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DEC 18 / JAN 19 | ISSUE 126 | £3.95
PAULA MARTIN CEO CORNWALL AIR AMBULANCE
TOOLKIT 2019
HELP FOR BUSINESSES TO GET AHEAD
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And the winner is...
DEC 18 / JAN 19
ISSUE 126
INSIDE FEATURES 13 COMPANY PROFILE EMPLOYEE OWNERSHIP DRIVING LAW FIRM STEPHENS SCOWN GROWTH
16 BUSINESS GROWTH THERE’S SOMETHING FISHY GOING ON
18 CEO INTERVIEW CORNWALL AIR AMBULANCE CHIEF EXECUTIVE, PAULA MARTIN
23 BUSINESS TOOLKIT ADVICE TO HELP YOU GET AHEAD IN 2019
34 CARN BREA LEISURE CENTRE FUTURE LOOKING BRIGHT FOR LEISURE TRUST
REGULARS 4 INCOMING A YEAR TO REMEMBER?
6 BUSINESS NEWS BREWERY OPENS R&D CENTRE
36 ON THE MOVE WHO’S GONE WHERE
38 CREATIVE REBRAND COMPLETE
39 FSB FSB NEWS
40 EDUCATION COLLEGE CEO STEPS DOWN
40 TOURISM TOURISM AWARDS WINNERS
42 TEST DRIVE FORD FOCUS
44 JUST A THOUGHT SARA PUGH FROM EIGHT WIRE
45 EVENTS DIARY NETWORKING DATES
46 CONNECTED NETWORKING PICS
48 THE LAST WORD SKILLS HUB’S JOSH HOOLE
PHOTO: GEOTHERMAL DRILLING SEE PAGE 7 FOR FULL STORY
BUSINESS CORNWALL | 1
DEC 18 / JAN 19
ISSUE 126
WELCOME EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Nick Eyriey nick@businesscornwall.co.uk PUBLISHER Toni Eyriey toni@businesscornwall.co.uk BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Morveth Ward morveth@businesscornwall.co.uk
Open for Business
ACCOUNT MANAGER Caroline Hill caroline@businesscornwall.co.uk
Christmas has come early for Cornwall Airport Newquay and many in the business community.
CONTRIBUTORS PFA Research and Sara Pugh DESIGN & PRINT Design by Business Cornwall Printed in Cornwall by Deltor BUSINESS CORNWALL is published 10 times a year by: Tonick Business Publishing Pool Innovation Centre Trevenson Road Redruth TR15 3PL Tel: 01209 718688 SUBSCRIPTIONS subscriptions@businesscornwall.co.uk
ON THE COVER
PAULA MARTIN
CORNWALL'S PREMIER BUSINESS RESOURCE FOR ALL THE LATEST NEWS AND OPINION
businesscornwall.co.uk
Changing the Cornish Industrial Landscape
DEC 18 / JAN 19 | ISSUE 126 | £3.95
HELP FOR BUSINESSES TO GET AHEAD
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It is notoriously difficult (and expensive) to secure landing slots at Heathrow. While it had been hoped that a third runway at Heathrow would enable a return of the route, coming this early was unexpected.
2018 has gone in a flash. May I wish all our readers a wonderful Christmas and a very Happy New Year.
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While the renewal of the Government’s Public Service Obligation (a financial subsidy to keep air routes open in remote areas) was as expected as it was welcome, it was not anticipated that it would subsidise a link to Heathrow instead of Gatwick.
And the winner is...
TOOLKIT 2019
Software for Automation
A daily link to Heathrow has been top of the wish list for many business leaders in Cornwall ever since the last service came to an end in 1997. As Europe’s busiest hub, Heathrow has greater connectivity to the outside world and, therefore, greater potential economic benefits.
The news has been widely welcomed. It will further increase confidence in Cornwall Airport Newquay among the airline community, while it sends out a clear message to the wider world that Cornwall is very much open for business.
PAULA MARTIN CEO CORNWALL AIR AMBULANCE
+44(0)1209 705 160 | sales@n-coders.co.uk | www.n-coders.co.uk
Just as we were going to press came the announcement that from the end of March, direct flights to London will switch from Gatwick to Heathrow. And further good news, frequency will increase from three flights a day to four, seven days a week.
Business Cornwall magazine is proud to be a business partner of the Cornwall Chamber of Commerce
Business Cornwall is a proud media partner of the Cornwall Business Show
Business Cornwall magazine is proud to be media partner of the FSB
EDITOR BUSINESS CORNWALL
Registered under the Data Protection Act All rights reserved No part of this publication may be reproduced, copied, stored in an electronic retrieval system or transmitted without the written permission of the publisher. Stringent efforts have been made by Business Cornwall magazine to ensure accuracy. However, due principally to the fact that data cannot always be verified, it is possible that some errors or omissions may occur. Business Cornwall magazine can not accept responsibility for such errors or omissions. Business Cornwall magazine accepts no responsibility for comments made by interviewees that may offend.
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50% OF BUSINESSES ARE MISSING OUT BECAUSE THEY DON’T HAVE A CLEAR GROWTH STRATEGY. HOW DO WE KNOW? WE’VE BEEN THERE! ALLANAH ARMONDI CO-FOUNDER, OPERATIONS DIRECTOR
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INCOMING
THE CONVERSATION
The big question As we approach the end of 2018, what will your abiding memory be of the year? What have been the business highs and lows? Has Brexit been a burden or a bore? Has it been a year to remember, or one to forget? Join the conversation @biz_cornwall
/businesscornwall
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THE CONVERSATION
GILL PIPKIN
Gill Pipkin Consulting 2018 will stick in my mind as a year with weather extremes and uncertainty and unrest in society. Weather-wise, we had the ‘Beast from the East’ followed by a long hot summer. We have had the ongoing uncertainty of Brexit, unpredictable behaviour from over the pond and some surprising and worrying election results from elsewhere in the world. It certainly feels to be an increasingly unstable and unpredictable world which is dividing our societies. My year has been spent working with third sector organisations trying to help them cope with the increasing uncertainty of funding allied with ever increasing demand for services. Even without Brexit, our world is changing dramatically, but Brexit has added more pressure. I don’t think it will be a year to forget, but I am not sure I will look back on it fondly!
TRISTAN NETHERTON Microtest
The New Year is always a time of reflection. As we look back on 2018, we feel a tremendous sense of pride at Microtest. 2018 was the year in which we gained a significant new contract to supply clinical IT systems to NHS GP surgeries in Wales. Although we are one of only four suppliers of clinical IT systems to NHS England, and we also supply private practices in the Channel Islands, this was the very first time we
have entered the market in Wales and we are delighted that we have been chosen by 139 Welsh practices. This is one of the most significant single business wins in Microtest’s history and so it is with huge excitement and optimism that we face 2019 and the continuing opportunities in the year ahead. Despite this positive context, running an IT tech business is not without its challenges. As a fast-growing company, one challenge we face is recruiting staff of the calibre we need, given the skills shortages in IT in Cornwall. This is a challenge that we have faced in 2018 and it has led us to create new and innovative ways in which to cope with this shortfall. Although we will continue to promote blue sky thinking and innovation, we expect skills shortages to continue in 2019 and this will continue to push us to find innovative approaches and fresh solutions to dealing with the issue, so that it does not create a barrier to growth. Overall, 2019 and beyond is looking very bright for Microtest, as we continue to grow the business, creating more jobs in Cornwall.
MARTIN DINHAM CF Systems
For us as a business, the landscape in 2018 has been dominated by two factors – Brexit and GDPR. The latter has undoubtedly been positive for CF Systems in terms of amplifying the message we have spreading for some time about the importance of data security and traceability for businesses and has
January is the perfect time to take stock of your business and think about what you want to achieve in 2019. Here are some questions you should ask:
business managers to free up your time as well as implementing employee training and development so that it’s not all down to you.
• Will 2019 be a year of growth? Will it mean expansion through acquisition, investment or perhaps crowd funding or crowd investors?
• Will it be the year that you finally let go? Does the prospect of travelling the world after putting it off for so long appeal? In that case you need to think about succession: bringing in the next generation; selling to the management team, or a competitor that has been interested for years, or even selling to your employees because you’ve heard great things about employee ownership.
• Will it be a year of stability? A year of implementing plans that have been sidelined, or a desire to add in some business strategies that change your culture, inspire your employees and enhance your brand. • Will it be a year to find that work/life balance that you promised yourself and your family? That may mean taking on
INCOMING
directly increased the amount of work that we are delivering in this space. Brexit has perhaps been more of a double-edged sword in that the uncertainty is causing delay in businesses making large scale investments (including in IT), but most companies are adopting a pragmatic, “business as usual” approach. For CF Systems, this has meant that they still need reliable, competent IT support and consultancy. 2018 has been a year of growth for us including a significant number of new companies coming on board with us, but we will be watching developments around Brexit and the wider economy into 2019 with great interest.
MATT HARINGTON Cornwall Innovation
It has to be the economic feel good factor created by England’s fantastic progress in the World Cup football tournament blended with a prolonged spell of stunning weather that prompted an influx of visitors to Cornwall. We went from qualifying no hopers to ‘It’s Coming Home’ and I remember it becoming the conversation at the start of every day and every meeting – it was amazing to see how much positivity overflowed into the work place and for a short while anything seemed possible!
your business and implement any changes. Whatever 2019 brings, we hope it is a successful one for your business. Christian Wilson is partner and head of the corporate team at Stephens Scown. The team has top rankings in legal guides Chambers and Legal 500. For more information please call Christian on 01872 265100, email corporate.cornwall@ stephens-scown.co.uk or via www.stephens-scown.co.uk.
Our team of specialist corporate lawyers are on hand if you need help to review BUSINESS CORNWALL | 5
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BUSINESS NEWS
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BREWERY OPENS R&D FACILITY Harbour Brewing has opened the doors to its new research and development facility, featuring a wealth of new equipment designed to expand the brewery’s capacity and capabilities. The new site will be used to develop a new range of experimental and limited-run beers that will utilise fruit from the on-site orchard, foraged herbs, and native yeasts. The project is being headed up by former Redchurch and Beavertown head brewer James Rylance. He said: “For anyone like me - with a passion for pushing the boundaries of beer and experimenting with new flavours - this new project is a dream. We’re surrounded by some of the best ingredients I’ve ever encountered, growing wild in the fields and hedgerows, and have planted lots of additional herbs on the land.”
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NEWS IN BRIEF
UK’S FIRST GEOTHERMAL PLANT
Business Cornwall magazine has been rated as one of the Top 10 UK Business Magazines on the web. The rating, on feedspot.com, claims to be most comprehensive list of the best UK business magazines on the Internet.
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Drilling has started to build the UK’s first geothermal electricity plant, at the United Downs Industrial Estate near St Day.
Cornish beer brand, Jubel, has secured its first national supermarket listing in 600 Sainsbury’s main estate and local stores. “300 accounts in our first three months, a sell-out London launch in Selfridges, a couple of World Beer Awards and Sainsbury’s wanting to launch us nationally. It’s been a bit of a mad year,” said co-founder Tom Jordan.
The aim of the initiative is to demonstrate the potential of the geothermal resource in the UK to produce electricity and renewable heat. The plant will supply up to 3 MWe (Mega Watt electrical) of electricity which is enough energy to power 3,000 homes. Two deep geothermal wells will be drilled into the granitic rock beneath the site, the deepest of which will reach 4.5 kilometres. Water will be pumped from the deepest well at a temperature of approximately 190C, fed through a heat exchanger at the surface and then re-injected into the ground to pick up more heat from the rocks in a continuous cycle. The extracted heat will be converted into electricity and supplied to the National Grid.
____________________ Cornish Blue won ‘Super Gold’ at the World Cheese Awards. Founder Philip Stansfield said: “As a former world champion it can be difficult to continue to make the Super Gold category, so we are absolutely delighted that this has happened given the sheer number of fantastic cheeses that enter the awards each year.”
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Dr Ryan Law, MD of Geothermal Engineering Ltd, said: “The largely untapped geothermal resources in the UK have the potential to deliver up to 20% of the UK’s electricity and heat energy needs in a reliable and sustainable way.”
Healeys Cornish Cyder has set up The Healeys Entrepreneurs Fund with a donation of £50k to help budding young Cornish entrepreneurs develop their business ideas. Managed for the business by Cornwall Community Foundation (CCF), the Healey family will be actively involved in grant making and supporting the young business people.
There are huge benefits to eating locally and shortening the supply chain - lower food miles, better pay for the growers and fresher produce, to name a few. However, for a consumer, heading to the local supermarket is simply easier. In 2016 a small team of entrepreneurs, ecologists and technophiles – students at the University of Exeter’s Penryn Campus joined forces to change this and begin a food revolution. The team were frustrated with the complex food supply chains that play a big part in dictating what we eat. They realised there was one main reason we buy food from large supermarkets rather than local farms and distributors - convenience.
The project has received approximately £18 million in funding, including £10.6 million from the European Regional Development Fund, £2.4 million from Cornwall Council, and £5 million from private investors.
Their startup, Nakiwi, is aiming to change our purchasing habits for the better, creating a more sustainable food-chain that supports producers and benefits the environment whilst retaining the convenience for the consumer. This is all done through a mobile app that is available on Android and iOS; the user simply selects from over 50 products and collects their fresh order (supplied by local Cornish growers) from a pickup point a day later. Anyone can use this app. Following initial support from the University’s Startup Support programme, the Nakiwi team went on to successfully raise further capital through Crowdfunder. The team plan to expand organically across Cornwall,
allowing them to thoroughly market test the system and new features, before expanding to the rest of the UK and beyond. Student Start Up Officer, David Walker says: “This is an excellent example of students at the University of Exeter translating the passions derived from their courses into a business with purpose. They are aiming to change the way we consume for the better, both in Cornwall and further afield.”
You can find out more, get involved and download the app at nakiwi.com BUSINESS CORNWALL | 7
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BUSINESS NEWS
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NATIONAL AWARD FOR NATIONWIDE Nationwide Print was crowned Environmental Print Company of the Year at the PrintWeek Awards last month.
“This is such a proud moment for me and my team,” said Nationwide MD, Julian Hocking. “These awards are hugely competitive and for an SME like us to come out on top is a great achievement. “About eight years ago we made a commitment to become the UK’s most environmentallyfriendly printer. Today we can honestly say we have achieved that. Our unwavering commitment, and the bold investments we made along the way, have been ratified by this award.” Production Manager Matthew Pascoe attended the ceremony at London’s Grosvenor House Hotel in London, when he was presented with the trophy.
FARMERS’ BREXIT PLANS Almost 20% of UK farmers are planning to diversify into other enterprises to support their farm business after Brexit, research from the NFU Mutual has revealed.
The research found that from the 62% of UK farmers who have already diversified their businesses, over nine out of ten schemes (94%) have been financially successful.
The rural insurer’s Diversification Report provides information on latest trends, together with insight and analysis to help farmers make decisions on the future direction of their farm businesses after Brexit.
The most common diversification was renewable energy (29%), followed by property letting (15%) and holiday lets (12%). Other types of popular enterprises included: livery stables (6%), outdoor leisure activities (5%), and farm shops (2%).
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It’s always nice to start the new year with a positive mindset, says PKF-Francis Clark partner Daniel Sladen, but the current deadlock in the Brexit negotiations is making that difficult
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COUNCIL TO GET ON ITS BIKE Cornwall Council Cabinet members have unanimously agreed to support a proposal that the Council bids to host the Grand Depart Stage of the 2020 Tour of Britain cycle race. Members recognised the potential £3 million economic boost to Cornwall of hosting such a high-profile event. Cabinet portfolio holder for transport, Geoff Brown, said: “The chance to showcase beautiful Cornwall through the worldwide coverage of Britain’s largest free-towatch sporting event represents a real opportunity for us. “When we successfully hosted the Olympic torch relay, we felt the social and economic benefits along the route and in Cornwall as a whole. I believe that this will have the same hugely positive effect.”
FULL OF ENERGY A Cornish community interest company (CIC) has triumphed at the Community Energy Awards in Bristol. Jake Burnyeat, founder and director of Penryn-based Communities for
As I’m writing this in November I’ll start with the caveat that everything might change before you read this and Cornish businesses may be heading into 2019 with optimism and certainty about their trading environment. Unfortunately it doesn’t look like that caveat will be needed. In theory Q1 2019 will see the UK’s exit from the EU and usher in a transition period where nothing much will change. In reality, all outcomes are still open, from a simple delay to the Article 50 period to a new referendum, immediate exit with no deal, or even another general election. In short, nobody knows what the new year will bring. So what should businesses be doing in the absence of certainty? The best advice for
Renewables (CfR) CIC, won the Community Energy Champion Award, while technical manager, Jason Blanchard, received the Community Energy Young Champion Award. Burnyeat said: “Jason and I are really pleased to receive this recognition. The community energy sector has been built by passionate people who have, against the odds, demonstrated that villages, towns and cities can generate their own energy at scale.”
dealing with change is always to know your business, understand the risks and make contingency plans. Knowing your business comes first and means thinking about how you make money, what supplies and people you need, and what laws, rules and regulations make the business possible. Understanding the risks means making a realistic assessment of what would happen if any of those factors change: what would be the impact if you could only recruit EU staff through a work permit process? Or if materials you rely on had to be ordered two weeks in advance? Or if your products couldn’t be exported to the EU without going through a new approval process?
NEW WORKSPACE PROJECT The Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) has announced a £2 million investment to create a dynamic new workspace on Newquay’s seafront. The C-Space project will combine business and incubation space with a local produce café and bar, events venue, production studio and retail showcase, by partially converting a seaside hotel with stunning views over Towan beach. C-Space is a collaboration between Newquay-based Crowdfunder, the Cornwall Food Foundation, which manages Fifteen Cornwall, and the Real Ideas Organisation (RIO). The LEP is supporting the project with £2 million from the Government’s Local Growth Fund. LEP chief executive, Glenn Caplin, said: “C-Space will be a huge asset for Cornwall, a place to forge a community of collaborators where ideas can be fostered and funded, creating businesses and jobs.” C-Space will occupy what is now the Hotel Sunnyside on The Crescent in Newquay and will become the permanent home for Crowdfunder. There will also be business space for permanent tenants, and startup and incubation space for fledgling businesses. A licensed café and bar operated by the Cornwall Food Foundation will showcase local food and drink, and there will be retail space where Crowdfunder projects can sell their products. It is hoped that C-Space will be up and running by the summer.
You can’t make the risks go away, but by identifying the risks you can have plans ready to deal with changes when they come. Contingency planning can feel like time wasted, but as well as getting a step ahead of competitors if the worst happens, it also helps you to spot opportunities for growth and development that might otherwise have been missed. All that said, the special circumstances of Brexit mean that keeping fingers firmly crossed is a sensible 4th step for heading into 2019. E: daniel.sladen@pkf-francisclark.co.uk
BUSINESS CORNWALL | 9
CORNWALL
BUSINESS NEWS
TRISKEL FLIES THE FLAG A Cornish marine tech company beat off some household names to triumph at a prestigious international awards ceremony. Triskel received the DAME Overall Winner award at the METSTRADE show in Amsterdam for its advanced generatorreplacement technology ‘Integrel’.
COUNT ON ABACUS FOR EFFECTIVE DEBT RECOVERY
unning your own business can be Abacus Collection offers a difficult enough, so chasing unpaid comprehensive range of no win, debts is one headache you can no fee debt collection services definitely do without. Thanks to to customers ranging from sole bespoke debt collection providers traders to regional small and Abacus Collection there is now a local service medium-sized companies tailored to your needs at affordable prices that Abacus can help you find allows you to focus on what you do best. out if your debt is collectable Involved in running his own businesses for the by contacting clients and trying to find a past 30 years, Jeff Painter founded Abacus resolution. All debts have a time limit, so Hayle-based Triskel was shortlisted alongside “We aremeeting over thewith moon this Collection after a chance a at receiving if your customers can’t or won’t pay Ab 63 products from some of the most award. We were up some the your debt provided custome friend who had a plumbing business, asagainst Jeff canofsecure prominent names in the marine industry, biggest names in the industry, and toan have explains. have asset such as property. including Garmin, Harken and Yamaha. selected not only as the winner of our “I was astonished been to learn how many people If the debt is less than six years old and theworking overall winner, not is asure dream owed him money.category, As a sole but trader whether to write it off or not, Ab Integrel replaces stand-alone generators come truehave for us. long hours he simply didn’t time to chase can investigate the viability of spending by using the ‘spare’ capacity from existing debts, so this was how Abacus was born.” time and money trying to recover the de inboard engines. MD Ken Wittamore said: Based in Truro and covering the south west, Abacus also collects ledger debts for sm
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INNOVATION AT WORK
An annual survey reveals the impact that the three Cornwall Innovation Centres are having on the local economy A recent report by Cornwall Council has revealed that businesses at Cornwall’s three Innovation Centres created the equivalent of 169 new fulltime jobs in 2017. The figure is a significant increase on the 87 new posts the previous year. Pool Innovation Centre, Tremough Innovation Centre and the Health and Wellbeing Innovation Centre are managed by University of Plymouth on behalf of Cornwall Council. The Cornwall Innovation Centre team, that operates the three facilities, works with ambitious early stage and high growth businesses, helping them to thrive. In the annual survey report, 16% of businesses situated in the centres said that they had helped them create more jobs due to the flexibility of spaces and more manageable overheads. The report also revealed that being based among other dynamic and like-minded companies is a key attraction of the Innovation Centres, with nearly half (45%) confirming they had collaborated with a neighbouring business. One of the growing Cornwall Innovation businesses is HR and payroll company Neo People, which will soon be celebrating its sixth birthday. Based at Pool Innovation Centre, Neo People works almost exclusively in the education sector, with schools and academies across the South West and beyond. The firm now employs around 20 members of staff, having created five new posts in the last year,
and has more recruitment planned in the coming months. Neo People arrived at Pool InnovationCentre less than a year ago but MD Steve Burgess says the new base has already had a positive impact. “We’re expanding the team to meet demand from our growing regional and national client base. Being based at Pool Innovation Centre has helped us grow,” he says. “The service from Cornwall Innovation is excellent and it’s great to work with likeminded people who have the same mindset. It’s also helpful to be around other businesses. Once word got out that we were a HR company we had quite a few knocks at the door and we’re now working with some of the other businesses.” Active Assistance, a company based at the Health and Wellbeing Innovation Centre, has expanded by introducing new Personal Assistant positions. The team supports people with complex and continuing health care needs and physical disabilities, designing care packages that are specific to each patient’s needs. Training administrator, Karen Nelson, explains: “Each month we train five or six new Personal Assistants at the Health and Wellbeing Centre. We have grown our team significantly over the last year and the Cornwall Innovation team has helped us out on numerous occasions.”
Head of Cornwall Innovation Centres, Matt Harrington, says: “While we were obviously delighted to learn that the businesses located in the Cornwall Innovation Centres created the equivalent of 169 new full-time jobs last year, the impressive figure was not a huge surprise. What we’ve experienced over recent months is growth for a number of very different types of businesses across the three centres. While some are start-up or early stage businesses, others have been operating for a few years but are now on a very steep growth path helped along by the support we offer. “We were particularly pleased to have evidence of how support from the Innovation Centres is directly helping businesses to expand. It is also hugely rewarding to see the positive effect of collaboration between neighbouring companies. “Our whole ethos is to support businesses to grow and develop in Cornwall. We’re delighted to see so many Cornwall Innovation companies thriving, creating new, high quality jobs for the local area.”
www.cornwallinnovation.co.uk BUSINESS CORNWALL | 11
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A Groundbreaking data collected by Smartline, a Cornish research project looking at how technology can be used to help people live happier and healthier lives, is attracting interest from companies across Cornwall to see how it can be used to help develop new ideas and products. The project has also had interest from as far afield as Hong Kong and Norway in terms of its potential to influence policy. Led by the University of Exeter in partnership with Coastline Housing Ltd, Cornwall Council and Volunteer Cornwall, the three-year project funded by the European Regional Development Fund and the South West Academic Health Science Network, is leading the way in exploring how technology can be used to improve the health and wellbeing of local communities. Since launching in March 2017, the team has fitted environmental sensors in the homes of 300 Coastline Housing customers in the Camborne, Pool, Illogan and Redruth area of Cornwall. The sensors are collecting information on indoor air quality, humidity, temperature, how much water is used and how much energy it takes to heat them. Participants have also been taking part in surveys, guided conversations and interviews to help researchers understand their wellbeing needs, aspirations and desires for their community.
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APPROACH Sensor data is currently being analysed by researchers, alongside information from Coastline Housing on the type and condition of their housing stock, and the survey results from participants. The results of this unique “data mash up” will be used to help design better systems for managing homes in the future, and for inventing new products and services. “Smartline is one of the largest monitoring exercises of its type, certainly in the UK context,” says Dr Tim Taylor, senior lecturer in the University of Exeter Medical School and Smartline principal investigator. “Our team of researchers, which includes public health professionals, economists, geographers, mathematicians, and sociologists, is working with more than 300 households over a two year period to provide a unique set of data. Comparing properties with varying numbers and profiles of people in them enables us to see the energy usage, temperature and air quality in a home and what influences these.” The research will also have important benefits for the health and social care sector, with data on humidity, temperature, and air quality already being used looking at the possible links between asthma and mould. In yet another first for Smartline, the team is monitoring indoor as well as outdoor air quality, with sensors checking the impact of particles created by heating, cooking and smoking
and nearby traffic, as well as those from new furnishings, cleaning products, paints and things like computer printers. Other Smartline initiatives are looking at the impact of social isolation, with Volunteer Cornwall using the results of Guided Conversations to inform new community activities such as coffee mornings, arm chair exercise sessions and the development of a new green space to help reduce loneliness, improve fitness and improve community cohesion. “Our cutting edge research will support the growth of the eHealth and eWellbeing sector in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly” says Dr Taylor. “By working with local businesses and organisations, we can encourage them to come up with new ways to improve people’s day to day lives.” “We have already been approached by businesses who are interested in using our data and are looking forward to working with other organisations as we release further information over the coming months.” The team will be holding a special event for businesses in January to launch a data portal and provide guidance on how businesses can access and use it. For more information about the project or the upcoming event visit the Smartline website: www.smartline.org.uk
COMPANY
PROFILE
NO PLACE LIKE
BUSINESS CORNWALL | 13
Employee ownership in the UK • Contributes between £30 - £40 billion to the UK economy • Larger than the UK’s agricultural sector • More than 300 employee owned businesses • Employ more than 200,000 employee owners • Found in all shapes and sizes but: · 50% are professional services · 20% in manufacturing
• Most well-known is the John Lewis Partnership but also includes global firms such as Arup and PA Consulting
It also regularly appears among the silverware in industry awards, being named UK Law Firm of the Year at the British Legal Awards 2016.
• Sector is growing in the last seven years it has increased by 60%
It hasn’t received such recognition by chance, however.
• Size of business is not relevant – Lush has a turnover of £995 million but many employee owned businesses have less than ten employees
When he took over as managing partner nine years ago, Robert Camp quickly identified that clients in the south west wanted a personal service. He recognised the fact that exemplary customer service and customer engagement could drive company growth and success.
· Followed by retail, distribution & health
• Potential tax savings for exiting owners (0% CGT) profit share of up to £3,600 can be taken by employees tax free • Cross party political support for EO • Employee Ownership can be for part of a business only (eg Lush transferring 10% to EO trust or Riverford Organics transitioning to 100% EO)
In an industry which is often depicted as “traditional”, and not always in the most positive sense, Stephens Scown is a firm of solicitors that likes to stand out from the crowd. One of the largest law firms in the south west, Stephens Scown employs some 300 staff across its three offices in Exeter, St Austell and Truro. It consistently ranks highly in the UK’s top two independent legal guides – the Legal 500 and Chambers – and has been ranked for four consecutive years in the Sunday Times 100 Best Mid-Sized Companies to Work For.
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But while setting out a strategy to achieve this aim, he soon realised that you can only obtain that type of added value when you have a fully-engaged workforce. So, Stephens Scown agreed to put its customer service objectives on hold while it fully focused on internal engagement. And it was during this time that Stephens Scown hit upon ‘Employee Ownership’. “We did an awful lot of work on that over four or five years,” he says, “changing the culture, looking at how we develop people and ensuring that everyone felt they had a part to play.
“We always had a complicated bonus scheme which no one really understood,” says Camp. “The majority of bonus schemes are driven by revenue, but when I looked into it in detail, only about 15%-20% of staff can impact on the turnover, the majority can’t. But everyone can play a part in the profit. “That’s been a real hidden gem of the scheme, in that it engages all members of staff into thinking ‘if I save a little bit of money here, if I don’t need to send this first class’, all these small things can add up and have an impact on the ‘Scownership’ profit share, whereas before there just wasn’t that incentive because it was purely driven by revenue. “It helps staff feel proud of the firm. They know anything they can do to improve the offering, no matter how small, can impact on the profits which in turn can impact on their share. It has become a real incentive and staff are showing a real interest in the figures from day one, rather than a ‘there’s nothing we can do about it, we’ll get what we get’ attitude, and that stems from reception upwards. “In the firm it’s known as ‘Scownership’ and we came up with the tagline – ‘There’s no place like Scown’. We love our cheesy taglines! We are all known as ‘Scowners’. That has helped create an identity and sense of belonging.” Retailer John Lewis is perhaps the bestknown example of a company to have
COMPANY
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embraced employee ownership, while another recent high-profile addition was Wallace & Gromit producer, Aardman, which is handing a 75% stake to its 140 employees in a move to safeguard its independence. but it is a growing community with some 300 businesses in the UK, contributing approximately £40 billion to the economy. It is a scheme where all employees have a stake in the business and are engaged in the way the business is run. It doesn’t necessarily mean to say they get a vote on company matters – although every business is different and this could be an option if required. And the model has been receiving broad cross-party political support as it is being seen as a key tool to improve the UK’s productivity rates, which languish badly compared to other G7 countries. And in Cornwall the rate is even worse. Statistics would appear to confirm the belief that having more engaged employees positively impacts the bottom line and drives economic growth, with productivity at the top 50 employee-owned businesses doubling the UK average. Last year, employee-owned businesses outperformed growth in GDP by 50%, while in the last recession, employee-owned companies grew by 11% compared to less than 1% that weren’t employee owned. Robert Camp doesn’t hesitate in recommending employee ownership to other businesses. In fact, he is a little perplexed why any firm would not want to adopt such a model, particularly when considering succession planning. “If you’re looking to a create a business for sale, employee ownership is not right,” he
says. “If you’re looking for as much capital value return as possible, it wouldn’t be a route to do go down. But if you’re second generation ownership, for example, and your business has a fantastic name and brand and want to protect that legacy, this is a brilliant way of doing that.”
“If you’re a limited company it’s relatively straightforward,” says Camp. “The most common issues that businesses typically face is finance, but there are a number of ethical type funders out there who are willing to specifically fund employee ownership.
He says since the positive impact felt by Stephens Scown since it adopted employee ownership two years ago has been immediate. He says while the company has been paying out more to staff, percentage costs have not increased pointing to further evidence of increased productivity.
“And if you’re a corporate, there are some great tax breaks for both the company and employees. But when I speak to people about it, I say don’t do it as a tax benefit, do it to engage your staff, and start the journey early with communication.
Another, yet unexpected, benefit has been on recruitment, with the firm getting enquiries from graduates who probably would not have previously even been aware of the company. “Many people have been interested in joining us because they have heard about employee ownership and they like the ethos. It ticks a lot of boxes for millennials; they see a firm with a purpose and commitment to its staff.” While large companies like John Lewis, Arup and PA Consulting have embraced employee ownership, it is a model that can suit businesses large and small.
“You need your staff to understand why you’re doing it. It isn’t a gimmick. There are several ways to do employee ownership; there isn’t a one-size fits all approach, but there are a lot of good people out there who have been there and done it and can guide companies through it.”
For more information, please call 01872 265100, email solicitors@stephens-scown. co.uk or visit www.stephens-scown. co.uk/employee-ownership
While there were a number of hoops and hurdles for Stephens Scown to jump through – the legal industry is understandably highly regulated - adopting an employee ownership model is not as complicated as many would think.
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PROGRAMME
As the world wakes up to the environmental impact of plastic pollution, mining engineer, geologist and entrepreneur Ian Falconer has just opened a new factory in Newlyn which is recycling used nylon nets from the local fishing fleet into spools of high-quality 3D printer filaments. Founder and CEO of Fishy Filaments, Ian was working for an Australian mining company when he first became interested in the potential use of 3D printers. At the time 3D printers were mainly found in high end industries such as aerospace and Formula One racing, with an average cost of around £500k. Today desktop 3D printers can be bought for between £200 and £300 and are used in almost every sector, from jewellery making
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and kitchen equipment to 3D printed prosthetic limbs.
time as finding an alternative use for the nylon nets and Fishy Filaments was born.”
The massive expansion of the use of 3D printers has led to an explosion in demand for materials, particularly for filaments – the equivalent of ink in a 2D printer.
This may sound like the journey from Ian’s groundbreaking idea to the opening of his factory has been a smooth one – but this is not the case.
“I knew that end of life nets used by the fishing industry were either being thrown into the sea, where they were damaging the marine environment, or being disposed of in landfill sites,” says Ian. “As well as using huge amounts of landfill space, the £500 a tonne disposal costs were a real issue for the industry.
“Having the initial idea was the easy part,” says Ian. “I had to spend a considerable amount of time researching and testing the process, and then coming up with new techniques to overcome potential problems. I then had to persuade people to provide the funding to turn my idea into reality.”
“I saw an opportunity to take advantage of the increasing demand for filaments from the expanding 3D printing industry at the same
Ian was helped on this part of the journey by the Growth Hub team who, having initially put him in touch with Oxford Innovation when he was researching the use of different materials,
How a local businessman has taken end-of-life fishing nets and transformed them into commercially viable, high quality 3D printer filaments introduced him to Fishing for Litter (South West) who were very interested in finding sustainable ways to recycle fishing nets. Ian’s project also gained the enthusiastic support of The Newlyn Pier and Harbour Commissioners who offered him some land at the fishing port to site his new factory as well as guaranteeing a ready supply of the raw material from the local fishing fleet. After successfully crowd funding £5k to buy specialist processing equipment, Ian worked with the Growth Hub team to secure a further £205k of investment to provide match funding to buy and equip a 20 foot custom built container. This was initially placed on a field owned by a local farmer while the new factory was being built.
The new factory officially opened at the beginning of October and both Ian and his supporters are feeling positive about the future. Ian has recruited his first member of staff and plans to increase this number as the business develops. With the high value filament currently selling for around £50k a tonne, and expressions of interest coming from other fishing ports, both in the UK and abroad, and increasing demand from owners and retailers of 3D printers, the future certainly looks bright for Fishy Filaments.
Growth Hub which, he said, played a key role in helping him meet the right people at the right time and access the funding he needed.
To find out how the Growth Hub could help your business visit www.ciosgrowthhub.com or call 01209 708660.
Ian and Fishy Filaments have come a long way since the initial idea to provide local fisheries with a sustainable way to recycle their old or unusable fishing nets and Ian is optimistic about the future. He is very grateful for the support he has received from the
BUSINESS CORNWALL | 17
Martin
Cornwall Air Ambulance has grown to become one of Cornwall’s largest and most-recognised charities and flies more than 800 lifesaving missions each year. CEO Paula Martin explains how it’s all been done You were appointed CEO at Cornwall Air Ambulance at a challenging time When I joined in 2008, the charity had come through a difficult period, two years of problems which had led to a loss of public trust and confidence. The small group of trustees and small team of four staff were fairly demoralised it is fair to say. The good news was that it couldn’t really get any worse and it was a very exciting opportunity to turn it around and build it back up to being a leader in its field, which it was when it started in 1987. For me it was a fantastic opportunity and one I was lucky to get.
How do you go about reestablishing trust? There are various ways 18 | BUSINESS CORNWALL
of doing it; you can recruit specialist firms who are out there to help organisations to overcome crisis comms and all that sort of thing, but for us we did it from the grass roots up. I remember buying a laptop and a projector screen and going out into the community, a bit like a travelling sales woman giving talks not only on the work of the air ambulance but about the fact it was under new leadership. And the second stage really was to build a new board of trustees to find people who had the skills needed to help move the charity forward.
A bit like starting a whole new business? It was in a sense, but not inasmuch as there was some financial stability. It had some reserves of working capital and it wasn’t a total disaster situation because the air ambulance was very much in the public eye and the public could see it was still flying, still working hard and saving lives. The belief in the work the charity did was still there. I don’t think we had too hard a time of it rebuilding and we did so very quickly. Within two years we had doubled the turnover and were growing it quite nicely, about 14% year
on year. But there were certain big ticket moments that came along which made a big difference, we were building a fantastic board and developing a strategic plan and getting a decent website. And we were lucky enough to get a royal patron on board, the Duchess of Cornwall, that was another important moment, as was building a team of fantastic fundraisers.
How do you go about getting a royal patron? Is it a question of just asking? We did do that. We wrote many letters to royal households asking them to consider the charity and if I’m honest, I thought at the time that maybe not enough water had gone under the bridge since the ‘troubles’ and that they would need more time to see that the charity was back on track. The way I went about it, I approached the late Lady Mary Holborow and I thought if there was anybody at all who could help us acquire a royal patron, it would be Lady Mary. I went and had a cup of tea with her at her home in Ladock and she was delighted to help. And I think she was very influential in many areas of the charity’s development from that day forward.
PAULA
MARTIN
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She was a huge figure in the charity sector Yes, and to this day rarely is there a board meeting here where her name isn’t mentioned in a very positive way. We joke about how you can go around Cornwall and look at just about every community building and there will be a plaque on the wall with her name on it. She has been very influential for the whole of Cornwall and is greatly missed.
What appeals to you most about working in the charity sector? I had worked in the charity sector for ten years prior to this job, although my work was not at this level, more at the people project and finance and management level. But I did have a very good understanding about how charity works and charity governance. At the time I had gone through a period of working in short-term European-funded projects, and as the sole bread winner in the household and having the responsibility of keeping a roof over our heads, I remember saying to my daughter who was at sixth form college at the time, that I really need to think about looking for something that had more permanency to it. I wanted to look for something that really stretched me. I was sitting at the kitchen table, mum was down on holiday with me, I saw the job advertised in the newspaper and I looked at it, did some research and thought I could do that and really did feel that I could make a difference. It really excited me.
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Did it help having a blank sheet of paper almost?
operations side and managing the stake holder relationships.
One of the key areas I have learned over the past ten years is about managing change and evolution. I didn’t know necessarily at the time that that was what I was going to be doing, I didn’t really appreciate that, but I now understand that is something I can do quite well and in fact I have helped other organisations quite a lot, done some coaching and mentoring and I have some non-exec roles with organisations going through major structural change.
I also have quite a lot to do with PR and media. There are other people now who can act as a spokesperson for the charity, but I am quite often called upon, particularly at the moment. So, a typical working day involves our New Heli Appeal and that might be managing a relationship with a high net worth individual. We’re really enjoying the fact that the appeal is attracting attention and there are people from the world of celebrity and business who really are interested in what we are doing and want to play their role in bringing this next generation of helicopter to Cornwall.
What’s a typical day in your role look like? The typical day now is really the day of the chief executive. I do love still to do the odd community talk here and there and keep in touch with the grass roots fundraising, but I am now working at strategic level, with a senior leadership team. I have a chief operating officer, I have a director of fundraising and we have a team of 42 people now and 260 volunteers. It is a modern 21st century air ambulance business which is turning over something close to £5 million a year. I have been afforded the opportunity to grow with the organisation, so a typical day for me is normally more around working with those other senior leaders and the key issues of what is keeping them awake at night and what I can do to help, particularly on the
And most working days I do try and have contact with the operations team and the specialist paramedics and doctors, touching base every day to make sure we are abreast of everything that’s going on. Because they are the people at the front line, at the coalface saving lives. They are the best people to talk to in terms of technology innovation and lifesaving equipment.
With high overheads, the charity must be a hungry beast to feed? It is an interesting concept to get comfortable with. Increasingly, a lot of charities, not just the air ambulance, are asking their supporters to understand that in a modern day society, where you’re dealing with a highly regulated
PAULA
activity and you are a small organisation but are trying to compete with larger charities who have the ability and wherewithal to be able to put out substantial marketing campaigns, how do small charities keep up with that? And trust in confidence in charities in general has suffered over the past couple of years, because there have been some irregularities which have hit the headlines. Unfortunately, with our regulators and representative bodies, the messaging that has gone out from those organisations has been blanket messaging and the effect of that has been to tar all charities of all sizes with the same brush. What we’ve had to do as small charities is spend far more generating voluntary income, far more on marketing and PR and counteracting the negative effects that this has had, just trying to stand still. A totally unintended consequence of where we are in the sector at the moment. The good news is that we appear to be coming out of that period and public confidence does seem to be returning to previous levels, which is good news for the sector as a whole, but particularly charities like ours.
I read somewhere that there are 167,000 charities in the UK. That seems an incredible amount and must make the sector very competitive?
Do the very large charities almost have an unfair advantage? I wouldn’t say it’s unfair, but I chair the trade association of air ambulances in the UK and about four years ago I sat on a working group to look at the concept of forming a national charity because we didn’t have a level playing field with national charities - we were never going to be Tesco charity of the year. We needed to provide a vehicle for national fundraising, so I helped form the national charity which now exists and does that high level, big relationships - Air Ambulances UK.
How much does the average person donate to charity each year? It is estimated that the amount given to charity in 2018 will increase to £10.3 billion by the year end, up from £9.7 billion last year. Looking at the typical amounts given to charity, when asked, 65% of people said they had given to charity in the previous four weeks. This is down 3% on the previous year, so the hypothesis is the fewer people are giving, but they are giving more, but it’s too early to see if this is a trend. The highest donations come from those aged 65+, and the lowest from those in the aged group of 25-34.
MARTIN
Corporate giving also appears to be on the increase When in depth of recession, it is hard for charities to even negotiate pro bono gift in kind, let alone fundraising or a pre-tax profits donation. But things have improved very much in last couple of years and we have to hope with everything ahead of us, with the political landscape and uncertainties of Brexit, that charities aren’t going to suffer. When people select charities, is it a very personal choice? Your question links nicely to legacy fundraising and people who leave gifts in wills and the reason behind that. Legacy fundraising is a really important revenue stream for us, just over £1 million is received in the form of legacy gifts. What we tend to find when we read the will of the deceased, is that people tend to choose three or four charities and they typically tend to be a cancer charity or a health charity, an air ambulance or hospice type charity and then maybe an overseas aid or research charity. Very rarely is your charity the only charity named in the will.
I remember a couple of years ago, chair of the Charity Commission, William Shawcross, came to Cornwall to speak at a conference, and one of the questions I posed was around how many new charities registered every year and what role the commission had to play to manage that. Clearly market competition and saturation is something we all worry about. Fast forward a year and Prince William was speaking at a conference suggesting rather than forming a new charity, whether they could underpin the existing work of one that was already there and whether that was the right way forward. But the fact of the matter is that there are a lot of genuinely very worthy causes and the south west has the highest number of charities per head of population which make it quite a challenge.
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When we have tried to research why it is people support us, we have learned that Cornwall Air Ambulance is thought of by the public as the #1 brand charity in Cornwall, it’s the first charity that springs to mind for people which is fantastic. But when it comes to their motivation to give, it can be as wide as they were a beneficiary or service user and understand the importance of the charity, all the way through to other reasons such as the charity shop is local and convenient to give to.
What has been your greatest achievement at Cornwall Air Ambulance? There have been so many special moments I have to sometimes pinch myself and think is it really me standing here? But if I were to be looking back on this, I would say it would be the work that we did to design and develop our operation centre here at Newquay. We have a fantastic operating facility where we have the fundraising team and the operations team all under one roof. We 22 | BUSINESS CORNWALL
were the first air ambulance in the UK to do that and we were able to take advantage of almost £1.1 million of ERDF funding to help build this place. It has really put us on the map in every sense of the word and gave us the ability to open up the charity to the public to come and find out more about our work. From the day we opened in 2012, it has had a very significant impact on our fundraising. A lot of the air ambulance trusts around the country rush down to Cornwall to have a look themselves.
So, is the Cornwall Air Ambulance Trust respected across the country as a model of excellence? I think there are many models of excellence and we are just one of them! But, yes, of course I would like to think that. All the air ambulances across the UK operate their own model which is very specifically bespoke to the community they serve.
What are your hopes going forward, obviously the new Heli Appeal in the short/ medium term? Yes, we are absolutely focused on the appeal, but more strategically we are thinking about what the next steps are in terms of service delivery and the operating hours, crew structure, what clinical skills we need to have for the future. In particular at the moment, one of the main areas that has impacted on us is tourism.
Plucking tourists off cliffs? One in five of our patients is a tourist, which is costing the charity £500k a year. At the moment the tourism sector is raising about £250k a year, so we’re asking them to double that up. That’s why we recently launched our tourism B2B campaign and we will be following that up again in the spring and will also back that up with more B2C campaigns aimed at the tourists themselves. But also, we’re going to be entering the tourism market. When we bought the site here, the land that we purchased had on it a farmhouse and we’re preparing the farmhouse as a holiday cottage. It means we can fund from the letting itself but also means we can fundraise by running competitions to win a holiday in Cornwall. It will help us in our marketing profile and will help us feel we are belonging to and understanding the tourist sector far more than we do at the moment.
So, guests will literally see the air ambulance in action? Yes, which is a great message. All the proceeds of their holiday are going to save lives. So, we are hoping to open that with a VIP red carpet event early in the New Year and from next year that holiday cottage will be available.
CEO Feature & Cover photographs by Toby Weller
BUSINESS
TOOLKIT
BUSINESS From HR to IT, from training through to marketing, 11 pages of tips and advice to help get your business off to a flying start in 2019 TOOLKIT SKILLS
Cornwall is bucking the national trend when it comes to business start-ups. According to figures from the Inform Direct Review of UK Company Formations, more new businesses were established in Cornwall during 2017 than in any previous year. In comparison, the overall number for the rest of the country fell. But with 60% of all businesses failing before their first birthday, it isn’t enough just to have an entrepreneurial spirit. Josh Hoole, project manager of the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Skills Hub, says: “Every business is different yet there are common areas that come up in our meetings time and time again. “Strategy, marketing and sales, finance, efficiency and leadership are the five golden skills that every business needs. Getting a grip on these competencies will provide fledgling businesses with a solid foundation from which to grow.” For help getting the skills that your business needs to succeed, call the Skills Hub on 01209 708660 or visit www.ciosskillshub.com. The service is independent, unbiased and free to access. The Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Skills Hub is part funded by the European Social Fund (ESF) and match funded by Cornwall Council and Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership.
Skills for Start-Ups 1. STRATEGY
Where do you want to be in 12 months’ time and in five years? Having a clear vision, targeted objectives and an action plan is fundamental to achieving a sustainable future.
2. MARKETING AND SALES
Who is your audience and what are their needs? How will you reach them and what is your message? Understanding your buyer and what motivates them will help you differentiate your offer from the rest of the market.
3. FINANCIAL COMPETENCE
Looking after the pennies is essential for business success and properly managing your finances will help you understand where to target your resources to bring in those pounds.
4. EFFICIENCY
How much are you putting and does that match what you are getting out of your business? Managing time, effort and resources is vital to get that productivity and profitability balance right.
5. LEADERSHIP
Whether you are a sole trader or managing a team, you need to be setting goals and inspiring action in yourself and others to drive performance.
BUSINESS CORNWALL | 23
TOOLKIT
CHARITY
NEW YEAR, SAME WORLD “Time to give back to the wildlife,” says Isabella Hawkes of Cornwall Wildlife Trust. 2018 saw the rise in awareness of plastic pollution, the point of no return for climate change, a year of extreme weather and the introduction of climate refugees. 2019 needs to be the year we protect our planet. And the perfect place to start is right here on your doorstep! Cornwall Wildlife Trust is the leading local wildlife charity in Cornwall; working to protect our wildlife and wild places. As a business you can support Cornwall’s natural beauty by getting your hands on our brand-new fundraising pack and supporting us with your colleagues! Whether you’re wearing green in the office or turning your running group into a sponsored run, there are plenty of ways for your business to create their very own fundraising activity. Your whole workplace can get involved; improving communication and team relations, as well as promoting a sense of wellbeing and pride.
TOOLKIT IT
Looe Island Volunteers, Cornwall Wildlife Trust
Fundraising Ideas: • Green Ways to Work – Cycle or walk and get sponsored! • Nature Bingo • Wear your Wellies to work • Office Bake Off Fundraising is a great way to increase awareness of our local environment whilst raising much needed funds to help support it. Our pack contains everything you need to get started, and our team is here to support you every step of the way.
Email marketing is still an incredibly valuable tool for any business. Databases may have shrunk, but this means that the audiences are more valuable – and, on average, automated emails see conversion rates as high as 50 percent. Good email marketing involves keeping your customers in a conversation with your brand, so it’s vital to send relevant and tailored content to keep them engaged.
From our perspective, as an independent email marketing agency, this was something to be welcomed with open arms. One of the biggest trends we noticed emerging last year was companies really getting under the skin of their email marketing, asking themselves questions like: ‘What are we trying to achieve?’ ‘Why do we run email marketing campaigns?’ and ‘Who are we doing it for?’
Yet one thing every marketing manager or business owner has to deal with is ‘time’, or a lack of. At Jarrang, we actively push for automation to be a staple for email marketing strategies as marketing teams can concentrate on other more pressing matters, safe in the knowledge that leads are getting warmed, reminders are being sent and VIPs are getting the attention they deserve.
The upshot of this has been a marked increase in the quality of communications
And unlike many other email marketing agencies, we’re platform agnostic which
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• £20 pays for a marine stranding kit including gloves, tags, bags, tape and disinfectant • £50 sows one acre of birdseed crops • £100 pays for a pair of waterproof binoculars for public use at our Seaquest Southwest events • £250 pays for a butterfly habitat survey, map and follow-up advice Make your new year’s resolution to help our local wildlife and wild places. Contact our Community Fundraising Officer, Isabella Hawkes, on 01872 302284 or isabella.hawkes@cornwallwildlifetrust.org.uk and use the code WILDBC19 to receive your free fundraising pack and hedgehog
How to ride the GDPR wave in 2019 by Stafford Sumner, CEO of Jarrang being sent across the board – something we’ve practiced at Jarrang for a long time.
2018 was a huge year for email marketing. Being dominated by GDPR, it forced everyone – both as consumers and as businesses - to re-evaluate their relationships with email marketing.
Your donations help us to deliver our vital work:
means we can help you send better email marketing campaigns no matter what software you currently use. Equally, if you want to move away from a particular platform we can help you do so with everything from list migration to guidance on selecting the most appropriate system for your needs. This flexibility means we’re able to help and guide you more effectively and efficiently, giving you a service designed to deliver results and the best value for money. Find out more at jarrang.com/or email us at hello@jarrang.com Read our new EBook for businesses, written in partnership with legal firm Stephens Scown, on ‘Navigating email marketing and data compliance’ jarrang.com/downloads
AEROSPACE
REACH FOR THE SKY
Cornwall is building a space and aerospace cluster – and your business could be part of it. Innovative manufacturing and software companies are connecting; developing a high-tech business cluster that will propel Cornwall to the forefront of the space and aerospace industry The south west of England already has one of the world’s largest aerospace and space clusters and Cornwall’s contribution is increasing. AeroSpace Cornwall is fuelling growth in the region by offering support to local digital technology and manufacturing businesses that will drive Cornwall’s space and aerospace clusters forwards. Part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund, the AeroSpace Cornwall programme offers various support pathways, including Innovation Vouchers worth £5k for SMEs, R&D grant funding, and Supply Chain Competitiveness consultancy support programmes. Market leading designer and manufacturer Flann Microwave Ltd, based in Bodmin, is one company that has taken full advantage of the support on offer. The firm utilised a £5k Innovation Voucher to access the Satellite Application Catapult SPRINT programme – a focused approach to the development of new services and products in the space and satellite applications sector. This gave them the insight they needed to develop their ideas; creating new opportunities to explore. Flann Microwave is also accessing £140K of grant funding to develop a new-to-market satellite component in a collaborative R&D project with two high-tech local businesses – Goonhilly Earth Station Ltd and Teddington Electronics Ltd.
Manufacturing business, Composite Integration Ltd has successfully bid for £200k of grant funding from AeroSpace Cornwall. Working with University of Bristol, they are developing new equipment capable of largescale out-of-autoclave aerospace component manufacture. This cutting-edge technology will set Cornwall firmly in the international aerospace market. We also deliver a Supply Chain Competitiveness programme, offering access to SC21, lean process improvements, and practical advice and guidance to help businesses become more competitive. Logan Electronics, in Ponsanooth, is currently working with our consultant to maximise workshop capacity and increase margins.
TOOLKIT
HOW YOU CAN BENEFIT FROM AEROSPACE CORNWALL: • £5k Innovation Vouchers to expand a product idea with Universities or Research Centres • Grant funding for R&D projects • Up to 100 hours supply chain support (including exhibition support and funding) to increase the competitiveness of your business
Industry expert Peter Munro-Lott FRAeS explains: “AeroSpace Cornwall offers bespoke funding and support to businesses that will deliver Cornwall with the required skill set to be at the forefront of the space and aerospace industry in the UK.” If you’re a high-tech, innovative business, you have the potential to collaborate and grow in the aerospace and space sectors – with the support of AeroSpace Cornwall. If you think your business could benefit from the opportunities on offer, visit aerospacecornwall.co.uk or contact peter@weaf.co.uk
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TOOLKIT
DIGITAL STRATEGY
TIME TO ACT WHY 2019 IS THE YEAR TO MASTER YOUR GROWTH STRATEGY
What are you going to spend money on in 2019? More importantly, what is going to make you money in 2019? If you’re in business and looking to grow, but are unsure how to make this happen, this could be an important read. “If you spend money on one thing in the New Year to help you grow it should be a strategy,” says Samuele Armondi, MD of Everest Media. Everest Media, a digital marketing agency, based within brand-new office space at the Pool Innovation Centre, specialises in an array of services, including; SEO, design, development and analytics. But we all know that before any business looks at the next phase of its growth, potentially improving their performance in these areas, they must know their personal growth strategy inside out. “Basically, if you get your strategy wrong you can waste a lot of money,” continues Samuele, who founded the company back in 2014 with his wife Allanah. “You can pay somebody to do SEO for you, but you won’t see a real benefit if there is no strategy behind it. Whereas, if you first focus on your strategy, you can create a backbone for all of your future work.” A growth strategy does not need to be just about your web presence either; it can reach into all sorts of different and rewarding areas. From CRM to email marketing, and advertising to your systems, a solid growth strategy will be an overarching thread that can bind all these aspects together. 26 | BUSINESS CORNWALL
WHAT ARE THE MAIN BENEFITS? Simply put, the rewards of implementing a strong growth strategy are farreaching. The main positive, however, is that it will be extremely cost-effective. It will allow you to focus your expenditure where the biggest rewards lie. For example, you can easily go out and spend £10k on rebranding in the hope it will improve your business. It likely will, but a growth strategy could suggest that you spend this same £10k in an area that needs more improvement, or to share it out – delivering optimum results. Done right, a digital strategy will set out a blueprint for your entire business journey. It’s not just about marketing, it’s about growth.
WHY IS 2019 THE TIME TO ACT? As the New Year approaches so will the inevitable suggestions of ways that you can tweak and improve your life and business. But before you think about splashing out on a fancy CRM or tightening up your SEO game, a strategy must always be the first thing that you master.
HOW CAN EVEREST MEDIA HELP? Everest Media won’t just approach this from a marketing standpoint, we approach it from a growth standpoint – we’ve done it ourselves. Because of our combined know-how we can actually help to make sure the rewards mentioned become a reality for your business.
SO, WHAT NOW? Going back to basics, or polishing the foundations of your business, is never a bad thing. Whether you’re a start-up or an established brand – there is always time and opportunity to improve your direction. If this is something that you’re interested in, Everest Media would love to hear from you! Visit www.everest-media.co.uk/growth for more information, or simply call or email us for an informal chat.
“It starts the year off on a good footing,” adds Samuele. “Because if you spend January strategising, then spend February, March and April implementing – you will spend May onwards counting your money. “Strategise, plan, execute - you get stuff moving and it works.”
T: 01872 300780 E: hello@everest-media.co.uk
TAX
TOOLKIT
MAKING TAX DIGITAL: THE ESSENTIALS RRL TAX PARTNER EXPLAINS THE INS AND OUTS OF MAKING TAX DIGITAL WHAT IS MAKING TAX DIGITAL?
2019. That is the “go” date and you must have everything you need to comply in place before then.
Making Tax Digital (MTD) is the UK’s biggest change to the tax system in a generation in line with the Government’s target of bringing the tax system into the 21st century.
WHAT DO I NEED TO DO NEXT?
WHO WILL BE AFFECTED? Initially MTD is being introduced for businesses registered for VAT with earnings above the VAT threshold of £85k, however there are deferments for some including trusts, some charities, public authorities and others, so it is important to speak to an accountant or adviser. If the MTD for VAT launch is successful, HMRC will roll out MTD for other taxes such as corporation tax and income tax as soon as they can, but no earlier than 2020.
The most important thing to do now is to ensure that you are keeping a digital record of your VAT related finances in MTD-compliant software. If your business is not going to be affected by the MTD for VAT rollout, you should still begin to think about your eventual transition to Making Tax Digital.
the best software packages to meet your business needs, helping with the transition to Making Tax Digital.
HOW CAN RRL HELP?
WHEN WILL THIS BE HAPPENING?
RRL has a dedicated Making Tax Digital team on hand to offer support and advice on
MTD for VAT comes into effect from 1 April
Visit rrlcornwall.co.uk or contact 01872 276116/01736 339322.
TOOLKIT HUMAN RESOURCES
HR HEALTHCHECK ANYONE? As we head into the new year it’s a time for resolutions, new starts and often promises of a life makeover! But have you considered using this time to review your employment practices? At Sapience HR, we have a few key tips that might help you to give your business a HR healthcheck! • Are your contracts of employment and terms and conditions up to date and in line with all the latest regulations? • How do you support staff who need to take long term sickness absence?
• How do you induct new staff to help them understand the company ethos and manage expectations? • What is your exit process? Do you conduct an exit interview to understand and learn for the future?
If you would like our HR healthcheck or have any questions about how to get the most out of your team, then visit Sapience HR’s website to find out more – or call us on 01736 339 384 to chat to the team.
• What makes your team tick? Do you know how to get the best out of your employees, training and nurturing them to encourage employee loyalty and longevity?
These questions, plus others, are a good starting point to evaluate how you manage HR within your business and what improvement there could be. Good HR practice is invaluable – as happy employees equals improved productivity, more growth and higher chance of success!
www.sapiencehr.co.uk
BUSINESS CORNWALL | 27
TOOLKIT
ENVIRONMENTAL GROWTH
SHOOTS OF
GROWTH
Tevi (Cornish for ‘grow’) is a new and exciting EU-funded programme dedicated to helping enterprises in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly make the most of innovative thinking around the circular economy and environmental growth. Tevi has only been going for six months, but already has recruited a diverse group of over 90 Cornish companies, many of which have already benefitted from support and networking opportunities. The work is led by the University of Exeter and is delivered in partnership with the Cornwall Wildlife Trust, Cornwall Council and the Cornwall Development Company. Circular economy and environmental growth are increasingly vital concepts within the Cornish economy. Circular economy is all about running economic activities in ways that close loops, increasing recycling opportunities and reducing waste, in all its forms. Environmental growth is the idea that, here in Cornwall, we need more nature; larger amounts of biodiversity, better connected, better protected, better supported and more diverse. Tevi is about bringing these two concepts together and helping enterprises to play their part. Business is absolutely key when it comes to delivering this agenda because economic activity relies on that environment, and vice versa. Both concepts are formalised within Cornwall Council’s official Environmental Growth Strategy, which - uniquely - puts the environment at the heart of economic policy.
28 | BUSINESS CORNWALL
Dr Edvard Glücksman explains how the new Tevi programme is supporting your business and growing Cornwall’s unique environment
HOW DOES TEVI WORK? Tevi offers enterprises bespoke support through a network of full-time specialists in the environment, sustainable development, engineering, design and business administration. In early conversations, enterprises co-design their support package, working with our team to identify potential business growth areas. From offering networking opportunities to detailed support in developing new-to-business products, Tevi’s potential offerings are diverse and enterprise-specific. For example, employees at Cornish enterprises are often too busy to develop official company policies relating to energy and the environment, or to apply to schemes recognising their accomplishments in those areas, such as the Cornwall Sustainability Awards. Tevi’s interdisciplinary team lightens the workload for enterprises by developing bespoke best practice environmental policies, production and lifecycle analyses, and by offering guidance for applications to relevant accreditation schemes. Led by the University of Exeter’s cutting-edge Innovation, Impact and Business (IIB) team, Tevi also provides SMEs with opportunities for shorter- and longer-term recruitment through the university’s many student placement and knowledge transfer ventures. At the same time, Tevi’s partners at the Cornwall Wildlife Trust support SMEs in areas relating to local biodiversity, including developing surveys and framework management plans
for enterprise premises. These services can apply to general biodiversity or be speciesspecific, for example aiming to provide new and improved habitat for bees. Further, Tevi is currently developing a series of datadriven environmental sensors and mapping services, aimed at bridging the knowledge gap between human infrastructure, including business premises across Cornwall, and the county’s unique natural environment. The technology developed through Tevi is delivered alongside management tools and expertise based at the University of Exeter’s new Centre for Circular Economy (CCE).
NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES AND GRANTS At the heart of Tevi’s support system lies its diverse network of SMEs. Through a series of themed workshops and events, as well as more structured Challenge Networks, Tevi’s member enterprises can meet to exchange ideas for best practice under the guidance of sustainability and business experts at the University of Exeter and partner organisations. Recent workshops and events include the Circular Economy Summit in September, which brought together over 70 enterprises with the aim of reducing costs associated with waste. In partnership with the Cornwall Wildlife Trust, the Wild Business day in October was equally successful, offering inspiring presentations and a range of networking opportunities for enterprises keen to grow whilst contributing to the county’s natural environment.
From early 2019, Tevi will offer enterprises access to grant funding to support new ventures related to environmental growth and the circular economy. For more information about eligibility and to discuss potential ideas for the scheme, please visit www.tevi.co.uk. Stay up to date on all the latest news and events by following @TeviCornwall on Twitter.
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WANT NOT
IN AN EVER-CHANGING WASTE MANAGEMENT ENVIRONMENT, CORNWALL WASTE SOLUTIONS IS PROVIDING WHAT THE MARKET IS LOOKING FOR. DIRECTOR SHANE BEADLE EXPLAINS HOW
Cornwall Waste Solutions (CWS) isn’t a typical waste broker which works purely on margins with little customer interface.
environmental data to help all business improve on the current models in place.
Relationships are at the foremost of our model. Cheap isn’t always the best option; we look to have a personal rapport with all clients as well as suppliers to ensure business critical services are managed to the highest standard.
The majority of the large waste companies operating in the south west region have removed the local account management roles and large accounts can be managed from a hundred miles away, meaning delays and a lack of relationship can occur.
We look at the whole package – sub contractor, price, recycling options, service, coverage, reputation, image, compliance, data capture and agree the best overall package with the client and strive to keep revenues in Cornwall. CWS offer a one stop shop – a full portfolio of dry, liquid, hazardous waste and recycling services, a total single point of contact means strong account management inclusive of data reports that are designed to meet individual customer requirements and provide
TOOLKIT
Meanwhile, our sister company Clear-flow Ltd, specialises in liquid waste and drainage. The company’s fleet of 41 blue and yellow tankers are a common site on Cornwall’s roads.
them, leading to an accessible audit trail with copies of waste transfer note to help keep your compliance simple. T: 01726 218755 E: info@cornallwastesolutions.co.uk
To assist customers with their waste management, the company has developed a customer portal. This is a secure online system that allows a customer to view, in real time, all the jobs that are being undertaken for
TOOLKIT EDUCATION
THE COST OF POOR ADMIN Truro and Penwith College Business is bringing the value of effective administration into focus while consulting with its employers over the Christmas and New Year period. The message is clear: “Unnecessary administrative tasks are costing employers money and wasting hours that could be used more effectively”, at least that’s the opinion of Victoria Palmer, head of talent enablement at Adobe. Victoria’s comments are based on data from 7,000 office workers who took part in a survey on Adobe Document Cloud, the results of which suggest employees lose one day per week due to poor processes and administration (Businessadvice.co.uk). In addition to lost time, 48% of employees admitted to losing contracts, while 33% have given up on a project due to poor administration and document management (Realbusiness.co.uk).
Is your business throwing money down the document drain?
Poor document management has become known as ‘the document drain’ and involves a range of challenges from chasing signatures and searching for lost documents to raising purchase orders and handling contracts to name a few.
Adele Bull, programme team leader at Truro and Penwith College, says: “Employers rarely neglect to target improvement in their business processes, but it is common for them to request our ILM Leadership and Management training and while very effective this only addresses part of the problem. Staff with administrative duties are the heartbeat of an organisation’s day-to-day operation and it’s essential that they are trained appropriately.”
recruiting new members of staff on the Level 2 programme.
“The programmes focus on the efficiency of administration and the need to work closely with all business areas to eliminate wasted time, confusion and error,” comments Adele. The next group of apprentices will be starting in the spring and employers in need of support can arrange a consultation with one of the College’s BDAs on 01872 242711 or via business@truro-penwith.ac.uk.
The solution for employers is to upskill current members of staff through the college’s Business Administrator (Level 3) apprenticeship or increase their capacity by
BUSINESS CORNWALL | 29
TOOLKIT
INNOVATION
INSPIRATION
Dufort Associates Ltd. – turning your innovations into reality It is able to take a project through every stage, from concept to production. The company’s great strengths is that it can take a client’s original idea and come up with something that works in production and looks good at the same time. Stage 1 in the design process is to prepare initial drawings to enable a prototype to be made. In house CNC machining and injection moulding as well as 4 x 3D printers enable a fast turnaround of prototypes. When you have that light bulb moment, that flash of inspiration, how can you tell whether your idea will work? Who can you trust to help you refine your idea and bring the project to fruition? Dufort Associates, founded in 1997 by Francis Dufort, is a unique product design and development company based in Cornwall. It specialises in the delivery of innovative design and engineering solutions with appropriate contemporary aesthetics.
Stage 2 is to produce CAD and/or short run prototypes for in-market evaluation and the manufacturer’s input and production quotations. Dufort Associates can also help find manufactures for the client’s products. Stage 3 is to provide production or tooling data and instruct the manufacturers.
products including air care, electronics, toy development and promotional products. Currently, the team at Dufort Associates is working on waterless urinal fittings. These will save vast amounts of water by avoiding flushing. Also in development, is a system for an air freshener, with a membrane diffuser capable of emitting various fragrances which could even be used to disperse a specialised insecticide capable of fighting malaria. The company is rightly very proud of its international client base and the benefits it brings to its product development. Visit www.dufortassociates.com or call Francis Dufort on 01208 895000 or 07970054430.
Francis Dufort and his team have assisted major companies from around the world with the development of a vast spectrum of
TOOLKIT SIGNAGE
POSITIVE
SIGNS
Parc Signs MD, Karen Barnett, explains the importance of good quality signage to make a brand stand out
01726 74747 | showroom@parcsigns.co.uk 30 | BUSINESS CORNWALL
In these times of ever-increasing competition businesses need to put extra effort into marketing strategies in order to stand out. Signs can play a huge part in this as customers, both existing and potential ones, relate to a brand via every visual interaction they experience with it. If it’s poorly executed, in whatever media, this can impact your brand identity. Signage is something that can be visible 24/7 and as such is one of the most cost-effective forms of advertising to gain brand exposure and attract customers. Initial outlay may be higher than other marketing strategies but once it’s made, it’s there advertising your business day and night for years to come. Having good quality, bespoke signage gets your brand noticed and in a retail environment can be the difference between someone setting foot through the door or not.
Avoid the mistake of thinking more signs, bigger and bolder, will get you noticed and apply the principle of less being more. Having been awarded a contract with a national organisation who place importance on raising presentation standards and reducing the amount of signs, we have become more acutely aware of taking that forward with other clients too. Review whether something is really needed and avoid replacing ‘like for like.’ Instead think about the different signs you need, what function do they need to perform and which ones do you need to really make stand out? That’s where we can really help businesses, by offering advice on materials and production processes to really make something stand out from the crowd.
PRINTING
TOOLKIT
MADE EASY Printing can seem like a daunting process – that’s why St Austell Printing Company likes to make it as easy as possible for its clients. Here are some good hints and tips to help you ensure your print is as efficient, effective and as sustainable as it can be. Make sure your files are compatible When we’re working with your design, we will usually ask for it as a print-ready PDF file. It must be the right dimensions with a 3mm bleed, colours are CMYK and all photos and logos at 300dpi resolution. Our pre-press department will pre-flight your files before printing and will come back to you with any issues that arise – they are also happy to offer advice – so don’t worry if you get stuck. You can also request proofs in different formats, either printed or digital. Get advice on paper stock and free samples Printing companies are experts at identifying and recommending types of paper - after all, we work with it all day every day. We can help you identify finish, weight and suggest alternatives to suit your purpose and save you money. We can also provide samples and even unprinted dummy booklets so you can get a good idea of how it looks and feels before you go to print – and the best thing, it won’t cost you a penny. Where is your print taking place? It’s always worth checking with your printing company where your printing is taking place. Some companies will ‘print manage’
some of their work, where larger jobs will be outsourced to another printer. This can sometimes add extra time to a job, but importantly if something was to go wrong then accountability is being passed on. All the printing at St Austell Printing Company is produced in-house, which means that you’re never more than one person away from the expert actually producing your print. It’s also worth asking your printing company for a press pass – this is an opportunity to watch your project being printed and a chance to check colours. Plus it’s an exciting experience to see your project coming to fruition. Choose an optimum size All printing jobs are laid up onto a large sheet which is then cut down to the appropriate sizes. Therefore, you want to pick a size that makes the most of all the space, with as little wastage as possible. If you stick to A5/A4, or B5/B4 or even a 210mm x 210mm square format then these will make the most of paper available – meaning you’ll need to pay for less sheets.
First of all, make sure the paper stock you choose is sustainably-sourced or recycled. If you choose an FSC ® stock then this offers a full audit trail. If your printing company is FSC ® certified then ask if you can place the FSC ® logo and the company’s licence code on your artwork as a demonstration of your commitment to the environment. Also, check the eco-credentials of your printing company. Do they have an ISO 14001 certification? Do they use vegetable-based inks? Do they use green energy? If they printmanage, does the company that is producing the print have the same environmental credentials? Our experts are here to support businesses in bringing their printing dreams to life, so please don’t hesitate to drop us a line if there is anything we can do to help you on your journey. 01726 624900 | info@sapc.co.uk
How to ensure your print is as sustainable as possible There’s lots of ways you can ensure your print is as environmentally-friendly as it can be.
BUSINESS CORNWALL | 31
TOOLKIT
WORKPLACE INCLUSIVITY
SHINING BEACON Businesses in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly are struggling to recruit the right talent to thrive and grow. Unemployment is at a record low, yet there are many people who find it difficult to get into and stay in work because they have a disability or long-term health condition The Beacon Project is the first of its kind in the UK and aims to help understand how local businesses can be supported in their recruitment and retention processes to access this wider pool of talent. Research shows that 83% of disabled people acquire their disability while at work, and one in six people of working age have a diagnosable mental health condition. Employees often lack the skills and confidence to manage these issues. The Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) is behind the Beacon Project and wants to work with local businesses to examine how they make hiring decisions and identify solutions to help promote more inclusive employment practices through education, confidence
building, a digital information and advice hub, and peer-to-peer support. The project will encourage businesses to learn from one another and share experience and good practice. To get this right the LEP is asking businesses to get involved. Clare Harris, the LEP’s business engagement manager for the Beacon Project, says “We are now appealing to businesses to get involved because their input will be vital to help understand how to remove the barriers to employment that we know exist. Our goal is to showcase how working together at a local level can help improve the employment outcomes for everyone in our community, and working with the Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Growth and Skills Hub we will be creating a valuable resource for employers to use.”
HOW TO GET INVOLVED The Beacon Project is all about removing barriers to help businesses to recruit and retain people who have disabilities or long term health conditions. By working with the project, businesses can access a wider pool of talent and help shape innovative tools that will be rolled out across the UK. Find out more by visiting www.ciosgrowthhub.com or email beaconproject@cioslep.com
32 | BUSINESS CORNWALL
WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT BEACON PROJECT “Many businesses are struggling to find the right people for their business but may have limited their options by not casting their net wide enough. There is a large, untapped resource that is being missed as the potential pool of people who happen to have a disability can often be overlooked but they can have a lot to offer and lots to bring. Employing a diverse workforce can be a bit of a leap of faith but well worth the effort.” – Sue Hook, Sapience HR
“We know that the demographics of our workforce are changing and actual unemployment is low, we therefore need to ensure that we are working effectively with a wider pool of talent ensuring that we are building skills for now and the future. We see the Beacon Project is a key part of ensuring that we have appropriate skills in place for employers in C&IoS and supporting people in meaningful work that will aid their own personal goals and desires. With an aging demographic both locally and nationally, we need to ensure that we are supporting and harnessing the often ‘forgotten’ pool of people who have much to offer if we can support them appropriately.” Dawn George – HR director at Eden Project
“Cornwall’s businesses are the most flexible, socially aware and collaborative in the UK (in my opinion) and are best placed to take advantage of this opportunity by thinking differently about their business and their workforce. This project is a huge opportunity to obtain the support to get the right skills and expertise into a business by planning workflow and timescales to drive forward productivity.” - Mel Colton-Dyer, Cornwall Chamber of Commerce
“There is nothing more embedded in the local community or with a stronger desire to benefit local people than a small business. Barriers are perhaps time, physical resource and knowledge to find and nurture members of their community who have untapped potential. The FSB are delighted to have the Beacon Project in Cornwall as we see this as a real asset to both business and those in need of some support to make introductions and smooth the path to a productive and fulfilling partnership benefiting the people and the local economy as a whole. A winning scenario for all!” - Ann Vandermeulen, Federation of Small Businesses
IT SUPPORT
TOOLKIT
TRUST IT TROUBLES CAN GRIND AN SME TO A STANDSTILL, BUT WHO DO YOU TURN TO? CF SYSTEMS HAS IT COVERED Here at CF Systems, we offer our clients a range of IT services from consulting through to hardware and software supply to cyber security. Core to our business though is our IT Support practice, which means that, over the 15 or so years we have been offering the service, we have become used to talking people through its benefits! We regularly encounter businesses where the owner or a senior person has been historically managing their IT. Typically, we find that in a small business, or in the early days of a startup, this is a relatively efficient way of keeping things running whilst minimising outlay. Over time though, there inevitably comes a point where IT becomes an unnecessary burden on personnel whose time would be more profitably spent on other areas of the business. The answer to this conundrum, without investing in dedicated IT resource, is outsourced IT support. Outsourced IT support, if done with the right provider, gives you all of the benefits of your own internal IT resource, without the commitment of building an internal team. Indeed, if done correctly, outsourced IT support will give you access to expertise across a huge range of IT areas and technology, something that is very difficult to find in a single individual.
There are some areas to examine and questions to ask when selecting the right partner for your IT support. The first thing we would dig into is the IT company’s track record with businesses similar to yourself. There are no such thing as standardised IT requirements in a business, so we believe that there should be no such thing as standardised support packages either. Talk to your potential supplier about their experiences with businesses like yourselves – the IT support needs of a 9am to 5pm retail business are (for example) very different to those of a hospitality business whose key hours might be evenings and weekends. It’s worth drilling into the flexibility your potential provider can offer in areas such as this. It is also important that your chosen support company has experience of supporting the business critical systems that are core to your business. For example, CF Systems supports law firms using Osprey case management software and retail and distribution businesses running Microsoft Dynamics NAV and AX – this has enabled us to develop expertise in supporting the environments that these systems run and depend on.
It’s also important to know exactly what you’re getting with your IT support. Make sure that your agreement with your provider is well defined to ensure that you don’t believe that a particular piece of equipment or software is supported, whilst your support provider understands the opposite. If your agreement is not properly scoped, it’s likely that you will run into this sort of problem when you need the support the most. We would also suggest that your IT support provider is able to commit to agreed Service Level Agreements for response and fix times – again so you know exactly what you are getting. Overall, we are completely confident that outsourced IT support is a great way of providing expertise and peace of mind on an economic basis. Like so many things though, the devil is in the detail – we hope that the points in this article give at least some food for thought!
01209 340030 sales@cfsystems.co.uk
BUSINESS CORNWALL | 33
LEISURE
CORNWALL
34 | BUSINESS CORNWALL
FIT When Carn Brea Leisure Centre first opened its doors in 1973, it was considered to be an iconic facility that the county and community would be proud of, but by the time the doors closed for what was expected to be the last time in 1999, things couldn’t have looked more different. When in February 2000, following a high-profile campaign, the centre unexpectedly re-opened as Cornwall’s first Independent charitable trust leisure facility, it was widely expected this, at the time unique model, wouldn’t be sustainable and only serve as a temporary stay of execution. However, the trust has gone from strength to strength and finds itself fighting fit as it moves towards 20 years as a social enterprise. Alex Clifton, the charity’s chief executive, has been at the trust since almost the beginning joining the management team back in 2001 after spending his early career working in the private and public leisure sector.
Cornwall’s first leisure trust is planning for a healthy future after a record-breaking year develop a much stronger vision for what the future could look like and a strategy to address the significant maintenance backlog and issues with the building and estate that were ever increasing “The trust got used to turning a small surplus but we weren’t generating enough cash to re-invest in the way that we needed to and the community expected. Footfall started to plateau, the building started to become a financial burden and for the first time competition started to spring up around us.
A friendly, well managed and vibrant Leisure Centre at the heart of a strong and health community
“The early formative years were extremely challenging for the trust, making the transition from local authority subsidised control to a zero subsidy Charity model was tough,” he says. “At that time there only a handful of other leisure centres operating this way and with limited cash, a dilapidated building and finite resources it took a lot of determination to survive. Ultimately it was the unwavering support of the local community who used the facilities in their droves and the loyalty and goodwill of the staff that enabled us to get through the initial tough times and evolve to become a more sustainable and established community enterprise.” After weathering the early storms, the trust stabilised, consolidated and started to
“It was clear that standing still and living off the legacy of survival wasn’t going to be a successful long-term strategy and the trustees and management team made a concerted effort to be more focussed on the future.”
The vision centred on redevelopment of the land surrounding the leisure centre with the aim of deriving a capital receipt which would subsequently fund a refurbishment and programme of improvements the leisure centre needed. Alex adds: “Between 2010 and 2014, the trust got incredibly close to delivering its vision and strategy, a developer showed a strong interest in purchasing parts of the site and had secured a major supermarket as its anchor tenant. “The trust had agreed a deal with its landlord Cornwall Council and the three parties involved were at the point of signing provisional heads of terms when the supermarket market went south and the anchor tenant withdrew leaving the developers scheme unviable.”
“There was a lot of soul searching around this time and with some of our trustees retiring after serving their full terms a chance to refocus with a fresh pair of eyes and perspective. “We all felt that we needed to go back to basics and concentrate on the core business and improvements to the existing centre without the distraction of land deals, sales and everything that come with it. “We pulled together a five-year business plan that included improvements to the gym, complete re-furbishment of the swimming pools and a staffing re-structure that would enable the trust to deliver its short term goals while at the same time achieving a strong foundation to deliver our longer term vision thereafter.” As the five year plan come to a close the trust has completed all the components and this has resulted in 2018 being a record breaking year for visitor numbers and income. “The trust has never been stronger,” says Alex. “We have 1,200 children attending or swim school every week, 1,500 health and fitness members and the swimming pools which re-opened in January have gone off the dial which is fantastic. “It’s as exciting a time as I can remember, there’s renewed interest in re-developing the site and the day to operations are in good health. It feels as though we have turned a corner, we’ve learnt a lot during the tough times, even more during the last five years and I’m confident we’re edging ever closer to achieving our mission to be: ‘A friendly, well managed and vibrant Leisure Centre at the heart of a strong and health community’.
It was a major setback for the trust and after spending the best part of five years focussing on a golden ticket, the centre had not seen a lot of love and had lost its sparkle and with a lack of investment and ongoing building issues footfall had understandably started to reduce. BUSINESS CORNWALL | 35
PEOPLE
ON THE MOVE
SPONSORED BY
www.sapiencehr.co.uk
NEW PLANNING NEW CEO AT MANAGER CORNWALL CARE A planning-led architectural practice in Cornwall has just recruited a new planning manager. Laurence Associates, which celebrates its 25th birthday this year, offers town planning, architecture, interior architecture and landscape architecture expertise. Chloe Pitt, who holds a masters degree in architectural conservation from Plymouth University, worked at Cornwall Council for 13 years, specialising in major housing schemes, infrastructure projects, town frameworks, wind energy developments, and neighbourhood planning. “After spending so much of my career working in local government, I wanted a new challenge which would allow me to develop new skills whilst applying and building on my existing experience,” she said.
Cornwall’s largest care provider has appointed a new CEO. Anne Thomas brings with a wealth of experience to Cornwall Care, having begun her career as a nurse in the 1980s. She has been executive director for over six years, responsible for Linc Cymru’s health and social care division, Linc Care, which specialises in meeting the housing, care and support needs of older and vulnerable people across Wales. Cornwall Care chairman, Philip Rees, said: “We are delighted to have found such a highly experienced health and social care professional to take forward our ambitious plans for Cornwall Care and to lead our dedicated team of managers and staff.”
MAPLES PROMOTION Fresh on the back of being identified as one of two ‘Next Generation’ corporate lawyers in the West Country by the Legal 500, Murrell Associates has promoted Henry Maples to director. Described in the Legal 500, an independent guide to the best law firms,
Thomas started her new position last month, replacing former CEO Robert Black who left the business in April. Cornwall Care looks after more than 1,000 people across Cornwall and employs over 1,300 staff. as “displaying a calm and considered approach that belies his age”, Maples’ promotion comes off the back of his work for Hub Box in multiple rounds of debt and equity investments, assisting London-based fintech start-up Jigsaw XYZ with corporate start up advice.
MELANIE IS MANAGER
Hine Downing solicitor Autumn Trebilcock has taken her oath to the Crown to join the select band of highly qualified specialist lawyers – the Notaries Public. Having followed an intensive study programme with University College London, alongside her private client work with the Falmouth law firm, she now represents the oldest branch of the legal profession in England and Wales by becoming one of just a handful of notaries in Cornwall and the only one in Falmouth. A Notary Public is a specialist lawyer whose work is recognised internationally. Their main task is to authenticate documents and transactions so that they can be effective in countries outside of England and Wales. As a Notary Public, Autumn provides services for commercial firms engaged in international trade, and for private individuals.
36 | BUSINESS CORNWALL
Falmouth and Helford River-based accommodation provider Cornish Holiday Cottages has announced the appointment of Melanie Dixon-Phillips as new office manager.
SUN SHINES ON AUTUMN
Dixon-Phillips has spent most of her career in the holiday and tourism sector with a strong background in marketing and events management for local businesses. Her appointment follows just over a year working for the company shadowing director Emily Boriosi.
ADVERTORIAL
TOWERGATE GOES WORLDWIDE Towergate Insurance Broking has been appointed as a full member of the Worldwide Broker Network (WBN).
an overseas presence, or require multinational insurance, employee benefits and risk management programmes.
The new membership, which includes both Towergate’s Insurance Brokers and Health & Protection brands, enhances international services to both new and existing clients by accessing the WBN global network for their overseas business requirements, providing placement and local service in over 100 countries across six continents.
Commenting on the appointment, CEO of Towergate Insurance Brokers, Joe Thelwell said: “Towergate Insurance Brokers is one of very few UK brokers to have a full WBN membership and this news today builds on our size and scale to support even more clients with their insurance and risk management needs.
As a WBN member, Towergate will be an ideal broker for commercial and corporate clients of all sizes who either have or intend to have
“We’re really excited to be working in partnership with and proactively collaborate with members within the worldwide network.”
Towergate Health and Protection CEO Iain Laws added: “We’re looking forward to seeing how the expansion of international activities across insurance broking and employee benefits will deliver even more value for our clients and partners, while also creating exciting opportunities for existing colleagues and new recruits.”
Contact the local team in Redruth on 01209 200727
Funding to support smaller businesses. The Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Investment Fund provides commercially focussed finance through Debt and Equity Funds. It aims to transform the finance landscape for smaller businesses in the area and to realise the region’s potential to achieve economic growth through enterprise. Equity finance £50k - £2m For start-ups or more established businesses with high growth potential
Debt finance £25k - £1m For early stage or more established businesses that can demonstrate growth potential
www.ciosif.co.uk @ciosifbbb British Business Bank plc (BBB) is a development bank wholly owned by HM Government. British Business Financial Services Limited (BBFSL) is a wholly owned subsidiary of BBB. Neither BBB nor BBFSL is authorised or regulated by the PRA or FCA. BBB and its subsidiaries are not banking institutions and do not operate as such. A complete legal structure chart for the BBB group can be found at www.british-business-bank.co.uk.
BUSINESS CORNWALL | 37 434 CIOSIF Landscape Print Advert_194x136mm.indd 1
15/11/2018 16:03
CREATIVE
AND DIGITAL
SPONSORED BY
CREATIVE REBRAND
www.digitalpeninsula.org
Truro-based design agency, Creative Edge, has formally rebranded as Vitamin Cornwall. After 30 years of design work in Truro, Creative Edge became part of the Multivitamin Group in the summer. Now renaming as Vitamin Cornwall, it is looking to build on the foundations of the Creative Edge legacy. While founders Melinda and Dave Rickett have decided to hang up their pencils and enjoy their retirement on the north coast, the remaining members of the team will continue under the Vitamin Cornwall banner. Creative director, John Lowdon, said: “This is a great opportunity for not only the team but for Cornwall’s businesses and creative industry. The digital capabilities we can now offer as a group are a first for the region. We’re looking to accelerate fledgling ideas and bring new digital ambition to established businesses.”
WILD WEST GOES WONDERFULLY WONKY Communications consultancy Wild West has won a new project with a pioneering British sparkling water brand. Dash Water has appointed Wild West to drive a winter brand awareness campaign via national media and key influencers. Dash Water is on a mission to hydrate the nation, by perking up water naturally, in a “fun, sustainable way”. The range, a first of its kind in the UK, is infused with “wonderfully wonky”
fruit and veg saved from British farms – helping to reduce food waste. Georgie Upton, divisional director at Wild West in Truro, commented: “With sugar, food waste and sustainability firmly on the agenda, Dash Water is a challenger brand with an important message. As specialist storytellers, with a heartland in food and drink, we’re excited to build momentum for a brand that champions conscious choice and all-natural great taste – it is something to really shout about.”
AGENCY EXPANDS
Creative digital marketing agency Solve Web Media is celebrating its 20th anniversary with a new website, new office and new team members. Since starting out in 1998 as a one-man band, Lawrence Harmer has grown the business into a 11-strong team and is now based at Winnard’s Perch in north Cornwall. In addition to the new website and office, Solve Web Media has recruited four more members to its team – graphic designer David Garbe, PR and marketing specialist Claire Fulton Ray and SEO experts Caroline Willis and Matt Cook.
38 | BUSINESS CORNWALL
FUNDING FOR NEW GAMING APP A Cornish company has secured funding to help develop what it hopes will be the next big augmented reality gaming experience from its headquarters in Newquay. For the past 11 months, ARCKIT has been developing an app which taps into the popular ‘The Floor is Lava’ game. And now, after a long application process, it has confirmed finance from the Europeanfunded Big2 programme, allowing the game’s creators Clive Kessell and Peter Craggs to finally make their dreams a reality. Kessell said: “The Floor is Lava has been a game played throughout homes and playgrounds for years and we’re over the moon that we can now bring our Lava AR game to the market – bringing the classic game into the 21st Century. Our goal is take technology away from the couch and bedroom and bring it into the outside world, augmenting technology and making it real.”
NEWS
SPONSORED BY
#FSBCONNECT
SUPPORTING WOMEN’S ENTERPRISE Women-owned businesses contribute a staggering £105 billion to UK economy,but female entrepreneurialism in manufacturing and other high growth sectors remains more elusive New research published by FSB reveals an estimated 40% increase in UK economic contribution and a 26% increase in employment generated by women owned businesses. A quarter of private sector employment (23.85%) is now calculated to be generated by women owned and women led businesses. But diversity in manufacturing and higher
growth sectors is still a challenge, with a reduction in the proportion of women-owned firms in these sectors. Lina Bourdon, FSB’s Women in Enterprise lead, said: “Developing and supporting women’s enterprise is proven to be critically important for economic prosperity. The Government must now address this untapped potential with a range of suitable measures, such as career advice, role models, and access to business support and finance.” The full report can be found at www.fsb.org.uk.
FSB CONNECT NETWORKING DECEMBER 13 FSBConnect Cornwall/Devon How to build a great website or online shop Bedford Hotel, Tavistock To compete in the online market your website needs to be the best. Guest speaker, Lee Nathan, MD of Purple Motion, will tell you all you need to know. JANUARY 10 FSBConnect Cornwall Health and Wellbeing St Austell Conference Centre Guest speaker, Lucy Brown from Cornwall's Healthy Workplace team, will give you some great health and wellbeing tips to make sure you stay in the best possible health for the coming year.
ATM RATES RULING The FSB has welcomed the Appeal Court decision that retailers will no longer have to pay separate business rates for cash machines outside their shops, FSB national chairman Mike Cherry said: “Small retailers with ATMs will be relieved to hear the court’s decision, which means cash machines will no longer be given separate
rates bills. With high street businesses already up against an outdated and unfair business rates system, this ruling is good news for those retailers that were being hit with extra bills for providing this vital service. “This is an important step in maintaining access to cash, which is crucial for many small firms and consumers.”
JANUARY 18 Meet your MP – Derek Thomas Penzance Opportunity for you to ask those business-related questions, influence what is happening in your area and network with other local businesses. Book via eventbrite.co.uk & search “FSB Cornwall” There are also many more networking opportunities with our networking partner “Cornish Partnerships” details and online booking can be found on their website.
MENTAL HEALTH IN THE WORKPLACE Small business owners have a critical role to play in talking about mental health and helping destigmatise it in the workplace, according to the FSB.
those running small businesses and the selfemployed to look after their mental health.
Recent FSB research shows that one in five (19%) of small businesses say that they have recruited an individual with a mental health condition in the last three years. 21% of cases to FSB Care, the health and medical advice service to FSB members, are related to mental health issues in the last quarter.
In response to the research, FSB launched a new campaign aimed at promoting good mental health among small businesses and the self-employed. The campaign, ‘It’s okay to talk about mental health’, will try to provide the UK’s 5.7 million small business community with information and advice to help them gain a better understanding of mental health and how it can affect employees.
Given statistics show approximately one in four people in the UK will experience a mental health problem each year it shows the importance of
It will also give small business owners practical ideas to support them in helping destigmatise mental health and addressing it in their workplace.
Both the FSB wellbeing and mental health hubs can be found at www.fsb.org.uk/standing-up-for-you BUSINESS CORNWALL | 39
EDUCATION
AND TRAINING
STARTUP LAUNCH The Student Startup team at the University of Exeter’s Penryn Campus held a launch night for its new programme which seeks to equip budding entrepreneurs with the practical skills and support to bring their ideas to life. To a packed audience of students, recent graduates, staff and local entrepreneurs at the Warehouse in Penryn, Student Startup
SPONSORED BY
officer David Walker laid out the team’s vision to build connections between the campus and the wider community. The south west is a hot-bed for startups, which was reflected in the speaker line-up which included film production company, Muddy Duck Productions, and Rio Nuevo, bean to bar chocolatier which gave a talk about the benefits of slowing down the startup journey, in order to create a more loyal customer base and better product.
www.truro-penwith.ac.uk
COLLEGE CHIEF QUITS Cornwall College principal and chief executive Raoul Humphreys has resigned after just 18 months in the post. Humphreys, who had been with the college for 24 years in total, left at the end of October with immediate effect. No reason was given for Humphreys’ departure, but chair of governors, Ian Tunbridge, said in a statement: “We would like to thank him for his unstinting commitment to the college and for the energy and professionalism with which he has worked with the board and the college’s stakeholders; we wish him well for the future.”
FORE! APPRENTICESHIP ON COURSE Whether it’s the iconic holes of the Masters at Augusta, or the rugged splendour of Gleneagles, pristine golf courses are something to behold. But it takes a great deal of knowledge and passion to maintain these masterpieces. And with this in mind, Duchy College has launched a new Golf Greenkeeping apprenticeship. Sarah Hernandez, business development manager for the rural sector at CCB Training,
ADVERTORIAL
said: “There are a wide range of areas on a golf course which require high maintenance. “The Golf Greenkeeping new standard apprenticeship not only develops core skills and knowledge, it builds the apprentices confidence to share ideas making a positive impact on the golf course.”
Association (BIGGA) and will be registered with BIGGA and on successful completion will become an accredited greenkeeper.
The apprenticeship, which will be delivered over 24 months, is recognised by the British and International Golf Greenkeepers
The Golf Greenkeeping apprenticeship is delivered over 24 months at Duchy College Stoke Climsland, east Cornwall.
TURN APPRAISALS FROM DRAB TO FAB
How do you make staff appraisals meaningful? Mel Colton-Dyer from the Cornwall Chamber of Commerce, delivery partner for the Skills Hub, reveals all... 40 | BUSINESS CORNWALL
www.visitcornwall.com
NEWS
SPONSORED BY
100% FOR CORNWALL’S BEACHES
RAILHOLIDAY ON TRACK For the third-year running, all of Cornwall’s beaches have passed tough bathing water quality standards, according to figures published by the Department for Food, Environment and Rural Affairs. Railholiday was crowned winner of winners at the Cornwall Tourism Awards. Now in their 17th year, the awards saw 80 awards presented across 26 different categories, with new ones this year for Tourism Innovation and New Businesses. It was the first time the awards had been held in Truro Cathedral, with a record number of 398 guests attending. St Germans-based self-catering railway carriage holiday company Railholiday claimed the top prize alongside three further trophies, while the new Tourism Innovation and New Business Golds were shared between the Cohort Hostel and Cornish Wine Tours. The 26 award categories covered everything from surf schools, cafes and hotels to cottages, spas and holiday parks. Other Gold winners on the night included The Park, Cornwall, Newquay Activity Centre, The Sandy Duck B&B, Polmanter Touring Park, Carbis Bay Hotel and C-Bay Spa, Pentillie Castle and Talland Bay Hotel.
Staff appraisals have wrongly gained a bad rep. Employers tar them with being a drain on resources while employees see them as boring tick-box exercises. But do appraisals well and the reality couldn’t be further from the negative image. Appraisals are powerful tools. By playing an integral role in the open line of communication between manager and employee they boost productivity, improve morale and nip problems in the bud before they grow. Like all things though, you only get out of them what you put in. First and foremost, appraisals need time – and not just for the appraisal itself. There’s prep work to do (for both you and the reviewee) and if you have more than one employee to review, stagger them so you can give each employee the
TOURISM
And it’s good news in Devon too, where 96% of beaches have passed. Of the 150 designated bathing waters in Devon and Cornwall just two – Combe Martin and Ilfracombe (Wildersmouth) in Devon – have been rated as ‘poor’ under new standards introduced in 2015, which
are twice as tough as in previous years. Malcolm Bell, chairman of the BeachWise Forum for the South West and chief executive of Visit Cornwall, welcomed the results. He said: “It’s fantastic to see all Cornwall’s beaches pass these tougher tests with flying colours, with Devon not far behind. This year is the fourth time that the results have been reported against the new standards. As well the region’s best results to date this is the third consecutive year that 100% of Cornwall’s beaches have made the grade.”
OUT OF ADMINISTRATION The administrators of the Richardson Group of hotels have passed control of three hotels back to the shareholder Keith Richardson following the successful conclusion of the administration process. Mark Boughey and Matthew Wild from RSM Restructuring Advisory LLP were appointed joint administrators of the south west hotel operator Richardson Hotels Limited and Fowey Hotel Limited in January. Both companies formed part of the Richardson Group of hotels. Following the sale of two of the hotels in the group in July – The Fowey Hotel in Fowey and The Metropole Hotel in Padstow –
attention he or she deserves. And the work doesn’t finish when the appraisal does. Follow up on the goals set, keep HR in the loop and continue to offer feedback. Appraisals also work best when they are specific. There’s no place for brevity when it comes to sitting down with employees and forming a game plan to maximise their potential. Provide explicit examples of either good or bad conduct and get employees to do the same. It should be a two-way process. Your employee may have ideas or opinions which don’t match with yours. Be open to their suggestions, ideas
administrators have now handed the keys of The Falmouth Hotel, The Grand Hotel in Torquay and The Royal Beacon in Exmouth back to the owner. The creditors of both companies previously in administration will now be paid in full via a Company Voluntary Arrangement overseen by Mark Boughey and Matthew Wild from RSM Restructuring Advisory LLP. A separate company which manages The Abbey Sands Hotel in Torquay (formerly known as The John Burton-Race with Rooms and The Grosvenor Hotel), remains in administration while the administrators assess their options.
or even criticism and weigh up each one with an open mind. Are you making the most of appraisals in your company? For a free appraisals toolkit with a step-by-step guide and all the forms you need, visit ciosskillshub.com/skillstoolkit or for one-to-one assistance call the Skills Hub on 01209 708660. The Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Skills Hub is part funded by the European Social Fund (ESF) and match funded by Cornwall Council and Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership.
BUSINESS CORNWALL | 41
TEST DRIVE
THE CONVERSATION
FORD The All-New Ford Focus does not disappoint and is incredible (yes incredible) to drive. WORDS BY MORVETH WARD
42 | BUSINESS CORNWALL
The launch of the all-new Focus is a particularly important one. Since its launch back in the late nineties, the Focus has been one of the major blueprints in the hatchback revolution and a yardstick within the genre. And being one of the best-selling cars on the market, this is going to impact a lot of people, with interest from drivers and rival manufacturers who will likely all be worried about it. This means expectations are high. If rival manufacturers were anxious to see what the Focus is like, then rightly so, the all new models is an absolute beauty.
feel quite cramped as extra equipment and safety demands compromise on cabin space - the Focus however manages to provide uncompromised, spacious cabin space. The pragmatic character pervades through every inch extending to features like the advanced driver assistance technologies such as adaptive cruise and adaptive park assist (auto models only) which means the car identifies suitable parking spaces and will takeover and park for you.
I think the all-new Focus has delivered on every aspect
Externally, Ford has played it safe(ish) with the looks, despite everything being aesthetically changed, it has been done softly. It doesn’t feel like it’s deviated too far from predecessors, looking distinctly Focus, just a more modern, more sharply sculpted version – perfect!
By virtue of its versatility is a far-reaching target audience which includes families and business people, as well as car enthusiasts. Therefore, the Focus must adhere to those demands of practicality and comfort; reliability, fuel efficiency and cost; alongside shining as an exciting and rewarding car to please loyal Ford petrol-heads.
The Focus offers a choice of refined and efficient petrol or diesel engines, designed to deliver brilliant fuel economy and coupled with low emissions- all of which helped by the ultraaero design. The 1.0 litre EcoBoost petrol has in fact won multiple awards and is available in guises of up to 125 PS.
It is a roomy and comfortable car. The cabin has been completely revamped and is now much more contemporary and user-friendly than the outgoing version. I found the driving position to be just right and the room was remarkable for a hatch. Modern hatches can
Saving the best until last is the way in which the Focus drives. Refinement is excellent and one of the best in the class, but the star of the show is the drive itself – it’s simply one of the best driving vehicles I’ve ever had the pleasure of piloting. This is down to having a
wonderfully balanced and sharpas-a-razor chassis married with a set-up that allows you as a driver to feel in total control – giving more confidence, feedback and engagement than ever. The model I tested was an ST-line which is the model best set-up for driver experience and despite being modestly powered by a 1.5 litre 120ps diesel I was still able to thoroughly enjoy country roads, which the Focus lapped up in its stride. I cannot overplay how well the Focus drives. In summary I think the all-new Focus has delivered on every aspect and will please the breath of target audience. On a car enthusiast note, based on the drive of the ST-line, the new (hybrid) RS, which is expected in 2020, should be fantastic.
Vospers Truro, 01872 226212 Vospers St Austell, 01726 874070
BUSINESS CORNWALL | 43
OPINION
JUST A THOUGHT
DESIGN MATTERS Sara Pugh, MD of Eight Wire has something on her mind Design thinking is a simple process of questioning, building, measuring and learning in small iterations that can help people to solve problems
Design is a word used so often that I’m sure many of us wonder if it has any meaning at all any more. And yet, design is one of the most important and fundamental aspects of what makes our modern lives work - so I think it’s time to stand up for design. Many years ago, I studied graphic design at the then Falmouth College of Art and Design (now Falmouth University). I learned graphics but, more importantly, I learned to think as a designer. I learned to solve problems and I learned to think creatively. So, what is this mystical magic we call ‘design thinking’? Design thinking is a simple process of questioning, building, measuring and learning in small iterations that can help people to solve problems. A designer learns to question and has a process for solving a wide range of problems with creative solutions. It serves as a method of whipping up a batch of fresh ideas whenever you realise that the old ones have gone a little stale; whether this is a creative solution to your marketing or how you process orders. This is important because creativity is a process and great ideas don’t just fall from the sky. They are sown and cultivated over time and under a watchful eye. It doesn’t matter if you are a designer, an engineer or a project manager, your creativity can fail you at any time and design thinking helps us get past this as we continually question, seek failure and strive for a better world. Setting up Eight Wire, our marketing and design agency in 2004, my graphic design training put me in good stead to service our clients but it was the training in design thinking that really enabled me to build a successful firm that could support its clients as they themselves went through their own business journeys.
44 | BUSINESS CORNWALL
Successful businesses are creative businesses; they innovate, they challenge and they evolve. They adopt design thinking, even if they don’t call it that. Yes, often they have a great brand and some attractive marketing but it’s the firms that consider all that they do with a creative eye and strive to fix the problems that stand out. We don’t always notice good design, but we do question bad design when it doesn’t work. If it works, life is good but when it doesn’t work, it often drives us nuts. If you’ve successfully navigated past baggage claim, through customs and found the taxi rank without noticing the way-marking design then you’ve been through a well-designed system. If you’re scanning every wall of the arrivals hall (without your suitcase) wondering why the signs have run out, they’ve failed. Try this practical test. Write down what your business’ values are and what you want your customers to think of when they think of your company, product or service. Armed with these notes, take some time out and approach your business as though you were a customer. Call up and listen to the answerphone, park your car and walk up to your own door. Stand in the board room and look around, search for yourself on Google maps. Does this experience include everything that’s contained in your company’s values, in your brand? Does everything you wrote down about your values still resonate as you go through this testing process? These are the questions a designer learns to ask. If the results aren’t as you hoped, there might be a little bit of work to be done. Start to think like a designer, you know what you want to achieve, but unless you’ve tested it, reviewed it and refined it, it may not actually be working the way you want it to. As graphic designers we create great brands for our clients and develop strong marketing messages, but the true brand of the business is experienced in all that you do when you work with your clients. At Eight Wire we don’t just focus on the visual elements of great design work, we focus on the design of the campaign, the messaging and the business as a whole. It takes time, but the end result is work that will make sense to more people, create a lasting impression and be more successful.
UPCOMING
DECEMBER/JANUARY EVENTS 4
PIRAN BUSINESS CLUB
Carnon Inn, Carnon Downs
The Piran Business Club meets every other week at the Carnon Inn for a 6.45am start. Cost £10 includes breakfast. hypnocornwall@gmail.com
13
BODMIN BUSINESS BREAKFAST
7
The final Falmouth Business Club meeting of 2018. The Falmouth Business Club meets every two weeks. falmouthbusinessclub.co.uk
Joint Cornwall and Devon event, featuring guest speaker Lee Nathan of Purple Motion talking about ecommerce. eventbrite.co.uk
20
Penmorvah Manor Hotel, Falmouth
12
KING NETWORKING
Falmouth Hotel
Ho! Ho! Ho! The December Christmas BIG Breakfast and Chamber Awards 2018 will be held at the spacious Falmouth Hotel. cornwallchamber.co.uk
Victoria Inn, Truro
The Kernow Independent Networking Group gathers at 7.15am on Wednesdays, fortnightly, at the Victoria Inn, Threemilestone, near Truro. king-networking.co.uk
Since January 2018, Cornish Partnerships has had great success holding a monthly Open House in the St Austell area. Now bringing that same networking to the west of Cornwall. cornishpartnerships.co.uk
10
FSB CONNECT CORNWALL
23
BUSINESS CORNWALL LIVE!
24
CORNWALL CHAMBER BREAKFAST
Victoria Inn, Roche
A special Christmas edition of the popular Cornish Partnerships networking group. And being Christmas, today’s meeting is free for all! cornishpartnerships.co.uk
THE HOLLY BALL
CORNWALL CHAMBER BREAKFAST
CORNISH PARTNERSHIPS OPEN HOUSE
30
CORNISH PIRATES vs LONDON SCOTTISH
Mennaye Field, Penzance
To publicise your event for free, email news@businesscornwall.co.uk
St Austell Conference Centre
Guest speaker Lucy Brown from Cornwall’s Healthy Workplace team will offer some health and wellbeing tips to make sure you stay healthy in the workplace. eventbrite.co.uk
Pool Innovation Centre
The first Business Cornwall LIVE! event of 2019 will feature presentations from this issue’s Business Toolkit. Get the new year off to a flying start with great advice on a range of subjects from the circular economy through to marketing and IT. morveth@businesscornwall.co.uk
Alverton Hotel, Truro
First monthly Cornwall Chamber of Commerce breakfast networking meeting of 2019. These events are regularly attended by 100+ business leaders. cornwallchamber.co.uk
For a truly memorable occasion, match day hospitality is the perfect way to entertain colleagues and clients. robyn.ashurst@cornish-pirates.com
For further details of these and more networking events visit businesscornwall.co.uk
CORNISH PARTNERSHIPS OPEN HOUSE Premier Inn, Hayle
Bedford Hotel, Tavistock
Pool Innovation Centre
11
4
FSB CONNECT CORNWALL/DEVON
TECHNOLOGY FOR BUSINESS GROWTH
Black tie event to raise valuable funds to support the local Marie Curie nursing service. mariecure.org.uk
‘Penwith Business Endurance Post-Brexit’ with guest speakers from RRL, Coodes and University of Exeter and also Made for Life Organics MD, Amanda Winwood. eventbrite.co.uk
JANUARY
Carnon Inn, Carnon Downs
The breakfasts are open to all and provide an opportunity for business people to network and catch up with each other over a top-quality breakfast. There are speakers at some (but not all) meetings. If you are interested in coming, please contact Emily Moyle. em@sproullllp.co.uk
Technology for Business Growth Workshop - A practical workshop showing how you can reduce your business costs and increase profits by using widely available digital tools. sfbcornwall.co.uk
The Exchange
FALMOUTH BUSINESS CLUB
Westberry Hotel
5
PENZANCE BUSINESS BREAFAST
EVENTS
27
CORNISH PIRATES vs HARTPURY COLLEGE
Mennaye Field, Penzance
For a truly memorable occasion, match day hospitality is the perfect way to entertain colleagues and clients. robyn.ashurst@cornish-pirates.com
BUSINESS CORNWALL | 45
CONNECTED
CORNWALL
SPONSORED BY
www.cioslep.co.uk
CHAMBER CONFERENCE Cornwall Chamber of Commerce’s annual export-focused conference attracted 200 business people at Healey’s Cyder Farm DAVID MCGUIRE (RADIX COMMUNICATIONS)
JEREMY SNELLER (TOUCHBYTE) AND ANGELO SPENCER SMITH (MAVERICK VENTURES)
SUE BRADBURY (SUE BRADBURY PR)
MARK PICKEN (MPAD) AND EWAN MCCLYMONT (BISHOP FLEMING)
JOE HEALEY (HEALEY’S CYDER)
CONFERENCE PANEL DEBATE
MACMILLAN CHRISTMAS FAIR
The annual Cornwall Macmillan Christmas Fair celebrated its 27th year of raising money for Cornwall’s cancer patients at The Eden Project
LORD AND LADY ST LEVEN
46 | BUSINESS CORNWALL
KIM CONCHIE (CORNWALL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE)
CHRIS ROBINS (AREA CHAIR FOR CORNWALL MACMILLAN)
CORNWALL
CONNECTED
CHARITY BALL
More than £2k was raised for the Cornwall Air Ambulance last month at Cornwall Chamber’s 30th anniversary charity ball, held at the Atlantic Hotel in Newquay
KAYLIE FINN AND FLORENCE BATE (WILD WEST COMMUNICATIONS)
DARREN BUCKLEY (CORNWALL CHAMBER) AND TOBY PARKINS (HEADFORWARDS) JACQUI MERRINGTON (REACH) ANDMARTIN NIXON (NIXON DESIGN)
LAURA WHITE (WHYFIELD ACCOUNTANTS), CHLOE DAVISON (CORNWALL CHAMBER), IAN HARRIS (KONNECT CORNWALL), NICCI DUNNING (CORNWALL CHAMBER), NATALIE HADFIELD (BSPOKEIT)
SEAN MCCROHAN (TOTAL ENERGY SOLUTIONS), IAN WHITE AND DAVID EASDON (LORICA INSURANCE)
AIMEE ROWE-BEST, KAYLIE FINN, GEORGIE UPTON, FLORENCE BATE, JADE O’BRIEN AND MADDI TISCOE (WILD WEST)
PIX ASHWORTH (COMMITTEE), WILL ASHWORTH (WATERGATE BAY HOTEL), KIERAN HEMSWORTH (GINSTERS) AND PHILIPPA HEMSWORTH
BRIONY ANSCOMBE, HARRY ANSCOMBE (BEAGLE MEDIA), CHARLES WACE AND FIONA RIDGERS
DAVID HOSKING, JANICE RICHMOND AND TOM POWELL (LILLICRAP CHILCOTT)
JANE HARTLEY (CO-CHAIR), GORDON SEABRIGHT (EDEN PROJECT) AND KATE HOLBOROW (CO-CHAIR)
JOHN STEPHENS, ALEX STEPHENS, ANDREW GRAHAM BROWN AND PETER HARTNEL (THE OLD SHIP HOTEL)
BUSINESS CORNWALL | 47
THE LAST
WORD
JOSH HOOLE
Why Skills Hub manager Josh Hoole might be putting his stand up comedy career on hold WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU WERE YOUNG? Office-based project manager…no, not really, a fighter pilot!
WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST FULL TIME JOB? “If all else fails, media sales” - I started in London selling advertising and directory space for the Law Society Gazette’s Charity Directory.
WHAT’S IN YOUR POCKETS? Car keys, wallet, two phones and some fluff.
HOW DO YOU LIKE TO RELAX? Running, cycling, meditating, & comedy all help but am most relaxed when we’re walking the dogs on an empty beach. Also, beer.
IF YOU COULD BUILD A HOUSE ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD WHERE WOULD IT BE? Iceland – somewhere just outside Reykjavik with view across the bay to the drama of Mount Esja. Can I have some money for the £5 beer prices though please?
WHAT HAS BEEN THE BEST MOMENT IN YOUR CAREER? I feel stoked every time I read the Skills Hub Compliments Register that shows the quality of the service the team are delivering for our clients every day.
WHAT HAS BEEN THE WORST MOMENT IN YOUR CAREER? Making a 1980s Terminator reference joke to Robo Thespian on stage that bombed at last year’s Digital Edge Awards. Nobody laughed in the whole cinema and the robot stood silent, staring at me with cold eyes. Learned a good lesson to prepare speeches better.
IF YOU COULD INVITE ANY TWO PEOPLE FOR DINNER, WHO WOULD THEY BE AND WHY WOULD YOU INVITE THEM? The QI Elves, Anna and James, from the No Such Thing as Fish podcast to provide a wonderful evening of stats, facts and fun.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE HOLIDAY DESTINATION? Iceland (the country!). We drove the ring road in summer 2014 with 24-hour daylight – everywhere you look is stunning, raw and elemental. We felt compelled to return that December for snow and the aurora. WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE DOING IN FIVE YEARS’ TIME? Turning our side hustle, Poppy Cottage Garden on the Roseland, into a fire-cooking foodie destination serving good food to happy people.
48 | BUSINESS CORNWALL
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Experience the totally transformed All-New Focus E x p e r i e n c e t h eT ht o a el layuttrya o n fs fCohr m e tB a negde A . ll-New Focus The Beauty of Change.
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Longbridge Road Longbridge Road Plymouth, PL6St. 8AY East Hill, Austell, PL25 4TR Plymouth, PL6 8AY 01752 636363 Treliske, Truro, TR1 3LN 01752 636363
Tel: 01726 874070 Tel: 01872 226212
Chartered Accountants & Chartered Tax Advisers Official fuel consumption figures in mpg (l/100km) for the All-New Ford Focus range: urban 36.2-74.3 (7.8-3.8), extra urban 54.3-85.6 (5.2-3.3), combined 45.6-80.7 (6.2-3.5). Official CO2 emissions 138-91g/km. Truro: 01872 276116 Penzance: 01736 339322 Official consumption figures in official mpg (l/100km) theresults All-New Ford Focus urban 36.2-74.3 (7.8-3.8),asextra urban 54.3-85.6 (5.2-3.3), combinedpurposes 45.6-80.7 Official emissions 138-91g/km. The mpg fuel figures quoted are sourced from EU-regulatedfortest (EU Directive and range: Regulation 715/2007 and 692/2008 last amended), are provided for comparability and(6.2-3.5). may not reflect yourCO actual 2 driving experience. The mpg figures quoted are sourced from official EU-regulated test results (EU Directive and Regulation 715/2007 and 692/2008 as last amended), are provided for comparability purposes and may not reflect your actual driving experience.
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