unLTD. Connecting business across Sheffield City Region #55

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36: SOUTH YORKSHIRE VS THE WORLD

6-10: AGENDA

All the latest business news, including the closure of Doncaster Sheffield Airport and reaction to the Chancellor’s mini-budget.

13-15: APPOINTMENTS

New managing directors for Evoluted, plus the latest career moves around the region.

52: MARKETING SOUTH YORKSHIRE

Jen Beal from HRM PR & Creative, along with others from creative agencies across the area, explains how our businesses can shout louder about the amazing work they do.

We all know that South Yorkshire is a great place to live, work and do business, but what has been amazing to see is that so many other people know it too.

DESIGN

58: THE PATH TO A BETTER SOUTH YORKSHIRE

Matt Bowker from Coda and David Cross from Sky-House discuss the future of the region.

76: HAVE LUNCH WITH AARON PROBERT

unLTD’s Brogan Maguire sits down for lunch with the founder of Labre’s Hope, the skincare company with a difference.

This month we’ve been speaking to some of the South Yorkshire businesses who are putting our region on the map, with impressive international sales, instantly recognisable brands and globalreaching products.

From creating the subtitles for Netflix to producing the taste of Sheffield in a bottle, our businesses are absolutely smashing it on the global stage.

In true Yorkshire style, we’re not always the best at shouting about our successes, but we absolutely should be!

So, we asked some of the top PR, marketing and creative agencies in the region to give us their tips on how we can be louder about how great we are.

Being modest may be part of our charm, but that doesn’t mean we can’t celebrate our wins!

Andrew Rowley

Jackie Cook

Jo Davison

Matt Holmes

Alice Hughes

Georgina Kerr

Laver

Sam Leeder

Brogan Maguire

James Marriott

Wendy Ward

Williams

unLTD is published monthly by Blind Mice Media Ltd

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HRM PR | Creative Unit 1A Speedwell Works, Sidney Street, Sheffield S1

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Agenda

SPECIALIST DIGITAL TRAINING COMPANY SECURES NORTHERN POWERHOUSE FUNDING TO HELP TECH CAREERS

A specialist training company is helping businesses in the digital sector to overcome the abundance of software engineering vacancies in the region after securing a £75,000 loan from the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund (NPIF) in partnership with Finance For Enterprise (FFE) and Business Enterprise Fund (BEF).

Founded in 2019, The Developer Academy aim to connect businesses with talented candidates to fill computer programming vacancies. Ben spent time

talking to employers and developed a series of courses that aimed to equip candidates with technical knowledge and vital problemsolving skills needed to succeed in the industry.

Working with business lending manager Jeremy Meadowcroft, company founder, Ben Atha, has secured £75,000. With this in place, Ben plans to expand the number of courses

offered by the academy, which are designed to help individuals learn how to code and prepare for future careers in software development and data science.

Designed to support students with no prior experience in coding, The Academy has successfully helped over 300 individuals build careers in tech. Ben’s formula proved to be an instant success and not only supports privately funded students but delivers a range of courses on behalf of the Department for Education, Sheffield City Council and Sheffield College.

DONCASTER SHEFFIELD AIRPORT IS SET TO CLOSE

Doncaster Sheffield Airport is set to close despite the offer of a financial lifeline.

It comes after leaders from across South Yorkshire offered public money to fund the airport into 2023.

Owners of the airport, Peel Group, have now said there is a “fundamental lack of financial viability” and that services will be wound down from October 31.

developed an extremely generous deal that would have covered DSA’s losses until October 2023 and supported Peel to develop Gateway East. Regrettably, in an ill-considered move that will dismay many in the business community, this proposal has been rejected.

KRS Training, a sub-organisation of KRS Education that works with vulnerable children and adults, is teaming up with the South Yorkshire Violence Reduction Unit and Excel Martial Arts to help reduce the chance of violence against women.

There were over 34,000 Domestic Abuse related incidents and crimes recorded by the police in South Yorkshire in the year ending March 2020.

As a result of this, over the next six months, KRS Education and Training will be delivering a series of free self-defence classes aimed at helping vulnerable women to be able to protect themselves.

The initiative, which will be free to access, and is aimed at victims of crime, vulnerable groups and women working in high-risk jobs.

Doncaster Chamber, one of the organisations campaigning against the closure, responded to the announcement.

Dan Fell, chief executive of the Chamber, said: “We are very disappointed to learn that Peel Group has chosen to reject the region’s generous offer regarding Doncaster Sheffield Airport. In good faith, partners from the local authority, the business community and national government have all been working tirelessly to preserve DSA’s future. Together, the various parties involved

“The importance of having a successful airport in the region cannot be overstated. After all, it is critical to our Strategic Economic Plan and has a major impact on the health of our GVA and job market. Indeed, our recent economic impact report estimated that the airport could be worth £110 million per annum to the regional economy.

“Whilst this is a major blow for the economy and, undoubtedly a very bad day for South Yorkshire, I would like to reiterate that other economic opportunities for Doncaster and the region remain. Doncaster has bounced back before and will do so again.”

As the Government announces plans to roll out self-driving vehicles on UK roads by 2025, new research by Sheffield Hallam University suggests local policymakers need to be supported to engage with the technology to shape how it will affect their communities.

Research by Professor Ed Ferrari and Dr Stephen Parkes from the University’s Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research (CRESR) found that regional policymakers not involved in current trials were unlikely to engage with

the technology due to a lack of resources and uncertainty about timescales around rollout.

However, they argue that local decision-makers must now be engaged to plan for the potential mass adoption of CAVs, and what it will mean for communities, rather than have it imposed on them by the central government.

Self-driving and autonomous vehicle technology has been in development for several years, with dozens of companies developing vehicles worldwide.

New team members boost strategy for Simoda

HEALTHCARE COMPANY B. BRAUN LAUNCHES PROGRAMME TO PRIORITISE WOMEN’S HEALTH IN THE WORKPLACE

Tailored packages of support – from workshops to an online resource hub – are being spearheaded by a newly formed women’s health and menopause working group.

Developing and delivering dedicated guidance, education and support to managers and individual staff members, menopause workshops are being offered to staff which shed light on the powerful impact menopausal hormonal changes can have on women physically, mentally and emotionally.

As Sheffield IT service and support provider, Simoda continues to develop its hugely successful ‘technology first’ strategy, an initiative that ditches the traditional sales approach for a focus on finding and delivering the right technology to solve issues, MD Dan Bumby has welcomed six new team members into the fold.

Daniel said: “I am really pleased to add more people to our fantastic team. Providing the knowledge and skills to help our customers solve issues, address challenges or achieve objectives is critical to our success.

“We have welcomed Luke Smith, Michael Boot and Joe Barnsley into our IT service delivery team, who are responsible for the onsite delivery of our structured cabling, CCTV, wireless and door access systems projects.

“Chris Ash joins as our solutions specialist and will be designing and building infrastructure solutions for our customers.

“Ross Hasman joins our commercial team as business development manager. And finally, Daniel Hart has joined our IT service desk on the apprentice scheme run by Baltic.”

Sam Langford, health and wellbeing advisor and working group member, said: “After running several health and wellbeing drop-ins, there was an overwhelming unmet need from female and non-binary staff members to talk about menopause and the symptoms they were dealing with in the workplace.

“We found a general lack of awareness about what menopause is and even some women experiencing symptoms didn’t know what was causing them and so didn’t know where to go for support.”

Jodie Hall, employee engagement manager, said: “We found this particularly important for our younger colleagues and younger male colleagues who may not know as much as they would like to about issues such as menopause.”

Towns and cities must be better supported to prepare for the rollout of driverless vehicles

Agenda

Measures to reduce business costs welcome, but questions remain about the overall impact of tax changes on the economy

Responding to the Chancellor’s mini-budget, the CEOs of Barnsley & Rotherham, Doncaster and Sheffield Chambers of Commerce said in a joint statement:

“South Yorkshire businesses share the ambition of the Chancellor to raise the UK’s economic game. At a time when so many face rising energy costs and workforce shortages, bold reforms to remove barriers to investment are an economic necessity. The wealth to fund better public services must be generated by businesses. Today was an important first step towards a more comprehensive strategy for growth.

“The most important measure was the confirmation of the energy support package for business. As in the pandemic, it’s right to start out with a broad-based, time-limited package with maximum reach. If the circumstances demand it, this can and should be evolved down the line into more focused, longer-term support, such as for the many energy-intensive businesses based here.

“Reversing the increase in national insurance shows the government has listened to the Chamber network and we welcome the boost it will give to business cashflow as firms struggle with rising costs. Scrapping the planned rise in corporation tax was also important. Had it gone ahead, South Yorkshire firms would have faced a tax rate higher than the EU and global averages, and the new rate for the US. Keeping it internationally competitive is crucial for inward investment to our region.

“Ultimately, nothing matters so much to economic growth as the economic backdrop to business decisions. Businesses may welcome individual measures announced today but many will have concerns about the scale of the borrowing needed to finance them. There are risks to inflation from a weaker Pound, and to the cost of capital from rising interest rates. The Government must stand ready to respond to these with more support for business if economic circumstances become more challenging.”

The cost-of-living crisis

The cost-of-living crisis has been a mainstay on the news agenda since 2021, with energy bills and inflation making it increasingly more difficult for households and companies to keep up with everyday costs. In July 2022, the UK’s annual inflation rate was the highest it has been since 1982.

With these changes impacting such a large proportion of the population, we reached out to individuals and businesses across the local region and beyond to explore their thoughts on the situation.

Kathryn Gilbert, head of HR services at Bhayani HR & Employment Law, said: “We have found that the cost-ofliving crisis has been hitting our clients hard, especially the ones where there are higher levels of staff needed for comparatively low spending per head such as hospitality and retail.

“The labour cost, taken alongside the increases in energy prices, is making it more and more difficult for them to trade. As the crisis gets worse, the public are going to be looking to tighten their belts with non-essential spending taking less priority and so we expect the trading conditions for some sectors to only become worse which, as a knock-on effect, may make redundancies necessary. To protect themselves, businesses should take early advice on their options and look at ways to reduce their risks and avoid costly tribunal claims.”

The cost-of-living crisis is having a profound effect on businesses. SMEs, alongside consumers, are the first to experience the detrimental influence of rising costs.

Grow Funding is working closely with accountants, bank managers and business recovery professionals, aiding their clients in the region with a broker/consultant hybrid approach, providing the crucial support necessary to their clientele during the turbulent economic times. South Yorkshire was once one of the key economy contributors, however now, suffering from a significant lack of investment, the effect is being felt across many industries. The announcement of the “mini budget” introduced by the government on the 23/9/22 created a catastrophic impact in the markets, causing sterling to drop to a record low. As a company, we are taking immediate action, that is underpinned by the resilience of companies and entrepreneurs in the area that will prevail as they have proven to do so during the pandemic.

Jill Thomas, managing director of Future Life Wealth Management, added: “During my professional career, I’ve worked through several recessions. And if there’s one thing that I’ve learned professionally from these experiences, it’s imperative to look to the future and consistently plan and reassess in order to gain in the most appropriate way going forward. What’s more – and this is going to be the most difficult part – it’s essential for us all to muster as much positivity and offer support to those around us when they need help.

“I’m not inferring for a single moment that a naïve or ‘head in sand’ approach should be adopted to everything that’s unravelling. But it’s now more important than ever for the future wellbeing of ‘UK plc’ that we don’t talk ourselves into an even deeper recession than the one that’s already been forecast by the Bank of England. Regardless of the sector they operate in, companies must adhere rigorously to their business plans and – similarlyinvestors must also stick to their ongoing investment strategies.”

During my professional career, I’ve worked through several recessions. And if there’s one thing that I’ve learned professionally from these experiences, it’s imperative to look to the future and consistently plan and reassess in order to gain in the most appropriate way going forward

Agenda

Mini-budget and Stamp Duty Cuts

Friday September 23 brought us a mini-budget from Chancellor of the Exchequer, Kwasi Kwarteng introducing a range of measures affecting the UK economy, including cuts to both Stamp Duty and tax.

During the mini-budget the Stamp Duty threshold was permanently raised from £125,000 to £250,000, potentially saving buyers thousands on their purchases. First-time buyers can also now buy a home worth up to £625,000 and not pay any Stamp Duty on the first £425,000. With this cut, 33 per cent of homes are now exempt from Stamp Duty for all buyers.

Conveyancing partner at Taylor Emmet, Neil Riley, offered his advice on the announced Stamp Duty cuts. He said: “Whilst the property market has been fairly resilient over recent months, this reduction in stamp duty, as well as the broader tax-cutting measures announced by the government, could help to offset some of the headwinds the economy is facing in the coming months and avoid any slowdown in the property market.

“With the cost-of-living crisis and higher interest rates affecting mortgage costs, the reduction in stamp duty will be welcome news to many buyers and will help to reduce the cost of moving home and keep people and the property market

moving over the coming months.

“Stamp Duty can be a barrier to property transactions and people moving house, so these measures may encourage more people to move, especially when one of the biggest problems at the moment is the lack of property on the market.”

Alongside the changes to Stamp Duty, the mini-budget also introduced cuts to the basic rate of income tax from April, down to 19 per cent. The planned rise in corporation tax has also been cancelled and will be remaining at 19 per cent. All of the measures announced in the mini-budget are part of the Conservatives’ plan to promote growth within the economy, with an aim of 2.5 per cent growth. In the Chancellor’s budget announcement, he said: “We want businesses to invest in the UK, we want the brightest and the best to

work here and we want better living standards for everyone.”

However, the budget cuts have not come without warnings from the global community. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) said that they are “closely monitoring the developments in the UK” following the drop in the price of sterling since the announcement.

The Government has also confirmed that it is taking part in conversations with local authorities across the country, including South Yorkshire, to coordinate the set-up of specific investment sites within the areas. The purpose of the sites is to encourage growth within the areas, including investment in shopping centres, restaurants and apartments. So far we are still waiting for the reveal of where the investment site for South Yorkshire will be.

SHEFFIELD BUSINESS AWARDS 2022

The countdown is on for the Sheffield Business Awards 2022, with applications closing on October 10 and the ceremony taking place in December.

This year’s awards will be held at Peddler Warehouse in Neepsend, with hundreds of people coming together to celebrate the very best in Sheffield business.

And the exciting evening is set to be hosted by none other than Steel City comedian Tom Wrigglesworth.

Tom, who has spent the last few years at home raising his four-year-old twins, told unLTD he was thrilled to be back in the swing of things.

He said: “The Sheffield Business Awards 2022 will be one of my first big events since the kids have gone to school and I can’t wait to be out and about mingling with so many fantastic people again.

“I love being on stage and I love getting to – hopefully – make lots of people laugh, so it’s going to be a great evening.”

After moving away for a number of years, Tom and his family are now back living in Sheffield.

He added: “It’s so great to be back in the city I grew up in and to be able to come and celebrate all the brilliant businesses and individuals here. These events are vital to keeping our spirits high and our economies buoyant.

“We need to shout about all these amazing people and companies on our doorstep and champion them every

step of the way. We’ve always been an industrial city and even though industries have changed, our fighting spirit and dedicated and talented individuals never have.

“What better way to celebrate than a big party? I’ve even been told that I’m ‘actually quite funny’, which is a pretty big compliment in Sheffield!”

This year, three new categories have been announced in a bid to make the awards as inclusive and diverse as possible.

These include the Cultural Vibrancy award, the High Street Hero award and the Best Entrepreneur award.

While the High Street Hero award seeks to recognise an independent retail, hospitality or leisure business that is playing a vital role in supporting the high street experience in Sheffield, the Cultural Vibrancy award recognises an individual, business, organisation, community group, or initiative that has made a significant impact on Sheffield through arts, culture or events, and the Best Entrepreneur award recognises enterprising and visionary individuals who are making waves in their industry and achieving high levels of commercial success through a culture of innovation and inspirational leadership.

The application portal has also been updated, making it easier than ever to submit your application.

Full criteria for each category are available online and shortlists will be announced in November.

AWARD SPONSORS

GLU RECRUIT ANNOUNCE THEIR FIFTH OFFICE HEROES EVENT

A look back at last year’s winner

We’re all still feeling the effects of the pandemic and now the costof-living crisis too. It’s now more important than ever to celebrate our employees and that’s where Glu Recruit’s Office Heroes event comes into play.

Office Heroes was created by Glu Recruit to celebrate employees who are the shining stars of the business they work for. We’re encouraging people to nominate those who have gone the extra mile.

What’s great about Office Heroes is that it’s not all about who’s done the most sales, smashed the most targets or what job title they have, it’s about the human side to the workplace.

What’s in store at this year’s awards?

As we enter the fifth year of the awards, Glu Recruit have teamed up with unLTD once again to celebrate the region’s unsung

heroes. The event will take place at the Leopold Hotel in Sheffield on Friday, December 2.

We’ve gathered a panel of incredible judges who will be narrowing the nominations down to 10 finalists. We will then be inviting these 10 finalists and their nominees to join us for an afternoon of magic, drinks, food and celebrations! As ever, some fantastic prizes will also be up for grabs.

Nominate your Office Hero!

If someone in your office deserves a little recognition for the work they do, applications are open from October 3 to November 11 and the form can be found at www.glurecruit.co.uk

Your nomination will be scored out of 20 and we really recommend using at least 250 words for each of your answers to ensure you get the most points possible!

REMEMBER - NOMINATE YOUR OFFICE HERO!

If someone in your office deserves a little recognition, applications are open from October 3 to November 11 and the form can be found at www.glurecruit.co.uk

After pulling in a clean sweep from the judging panel, the top prize was awarded to George Hill for his achievements at Killis Ltd.

George was described as someone who ‘clearly goes above and beyond’ and bagged himself a well-deserved, engraved trophy and £500 of Meadowhall vouchers.

Charlotte Killi, head of sales & events at Killis and nominator of George Hill, said: “George’s official role at Killis is ‘delivery and training specialist’ although he goes above and beyond in this role in so many ways.

“During the height of the pandemic, when times were harder than ever, George volunteered to go and train all the staff at the pop-up Nightingale hospital in the London Excel centre on all the cleaning machines we supplied.

“Nominating George for last year’s Office Heroes was easy and I’m just so thrilled that everyone recognised him as the incredible, respectful, polite and patient person he is.”

George Hill, delivery & training Specialist at Killis Ltd, added: “I feel very humbled that my efforts were noticed by my colleagues at Killis and winning the Office Heroes awards was very moving.”

Rob Shaw, managing director of Glu Recruit, said: “Last year’s Office Heroes event felt really special, especially because we were able to get things back up and running in person.

“George was a well-deserved winner and it was a lovely moment awarding him last year.

“Office Heroes is one of my favourite events as it gives local businesses the chance to celebrate their employees –which is now more important than ever!

“The whole team at Glu are eager to see all the nominations pour in this year and I for one can’t wait to crown someone Office Heroes winner 2022.”

CURRENT VACANCIES

MADE IN

ANNOUNCES APPOINTMENT OF

DIRECTOR

Manufacturing membership organisation Made in Yorkshire has announced ambitious growth plans to double the network in the next 12 months, following a recent senior appointment.

Sam Christmas has been appointed to the role of associate regional director and his remit is to support and deliver value to the existing members and encourage more Yorkshire manufacturers to join the organisation.

Sam joins from the Sheffield Chamber of Commerce and Industry where he was head of events and membership, which has provided Sam with a strong network across industry. Combined with his passion and

experience of supporting business for many years, he is well positioned to support manufacturing and engineering companies across Yorkshire.

Whyy? Change promotes governance director to managing director

Whyy? Change, a leading training and apprenticeship provider in South Yorkshire, has announced the promotion of Emma Harrison to the role of managing director for the company.

Emma receives this promotion having held the position of governance director. As managing director, Emma will be responsible for all things training – including operational performance, customer and learner experience, delivery planning for commercial and apprenticeship training.

RESOLVE APPOINTS

Resolve has appointed Jaime Leigh as business & HR administrator in the week they relocated to a newly renovated office. Responsible for the business facilities, Jaime hit the ground running assisting in the coordination of the office move.

Jaime joins a team of 38 at Resolve, an IT company that provides expert technical support to businesses in South Yorkshire and beyond.

DIGITAL

Sheffield digital agency Evoluted announces key leadership changes as founder and former Managing Director, Ash Young, steps back after a 16-year tenure.

Sam Biggins and Giorgio Cassella, previously technical director and marketing director, take up the positions of joint managing directors as the full-service digital agency restructures to achieve its plans to double in size in the next few years.

BRM APPOINTS TWO NEW REGIONAL HEADS OF REAL ESTATE

Regional law firm BRM has named two new regional heads of real estate to lead the teams at its Sheffield and Chesterfield offices.

Director James Alger has been appointed as head of real estate for BRM’s Sheffield office, with director Sanjeev Batra the new head of real estate at Chesterfield.

Having re-joined BRM in 2019, James Alger is an experienced commercial property lawyer, who has contributed to BRM’s continued growth and success, as well as the business's

enviable reputation.

Sanjeev Batra specialises in acquisitions, sales and leasebacks, disposals, security transactions and landlord and tenant issues, joined BRM in 2012 and is based in the Chesterfield office.

Adrian Sheehan head of real estate at BRM, said: “These are well deserved promotions for two of the most highly regarded Real Estate lawyers in the region. It gives great pride to see them both evolve into market leaders during their time at BRM.”

Brook Corporate Developments are pleased to announce two recent recruits

Bag It Don’t Bin It hires new graduates

Ben Adams and Imogen Marsden have joined the growing Bag It Don’t Bin It (BIDBI) team, which manufactures and prints cotton tote bags,

accessories and homeware for other businesses across the world.

Both were recruited with help from the awardwinning RISE, which works

to connect small and medium-sized businesses across the Sheffield City region with talented graduates from the two Sheffield Universities.

Brook welcomes Chris Brown as business support manager, primarily being customer/ client orientated. Chris is an accomplished manager, having worked with several blue-chip companies.

Chris said: “I’m super excited to play my part in the next chapter of Brook Corporate Developments, by adding bespoke value to our clients and ultimately for Brook to be the preferred partner of choice for business improvement consultancy throughout the Yorkshire Region.”

Richard Graham has a wealth of experience, having worked at some of the region’s leading digital agencies over the last 25 years. Richard will head up Brook’s digital team specialising in SEO, social media and digital marketing.

Richard added: “I’m really looking forward to working with the team, to progress our online visibility across all the main touch points will be a big part of my new role here at Brook.”

Legal Matters

BY SHERELLE O’BRIEN, BELL & BUXTON

CURTIS

LISTEN IN TO THE LEGAL LOWDOWN

Our columnist Sherelle looks at the value of Bell & Buxton legal podcasts

Podcasts are not only a popular form of entertainment, they are also a great way to pick up tips and advice and get answers to current problems or issues.

The Legal Lowdown, a series of podcasts from Bell & Buxton, addresses a range of common legal issues related to both commercial law and private clients.

Our team of lawyers combine research, experience and engaging dialogue to help explain both topical and everyday issues that affect our lives, providing insight and answers to key questions. Life is busy and it’s often difficult to put time aside for research or reading, but podcasts are a convenient and effective way to consume content for those with busy schedules.

The two most recent Legal Lowdown podcasts covered the topic of wills and probate. Something we know we need to look into, but often don’t find time.

Recent research shows 59 per cent of UK adults have not written a will, this equates to around 31 million individuals in the UK who have no control over where their own assets will go when they die. When an individual dies without a valid will in place this is called intestacy. Any assets in that estate will then pass in accordance with a set of rules called the intestacy rules.

More often than not, individuals will have strong

views about where they would like their assets to pass in the event of their death and certainly where they would not want them to go. However, without a valid will in place, you have no control over your estate or who will administer it.

Podcast one explores what intestacy is, effectively dying without a valid will, how an estate passes in an intestacy situation and what you can do to avoid it, while looking at the things to be considered when making a will.

In podcast two we tackle the subject of probate. Unfortunately, it is a common

misconception that you don’t need probate when there is a will. Sadly, this is not the case. A Grant of Probate is a document officially sealed by the Probate Registry confirming an individual’s appointment as an executor of a will and allowing them to collect in the assets in an estate so they can then administer the estate in accordance with the will.

In this podcast, we discuss what the Grant of Probate is and summarise how it is obtained, when and why it is needed and how the process can differ depending on the assets in the estate

and indeed the intended beneficiary.

Listen in to Legal Lowdown for more insightful discussions from our experienced and informed legal team on issues that affect you, your family and your business. Over time we will delve into a range of topics, providing information and useful advice. We look forward to having you join us. For more information on how to access the podcasts please go to our Will and Probate pages on our website: www.bellbuxton.

Personal Development

BY HELEN WILLIAMS, HELPING ENTREPRENEURS WIN

‘SETTING GOALS IS NOT JUST FOR CHRISTMAS…’

Our columnist Helen explains how to make goal setting work for you

Making goals count

Setting goals is a fundamental aspect of a successful business, but how often do we reflect on how we set our goals?

With goal setting comes selfdoubt, fear and of course the pressing issues of reality and time. Considering our goals outside of the boundaries can be difficult to imagine, with achievability being a key factor in choosing how we set objectives and goals.

What would you want to achieve…

• If you knew you weren’t going to fail?

• If no one was watching?

• If there was no limit to your thinking?

• If you had control of everything you needed?

In most instances, the above are hard to grapple with if you’ve been set a target you need to meet. Thinking outside the box whilst maintaining SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely) goal criteria is key in developing goals for efficiency and effect.

Also consider why you want to achieve this particular goal, considering the impact it could have on your project.

• What will achieving the goal mean to you?

• What will it bring to you?

• What impact will it have on you?

Ensuring your heart is in it is a key factor in success. The psychology of goal achievement is an interesting aspect of how to set your goals, where passion and motivation levels surrounding the task can make or break a project.

BY HIGHLANDER'S CHRIS MUSCROFT

THE CFO CHALLENGE

CFOs, finance directors and finance executives continue to be under great pressure to deliver more value to their respective organisations. The ever-growing list of responsibilities are compounded by the fact that business planning and forecasting is essential to future success.

Historically, finance departments focused on data analytics from the past, collating month end reports, analysing previous trends and ensuring cash flow remained positive. Added to this, functional responsibilities, such as operations, HR and IT, often placed a strain on an already overly stretched resource.

Thankfully, modern business systems provide significant automation to allow finance executives to concentrate on future planning. Automated reporting, trend analysis and functional dashboards with real-time business intelligence all enhance the information flow between departments to improve an organisation’s performance.

These systems work best when all operations can be analysed collectively and not in siloed applications. The ability to quickly build reporting structures and KPIs allows the organisation to be agile and adaptable, with trust in the data to support positive change.

With a potential future economic downturn a distinct possibility, this agility provides a competitive edge and

confidence to make important planning decisions.

At Highlander, we utilise Oracle’s NetSuite application to help us make those decisions and we have completed many projects for our clients, implementing the same system. We work with organisations to ensure automation can be reached organisation wide and the finance element is core to that framework.

In the last two years, we’ve completed projects for manufacturing companies, logistics

companies and technology providers to enhance their operations. In each case we’ve ensured the business insights are significantly improved and the management of their internal resources greatly enhanced.

We’ve also spent a lot of time integrating these back-end systems with customer portals, to improve the customer journey for buying goods and services and service statistics for performance reviews. Additionally, we’ve been providing integration and automation with

supply chains, speeding up procurement processes, automating purchase ledgers and reducing manual intervention on returns processes.

Above all, our focus has been to ensure operatives trust their data to be accurate and the finance teams can provide the value add that their organisations demand.

If you would like to hear more about how these systems could work for you organisation, please email enquiries@ highlanderuk.com

Highlander’s Chris Muscroft looks at how digital systems can make life easier for CFOs

Skills Focus

MAKE SKILLS STREET YOUR BUSINESS, URGES THE SOURCE

Traineeship worked for Leon - and The Source

Leon Webster was 17 years old when he left college just months into his course.

His parents were worried about his decision - and Leon was secretly terrified.

“But finding the courage to leave helped me find my way,” he said.

Leon signed up for a traineeship at The Source to reset his life.

An educational training programme with work placement, traineeships last for up to six months. They give people the work skills and experience employers look for and are a great preparation for an apprenticeship.

It worked for Leon.

As he was finishing his traineeship, a digital marketing vacancy arose at The Source. He was offered a trial, which led to a level three digital marketing apprenticeship.

The Source is urging businesses to support a game-changing new scheme to build the region’s future workforces.

The academy is partnering with Britain’s newest theme park, Gulliver’s Valley in Rotherham, and local charity the Work-wise Foundation, to create Skills Street.

Funded with Government Levelling Up money and due to open in 2023 in Waleswood, Skills Street will transform the way the region delivers work placements and training opportunities.

An immersive experience, people from childhood upwards will be able to get hands-on at local businesses with a presence on Skills

Street - be it a bank, shop, office or engineering company - and find out what working life is like there.

The concept was launched to over 200 business leaders and educators at Gulliver’s Valley last month.

Natalie Doherty, The Source’s director of quality, curriculum and innovation, urged companies to welcome the huge opportunities it presents.

“We are proud to partner on Skills Street, a truly collaborative project between business and educators which will enhance work experience, training and education,” she said.

“It will give businesses

an input into the national curriculum, the chance to shape education and training and create a pipeline of employment for South Yorkshire.

“Local people will be able to explore careers with local businesses in a fun and engaging way.

“Together, we can inspire our children and young people, nurture their confidence and enable them to be anything they want to be.

“Companies who are concerned about skills gaps need to get involved now.”

Find out about Skills Street at https://skills-street. co.uk/

SKILLS FOCUS SPONSORED BY THE SOURCE SKILLS ACADEMY

Now 18, he added: “My traineeship taught me a lot and got me into a career I’m perfect for.

“To anyone feeling unhappy or trapped by their educational choices, I’d say don’t be afraid to stand up and say so. College and university aren’t for everyone. You can take a different path to get to the same place - or perhaps an even better one.”

Dale Robinson, director of business development at The Source, said: “I met Leon when he was a trainee and knew he would be a great fit for our marketing team.

“His apprenticeship will teach him many skills which will help us promote our work.”

The Source Skills Academy in Sheffield is passionate about bringing out the best in people. It has been helping businesses to increase the talents of their teams since 2003 and is proud to sponsor Skills Focus, a monthly spotlight on training and apprenticeship news and funding to help you develop your staff.

At the launch - John Barber, Work-wise Foundation, Dale Robinson and Natalie Doherty, The Source; Julie Dalton, Gulliver’s Valley

PLANNING FOR YOUR INHERITANCE TAX

Andy Froggatt looks at how to avoid the pitfalls of Inhertance Tax

After recent events and the coming winter with the massive increases in heating bills, an accountant’s mind wanders into the cheery subject of death and taxes, commonly known as Inheritance Tax planning.

This subject draws two main replies when first discussed with a client.

The first group head towards the “it’s not my problem” thought process that if they aren’t around then they won’t see that 40 per cent of their assets head off to our friends at HMRC.

The second group comprise of the “I’ve paid tax all my life, they can’t have any more/second bite of the cherry” thinking. Some move further into the extrapolation of whether as HMRC have haunted them all their life they could haunt them back in the afterlife. I will leave that thinking to the others more qualified than myself to comment. I will stick to the money.

There are planning opportunities but stage one is fairly simple. Add up the assets owned, knock off the liabilities, knock off £325,000 and then multiply by 40 per cent. That’s the tax at stake. How much work would you like us to do?

For the ‘non-royal’ family members, IHT commences on an estate larger than £325,000 at date of death. Assets transferred less than seven years earlier can also be added into the list of assets to increase the pot

available for HMRC to get their 40 per cent.

Some basic planning points:

• Give away cash. If you live for seven years these fall out of the estate for IHT completely. Be careful giving away other assets as you may make a disposal for Capital Gains Tax purposes. There are reliefs that start after three years

• Use your exemptions, you can make gifts to spouses, there is an annual exemption of £3,000 per year, wedding gifts, gifts to charities (and irritatingly political parties) and small gifts under £250 each

• Make gifts out of income.

So, if Granny has £40,000 of income but spends £20,000 on her usual living costs, this could mean her estate increases by £20,000 per year. But wait, Granny can buy your food or next time you go out for a meal, she can pay. It’s not sponging off her, it is actually valuable IHT planning. A win for all!

• Get married or enter a civil partnership. Transfers between spouses are free of IHT and CGT, if the unused part of the £325,000 allowance can also be transferred to your spouse but this could be regarded as extreme planning

• Use the Residential Nil Rate Band. If you leave your home to a direct

descendant (child or grandchild) this is an extra £175,000 allowance. If the property transfers to a spouse they can get an extra £175,000 allowance.

A very brief introduction to the complications of Inheritance Tax, it is important that advice is sought. A will from a solicitor (sort out your Lasting Powers of Attorney at the same time) and advice from your accountant can save significant tax and stress for your family and friends.

I can also confirm, despite the tone of the article, we can offer tactful as well as tax efficient Inheritance Tax advice so call us now for a chat.

BY SAM LEEDER, OWNER OF ACTUS INSURANCE

TO GUARD AGAINST BAD DEBTS

In a post-COVID-19 world we have seen many things return to something resembling normal – overall, business levels have returned to pre-pandemic levels and generally things feel busy out there when I’m seeing customers.

The flip side to this, however, is the economic uncertainty caused by global events and high inflation: it does feel like the bubble could be about to burst!

In my experience many businesses live with a few bad debts every year, but what happens when a big one hits? And in these uncertain times, how can you protect your business from bad debts?

One possible answer is credit insurance, which is a policy that protects your business from companies who can’t pay their invoices whether through insolvency, protracted default or political risk.

How does credit insurance work?

Generally speaking, the insurers work out a premium based on a percentage of your sales turnover to provide cover on your whole debtor book.

I often get asked by clients if they can insure the one customer they are worried about, however this is counterproductive as the insurers will probably charge you as much to

insure your most high-risk customer as they would to insure all of them.

When requesting a quote, you will need to provide full details of your debtors to the insurers, details of your credit terms and the amounts owed by individual debtors. From this information the credit underwriter will assess the risk presented and the credit worthiness of your customers. They will then not only tell you the premium they would charge, but also what

credit limit they would grant on your customers. In addition, they will be able to provide a small discretionary limit for smaller customers.

A word of caution

Something to be aware of with credit insurance is that insurers can amend your limit throughout the policy period, depending upon their ongoing intelligence as to the credit worthiness of your customers.

If it looks like a company is in financial difficulty you

will find that insurers will either reduce or remove your limit altogether, by giving you 30 days notice. This can obviously cause you a problem, but it is also a good indicator that you should probably be reducing your exposure to that customer if you can.

So, in summary credit insurance can be a real benefit to a business if used and understood properly. It can also be a requirement of many lenders if you are entering into an invoice finance facility.

Wealth

WHY EVERY SOUTH YORKSHIRE BUSINESS MUST NOW LOOK TO THE FUTURE CONFIDENTLY…

We are navigating our way through truly uncharted economic waters.

This will possibly be looked back on as the ‘VUCA’ era - one that’s defined by volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity.

With energy bills expected to rise to £3,554 for a typical household from October when the energy price cap change comes into force – up from £1,971 - there will undoubtedly be even tougher times ahead.

In short, millions of people are struggling and I empathise fully with what they’re experiencing.

But we simply must not talk ourselves into an even worse situation.

Just a few weeks ago, it seemed impossible for the cost of living crisis to be knocked off the front pages of every British newspaper.

And then Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II passed away…

I’m the first to admit that I shed a tear following this tragic announcement.

What’s more, there have been many poignant yet dignified moments before, during and after Her Majesty’s State Funeral.

But now that we live under the reign of His Majesty King Charles III, it’s my belief that we’re entering a brave new era which will provide further impetus for the UK’s

economic recovery and ultimate success

So, why is this the case?

When Elizabeth II became Queen in 1952, Britain was still recovering from the economic ravages of World War II. Indeed, we often forget that food rationing still existed then.

However, the New Elizabethan age ushered in an era of great stability and long periods of economic growth.

Now that His Majesty King Charles III is on the throne, it’s my personal view the United Kingdom will experience a similar,

much-needed boost.

His Majesty is recognised both nationally and internationally for his campaigning, cajoling and unrivalled ability to convene meetings in order to get things done.

While he will be obliged to remain politically neutral as monarch, these admirable personal characteristics will continue to prove highly advantageous throughout our troubled economic times and beyond.

To conclude, there’s every possibility that the same stability provided

by the advent of Queen’s Elizabeth II’s reign will now manifest itself once again.

Our new Carolean age could prove to be a brave new era for Sheffield businesses at precisely the time this is needed.

If there’s one thing that I’ve learnt from a career that’s spanned several recessions, it’s the imperative to plan ahead in the most appropriate way.

More than ever before, it’s essential for the wellbeing of ‘Sheffield plc’ – as well as ‘UK plc’ - that we look to the future with confidence and positivity.

Jillian Thomas, managing director of

Wealth Management, explains how we

a ‘brave new era’ for businesses…

SHOWROOM RELAUNCH

IN CELEBRATION OF 10 YEARS IN BUSINESS

KitchenEX Ltd are a family run business based in She eld. Since 2012, the KitchenEX family have been the exclusive UK suppliers of premium Italian brands, ILVE Appliances and Faber cooker hoods.

In celebration of their 10 year anniversary, KitchenEX has announced the launch of their newly renovated appliance showroom near Meadowhall.

To book an appointment to view all appliances, please email: o ce@kitchenex.co.uk.

BY APPOINTMENT ONLY

The best

secret in range cooking.

The inventors of the domestic cooker hood.

Voot Telecom is among the providers which have been selected to assist in delivering Faster Britain, which provides ultra-fast full fibre connectivity to support the cloud enabled, futureproof technologies of today and tomorrow.

More than 13,500 businesses across Sheffield can now access Faster Britain, a full fibre network built and operated by ITS Technology Group, which helps to place the Steel City among the best digitally connected places in the country.

Nigel Short, of Voot, said: “Ever since the failed fibre initiative that the local councils funded and then withdrew, Sheffield has struggled with limited connectivity, especially in the centre. It’s fantastic that businesses now have a real alternative.”

Engineers have installed 56km of rich full fibre to ensure Faster Britain can deliver high quality, highspeed broadband and connectivity services to key business and industrial areas including Atlas Industrial Park, Sheffield Business Park, Bessemer Park and Greenland Trade Park.

The network has been built sustainably reusing existing ducts, avoiding road digs to minimise disruption to local communities. Faster Britain spans across the city, following routes out into five spines to serve businesses in Walkley, Crookes, Ranmoor, Crosspool, West Bar, Kelham Island, Neepsend, Hillsborough, Wadsley

Bridge, Middlewood, Burngreave, Brightside, Meadowhall, Attercliffe, Greenland, Tinsley, Darnall, Highfield, Lowfield and Woodseats.

Daren Baythorpe, CEO of ITS Technology Group, said: “I am delighted that our Faster Britain network is now live across Sheffield, in reach of business and industrial areas where there is pent up demand for reliable high-speed services. Full fibre is vital to boosting economic growth, attracting inward investment, and underpinning redevelopment projects such as The Heart of the City.

“The UK’s telecoms and communications infrastructure is undergoing the biggest transformation since it was first installed more than a century ago.

From 2025, the legacy copper lines which many business broadband services still depend on are earmarked for retirement. We are proud to be playing a role in deploying futureproof full fibre across the city to help to meet the government’s targets for 100 per cent gigabit-capable broadband speeds by 2030.”

Once installed, the same flexible Faster Britain connection can be upgraded from full fibre broadband through to a dedicated 10Gbps leased line (XGS PON). Services are available through local and national Faster Britain partners who also offer a comprehensive portfolio of ‘over the top services’ such as voice, storage, backup and security solutions.

Nigel added:“We are

naturally delighted to have been selected to work with Faster Britain to assist with this rollout. Faster Britain delivers real flexibility, and secure connections at great prices. While initially connections are available for a limited number of businesses, the network is expanding rapidly and until then we still have our rural 4G services to assist local businesses with internet access. There is now no reason any businesses in our region should struggle with their internet.”

Businesses interested in accessing Faster Britain can find out more about service availability on: www. sheffield.fasterbritain. com and can get in touch with Nigel and the team at Voot for any advice about your business connectivity.

Nigel Short talks about the benefits of ultra-fast full fibre connectivity

FASTER BRITAIN FULL FIBRE GOES LIVE ACROSS SHEFFIELD

TWINKL AND SHEFFIELD HOSPITALS CHARITY COME TOGETHER TO RAISE AWARENESS AND ENGAGE CHILDREN ACROSS SOUTH YORKSHIRE

Twinkl has partnered with Sheffield Hospitals Charity to encourage more people to get involved with supporting the important work the Charity does for this city.

In celebration of this new partnership, Twinkl and Sheffield Hospitals Charity are launching a design challenge with local schools in late September to engage children from across Sheffield and South Yorkshire. The challenge will ask young participants to create a character they think would best represent the Sheffield NHS hospitals, with the winning design becoming the brand-new Charity mascot.

Sheffield Hospitals Charity’s mission is to

enhance the care and treatment of patients and their families accessing NHS services at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals by supporting NHS staff and developing high-priority areas which are beyond the scope of

government funding.

The Charity supports The Northern General Hospital, The Jessop Wing Maternity Hospital, The Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Charles Clifford Dental Hospital and Weston Park Cancer Centre.

The generosity of supporters and local businesses enables the Charity to make a difference by providing lifesaving equipment, creating better environments for patients and families within the hospitals, supporting ground-breaking research projects and enabling staff mental health and wellbeing initiatives which are more important than ever.

It is hoped that this new partnership will pave the way for future exciting collaborations, giving Twinkl further opportunity to support the Charity and the patients and their families who interact with the hospitals.

Generous NHS staff lend a helping hand to vulnerable families

Kind-hearted NHS workers are going above and beyond to support families in need to help ease the pressure of everyday living.

Staff in the Children’s Services run by Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust (RDaSH) have been handing out rucksacks containing a range of essential products to families of children and young people who use their services.

Christina Harrison, director of children’s services at RDaSH, said: “I am very proud to be part of such a caring and compassionate team. We see many families presenting in our services who are

experiencing real hardship.

These rucksacks are a simple way of lending a helping hand in their time of need. A special thank you to Leana Gater and Lynne Molloy for their dedication to turning this idea into reality and to everyone who has contributed to these rucksacks. I know they will be appreciated by the families who receive them.”

The children’s services rucksacks are based on the idea of the reverse advent calendar rucksacks given to vulnerable people at Christmas time who use the services of RDaSH. The main difference is that they are being given to families in

need all year round.

The rucksacks include a variety of essential toiletries such as toothpaste, shower gel, sanitary products and sunscreen.

RDaSH children’s services

provide a range of mental health, learning disability, drug and alcohol services and community health services across Rotherham, Doncaster and North Lincolnshire.

Staff from the Children's Service with the rucksacks

Twinkl and Sheffield Hospitals Charity have teamed up

SMH Group raises £2,000 for MNDA in annual charity golf day

SMH Group, the Yorkshire and Derbyshire-based firm of chartered accountants and business advisers has raised £2,000 for the South Yorkshire branch of the Motor Neurone Disease Association (MNDA), at its annual charity golf day which took place at Chesterfield Golf Club on September 2, 2022.

Organised by James Furniss, head of SMH commercial finance, the day gave close contacts of the firm the opportunity to take up some in-person networking, as well as being the catalyst to raise funds for a deserving local charity.

Furniss said: “After the success of our first event last year, we’re delighted to roll out our charity golf day again in 2022. The event provides a great opportunity

The winners of the SMH charity golf day

for us to connect with clients and contacts of the firm in a relaxed and informal setting.

“We have a lot of keen (and competitive) golfers in our network, which made for a very entertaining day with on course competitions, such as closest to the pin, and longest drive, taking place.

“SMH Group have been supporting our local branch of MNDA for a number of years, so it’s a pleasure to be able to hold this event again and raise a great sum of money for the charity. We’d like to extend our thanks to the MNDA charity team who helped out on the day with the raffle, as well as some fantastic local organisations who donated raffle prizes, who we have publicly thanked via our social media channels.”

THREE-POINT PLAN TO GET PREPPED FOR CHRISTMAS

It is the last quarter of 2022! How did that happen? This year has gone in a blur, hasn’t it? These last three months of the year are traditionally very busy within the nonprofit sector. Working to support vulnerable service users, fundraising activities for the autumn season as well as dealing with meeting strategic and operational annual targets set.

If you haven’t started to think about Christmas yet – get with it! The nights are drawing in now and you need to start your marketing campaigns to promote appropriate activities, fundraisers, seasonal stock on offer as well as ensuring you have all your voluntary staff in place to assist you.

A three-point plan will help at this point –

• Update your volunteers pack of information –ensure all the content is fresh, relevant and current. Make sure DBS checks

are valid and in date, update photographs and ID badges, ensure that all volunteers have signed declarations and that they have sufficient expense claim forms to see them through to the end of the year

• Update your website with current seasonal merchandise, create themed background images and ensure that all the relevant events, activities and updates are created and designed for easy swap over when necessary

• Create a social media strategy for the next three months to include all the events we celebrate between now and the end of the year –Halloween, Bonfire Night, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year.

Feeling organised is a powerful place to be. Get ahead of this busy time to feel like a superhero to your staff, trustees, directors and beneficiaries.

South Yorkshire. Steeped in the natural beauty of the Peak District, the birthplace of football and home to a vibrant arts scene. And steel, of course.

As the fourth biggest city in England, Sheffield is a hub of thriving businesses across a multitude of sectors. The strong foundations of South Yorkshire business have created a perfect growth environment for any budding entrepreneur. In fact, Sheffield came first place in the Startups Cities Index 2022 of top UK cities for starting a business outside of London, and 11 outstanding South Yorkshire businesses were crowned winners in the Queen’s Awards for Enterprise in 2022.

While locals might know how brilliant South Yorkshire is, it might still be a surprise to some that businesses right under our noses are having an astonishing global impact. Although brimming with cutting-edge innovation, South Yorkshire is an unassuming place.

That’s why we’re shedding light on some of the businesses, from groundbreaking technology and engineering to a deliciously sharp relish, that are putting South Yorkshire on the global map.

CORROSION RESISTANT MATERIALS

Corrosion Resistant Materials are creating supply chain solutions as specialist technical material suppliers for over 40 countries across the globe.

Corrosion Resistant Materials (CRM) celebrate the Steel City on a daily basis, being expert suppliers of steel materials across a range of industries, including oil and gas, aerospace, motorsport and power generation. CRM offers a complete end-to-end service in the supply chain management of key manufacturing components.

Internationally, CRM exports to over 40 countries across the globe and not only excels in export and supply but in heat treatment and testing. CRM continues to grow yearly, with 50 per cent of 2021 sales being exports.

Being in South Yorkshire, the CRM team greatly benefits from the best manufacturing and material production right on

their doorstep, taking advantage of heat treatment facilities, material suppliers and the brilliant transport links the region has to offer. In their eyes, they wouldn’t want to be anywhere else, believing South Yorkshire is the place to be for maximum efficiency in the business.

With a growing team of 12, CRM is among the remarkable, winning the Made in Sheffield Export Award as well as the Queens Award for Enterprise in International Trade.

CRM has grown with the help of local support, knowledge and the unwavering drive South Yorkshire excels in. CRM advocates the for Department for International Trade for entering new markets and gaining the knowledge and understanding that is readily available for Sheffield businesses. CRM’s advice to any entrepreneur is to reach out to these services and opportunities for knowledge growth. That, and a reliable transport partner.

ZOO DIGITAL

ZOO Sheffield operates amongst the biggest names in the media industry, being a key provider of content solutions for the likes of Netflix, Disney and Sony.

ZOO Digital is a trailblazer and leading provider of media globalization services. ZOO spans across the globe, taking complex media content challenges and making them simpler by finding smarter and better ways of doing things. ZOO Sheffield operates from its award-winning research and development centre, ZOO Digital Labs.

With fifty developers, engineers and testers working in the city centre office, ZOO Sheffield specialises in language and production as well as industryleading technologies and cutting-edge tools.

The Sheffield team has been operating from South Yorkshire since 2001, with a brand-new state-of-the-art facility that allows the team to combine language and culture solutions for entertainment industries. With a new

workspace, ZOO Sheffield has been designed with collaborative, hybrid working in mind allowing for talent to flourish in spaces that catalyse creativity.

ZOO Sheffield is a classic example of the Yorkshire business attitude of getting things done with a flair of humility, all while being a part of daily media consumption – delivering some of the best content to big-name brands and companies. Working with the likes of Disney, Netflix, Warner Brothers and Sony on subtitling, dubbing and media, ZOO has truly conquered the global market.

With recent expansions of ZOO Korea, ZOO Digital continues to provide content creators with innovative solutions, being a reliable sole supplier for clients wherever they are across the globe. The launch of the upgraded Seoul facility continues an ongoing global growth initiative to support the biggest names in entertainment with scalable globalization services.

AJAC

AJAC, a pharmaceutical and medical supply wholesaler, is a Sheffield-founded business with a stellar reputation in the medical industry.

Aiming to provide fast, reliable and effective service between suppliers and their customers, AJAC believes effective relationship building and reliability are key for their business model.

With shipping partners across the globe, AJAC delivers wholesale medical solutions across Africa, the Caribbean, and South America.

AJAC is determined to connect UK pharmaceutical and medical development to manufacturing sales, with UK representation being difficult to come by. AJAC shakes up the global market with its high share of UK-manufactured products and leading the industry in showcasing UKdeveloped healthcare technology.

Trading globally presents AJAC with the task of connecting crossculturally, requiring a multitude of skill sets and knowledge of globalised business environments. As South Yorkshire’s vibrancy increases year on year, AJAC hopes to hone in on the broad skillsets required from the local

workforce, changing the game in the UK’s pharmaceutical and medical global operations.

AJAC believe in understanding the current needs of the global market, where they advise looking into compliance requirements of exportation, importation and operations of the market. With trade agreements and restrictions, they express the importance of gaining a deep understanding of the market and gaining advice from the Sheffield Chambers of Commerce and the Department for International Trade.

FourJaw is solving some of manufacturers’ biggest problems with their game-changing manufacturing analytics software

As manufacturing businesses face the triple pressures of rising energy costs, supply chain challenges, and a widespread skills gap across the sector, every efficiency gain counts – large or small.

The sector is no stranger to evolution. From the first moving assembly line to the arrival of Industry 4.0, the shop floor has become a more complex world and manufacturers have had to adapt equipment, teams, systems, and processes to maintain the smooth running of production lines and achieve maximum efficiencies.

This month, we take a look at how smart technology, developed by Sheffield-based technology startup, FourJaw Manufacturing Analytics is enabling manufacturers to offset the pressures they face, by unlocking productivity gains through accessible and affordable, plug & play machine monitoring platform.

FourJaw has been described in the media as a fitness tracker for manufacturing. In the same way that a fitness tracker helps you understand your body metrics to inform general health and sporting performance, they do the same for production machines to deliver transformative productivity gains.

Operating across a multitude of sectors, including oil and gas, aerospace, motorsport and automotive, consumer goods and textile manufacturing, FourJaw is taking the manufacturing sector by storm.

The average machine they connect to registers utilisation below 20%, and because manufacturers are only earning when their machines are in use, this figure represents a huge opportunity to turbocharge growth, an opportunity most manufacturers don’t even know they have!

The way they do it is with a combined hardware and software solution, so for the first time, manufacturers can have visibility of what’s going on throughout their factory, in real-time. Production teams can communicate electronically via FourJaw to raise issues that are preventing them from getting the most out of their machines, so that these issues can be solved as soon as they arise.

It’s not surprising that FourJaw has developed such a prominent reputation from which it’s building strong relationships overseas with key players in the markets around the world. Customers span from the UK to mainland Europe, to Canada and New Zealand. The team at FourJaw are constantly looking to gain more insights into other markets.

FourJaw found great support from South Yorkshire’s Department of International Trade, which regularly runs training events and provides support and assistance for businesses with internationalisation potential.

Contributing to South Yorkshire’s strong and evergrowing reputation for advanced manufacturing, FourJaw is aiming high, resulting in significant numbers of high-value job opportunities in the region. This year alone, the FourJaw team has more than doubled in size.

EMOOTION

Emootion, a company that is developing posture recognition technology with e-skin, predicts to accumulate an annual revenue of £14.5million while providing 30-50 new jobs for the area in the next five years.

Emootion is developing cutting-edge posture recognition technology through non-intrusive wearables and smart fabrics called Emootion-skin (e-skin). Aiming to change the future of health and sport, Emootion combines the most recent advances in machine learning and data fusion with emerging smart fabrics and highly experimental wearable technologies.

Combining Sheffield’s business foundations with its English Institute of Sport credibilities, founder Lubos Vaci set Emootion’s roots amongst leading advances in artificial intelligence and machine learning, neurology and sports sciences. Vaci believes in nurturing Steel City talent from Sheffield Hallam and the University of Sheffield - with the aim of creating 50 jobs for graduates and experts alike as Emootion develops. To further aid in this, Emootion pledges to invest three per cent of its income on sponsorships and scholarships, helping to put South Yorkshire on the technology and IT map.

Emootion is a self-funded project driven Vaci, who predicts that e-skin will make training in sports such as figure skating 23 per cent more effective, with 87 per cent of predictable injuries of athletes being avoided.

Emootion is a big advocator for Sheffield organisations such as the Chamber of Commerce and Federation of Small Businesses that connect businesses not only to fundamental advice but to surrounding connections. South Yorkshire offers access to the Sheffield Innovation Program (SIP) and Digital Innovation for Growth (DFIG) funds tailored to SME’s. The region opens doors for developing innovative ideas and embracing new technologies, meaning companies like Emootion can thrive amongst the region’s greatest exports.

3SC is a software house that has been providing bespoke software solutions for 20 years this year. Over the last 15 years, it has become one of the leading experts in automated transit systems and is engaged with companies in the UK and also internationally, including in China and the USA.

One of its largest projects is the design and implementation of Personal Rapid Transit Systems (PRT), which are on demand, zero emission, driverless transit systems for both passengers and freight which run on a designated guideway.

The ‘Heathrow Pod’, which has now been in operation for over 11 years and is still maintained by 3SC, is an example of the PRT system. The Heathrow POD was the world’s first of its kind, bringing to market a modern implementation of PRT using the latest technology.

The company is one of those at the forefront of putting South Yorkshire on the global map and believes that we can organically help to create networks that consider South Yorkshire businesses when looking at industry/technology development by dealing with suppliers and investors from around the world.

With lots of great education providers and universities in the area, as well as an abundance of talented, driven and

HENDERSON'S RELISH

Henderson’s Relish remains a source (or should that be sauce?) of great admiration for Sheffielders. It embodies the very essence of what makes the city great – it’s the cultural lifeblood behind its character and easily the region’s favourite table sauce.

Founded in 1885, Henderson’s Relish came from small beginnings on Sheffield’s very own Broad Lane as the creation of a drysalter and wholesale chemist, Henry Henderson. Selling Henderson’s from large wooden barrels, customers came from across the region to fill their own glass bottles with the spicy sauce unlike any other, for just a penny apiece.

Henderson sold barrel after barrel until 1910, when pickle manufacturing

company Shaws of Huddersfield offered to purchase the business. From there, the relish production was relocated to a factory on Leavygreave Road. Passed down through generations, Henderson’s has been in the Freeman family since the early 1940s.

It might be surprising to read that until 1996, Henderson’s was listed in only one local supermarket, the Co-op. But pioneers, Dr Kenneth Freeman and his wife Pamela, oversaw ground-breaking developments in the company’s profile, becoming partners with Sainsbury’s in 1996. From there, Henderson’s became more accessible to its adoring Sheffield audience and word started to spread further afield.

Bottles of Henderson’s

innovative individuals on our doorstep, the team behind 3SC believe South Yorkshire is at a huge advantage for doing global business.

Although there may be some stumbling blocks along the way, such as gaining funding and investment from outside the local area, the 3SC team believe that if you do your research, are prepared to work flexibly and enter the international stage with confidence, commitment and a product that people are interested in, then you’ll be onto a winner.

And of course, with so much beautiful scenery on our doorstep, what’s not to love?

Relish are dispatched around the world on a regular basis.

While filming Sharpe in 2008, Sean Bean ordered a batch of Henderson’s to his film set in India. In 2009, Dr Freeman sent litre bottles of Henderson’s to troops serving in Afghanistan. And, in 2014, more giant bottles were sent out to a Sheffield soldier at the request of his wife, inadvertently converting an entire squadron into Henderson’s addicts by doing so.

Over the years customers in Singapore, Australia, the United States and Hong Kong have all been in touch with the sales department. Families have been known to regularly send bottles over to kin living in New Zealand, Spain and Canada. It’s fair to say that despite its local connotations, Henderson’s Relish certainly gets around!

The success of Henderson’s in its hometown had previously been a rather modest, understated affair. Yet over the last decade or so, the Henderson’s Relish brand has gained ‘cult status’ in the city. As a selection of famous fans such as Richard Hawley continue to sing its praises, Sheffield locals show great pride in the iconic bottle. Special customised labels have also been commissioned with nods to local legends like Arctic Monkeys, Toddla T and Pete Mckee, not to mention iconic events such as Tramlines, Bears of Sheffield and the Tour de Yorkshire.

With the company now being based on a premise on Sheffield Parkway Business Park, the brand has grown further and these days shops across the UK stock Henderson’s.

HIGH HOPES

The ‘unapologetically academic’ Mercia Collegiate Sixth Form is to open in September 2023, as the first of its kind in Yorkshire.

The niche institution in Millhouses will welcome 100 students and immerse them in a bespoke teaching environment dedicated to helping students succeed at the best universities in the world.

And it will be open to all talented students across the city and in nearby Derbyshire. Mercia School headteacher Dean Webster said: “There are bright pupils in every postcode and we want them all to have the chance to study at our new sixth form.

“It is a myth that A Level students only want a good common room and social life at sixth form.

“A lot of students want degrees in dentistry, law or medicine and they need a lot of support to get there - we want to give that support to the people who need it.

“We say that we are unapologetically academic at Mercia. There will be no other sixth form like it.”

Purpose-built Mercia

School, part of Mercia Learning Trust, is currently the most oversubscribed school in Sheffield. Demand for sixth form places is expected to be high, so open days will take place this month and next. To get into the sixth form, students will require grade seven GCSEs in the academic subjects they want to study, take a knowledge test and undergo an interview. In return they will be given exceptional teaching from highly qualified staff, many who went to Oxbridge or other leading universities themselves, and an individual trajectory to success. They will be prepared for university applications, the

reality of rigorous academic study in higher education as well as the culture of university life.

Ruth Hollingsworth, director of the new sixth form, said the aim was to ‘advantage the disadvantaged’ in the name of social mobility.

She added: “We are giving people the private school experience without the private school fees.

“It’s about redefining the sixth form and redefining the meaning of elite. Elite should be about quality, not entitlement.

“The number of Sheffield pupils getting to Oxbridge are really low compared to other cities. We want to

change that.

“The kind of students we are looking for are academic, ambitious and aspirational.” The school’s leadership team has worked closely with the best sixth forms in London on the development of the sixth form since Mercia School opened in 2018. In particular they want to reach out to gifted students in the north of Sheffield and Hope Valley areas. These are both served by bus routes running close to the school and do not have access to an academically focused sixth form.

The team is also considering scholarship opportunities and extra support measures for students who may need it.

Open days will take place on Saturday October 15, from 10am until 2pm, and on Thursday November 24 from 6-8pm. They will include tours of the school. Students must then apply via merciaschool.com before December 31.

We all have aspirations for our children to achieve great things. Now a new elite sixth form in Sheffield is to make those aspirations become reality.

JACKIE COOK Managing director at CQ Strategic Marketing

Jackie Cook, managing director at CQ Strategic Marketing specialises in marketing services for manufacturing SMEs without their own in-house marketing team. Since starting out as a sole trader in 2012, Jackie has witnessed many changes in the industry and more recently created the Equality in STEM network to encourage greater diversity in the industry.

WHAT ATTRACTED YOU TO THE SECTOR/ INDUSTRY?

Manufacturing has always been at the heart of my profession, even back to the days where I worked as a secretary. After a few years, I had the opportunity to join the marketing department and the company supported me through gaining marketing qualifications before later joining an international engineering company. From this, I noticed that many engineering SMEs didn’t have access to an in-house marketing team, so the idea for CQ Strategic Marketing was born and now we work with businesses across South Yorkshire,

and Europe!, to essentially become their marketing team. I love the diversity of what we do, every day is different.

WHAT IS IT THAT HAS KEPT YOU IN THE INDUSTRY?

We work with a very diverse mix of clients, and I love finding out more about what they do and how things are made –especially when we get to visit the factories and become immersed in the processes. My clients are based internationally, so advances in technology facilitate those relationships. When I first started out in marketing, we were sat stuffing piles of paper into envelopes and doing everything manually, whereas everything now is done digitally. It’s been a very welcome change, as clients are keen to know how their marketing is working and more specifically, which parts are most successful. We can provide so much data to the clients now – details of traffic on their websites, open rates of emails which helps us to be far more strategic than 20 years ago.

SOUTH YORKSHIRE BASED BUSINESSES CQ STRATEGIC MARKETING, AGEMASPARK AND AIRMASTER ARE ALL CELEBRATING MILESTONE ANNIVERSARIES THIS YEAR AT 10 YEARS, 20 YEARS AND 30 YEARS RESPECTIVELY. THEY TOOK PART IN A ROUNDTABLE TO DISCUSS HOW DOING BUSINESS HAS CHANGED DURING THAT TIME.

HOW DO YOU GROW THE BUSINESS, FACE CHALLENGES AND CONTINUE TO PROMOTE THE SECTOR?

We are working with clients on promoting their apprenticeships and training programmes as we know there is a skills shortage, so we need to work on enticing people into the industry and helping them to grow within it. Social media is also key in this day and age to promote the business and the sector – gone are the days of the mailer where you never knew if anyone actually read it or if it went in the bin! Working with trade associations is another way we can promote the sector as a whole, as well as our own business.

FUTURE-PROOFING THE BUSINESS

I’ve set up a network called Equality in STEM. We’ve started running columns in unLTD magazine (strategically chosen as it goes out to a range of businesses in South Yorkshire, not just engineering companies) showcasing female role models in the industry. In the industry, we recognise

issues with diversity and skills shortages, but we must get the word out to parents, teachers and others out in the community in the hope of moving practices forward in the future. There’s lots of different options for career paths, and we need a shift in perception that engineering doesn’t have to be a man’s profession. We need to remove any barriers and restrictions to the industry for it to be for all.

WHAT DOES THE FUTURE OF THE SECTOR HOLD?

I think technology will continue to change as much as, if not more, than it has in my last 20 years in the industry. The ways we communicate will be changing, and we’re moving to an era where we need to market to all of the stakeholders, so the marketing emphasis is shifted to include the supply chain from an environmental perspective and the attraction of future skills as well as feeding the business development/sales funnel.

www.cqstrategicmarketing.com www.equalityinstem.org.uk

marketing academy equality in STEM

The panel was Chaired by Caroline Broad of Clarion Solicitors

PAUL STOCKHILL Managing director at Agemaspark

Paul Stockhill managing director at Agemaspark, a precision engineering company responsible for catering for all types of manufacturing. With products featuring as far as the International Space Station down to rice crispies, Paul discusses the importance of a skilled workforce.

WHAT ATTRACTED YOU TO THE SECTOR/ INDUSTRY?

I have been lucky to have spent my 50 years across many different businesses in various roles, starting all the way back in school with metalwork and woodwork – back then the health and safety wasn’t quite what it is now, so we were allowed to get stuck into the machines and things like that. I started

as an apprentice toolmaker at Crompton Parkinson’s and worked my way up before leaving and becoming self-employed. 20 years ago, Agemaspark was born, and we have manufactured products for the international space station, put parts on Mars, and we even export to China.

WHAT IS IT THAT HAS KEPT YOU IN THE INDUSTRY?

The technology in my industry has gone from people using their hands and making patterns to computers, with everything being constantly updated. Technology has allowed us to be extremely productive in the way we work, especially at Agemaspark we rely on such technology for one-off problem solving across different sectors – our award-winning conformal cooling process is a great example of this for improving cycle times and production. Recently we also introduced 3D metal printing which has revolutionised our processes. I hope to continue to see the same level, if not more, innovation over the next 20 years as I have at Agemaspark.

HOW DO YOU GROW THE BUSINESS, FACE CHALLENGES AND CONTINUE TO PROMOTE THE SECTOR?

Communication between all sectors is paramount for us, the local government have been very active in supporting local businesses – we had essentially no break between Brexit and the pandemic, so we were hit with two major events for manufacturing within the same time frame. Supply chains have been very difficult to manage, so we have had to rely on getting out there and finding out where else we can source and find the right solutions.

FUTURE-PROOFING THE BUSINESS

We’ve had an apprentice scheme in the business for the last 20 years as we saw there was a huge skills gap in engineering particularly. The majority of our staff are under 30 years old and then we have others that are over 60, with nothing really in the middle, so we are facing a problem in a few years once the older generation in our team begin to retire. The apprenticeships, combined with new technology allow

us to bridge that gap, with the older generation sharing their knowledge. From a business perspective, with the apprenticeship scheme, we have virtually no staff turnover, they’re all of a similar age so they have a lot of similar interests. For us, it’s never the same thing every day – you could be working an aircraft engine or products for rice crispies – so the diversity helps our apprentices to learn far more than they perhaps would elsewhere.

WHAT DOES THE FUTURE OF THE SECTOR HOLD?

I think we’re at a stage now where people are looking at ways to create a sustainable future for all our young people. You must look at the bigger picture, it’s not just solar and wind power, it’s all of the small changes that make a big difference. For example, if we can take 20% out of a cycle time for one product, multiplied by the millions of products that are produced daily, that has a huge impact. We must look at these gains which will help us to control the future of the planet.

LISA POGSON Managing director

Airmaster

Lisa Pogson, managing director at Airmaster joined the mechanical services design and build business over 25 years ago that delivers energy efficient heating, cooling, ventilation, maintenance and small works nationally across a diverse range of sectors. Lisa has witnessed many changes in the sector, including the commitment to sustainability and the increasing importance in practice.

WHAT ATTRACTED YOU TO THE SECTOR/ INDUSTRY?

My brother-in-law, Richard, started the business 30 years ago after deciding he wanted to go selfemployed. At the time, I was helping him out as I

had some experience in the sector, so I was assisting with bookkeeping and other tasks. After much persuasion, I joined the business part-time around 25 years ago and I am now the proud managing director, supported by our operations director and a great team around me.

WHAT IS IT THAT HAS KEPT YOU IN THE INDUSTRY?

I’ve always had a core interest in the property and building sector, especially with many of my family members working in trades. I love the commitment to innovation in the sector – during the COVID-19 pandemic, we worked on decentralising ventilation systems and our team did a significant amount of work in laboratories, aiming to eliminate COVID using technology within the ventilation systems.

HOW DO YOU GROW THE BUSINESS, FACE CHALLENGES AND CONTINUE TO PROMOTE THE SECTOR?

For me and for our staff, networking is key. Our

team all have their own networks, whether this is within customers or with subcontractors and other links to the supply chains. This really helps us to stay ahead of the game, staying ahead of all the decisions that you have to make on a daily basis – the more information you can get using all of your contacts, the better.

FUTURE-PROOFING THE BUSINESS

On 1 July 2021, we became an employee-owned trust. As a business, we’ve always had quite a family feel and our view was that the team around us had helped to grow the business to what it was, so it seemed appropriate to look into how we could input incentives for this. Not only this, it allowed our most senior managers to exit the business, so everyone benefitted from this. There are always things you would do differently in hindsight, but generally it’s been an extremely positive experience and we really do have such a great team and it’s helped us to grow.

WHAT DOES THE FUTURE OF THE SECTOR HOLD?

It’s so interesting hearing Paul talking about Mars and space, as that is something I’d absolutely love to do. I think for us, 20 years ago I did my master’s degree in management and there was talk of sustainability already back then. In construction now, if you’re not looking at sustainability and how to be sustainable, you may aswell forget it. Even to the point where we’re fitting an office, we look at the quality of the ventilation for the staff, how many plants there are and how close the access is to water so they can work properly, and all of that is the future for us. Saving money where we can is on everyone’s agenda at the moment too, and we’re always thinking of the net zero target.

premier

MARKETING SOUTH YORKSHIRE

Jen Beal, CEO, HRM PR & Creative

Tell us about your role and your businesshow is marketing involved in your day-today work?

As CEO of Sheffield’s longest-established PR and creative agency, I oversee all aspects of the business. As you can imagine, no day is the same!

Life at HRM is exciting. From working across multi-platform PR and marketing campaigns for our clients to developing and executing the business strategy to day-to-day operations.

Marketing is engrained into our everyday work, and it is safe to say we live and breathe it. My biggest project has been working on our marketing and branding activities as we get ready to begin our exciting new chapter.

Do you think businesses in SY do enough to promote themselves?

Sheffield is a powerhouse for business – in my opinion, the world doesn’t know that. We’re world leaders in advanced manufacturing, have a longstanding legacy of steel making and are known for our cultural names and events, and yet it can feel like sometimes our northern neighbours take centre stage. We need this to change.

For some reason, we tend to be modest about our achievements. We need to start shouting louder!

What could businesses within the area be doing better to promote themselves?

Marketing and PR can often fall by the wayside in a company’s strategy and can be seen as a luxury. This is not the case. Marketing should be at the forefront of your business plans. You need to be seen, and you need to be heard. If you’re not, then I’m afraid your competitors will be.

There are fantastic PR opportunities for businesses at any stage, size, and industry. PR can be reactive, but most of the time, it is proactive. Each company has their own story to tell and each business has people who want to hear from you. There are so many marketing tactics for you to try – you need to be brave and implement the right ones.

What are the benefits for businesses acing their marketing?

Well, this one is easy. Business generation. It’s as simple as that. You will quickly see a return on investment in your marketing strategy. Whether that be generating backlinks to your website, providing engaging social media posts with clever call to actions or being at the forefront of conversation in the media.

People will start talking about you because you’re talking about you.

What does the SY business community do to market themselves which works well? Although there is some way to go for South Yorkshire to market itself bigger and better, there have been some great successes for SY businesses recently. The desire to go viral and the emergence of platforms like TikTok have created distractions for many brands - regional, national and international - and it’s starting to show. Thankfully, consumers and business buyers are starting to appreciate the value in authentic brands again, seeing through ‘viral’ campaigns and gimmicks. I’m seeing lots of SY brands producing really consistent and resonant marketing, sticking to brand values and taking a comprehensive and integrated approach to their marketing. This is absolutely the way forward.

We have been at the heart of Sheffield’s business for 25 years this year, making us one of the trusted agencies within the region. We attend networking events, speak at business and industry events, and proactively build our network of connections

We know that South Yorkshire businesses have plenty of fantastic work to shout about – but what else can they do to get their message out there? unLTD’s Georgina Kerr spoke to some of the region’s top creative agencies and local authorities to find out more.

Who are your standout SY businesses that are marketing themselves well? Food, drinks, and hospitality brands make a real statement in the city through their digital presence and shareability. Marmadukes, Domo and Pom Kitchen have all absolutely nailed this. The Mowbray, BHP and Gravitate are also top contenders for consistent and integrated marketing.

What are you doing within your business to reach clients or customers across the region?

We have been at the heart of Sheffield’s business for 25 years this year, making us one of the trusted agencies within the region. We attend networking events, speak at business and industry events, and proactively build our network of connections. We’re also avid users of social media, particularly LinkedIn, allowing us to reach a wider, more targeted audience and showcase our amazing range of services.

How can businesses across South Yorkshire get themselves noticed nationally?

My advice would be to get more strategic and visual with your marketing to ensure your target audience is seeing you. Bold, thought-provoking campaigns will get noticed and be remembered.

With PR, the possibilities are endless. There is always something you can comment on that relates to your industry and gets your name out there. Whether that be an engaging LinkedIn post, blog, or a PR comment distributed to national media titles. Your business is unique to you, and people will love to hear about it. There are so many PR opportunities for your business that you don’t realise

Jane Whitham, PR director, Altitude

Tell us about your role and your business - how is marketing involved in your day-to-day work?

As a director at Sheffield PR company Altitude, I’m responsible for developing the Altitude brand and ensuring that businesses understand what we do, how we do it and why it’s important. As a forward-thinking PR agency, we help ambitious businesses unlock their potential. There’s no such thing as a normal day in PR, but a typical day involves consultancy for clients, creating social media campaigns, content creation, strategic planning, event support, crisis management and media training.

Do you think businesses in South Yorkshire do enough to promote themselves?

No. Businesses in our region are doing some incredible things – but most are going about their work in an earnest

and quiet way. Pride comes from within.

We could, and should, be far more vocal about everything that’s great about South Yorkshire. We need to start talking ourselves up a bit more and levelling up perceptions. As a PR professional, it frustrates me that Manchester and Leeds are so good at amplifying their achievements. We need to shout more both collectively and individually.

What could businesses within the area be doing better to promote themselves?

There are some really quick and easy ways to increase your business profile. Social media is a good way to develop your brand voice and start to engage. I’d urge businesses to take a step back and objectively consider what they do and why they do it. I’ve encountered many incredible businesses over the

years doing mind-blowing things – but to them it’s ordinary. By taking a fresh look, you’ll be amazed by the unique points of interest you can find and start to shape into messaging or campaigns.

What are the benefits for businesses acing their marketing?

Good PR and marketing is a game-changer. A strong profile, created and sustained through strategic PR, helps set you apart from competitors and gives you a voice to lead from the front. It adds value to businesses, helps reinforce brand messages, supports a strong employee culture, and can take a brand from zero to hero. Most importantly, good PR and marketing builds familiarity and with familiarity comes trust and understanding.

What does the South Yorkshire business

community do to market themselves which works well?

I think the work that the Chambers of Commerce do is really effective, particularly the business awards across the region. They encourage businesses to sense check what they do well and celebrate that excellence. They’re a great vehicle for regional PR and raising your profile.

Who are your standout SY businesses that are marketing themselves well?

Both universities do a great job marketing their institutions, their courses and the city of Sheffield itself. The hoardings as you walk up from the station are really captivating and show that they mean business.

What are you doing within your business to reach clients or customers

across the region?

Altitude is a patron of Sheffield Chamber, which gives us an elevated level of membership and lots of networking opportunities. We also contribute content to publications and websites. Recently, we’ve agreed to sponsor a couple of highprofile events in Sheffield, which will help connect us with our intended business audience.

How can businesses across South Yorkshire get themselves noticed nationally?

Good stories that are underpinned by strong data and purposeful comments are the best way to gain PR traction – whether that’s locally, regionally or nationally. It’s much easier to define who you are seeking to influence and be strategic in your approach. A broadbrush approach to PR rarely works.

SOUTH YORKSHIRE

Melanie Jackson, director, Relish Media

Tell us about your role and your business - how is marketing involved in your day-to-day work?

I’m one of the directors at Relish Media and I run the company with Lisa Staniforth.

I feel that South Yorkshire folk full stop don’t shout enough about themselves or their businesses - it’s basically in our DNA to be modest but we are really silently smashing it

We run a TV advertising agency and are based in Sheffield and operate nationally, bringing brands to air to run ITV, Channel 4 and Sky campaigns. We are ’New to Air’ specialists and have helped many brands create their first TV campaigns which have been handled from start to finish. We have grown from strength to strength over the last three years and this year we are well on track to have quadrupled our turnover into the millions.

Do you think businesses in South Yorkshire do enough to promote themselves?

Not really. I feel that South Yorkshire folk full stop don’t shout enough about themselves or their businesses - it’s basically in our DNA to be modest but we are really silently smashing it!

What could businesses within the area be doing better to promote themselves?

Pick up the phone and actually talk to each other. The world has gone faceless and with this, I feel the personality of the businesses has gone and what rapport can be built on an email really? Switch it up have a few days of asking for that physical meeting, you’ll be shocked how much busier your pipeline will be.

What are the benefits for businesses acing their marketing?

We are always learning and if we can hit the sweet spots for ourselves then we can confidently talk the talk about that process rather than just finger in the air.

What does the South Yorkshire business community do to market themselves which works well?

We are a kind community I feel, much more than other major cutthroat cities, we are really good at recommending other companies for work.

What are you doing within your business to reach clients or customers across the region?

Getting out there and meeting people, having an uber cool website being built, approaching similar brands to the ones we have previously worked with to be able to prove the success that we have had with them.

How can businesses across South Yorkshire get themselves noticed nationally?

TV advertising campaigns through us of course - there is no better or trusted environment to advertise within than TV - how often do you see brands bragging “As seen on TV!?”

Danny Johnson, commercial partnerships manager at Sheffield Chamber of Commerce

Tell us about your role and your business - how is marketing involved in your day-to-day work?

My remit is to deliver commercial growth for the Chamber and support the Chamber’s work across the city of Sheffield, both economically and socially. Marketing and communications will play a vital role in the execution of our strategy.

Do you think businesses in South Yorkshire do enough to promote themselves?

Simply put, no! Our region has some of the brightest minds in the country delivering ground-breaking products and services. We need to shout loud and proud.

What could businesses within the area be doing better to promote themselves?

Tell all that will listen and those that don’t all about your incredible work. The media, social channels, and friends in the pub. Make as many connections locally as you can and share the news with them frequently.

What are the benefits for businesses acing their marketing?

Brand awareness and growth, leading to increased commercials from new and repeat business. Allow your audience to fully understand your purpose, products and services.

What does the South Yorkshire business community do to market themselves which works well?

There has always been a strong Yorkshire appetite for faceto-face events and networking. The folk in this region are a social bunch and always see the long-term benefit of selfpromotion and cross-collaboration.

Who are your standout South Yorkshire businesses that are marketing themselves well?

There isn’t a market leader, but a chance to be one! There’s a gap and an opportunity within this region for bold, brave, creative marketing campaigns.

What are you doing within your business to reach clients or customers across the region?

This is something as a team we’re reviewing. Traditional channels such as email marketing, social media, and events are tried and tested, but they aren’t the tactics to employ. We are encouraging ‘out-of-the-box’ thinking to pioneer new routes to market. Watch this space.

How can businesses across South Yorkshire get themselves noticed nationally?

Being from Yorkshire, we pride ourselves on quality with honest customer service. Solid old fashion standards that survive the test of time. Our region has a strong reputation, so take advantage of that and stand out from the crowd.

MARKETING SOUTH YORKSHIRE

Yvonne Asquith, head of Business Sheffield

The work of our teams at Marketing Sheffield and Business Sheffield- both part of Sheffield City Council- is really relevant here. Marketing Sheffield (the official marketing arm of the city) works with partners to improve the image of the city externally - working on initiatives that encourage more businesses to start up here or existing businesses to expand.

Whilst it’s not practical for us to be promoting every individual business, one of the aims of Business Sheffield is to provide platforms to local businesses enabling them to better promote themselves. We do this through various initiatives such as sponsoring local business awards which give much-needed profile to those shortlisted, marketing support which our business information officers offer to high street retail and hospitality businesses, plus through our series of practical marketing support workshops or bigger initiatives like the Economic Recovery Fund. It’s very much a two-pronged attack – helping businesses market themselves better at the same time as using our marketing campaigns to promote the city as a great place to start up and expand a business.

The path to a better South Yorkshire

There is no doubt that Coda has had a huge influence on the streetscape of South Yorkshire. unLTD’s Matt Holmes spoke to Coda’s managing director Matt Bowker and founder David Cross about our wonderful region and why it’s such a great place to do business.

When I was organising when and where to speak to Matt for this month’s issue, he told us how he wanted to bring in someone to contribute to the feature, choosing his former colleague of 15 plus years David Cross, CEO of Sky House and also a former unLTD cover star.

Coda has been a longstanding fixture on the South Yorkshire property scene, and when I asked Matt and David how they met the answer couldn’t have been more South Yorkshire if it tried.

Matt said: “I first met David in the pub, obviously, in 2003 through some mutual friends and I think after the night ended it was the secondworst hangover of my life.”

It couldn’t have been too bad, as it kick-started a longterm working relationship.

“So that was my introduction to David and what he was doing, and I was excited by his energy and vision. I started doing some work for David and over a period of time his work got to such a level where I joined him full time.”

Matt left his role at a larger practice to work above a hairdressers in Birdwell,

Barnsley, eventually moving to Kelham Island in a building with no insulation, broken windows and a leaking roof. Kelham Island is where Coda still lives today, albeit in a different office without the aforementioned features.

David added: “We’ve been friends and business colleagues for 20 years.”

Next, I wanted to dive into the main reason we were here to speak. I asked both: “why is South Yorkshire a brilliant place to do business?”

“Well for me, it’s home,” said Matt. “That’s the main reason, I’m from Barnsley. I’m very proud of that fact and working with Coda I’ve got to know Sheffield a lot more and come to care about the city. I’ve lived overseas and been

to university in Leeds and Manchester, but something always brought me back home.

“We’ve invested in a new office in Sheffield, a lot of our work is predominately Sheffield and we’re passionate about the development of the city as a better place for everyone and new residents.

“There’s a huge amount of potential in Sheffield and we want to help and be part of that.”

David shares the sentiment as he’s also from Barnsley, despite his parents’ family all being from Sheffield. He said: “I think we have an unusual perspective of coming from Barnsley but doing stuff in Sheffield means that we’re not parochial and defensive of Sheffield above all else.

“Everyone calls Sheffield a big city with a village feel, and to some it’s an insult, but to me it’s part of its charm. My kids always laugh about how we know everybody and wherever we go in the world, we always end up bumping into someone that we know and it’s nice- I think it’s part of the friendliness of the region.

“It’s often rolled out that we don’t shout about what we do well enough, but I think that we do, we just do it in our own way, and I think there are lots of things to be proud of from our region.

What we’ve delivered in terms of projects, not just

I’m from Barnsley. I’m very proud of that fact and working with Coda I’ve got to know Sheffield a lot more and come to care about the city. I’ve lived overseas and been to university in Leeds and Manchester, but something always brought me back home

us at Coda, Sky-House and Crossbow Investments, but what other practices and developers do, there’s a lot of passion in the area to do things better and think differently and I think what I love about it the most.”

I wanted to see what both Matt and David thought about particular areas of South Yorkshire which have been doing particularly well over the past few years. Of course, as the home of Coda, Matt spoke fondly of Kelham Island, following it’s huge regeneration.

Matt said: “20 years ago Kelham was a backwater red light district, and then the first development at Cornish Works happened and since then it’s just been a one-way track with lots of new investments, and that’s even since we moved into Sheffield. It’s been transformational with all the bars and restaurants and number of new homes that have been delivered and the people living there.

“I would also say Waverley, which we’re quite active in. The AMRC is fantastic and some of the people there like Boeing, McLaren and Rolls Royce. There are already 1000 homes there, a school and there’s going to be a new town centre called Olive Lane that will have new shops, local amenities, a medical centre, things like that.

“There’s also going to be a new Sky-House scheme that’s high-density urban living, denser than the suburban type housing in Waverley. There’s also talk about a new

railway station, so I think that’s a real achievement for South Yorkshire that kind of spans the RotherhamSheffield divide.”

What about their home of Barnsley? Matt told me about how the Glassworks development has brought a new buzz to the town centre, and he takes his hat off to what they have delivered in attracting people back into the area.

David told me about what is happening in Doncaster. “It’s amazing what is happening there right now. What the local authority has done there with the projects around the centre; the new library, the new shopping areas, all the new area around the train station square, it’s all on the up as seen with them achieving city status.

“The leadership in Doncaster is fantastic, and so are the opportunities – with the fastest connectivity to London in the region and the M18. The airport is the single biggest opportunity

It’s amazing what is happening there (Doncaster) right now. What the local authority has done there with the projects around the centre; the new library, the new shopping areas, all the new area around the train station square, it’s all on the up as seen with them achieving city status.

for our region to expand exponentially, and the recent news about its closure is hugely disappointing. If the Government was serious about levelling up, they would do something here. It’s a huge blow to the region.”

I asked David how – if at all – his relationship had changed with Coda since he stepped down to focus on his other ventures. He said: “It’s basically the same really. The WhatsApp group has changed its name but every project we do is always with Coda and always will be, we share the same DNA when it comes to design and what we’re interested in.”

Matt went on to say: “We spent the best part of two decades talking about design and urbanism, and we’ve kind of gone along a similar journey. It just works really well.”

An exciting project that Coda is working on with David is the Sky-House development in Oughtibridge in North Sheffield, which is an area of the city that has seen its fortunes change in recent years. The Fox Valley development in Stocksbridge is a fantastic exemplar of what magic is happening in that part of the city.

David said how they have huge sales interest in the development within their Oughtibridge Mill food hall concept overlooking the River Don.

Lastly, having had such a legacy within South Yorkshire has meant that, between them, they’ve had a significant impact on the region. Do they feel a responsibility in terms

of serving communities or design?

David said: “Absolutely. It’s everything we’re about. Our entire mission and values of the business is about what we want to do. We’re partly funded by the South Yorkshire Pension Authority and part of our commitment was that we build great places and that we will go above and beyond to do beautiful design.

“We also do ESG corporate social responsibility type things where we sponsor kids to plant trees. No one’s making us do this, but when we’re making places, we should be making places like Saltaire. Nice places break the rules, and it’s our commitment to do it, but you won’t believe the battles we have to go through to build nice places.”

From a design perspective, Matt said: “I’ve been thinking recently, what kind of buildings that Coda have built will be here for another 100 years. I don’t want our architecture to be here for 30 years and then be replaced with something else. There’s been a lot of that happening in the last 50 years.

“We knew how to build beautiful places that people loved. That’s what we tried to do with Olive Lane. We didn’t want a big box retail park with a huge car park in the middle, the whole vision was centred around creating a street that was centred on people with a variety of uses,

“I want people to think Coda built those buildings and made a huge contribution for a better Sheffield and wider South Yorkshire region.”

TRAVEL WHERE NEXT?

decided he wanted to put his skills to good use and share his expertise

He said: “The current education options can be limiting for people who learn in different ways. I wanted to provide a space where young people have the freedom to create environment with no pressure or

“Not everyone is good at desk work or learning from a textbook but that doesn’t mean they are not

The group has also formed the Alder Community Garden, based at the next-door bar run by Joe, where pieces created in the workshop are

put on display.

Joe, the commercial lead of the group, said: “This is a really exciting opportunity and it feels so nice to be able to give something back. We have the space to showcase this talent and hard work so I’m really happy to be involved.”

While Joe offers the business know-how and Brian the creative experience, Hena works as safeguarding lead thanks to her work at a local specialist school for children aged from 5 to 18.

Hena added: “What we offer is a sense of community for people who may have struggled in previous educational settings. Our focus is on being understanding, building confidence and helping people to gain the skills they will need going forwards.”

The products made in the workshop are of the highest quality and are currently sold to the public, with plans for an ecommerce site in the future.

But the group’s current priority is working with other businesses in the community to expand the offering and gain the funding needed to keep providing this vital support.

Brian said: “We’re really keen to hear from any businesses who may want to work with us in whatever capacity that may be.

“Any funding or financial support we can get would be amazing, but we would also love for people to order some products from us, like our planters or benches.

“Everything we create is environmentally friendly, we use locally sourced wood and ordering from us means you are helping a young person who really needs it.”

For more information, visit: www. percystreetcic.com

Sutton McGrath Hartley rebrands to SMH Group

Following multiple mergers and acquisitions over the past few years, the Sheffield headquartered Chartered Accountants has grown from a single office on Sharrow Vale Road to a regional firm with offices in Buxton, Chesterfield, Knaresborough, Rotherham and Wakefield – with plans of more to come. Watch this space!

With this expansion, the company has restructured to allow each office to keep its brand identity, history, and locality – all key drivers to success, while benefitting from the strength of a wider group that offers a complete range of business and

personal financial services.

The rebrand has been the vision of directors James Hartley and Jonathon Dickens, as they wanted to make sure the group’s structure allowed for further progression for its existing entities, and a clear plan and structure for new mergers and acquisitions who may want to join the group. The mission of the newly formed SMH Group is to ‘ensure no financial stone is left unturned’ to enable clients to access all their financial requirements within one group of companies.

James Hartley, manging partner, said: “Having operated as Chartered

SMH

Accountants since 1995, it made sense for us to add to our service offering a few years ago, giving our clients access to a whole host of additional services. The first additional offering being financial Services, followed by wills and probates, commercial finance, residential mortgages and corporate finance.

“With the success of these additional services, and the mergers/ acquisitions that have already taken place, it was the obvious next step for us to look at how we can restructure the group, to put us in a position to continue this exciting growth period.

“What appeals to all the companies that have joined our group is that we can offer something more to their clients that they haven’t been able to access previously. The SMH group contains individual companies that all work closely together to ensure our clients don’t have to go to multiple advisors when seeking professional advice. This results in us being able to provide a holistic and expert approach tailored specifically to our clients’ needs.

“In a statement true to our foundations, we want to deliver the best advice to service our clients’ short, medium, and longer-term needs as well as ensuring they have access to the most well-rounded advice on the market. This is all possible within the SMH Group.”

The SMH Group is also delighted to announce its first merger since the rebrand, as Malcolm J Harris Ltd has merged into the existing Buxton office of SMH BullockWoodburn. The deal completed on September 1.

To learn more about all the companies within the SMH Group, visit the firm’s revamped website at www.smh.group

James can be contacted on 0114 266 4432 and jhartley@smh.group to discuss any matter affecting your business or personal financial affairs. Alternatively scan the QR code, and a member of staff will get back to you.

Sutton McGrath Hartley has rebranded to SMH Group, as the multi-office firm gears up for its next phase of growth.

An

Placement

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Sheffield Chamber relaunches influential Transport Forum

Following the disruption caused by the pandemic, rising fuel costs and several bus crises, Sheffield Chamber is relaunching its influential Transport Forum. This seeks to collaborate on transport enhancements across transport modes, stakeholder organisations and regional boundaries. In keeping with the close partnership working between the Chambers in Doncaster, Barnsley and Rotherham, the forum will be open to Chamber members, public authorities and transport operators from across South Yorkshire.

With the support of new Sheffield Chamber Patron, Mott MacDonald, the relaunched South Yorkshire-wide Transport Forum will focus on making the region a better place by collaboratively driving change in the region’s transport system so that travel can better support growth in the economy.

In June, South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard announced that the region’s services would be cut by a third.

Cllr Terry Fox, Sheffield Council leader, has previously called for a public transport system 'that meets the needs of people living and working across our region'.

The Transport Forum will be a central focus for the business community to come up with practical ways to innovate and challenge the status quo. It aims to be meaningful and have impact in the real economy by establishing an association that will drive worthwhile change, taking on board the perspectives of local businesses.

Consultancy firm Mott MacDonald, decided to sponsor the transport forum as part of their ongoing purpose to improve social outcomes for all.

Beth Longden, regional lead for South Yorkshire at Mott Macdonald, said: “As a local business, South Yorkshire is a region we are passionate about and fully committed to. There is so much potential and it is vital we create

and deliver significant long-term positive social outcomes for the city region and its residents. We are delighted to sponsor the Transport Forum and look forward to working closely with local stakeholders to create a transport system that works for all.”

Sam Chapman, senior vice president of innovation, co-founder of The Floow and co-chair of the Transport Forum, said: “We have defined clear goals that we want to achieve in the next 12 months. I look forward to being part of it, working

with strategic organisations across the region and driving positive change forward for all.

“We will play a meaningful role in the enhancement of a transport system that is safe, reliable, clean, green, and affordable.”

Peter Kennan, private sector co-chair of the transport and environment board at the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority and co-chair of the transport forum, added: “Having been involved in the Sheffield Chamber Transport Forum for many years, it is fantastic to see it run region wide. Its mission is to help South Yorkshire be home to one of the best transport systems in the United Kingdom, something which can only be achieved when we work together.”

Find out more: www.scci.org.uk/ contact

Left to right: Alexis Krachai, Beth Longden (MM), Sam Chapman, Peter Kennan, Janet Himan (MM) and Martin Revill (MM).

Tell us about your company?

Laser Partners UK is both a supplier of industrial laser equipment and accessories, as well as a company that helps potential users of laser technologies find and introduce the most suitable laser technology for their requirements and budget. We use laser systems for part marking, laser welding, cutting, hardening and cleaning.

When did you first decide to start up on your own and what inspired you?

I started Laser Partners UK early in 2021. Starting my own company was something that I had always wanted to do since I was young, so I finally took the plunge and did it with the help of some of the new business support groups in Sheffield.

How has Launchpad helped you?

They have been fantastic! I knew what I wanted to do, but not how to do it. Launchpad helped me create my business plan, organise my finances and accounting and find suitable premises in a great location at the Cooper Building in Sheffield. They continue to give me mentoring, help and advice that has been invaluable. They have also worked with me to find really good suppliers, through local contacts that they have, and other start-up companies too.

What are your hopes and aims for the business?

We are already moving more in to

manufacturing, and actually now building complete laser systemsmostly for laser marking - which is something we were always keen to do. Lasers offer huge benefits to help companies, not only to help increase their throughputs and product quality, but they can also help companies save significant amounts of energy and money, whilst getting consistently highquality results. So, continuing to help existing customers to build on our earlier work with them is really rewarding and a key aim. We have also started to sell systems abroad too – so these are exciting time for

Chris contacted Launchpad in 2021 as he was really keen to grow his business, with his sights set on UK and International growth it’s been a pleasure to help him build a strategic business profile and develop contacts and networks that are essential in the early stages. I have supported him through regular one to one meetings and he has attended some of our business workshops. Chris’s skills and experience in the Laser industry are second to none so I’m looking forward to seeing Laser Partners own innovative products launch too, we wish him great success for the future.

ADVISOR STATEMENT FROM CHRISTINA LIMA TRINDADE

Chris Ogden from Laser Partners UK tells us how Launchpad helped him build a business from the ground up.

It may be a big statement but Aaron Probert, founder of Labre’s Hope, is one of the kindest people I have ever met.

I’m not sure what I expected from someone who started a business which helps to tackle homelessness, but his levels of empathy, compassion and dedication are unlike any I have ever experienced.

Labre’s Hope (or Labre-Soap, if you say it fast enough) is a cosmetics company which offers living wage opportunities for people experiencing homelessness, while also providing education in wellbeing management, bespoke job coaching, and housing through its partnerships with Crisis and South Yorkshire Housing Association (SYHA).

The name isn’t just a play on words, though – it has a much deeper meaning, as Aaron told me while we tucked into our Chinese lunch feast.

“Benedict Joseph Labre was actually the patron saint of homeless people, which is where the name came from,” he said. “We’re selling hope with both our products and our business, too, so

A HELPING HAND

Entrepreneur, philanthropist and skincare guru – 25-year-old Aaron Probert has found a way to fuse his passions, his caring nature and his business-know-how to create a company that provides hope to those who need it most. unLTD’s Brogan Maguire sat down for lunch with him to find out more…

I feel so lucky that we are able to do this every day and so privileged that we get to be part of this journey, helping other people and seeing their lives change for the better.

that’s where the two things came together.”

The idea for the organisation was born from Aaron’s university dissertation, where he looked at a business model which was based around social change, opportunity and equality.

He said: “I was inspired by the story of a homeless woman I met, who ended up on the streets after experiencing an abusive relationship and developing alcohol problems, and I felt that there needed to be more in place to help people in that position.

“The fact that writing 10,000 words for a university project has led to this still feels pretty surreal.”

There was one question I had to ask Aaron and that was: “why soap?”

“Well,” he told me. “I’m a bit of a skincare nerd, I have to be honest! I wanted something that was accessible for everyone and the kind of products that make people feel good, which our candles and cosmetics definitely do.”

Since starting in 2019 Labre’s Hope has gone from strength to strength, with a new headquarters in Rotherham and an environment where staff feel valued, nurtured and excited.

The building has been completely renovated – think Kirsty and Phil, Aaron joked – and every room is bold and uplifting, with a huge graffiti wall in the lab.

If there was one thing Aaron wanted to make clear to me, though, it was that none of this would have been possible without a team effort.

He said: “At the beginning this almost felt like an impossible task. One organisation can’t solve these things alone, it takes a collective to work together.

“There is no ‘one size fits all’ approach, everything needs to be tailored to individual needs and situations. That’s why I’m so happy to be working with Crisis and SYHA.

“It’s not just about employment – which of course we do offer – it’s about wellbeing, skills development and confidence building.

“I feel so lucky that we are able to do this every day and so privileged that we get to be part of this journey, helping other people and seeing their lives change for the better.”

Well done, Aaron and team!

A TRUE TASTE OF ASIA AT CHINA RED

China Red is just a stone’s throw from my office and I’ve had the pleasure of enjoying a few lunches there over the last few months.

What I hadn’t realised at first was that the restaurant on Rockingham Gate, just off The Moor, was the same brand as the Chinese vendor in Cutlery Works– a much-frequented venue of mine.

I’d tried a few dishes from there before, but only the classics like salt and pepper chips and special fried rice – or maybe a sweet and sour chicken if I was feeling extra hungry.

Dining at the original restaurant though, and being guided by owner Kelvin, is a whole different experience.

Kelvin is passionate about serving up fresh, tasty and authentic Asian dishes using the best ingredients.

If you let him know your dietary requirements, what level of spice you like and what kind of dishes you normally order, he will come up with the perfect selection of food for you to enjoy.

Every meal I’ve eaten there has been perfect and my lunch date with Aaron was no different.

Kelvin came to greet us and after a quick chat through our preferences, dish after amazing dish began arriving at our table.

From deep fried king prawns with

black bean and chilli (a personal favourite), to poached beef in chilli oil and shredded pork with peking sauce, there was not one thing we were served that we didn’t love.

Aaron had let Kelvin know he wasn’t very good with overly spicy food, but everything that arrived had the perfect balance of flavours and nothing was overpowering.

Alongside our mains we had braised aubergine – which I must admit I was slightly sceptical of, but I was quickly converted – noodles, egg fried rice and the most delicate little salt and pepper potato crisps I have ever tasted. I’m still working on convincing Kelvin to sell them as bar snacks!

Everything was served on the ‘lazy Susan’ in the middle of the table, so we could all have as much or as little of everything as we wanted.

I may have had to be rolled back to the office, but it was worth it for every beautiful bite.

First anniversary celebrations for accounts training provider

First Intuition (FI), the awardwinning accountancy training provider, is celebrating the first anniversary of opening its premises at Pennine 5 in Sheffield city centre.

FI has been running courses in Sheffield since 2018, however, since the opening of the new training centre the business has gone from strength to strength, delivering training courses for the AAT, ACCA, CIMA and ICAEW qualifications, which can be studied either commercially or via an apprenticeship.

The first anniversary caps a memorable year for FI, during which it has established permanent roots in the South Yorkshire region and is now an integral part of training the future finance professionals in the area.

Here are a few of the highlights from this year which the team are particularly proud of:

FI has welcomed and taught over 200 students over the last year across the different qualifications, since the first course took place in October 2021.

As part of the FI apprenticeship programme, learners attend in centre days to improve communication, problem-solving and decision-making, which are delivered under FI’s unique Impact Skills Programme. Since last October FI has run 40 skills days, which have contributed significantly to the development of skills that learners can take back to the workplace.

FI feels it is important to celebrate the progression and achievements of its learners, so

it was fantastic to take the newly qualified accountants to a local Sheffield establishment for their first ever graduation ceremony in March.

In April, First Intuition won the PQ Magazine award for ‘best innovation in the accounting sector’ for its Accountancy Academies. These free two-day events, give local school students, interested in a career in finance, an opportunity to gain a greater understanding and insight into the accountancy industry. Plus, the opportunity to meet local employers looking to recruit into their organisations.

Development of both school leavers and graduates interested in a career in finance is an area FI is passionate about, particularly the importance of giving solid careers advice. In addition to the academies, FI has made huge efforts to engage with local schools and attended numerous careers events, as well as giving talks on careers in accountancy.

Developing strong relationships with local employers is at the heart of the FI ethos and the team ensures clients are kept updated with the latest industry news and developments. In May the FI

Sheffield centre held its first client event in conjunction with Pratap Partnership. The event, titled The New Normal, was hugely successful and gave clients an insight into the most recent issues in recruiting, retaining and developing finance staff.

Staff and learners are keen to raise funds for local charities and FI is proud to have supported and raised funds for Sheffield based Cavendish Cancer Care throughout the year.

With the continued growth and an ever-expanding team, FI is always on the lookout for people with a passion for developing the next generation of finance professionals. If you would like to be part of a dynamic, innovative and fast-growing team, visit: www. firstintuition.co.uk/classroomcourses/sheffield/

Equally, if you are an employer with finance training requirements or if you would like be involved in any of the events mentioned above, contact local director: chriscain@fi.co.uk

Partnership delivers broadband upgrade for Business Centre

Sheffield Business Centre has grown a partnership with Wayv Talk and Broadband for Business to deliver upgraded Gigabit fibre and hybrid working.

To continue to provide businesses located at the Business Centre with the latest technology and services, it was decided that in 2022 the Business Centre would look to upgrade its broadband infrastructure to offer its tenants the very best superfast fibre, and the latest telecoms services that would give its occupants the option of flexible working.

After three successful years of delivering telecommunication services and support to the commercial team at the popular Sheffield Business Centre, Wayv Talk and Broadband for Business were a natural choice to approach to understand their options in upgrading their communication systems.

Dawn Kennedy, Sheffield Business Park’s manager, said: “Our suppliers are integral to the service we deliver to our tenants, and our experience with Wayv has been fantastic, their service and support are exceptional - you only want to build on partnerships like these.

“With the recent addition of their carbon neutral service, all our carbon emissions are offset as standard. We are helping the environment just by choosing them as our provider, so Wayv were the obvious option for us.”

Through understanding the requirements and needs of the Sheffield Business Centre, Wayv put together a package for both the Park and its businesses that captured exactly what they were trying to achieve, at a cost that was financially attractive for all parties.

With the shift towards more hybrid forms of working following COVID-19, the upgrade will allow businesses within the Centre the opportunity to work both faster and smarter.

Dawn added: “We must embrace

the way customers want to work now – this is a culture that is here to stay. Providing our businesses the option to utilise communication tools that will enable them to perform their jobs seamlessly no matter where they work from is essential.

“Businesses that are embracing hybrid working but not providing the right tools to do so will undoubtedly risk missing out on sales, slower service to its customers and poor communication internally.

“The system and service that Wayv provides are excellent – it provides all the flexibility we were looking for and adds huge value. Things like call recording, mobile apps, and professionally recorded on-hold marketing come as standard.”

This opportunity for Wayv Talk and Broadband comes off the back of a record-breaking 2021, in which they saw 75 per cent growth.

Managing director Liam Parnell said: “Our relentless focus on changing the business telecoms industry for the better by providing a trusted, transparent, reliable service in which SMEs can benefit from the excellent system and service benefits that add value to their business at no extra cost.

“In addition, despite the huge price hikes surrounding utilities right now, we’re offering our customers the option to fix their price for up to seven years, which is proving to be extremely beneficial to those businesses that want to know exactly what they are spending with no surprises.”

With the recent addition of their carbon neutral service, all our carbon emissions are offset as standard. We are helping the environment just by choosing them as our provider, so Wayv were the obvious option for us

THE

WE ARE MORE THAN JUST ACCOUNTANTS

LET US BECOME THE FINANCE ARM OF YOUR BUSINESS.

IS JUST THE START

THIS IS THE END

It

be difficult to find a balance between work and play when you have a full-time job, but

Away from the desk

After a long week of screens, desk chairs and meetings, there’s nothing quite like getting outside and getting some fresh air.

Luckily, Sheffield and South Yorkshire are steeped in glorious countryside, with walking, climbing and cycling routes to suit every ability level.

I’ve always loved getting out into the Peak District on a weekend, leaving the stresses of work behind and taking in the stunning scenery.

Last month I headed to Mam Tor in Castleton one sunny Saturday and the views were absolutely breath-taking.

I’ll be the first to admit I’m not overly fit, so the climb – or scramble, in my case – up Winnats Pass was a bit of a challenge, but it was well worth it.

MD by day, DJ by night

For this month’s issue, we chatted to Daniel Bumby of Simoda about how he finds time for his side hustle – music.

As his full-time job, Daniel is the managing director of Simoda, working with a team of experienced and skilled technology experts based in Sheffield. The team are always busy implementing technical strategies and helping businesses and IT departments with their technological offering. Alongside this, Dan makes time for his other passion of music and music production.

On a weekday, you’ll find Dan in Simoda’s Kelham Island office, digitally transforming organisations and businesses. Fast forward to Saturday night and he can be spotted stress-free at the helm of DJ decks.

Already sounds pretty hectic, right? Well, it’s not just MD by day and DJ by night –Dan also co-owns two record labels.

Producing music is something he has always been passionate about, dedicating his time to his two record labels 64K Recordings Ibiza and Barbershop Recordings Ibiza. 64K Recordings specialises in progressive house and techno and Barbershop Recordings is dedicated to deep house and disco. With both labels operating since 2018, both 64K and Barbershop boast chart-topping tracks.

Under the aliases Dan & Dan and GoldRed, Daniel has been DJ’ing for over 20 years. Taking influences from the late 80s and early 90s Sheffield techno scene, Dan has cultured his very own sound. Whilst the music industry comes with its own challenges, Dan encourages anyone to pursue their musical talent if they have a passion for it. As a creative outlet, Dan finds his side hustle helps him to deal with everyday stresses and relax away from his busy life.

Don’t worry though, there’s a gentler route up the road from Castleton which you can take if you don’t feel like climbing, or you can even park right at the bottom of the hill if you don’t have time for a full hike.

From the top of Mam Tor you can see the whole of Hope Valley on one side, and the whole of Edale Valley to the Derwent Moors on the other.

It’s not just good for the body, it’s good for the soul, so why not get out and try it this weekend?

Lunch of the month

Whether you’re a meal prep champion or a sucker for a supermarket meal deal, we can probably all agree that it’s not viable to go for a ‘boujee’ lunch every single day of the week.

But as a payday treat or to get you in the Friday spirit, heading out to explore some of the wonderful independent eateries in our towns and cities can be a much-needed change to break up the weekly routine.

Caffé Tucci on Surrey Street in Sheffield is a traditional Neopolitan café and deli serving up Italian sweet treats, paninis and sandwiches that make your mouth water just looking at them.

With fresh, crusty ciabatta bread and a range of beautiful Mediterranean ingredients from sundried tomatoes to prosciutto, mozzarella and fresh pesto, there’s something for every taste.

The prices definitely fall more into the ‘treat’ category, but they are absolutely worth it. They’re large enough to fill you up all day and they taste better than any meal deal you could ever try.

A little slice of Italy, right on our doorstep. What could be better?

Our editor Brogan Maguire gives her top pick of walks in the Peaks

Here’s the lunchtime treat we’ve been enjoying the most this month