may not have an opportunity for you today, but you’ll certainly be consistent, fair and clear actions, constructive honesty, and clarity on my mind when things change. So, at every opportunity, talk to the of shared understanding and relevance. people you meet, get connected and stay in touch to become a known The Pillars and The Code are covered in the first book in the known whenever you can. Opportunities can come from the most Relationship Code Series. They are brought to life in a highly practical surprising sources. Make it easy for me to know and remember way for those in the early years of building a career or business via a that you exist. You never know when I will need someone like you.” series of Q&As addressing real-life situations. It is particularly helpful So how do we do this, particularly if we are starting off with for those starting with little or no network to support them, and/ a limited network? Firstly, we need to understand what or who are much more comfortable with screen interactions makes a relationship strong, lasting and productive. rather than real conversations. For those who employ, The Four Relationship PillarsTM of being mutually mentor or advise this group, the book will give Known, Trusted, Understood and Valued enable us a logical and practical basis for support. ● to assess a relationship and consciously set about Flying Start is available in print and digital making it work for both parties. In personal from all major online bookstores. relationships, to be Known and Trusted is peoplebuyfrompeople.co.uk

In the early years of a career or a business, becoming a known known is the way to getting noticed, supported and promoted

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Eat, Drink and Buy Merry

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