Island Business Magazine, April 2010 by TKZ Media Ltd

Creative Island An inspiring source of originality

Also in this issue... BETTER BUSINESS

SPECIAL REPORT

COMPANY PROFILE

CHAMBER MATTERS

Social media is a term SMEs are hearing more and more often â&#x20AC;&#x201C; but what is it and can it really benefit your business?

Attracting the best young talent to your company is a vital business challenge â&#x20AC;&#x201C; we explore the Year in Industry scheme

The concept of a self-sufficient Island is at the heart of an award-winning business that is on the verge of expansion

New members, Chamber people, member benefits, and event dates for your diary

Pepper Creative’s new website is now online. www.peppercreative.co.uk is packed full of success stories from our print, web and multimedia portfolios, and features plenty of work examples to stimulate your senses. There’s news, team profiles and loads of free stuff created especially for you. To be a part of our success, contact us now and see how Pepper Creative can add flavour to your design and marketing.

NEW SITE LIVE NOW

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Logo design and branding Brochure design Press and magazine advertising Exhibition and display graphics Printing Website design & build E-commerce websites Intranets & extranets Content management systems

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CONTENTS

APRIL 2010

President’s foreword

elcome to the April issue of Island Business Magazine – Spring has truly ‘sprung’ and the winter months have hopefully become a dim and distant memory. Last month’s Centenary Lunch was a great affair and it made me realize the strength and depth in numbers (to use a football analogy) of our Chamber. Many of us were surprised by the number of the founding members that are still going strong (well, at least their representatives are!) as well as the diversity of the original group. It seems to me that, as important as the material benefits of membership of the Chamber are, what is more valuable is the sense of belonging, mutual support and a strong, united voice for business locally and nationally. As a bit of a technophobe, it is good to see articles within these pages looking at social networking, creative working, and innovation associated with young people and new businesses, here on the Island. Up until recently, I thought a ‘blackberry’ was put in a crumble with apples and ‘tweeting’ was something that sparrows did in the morning! With the General Election just around the corner, I can only urge every eligible voter to at least exercise their right to vote and to think carefully before putting your cross on the ballot paper. These are challenging times and we need to have solid, reliable leadership to take us through them and then slowly build up our economy again. We often talk about ‘corporate memory’ at the Chamber and I think that this should also apply every four years when we go out to vote. Finally, I want to wholeheartedly congratulate Jeff Armitage and his team at GKN Aerospace for the incredible amount of new contracts that they have gained in the last few months. There was a time when many feared that this was a business that was being readied for a move to the mainland, or even Europe. However, you could not wish to find a more pro-island philosophy than that of the East Cowes management team. Their success is the future success of many smaller businesses here and long may they grow and prosper. Until the next issue, let’s hope the Budget hasn’t been too unkind to business and that we can look forward to better times ahead.

Steve Porter, President IWCCTI

NEWS A round up of business news

BETTER BUSINESS Social Media for your business

11 THE EXPERT’S VIEW Information and communications technology

FEATURE Creative Island – an inspiring source of originality

15 THE EXPERT’S VIEW Money matters

SPECIAL REPORT A year in industry - attracting the best young people

21 THE EXPERT’S VIEW Legally speaking Published by The Knowledge Zone Ltd Editor Steve Sleight Art Editor Karen Holloway Editorial team Louisa Mamakou Zara MacAlister Sara Coombes Contact the team ib@theknowledgezone.net

TKZ

Administration and enquiries Tanya Sleight

For more great content visit

tanya.sleight@theknowledgezone.net

Advertising Sales Amanda Bartlett amanda.bartlett@theknowledgezone.net

0118 934 4208 Mary Collis mary.collis@theknowledgezone.net

01983 245505 For IW Chamber Editor (Chamber) Kevin Wilson kevin.wilson@iwchamber.co.uk

Managing Editor (Chamber) Zoe Stroud

While every care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of Island Business magazine the publishers do not accept any liability or provide any guarantee that the information is accurate, complete, or up to date. The publisher and its employees and contractors have used their best efforts in preparing these pages and this publication but make no warranty of any kind, expressed or

implied, with regard to the information supplied. The views of contributors do not necessarily represent those of the publisher or the IW Chamber of Commerce. The Knowledge Zone Ltd. and its employees and contractors shall not be liable in the event of incidental or consequential damages in connection with, or arising out of, the providing of the information offered here.

Wightquote – keeping it local and helping each other

www.islandbusinessonline.co.uk Contact TKZ The Knowledge Zone Ltd. 5-9 Baring Chambers 13 Denmark Road, Cowes Isle of Wight PO31 7EX 01983 245505 ib@theknowledgezone.net www.islandbusinessonline.co.uk Isle of Wight Chamber of Commerce Mill Court, Furrlongs, Newport Isle of Wight, PO30 2AA 01983 520777 chamber@iwchamber.co.uk

28 31

CLASSIFIEDS Our classified section

See digital versions of Island Business Magazine on www.islandbusinessonline.co.uk

CHAMBER MATTERS New members, Chamber people, member benefits, and diary dates

To join the Chamber call 01983 520777

Island Business magazine is printed by Bishops Printers of Portsmouth

COMPANY PROFILE

THE BACK PAGE Steve Blamire’s musings on design and lateral thinking, Rupert Besley’s unique interpretation, plus RUBS – Really Useful Business Stuff

THE STARTING LINE BY THE EDITOR

elcome to the April issue of Island Business Magazine. It’s been a massively busy month for The Knowledge Zone team as no sooner had we finished the March edition of Island Business Magazine than we turned our attention to another of our publications, the Cowes Port Handbook, which will be published in time for Easter. Those of you who are into the sailing and boating world will know that the Handbook is regarded as ‘the bible to Cowes’. It’s interesting that despite the recession and the on-going shift of media consumption from print to online, we still find strong demand for our print products, including the Handbook and Island Business Magazine. We’ve seen increasing demand, from both readers and advertisers, for Island Business Magazine in the last couple of months and if this continues we shall be increasing the print run to ensure that our stockists don’t run out! At the same time, traffic to our websites, including Island Business Online has increased considerably, boosted by growing consumption of our extensive video content and our online marketing using social media – you can read more on this subject on page 10. We hope you enjoy this month's magazine. Producing the Creative Island feature has been fascinating and we found so much of interest that we’ll be running a second part to the feature later in the year. If you enjoy the feature content here don’t forget to take a look at Island Business Online where there are 12 new videos and many new articles, all on creative Islanders and businesses. In May we'll be featuring 'Green Island' so get in touch, tell us your story, and give us your views on the Island’s environment and the Eco-Island project. Contact the editorial team at: ib@theknowledgezone.net or telephone 01983 245505. Visit Island Business Online at: www.islandbusinessonline.co.uk

IN THE NEXT ISSUE MAY 2010 Published 4 May • Green Island – Where the environment matters • Better Business – Franchising Part 1 – choosing a franchise • Special Report – Health and wellbeing for business • Company Profile – Hellerslea Fabrics • Chamber Matters – Monthly update

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR THE ISLE OF WIGHT

Island built RRV proves its worth

RP Laminates and South Boats Special Projects delivered RRV Audrey to Holyhead Towing last October and already the vessel has proved invaluable. Holyhead Towing is a successful operator of specialist shallow draft tugs and workboats and has recently established a subsidiary, Turbine Transfers Ltd., to meet the demand for wind farm support vessels. At 12m, the GRP-hulled rapid response vessel RRV Audrey is the smallest South Boats catamaran to find a place in the Turbine Transfers fleet so far, alongside

the 15, 18, and 20 metre versions used to transport personnel and equipment between the shore and the turbines. South Boats Director, Ben Colman, explained: "RRV Audrey was designed by us at South Boats and moulded to the highest standards by GRP Laminates. This 12m RRV fills a gap in the workboat fleet, to make the transport of a few people or small items of equipment more comfortable, safer, and more economical. In the right conditions, the RRV can offer extra flexibility and a significant costsaving."

Bug tackles UK's knotty problem

ildlife Minister Huw Irranca-Davies has given the go-ahead for the release of an insect, called a psyllid, to stop the spread of the non-native invasive plant Japanese Knotweed, a devastating plant which costs the UK economy over £150 million a year to control and clear. Japanese Knotweed is listed by the World Conservation Union as one of the world's 100 worst invasive species. It grows at a rate of up to a metre a month, including through tarmac, concrete and drains, causing damage to roads and buildings and costing millions of pounds to remove each year. It also damages our natural environment by stopping other plants from growing, and destroying habitats for native species. Using an insect, which is a predator of the plant in Japan, to act as a natural form of pest control, will be the first time that a solution like this has been used to help control the spread of a non-native invasive plant in Europe and, if successful, could reduce the costs to the building and engineering industries of

Aphalara adult insect preys on Japanese Knotweed

clearing this invasive plant. Mr Irranca-Davies said: "These tiny insects, which naturally prey on Japanese Knotweed, will help free local authorities and industry from the huge cost of treating and killing this devastating plant."

NEWS

APRIL 2010

$100m contract win for GKN Aerospace

n a contract which could be worth more than $100m, GKN Aerospace in East Cowes has been selected by Bombardier Aerospace, Belfast to design and manufacture the winglets for the new Bombardier CSeries aircraft. The state-of-the-art composite winglets will be a vital element in this advanced aircraft achieving its goals for reduced fuel burn and lower emissions with a greater range and better performance than any current aircraft in its class. The Cowes team at GKN Aerospace is already supplying winglets to Aviation Partners Boeing for the Boeing 767300ER and 737-300/500 aircraft in contracts awarded in 2007. In other news from the company, GKN Aerospace's new Island-based state-ofthe-art facility will be at the heart of the

next developments in the Environmental Lightweight Fan (ELF) research programme which aims to prove advanced, high-rate production processes for a new all-composite engine fan blade that will improve aircraft engine performance and reduce emissions. George Brown, IW Council cabinet member with responsibility for the economy, said: "Coming on top of the confirmation that Vestas is committed to the R&D facility in Newport, this is further good news for the Island, its economy, its workforce and its reputation as an area welcoming high-value industry. "The Council has a role to play in enabling this development as the project requires a parcel of our land to expand the current site and reduce traffic access from the main road.”

Real Island Food open new shop

ackie Phillips and Rachel Foy have finally hung the open sign on their new deli and butcher's shop in Niton, Isle of Wight. Specialising in local meats, Island sourced speciality foods and the best of British deli, the company took over the premises in December but opening was delayed due to burst pipes in the cold winter weather. "It’s a wonderful feeling to have the shop open. We have worked hard through the winter to get it ready and it’s great to have the shop full of people now. Our master butcher is proving very popular and sales have been very encouraging; the Isle of Wight lamb and beef are great favourites so far. As well as a full butchery we have hand made cakes and biscuits, speciality sauces, Island smoked salmon, ice cream, 'Island Kitchen' hand made ready meals, cheeses, and a whole lot more! "The great thing about Niton is that it’s quite easy to park and there is a

Jackie and Rachel with butcher Peter, and staff member Debbie.

pharmacy, grocery store and hardware shop too, so lots of customers come into the village from other parts of the Island to do a variety of shopping." Opening hours are Monday to Friday, 0845 to 1700, and on Saturday, 0845 to 1600. The shop doesn’t shut for lunch and is open on a Wednesday afternoon too! Home delivery is available and a full selection can be seen and ordered on the company’s website.

Read national business news on www.islandbusinessonline.co.uk

BCC economic fears for 2011

he British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has published its latest Economic Forecast, and is predicting a one per cent GDP growth in 2010. But it has downgraded its growth expectations for 2011 because the obstacles to a sustained mediumterm recovery now appear greater. BCC Director General David Frost, said: “The recession may have technically ended, but there is no room for complacency. New business taxes must be avoided and unnecessary red tape suspended. The one per cent hike in employer National Insurance Contributions, planned for April 2011, should be abandoned immediately as it is a tax on jobs, which will cost firms £4.7 billion every year. Raising VAT by one percentage point, to 18.5%, will largely offset any lost revenue and it will be less damaging to business."

Join the campaign

he UK’s leading business groups have formed a coalition promoting an internet petition that calls for the employer National Insurance Contributions increase – planned for April 2011 – to be scrapped. The petition says: "We, the undersigned, call upon the Government to reverse the one percentage-point employer National Insurance Contributions (NICs) increase planned for April 2011.” It goes on to acknowledge the need for the Government to repair the public finances but says the NIC increase is a tax on jobs that will discourage companies from taking on new staff. The petition urges the Government "to work with business groups to find alternative ways to close the UK's budget deficit” and concludes: “The case is clear. No NICs increase no tax on jobs." The petition was signed by leaders of the British Chambers of Commerce, British Retail Consortium, Confederation of British Industry, Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, Forum of Private Business, Federation of Small Businesses, Institute of Directors, and the Recruitment Employment Confederation. You can view and sign the petition online at: www.no-nics-rise.co.uk. 3

NEWS

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR THE ISLE OF WIGHT

Go racing with Pelican

isk management consultant Ian Gilmour has hit the water with something completely different – a sportsboat charter business that is designed to take the risk out of getting afloat. Pelican Racing is built around the 2008 boat of the year, the Laser SB3 sportsboat, and following the company launch last year Ian is now the proud owner of the biggest fleet of SB3s in the world, with plans to acquire even more. Ian has linked up with sailing instructors Phil Devereux and Ash Holmes with the target of enabling local people to not just learn to sail, but to experience the exhilaration of racing. The concept has won the backing of the Royal Yachting Association, which has provided funding to get adults into sailing. The company is based at Cowes Yacht Haven and is offering Tuesday night racing as part of the evening series at the Island Sailing Club, which runs from April to August.

Get direct access to a barrister

Left to right: Phil Devereux, Director of Racing; Ian Gilmour, Managing Director; Ash Holmes, Director of Racing.

Ian said: "The boat drives everything. It has been built to be simple to sail, a stable platform, and great fun. But they are not cheap to buy. We believe our approach is helping to make sailing even more accessible."

Back to their roots for British Tourism Week

n Island barrister is offering direct access to company directors and sole traders without the need for them to go through a solicitor. Susan Brown specialises in company insolvency, bankruptcy, and commercial and property litigation, and following recent rule changes can now advise and support businesses direct. She said UK businesses are going through tough times, and some are going under, and she stressed the importance of businesses facing closedown to stop and think of the potential legal consequences. Susan, who shuttles between her home in Cowes and her Chambers in London is qualified to give direct access after completing training sanctioned by the Bar Council. She said the advantage is that companies can get early access to the strategic advice they need. Contact Susan at smbs9sb@aol.com.

s part of the annual British Tourism Week, the team at regional tourist board Tourism South East got back to their roots and worked on the ground with tourism businesses for the day. As part of the programme Head of Training Sue Gill spent a magical day working at quirky B&B The Enchanted Manor in Niton on the Isle of Wight. “I was delighted when I was given the opportunity to work for one of Tourism South East's member businesses and one based on the Island,” said Sue. "I live just outside Lymington and often walk along the cliff tops which look out over to The Needles, it is such a wonderful view and the Island is so accessible.

“During my day at the unique Enchanted Manor I gained a real insight into the workings of a small B&B, from preparing food to cleaning the rooms and coming up with marketing ideas. My hosts for the day were owners Ric and Maggie; the passion they both have for their business is clear and their dedication clearly makes a valuable contribution to the tourism economy of the Isle of Wight. “It was an even bigger celebration for me, since the day that I worked at the Enchanted Manor coincided with the 20th anniversary to the exact day that I started working at Tourism South East.”

www.islandbusinessonline.co.uk

NEWS IN BRIEF Clean and green HypoTech Ltd is launching new ‘green’ industrial cleaning solutions aimed at improving health and welfare worldwide. The SteriBev™ and SteriEx™ sterilising solutions have been invented by the Island-based company, and work by mirroring the human defence mechanism. Dan Spacie, Chief Executive Officer said: "We are launching SteriBev™ and SteriEx™ from the Island to show that innovation from the Isle of Wight can lead the world and that we are serious about the green agenda. HypoTech wants to be part of the Island’s eco-policy, encouraging healthy workplaces and tourist venues by producing environmentally-friendly cleansing solutions without compromising on quality." Full steam ahead Isle of Wight Steam Railway has announced an ambitious programme of special events, activities and shows for 2010. There will be twenty-eight special events, from knights on horseback to world class jazz musicians, and from Land Army girls to Thomas the Tank Engine. The announcement follows the 2009 season which, despite the economic conditions, saw an impressive 5% increase in passenger numbers. For more information, call IW Steam Railway on 01243 555959. Instant quotes from new online print service Isle of Wight based Intelligent Marketing has launched an online print management service. The service gives marketing professionals direct access to a comprehensive range of print, from traditional litho through to digital, promotional, and point of sale. Print prices are instantly available online; all a customer has to do is visit www.intelligent-marketing.co.uk and select their requirements. Intelligent Marketing’s MD Rob Benwell said: "Gone are the days of waiting hours for a print quote. Now you can gain instant print prices 24/7, saving you time and money." The beauty business Young Chamber students got first hand experience of the environmental choices businesses need to make at a seminar organised by Liz Earle Beauty last month – then had the chance to put their knowledge to the test. Students learned the importance of making the right decision about materials, production and packaging, and were set the task of developing, naming, and packaging a new hand cream. More than 20 students took part and one of them, Alice Ball, said: “I now understand how hard it is to get products onto the shelf." 6

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR THE ISLE OF WIGHT

Giving chocolate made easy

he Cowes shop Chocs Away is building a national reputation for fine quality chocolates – and is now offering its expertise to Island businesses. Owner Cheryl Vaughan says companies should consider chocolate as an offering at corporate events and hospitality. Cheryl’s staff have been trained by experts from Valrhona – recognised as one of the world’s finest chocolate suppliers – and can make and gift wrap chocolates to suit all budgets. The shop partnered with Mount Gay Rum to produce rum truffles for its hospitality marquee at last year’s Cowes

Week, a venture which Cheryl says opened people’s eyes to the positive effects of chocolate. “There is no doubt that high quality chocolate generates a feel good factor,” she said. “It doesn’t matter if a business wants to supply gift-wrapped boxes of chocolate, provide chocolates to accompany the coffee at a dinner, or make a corporate cake, we can do it here on our premises,” said Cheryl.

Young Chamber stars

he stars came out for the second Minghella Film Festival last month – and so did 40 of the Island’s Young Chamber students. Pupils from Carisbrooke and Medina High Schools were right on the front line at festival events, welcoming guests, and selling programmes and raffle tickets. Young Chamber also jointly sponsored a free film workshop during the festival, which gave 30 people aged between 13 and 19 the chance to make a film in one day and take a copy of it home. The workshop was run by the Young Film Academy and also supported by the Isle of Wight Council’s Extended Schools unit.

The festival’s Schools Shorts competition saw young Islanders make a short film on the theme of 'a great day for the Isle of Wight' – inspired by Anthony Minghella’s famous Oscar acceptance speech from 2007. The award was won by Ollie Williams, of Isle of Wight College, with his five minute piece 'Wake Up Isle of Wight'. Carrie Almond, Education Business Partnership Manager for Isle of Wight Chamber of Commerce, said: “It was a fantastic experience for the students, and they learned a lot about teamwork and engaging with a wide range of people. Many of them have already asked to be involved in next year’s event, too!”

Nisha proudly presents …

BBC World News presenter was so bowled over by the Island that she has set up home here – and is now ready to pass on her skills to the business community. Nisha Pillai combines stints in the television studio with chairing conferences and coaching in presentation techniques. Nisha, who lives in Seaview, says she is constantly surprised by the fact that otherwise confident and capable businesspeople can be overcome by fear at the thought of public speaking.

She recently provided an example of how it should be done, when she was guest speaker at the Island’s Young Chamber Conference and at a Chamber networking event at the New Inn. Nisha and her family moved to the Island 18 months ago after coming here for holidays. “We have been bowled over by the Island way of life,” Nisha explained. “There is a real sense of community, and it has changed our lives in so many ways. I’d love to help some of the big companies on the Island to improve the way they project themselves, but I also help individuals, too. "It gives me a thrill to see people overcoming their nerves to give polished performances. That’s what I had to learn to do when I moved into television."

www.islandbusinessonline.co.uk

NEWS IN BRIEF Diversi-TIES Island businesses are being offered the chance to get involved in a new event, designed to recognise efforts to promote awareness of disability issues, and remove barriers faced by disabled people. ‘Diversi-TIES’ is to be held on 3 December 2010 and organiser Alan Davies, a carer for a physically disabled person, hopes businesses will support the idea through donation of goods or services, and also cash donations. Alan said: “Our aim is to get nominations from the public, and present awards in a range of categories, one of which could be for a business which goes the extra mile to improve the lives of people with a disability. There are lots of opportunities for businesses to take part." For more info: email alwidav@sky.com. Electricity basket The Isle of Wight Chamber has launched a new bulk purchasing scheme designed to help member businesses cut their electricity bills by as much as 30 per cent. The Chamber Electricity Basket is the result of a partnership with energy supplier ENER-G. Kevin Smith, the Chamber’s Chief Executive, said: "Now our members will be able to make savings of up to 30 per cent, take advantage of drops in the market, and a ceiling price if the market moves up." For more information, call the Chamber on 01983 520777. Extra PFI roads boost to Island The scheme that will bring unprecedented investment to dramatically improve the Isle of Wight's highway infrastructure has been boosted by confirmation that the Government will allocate £364.6 million of free grant to the project. The £364.6 million announced is some £40 million more than the sum set aside by the Government when it approved the Council’s initial expression of interest and will enable more Island services and amenities to be upgraded as part of the Highways PFI. Transport visit for YC Nine Young Chamber students from St Catherine’s School were treated to a tour of Steve Porter Transport last month, followed by a presentation and question and answer session, during a visit requested by the school’s Young Chamber Council as part of their year’s activities. Steve Porter said: "We were delighted to host the visit which we hope gave them a valuable insight into the world of work. I would encourage any employers not currently engaged with Young Chamber to get involved." 8

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR THE ISLE OF WIGHT

Final countdown

he clock is ticking down to the final of the Young Chamber Challenge, to be held at Cowes Yacht Haven on 21 April. The final heat of the competition was hosted by Navigate Solutions last month, at Albert Cottage, setting the scene for the final – the details of which are being kept a closely guarded secret. The mixed student teams from each Island high school and St Catherine’s School, will have to wait a little longer to find out who has won the coveted title. The Challenge’s winning team will be announced at the Young Chamber Awards evening on 6 May, along with a host of other awards. These include awards for the Most Valued Young

Chamber Council Members, the Most Valued Employer Contribution, the Highest Individual Achievement at the Young Chamber Challenges, and the Challenge’s Winning Team. Carrie Almond, Education Business Partnership Manager for the Chamber of Commerce, said local businesses can get involved in the awards event, perhaps by sponsoring an award. “It is the culmination of a year of hard work by the students and many Island businesses, and I would love to hear from any business which would like to support the event in any way,” she said. For more information email Carrie at carrie.almond@iwchamber.co.uk.

No Limits

wo hundred students and 40 business people came together for an inspirational Young Chamber Conference. The annual event was themed ‘No Limits’ and included open discussions with local band Empress, previously known as the Operators – who opened the afternoon session with a live performance, and with Nisha Pillai – a BBC World News presenter. The conference, held at Cowes Yacht Haven and hosted by Tom Stroud from Isle of Wight Radio, opened with a speed networking session which gave students the chance to find out about the range of career opportunities available. The event was organised by Young Chamber and supported by the Enterprise Network, Isle of Wight Radio, Cowes Town Waterfront Trust,

IW Council, and Aim Higher. Students came from all the Island’s high schools, plus St Catherine’s, St George’s, Christ the King College, Somerton and Solent Middle Schools, HTP and IW College, and representatives from 30 companies included Wightlink, JobCentre Plus, Betapak, and UKSA. Wa t ch t h e v i d e o r e p o r t o n I s l a n d Bu s i n e s s O n l i n e .

French connection

milie Griveau is on a mission to help Island businesses watch their language. She has set up a new business specialising in translating English into French, and is keen to stress its importance, particularly to the many Island tourism businesses. “I know that many French people travel to the Island – particularly during the sailing season – and Cowes and East Cowes are twinned with French towns,

so there is a very strong connection,” Emilie said. Born in France, Emilie has lived and worked in Dublin and Montreal, and spent three years as a freelance translator, but has now settled on the Island after achieving an MA in Translation. In addition to translation of documents and websites, she is also available for French language tuition. “Communicating in another language provides a business with an opportunity to grow,” she said. “French is the first language of 200 million people worldwide, and France itself is a big marketplace.” For more information email Emilie at translationEG@gmail.com.

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BETTER BUSINESS

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR THE ISLE OF WIGHT Contributors: Barney Barnes - SEO specialist www.barneybarnes.co.uk Kevin Barton - Deep Design www.deepdesign.co.uk Mike and Rob Benwell - Intelligent Marketing www.intelligent-marketing.org

Social media for your business Social media is a term SMEs are hearing more and more often, but what does it actually mean and can it really benefit your business?

hances are you will have heard of Facebook and Twitter but the realm of social media extends far beyond these two well known sites. Social media outlets can include YouTube, blogs, forums, wikis; even reviews on internet shopping sites are a form of social media. There are no limits and there are no rules. Social media is a constantly expanding and developing platform offering businesses the opportunity to engage with their audience in a way that until recently was impossible. It is changing the way we communicate; what has always been a one-way flow of information is now a two-way conversation, giving the consumer a voice. Before you launch your company into a social media-based online marketing strategy, however, make sure it's the right thing for your business. There are pros and cons, and the arguments surrounding social media marketing are as transformational as the media itself. How can social media benefit you? The benefits arise from the opportunity to interact with your audience and build strong and trusting relationships, which can ultimately result in increased custom. 10

Social media within your business is about return on engagement. Customers want to build a relationship with you, learn to trust you and then perhaps pay for your services: "It takes time to build a reputation and establish your credibility," said Gary Cheeseman from Radi8. "Out and out advertising or ‘pushing’ of products and services in a social media environment is less tolerated and can meet with some rebuke," pointed out Kevin Barton from Deep Design. Thomas Cowley from Netguides suggested: "Becoming part of the community is key to promoting your business in that environment." So enter into forums and blogs with caution, but the upside is the potential to reach a huge audience with all the business advantages that can bring. A key benefit of social media is that you can see exactly where your audience is coming from, you can track how many followers you have on your Facebook fan page, or the number of people reading your blog: "Social media can enable businesses to gather input and feedback directly from their target audience, and use that intelligence for more effective reputation management," said Mike Benwell from Intelligent Marketing.

Gary Cheeseman, Radi8 www.radi8.co.uk Thomas Cowley - Netguides www.netguides.co.uk Tanya Sleight - The Knowledge Zone www.islandbusinessonline.co.uk www.cowes.co.uk www.cowes.tv

Zara MacAlister turned to some Island specialists for advice on using Social Media.

Disadvantages Of course there are times when it might be best to avoid social media marketing, and instead focus on other, more traditional forms of advertising. "Some products and services don’t lend themselves to social media marketing," said Barney Barnes, SEO specialist. Another major consideration is the time and cost of launching and constantly updating a new strategy, as Barney pointed out: "Spending time and money on social media marketing is a waste of resources for many companies. "A successful social media campaign needs time and people, two commodities that many small businesses don’t have. A half-hearted campaign can do more harm than good," added Barney. If your audience gets used to reading your news on a particular site it's important to keep it updated. If you let it get out of date you risk losing your audience, possibly permanently. "Careful consideration needs to be given to this to avoid a presence that becomes tired, aged, and not only of little benefit but potentially reflecting the company in a negative light," said Kevin Barton. Another point to consider is what you write on your blog or on Twitter now will be available to your audience forever; your social media personality becomes

CHAMBER INTERVIEW THE EXPERT’S VIEW

APRIL 2010

If you are thinking of starting a social media campaign ask yourself these questions: • Does your product or service lend itself to this kind of promotion? • Does your target audience use social media like Facebook, MySpace, YouTube, or Twitter?

INFORMATION & COMMUNICATONS TECHNOLOGY Information and communications technology is crucial to many businesses. In his Expert's View column Jonathan Thornton, Technical Services Director of Rydebased IT provider, PC Consultants offers his views on how to get the best from ICT.

• Does your business have the resources to run and manage a social media campaign?

part of your brand. This can be good or bad; so plan what you will share with your audience via social media outlets and the personality your brand will adopt. Ensure you stick to it - don't be a social psycho! Who is using social media networking? The amount of companies using social media sites is growing every day, and if you're not using them, and they're right for you, there's a high chance your competitors are. Keep an eye on similar businesses and learn from what they're doing, it could save you time and money. Many of Netguide's clients are changing their marketing strategies due to advances in social media: "A lot of the tourism and leisure businesses that we're working with simply aren't producing paper material anymore, they're just concentrating their efforts on channels where they have that feedback loop,"explained Thomas Cowley. This approach won’t work for every business, so be sure to do the research before you begin a new campaign. The Knowledge Zone (TKZ) started using social media in early 2009 and Tanya Sleight is responsible for the strategy and ensuring content is always up to date: "The minimum time I spend on social networking each day is half an hour, but it could be as much as three hours,” said Tanya. “We have videos, photos, news stories – I never run out of content to share on Facebook and Twitter!" The result, over the past 12 months has been an 82% increase in visits to TKZ’s popular Cowes Online website which has achieved over 2,200 visits a day during the quiet winter months! Taking the first steps It's not too late to get involved; businesses which are taking advantage of this new medium haven't been doing it for very long, and many haven't even started yet. "One of the best ways for small businesses to leverage social media marketing is to use various social networks in combination with each other,” said Gary Cheeseman. "Businesses should be listening to selected sites to enable them to take advantage of social media. Find threads of conversation that attract people relevant to your business and make comments and add new posts, just make sure you include a link to a relevant landing page on your own site." If it's right for your business and the time is right, perhaps you want to take the plunge now. If not, wait a while, monitor your competitors, and others using similar channels, and plan your launch carefully. V i s i t I s l a n d B u s i n e s s O n l i n e f o r m o re o n t h i s s t o r y.

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enameling was originally outsourced but the company brought it in-house and now they are the leading British manufacturer specialising in vitreous enamel signage and graphics. Demand for their superb enameled signs and architectural panels is high and next time you travel on the London tube network take a moment to admire the iconic signs which are Island made. Nearly 40 years on from the first stroke of inspiration, creativity remains central to A.J Wells. "Creativity is massive to the business," said Ced Wells. "We're into supporting artists; local, national, and international artists. Artists come in and they inspire a lot of people working here and people try new things, they try different things. You bring the two together and you get something completely new come out of that." Isle of Wight Studio Glass is another creative Island company with an international reputation. While the British and European glass industries have collapsed in recent years the St. Lawrence-based studio has gone from strength to strength and is now one of the largest in the country. Tim Harris acknowledges the fine balance between creating new pieces and producing sufficient volume of affordable pieces to support a successful business. "We have to make a commercial product because we are a tourist-based Island and we have to fill the need for quality souvenirs. Doing that core work allows us to do the contemporary, special things that we like to do for our collectors and for galleries." Art of business and business of art There's an impressive list of Island businesses which have harnessed creative ideas to carve out a market niche, and we'll be looking at more of them in a future article, but there is also a huge number of artists, of all types, based on the Island. For them, art is their passion and their business and according to Mick Smith, Director of Quay Arts, the Island's main arts centre: "The fastest growing and largest industry in the world is the creative industry." If that's the case then there is a great opportunity for the Island to become a vibrant hub that attracts and supports a variety of creative-based talent and businesses.

Lisa Traxler

www.islandbusinessonline.co.uk

PAYE and National Insurance – a brief guide for employers

aking on employees is an important step that is not without cost and effort. Before hiring staff, you must have a number of financial processes in place to meet your tax obligations as an employer. It is all too common for small businesses hiring their first employees to forget the potential tax burden. The potentially most time consuming part of this is the PAYE system. S e t t i n g u p P AY E As an employer you are obliged to make tax deductions from your employees’ pay. The deductions are made as your employee earn their wages on a monthly or weekly basis. You must then pay HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) the amount you have deducted on either a monthly or quarterly basis. This applies to all employees with earnings at or above the Lower Earnings Limit (LEL). This is set at £97 per week, or £420 per month for the 2010-11 tax year. HMRC provide a range of tools to help new employers set up a system for making and paying these deductions quickly and efficiently. When you first register as an employer you will be sent a New Employer pack. This includes computer software to help you calculate the deductions, and a series of forms to enable you to fulfill your record keeping obligations. F i l i n g a n d p a y i n g P AY E HM Revenue and Customs are gradually phasing out paper filing, and almost all employers are now required to file PAYE forms online. You must therefore register for the PAYE Online scheme, which requires a Government Gateway username

obtained from the HMRC website. You will have to file an Employer Annual Return online. This replaces the previous paper forms P35 and P14. NI Co n t r ib u t io n s As an employer you are also required to make National Insurance Contributions (NICs) on your employees’ behalf. This is also carried out through the PAYE system. The most common NI deductions that must be made by employers are for Class 1 NICs. These must be deducted from the wages of any employee whose earnings exceed the LEL. If your employees receive any taxable benefits you will also be required to pay Class 1A NICs. R e g ist e r in g a s a n e m p lo y e r If you are taking on staff for the first time you will almost certainly have to register as an employer. Registeration is necessary if you are paying the employee at or above the PAYE threshold or the LEL, or if the employee already has another job. It is generally simplest to register with HMRC by phone by calling the New Employer Helpline on 0845 60 70 143. Finally, it is vitally important that you keep on top of your PAYE and NI obligations as an employer. There are severe penalties for businesses that fail to make proper deductions and payments, or that do not keep accurate records or comply with minimum wage legislation. Contact: You can contact Ian Ralph on 01983 524731 or email: ian@harrisonblack.co.uk or via the website: www.harrisonblack.co.uk 15

FEATURE Retro and quirky holidays

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR THE ISLE OF WIGHT

Inspired by the Island - collected worldwide

IoW Studio Glass

Vintage Vacations started by accident for Helen and Frazer Cunningham after they brought their first Airstream caravan over from America in 2004. They parked the caravan in a farmer's field on the Isle of Wight and used it as a holiday home for weekend breaks from their hectic London lifestyles. They enjoyed their breaks a lot, but couldn't use the Airstream enough themselves so decided to see if they could rent it out. "We put a little ad in a newsagents in London and a travel editor from one of the nationals came and stayed, one of our first guests, and did a lovely review," explained Helen. "Then the phone didn't stop ringing, it changed our lives really! "The trailer was practically rented out for the next summer, and we thought we'd buy another one, and then we had a kind of a light bulb moment really which was – wouldn't it be great to have a whole site of these," said Helen They now have 10 Airstream caravans on a designated site at Ashey. As well as the caravans they have a number of quirky properties including 'The Shack' in Thorness and 'The Mission' at Chale. Helen believes the key to their success is that they don't try to manufacture their style: "It's just our own personal style, if you do something that you love and it's honest, then people will appreciate it too," said Helen. For more information watch our online video story and visit their suitably retro website at www.vintagevacations.co.uk. 16

Isle of Wight Studio Glass was founded in 1973 by international glassmaker Michael Harris. Today, the studio is run by his wife Elizabeth and son Timothy and is one of the leading glass studios in Europe, exporting worldwide. Its pieces can be found in many private and public collections. Timothy does a lot of the design work himself: "Most of the design process is done on the shop floor, and once we've got an idea, I will produce samples and then hand it over to the main team. The guys have been at it a long time now, they pick it up pretty quickly and it's a seamless operation. No glassmaker can make very much on his own, so I rely on the whole team to create what we do," said Timothy. There is a fine line between running a business which employs up to 12 glassmakers at the height of the season, and running a creative studio. The glass blowers need to ensure they produce enough of the high quality souvenir glass items to keep the business going: "That core work allows us to do the contemporary, specialist things that we like to do for our collectors and the galleries," said Timothy. For Isle of Wight Studio Glass being based on the Island holds more advantages than disadvantages. "A lot of our surface decoration is based on the fauna, or the sea, or the landscape. Everything around us is very rich in that visual quality of things, and that's where we get most of our inspiration," explained Timothy. For more information watch our online video story and visit www.isleofwightstudioglass.co.uk.

All across the Island there are artists, writers, musicians, jewellers – creative types of all persuasions – beavering away at their art. Artists like Lisa Traxler, some of whose work is illustrated on these pages, and jewellers like Harriet Mason and Christina Suen who together started Atelier Jewellers in Ryde. You can read and watch more about these talented people on Island Business Online this month. One of the more unusual groupings of Island creatives is the Eccleston George collective. It was founded by Nigel George who created a simple sculpting medium, based around recycled newspaper, which has been used to theme several Island attractions including Amazon World and the Isle of Wight Zoo. The group work on a range of projects with businesses and schools, including public art and outdoor learning projects. “The Island is just such a fantastic place,” said Nigel, “it is a creative melting pot.” That’s certainly true of the huge number of musicians on the Island, many of whom – such as the young band Empress which we feature online this month – are hoping for the sort of success previously enjoyed by other Island musicians such as Level 42’s Mark King and brothers Phil and Boon Gould. Phil Gould told us how they began: “I played from the age of 15 in Island bands with my brother Boon, at school, and then in local bars.” IoW Studio Glass

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Charity Number 272007 Quay Arts, Sea Street, Newport Harbour, Isle of Wight PO30 5BD (01983) 822490 info@quayarts.org www.quayarts.org Open Mon - Sat 9:30am - 5pm & Thursday until 8pm all year except Bank Holidays

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FEATURE Island adventures for Sailor Ted

Frank Fenwick came up with the idea for the Sailor Ted children's books while living in Sandwich, Kent and visiting the Island for holidays. Six years ago he retired to the Island and finally had the time to start writing. The story for the first book is based on the Island and all the places Sailor Ted visits are real places: "The beauty of it is that we do a map and children can actually follow the story on the map," said Frank. This has proved to be really popular and even children who don't live on the Island have the opportunity to learn about the local area. A second book, due out this summer will continue Ted's Island adventures. The tourist industry is really important for Frank: "A lot of people who come over here are looking for something that they can keep as a memento and with Sailor Ted being based on the Island they can all relate to that." Frank is a self confessed day dreamer and admits that's how he comes up with his ideas: "I just dreamt them up and then just gradually refined them, wrote them down in picture form and then, we make the words fit the pictures," he explained.

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR THE ISLE OF WIGHT

Making art and art education available to all

The Quay Arts Centre is situated in a converted 19th century brewery warehouse in Newport. They offer over 35 exhibitions each year, several hundred classes and workshops, and over 100 live events. The Centre is visited by over 120,000 people each year, the majority of which are Islanders. The mission of the Quay Arts Centre is to ensure art activities and art education is available to everyone on the Island. Jackie Agar is the Education Officer and Classes and Workshops Manager at Quay Arts, and is responsible for getting people to participate in the arts. "We've got a rolling programme of classes and workshops and also I communicate with schools to encourage them to come in and use the facilities here," she explained Part of Jackie's job is to get students involved in the arts, and to offer them the opportunity to try something they can't do at school: "We've got large easels, and just being in the gallery space itself – which is huge – encourages people to be expansive and to work in a different way."

Frank feels very lucky to live on the Island: "There's so much beautiful scenery, you can easily get story lines when you live over here because there's so many different things on the Island."

Mick Smith, Centre Director is positive about the creativity of the Island: "The landscape itself lends itself to creativity, but more than anything it's the outlook of people here. Something that's really important for creativity is stepping out of the day-to-day and thinking about things in a different way, and in some ways the geographical removal from the mainland makes that easier," said Mick.

For more information watch our online video story and visit www.sailorted.com.

For more information watch our online video story and visit www.quayarts.org.

Sailor Ted

Mick Smith, who is a musician as well as Director of Quay Arts said: “I've worked in twenty-five countries and I would honestly say that the Island has more musical talent per square mile than anywhere else I've ever been.” Mick also made the crucial point that: “We need to nurture local talent and help it to stay on the Island. “If we provided low cost space, mentoring, and support for creative business, we could grow a real hub,” said Mick, “because what we have that very few other places have is the quality of life, and with so much work being done through the internet, why wouldn't you do it here rather than going to a grimy old city.” Mick points to the importance of the internet and fast broadband access to encouraging creative people and businesses to base themselves on the Island: “If you turned the Island into a hub for the creative industries you'd marry the quality of life that's unique and that we love here, with the fastest growing business in the world.” Now that’s got to be a great idea!

There's much, much more on this subject on Island Business Online, including video interviews with these fascinating individuals and businesses: A.J Wells Andy Stanford-Clark Atelier Jewellers Eccleston George

Empress Frank Fenwick Isle of Wight Studio Glass Lisa Traxler Paul Bone Quay Arts Vintage Vacations

APRIL 2010

www.islandbusinessonline.co.uk

FEATURE

SPECIAL REPORT

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR THE ISLE OF WIGHT

A year in industry attracting the best young people Attracting the best young people into your company is a vital business challenge. Each year, around 1,200 of the country's sharpest young people apply to the Year in Industry scheme, searching for challenging work experience in a year out before or during their degree course.

Louisa Mamakou explores a unique type of year out

he Year in Industry (YINI) specialises in providing talented young people with high quality placements in all areas of engineering, science, computing, and business. YINI students benefit from paid, degree-relevant work placements either in their gap year or during university. The result is a win-win situation. Students get the experience that recruiters and universities are looking for and 20

improve their degree and employment prospects. Companies get access to highly motivated and talented individuals whilst benefiting from a very costeffective resource. The Year in Industry is just one of a range of work related learning programmes run by the Engineering Development Trust (EDT), an independent registered charity whose mission is to encourage young people to fulfil their potential through careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. South East Regional Director of EDT and YINI scheme champion, Chris Ward explained: "YINI helps young students

who want to start a career in science, engineering or technology, to find a challenging and rewarding year long placement with a company where they can work as a junior scientist or engineer and gain a real head start over many of their peers. "Those who register with YINI do so against the pressures of going straight to university or maybe backpacking around the world, so they come to us with a very positive and proactive attitude." Participating companies benefit from cost-effective access to enthusiastic, hard working young people who are serious about their careers and keen to get ahead, with these short-term contracts giving companies the flexibility they need. "Even in these tough times, finding staff that have a hunger to learn, a desire to really make a difference and a

THE EXPERT’S VIEW

APRIL 2010

LEGALLY SPEAKING

YINI: inspiring future engineers and scientists

Legal issues are something that a business ignores at its peril. Our legal eagle delivering his Expert’s View is Lance Terry, Partner at Glanvilles LLP. In this month's column, Lance looks at international trade marks. sponsored by

Extending your trade mark internationally

proactive, go get attitude is always important," said Mr Ward. "Also, companies need to develop the next generation of scientists and engineers to keep the fresh ideas coming in. The YINI scheme is one way in which companies can develop a strategy to do this. "Through YINI, companies can build a relationship with a top performing student and begin to develop a graduate recruitment pipeline for the future. This can be particularly important for many of the less well known companies who find themselves competing against the higher profile names such as BAE or Thales when it comes to recruiting the best graduates." YINI work placements also give students a great opportunity to increase the chance for university sponsorship. Many companies view the Year in Industry as an important part of their graduate recruitment programme, and go on to sponsor placement students through university. I have personal experience of the YINI scheme as my 19-yearold son James took a gap year to work with Ryde-based Pascall Electronics Limited. James hugely enjoyed his year in industry, and is now being sponsored by Pascall Electronics while at the University of Bath studying for an MEng degree in Electronics with Space Science and Technology. Lynn Bell, HR Manager at Pascall Electronics Limited, told me the story: "Being on an Island makes you take a look at various options when it comes to recruiting. Pascall has long been involved with the local High Schools, attending career days, holding talks on site for students to come and ask questions and have a look around to get a feel of a real working environment. "Recruiting for qualified experienced people in our field of work, radio frequency (RF) and powers supplies, becomes more and more difficult each year. Part of the problem is getting to young people and giving them an opportunity to see what it’s like to work 'in the real world' and also letting them know that there are fantastic companies locally in which they can have a really great career. "In January 2008, we were contacted by the Year in Industry. This was a route that we had considered taking as it offered us the opportunity to employ a student with excellent qualifications who already had a place in university, but wanted to strengthen their employability by working for a year in an industry related to their chosen degree. "We were introduced to James Mamakos, a well presented and intelligent student, and after initial interviews we knew

orld Intellectual Property Day on 26 April is an annual event marking the coming into force in 1970 of the international convention which established the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO). One of the many functions of WIPO is the administration of the international system for the registration of trade marks under the Madrid Protocol. This system allows a proprietor of a trade mark in a country which is a signatory to the Madrid Protocol to extend the registration of that trade mark to other countries which are signatories to the Protocol by way of a single application. In an application under the Madrid Protocol, the applicant can choose from the list of signatory countries in which it seeks to register its trade mark. Approximately 70 countries are signatories to the Madrid Protocol but there are some notable exceptions including Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, and all of South and Central America. The registration fees payable depend on the countries selected and the amounts vary from country to country. Generally the fees are payable with the submission of the application although some countries such as Japan require a second payment upon the provisional granting of the registration. Since 2004 the European Community has been a signatory and it is therefore possible to obtain a trade mark covering the whole of the EU through this international system instead of making a separate application for a Community Trade Mark.

Visit www.islandbusinessonline.co.uk for up-to-date Isle of Wight business news

The major benefit of the Madrid Protocol is that trade mark registrations can be applied for and obtained in a large number of jurisdictions by means of a single application. This avoids the need for separate applications in each jurisdiction where trade mark protection is required which would be a far more costly exercise. The international registration under the Madrid Protocol is dependent on the trade mark registration in the home jurisdiction remaining in force for the first five years. If that trade mark registration was challenged or invalidated for some reason within the initial five years, the international registrations under the Madrid Protocol would also be lost. Applications for international registrations are submitted to WIPO via the trade mark registry in the country where the trade mark is originally registered. The application is thereafter administered by WIPO which forwards the application to the relevant trade mark registry in each country, selected for further examination in accordance with each country’s national trade mark law. If there are any queries or objections in a particular country, it may be necessary to instruct local advisers in that country to deal with them and indeed certain countries’ trade mark registries - such as the USA - will only deal with locally qualified trade mark agents or lawyers. Contact Lance at: L.Terry@glanvilles.co.uk www.glanvilles.co.uk 01983 527878

SPECIAL REPORT

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR THE ISLE OF WIGHT

YINI fast facts

Chris Ward, SE Regional Director EDT

Scope and aims • Encourage students to work in industry - especially science, engineering, and technology. • Offer an inexpensive way of acquiring high quality staff with no long-term commitment. • Provide quality, accessible, practical help with existing projects or for a speculative venture.

we shouldn't miss the opportunity of having someone with his attributes onboard. "James worked at Pascall for a year; four months in the test department and the remainder of the year in the engineering department where he showed a natural flair for RF products. James learnt very quickly and was an asset to the company within a matter of weeks, pulling his weight and contributing to monthly output figures. "As a company the YINI project supplied us with a young adult who really wanted to learn and get his hands dirty carrying out a real job. The benefit for us is that not only have we made a good relationship with a young man of James's calibre, but also know that when he talks of his experience of YINI he will talk well of Pascall and of the benefits that it has given to him – so it’s a win-win situation." For his part, at the end of the placement James said his experience had been a very positive one and that in general he had a much better idea of how a company like Pascall works and now knows better what to expect in the workplace. Asked what he would say to students considering taking a year out, either before or during university, James said: "Go for it, do both. Get as much experience as you can, always ask questions, don't be afraid to learn. He continued: "As a result of the practical experience I gained at Pascall, I can immediately relate the concepts and theories I'm being taught at university to the real world and it makes it easier to pick things up.” Another Island based company that has taken part in the YINI scheme recently is Enabling Technologies Consulting 22

"The YINI project supplied us with a young adult who really wanted to learn and get his hands dirty carrying out a real job." Lynn Bell, HR Manager Pascall Electronics Limited

Engineers Ltd in Newport. David Sibley, Director - Operations and Commercial, said: "Enabling Technologies has found YINI to be an excellent platform for students between sixth form and university. It enables the student to have a real insight into the workings of a business and provides real life work experience. "Our first student, for example, was an exceptional candidate. He assisted the business in a number of projects and provided support on programs including aerospace, renewable energy, marine, and software development projects. He is now keen to continue the working relationship with us whilst at university, and from our perspective this can assist us at times of peak demand. "We have very much enjoyed our experience with the YINI students and the professional team that provides the candidates. The scheme makes excellent business sense." Overall, the YINI facts speak for themselves about the success of the scheme. Around 600 students and over 250 companies take part annually, with YINI also being supported by top universities. Eighty-six per cent of managers say the placement had an immediate impact on their organisation,

• Assist businesses with longer term, graduate recruitment. Placement possibility - Every company has different needs. If you have an idea for a placement that would benefit from a high calibre, motivated student, YINI will be pleased to discuss your requirements. Duration - One academic year with flexible start and end dates. Placements between nine and 12 months. Start dates - July, August, or September - flexible. Project costs - Recommended salary guide £9,500 - £14,000 pa*, paid through the company's normal payroll system, PAYE and NI being deductible. Company pays the employer's NICs. * Please note salary will depend upon the minimum wage and number of hours worked by the student. Also, whether the student is pre-university or an undergraduate.

A contribution of £1,895 plus VAT that helps to cover the costs of recruitment, running of the scheme, and support throughout the placement. Conditions of employment - For the duration of the programme, the students will be employed as a full time member of the company's staff. with seventy-five per cent of companies coming back to YINI year after year. Around a quarter of YINI students are sponsored through university annually. YINI students deliver results and become a valuable part of your company's team. If you believe your company can offer a student a rewarding work placement then YINI wants to hear from you. For further information contact EDT South East at southeast@etrust.org.uk, or visit: www.etrust.org.uk and www.yini.org.uk.

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COMPANY PROFILE

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR THE ISLE OF WIGHT

Keep it local and help each other The concept of a self-sufficient Island lies at the heart of an awardwinning business that is on the verge of expansion.

Kevin Wilson reports on an Island start-up with a local idea that could go national. 24

ightquote works by creating a cyberspace meeting point where people looking for job quotes are brought together with tradespeople looking for work. The brainchild of Linda Brown and her daughter Hayley, the idea – and the

business plan – certainly impressed the judges of last year’s Chamber of Commerce, Tourism and Industry Awards for Excellence where Wightquote won the New Business Award. “It was a very welcome endorsement of what we are trying to achieve,” said Linda. “It felt like a reward for the hard work we are putting into this.” Wightquote is a unique concept, and Linda and Hayley freely admit that it has been difficult to sell to customers, and also to potential sources of business support. Hayley said: “We knew right from the start that this would be a challenge. There are other sites that do bits of what we do, but we are the only ones who cover contracts of all kinds.” But mother and daughter were so confident they put their life savings into the business, and after 18 months, they are now reaching the point where they feel their product has been tried and tested, and ripe for growth. They say it has been a tough, but rewarding journey. The originality of their business made marketing the product and finding the right expert advice the biggest challenge. One consequence of that was money wasted on non-productive advertising, and taking time to resolve the wide range of technical issues around developing and maintaining a website. Linda, a former local authority manager, said: “It is almost a full time job just to keep up to date with internet developments, and because we are new, most of the traditional business advice services simply could not draw on any relevant experience to guide us. It felt like we were on our own at first.” But they had done the basics right, said Hayley: “One of the first things we did was to patent the concept and all the branding that goes with it. But it’s fair to say that it has taken a long time to spread the word about what we are trying to do.” Wightquote’s website lists available jobs and suppliers in several categories. Customers seeking quotes can place their job on the site at no cost – whether that is an individual householder or an Isle of Wight Council contract - and suppliers pay a fee to register so that they can bid for the work.

Watch video reports and business profiles on www.islandbusinessonline.co.uk

COMPANY PROFILE

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR THE ISLE OF WIGHT

Wightquote’s top four business lessons … Protect your idea Do your research Keep going and be dedicated, and … Enjoy it! Hayley and Linda with their business award trophy

Those who win and carry out the work to high standard can benefit by receiving customer star ratings, and there is a link to a free online procurement training course provided by LearnDirect, and advice to help smaller traders compete in the marketplace for larger contracts. News travels fast on the Island, usually by word of mouth, but getting people to talk about a new idea is a little more difficult. Many self-employed traders do not have a web presence, so more effort was needed to persuade many of the merits of entering cyberspace to win contracts. The service sounds simple enough, but it did present technical problems, including the need to ensure that quotes remained private, and enabling traders to pitch for work at an appropriate level, recognising that not everyone automatically wants to accept the cheapest price – track record and quality of service are part of the picture, too, and Wightquote’s infrastructure needed to allow for that. Not surprisingly, internet advertising has proved the most effective medium for raising the profile of the Wightquote site. Facebook and Twitter pages have got people talking and played their part in raising the company’s profile. The next big issue for Linda and Hayley was finding the expertise needed to establish and improve the website. “There are many companies who work in this field, and we thought it would be straightforward to find one we could work with,” said Linda. “But our experience was that some web companies specialised, and could not deliver everything we needed. So another lesson we learned was the need to write down very carefully what we wanted. It is very easy to get carried away by big ideas and it is important to stay focused on your business objectives.” Now, Wightquote is preparing for a major overhaul of its website which will 26

Hayley and Linda

give it a more functional feel, and make it easier to use, and this revamp is likely to mark the beginning of a new phase in the company’s development. Plans are in place for a major expansion of the Wightquote concept throughout the UK during 2010, and lessons learned on the Island have played a big part in refining those plans. But Linda and Hayley are adamant that this expansion will not be at the expense of the Island’s Wightquote service. “We are proud of what we have achieved, and determined to keep on doing what we can to help make the Island more self-sufficent,” said Linda. “Too many contracts go off Island, and are then sub-contracted back to small traders, many of whom are working for the basic minimum wage. We believe the Island – and particularly the large organisations such as the Council – should be awarding contracts to Island traders.” Hayley, who used to work for Vodafone Corporate, picked up the theme: “It would help if bigger contracts could be broken down into smaller components to make it easier for Island businesses to compete. Some take the view that small traders should form a consortium to bid, but all it takes is one member to walk away and the whole structure collapses. “It might mean people thinking differently, but we think it is worth asking whether all Island contracts should stipulate Island labour. It is not easy for self-employed people to find work and anything that improves the situation must be welcomed.” Wightquote provides organisations with a completely free way of advertising work – whether that is a major council contract, or a householder needing a new gate. The company gets its income from the fee it charges traders to register with the site, and stresses that any job – no

matter how small – can be advertised. “We’ve been surprised by the range of quotes people have asked for,” Hayley said. “Requests for delivery of animals has come up quite frequently.” Regular customers include Coastline, who are celebrating 20 years in business, and Wight Energy. Ben Lansley-Brown of Wight Energy, said: “Wightquote has allowed us to access a database of clients within the Island community that we may not have been able to come into contact with.” The company is in little doubt that the Island remains in the grip of a recession, with a number of companies suffering cash flow problems. This obviously has a knock-on effect, and Wightquote’s expansion plans include widening the scope of its service still further to encompass sectors such as the weddings services industry. “Times are tough for just about everyone,” said Linda. “But we want to keep growing the concept. Our hope and expectation is that the recession will ease and that there will be more investment on the Island. “Perhaps businesses could themselves think about using Wightquote to get free quotes for goods and services, as well as giving traders star ratings. In the meantime, we are keeping on our toes and looking for new opportunities.” Wightquote has created something new and is now ready to expand, despite or because of the recession. “2010 will be a massive year for us,” said Linda. “We have already come a long way, and although we disagree sometimes, we have always found a way forward. The next step is a big one, and I’m sure we will face many more challenges. “We hope that in some small way, we might inspire others with the same passion we have to succeed, keep it local, and help each other.” www.wightquote.co.uk

www.islandbusinessonline.co.uk

CHAMBER MATTERS

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR THE ISLE OF WIGHT

Becky Harper

B Chamber People

ecky Harper is probably the best known name at the Isle of Wight Chamber of Commerce, Tourism and Industry – especially among members. Becky, who is celebrating 10 years at the Chamber, is responsible for member communications. She is the person who puts together email and paper bulletins, keeps the Chamber and GoWight websites up to date, and generally acts as the focal point for the organisation’s contact with its membership. In addition, Becky is qualified to deal with export documentation and provides support to all sections of the Chamber Group. It’s a hectic and varied job, and that’s one of the reasons she enjoys it so much.“The Chamber has grown so much

over the last 10 years,” she said. “My job has grown with it, and it’s great to see that as our benefits and activities have expanded, the membership has grown too.” Becky was born and bred on the Island, and took up a part-time job with the former Isle of Wight Development Board when her two children started school. She then transferred to the new Training and Enterprise Council, then the IW Partnership, and moved to the Chamber when it became a separate organisation in the year 2000, starting as a Lottery Assistant. Now she is the Chamber’s Marketing and Membership Co-ordinator – and more than happy about the fact that everyone knows her name!

100 years young A suitable setting for the Chamber’s centenary lunch

Celebration cake

embers and guests gathered at Albert Cottage, East Cowes, last month to celebrate the Isle of Wight Chamber of Commerce, Tourism and Industry’s centenary. The Chamber was founded at a meeting in Newport on 4 March, 1910, and the Chamber Chairman, John Owen, said the Island’s commercial heart was still beating strong. Steve Porter, President, and Kevin 28

Smith, Chief Executive, honoured Island firms with a series of awards based on time served. These were: Gold – Morey’s, Dabells Furnishings, Minghella Ice Cream, Southern Vectis, GKN, and Eldridge Solicitors. Platinum – Bright Brown. Founders – Lord Lieutenancy, Isle of Wight County Press, Harrison Black, Ryde Town Council, the Isle of Wight Council, Isle of Wight MP, and Newport Parish Council.

Special guests at the event

Guests also enjoyed a cake baked to mark the centenary, and were reminded of some highlights of the Chamber’s 100 year history.

CHAMBER MATTERS

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR THE ISLE OF WIGHT

The Isle of Wight Chamber of Commerce, Tourism and Industry, which is celebrating its centenary this year, has set out the 10 key points which add up to a compelling argument for signing up for membership.

EVENTS

The 10 great reasons for joining are: • To raise business profile: automatic entry in our Business Directory, which is published annually and available on the Chamber website, and an electronic directory which provides the option of entering an extended business description for free, with direct links to your own website. • To get your story heard: news stories about your business may be covered in Island Business Magazine. • To bring in new business: use the Chamber network to offer member to member discounts, take advantage of discounted advertising rates and promote your business at networking events. Chamber Events =

Other Events =

1 April Michelangelo's, Ryde Chamber event, price tbc, 1830-2100 • chamber@iwchamber.co.uk

Check our online calendar at www.islandbusinessonline.co.uk for details of all business events

9 April Welcome All - one day course Venue tbc • Call Tourism South East 02380 625533

• To access information on other businesses: through the Chamber website www.iwchamber.co.uk, plus the Chamber can also produce labels for mailouts at very affordable prices. • To voice your concerns and get them heard: the Chamber represents Island business on a local, national, and international level and is the independent lobby group. The Chamber is "the voice of business" with Local Authorities, Regional and Central Government. • To receive exclusive membership benefits: including discounted prices for events and members only events. • To meet like minded people and those with influence at the many varied

Must be pre-booked =

•

www.iwchamber.co.uk chamber@iwchamber.co.uk 22 April Green Advantage Brading Roman Villa Call Tourism South East on 02380 625533. •

22 April Rural business training day Cowes Yacht Haven’s Events Centre. 13 April Success with a Farm Shop Call Karen Smith on 01983 741489. • 0930-1630 IWEP offices, Innovation Centre, St. Cross 27 April Business Park, Newport Improving Promotional South East Food Group Materials Partnership, call 023 9245 0930-1630, Innovation 2288. • Centre, St. Cross Business Park, Newport 14 April Welcome Host - customer South East Food Group Partnership, call 023 9245 service course 2288. • Brading Roman Villa Call Tourism South East 28 April 02380 625533 • How to build and protect a brand 20 April Free seminar at the Rose Curry & Quiz at The Bowl, West End, Windmill, Bembridge Chamber event, 1830-2100, Southampton Solent Innovation and £6.95 per person • Growth, Call Katy Patterson chamber@iwchamber.co.uk 01489 889 882. • 21 April 28 April Top Secret Challenge Welcome Host Plus -– Grand Final customer service course Young Chamber event

Priory Bay Hotel Call Tourism South East on 02380 625533. • 4 May Evening at The Blacksmiths Chamber event, price tbc, 1830-2100 • chamber@iwchamber.co.uk 6 May Young Chamber Awards Evening Young Chamber event • www.iwchamber.co.uk 14 May Chamber Golf Day Sandown & Shanklin Golf Club • chamber@iwchamber.co.uk 15 May The Newport Riverfest Celebrating the heritage, community, businesses, and wildlife associated with the historic Medina River Contact the Footprint Trust on 01983 822282. • 18 May Steak Sizzler Special at The Horse and Groom Chamber event, 1830-2100, £7 per person • chamber@iwchamber.co.uk

networking events held throughout the year. • To be first to benefit from the Chamber’s excellent range of subsidised business support services and other information which could influence the future development of your business. • To show your commitment to the local community: the membership fee is a small amount compared to the benefits of showing your commitment and getting involved in the business community. • To reap returns from low membership fee rates: fees start from just over £100, and it is easy to join online, or you can call the Chamber office and a representative will pay you a visit and explain all the benefits. For more information, contact Kerstine Andrews on 01983 520777 or email her on: kerstine.andrews@iwchamber.co.uk

Is your business plan up to date?

ou MOT your car, but how often do you put your business through a comprehensive assessment to check which areas are running smoothly, and which issues need attention? Bouncing ideas around with a professional, qualified, and impartial Business Link Adviser and firming up goals, are just two of the benefits of giving your company a free Business Review ‘health check’. “It’s really helpful to discuss my plans and confirm my thoughts with Business Link," said Steven Marsh, who runs Sandown-based TJ’s Exercise Company. "My Business Adviser is a great sounding board. Being able to discuss your plans with an impartial person is invaluable.” Business Reviews take place in a Business Link office, your business premises, or partner offices such as local libraries and Council offices. The meeting allows you time to take an in-depth look at the company’s operations and, with a Business Link Adviser, to produce a comprehensive business action plan which focuses on practical measures and ideas designed to improve its performance. To book your Business Review, call 0845 600 9006.

CHAMBER MATTERS

APRIL 2010

The write thing to do

oan Ellis aims to make sure that Island businesses are never lost for words. After 30 years as a copywriter with top advertising agencies, she is now offering her skills to businesses looking to sharpen up their communication with customers. And that doesn’t just mean writing advertisements, fliers, and brochures. Joan, who lectures in advertising and public relations at Bournemouth University, also offers training to companies and individuals keen to develop their skills. For more info: joan@joanellis.wanadoo.co.uk.

Very presentable

new Island business is aiming to eradicate the dreaded seminar disease, ‘death by Powerpoint’… Marion Ahmed’s company, Seastone Presentations, was established six months ago with the mission to improve the quality of presentations – whether at events, conferences, internal meetings, or even job interviews. Marion has 14 years experience of preparing pitch documents and presentations for investment banks, and says that too many people treat presentation materials as an afterthought.

“We’re all familiar with that sense of dread when someone stands up at a conference or meeting with a thick wad of notes and Powerpoint slides crammed with information, which they then read out word for word,” she said. “My business specialises in taking the client’s ideas and translating them into a visually stunning presentation which successfully communicates the message.” Marion, who is based in Ryde, has discovered that it is not just companies that need support – customers also include job candidates who have to make a presentation as part of their interview. “Everyone who has used me to prepare their presentation has got the job,” said Marion. For more information, call 01983 613123 or visit www.seastonepresentations.com.

NEW MEMBERS Reporting ltd 01983 824103 iwilliams@reporting.co.uk www.reporting.co.uk First Floor 62 High Street Newport Isle of Wight PO30 1BA Energy Performance Certificates provided for domestic, commercial and new build properties. Also advice, floorplans & general building survey services. Isle of Wight Group Ltd 01983 857711 towerhouse@zigzagroad.co.uk www.thewightcycle.com Tower House Ventnor Isle of Wight PO30 3DL Cycle Hire & Holiday Accommodation. Agrilogs Ltd 01983 242121 info@strawlogs.co.uk www.strawlogs.co.uk Broadfields Chapel lane Merstone Isle of Wight PO30 3DA Manufacture & retail of Fuel Britannia Straw Logs for distribution to home and businesses throughout the UK. Wight Hols 01983 740717 vanessa@wighthols.co.uk www.wighthols.co.uk Bowness Moortown lane Brighstone Isle of Wight PO30 4AN

Isle of Wight Holiday Accommodation Situated in the beautiful quiet rural countryside of Brighstone village, the Carriers Stable is also an ideal location surrounded by forest, downs, fields, sea and good beaches on edge of village with own drive and parking. S&S Marine Ltd 01983 290777 dstuartgough@gmail.com www.passportyachts.eut Unit D Shephards Wharf Marina Cowes Isle of Wight PO31 7HT Builders & Importers of luxury semi-custom yachts. Thorncross Farm 01983 740291 jbrianrussell2@tiscali.co.uk www.thorncross-holidaylettings.co.uk Brighstone Newport Isle of Wight PO30 4PN Accommodation, two self catering units. Mottistone Manor Farmhouse 01983 740207 www.bolthols.co.uk yvonne@bolthole.co.uk Mottistone Isle of Wight PO30 4ED Tranquil 4* B&B in beautiful surroundings, surrounded by a rural landscape between hillsides and seashore in picturesque hamlet of Mottistone.

Saltrock Café and Wine Bar lorraine.redstone@talktalk.net 9 Pier Street Sandown Isle of Wight PO36 8TD Café and Wine Bar serving breakfasts, lunches and evening meals. Island Garden Services 01983 530242 info@islandgardenservices.com www.islandgardenservices.com 37 Long Lane Newport Isle of Wight PO30 2NH Property maintenance services for residential and commercial applications. Nisha Pillai 01983 618654 nisha@nishapillaii.com www.nishapillai.com 26 Horestone Rise Seaview Isle of Wight PO34 5DB Presentation skills training.. Propeller Inn 01983 873611 hblake39@hotmail.com Sandown Road Bembridge Isle of Wight PO35 5PW Pub and Restaurant with airport views, garden with large car park. Home cooked food and real ales. Private function room available. Newport Quay Hotel 01983 528544 frogeye27@yahoo.co.uk www.newportquayhotel.co.uk 41 Quay Street Newport Isle of Wight PO30 5BA

Read Isle of Wight Chamber of Commerce news on www.islandbusinessonline.co.uk

Guest House, Bed and Breakfast, 4 Star Silver Award. Free Wi-Fi or wired broadband. Prices inclusive of VAT and full English breakfast using locally sourced fresh Island produce. Andy Reynolds Plumbing and Heating 07734 106805 areynoldsplumbing@yahoo.co. uk 19 Worsley Road Gurnard Isle of Wight PO31 8JW Plumbing and Heating. Gas Safety Registered. Domestic plumbing including fittings, boiler servicing and repairs. Duke of York Inn 01983 295171 bookings@dukeofyorkcowes.co .uk www.dukeofyorkcowes.co.uk Mill Hill Road Cowes Isle of Wight PO31 7BT Family Run Inn, Restaurant, Letting Rooms, and Bar. Crab and Lobster Inn 01983 872244 info@crabandlobsterinn.co.uk www.crabandlobsterinn.co.uk Forelands Field Road Bembridge Isle of Wight PO35 5TR Awarded "Isle of Wight Dining Pub of The Year 2010" by the Good Pub Guide. Enjoying a superb coastal location with unequalled sea views over Bembridge Ledge on the Isle of Wight. Tourist Network 02380 580106 holly@tour-net.co.uk

www.tour-net.co.uk Unit H, Griffin Industrial Park Southampton Hants SO40 3SH A video production and distribution network accessing over 35 million visitors. We provide high quality videos for GoWight. Premier Separator Services Ltd 01983 875916 info@premiersepservices.com www.premiersepservices.com 2 Nansen Close Bembridge Isle of Wight PO35 5QD Marine spare parts.

Laser Tech 0845 8677047 alex@lasertech-UK.com www.lasertech-UK.com 55 High Park Road Ryde Isle of Wight PO33 1BX Event production, laser displays, laser & video advertising and big screen TVs. Bluebells at Briddlesford 01983 884650 louisegriffin2@tiscali.co.uk www.briddlesfordlodgefarm.co. uk Briddlesford Lodge Farm Briddlesford Road Wootton Isle of Wight PO33 4RY Dairy farm, farm shop, café and education centre. Also process milk to sell in the shop & cafe & offer Bed and Breakfast in the farmhouse.

Our Classified section is the perfect place to advertise your products and services. It's also incredibly cost-effective with a classified ad costing from just £8 per column centimetre. Call 01983 245505 to book your classified advert.

BUSINESS UTILITIES

CLASSIFIEDS

GRAPHIC DESIGN AND WEB APPLICATIONS

Graphic Design & Web Development Web development, SEO, branding, e-marketing and design for print.

Tel: 01983 241615 www.boxstuff.com

COMMERCIAL PROPERTY

EMAIL MARKETING

Stable Creative Targeted email marketing campaigns, mailing lists and database development. hello@stablecreative.co.uk www.stablecreative.co.uk 01983 840 072 HOTELS Curraghmore Hotel 22 Hope Road, Shanklin Isle of Wight PO37 6EA Tel. 01983 862605 info@curraghmorehotel.co.uk www.curraghmorehotel.co.uk 10% discount for Chamber members.

ICT Open Sauce Systems Ltd. Low cost, flexible phone systems and servers. Ideal for new businesses. 01983 220028 www.opensaucesystems.com

POWERPOINT PRESENTATIONS Do you need a PowerPoint presentation? • Don’t have the time? • Don’t know how? • Late for your deadline? • Don’t know who to call? One-to-one personalised service, ensuring your PowerPoint slides are stylish, clear, and exactly meet your needs. Sea Stone Presentations Perfect presentations every time Call today: 01983 613123 or 0771 876 388 www.seastonepresentations.com

Commercial property? We can help you. Commercial friendly service local knowledge

www.hose-rhodes-dickson.co.uk

01983527727

CREDIT FLOW / CASH FLOW MANAGEMENT

TRAINING Creedence Training Academy & Consultancy Freshwater, Isle of Wight

info@creedencetraining.co.uk www.creedencetraining.co.uk 01983 759213

TRANSPORT AND STORAGE SOLUTIONS

Warehouse and logistics services • Freight consolidation • Shipping to and from IoW • Long and short term warehousing solutions • Pick and pack/order fulfilment services. • Container loading/devanning. • Project shipping – on/off IoW.

Advertise here from £8.00 www.islandbusinessonline.co.uk

Tel: 023 8062 3777 Email: sales@syksolutions.com www.syksolutions.com 31

CHANGING TIMES

REALLYUSEFULBUSINESSSTUFF

THE BACK PAGE Our RUBS section is where we pass on stuff we come across that we think is really useful – it does what it says on the tin! If you have a tip that you think is really useful let us know and we'll share it here. Create a free website for your business in just 20 minutes Getting British Business Online (GBBO) is a joint initiative by Google, Enterprise UK, BT, and e-Skills UK to help small businesses create their first websites and help them understand the opportunities offered by the internet. The campaign has set a target of helping 100,000 UK small businesses get their first websites easily and for free by the end of 2010. Visit www.gbbo.co.uk for further information. Helping businesses go green Green Grants Machine is a free and easy-to-use funding search website with full details on the hundreds of grants, loans, and other funds available to help UK businesses improve environmental performance. This funding can help to develop new eco-friendly products, install more efficient equipment, cut waste and much more; helping to protect the environment, but just as importantly, helping businesses prosper. To check out the Green Grants Machine website go to visit the website: www.greengrantsmachine.co.uk South East Business Portal This portal is designed to allow the Cartoonist: Rupert Besley

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR THE ISLE OF WIGHT

sharing of information about existing contracts (Contract Store) and forthcoming tendering opportunities (Opportunities) across the 74 councils and 9 fire and rescue services of the South East region. The 74 councils collectively spend between £4bn and £4.5bn each year on bought-in goods and services. You are free to browse and use the information without registering or logging in to the portal. If you are using the portal for the first time as a supplier read the supplier guidance notes. www.businessportal.southeastiep.gov.uk Free Business Resources "Get FREE access to a truly awesome gold mine of practical guides specifically developed to help all aspects of your Business!" Stuart Norris, Managing Director, Concentric Publishing Ltd Concentric's Business Resource Library holds over 150 titles covering a comprehensive list of essential business topics prepared to help you run your Business. The Library content is refreshed regularly and the entire contents are reviewed every 6 months. http://concentricpartners.com

Steve Blamire is known as a free-thinking and sometimes radical business consultant who contributes innovation and an inventive flair. In Steve’s monthly column, here and on Island Business Online, he’ll be musing on a wide range of subjects. Contact Steve at steve@steveblamire.co.uk

This month, Steve considers design and lateral thinking. Diamond Shreddies anyone?

he recession has at least been good for one thing – design. In 2007, when Damien Hirst unveiled his diamond-encrusted skull, I remember commenting to a friend that the world really has gone bonkers and we are soon going to get a big wake-up call. And twelve months later that came. The noughties as they have become collectively known were a product of the great work of the nineties, a time of great leaps forward in terms of the way we designed and engaged with the world. The fruits of all that hard work led to a decade where we didn’t really have to try, we simply designed products and services, slapped a (at times extortionate) price-tag on them and tossed them out into the market with an arrogance that we knew they would sell. It was a world of form vs. form. Whether it was architecture, industrial, interior, graphic, furniture, web, or social they all suffered varying degrees of overindulgence. And although the noughties were one of the most extreme environments of overexcess they are not alone, as the same process can be seen back throughout the centuries, and each time we have responded by going back to basics, starting afresh from our core values. In the world of design there are three basic categories of designer, those who design purely to generate profit, generally anything that is aimed at generating perceived value. Then there are those who design to impress their industry peers, think of Philippe Starck’s beautifully formed but dysfunctional Juicy Salif.

And finally there are those who design to support the enhancement of the human experience and James Dyson is probably a good example of someone in this bracket. Whatever camp or camps, as I think we all exhibit traits from all three in varying degrees, you are most closely aligned to, the most fundamental process is lateral thinking, and when applied cleverly to any design process the results can be simply outstanding. A great example of this can be seen in the diamond-shaped Shreddies product concept (think about it), devised by a 26 yearold intern and heralded as a brand-saving moment, but which only involved repackaging the existing product. What made it special was that at the same time it was parodying the whole nature of the profit-centric design camp. So the new decade offers us a major opportunity to look inwards at the goods and services we produce, go back to basics and rethink why we are producing them. Is what I produce what the market really wants? Is there a way that I could revamp my product or service? Do I really want to simply produce something that is limited to the profit it generates? Am I adding value to the human experience? Which camp do I actually sit in and what can I do to change that? With these questions in mind it’s a time for a little springcleaning and a dusting of lateral thinking, opportunities such as these only occur at the beginning of a new cycle so what will your ‘Shreddies’ moment be?

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ISLAND TRAINING IS A NEW TRAINING PROVIDER FORMED FROM THE MERGER OF ISLE OF WIGHT INDUSTRIAL GROUP TRAINING SERVICES (IWIGTS), THE ISLE OF WIGHT COLLEGE’S BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT UNIT AND WORK-BASED LEARNING TEAM.