Often imitated, never equalled
May 2013
The Tuffley-Link Part of The
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Inspiring, Equipping & Empowering Business Women
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Women's Business Magazine ________________________________
Editorial and Design ________________________________ Editor: Angela De Souza angela@womensbusiness.club Designer: Sarah Gerken sarah@womensbusiness.club Graphics: Lorah-Kelly Beard lorah@womensbusiness.club _______________________________ Advertising and Sales ________________________________ Advertising: Sarah Gerken sarah@womensbusiness.club Sales: Angela De Souza angela@womensbusiness.club ________________________________ Women's Business Magazine Print - Online - ENewsletter FOUR EDITIONS DELIVERED TO: Bath, Cheltenham, Gloucester, Forest of Dean, Malmesbury, Monmouth, Swindon, Tewkesbury, Wimbledon www.womensbusiness.club (c) 2015 Women's Business Club All images and text subject to copyright. You may NOT reproduce, in whole or in part, any of the pages from this magazine or quotes of no more than two or three sentences with full credit attached to quote. If you wish to reproduce more than this, please contact the editor. While endeavouring to make sure that all published information is accurate, the publishers cannot be held responsible for mistakes or omissions
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Inspiring, Equipping & Empowering Business Women
Member Article
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Time for a Good Idea... by Alison Breton of Forest Hills Golf Club A friend of mine recently reposted an article on Facebook that seemed to indicate that if you productively use all your waking hours then you could achieve anything. It made me quite exhausted just reading it and the thought of not spending the final hour of each day winding down in front of the TV was frightening! Not only that but if you cram everything into your day you are not making any time for something really important for your business – having creative ideas. Ideas (not just for creative types, ideas also encompass different ways of implementing admin, advertising and marketing, even domestic arrangements - anything that might improve the business) don’t come to you when you are concentrating on something else, they tend to arrive when your brain doesn’t need to concentrate that hard. Of course, Downton Abbey won’t help me one jot, but digging my potato patch will. I can just dig away and mull over problems and ideas. If you’ve ever watched The Apprentice (and I have to watch from behind a cushion as it can be so cringe-making) you will know that the candidates are required to have creative ideas in an instant and under pressure. However, I would maintain that this doesn’t get the best results. A germ of an idea can be gleaned from something around you, often completely out of context, which you can then give more thought until you come up with a great new product, a new market for your services, or new way of selling - the list is endless! At the Golf Club, a Women’s Business Club member came to give me advice on coffee. She is an interior designer and the Golf Club would be a meaty project for her, but it wasn’t either of those two things that got me thinking. Rather, it was when she said ‘I had no idea the Golf Club was here, even though I frequently go to the car boot sale just opposite’. Well, how many other people just drive on past? Perhaps I should have an open day and invite people to come and look? We could showcase the benefits of having a function at the Club and perhaps offer people an incentive to hold their party or charity do next February, which is looking rather too quiet. Hmmm, I’ll work on that one! In our Women’s Business Club ‘wonderbra’ sessions, it’s often not the individual ideas we come up with that are the best – it’s the extension of other people’s ideas and the general discussion. In fact it is the half-hour afterwards, when I get home and enjoy a cup of tea, when I mentally expand upon ideas; ‘that would work with a tweak’, or ‘ this idea would be great when twinned with another’. A soak in the bath, weeding the garden, watching the childrens' ballet class/football match or walking the dog could be the most productive part of your day! www.foresthillsgolfandleisure.co.uk www.womensbusiness.club
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Natalie South Wales Director 07557 902099 natalie@womensbusiness.club
2014 has been an epiphany for me. I have been a Women’s Business Club team member since February and I had only ever dreamed of finding a vocation and career that I am so passionate about. I have built both of my current groups from nothing and to see them thriving and the women in them creating an empowering business community, it gives me a sense of fulfilment, encouragement and drive never felt in my legal career. Meeting women of all different backgrounds, each with a different story to tell, I am constantly in awe of their achievements; whether starting a business because of a passion, taking over an established business or taking their business to the next level with turnover and staff. Through each different woman with their different circumstance there runs a universal thread, one of resilience, belief and sheer determination. As a woman, to be able to juggle all obstacles and responsibilities and still have the drive and aptitude to succeed in business is simply phenomenal and I make it my quest to support and continue to empower these amazing women to grow and drive further. I am so very excited for what 2015 has in store. With our first anniversary for the Forest of Dean in February and our imminent roll-out further into South Wales, it is our mission for every businesswoman in Britain to have a Women’s Business Club on their doorstep for encouragement, inspiration and to keep them heading for their aspirations! Meet www.womensbusiness.club the team at www.team.womensbusiness.club
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Inspiring, Equipping & Empowering UK Business Women Build your business our ABC system -Business Aspire -Women Build - Connect Inspiring, with Equipping & Empowering
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Lorah-Kelly Gloucestershire Director 07580 249809 lorah@womensbusiness.club
As we start yet another year here at Women's Business Club I can't help but think back over the amazing journey I have been on over the last two years! It all started in January 2013 with the Launch of the Cheltenham Women's Business Club, and the launch of the entire Women's Business Club Franchise! At that time I had no idea just what was in store for myself! If you had met me then, at that first meeting - you would be as surprised as I am standing where I am today. I was a young, shy wanna-be photographer only really there as a favour and to take some photographs! But as the months went on, and after meeting such wonderful business women through the club, I started to believe in myself more and more. With all of their support and encouragement I started to see myself not only as a professional photographer, but also as a business woman! And that began the long journey I am now on. I took over the Cheltenham club in April this year, and it has been the biggest adventure of my life! I have loved getting to know each and every one of you business ladies who have passed through the club, and have made it my mission to show you all the very support, encouragement and empowerment that I received in my very first year in business! I am so excited about 2015 and can't wait to see how your businesses grow and flourish and am so honoured that I get to be a part of your journey! Meet the team at www.team.womensbusiness.club www.womensbusiness.club
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BUSINESS STYLE by our fashion guru, Hazel Robinson Busy Business Woman's Guide to Looking Good
I was asked recently, during a talk to a business woman’s group, how it was possible to look good when we all have such hectic lives. I had a (quick!) think about the essential elements of achieving this which I have detailed for you below and snappily called my ‘Busy Business Woman’s Guide to looking good’. Let’s start at the top (of our bodies) and work down! Hair – make regular appointments (make the next one when you are at the salon). Have a default bad hair day look that works for you – piled up in a bun, plait or low ponytail. Add some pretty clips to make it look glam! Makeup - work out what the minimum you can get away with is. For me I have to line my brows (patchy) and add a bit of concealer and mascara. Keep a small tin of Vaseline with you to smooth brows and shine lips. Nails – file them in a neat shape (mini nail file in your handbag would be useful!) and wear a clear/neutral varnish which doesn’t show chips as easily. If you want to make something more of your nails then gel nails last for a couple of weeks though you need to make sure you keep going back so book a batch of appointments. Outfit Planning - don’t leave choosing what to wear until the morning, especially if you have an early start. You don’t need to have your exact outfit laid out but at least check the essentials are clean and have a few outfits that you can wear if all else fails. My fall back outfits are a couple of dresses. I know if they’re clean then I can add accessories to achieve an outfit I feel good in. In cold weather it’s probably wise to ensure you have a pair of emergency tights (at home and in the car) in case of a last minute disaster! (or have fall back trousers!). Accessories - don’t forget the power of accessories! They can make a mediocre or plain outfit look great. So do add a necklace, earrings, brooch on your coat lapel, tie a scarf round your neck and pick up some gloves. I have a selection of scarves/gloves/hats by the door ready to brighten up my outfit which I grab on my way out! Shoes – it’s essential these are in good clean condition. If they look grubby or tatty it lets the rest of your outfit down. They don’t have to be so shiny you can see your face in them but don’t wear them dirty. Finally, make sure your coat (the first and last thing people see you in) looks good and makes you feel great. If you are just dashing to the shops, no one knows what you have on underneath! (Unless your PJ’s are showing underneath it, in which case…) My last top tip. Put regular days off and breaks in for yourself. Invest in yourself, not just your business and you will feel (and look) better. PS. If you’d like to save time and are stuck on what to wear for a business event, occasion or your professional image and would like to get clear and confident on how to dress the part, avoid frustration on outfit planning and get tips on dressing your body shape then I would like to offer you a FREE consultation via skype so you know exactly what to wear to feel confident. Email me on info@nutsaboutstyle.co.uk to book, I have 5 places only so first come first serve!
www.nutsaboutstyle.co.uk www.womensbusiness.club
Kayleigh Purser Therapies
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Holis c therapy is not a job; it is a passion, a voca on, a drive. I found out I was a natural born healer before I even started school. My mum was working night shi s and struggling to sleep when she was ge!ng home in the mornings. I used to gently stroke her back and shoulders un l she fell asleep. As a teenager I started ge!ng panic a#acks when surrounded by a lot of people. I could never understand what I was fearful of, I just used to get overwhelmed by emo ons that didn’t feel like mine. I later found out that I was experiencing energy transferences and that I was picking up on other people’s nega ve emo ons and taking them on as my own. I was introduced to massage therapy by a family friend, who used a mixture of sports massage and kinesiology to treat me for severe shoulder tension. I was immediately hooked and knew there and then that I wanted to heal people, both physically and psychologically. I started training as soon as I le school and have never looked back. I feel it’s so important to con nue learning about different therapies and methods of holis c healing, I have become the perpetual therapy student with a passion to help and heal. With all of the therapies that I have learned so far, I am able to tailor treatments for every individual person to deliver a deep ssue, muscle releasing and energy balancing experience. Contact: 07940 476 016
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BUSINESS GROWTH by our growth expert, Jane Bromley
Laser clarity will multiply your sales Let’s be honest – you deserve a LOT more clients and money. To have as many customers as you can handle…. In fact those customers deserve to have you helping them too. You deserve to feel successful… on the crest of a wave. Yet, however good you are, today there is a gap. You need and want more sales!
The Show Stopper So what’s the issue? Most of my clients are eager to increase sales….. the sooner the better….. but they have rarely defined exactly how many clients or how much money they wanted. It’s strange. Whenever I coach a Managing Director, as soon as they set a clear outcome – they immediately make faster progress.
Let me tell you a story A year or so ago, I coached Gerry, the MD of a virtual secretarial company. She was due to have her first baby 9 weeks later. The company was doing ok but she was really worried about how she would keep it going with the baby coming. I guided her to define what she really wanted to achieve. She told me how many customers she had and how much work they currently brought in. Then she defined the exact amount of sales growth she wanted to see from her business over the next 2 years. I think she had been scared to define what she really wanted until she was confronted with my question! Yet, once she had stated the outcome she really wanted she then easily worked out how she would make it happen… In just one hour she had a plan and was totally confident she could set it all up properly – mostly before the baby arrived. If Gerry can do that with a baby on the way, imagine what you can achieve! I also track UK companies that are growing at 15% or more, year after year. They are impressive organizations. Every single one of them sets very clear, inspiring goals for what they will achieve. That is one of the reasons they are so successful.
3 simple steps to define your objective Pinpoint a time in the future e.g. 1 or 2 years from now. Select an objective that will really inspire you e.g. £120,000 revenue for the year and 60% profit by the end of 2 years– bringing you in enough money to support you and your children comfortably, pay for 2 lovely holidays a year and save money to start building a safe future. Now ask yourself, on a scale of 1- 10, where 10 is “the most exciting thing you can think of achieving in the next 2 years”, how do you score the objective you have written down? If you did not give it 10/10 – what is the missing piece? Done? Congratulations. You have just taken an important step towards building the future you want.
Now make it work for you Now you have a clear objective you can build on it in 5 ways: a. b. c. d. e.
Visualize what it will be like to have achieved your goal. Just like Gerry, objectively, compare where you are today with where you want to be. Now work out the best steps to take you from where you are to achieve your objective. What action will you take immediately? Go on – start that now. Finally write out your objective or find a picture that, for you, embodies it.
This is your future – what are you waiting for?
By Jane Bromley, Strategenic Ltd Tel: 01672 861767 wwww.strategicplanningforgrowth.co.uk
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The KIH Bed Allowing heavily pregnant ladies to lay prone Ideal for chiropractors and other professional therapists as well as for use in the home www.kihproducts.co.uk 0208 123 9625 Facebook/kihproducts
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MEMBERS LIST
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Our members are all 5-star rated by their customers and clients, so you can be sure that we only list the best of the best in our directory. To see our members full profiles go to our member directory at www.directory.womensbusiness.club
BATH: Barclays Bank Captain Tortue Costco Intelligent Parenting White Tiger Wellness 4 Life CHELTENHAM: Box Polish Cheltenham IT Training Cheltenham Social Group FlytheKite Communications Forever Living GGM Iwork4u Juice Plus Katie Maughfling Yoga Lorah Kelly Creative Photography Move Estate Agents Move Estate Agents Nuts About Style Sunago Unique Creations The Childrens Society The Cotswolds Juice Retreat Thistle Cheltenham Hotel Travel Counsellors
Mill End Mitcheldean My Calm Room The Computer Cookie Wedding Enterprise Ltd GLOUCESTER: Cheltenham Chase Hotel CMJ Business Solutions Creation Cakes Mary K Small Steps Counselling Service Yogies MALMESBURY: Heals Feel Fab-u-lous Fiona Scott Utility Warehouse MONMOUTHSHIRE: Basepoint Business Centre Charlotte Poole-Graham Wealth Manager Haberdashers’ Monmouth School for Girls Wye Media SWINDON: Think Mortgage Options Forever Living Utility Warehouse PPS Chartered Accountants
FOREST OF DEAN: 2and6 Therapy Rooms AOB - Any Other business TEWKESBURY: Forever Living Balance - Pilates & Well Being Boost-You Bordello Banquets Capture This Moment Photography Casa Interiors Charlotte Poole-Graham Wealth Manager Flaxen Hare Forest Hills Golf Club Harts Barn Karosa Jewellery KIH Products Inspiring, Equipping & Empowering Business Women MCG Electrical Contractors Ltd
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