Women's Business Magazine Autumn 2016 by Women's Business Club

Autumn 2016 ÂŁ2.99

FASHION, HEALTH & WELLBEING Sophie Cameron Davies

Bristol's young, up and coming fashion designer

Are you really charging your worth?

Words of wisdom from The Life Buddy

INTERVIEWS The Box Range

Take a peek inside the workspace of cruelty free cosmetics artisan, Amy Box

The Woman Behind The Business

SIOBHAN FREEGARD

Jennifer Hall talks success, failure and scary moments

A Woman in a Man's World

Charlotte Graham shares pressures, mistakes and her top tips for being a woman in a man's world

Founder of the largest parenting website in the UK

Connecting, Supporting and Empowering Business Women

Women’s Business Magazine

Creative Director Lorah-Kelly Beard

Editor-in-Chief Angela De Souza

Welcome Letter

Copy Editor Nikita Tejaa

Our final issue for this year is action packed with more than ever before! Best of all, it sees us just around the corner from our annual Maximise Conference & Awards. It has been a fantastic year for Women’s Business Club as we have seen several new clubs pop up, some fantastic business stories as a result and the climax will definitely be at Maximise where all our hard work for the year pays off and we bring all the clubs together for one massively fantastic day! Read all about it on page 29. So, how has your year been? Have you smashed your targets? Is your business where you want it to be? If not, don’t fret, there is still plenty of this year left and anything can happen. Remember, most great things in your life won’t happen by chance, they will happen by choice. Choose to end this year well, no matter what it takes. The Women’s Business Club is here for you, to help you make it happen. See you at Maximise xx

Angela De Souza

hello@womensbusiness.club twitter.com/wombizclub facebook.com/wombizclub

Women’s Business Magazine - Print and Online FOUR EDITIONS EACH YEAR DELIVERED TO: Bath | Bristol | Cardiff | Cheltenham| Gloucester | Kingston | Monmouth | Southampton | Swindon www.womensbusiness.club (c) 2016 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-in-chief. While endeavouring to make sure that all published information is accurate, the publishers cannot be held responsible for mistakes or omissions. The Women’s Business Club cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions or endorse companies, products or services that appear in this magazine.

Table of

Contents

Feature Article: Siobhan Freegard |Page 04

Business Office: The Box Range |Page 07

Ask The Expert: redheadPR |Page 08

Fashion Feature: Sophie Cameron Davies |Page 10

Fashion: SoSensational |Page 12

Crossword: Puzzle |Page 14

Woman Behind the Business: Jennifer Hall |Page 16

Editors Choice: Outsidethebox|Page 18

Finance: Eden Chartered Accountants|Page 20

Quality Management Systems Eyeyour Care: Food: to help business save Clare Holland |Page 22 Romy's Kitchen |Page 24 time and money!

Woman in a Man’s World: Charlotte Graham |Page 26

Do you strive for excellence? Did you know that a quality management system can provide you with a clear focus, consistency in your operations and predictability in your performance! Education: HMSG |Page 30

To find out Social more, Media: take our simple review and receive a free Creative Business: Box of Hats hourSofia consultation by quoting LFT0315. Photography |Page 34 Pacifico Reis |Page 32

Creative Business: Strawberry Studios |Page 36

How we can help!

Business Growth: White Tiger |Page 42

Health & Wellbeing: Wellness In Motion |Page 50

Members: Business Directory |Page 52

Got any questions? Call today on 07745 482 426, email afumpson@white-tiger.co.uk or visit our website www.white-tiger.co.uk

Business Growth: Truly Tailored Recruitement |Page 46

SOLUTION

The Music Business: Daughters of Davis |Page 40

CROSSWORD

Creative Business: Little Buckland Gallery |Page 38

● Improve efficiency & performance ● Protect your reputation ● Reduce your costs and errors ● Identify and manage risk ● Gain ISO9001 accreditation

Health & Wellbeing: The Life Buddy |Page 48

Crossword: Solutions |Page 55

Siobhan Freegard The author, mum and founder of the largest parenting website in the UK.

Founder of Netmums, the biggest What is the best and worst decision parenting website in the UK, author and you’ve ever made? mum, Siobhan Freegard, talks about worst decision I ever made was going back to her early teenage rebel years. She has The work after my first child, even though everything in now moved on from Netmums and is me screamed that my baby came before the big happy to share the path that led her to career. I spent two years miserably pushing through the business success she enjoys today until I made myself unwell. The best decision I ever made was giving up the big job. I cut back our with Channel Mum. household expenses to the bare bones so I could Tell us about your dream job as a child As a primary school child, I always wanted to be a teacher. I idolised my own school teachers, saw the difference they could make to children’s lives and wanted to be able to help people in the same way. But it all changed in high school! I became a school rebel, hanging out in the smoker’s corner, skipping school, thinking being cheeky was funny and basically failing all my exams. But with a twist of fate, by helping to set up two of the UK’s most popular parenting sites, I’ve been lucky enough to achieve my original dream of helping those who need it most.

Why did you go into business in the first place? When I first started working, I didn’t have much ambition and certainly didn’t see myself as a business leader. I was paid just £50 a week for an office job at the tickets and event company Keith Prowse - it was enough to pay for beers and going out, and I was very happy with that. But within a year or two, I started to want more than being on the lowest rung on the ladder. My ambition kicked in, I went to evening classes, passed two A-levels and considered a degree, but instead found I was working my way up the ladder. By just 27 I was Marketing Director of the same company.

What or who has been your greatest influence in business and why? The Financial Director of Keith Prowse became my mentor and friend. He taught me why the ‘boring accounts’ mattered and he was a ruthless in the way he pushed me to be the best version of myself. He regularly sent my reports and proposals back to me covered in red pen and crossings out. I learned that ‘good enough’ wasn’t actually good enough. I had to do my best work. Even now, when I complete something, I still think ‘would this get through his red pen?'

become a stay-at-home mum. Just a year later, I had the lightbulb moment and started Netmums.

What do you think is the most significant barrier to women in business? We’re now a 24-hour flexible culture but at many firms, working hours are still stuck at 9 to 5, or in reality 8 til 8. This isn’t practical or desirable for many women who have other commitments from children to caring for elderly parents. Some firms still even practice ‘presenteeism’ where you have to be seen to be in the workplace at set times, rather than working flexibly or remotely. For lots of talented women, and especially new mums, working that way doesn’t work for them so they take a lower job beneath their skill set with hours to suit or they step off the career ladder altogether. This is a huge waste of talent. Every company would do well to remember that women make 85 per cent of all purchasing decisions, so you need more women in your workforce, not fewer. Women - and mums especially - can give you the most amazing business insight for free, so don’t force them out but do all you can to hang onto them.

As an employer myself, I practise flexible working. I trust my staff to get the job done remotely and at hours that suit them - and it means I’m rewarded with a loyal workforce who always go the extra mile.

What’s the best advice you have received in business? Get a good accountant.

What do you do for fun? I love live music and gigs of any sort. I love being up at the front, with all these people coming together for a common love of the band and music. So maybe that school rebel hasn’t gone completely!

What’s next business?

for

and

your

I am so very lucky to have the chance to build Channel Mum. When I built Netmums, I was an overwhelmed new mum, like all the other mums who joined the community. Now, I get to do it again, but this time I feel like the big sister who has a bit more experience and perspective.

If you could tell your younger you something what would you say? Even the most calm, cool and sorted people can be insecure beneath the surface. No matter how insecure or overwhelmed you feel, believe in yourself and your talents and go for it!

What did you most fear in the early days of your business? Failure. It’s not a quality I am so proud of but I fear failure more than I want success. But I’m getting better with accepting failure as part of growing and learning that it can be a vital lesson.

you

Siobhan Freegard www.channelmum.com

Take a Peek Into...

THE BOX RANGE

Up until recently, this was my workspace. Glitter everywhere, pots filled with shimmers and colours newly created and scribbles of recipes on odd bits of paper. Have you ever come across times in business where you hit a clear wall and have to decide whether to press forward, or quit? This is what happened to me.

I’ve been shocked at the response I’ve had over the last year from other businesses in my industry, who unfortunately have the view of “Carry on, keep quiet and hope no one finds out”. Once I realised I wasn’t quite doing things as I should, both with the safety reports I needed for my product and the changes I needed to make to my workspace, I immediately and without question started making steps to put things right. Unfortunately not every business thinks the same way. Be careful about where you buy your products from - make sure the company is running honestly and with integrity. It’s so important to be trustworthy in a world where we’re fed so many lies.

How important to you is your business? If you hit a wall like I did, would you push through the obstacles or give it all up? Thinking seriously about this and understanding WHY your business is or isn’t important to you can really help to give you the drive you need to push forward. I have even more determination to succeed now than I did before :)

Something someone mentioned to me in passing made me realise rather suddenly that my workspace wasn’t appropriate for the job it was doing. I make non-toxic, vegan and cruelty free nail polish, a job which I completely love, and I came to this wall when I realised I had a lot of work to do and money to spend to get my workspace right, or it was time to quit. Conforming to all the appropriate regulations is very important to me. I want my customers to feel completely confident in my product and in me. I spent a long time and a large investment last year making sure I had all the cosmetic product safety reports I needed to continue selling Box Polish with integrity. So here I am, and this is the start of an exciting journey for Box Polish. I decided not to quit, but to invest in turning my workspace into a fully functioning, and conforming to all regulations, manufacturing facility. This involves installing a ventilation system, new lights and smoke detectors, cabinets for all my ingredients and an extensive record of every stage of production. I’m even adding to my mask and goggles with gloves and a lab coat! This just leaves me to say two things.

I hope you’ll see me again in a future issue of the Women's Business Magazine showing off my new laboratory! You can browse available collections of Box Polish and get a peek into next year’s theme at www.boxrange.co.uk

Ask The Expert Amy Box, The Box Range: What's the best way to contact magazines/papers? Is it better to email them directly? Phone? Tweet? Wendy Murphy, WMM Silver: Where do you even start? What do I have to consider? What routes are there into getting free coverage? Should I send free samples? Should I start off small with local papers to test the water? Should I write my own script and submit to an editor? Sara Tye is an award winning, top 500 international PR, business and organisational development expert and entrepreneur. She’s the founder and managing director of redheadPR and CEO of Etape Suisse. Voted ‘Green PR of London’ by the Evening Standard, Sara is a passionate and motivational speaker, writer, coach, mentor and trainer. A keen networker, Sara is a top BNI member and Director Consultant in the UK. Sara has over 20 years of communications expertise and was a finalist in the first Cosmopolitan Women of the Year Awards in 1999. She played a key role in implementing BT’s environmental policy and developing and managing the philanthropic Best Practice process at Yellow Pages. The Make Your Mark for a Tenner campaign, which Sara helped develop, was commended as one of the CIPR’s best sustainable PR programmes. Sara was also responsible for the Impact on Society section of The European Foundation of Quality Management Model and Award, which Yellow Pages won in 1999. Sara developed stakeholder relations inhouse at Thames Water Utilities, headed up communications at Yellow Pages and spent three years managing the personal PR internationally for The Body Shop’s eminent founder, the late Dame Anita Roddick.

Sara Tye says: Firstly, decide what you want to achieve. Do you want your product in supermarkets, more sales or brand awareness? Once you’ve defined your goal, it’ll be easier to pinpoint where you want coverage. Ecommerce clients, for example, target online coverage. They want improved search engine rankings, more site visitors and, ultimately, more sales. Coverage on the Daily Mail’s website would work wonders as this is one of the highest ranked – and readsites in the world. So the trick is to ensure both the product and the story will interest Daily Mail readers. Getting great coverage is not free. It takes time to build solid relationships with journalists. They need to know you’re not a flybynight company and that you offer a quality product as their audiences trust them and the goods they write about. While a oneoff piece may give you a brief uplift in sales or awareness, it won’t build your brand. For that, you need regular coverage. Because this means juggling many relationships and stories, most businesses looking to build their brand through PR outsource this function. Take time to learn journalists’ contact preferences. Some love twitter, others a quick call, however most journalists prefer email. Send products and samples only when you know the reporter wants them. If you do send a freebie without prior contact, it’ll have to be really relevant to achieve a response.

www.redheadpr.co.uk

Chanii B is the luxury footwear and accessory brand of internationally renowned shoe designer, Chantal Pilon. Chanii B embodies Chantal's passion and personality. Resulting in stylish, sexy and individual designs all with a little bit of edge just like Chantal. Chanii Bâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s are all designed here in the UK and hand-made overseas in Portugal. All of the designs feature super-soft leathers, amazing textures and finishes.

"Chanii B shoes are not only beautifully unique, but the most comfortable shoes I own!" Visit our flagship store in Bath, and experience all of these limited edition gems. 9 Milsom Place Bath BA1 1BZ

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FA S H I O N Sophie Cameron Davies The young, up and coming fashion designer from Bristol.

The Sophie Cameron Davies brand was founded to create garments empowering women to feel feminine, confident and sensual in their everyday life. The British brand specialises in silk shirts, allowing beautiful and delicate fabrics to become an essential in the wardrobe of the cosmopolitan woman.

Tell us about your business? My business is a ready to wear Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s label, which I started two years ago but officially launched in Autumn/Winter 2015 at London Fashion Week. The concept behind the brand is to offer garments that empower women to feel feminine and elegant, which is done through the intricate lace placement on my designs. I use silk and lace to create very delicate garments with different amounts of lace on varying designs.

We offer something different that is aimed at the cosmopolitan woman through shirt designs. We present something that women can wear throughout the day but can also transition to evening wear, for example if they go for after work drinks.

What did you do before you went into this business? I studied fashion design at Southampton University and I did a few work experience placements with channel 4 casting companies and a lingerie company. I was then the assistant designer for them for three years, which is where my love for lace and silk really blossomed.

How did you become so passionate about fashion?

Literally since I had my first textiles lesson at school when I was about 14! I have always been very creative, I always found my talents in art and I have just loved fashion. Since that point I have worked towards it, by studying whilst also gaining real experience, so I am now obsessed with it!

What is your favourite fabric to work with and why? I couldn’t choose between silk or lace, you can’t use one without the other really, I wouldn’t design a garment made completely from lace for example. I like high quality and that shows through my choice of fabrics. With the silk and the lace, finding new suppliers and new ways that the fabrics can be woven, especially with such beautiful fabrics, is really important. Also, it depends on where it’s made e.g French or Italian lace, can be completely different both the colours and the patterns in it are amazing so, actually, maybe lace is my favourite.

What did you dream of doing when you were a child? I really don’t know, I was always creative and always wanted to do my own thing. My Father owns his own company so I have always had that to look up to in terms of running my own brand!

I just think as a startup company, it’s so so difficult. You just have to keep at it and accept that there is going to be rejection along the way but you just have to keep going and just explore as many different paths as you can. The path that you originally thought you were going to go down isn’t always where you end up, I’ve learnt that along the way.

What do you do to relax, away from Obviously, you’re very successful at your business? a younger age, how do you feel about this? I have got a very cute Boxer dog, she’s just over a year old and she’s really cute. So having a puppy dog, for this last year has been really entertaining! She’s been a bit naughty but generally well behaved, we go for lots of walks. I also enjoy horse riding. I’m quite a countryside girl at heart!

Tell us about one of your favourite personal moments? Probably when I started my label and I started getting really cool press, so locally I was in the Somerset Life magazine and it was really amazing to go into a shop and buy a magazine that actually had one of my images in! Then last month a celebrity in Hollywood who starred in the Batman Vs Superman movie wore one of my shirts to an event. That was really exciting to see my brand actually out there, on real people and real women! Yeah, really exciting!

Tell us about your greatest failures on your journey so far?

When I came to the end of my last job, I didn’t want to have to go and work for somebody else for a couple more years to gain some experience, I wanted to do it on my own. I think, by being younger and not having a whole family to support and being much more independent, I could really take the plunge, so it was the perfect timing for me.

What are your dreams for the future of your business? Just to carry on growing. I’m really concentrating on being stocked internationally in different boutiques, getting brand awareness and hopefully more successful celebrities wearing the brand. I would like it to be known as a really high quality, luxurious brand that women want to buy and come back to season after season. That would be the dream. www.sophiecamerondavies.com Written & Photographed by Olivia Fox

From SoSensational The shopping site for grown up women In A/W16 SoSensational is showcasing irresistible party- evening and occasion wear that features all the season’s key trends, notably the midiskirt, mixed print, embellishment, luxe-textured fabrics (including velvet, lurex, sequins, satin, brocade and lace). There are also hints of two other key A/W trends, sports luxe and military. As you might expect, those two trends turn up less in occasion and evening wear, but they do turn up! Whatever big event you are heading to, from now all the way to the festive season, these are your go-to looks: 1.A dress in velvet, lurex, satin, brocade or lace or with sequins. There are lots about, especially in velvet and lace so whether you want a frock that has a high neck and sleeves; has a high neck and no sleeves or has a low neck, with or without sleeves, your perfect dress is out there. 2. Or if an entire dress in an elaborate-textured, luxe fabric feels too overwhelming, evening/party separates may be a better route for you. Mixing fabrics is very on-trend of course, so evening separates could, perhaps, incorporate a mixture of luxe, textured fabrics, say a skirt in satin, lace or sequins or satin or chiffon trousers paired with a plainer top. 3. Or you could do it the other way around, choose a top, an embellished cardi or a blouse in lace, brocade, velvet or another luxe, textured fabric, and pair it with trousers or a skirt (full or pencil but definitely low mid-calf for party-evening wear) in a plainer fabric. 4. Another way to look both fabulous and perfectly on trend for a dressy event is with an evening trouser suit, perhaps a slouchy jacket and trousers in sumptuously textured velvet, or a satin-trimmed tuxedo jacket. One of the areas of fashion that SoSensational is well-known for is helping grown-up women to find sensational occasion wear – whether it is for a black-tie event, a red-carpet event, a wedding (your own if you are a mature bride or a guest at someone else’s), a day at the races, or perhaps an awards ceremony where you are picking up a prize of some kind. SoSensational is the fashion website where all the most on-trend, but also the most wearable and appropriate occasion wear has been sourced for every budget. For the new Autumn/Winter 2016 season, SoSensational is focusing on occasion wear that is both fabulous and problem-solving! Cyndy and Jan, the women behind the site, know that women of every age, not just those in SoSensational’s target demographic of 45-plus, often have issues finding party-wear and daytime occasion wear that is both gorgeous and grown-up and covers the bits of them they want covered.

Marks & Spencer

Some women over 40 are very happy to put the tops of their arms on view – particularly when their arms are toned and tanned. However some women over 40 want to cover the tops of their arms but they certainly don’t want frumpy styles. So, SoSensational finds sensational dresses that have sleeves but are never frumpy… All products pictured are available from www.sosensational.co.uk

Join us for a brighter future. Are you looking for a more flexible way of working, that can give you the lifestyle you have always dreamed of? 40 minutes of your time is all that is needed to change your life! Talk to me to find out more.

Health, Rewards & Happiness Forever Living Products from Carolyn Henderson

HRH FOREVER HRH Forever Living Products from Carolyn Henderson T: 07710 624 394 | E: foreverhrh@flp.com | W: www.foreverhrh.flp.com TWITTER: @ForeverHRH | FACEBOOK: facebook.com/foreverhrh | INSTAGRAM: foreverhrh

CROSSWORD

Across 3. 1066 victors? 6. American actress, - Mendes 8. Prejudiced 10. Accidental success 11. Arrange 13. Teach 17. Envisage 18. Eruptive mountain 20. Orchard fruit

Down 1. Approximately (year) 2. Entertain 4. Old fashioned 5. Garment part 7. With competence 9. Beach stones 12. Astronaut 14. Weep, sob 15. College certificate 16. Bee Gees' surname 19. Capital of Norway

- Solutions on page 55 -

Take a look at a very different gift idea...

Karosa Silversmithing Workshops

Beginners and advanced options, wedding ring workshops and courses. For your own personal workshop experience, book a hammered ring or leaf pendant workshop for £40, and you get to come back to make a matching pendant or earrings for only 20! Workshops are held at Clearwell in the Forest of Dean, and are led by adult education trained tutor Karin Whittaker. All materials including 100% reclaimed 925 Sterling Silver are included.

Offer only available through the Women's Business Club, just mention code “2016”. Gift vouchers are available. Please contact Karin at karinwgb@gmail.com | 07717190609 More details at www.karosajewellery.co.uk

The Woman Behind The Business ......

Jennifer Hall (AKA The Life Buddy) has taken Facebook by storm with her empowering videos on how to stop playing it small and start being the biggest and best version of yourself. She helps women to create a business that's in alignment with their life's purpose and passions, removing the glass ceiling on their unlimited potential to obtain financial freedom and fulfillment!

What did you do before you went What made you make the leap into into business? business? Before I started my own business I was a serial job hopper by trade! I spent most of my time in the world of recruitment and management and HATED it… hence the moving about. The only exception to the rule is when I took a huge pay cut to work for The Happy Puzzle Co. where I motivated and taught problem solving skills to school children nationwide and quickly regained my salary by moving up the ladder within the company! I LOVED that job, but when I made the decision to move locations, I had to leave. I returned to the 9-5 corporate cage, working as a manager for a big bank in internal recruitment. At this point in my life I hit rock bottom and I had to make some real changes! I started to ask myself what it was that I wanted from life and what my life’s purpose was, instead of looking at what was available to me! I decided to create my own life.

The passion to be my own boss and to add value to the world! For the freedom that being your own boss brings. So I could be accountable for what I wanted from life. When I started to accept the responsibility for how awful my life was, I realised I had the power to change it and I could be responsible for my own happiness. I wanted to work with my passion and to do what made me feel alive! Essentially I wanted to feel good about life again, be the controller of my own destiny and be free!

Tell us about one of your scariest business moments. Oh my goodness, so many! I reckon one of my most recent scary moments is starting to vlog and dare I say it… LIVE STREAM!! This really pushed me outside of my comfort zone. I knew it was so important in order to connect with my target audience and for them to see the vulnerable, real me… so I had to do it!

It was awful to begin with, I judged how my mouth looked when I spoke and how my voice sounded, how happy or how miserable I looked! BUT I kept going and they kept getting easier and easier (as with any fear, when you keep doing the thing that scares you it will always gets easier and the fear dissipates). We only grow when we are pushed outside our comfort zone, so I make it my mission to do something every day that scares me.

Tell us about your greatest success and failure on your journey so far. My biggest failures are my biggest successes, because I’ve learned the most when I’ve fallen flat on my face. I believe there are no failures, except in not trying! I think my biggest success so far is living my life’s purpose. When I started my second company I was playing small, due to the fact that my first business in event planning ‘failed’ epically. I was so scared of starting up another business I decided to choose a route that would almost guarantee me clients, by becoming a Holistic Therapist! Who’s ever heard of a therapist without clients right? But although I had a passion for aromatherapy, it didn’t bring me alive like coaching does. So I learned the hard way by running a business that wasn’t in

line with my true life’s purpose. When I joined the Women’s Business Club and had mentoring from Angela De Souza, I realised that I was keeping myself small through fear of failure and I was actually avoiding the one thing that brought me alive! So embracing my coaching and finding my niche in business coaching has been my biggest success so far, because I jump out of bed in the morning to do what I love the most; helping women escape their miserable 9-5 and creating the same happiness and freedom I have!

What are your dreams for the future of your business? I hope to run seminars worldwide helping women to realise their potential and their dreams! I want to see a revolution of empowered women stepping up to build an empire all of their own and sharing their unique gifts with the world and inspiring others to do the same. I want to create a domino effect of positive mindset and empowerment that spreads like wildfire throughout the world! The Life Buddy www.thelifebuddy.guru Photography by Strawberry Studios | www.strawberrystudios.net

EDITORâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S CHOICE Outsidethebox Makeup has always been a problem for me as I have very difficult skin! I have always dreaded putting anything on my face knowing that I would suffer the consequences. However, since discovering the amazing Outofthebox range I do not have to worry anymore. Traditional makeup uses preservatives like parabens, chemical dyes and fragrances, which can all cause skin irritation. Outsidethebox mineral cosmetics contain no oils, fragrances or preservatives that can aggravate acne prone skin. Outsidethebox does make you do a bit of work as their foundation and concealers donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t come in a simple liquid or powder form. You receive one tub of powder and one bottle of oil which you mix together, even adding water if you so desired, to get the exact balance that you want between the oils and minerals, thus creating the foundation yourself! I must confess, I got it very wrong at first and mixed up some strange concoction that made my face look a little orange. However, after I got the hang of it, and was a little less heavy handed with the mineral powder, I managed to find a nice colour and texture that suited me. Thankfully Jules, the founder of Outofthebox, is very passionate about her business and is always available to help, she offers a lovely personal touch to all of her products. Not sure where to start when it comes to Mineral Makeup? Well, what better place to begin than with this lovely starter pack and save 20% on the normal total product cost!

Find out more at www.outsidetheboxmakeup.co.uk

Members, if you would like your product reviewed please post it to 67 Humber Road, Cheltenham, GL52 5PF with a cover letter telling us about your product, price, link to buy and your email address. We cannot guarantee that your product will be reviewed. All reviews are published on the Women's Business Club website but not all reviews are guarenteed to become Editor's Choice.

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FINANCE Childcare Tax vouchers – A low/no cost employee benefit. Childcare vouchers can be a very valuable perk for your employees, saving them up to £933 per year depending on their individual circumstances. Yet many companies don't realise that they can provide this benefit at a very low or even no cost to themselves, due to the reduction in employers National Insurance payable. If you have employees with children under the age of 16, then read on to see how you could save them money.

What are Childcare Vouchers? Childcare vouchers are a form of salary sacrifice. From an employee’s point of view some of their salary is paid in childcare vouchers before tax. They can then use the childcare vouchers to pay for all or part of their childcare, meaning that they save the tax on that portion of their childcare. From an employer’s point of the view, you can save the employer's National insurance on the amount paid into childcare vouchers. This means that even allowing for set up fees, most employers will actually save money by offering Childcare Vouchers to their employees.

The members of your team will need to fill in a salary sacrifice form and then your payroll provider will need to arrange for a portion of the employee's salary to be paid to the childcare voucher company you use. Depending on your preference, the employee will then either be sent paper childcare vouchers or they will be set up with an online voucher account which they can use to pay for or towards childcare. What is the tax saving to my employees?

How does it work?

Basic rate taxpayers can 'buy' up to £243 per month of childcare vouchers pre tax and National Insurance, meaning they can save up to £933 per year on their childcare costs. It is worth noting that both parents can claim - so if a couple were both basic rate taxpayers they could save up to £1866 on their childcare costs from the family income in a year.

As an employer, you can either set up the scheme directly with one of the many childcare voucher companies or we can do it for you. You will then need to let your team know that the vouchers are available to them.

Higher rate taxpayers can order up to £124 per month of childcare vouchers and for additional rate taxpayers it is up to £110 per month. Higher rate and additional rate taxpayers can save up to £623 per year on their childcare costs.

It truly is a scheme that benefits both employer and employee.

How/where can the vouchers be used?

What about if I'm self-employed?

The vouchers can be used to pay for childcare up to the September after a child's 15th birthday at any OFSTED registered childcare provider (or equivalent in Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland) who is also affiliated to the particular childcare voucher provider. Most childcare providers will be registered with all the big voucher providers. Examples of where childcare vouchers can be used include nurseries, childminders, breakfast and after school clubs, holiday clubs etc..

If you are self-employed, it is not currently possible to claim childcare tax vouchers, although you may be able to save when the Government's new Tax Free Childcare scheme is introduced in 2017. This new scheme will be more restrictive, but it will benefit some people including the self-employed.

I own a Limited Company but have no employees - can I claim? An individual with their own limited company can claim, however it is worth speaking to your accountant to work out if it will be worth your while. It is likely that if you own a limited company then you may be taking a salary lower than the tax and National insurance threshold - so in order to claim childcare vouchers you would need to increase your salary to benefit from the reduction in tax and to claim back the employerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s National Insurance. It will depend on individual circumstances whether it is worthwhile doing so.

In summary Childcare vouchers are a great way to provide real benefit to your employees (worth nearly ÂŁ1000 per year each) with little effort and usually no cost to the employer. If you start offering childcare vouchers now, your employees will be able to continue to receive them until the September after their children's 15th birthday even after the government has introduced their new, generally less beneficial scheme. As we asked ourselves in the office the other day why wouldn't you do it? Kevin Edenborough Director, Eden Chartered Accountants

Contact Lenses - Not for me? Contact lens design is one of the fastest moving areas of technology in optics and eyecare today. From the original blown glass lenses (yes really!) in the early 1900's, to rigid Perspex lenses after the Second World War, to the massive step forward to breathable Gas Permeable in the 1970's and finally fast forwarding to the soft, flexible, ultracomfortable lenses available and suitable for almost everyone now. Yet only about 15% of regular spectacle wearers wear them, and many assume that they won't be suitable because of many unfounded myths, so let's bust some of those misunderstandings! I've got astigmatism so I've been told I can't wear soft lenses. Wrong! Possibly true about 40 years ago, when soft contact lens materials were in their infancy but certainly not now, when even moderate degrees of astigmatism can be corrected with daily disposable lenses and the higher degrees can be very successfully fitted with custom made lenses which can be worn on a daily basis and replaced monthly. So don’t let your prescription, however high, put you off. My husband only wears glasses for reading, but gets really frustrated not being able to see his score card playing golf; but you can't have varifocal contact lenses.

It's true that it's very important not to allow any water, from tap, shower or swimming pool, onto a reusable contact lens because of the risk of an nasty Acanthaemba infection, but daily disposable lenses can be worn for swimming if thrown away straight afterwards. In fact daily disposable lenses are ideal for those who want to wear contacts occasionally, maybe for a weekly tennis match or occasional social event, as there's a new pair each time and no cleaning or soaking solutions are required. They also work well for those with eyes which react to allergens, as it's usually the preservative in the solution which is the problem and very rarely the lens material itself. My daughter wears specs but I've been told she can't have contacts until she's 16.

Oh yes you can! Multifocal contact lenses have been available for decades, but the success rate on fitting was only about 50%, so for half the people who tried it, it was not a great result. But recent developments in soft multifocal designs means that experienced optometrists can successfully fit around 90% of those who want to give it a go. There are even lenses which combine a correction for astigmatism with distance and reading zones, and all in a lens just over a centimetre in diameter!

This is probably the commonest confusion, but research has shown that children and teenagers wearing contact lenses suffer no greater rate of infections or complications than adults. In fact for many children, especially those with a big difference between the focusing system in the two eyes which can sometimes lead to a lazy eye, contacts are often a better correction optically which encourages the eyes to work together better as a team. They improve the confidence of spectacle wearing children who play sport enormously too, and we’ve had some particularly successful wearers who are serious ballet dancers or gymnasts.

I swim regularly, so contact lenses aren't for me.

Clare Holland, Optometrist. Keith Holland & Associates. www.keithholland.co.uk

FOOD

Romy's Kitchen Romy Gill MBE is a distinguished chef who owns and runs her own restaurant named Romy’s Kitchen in Thornbury, South Gloucestershire. Romy grew up in India and when she moved to England, she only brought with her a suitcase, a wealth of cooking knowledge and an ambitious dream. Tell us about your business? Welcome to Romy’s Kitchen! My business has grown from my love to feed. The name comes from the fact that I started my business from my home, in my little kitchen. I wanted a name that people would associate with that and would associate with my style. I didn’t want a typically Indian label on it because I’m very much British; my daughters were born here. Having the Indian heritage is my main influence and I combine this with British produce and the Indian spices that I grew up with. I just really love feeding people!

What did you do before you came into this business? I worked in Information Technology but because

I have lived half of my life in India and half here, I really craved the food that I grew up with and I missed my family and friends. So I think at the back of my mind I always had the idea that I would want to open my own restaurant someday.

How did you become so passionate about food? Where I grew up in India was a very multicultural community and people came from all over India to work in a steel plant, where my Dad worked. It wasn’t one standard cuisine, I was born and brought up in a Punjabi family but in Bengal. India is a big country, they speak different languages and the ways of cooking is different. So, for me it was more about eating than cooking at that time in my life! My passion was eating!

What is your favourite ingredient to work with and why? It’s obviously spices, you can experiment with them and literally create anything!

“People are always talking about how amazing Romy is, she’s made a real impact in this country and changed the way that we think about food, especially Indian food!” – Matthew Fox

What did you dream of doing when Obviously, you’re a big name locally you were a child? and a big part of the community, Do you know what, I always wanted to be in the how do you feel about this? Fashion Industry, but that changed whilst I was growing up, because I loved food so much! I was always kind of inclined to be in that industry but my Dad wasn’t sure, because it is such a male dominated industry, whether I would survive in it. So then when I got a little bit older, I actually wanted to be a spy, I’m not sure why!

“We love Romy’s Kitchen. To have such an original place in such a small community as Thornbury really is a privilege! The spices of her food really combine together and create something you would have never tasted before!” – Carole Carnew

What do you do to relax, away from your business? I love running, I love running! I was injured for the last year so I couldn’t run but that was really stressful for me because I love it!

Tell us about one of your scariest business moments? I have lots. Because no matter how much we talk about how far women have come in the 21st Century, opening a small business in a small town, when you come from a diverse background and are a woman, is still very risky! I’ve not had a business like this before so it was daunting when we opened Romy’s Kitchen! We’ve learnt a lot from our mistakes and we are in fact still learning!

If you can pinpoint one, tell us about your greatest success and failure on your journey so far? I think that it is literally opening Romy’s Kitchen! Some people have a dream and that dream comes true! What more could you want!

I grew up in a very small town, very similar to this, so for me, Thornbury feels like home! People love me around here and I really enjoy living where I am. When people really appreciate what you do that makes it all the more worthwhile. Of course there will be criticism and there will be people who act like sour lemons but as someone told me recently, drink them as a lemonade! So, I love it here, I enjoy living here in Thornbury!

Can you talk us through the various award that you have received / been nominated for? I have been nominated for lots of different awards such as the Asian Women Award and Bristol Women Award. Then suddenly one day, it came through as an MBE and never in a million years would I even think about this, let alone dream of having that award! To me, receiving that letter was strange to me...when my Daughter opened the letter for me, I rang the Cabinet Office so I could confirm that the award was for me and I thought why me?! So that was a huge experience and I will never forget that moment.

What are your dreams for the future of your business? I am currently in the process of writing my book and of course it’s a cook book, but it’s going to be more about me and my journey. I think people will see that it is more like a personal story for me, moving to a different country with just a suitcase then setting up this restaurant. Also I’m just working hard with my staff to keep the restaurant, because this is a very competitive market after all! Romy's Kitchen, Bristol www.romyskitchen.co.uk

Written & Photographed by Olivia Fox

A Woman In a Man’s World

An interview with Charlotte Poole-Graham Financial Adviser When did you know that you wanted Why do you think most financial to be a financial adviser? advisers are men? I started off in Marketing in the industry and soon came to understand the significant difference good financial advice can make to people’s lives. Many people find it hard to find someone they can trust due to the history of the industry as a whole and therefore were not seeking financial advice that could significantly improve their lives. I wanted to combat that and become an adviser clients come to know and trust and hopefully attract people I can help that wouldn’t have necessarily taken advice otherwise.

Because that is what society expects! As a young girl at school becoming a financial adviser would have never been a career path suggested to you. It can also be perceived as quite a “salesy” role which I think may put women off. When, in fact the main thing you are doing as a financial adviser, above everything else, is understanding someone’s needs, attitudes and experience which women generally have a natural aptitude for.

What pressures do you face being a woman in this environment?

actually, it was to my advantage; I stood out while everyone else blended in.

The usual pressures of running a busy demanding business around life and being mistaken for a PA!

Give us your top tips for women who are in the same situation as you.

What is the best lesson you have learned from being a woman in a man's world? Everyone has their strengths and their weaknesses. It is up to you to promote your strengths and improve your weaknesses. In my industry what is my strength may be anotherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s weakness and that is why we attract different types of clients.

Play to your strengths

Focus on the advantage it gives you

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t try and do everything for everyone

Know when to outsource

Go big!

What is the biggest mistake that you What dreams do you have for the have made in being a woman in a future? man's world? It sounds self-indulgent, but ultimately I want to Worrying about being a woman in a manâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s world; rather than focusing on the advantage it gives me. I once walked into a meeting of at least 35 men and I was the only woman in the room. Not only that but I was wearing a white jacket while they were all wearing grey suits. Initially I was embarrassed but I came to realise that

leave my mark on the world and make a difference using my expertise. By giving clients good ongoing advice I know that I can make a difference to them and generations of their families to come. Charlotte Poole-Graham www.charlottepoolegraham.co.uk

The Partner represents only St. James's Place Wealth Management plc (which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority) for the purpose of advising solely on the Group's wealth management products and services, more details of which are set out on the Group's website www.sjp.co.uk/products. The 'St. James's Place Partnership' and the titles 'Partner' and 'Partner Practice' are marketing terms used to describe St. James's Place representatives.

Exhibitors | Fashion Show | Day Plan | Speakers Dragoness’ Den | Awards | Affiliates Business women from all over the UK gather for a day of business networking, exhibiting, inspiring talks and a chance to explore some of their business needs. Spend a day working on your business and not in it – you and your business deserve it! Pittville Pump Rooms, Cheltenham 9am-5pm

ONLY £22.50 Book your place now:

www.maximiseconference.co.uk

30th November 2016 Sponsored By

EDUCATION Pupils celebrated a glowing set of exam results at Haberdashers’ Monmouth Schools for Girls in August. At A level, the hard work and dedication of sixth formers and staff paid off with almost one in three students gaining all A* or A grades. 56.9% of grades were A* or A - more than double the national average - and the vast majority of girls gained access to their first choice university. 82.4% of grades were A* to B, and the pass rate was 100%. One girl from HMSG, Stephanie Wai, was awarded five A*s and secured her offer to read engineering at Cambridge. Ellena Gale achieved two A*s, two As and a B and will take up her place at Oxford to study psychology and philosophy, and Cass Lowton has secured her place at Oxford to study theology with two A*s, two As and a B. Ellena said: “It means a lot – it hasn’t quite sunk in yet. When you put in so much work it’s gratifying to get good results. I’m most looking to forward to being able to look really in depth at the subjects I love and to being surrounded by such academically-minded people. Going to Oxford will be another chance to shape my academic future all over again. I’ve definitely had some very supportive teachers at HMSG who have encouraged me and helped me along the way.”

And Pippa England, who has rowed for GB and was Captain of the Boats when the HMSG team won the Schools Head this year, is off to study bio chemistry at Imperial College London. She said: “I was absolutely terrified opening the results. I was very surprised and extremely happy. It’s been tough since Easter right the way through, but it’s been worth it. I’ve been training the whole time as well – which is great for time management. Rowing for the last seven years has definitely taught me how to motivate myself. I’ve been at HMSG since Year 3 and I couldn’t have done this without being here. All of my teachers have been so amazing.” Dr Caroline Pascoe, Headmistress of HMSG, added: “We are delighted there has been an improvement on last year’s results. It is a huge relief when the hard work and dedication of staff and pupils pays off and the girls achieve their personal best, whether that is an A*, A, B or C grade. HMSG has achieved above and beyond the national average for A* - A grades across the board, including core STEM subjects. It’s so lovely to see the dedication of such a talented year group help them progress on to their next step. We are confident that we are nurturing future entrepreneurs and business leaders, ready to make their mark in their chosen careers.” Visit hmsg.co.uk for more information.

HABERDASHERSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; MONMOUTH SCHOOL FOR GIRLS GIRLS 7 - 18 boarding from 7

Tel: 01600 711104

A life-changing education is closer than you think

OPEN DAYS 7 & 8 OCTOBER 2016 www.habs-monmouth.org/opendays Email: admissions@hmsg.co.uk

SOCIAL MEDIA What Does Planning Your Social Media & 60 Minute Makeover Have In Common? Hi I’m Sofia from Increase Your Social Reach and I’m your “No-Limits” Social Media Strategist. I help businesses leverage social media marketing and integrate it into their business goals and objectives. When you work with me, we’ll follow a 3 step system to reduce the overwhelm and time “suck”. Continue with us on a journey for the rest of the year to find out what planning your social media and 60 Minute Makeover has in common! In previous issues we looked at these points: 1. Start with the WHY? 2. Set your end goal for each social platform.

Social Media is intense and “noisy”…take a break from it all and a deep breath. Return to it when you’re ready. Don’t do it all at the same time, plan your strategies and choose by when it needs to be done and who’s going to do it. At 30 minutes into the Makeover, all team have a cup of tea and relax. 11. Review what has been done Review all your actions to check if you are on track… what is working…what needs changing and adjust as you go along. Regular updates with the designer in 60 minutes Makeover, discuss what is happening, what is on track and which rooms still have work in progress. Are we going to finish on time? They always do :) expect the unexpected picture frame that hasn’t been hung on the wall. 12. Have FUN…Go wild with it…THINK out of the box and around it :)

4. What needs to be outsourced.

13. Rush it and it will only take longer, the job you’ve planned will never be finished and not done properly.

5. What needs to be done first.

14. Have you reached your END GOAL?

6. Team & mission are in unison.

When you’ve reached your End Goal, imagine the satisfaction you will get when all the pieces of the social “puzzle” are together and working in harmony. You can finally relax…put your feet up and have a glass of wine and celebrate in your social “space” that you have built together with your team.

3. Know your audience.

7. How are you going to deal with “unexpected” problems. 8. Choose your campaigns wisely. 9. Go for quality over quantity.

That’s all of them! I hope you have enjoyed our journey this year.

So, let’s continue to look at the common parts between the two: 10. Take a break

www.increaseyoursocialreach.com

Family portraits in studio or on location. Celebrate your family with a timeless portrait to remember forever. Be it a traditional generation family image, or a funky off the wall shoot including the family pet, we can accommodate you.

What to Expect? There are three parts to a Box Of Hats portrait experience, a planning session, a photo session, and a viewing & ordering session.

Viewing & Ordering About 1-2 weeks later you'll return to the studio to view your pictures. They'll be presented on a big screen as a slide show, where you'll sit back relax and enjoy the show.

Planning You'll be able to meet us see our work and ask any questions you have about the prices and packages we have available.

Now the hard part is choosing what you want. There is no high pressure sales, it's simply Val, your photographer, who will sit with you giving you any advice.

We'll discuss where to take your photos, either in the studio, on location or perhaps at your home? Also, how many people and children there will be?

You'll probably have an idea of what you want, so it'll be a question of choosing the right images for you. There will also be an online gallery ordering service available.

We'll get a feel for the kind of picture you want to achieve, it may be formal or casual, bright or moody. We'll give you ideas that you might not of thought possible. You can do your planning session over the phone if you prefer, but if you're looking for something special it is easier to explain face to face.

We know you will be excited about your images! We therefore ask you allow 1-3 weeks for prints and canvas orders and 4-6 weeks for album and frame orders. If a rush order is needed, you must let us know *before* placing the order, so we can try to accommodate you.

The Session For sessions of small family groups taking place at our studio, we normally begin by hanging out for a few minutes with yourselves & the kids to get to know each other over a coffee or soft drink. We will start in the studio, then depending on who's in front of the camera, what you're looking for and the weather, we may venture outside to some favourite spots close by. On location or sessions at your home we would begin by taking a look around to find a few suitable locations. Toddlers & young children are always much better when they're happy, so please talk to us and tell us your child's schedule. Also make sure your little one has been fed and bring some nonmessy snacks as well as some favourite toys. We will normally run through the must have shots we've discussed with you at your planning appointment. We'll try to do these relatively quickly while we have the kid's full attention, then we can focus on smaller groups and individual images. Lastly we'll schedule a convenient time for you to come back to view your images.

To book your session, call Val on 07788737676 Quote FPX-WBC to claim a free 1 hour session and framed print, worth ÂŁ175!

Contact: Val 07788737676 Email: val.boxofhats@gmail.com Website www.box-of-hats.com

How to get the most out of your magazine adverts Advertising in magazines is something that hasn't changed over the years. They are there to help keep the cost of the magazine itself down and are the reason some are free. But how often do you look at the ads? Do you look at all of them? What is it about those ads that you end up paying attention to? And, most importantly, how can I get my ad seen? Most ads in a magazine end up being just a small bit of information about the business, its logo and some colour. This ends up being just another block in a sea of other boring blocks. If you are paying for ad space, why not make the most of it? There is potential there that very few businesses are taking advantage of. Here are a few tips for advertising your business in a magazine: Stand Out There are usually around 2-16 ads on a single page depending on how much you paid and what magazine it is. Your advert needs to stand out from the others. It needs to catch the eye of the reader as they skim past that page looking for content. Easy to read text, a non-white background and good looking images are great ways to stand out on the page. Write an Article If you are able to, a good way to get your ad seen is for it to not technically be an ad in the first place. This will require buying at least half a page of ad space, but a whole page will serve much better. Use this space to write an article about your business’ industry and promoting your business, instead of simply using images and headlines. This is far more likely to be read than a small ad between many. Check with the magazine editors before you settle on this as some will ask you to add a border or something to ensure readers won’t mistake it for their edited content.

Bespoke Ads Most businesses will design a few ads of different sizes and slap them anywhere their budget allows. Whilst this works to an extent, you will get more engagement with a unique ad. Try to make ads for the specific demographic that the magazine sells to. For example: A generic magazine ad for handbags in a men’s magazine wouldn’t get any response. But if that ad focussed on handbags as a present for a girlfriend or wife, it may lead to sales. Rather than a large image of a handbag, men would be more likely to respond to a girl’s reaction to one as a gift. If you are advertising in this magazine, try to cater your ad to business women. This may easy because, chances are, you are one too. Use a whole page Nothing grabs a reader’s attention more than a whole page ad. It is far more effective than even a half page ad. Not only will the reader be far more likely to pay attention to the ad, your business’ reputation will increase due to the obvious fact that these size ads cost far more than any other.

Samuel Beard Director at Strawberry Studios contact@strawberrystudios.net

Bring life to your business through beautifully thought out photography & design.

www.strawberrystudios.net | contact@strawberrystudios.net

What is The Future for Buying Art Fifty years ago an artist would have been extremely fortunate if a gallery had been prepared to take them on and showcase solo exhibitions of their work. Nowadays it is increasingly difficult for commercial galleries to achieve exclusivity as most successful artists have their own websites, as well as publicising and selling their work on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter etc. There is certainly very little exclusivity for the galleries apart from the odd exception like Ken Howard and Richard Green in London – ten years ago many galleries forbade artists from having their own websites – nowadays very few artists would accept that. Judging by how many galleries are going out of business across the country I suspect that in twenty years’ time there will be very few left and the successful ones will cater largely for the very top end of the market. With the huge success of online websites like Saatchi, Artgallery.co.uk, Artfinder, Axis etc. I suspect the next generation of art buyers will

be happy to buy work from online images – a trend that is taking hold at a hugely rapid pace. Then there are the Art Fairs where galleries take space to exhibit their in-house artists, for example The Affordable Art Fairs in London and Bristol, the Frieze Art Fair and The London Art Fair. Although I do suspect a great deal of visitors will take images on their phones and contact the artist directly. Interestingly next year Cheltenham will, for the first time, have its own Art Fair in the form of the Fresh Art Fair. This will be held at Cheltenham Racecourse May 12th-14th 2017 and it will be fascinating to see what the response is. Do go along as there will be up to 50 nationally renowned galleries taking part. http://www.freshartfair.net. I will be taking several local artists, including Rod Ashman. As a buyer the online world is basically your oyster as it has no parameters. However if an artist’s work is all about texture, expression and presence, then

most of this can be lost in an online image. What does this say about what is sellable from an image – that they lack depth? Having run the competition for the Broadway Arts Festival since 2010, this year we received over 500 entries online and probably 90% of the pieces that reached the final stage of judging looked much better in reality. What treasures failed to reach this stage – who knows? So as an artist do you sell your soul and only produce work that works in a small online image or does great art look fantastic anyway – I rather doubt it. Mark Rothko’s stupendous pieces are totally overwhelming in ‘the flesh’ but would you be blown away if the size of the image was a hundredth of the reality, and you hadn’t seen the originals, would you be able to visualise the intricacies of the layers of paint and the final texture? Who would the artists from the 20th century be that are selling for millions now, if online had been how the buying public had viewed them?

Having said that from an artist’s point of view the future is extremely exciting and I expect that many galleries will move with the times and engage with social media on a much larger scale. Certainly from the point of view of running the competition at least 50% of the entries this time were from social media. The opportunity to put many of your exhibits out there for free is very attractive and the savings from not having to print so much publicity material should not be underestimated. I look forward to welcoming you to the Private View of my next exhibition on 20th November 12-2 and I would like to offer Women’s Business Club members a 10% discount on purchases during the Private View. The exhibition runs from 19th-27th November and is open daily 10-5. Exhibiting artists include Zoe Taylor, Rod Ashman, Lavinia Gallie, Niki Hare, Mary Edwards and myself as well as ceramics and Christmas gifts.

Arabella Kiszely www.littlebucklandgallery.co.uk Please contact me if you would like to be notified of future exhibitions and events.

THE MUSIC BUSINESS Daughters of Davis PART 2 // NEVER GIVE UP Two years on from giving up the comforts of home and hearth to tour their music, life was finally looking up for the Daughters of Davis. But it wasn't all plain sailing. What kept the duo going? Fern Davis continues their story… The first winter was the hardest. I remember driving to Manchester, freezing cold and with nothing to eat for dinner except ketchup and mayonnaise! With our spirits and our cash flow very low, we considered giving up. Enter Andy Baker, record producer and director of Storm 5 Management a few songs in their office kitchen and he was on board! He produced our debut CD, To The Water, and the reception it got was all the encouragement we needed to carry on! There was something else we discovered as well and that was that everyone wanted to hear about our travels. But how could we best tell our story? Before we knew it, a documentary was in the works! When we had first set out, we took a little ‘blog camera’ along for the ride. At the time we never

knew the clips of us battling monster van spiders and celebrating budget birthdays would ever be seen by anyone but us, nor that what started out as a means of collecting memories, would end up forming an internationally available DVD documentary. Had the bliss of hindsight been with us then, we'd have never have shot our river shower experiences or our makeup-less mornings. There's even a scene in there of me having my birthday in the van. I’m just there blowing out one candle on this tiny cake... I suppose it’s quite funny looking back really! The thing about the DVD is that people really related to our story. We found friends in the unlikeliest of places thanks to it - we've even built up a relationship with the Camping and Caravanning club! Thanks to them, we managed to get a new replacement campervan (after the tragic demise of 'Bonanza') and introduced us to some new supporters. We really couldn't have continued without all the fans and friends who have contributed so generously, with their hospitality, money and encouragement. We hope that our experiences can inspire others to step out in faith in pursuit of their dreams. The story is not of an easy ride - but the struggle is worth it!

#NotPlayingTheGame (#NPTG) is about standing out to say it’s ok if you don’t meet the media mould. You only often see one image or ideal lifted up in the media, but it’s not the only thing that should be seen as having worth. Sure it can be good, but different is good too! #NPTG is also about having a space where you can share your vulnerabilities, struggles and scars and say ‘so what?!’ to apparent so-called ‘imperfections’. No one is perfect! Well everyone struggles with different things and we’re not saying it’s easy, but this is the place where we challenge each other to be ourselves and try to let go of the lies and false ideas about what it is to be ok and have worth in the eyes of the media. We’re really passionate about this stuff, but we can’t do it without you - So if you’re bold enough and you’re up for the challenge - stand with us today to say ‘I’m Not Playing the Game’!

Send us your views, ideas and challenge us back!! Poets send us your poems, writers - your stories, musicians - your songs or anybody - any other material, photos or blogs..We want to hear from you! Adrienne & Fern xx www.twitter.com/NtPlayinTheGame

Upcoming GIGS

October Oct 1, 2016 Lyndhurst, UK Oct 29, 2016 Totton, UK

December Dec 3, 2016 Lyndhurst, UK .

Find out more and book at www.daughtersofdavis.com

Stop firefighting, 5 steps to start improving now! We need to guarantee the perfect customer experience every time we interact with them; ensuring they return and refer us to others. How do we make sure that this happens? How do we put things right if they go wrong? The system of quality assurance is prevention, putting good practices in place to make sure things go to plan. Unfortunately Quality has a history and perception that has been hard to change, it is a necessary cost in the management accounts. The most visible part of Quality Assurance that people relate to is inspection or appraisal; making sure people are ‘doing their jobs’. I believe the Quality professional role is different, we are change agents, a valuable company wide influence. We can steer and direct, creating the right continuous improvement culture. As Philip Crosby said ‘a potent force for discovering problems and helping resolve them’. I feel this maybe why the service industries fall down at being both efficient and delivering excellent service. They overload the amount of people to do the job, administration gets greater as the company grows. When they hit a bump in the road they fail to look at the systems and operations but look to their people; another person for another solution. Appraisal is an expensive and unreliable way of getting a quality customer experience, prevention and planning for excellence is the way to be world class. Prevention is not a new concept and it’s easier to deliver when we understand our processes thoroughly. Getting to the route cause of our issues is something we often talk about; so why is it that there is never quite enough time or money to devote to them. Small inexpensive changes can make a big difference to the customer experience. For example the way you answer the phone or process an invoice. I’m sure you get the picture, so why do we firefight so often? We go from one emergency to another and back again and if we do not act now, this will become the norm. The problem with firefighting is that we never get to the bottom of our customer issues. For example the instinct in delay situations could be to look to the operations team; when really it could

be caused by a Sales team who don’t understand the process fully to enable them to deliver on time. How often do we visit the Sales team when we experience problems with delivery, they are doing their job and getting the orders in aren’t they? I would like to share one easy way of problem solving using company process knowledge to ensure that you stop firefighting with quick fix solutions and get things solved permanently. This is an exercise that you need to get everyone involved in as it will spread across every function of the business, participation and engagement is key. So how do we do it? Follow these 5 steps: 1.

Draw out your customer experience or process in a simple flow chart form.

At the end of the chart instead of your desired end goal put the problem for discussion.

Now go back to the very beginning of the flow chart (and I mean concept/enquiry) and ask the following question “What in this phase of my process could have an impact on the problems I’m experiencing”? Be open minded and don’t dismiss anything people offer to the table (brainstorming rules)

Repeat step 3 for every single stage of the process until you get to the end.

You may get many ideas from this exercise so be prepared, it will be a matter of prioritising, working out what the impacts are and continuously striving to improve.

I guarantee by doing this you will have a much different outcome than the gut instinct quick fix. If we waited for everything to be perfect then we would never start; but we can increase our yield and performance time and time again. We may need to work on our processes to truly understand the best way forward but then use that knowledge to your advantage. My advice is to plan for an excellent customer experience not appraise and inspect to guarantee one.

Business Lunches WHAT MAKES US DIFFERENT is that we are not inviting you to an event but into a supportive community of business women. We do meet at a monthly event but there is so much more to it than that. Our events and vibrant Facebook group offer live and real support from women just like you. Each month we work according to a theme, so you can expect to hear a quality talk from a top local business woman that matches the theme for the month at our women’s business networking lunches. Our member spotlight is where one members gets to enjoy a full five minutes to present her business to the group and our Wonderbra session is a time in the program where one business woman gets to bring a problem area to the table and we all brainstorm for solutions – lifting and supporting her in her business. “I have met some truly inspirational and genuinely lovely women. Every month we meet for lunch and something wonderful comes of it!” - Alison Dunevein-Gordon, Swindon Club “A genuine group of amazing women who are each passionate about their unique business, while at the same time being as helpful and supportive to the rest of the group.” – Melissa Watch, Bristol Club “This group has helped me link with other people around me giving me good support and new friends. The talks in the network meetings have been inspiring and challenging and I am really glad I joined.” – Fiona Jones, Cheltenham Club

Cost: £20 for members and £30 for non-members

Visit our website and join the club www.connect.womensbusiness.club

The VIP Club Success Circle Brunch with like minded small business women Our Success Circle offers intimate group meetings, a maximum of 8 in each group in a homely environment. For our silver members only, you can enjoy a structured format where your business will get the full attention of the room for 20 minutes. Our Success Circle is £35 and for Silver members only.

“The Success Circle provides a safe place to be honest about my business and gain incredible feedback for growth and happiness for not only the work that I do, but for my life as a whole!” – Jennifer Hall, The Life Buddy

Mastermind Breakfasts A mastermind breakfast with top women business women who manage staff Our VIP Mastermind Breakfasts offers intimate group meetings, a maximum of 6 in each group with half an hour dedicated to each business, in a board room style setting so we can really get down to the nitty gritty of your business. Our Women’s Business VIP Mastermind Breakfasts only costs £85 and is by invitation only for Gold or Platinum members. “The Mastermind Breakfast is like having a team of non exec directors. ” – Julie Heather, Heather Resource Management Ltd

Focused, strategic mastermind groups for women who are serious about their business.

To find out more information visit www.vip.womensbusiness.club

Are you really charging your worth? One of the biggest problems women come up against in business is pricing their business services. This all comes down to knowing your value. How do we determine value? Well we start by looking at what you’re providing your ideal client, both tangibly and intangibly. So your service may result in your client gaining more money etc. but what else- is it bringing clarity, happiness, peace, confidence, permission to step into their power? How much do we put against these intangible experiences/benefits/feelings that are seemingly priceless? Well firstly, I hope this has opened up your eyes to the abundance of benefits that your services may provide, but it’s really about what you feel your worth is. Price is all in our head! When you look to competition for a pricing point, you are only looking at what they are offering and comparing them to you. But YOU are incomparable, you bring a whole host of unique skills, benefits and experience to the table. The price, or I prefer the investment the other person pays, has to feel right and good for you. If you price yourself too low to stay competitive, you risk feeling undervalued and this will have a knock on effect to the service you provide to your clients… you will always be looking at ways to cut corners! Equally, if you price yourself too high it becomes unbelievable to you that you will get any clients, the communication of your prices will be said under your breath and you will come across as uncertain in your message. That uncertainty comes across as ‘I don’t think my service is worth this amount’, which then comes across as ‘I don’t believe in my abilities to help you!’ Pricing really is all in our heads! How much are you worth? How much is the benefits to your clients worth? If you’re struggling to answer these questions, it could be that your services aren’t

niched enough or you’re not clear on your ideal client or what your benefits are! OR it could be that you have limiting beliefs around varying issues to do with worth and money. Ask yourself are you genuinely happy with the amount you receive for your services? If not have a long, hard look at why. What is it that you are unhappy with, do you feel you charge too much or too little? And beneath this, ask yourself why you feel that way. Here’s the $100 bill analogy, if you haven’t already heard of it. You have a $100 bill and you know by giving this money to someone they could make a real difference with it, so you offer it to someone on the street you think it would benefit… they turn it down suspiciously, not wanting your money… has the $100 bill lost it’s value? …No! Have you heard of the £10 grand car wash? A car washer decided his car washes were so good that he would charge £10,000 for a car wash! Granted it’s a week long and they use microscopes to ensure every piece of dirt is abolished, but they do a brilliant job and now provide car washes for the car fanatics and celebs. My point is, they value what they do, they feel the amazing work they put in is worth the price tag and they do a brilliant job because of it!' Jennifer Hall The Life Buddy - Business Creation Coach, Mindset Master & Fear Fixer www.thelifebuddy.guru

Bulb image courtesy of Pixomar at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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'You Had the Power All Along My Dear.' The inspiration for this article are words of an amazing woman, Marie Curie, who once said 'Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something and that this thing must be attained.' During my working life I have seen some amazing women achieve great things in their career, family life or both but due to some events they lost their confidence and (to them) all those achievements seem inadequate. Those amazing women stopped shining and spreading their amazingness to others. Studies show that females, more than males, can experience loss of confidence in themselves. Thus I know that many of us can relate to that. Power to you Now, think about how powerful you are. Find one or two things that you could do now, that would show you your power. You might have said you have power over your career choices or relationships. But would you say that you have power over what is going to happen to you in the future? Start thinking about the power that you have over your life. Jim Rohn once said “You cannot change the circumstances, the seasons, or the wind, but you can change yourself. That is something you have charge of.” If a flood was going to destroy your lovely house today, it is up to you what you would do with what is left. You will either rebuild the house with the

improved layout (as you always dreamed of) or you will never move on from the tragedy that destroyed your life. The house can represent anything from a career to a relationship, and the flood represents a loss. Wherever you are reading this piece, in the kitchen or in the office, you have the power to get up and leave, you have the power to stop reading, so why would it be any different with your thoughts? You have power over them, and it doesn’t matter how emotionally charged they are. Use them or lose them but don’t keep them and don’t ponder over them. Life is too short for that and you are too amazing to waste your time on something that’s not going to change your life for the better. Action point: Love your body, care for your mind. Self-confidence as well as self-esteem are both learned, not inherited. So lack of confidence does not have to be permanent. Below are some suggestions for how you can begin to work on becoming more confident. •

Set goals on the basis of what you can realistically achieve, and then work step-bystep to develop your potential. Remember the words of Marie Curie, ‘(…) we must believe that we are gifted for something and that this thing must be attained.’

•

Emphasize your strengths. Focus on what you can do rather than what you cannot. By doing that you are showing yourself that you care about yourself as much as you care about others.

•

Think about your daily, weekly and monthly routines. Identify one thing that you do during the day that you don’t like/need and would like to change. Replace it with something that you would like to do e.g. if you would like to stop wasting time watching TV why not replace it with reading books (relaxation/increasing your knowledge). Think how confident you would feel after achieving this change.

•

Confidence starts from within but it needs a good home. Invest in your body and mind every day, this is vital for keeping your confidence rocket high.

•

Learn how to self-massage and add this to your wellbeing routine. Use your favourite oil mixture or simply start with coconut oil. Self-massage offers an opportunity for you to connect deeply with your body, and to nourish your body.

I have noticed when observing my clients that the more comfortable they become with their bodies, the more relaxed and confident they are. When we feel confident within ourselves we can notice our needs and take better care of ourselves. All of this helps us connect with our inner self and to grow as a person. Magdalena Lorynska Wellness In Motion

Let’s face it, life can be stressful.

Massage can help! Call today on 07545852110 for a free consultation.

Members Directory Bath EZZA..............................................................................................................................................................................................................................www.ezza.co.uk House of Colour......................................................................................................................................................................................www.houseofcolour.co.uk Moonshine Internet..................................................................................................................................................................................www.moonshinenet.com Nu Skin.............................................................................................................................................................................................bridgetjanelong@gmail.comThe White Tiger Quality Management Systems..............................................................................................................................................www.white-tiger.co.uk Zest Bootcamp.........................................................................................................................................................................................www.zestbootcamp.co.uk

Bristol Anorak Cat Web Design...................................................................................................................................................................................www.anorakcat.co.uk Forever Living...........................................................................................................................................................................................vickiejsmith@hotmail.com Karosa Jewellery.....................................................................................................................................................................................www.karosajewellery.co.uk Outsidethebox Makeup..........................................................................................................................................................www.outsidetheboxmakeup.co.uk SHC Social Media...................................................................................................................................................................................www.shcsocialmedia.co.uk The Box Range....................................................................................................................................................................................................www.boxrange.co.uk Tricia Designs.................................................................................................................................................................................................www.triciadesigns.com

Cardiff The Life Buddy..............................................................................................................................................................................................www.thelifebuddy.guru Wize Vitrual Admin..............................................................................................................................................................................www.wizevirtualadmin.co.uk Naomi's House.........................................................................................................................................................................................www.naomishouse.co.uk

Cheltenham Betaris Training Ltd................................................................................................................................................................................. www.betaristraining.com C. Pool-Graham - Wealth Manager...........................................................................................................................................www.charlottepoolegraham.co.uk Honour Wellbeing............................................................................................................................................................................www.wellbeingandbeyond.net House of Robinson............................................................................................................................................................................www.houseofrobinson.co.uk Keith Holland & Associates.......................................................................................................................................................................www.keithholland.co.uk Lexus....................................................................................................................................................................................www.listers.co.uk/Lexus/Cheltenham Nuts About Style....................................................................................................................................................................................www.nutsaboutstyle.co.uk Poppyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Events Ltd...................................................................................................................................................................................www.poppysevents.co.uk Primrose Mortgages....................................................................................................................................................................www. primrosemortgages.co.uk Sunago Unique Creations....................................................................................................................................................www.sunagouniquecreations.co.uk Travel Counsellors..............................................................................................................................................................................www.travelcounsellors.co.uk Truly Tailored Recruitment.................................................................................................................................................www.trulytailoredrecruitment.co.uk Utility Warehouse Discount Club..........................................................................................................................................................www.huge-savings.co.uk Wellness in Motion............................................................................................................................................................................www.relaxingmassages.co.uk WMMdesigns.................................................................................................................................................................www.wmmdesigns.co.uk Muffin and Poppy..................................................................................................................................................................................www.muffinandpopy.co.uk

Gloucester Active Gloucestershire..................................................................................................................................................................www.activegloucestershire.org Eco Amor..............................................................................................................................................................................................................www.ecoamor.co.uk Sirona Therapies...................................................................................................................................................................................www.sironatherapies.co.uk Stella & Dot Stylist.............................................................................................................................................................................................. www.stelladot.co.uk Heather Resource Management Limited.............................................................................................................................................................www.hrml.co.uk

Kingston The Underdogs Meetup..................................................................................................................................................................................@underdogsmeetup MentoringMamma.........................................................................................................................................................................www.mentoringmamma.com Neal's Yard...................................................................................................................................................www.uk.nyrorganic.com/shop/rebeccagarnettharis The Kingston Holiday Inn...............................................................................................................................................................................www.hikingston.co.uk

Monmouth Awaken..........................................................................................................................................................................................www.awakenlifecoaching.co.uk Wye Media..........................................................................................................................................................................................................www.wyemedia.co.uk Haberdashersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Monmouth School for Girls....................................................................................................................................................www.hmsg.co.uk Karosa Jewellery.....................................................................................................................................................................................www.karosajewellery.co.uk Occasionally Tea & Plenty of Cake.....................................................................................................................www.occasionallyteaandplentyofcake.co.uk Photography by Valerie...........................................................................................................................................................www.photographybyvalerie.co.uk

Southampton Increase Your Social Reach.................................................................................................................................................www.increaseyoursocialreach.com Lone Barn Photography..........................................................................................................................................................www.lonebarnphotography.co.uk Solent Events & Leisure.............................................................................................................................................................................www.solentevents.co.uk Step by Step Listening.....................................................................................................................................................................www.stepbysteplistening.com Travel Counsellors...............................................................................................................................................www.travelcounsellors.co.uk/joanne.ioannou Utility Warehouse.........................................................................................................................................................lesleywareham@utilitywarehouse.org.uk

Swindon Bevirs Solicitors........................................................................................................................................................................................................www.bevirs.co.uk Callisto Green................................................................................................................................................................................................www.callistogreen.com Care UK......................................................................................................................................................................................................................www.careuk.com Cheeky Little Prints...............................................................................................................................................................................www.cheekylittleprints.co.uk Driving Miss Daisy...........................................................................................................................................................................www.drivingmissdaisyuk.co.uk Forever Living..................................................................................................................................................................................................www.suefoord.flp.com Fiona Scott Media Consultancy...............................................................................................................................................................www.fionascott.co.uk Infinity Financial Solutions Ltd.........................................................................................................................................................................www.infinityfs.co.uk Jurys Inn....................................................................................................................................................................................................................www.jurysinn.com Michelle's Flower Garden................................................................................................................................................................michellepridmore@fsmail.net Millie & Belle Jewellery..............................................................................................................................................................................www.millieandbelle.co.uk Nikki Nocky Noo....................................................................................................................................................................................www.nikki-nocky-noo.co.uk Oscars...................................................................................................................................................................................................................www.oscars.co.uk Pingthing.........................................................................................................................................................................................................www.pingthing.co.uk Pink&Green Skincare...............................................................................................................................................................www.pinkandgreenskincare.co.uk PPS Chartered Accountants..............................................................................................................................................................................www.ppsacc.co.uk Strategenic Ltd..................................................................................................................................................................www.strategicplanningforgrowth.co.uk

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Advertise With Women’s Business Magazine The Women’s Business Magazine offers the perfect opportunity for businesses to get themselves in front of new potential customers. •

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Distribution The magazine is published and distributed to a minimum of 1000 business women each quarter whilst also being published on-line reaching an electronic target audience of 7000.

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