The_Ealinger - No56 - April-May 2017 by Contactus magazines

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Scouts parade PITSHANGER W5 > The St George’s Day Scouts parade on 23 April along Pitshanger Lane to St Barnabas Church included the youngest Beaver Scouts (pictured above in blue) through the ranks of Cub Scouts and Explorer Scouts, to the Leaders (looking on from the pavement). @Barnabites @1stHanwellScout

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What The_Ealinger did in April

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EALING W5 > Here’s a week-by-week overview of what ‘The_Ealinger’ (just a typical Ealing resident and worker), was up to in April 2017.

Week 1: April was the month of Easter, starting with the Easter school holidays in the first two weeks of the month. On Sunday 9th, people of Hanwell and their visitors gathered to celebrate the official opening of the Katherine Buchan Meadow green resting space in Old Hanwell. The Ealing Council funded community project, led by Amanda Rutkowski, transformed a neglected space on Green Lane into what she now describes as “a tranquil urban meadow in which to take a moment from the hustle and bustle of life”. Week 2: The Easter long weekend (Easter Sunday: 16 June) was the highlight of the second week of April. Ealing residents took advantage of the spring sunshine and many made their way to seaside towns. Good thing they did too; by the time we got to the end of the month it was winter-coat weather again.

Top: The cakes oh the cakes at the West London Islamic Centre’s ‘CommuniTea’ open day and exhibition with MP Steve Pound on cake-cutting duty. Over 180 guests attended. Above: new Athena Ealing chair, Jo Baldwin Trott of Colour First.

The Ealinger

roundup

Week 3: For The_Ealinger, the second half of the month was dominated by business networking events. There are always plenty of opportunities to meet and connect with other local businesses (see page 4 for our Ealing

April-May 2017

p u nd Business Diary), but in weeks three and four there seemed to be more than the usual number of events – good news for us as it meant more places to reach more people to spread the word about the Ealing Business Expo and Networking Festival happening on 9 and 10 June. It was at one such meeting (The Athena Network for businesswomen) on Tuesday 18th that we first heard about the snap election called for 8 June, one day before the Expo. It’s going to be an exciting June! On Saturday 22nd, local politicians and councillors, including MPs Rupa Huq and Steve Pound, turned out to attend the West London Islamic Centre’s ‘CommuniTea’ farewell and exhibition event ahead of its temporary closure for reconstruction later in the summer. Week 4: Back to the networking, and we finished off the month with our own #AprilMeetup on Friday 28th at Ealing Town Hall. This last pre-Expo meetup featured a talk from Matteo Turi of Expo sponsors T&S Finance Events, explaining how cashflow affects business growth.

April-May 2017

Top: Watching the proceedings at Ealing Golf Club from a Pitshanger Park vantage point. Middle: Matteo Turi of T&S Finance Events speaks at the Contactus April Meetup. Above: Montpelier Park through 2017 – continued. Inset: Happy Easter.

The roundup Ealinger

Q&A

Hayley Smith Hayley Smith, founder of Boxed Out PR, explains why press releases are passé, and how Ealing small businesses can benefit from having a PR budget. Hayley also founded Flow Aid, which is the nominated charity for the Ealing Business Expo.

“The businesses [at the Ealing Business Expo] are going to be first class, and I am looking to see everything that Ealing has to offer”

The Ealinger

Q&A

ow does PR work these days? What has happened to the humble press release? Hayley: PR needs to be much more focused, and tailored. Gone are the days that you can send the same release to several different outlets, with the possibility of it getting picked up. With so much content available, journalists don’t have time to read releases, and quite frankly, businesses shouldn’t be spending their time writing them. Pitches need to be focused, and targeted to particular publications. Small businesses will often say “I don’t have the budget” – for advertising, for PR, for SEO, etc. Some can get away without investing in professional PR, but which kinds of businesses would suffer badly without it?

April-May 2017

Hayley: Businesses shouldn’t invest in PR until they are fully ready. Though I work with many of my clients from the ground up, it is important to have a strong plan and timelines in place with what you want to achieve. Also, PR won’t work without a strong marketing plan, and the marketing needs to reflect your business goals and audience. A PR agency or consultant is a great idea if you don’t have the budget to hire in house.

Your TED Talk last year wasn’t about public relations, though, it was about Flow Aid, the charity you set up in 2015 to supply sanitary products to homeless women. What can businesses can learn from charities? Hayley: As a charity or campaign, you have limited funds and resources. You have to rely on volunteers and donations, and you have to ask for help. Businesses can apply this to their strategy and learn how to limit resources. Visitors to the Ealing Business Expo & Networking Festival

on 9 & 10 June can get to know Boxed Out PR and Flow Aid (donations of sanitary products welcome). What are some other reasons for attending the Expo? Hayley: I’m looking forward to the talks and networking opportunities. The businesses there are going to be first class, and I am looking to see everything that Ealing has to offer. Ealing is a massive up and coming business hub, and the Expo is at the centre of it. The business opportunities are going to be amazing! boxedoutpr.com @BoxedOutPR – interview by Carlene Bender

Hayley presenting her TED Talk last year, entitled “The Monthly Gift” Photo: contributed

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April-May 2017

The Q&A Ealinger

Networking: May

“Expo boss” Carlene Bender promoting the event at The Athena Network and (below) Ealing Chamber of Commerce

Great to get feedback about our Ealing Business Diary – some people say it’s the main reason they subscribed to The_Ealinger. Thank you! Here’s the list of lots of business networking events happening in the borough of Ealing during the month of May. There’s no Contactus meetup in May, as we’re preparing for the “supermeetup” Ealing Business Expo & Networking Festival on 9 & 10 June at Ealing Town Hall – look out for four speed networking sessions, a 1:1 area, round tables, workshops and talks on networking. Remember to sign up at ealingbizexpo.co.uk @ContactusEaling @EalingBizExpo

EALING BUSINESS DIARY

28 APR TO 31 MAY

> Fri 28 Apr, 1pm-2pm – FREE Contactus magazines April Meetup – Committee Room 1, Ealing Town Hall W5 2BY: speakers T&S Finance Events Ltd @ContactusEaling @EalingBizExpo > Tue 2 May, 6.30pm-8pm – FREE. Ealing Business Forum – Waitrose supermarket, West Ealing W13 0NL @EalingBForum > Tue 2 May, 8pm-9pm – online. Ealing Hour: guest-hosted this week by Dr John Rowe (@drjohnsupport) @EalingHour #EalingHour > Wed 3 May, 6.30am-9am – £15. Ealing BoB Club Business over Breakfast – at The Bridge Hotel, Greenford UB6 8ST @BoBEaling > Wed 3 May, 10am-12pm – £15. Ealing Connect: a morning of networking – at Charlotte’s W5, Dickens Yard, Ealing Broadway W5 2TD @EalingConnect > Thu 4 May, 5pm-7pm – £15+. Park Royal Business Group Park Royal Social – at The CoClub, North Acton W3 6UG @ParkRoyalBG

> Tue 9 May, 8pm-9pm – online. Ealing Hour: hosted this week by Peter Prickett (@PeterPrickett) @EalingHour #EalingHour > Wed 10 May, 12pm-2pm – £22. Ealing Chamber of Commerce: Lunch with the new Mayor – at Monty’s, Ealing Broadway W5 2PJ @EalingChamber > Wed 10 May, 6:30pm-8pm – FREE. North Acton Cowork Hub: “10 steps to creating great content” – at Cowork Hub NW10 6NB @hellocoworkhub > Tue 16 May, 12-2pm – membership/ visitors (women). The Athena Network: Ealing branch lunch meeting – at Duke of Kent W13 8DL @AthenaWLondon > Tue 16 May, 7pm-10pm – £18. Ealing Connect: an evening of speed networking @EalingConnect > Tue 16 May, 8pm-9pm – online. Ealing Hour: hosted this week by Carlene Bender (@ContactusEaling) @EalingHour #EalingHour > Wed 17 May, 6.30am-9am – £15.

Ealing BoB Club: Business over Breakfast – at The Bridge Hotel, Greenford UB6 8ST @BoBEaling > Thu 18 May, 10am-11.30am – FREE. Link 4 Growth: Link 4 Coffee – at Limeyard, Ealing Broadway W5 5DB @L4GNWLondon > Tue 23 May, 8pm-9pm – online. Ealing Hour: hosted this week by Nicola Gaughan (@iconiccreative) @EalingHour #EalingHour > Wed 24 May, 6:30pm-9pm – FREE. Ealing Works: “Creative Thinking for Business” – at Ealing Works, St James;’ Avenue, West Ealing W13 9BE @EalingWorkspace > Tue 30 May, 8pm-9pm – online. Ealing Hour: hosted this week by Peter Prickett (@PeterPrickett) @EalingHour #EalingHour > Wed 31 May, 6.30am-9am – £15. Ealing BoB Club: Business over Breakfast – at The Bridge Hotel, Greenford UB6 8ST @BoBEaling Ongoing and everyday – online networking in both our Facebook groups: Businesses in Ealing and Businesses in Acton.

The Ealinger

networking

April-May 2017