DRIVING BUSINESS AMBITION F I R S T V O I C E . F S B . O R G .U K | F E B R UA R Y- M AY 2 0 2 2
FEBRUARY-MAY 2022 RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION | LONG COVID | MAKING TA X DIGITAL
STICKING AROUND How to hold on to and attract staff, and keep them happy
LONG COVID Coping with the disease’s mental and physical aftershocks PACKAGING Tackle throwaway culture with sustainable alternatives MAKING TAX DIGITAL Is it placing too much of a burden on small firms?
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FEBRUARY-MAY 2022
inside first steps 46 Business promotion Tried and tested methods for getting the word out
48 My journey
6 heads up 6
Need to know Significant rise in cybercrime since the start of the pandemic; owner-managed firms facing cash crisis; government to cover Covid-19 sick pay
Liz Barnes talks pivoting to a new target audience
50 Ask the experts The rules around sales, plus lockdown rent arrears
member spotlight
features
51 Member news
19 Lasting legacy
Construction firm hits prime time, and a well-deserved MBE
54 Member services 9
Data centre Late payment practices threaten small businesses
New benefits for members; FSB solves scrap merchant HR issue
57 My business 10 Regional voice Round up of regional news
13 Opinionated Martin McTague on late payments, Harri HelvonHardy on social enterprises and Allen Creedy on the things that really matter
advice 40 How to ...Drive sales growth in a recovery; stay safe while working remotely
44 Legal The legal implications to consider when introducing hybrid working firstvoice.fsb.org.uk
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36
Training provider Steve Burrell talks changing people’s lives
43
Jo Faragher looks into the longlasting physical and mental health effects of Covid-19, and how employers can support sufferers
22 Sticking around As the post-pandemic ‘Great Resignation’ gathers pace, Peter Crush advises how to hold onto employees – and attract new ones
28 Big picture The overlooked threat to our planet
30 Bare necessities Penelope Rance investigates the alternatives to plastic packaging, as well as how to reduce it in your supply chain
34 Deep dive With the switchover to Making Tax Digital ongoing, FSB shares small businesses’ views on the policy
36 Blessing or a curse? David Adams examines the difficulties many small firms are facing when it comes to Making Tax Digital february-may 2022 | firstvoice | 3
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inside february-may 2022
M I K E C H E R RY O B E , N AT I O N A L C H A I R
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first word S I COME TO THE END OF MY TERM, RM, IT has been my privilege to representt members at all levels of government, taking your issues to policymakers across the UK. I know through meeting so many of you that the pandemic, Brexit transition and government changes have made the last few w years turbulent for small firms. Even as I write this, restrictions are at last being eased, ed, firstly for businesses in England and then in n the devolved nations, following another difficult festive season and New Year for many of you. I’m acutely aware through my own small business how some of these issues are continuing to bite. I am immensely proud of the huge achievements FSB has managed, particularly during the pandemic, with members and staff coming together in support of all small businesses and the self-employed. But the waters remain choppy, with late payment; energy costs; a rise in National Insurance contributions, among other tax increases; the scope widening for Making Tax Digital; and the government’s determination to move to net zero by 2050. For many, we see inflation rising, along with possible further increases in the base rate. We’re all hoping for less disruption, calmer markets and a greener economy in 2022. FSB is also investing to deliver more for our current and future members through this year and into 2023. There are opportunities out there for businesses as we come through the pandemic and adapt to the changes from our EU exit. As it was after the financial crisis in 2008-09, it will be small businesses that lead the economic recovery, with the right support from government. I wish FSB and our members every success in the future.
A
tech bits 58 New kit and apps The best new gadgets and apps for small businesses
60 Digital voice Our pick of First Voice’s online and social media content
out of office 62 I could try... ...Tai chi
64 Downtime Hold your next awayday at a theme park for a wild ride
last word 66 Guy Browning Having control over your own destiny is priceless
This edition of First Voice went to press on 31 January. All information is correct as of that point.
Publisher: Aaron Nicholls Editor: Nick Martindale Email: firstvoice@redactive.co.uk Lead designer: David Twardawa Picture researcher: Claire Echavarry Sub-editor: Kate Bennett Production: Aysha Miah-Edwards Email: aysha.miah@redactive.co.uk Advertising: Lynne Murray Email: lynne.murray@redactive.co.uk Tel: 020 7324 2726 First Voice is published on behalf of the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) by Redactive Publishing Ltd (Tel: 020 7880 6200) firstvoice.co.uk | redactive.co.uk
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FSB publications manager: James Connor Email: james.connor@fsb.org.uk Tel: 07595 284088
First Voice is available on subscription at £42 per annum. For details, contact james.connor@fsb.org.uk
fsb.org.uk We hope you enjoy reading this edition of First Voice, which you receive as part of your membership with FSB. We'd like to ask you to please consider the environment when you've finished reading it and pass it on to colleagues, friends, family or your business associates to have a read too before recycling it. FSB takes the privacy and protection of your data very seriously, and if you would like to find out more about this, please visit www.fsb.org.uk/privacy. If you would prefer not to receive the magazine at any time, please contact Customer Services on 0808 20 20 888 or by email to customerservices@fsb.org.uk Federation of Small Businesses Registered Office: Sir Frank Whittle Way, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY4 2FE. VAT No. 997 3427 63. The National Federation of Self-Employed and Small Businesses Ltd (FSB) is registered in England, number 1263 540.
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AccessAbility help. If you require this document in an alternative format, please ring 01253 336036 or email: AccessAbility@fsb.org.uk While every care has been taken in the compilation of this magazine, errors or omissions are not the responsibility of the publishers or of the editorial staff. Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the publishers or editorial staff. All rights reserved. Unless specifically stated, goods or services mentioned are not formally endorsed by FSB, which does not guarantee or endorse or accept any liability for any goods and/or services featured in this publication. ISSN 2399-5467 Copyright: FSB Publications Ltd
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advertorial alibaba.com
The future of B2B ecommerce What SMEs need to know to reach new buyers around the world
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he Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated the growth of B2B ecommerce globally, marking a fundamental shift in sales operations. By the end of 2020, the global B2B ecommerce market was valued at $14.9 trillion – more than five times the size of the B2C market.1 As such, digital interactions are increasingly vital to B2B businesses, presenting opportunities that businesses cannot afford to ignore. According to Euromonitor International’s 2021 Voice of the Industry survey in collaboration with Alibaba.com, 83% of B2B leaders think an omnichannel sales model (including ecommerce) offers more successful ways to prospect and secure new business leads than traditional methods alone. Many SME suppliers face challenges in building an online presence, including a lack of resources, budget and expertise. B2B ecommerce marketplaces such as Alibaba.com offer a cost-effective solution to bridge this gap, enabling SMEs to leverage the platform’s extensive tools and reach.
Journey of the B2B supplier With an increasing number of buyers turning to online channels, suppliers need to effectively incorporate ecommerce into their sales strategy to remain competitive in today’s market. Suppliers should consider whether their online presence reaches their intended customer audience, has a well-designed and easy-to-use storefront, and has access to analytics to accurately demand forecast and plan future product assortment. Digital storefronts should also be SEO optimised firstvoice.fsb.org.uk
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to appear in the maximum number of relevant buyer searches. B2B ecommerce platforms such as Alibaba.com make this easier for SMEs by offering features such as customised store fronts, built-in business intelligence, and enhanced SEO and advertising, as well as advice on how to set up and improve storefronts to attract new customers. With many industries seeing demand driven by exports, global online marketplaces are an efficient channel to reach new buyers around the world.
The future of B2B ecommerce Many buyers and sellers believe their future success will be fuelled by a ‘hybrid’ strategy, where the physical world of trade shows and conducting business online meet. 1
MEET YOUR NEW BUYERS ON ALIBABA.COM Are you a B2B supplier ready to take your business to the next level? As one of the world’s largest B2B marketplaces, Alibaba.com will arm you with the tools you need to reach new international customers, streamline your processes and boost your sales. Alibaba.com has been making it easier for businesses to sell cross-border for more than 20 years. The marketplace enables British SMEs to reach more than 26 million active buyers in 190+ countries, and sell across a broad range of product categories. Alibaba.com also helps SMEs to reach this global audience cost-effectively, with 0% commission on orders generated through the platform. To learn more or speak to our team, visit: seller.alibaba.com/pages/uk
www.statista.com/study/44442/statista-report-b2b-e-commerce/
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8 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
heads up
1
CYBERCRIME
Small firms told to be on their guard MALL FIRMS ARE BEING urged to be more vigilant against scams, after research by UK Finance found that businesses lost almost £60 million in the first half of last year to such crimes. This is an increase of 35 per cent on the previous year, suggesting the pandemic and remote working has made firms more vulnerable. The study found 80 per cent of SMEs have received an unsolicited text or email request for money and personal information, and 64 per cent have had unsolicited phone calls. Although 62 per cent of small firms claim to be more aware of fraud since the start of the pandemic, 16 per cent admitted they did not challenge an unsolicited phone call requesting money or personal information. UK Finance has now launched a Take Five to Stop Fraud campaign. The initiative highlights common scams such as impersonating a manager or supplier and demanding urgent payments are made. “Criminals are continually becoming more sophisticated and
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are experts at impersonating people and suppliers,” said Katy Worobec, Managing Director of Economic Crime at UK Finance. “Businesses should make it a priority to be wary of any unexpected contact requesting an urgent payment and to be careful with the type of information you share online about your business.” FSB National Vice Chair, Policy and Advocacy, Martin McTague said: “Business crime is a serious issue for small firms right across the country, with fraud being one of the key problems at hand and one that has only been accelerated due to the increase in online trading and ecommerce during the pandemic. “Small businesses face almost four million cases of cybercrime each year, predominantly focused on malware and fraudulent payments, so the need for vigilance has never been more important.”
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COVID-19
2
Financial ci supportt for Omicronhit firms
New financial support has been announced by the Government to assist businesses in England impacted by the Covid-19 Omicron variant. Similar grant support has been made available in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. FSB has continued to represent small businesses in discussions with Government in recent months, and with the variant leading to concerns over increased transmissibility, it became clear that extra support would be needed to offset the reduced business that many in hospitality and other sectors were experiencing. An Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant is available, and the Additional Restrictions Grant pot has been topped up. Both reside with local authorities. FSB has had great success in helping members access financial support in the pandemic, both through our national campaigning and through using local contacts to ensure councils help those small businesses most in need. The new support must be spent before the end of March, so small businesses that have experienced losses should get in touch with their Development Manager to see if they can access support.
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31/01/2022 14:59
heads up need to know
3
CYBERCRIME
Small firms ‘sitting ducks’ for cyber-attacks MALL BUSINESSES WORKING remotely are “sitting ducks” for cyber-criminals, a report claims. The study by Hitachi Capital Business Finance found that 83 per cent of firms with fewer than 10 employees do not have a contingency plan to deal with a cyber-attack, compared to 67 per cent of firms with over 50 staff. More than a third of micro-firms (37 per cent) said they had not given the topic much thought. In the past year, just 23 per cent of businesses planning to work remotely long term had invested in new software.
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Joanna Morris, Head of Insight and Marketing at Hitachi Capital Business Finance, said: “The fact that so many businesses working remotely do not have the right plans in place, or have even given this much thought, is a concern. “Not keeping websites and systems up to date could allow hackers to steal staff, client or customer data, or damage a business’s reputation. The costs of repairing this can easily run into six or more figures.”
FINANCE
Cash crisis looms for owner-managed firms A third (36 per cent) of UK ownermanaged businesses now have lower cash reserves than they did at the start of the pandemic, according to a study by accountancy firm Kreston Reeves. A fifth (20 per cent) of such businesses believe it is unlikely that they will be able to repay government-backed borrowing taken out to help them through the Covid-19 crisis. Andrew Griggs, Senior Partner at Kreston Reeves, said: “As the economy picks up, businesses with lower cash reserves or unserviceable debt may struggle to take advantage and rebuild that business in these changing times. “They should speak to their advisers and lenders now and certainly before any crunch comes.
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Early transparent discussions, pointing to what the future might look like when the business recovers, are likely to be more fruitful than an eleventh-hour conversation.” In addition, the study found that 52 per cent of businesses are experiencing supply chain delays of up to six months, with 32 per cent looking to reduce output as a result. But many businesses are optimistic that 2022 will be better than last year, with 27 per cent expecting turnover to increase by between 26 and 50 per cent, and 39 per cent predicting an increase of up to 25 per cent.
AWARDS
FSB Awards reach a climax
5
Small firms that have entered the Celebrating Small Business Awards should keep an eye on FSB’s digital channels to find out the results of the 12 geographical awards. The winners will go on to the final, which will be held on Thursday 19 May at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Glasgow. Not all of the finals have closed for entries, so check fsbawards.co.uk to see if yours is still accepting entries. Finalists will be announced on FSB’s Twitter feed and the First Voice website, as well as at fsbawards.co.uk
AC C R E D I TAT I O N
FSB’s Good Business Charter tie-up The opportunity for FSB members to apply for free Good Business Charter accreditation has been extended to 31 March 2022. Accreditation recognises responsible business behaviour and a commitment to the charter’s 10 components. FSB partnered with the Good Business Foundation to develop a charter for firms with fewer than 50 employees. Find out more and apply at goodbusinesscharter.com
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31/01/2022 15:00
heads up need to know
7
FINANCE
Cash deal to help local communities HE UK’S MAJOR RETAIL banks have agreed to share services to ensure that those still reliant on cash can cope with the decline in high street banking. The move will see a number of shared banking hubs rolled out, alongside free-to-use cash machines, enhanced Post Office services and the introduction of cashback without purchase. The deal was struck by the Access to Cash Action Group, which comprises all major retail banks, Age UK, Toynbee Hall and FSB. Any community that faces the closure of a core cash service, such as a bank branch or ATM, will have its needs independently assessed by
Photography: Alamy, iStock
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LINK. LINK will then determine whether a new solution should be provided and commission services to meet the cash needs of the community as a whole. Communities will also be able to request a review of their needs from this summer. FSB National Vice Chair, Policy and Advocacy, Martin McTague, who sits on the Community Access to Cash Pilots Board, said: “As the pandemic accelerates the shift to cashless, this new strategy will bring hope to communities which are losing bank branches and ATMs. It’s important that the new assessments of need are independent and fair, and we’ll be watching their progress closely.”
COVID-19
Covid-19 sick pay covered by government Small and medium-sized firms are again able to claim money from the government to cover statutory sick pay for employees affected by Covid-19. Chancellor Rishi Sunak reintroduced the rebate scheme in December, after it had initially ended on 30 September, in response to the Omicron wave. The Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme allows businesses with fewer than 250 employees to claim statutory sick pay of £96.35 a week, for up to two weeks per employee. Mike Cherry, FSB National Chairman, said: “This move will reduce stress for small employers up and down the country, helping those who are struggling most with depleted cash flow. It is vital that small firms can reclaim the costs of supporting staff.”
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OBITUARY
Gordon Henderson Everyone at FSB was deeply saddened to hear of the death of our dear friend and colleague Gordon Henderson, Regional Development Manager for Scotland, who tragically passed away in January. Well known outside and within the organisation for his warmth, wit and ability
to bring out the best in those around him, Gordon was with FSB for nearly 13 years, and will be hugely missed by colleagues and members across the organisation. He is survived by his beloved wife Alice, and their three children, whom he adored.
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Everyone at FSB deeply appreciates the kind words of those who have shared remembrances of Gordon. For enquiries, or for those wishing to share messages of condolence for his loved ones, feel free to email Scotland.Policy@fsb.org.uk; your message will be forwarded appropriately.
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heads up in-depth
data centre
SMALL BUSINESS CONFIDENCE BY REGION Most confident
-22 CONFIDENCE
Least confident
Payment fears as confidence plummets Almost one in 10 (8 per cent) small businesses say late payment threatens their future, raising fears that as many as 440,000 could go out of business. FSB’s quarterly Small Business Index finds 30 per cent of small firms have seen an increase in late payments in the past three months; a further 8 per cent saw other forms of bad payment practice. The SBI dropped to -8.5 in the fourth quarter of 2021 as concerns over Omicron grew, meaning more small firms expect
-4 -17
performance to worsen in the next three months. Pessimism is pronounced in the retail, accommodation and food sectors. Most small businesses (78 per cent) report rising costs, 49 per cent attributing this to higher input prices. Fuel and utilities were the second and third most highlighted primary causes of rising costs. Of small exporting firms, 74 per cent say international sales were flat or fell in the past quarter; 38 per cent reported decreased exports.
SMALL BUSINESS CONFIDENCE BY SECTOR
+15 +3
-16
-31 -5
-22
+0
SMALL BUSINESS INDEX SNAPSHOT 50
Retail
-40
+27.3 +18.6
25
Accommodation and food service activities
3 -33 -12
Manufacturing
+16.4
0
-8.4
Information and communication
+11
-25
4 +14
Construction
-49.3 -50
-50
-40
-30
-20
-10
0
10
20
Q4 2020
Q1 2021
Q2 2021
Q3 2021
Q4 2021
Q U I C K F I R E S TAT S
32%
70%
77%
The amount of small firms that would consider crowdfunding as a way of raising finance, a study by law firm Moore Barlow finds
The proportion of SMEs planning to ramp up business investment, MarketFinance claims. Hiring staff and upgrading equipment are priorities
The proportion of small businesses that have been impacted by slow broadband over the past year, according to Sky Connect
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heads up area update
regional voice ROUND UP OF REGIONAL NEWS WEST MIDLANDS
FSB election results announced The Regional Chair position has been retained by Hollie Whittles of Telford, Shropshire. Hollie is a director of two successful small businesses, based in Telford and Shrewsbury in the West Midlands region. Liz Katz, Director of Noisegate Media in Leamington, has been appointed area leader for Coventry, Warwickshire and Solihull. She will be joined by a co-opted leader in 2022. For the Shropshire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire area, David Webb, owner of DNJ Solutions, will continue as FSB area lead and will be joined by a second, co-opted leader in 2022. Over in the Staffordshire and West Midlands area, Graham Oakley of Cannock-based Laundry Efficiency T/A Clear Three joins us as area lead, along with David Caro from Birmingham business Qualplast, who will be co-opted as leader.
ENGLAND
Policy Unit Richard Askew (pictured ) has taken over as Chair of the England Policy Unit (EPU), with Ian O’Donnell stepping into the Deputy Chair role. Ian did a brilliant job as EPU Chair, and we thank him for his dedication, inclusivity and drive in navigating the EPU through challenging times for our members. Moving forward, the EPU will be planning policy activities for 2022, including for the local elections, and engaging members’ views on ongoing Covid-19 support and regional post-Covid-19 recovery.
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SCOTLAND
Scottish council elections Council elections in Scotland will take place in May, and FSB will ensure that small business priorities are high on the agenda of those seeking office. Local authorities in Scotland are responsible for billions of pounds of procurement spending, alongside a host of other crucial functions such as licensing and planning. While councils have long had a key role in enterprise support in Scotland, they have been especially important in the dispersal of Covid-19 grants to hard-hit firms. In a wide-ranging campaign across the nation, FSB will be emphasising to prospective councillors their key role in local economic recovery.
WALES
Pensions advice for business owners Self-employed or own your own business in Wales and want to know about pensions? Join us on Thursday 17 March at 10.30am to find out more. FSB Wales is inviting you to join experts from the government-backed MoneyHelper to cut through the complexity, talk about your pensions and focus on four key areas: your money, work, health and family. Register for this event to hear more about the pension options available to you and the tax advantages they may bring, and to put your questions to the MoneyHelper team. To book for this event, please visit fsb.org.uk/eventcalendar.html or email mike.learmond@fsb.org.uk
NORTHERN IRELAND
Have you entered the FSB Awards? There is still time for businesses to enter this year’s FSB Celebrating Small Business Awards. Entries for Northern Ireland will close on 27 February. There are 12 categories to choose from, and you can enter as many categories as you like. The Northern Ireland Final will be held on 13 April at the Crowne Plaza in Belfast.
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heads up area update
L to R: Graeme Weir, Membership Advisor FSB; Sean Owens, Director of Salon Culinaire at IFEX; Robert Bell, FSB member DS Bells, & Brendan Kearney, FSB Regional Chair, at the launch of IFEX 2022
NORTHERN IRELAND
Hospitality event on the menu for FSB
NORTH WEST
NeurodiverCity Academy launches in Liverpool The UK’s first fashion and garment-making hub for neurodiverse students and young care-leavers has been launched in Liverpool. The brainchild of FSB member, entrepreneur and former Lord Mayor of Liverpool Gary Millar (pictured), the ADHD Foundation and other partners, the NeurodiverCity Academy offers unique support for those who are in or leaving care and neurodiverse young people, including skills development and employment opportunities. The Academy was launched at Liverpool’s Fashion Hub, located in the city’s emerging fabric district, to coincide with ADHD Awareness Month. “We are providing innovative and creative mentoring, professional training and specialist guidance, but the academy goes further for neurodiverse students and children in care,” says Mr Millar. “It is a place of compassion and understanding, where our students can build their confidence, learn and grow in order to realise their talents and career prospects.” For more information, visit nd-city.academy
FSB Northern Ireland is delighted to be supporting the forthcoming IFEX 2022, Northern Ireland’s leading food service, hospitality and retail event, which returns to the Titanic Exhibition Centre, Belfast, from 29–31 March. Brendan Kearney, Regional Chair for FSB Northern Ireland, said: “We are absolutely delighted to see the popular IFEX show return, with so many of our members involved in the hospitality industry or within the supply chains of the industry. Hospitality, like many other sectors, has really suffered over the pandemic, so it is wonderful to see these positive plans become a wonderful engagement platform in March.” The event is free to attend, and registration is now open at IFEXexhibition.co.uk
EAST MIDLANDS WEST MIDLANDS
Members appoint local leaders Business Bootcamp and Networking FSB Bootcamp and Networking, sponsored by Coombe Abbey, is returning to Coventry on 28 March, starting at 7.30am. It will be hosted by FSB members Sandra Garlick MBE, founder of the Woman Who Inspires Network, and Dave Sharpe, international MC and BBC broadcaster. Business Bootcamp and Networking is designed to benefit entrepreneurs, the self-employed and small businesses from across the Midlands. We were lucky enough to attract 250 businesses at our last Bootcamp. Visit bit.ly/3Ffwvlq for more information
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East Midlands FSB members have elected local leaders to head grassroots lobbying activity. The Regional Chair position is retained by Les Phillimore of Whetstone, South Leicestershire – business consultant and Co-Director of Sententia Business Services, and owner of The Director-e. In Lincolnshire, the two area lead positions are held by Samantha White, who runs My Credit Controllers in Lincoln, and Michael Johnson MBE, who owns Michael Johnson Management Support Services. For the Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland area, Sally Wood, a Consultant Finance Director at Sally Wood Consultancy Ltd, takes the lead, and will be joined by a co-opted leader later this year. In Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, Rachel Hayward of Derby-based Ask The Chameleon holds her chair as area lead and will be working with a co-opted leader from the spring.
SOUTH EAST
New area lead elected Following last year’s member elections, we are pleased to welcome Simon Palmer as one of our area leads, working alongside Shelagh Gurrie. Simon is Managing Director of a well established Surrey-based business consultancy and has enjoyed FSB membership for many years. During the Covid-19 pandemic, with the need to switch to virtual events, Simon seized a volunteer capacity and has built up an excellent rapport with both Surrey-based members and those further afield, acting as host for more than 100 Surrey #Connect Virtual Networking Events. february-may 2022 | firstvoice | 11
31/01/2022 15:03
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FV.FEB22.012.indd 2
27/01/2022 09:33
heads up late payment
HAVE COME UP WITH A new way of managing household finances, and been putting it into action with my weekly supermarket shop. Packing my bags-for-life at the end of the checkout, I’ve been explaining to the assistant that I wouldn’t be paying there and then. Yes, I’d be cooking the roast this Sunday, eating the sourdough loaf, using the semi-skimmed milk on my cereal, having a glass of the pinot grigio over one of the following evenings. But I’d come back to the shop in 90 days to pay for it. Or possibly I’d come back on day 89 to pay ‘early’, for which I’d expect a 10 per cent discount, given that they should think themselves lucky for my generosity. Of course, what I’m saying isn’t sn’t true. If it was, I’d have been chased into the car park by the security staff and nd had my collar felt by the local constabulary. tabulary. Yet when it comes to the way many big businesses treat their smaller suppliers and contractors, this analogy isn’t sn’t a million miles from reality. Poor payment practices are a long-standing and endemic problem roblem for small business owners and d the self-employed. Even before the he pandemic, late payments weree responsible for the closure of a staggering 50,000 small businesses nesses a year. Our latest research on this at FSB found that 30 per cent reported ported the situation worsening in thee final quarter of last year, just as thee finances of so many had been severely depleted by the ongoing, ing, disrupting impact of Covid-19. 9. The small firms it kills off aree just the tip of the iceberg. Others find a way of surviving, but often only through gh turning to expensive loans or other drastic measures to help them overcome shortfalls in cash flow. I accept that, in business-to-business transactions, you can’t necessarily expect immediate payment, like with a shopper at the end of the supermarket checkout. But 30 days should be the
Illustrations: Sam Kerr
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absolute maximum, as set out in both the Prompt Payment Code and the Good Business Charter. In recent years there has been some progress, such as the creation of the Small Business Commissioner, with tackling late payments built in as their number one priority – I’m proud to say as a result of FSB campaigning. But much more needs to be done. This problem is far from solved. You see it everywhere, and when you look at sectors such as construction it’s basically become an established cultural norm. Whatever the sector, one big unpaid invoice has a ripple effect down the supply supply chain. It needs to stop, for the sake sake of o the UK’s economic recovery as
M A R T I N M cTAG U E
30 days should be the absolute maximum, as set out in both the Prompt Payment Code and the Good Business Charter well as the moral and corporate social responsibility responsibili dimensions. Audit committees of large companies com should be given responsibility for g governing payment practices, with p details of payment terms for supply pa chains published in their annual publ reports for full f transparency. Big business offenders need to see the busin reputational reputationa risk of being the bad guys, as many have hav when it comes to issues such as climate change. clim I’ve personally spoken to the CEO of a perso FTSE-100 co company about his company’s treatment of o smaller suppliers, and once he looked into in it himself things changed rapidly and an for the better. The suits on the top floors need to realise both the business busines benefits of treating smaller suppliers supplie well, and the corporate danger of o not doing so. We’re getting there, and I’m g determined determine to get the pernicious late payment culture changed once and for all. cu MARTIN Mc McTAGUE is National Vice Chair, Advocacy, FSB. All information is Policy & Adv accurate as of 31 January 2022.
Point of no return The pandemic has only added to the sorry state of affairs when it comes to paying suppliers on time. It’s time for this to change once and for all february-may 2022 | firstvoice | 13
31/01/2022 15:07
heads up social enterprises
H A R R I H E LV O N - H A R D Y
Bigger purpose Creating a social enterprise from a vision of making things better, while balancing investors’ needs, is no easy matter
Y ORIGINAL LIFE VISION WAS ‘aspire to inspire before you expire’. I always wanted to have purpose, from the school Pond Conservation Society to teaching children in Ghana and, later, with FABRIC. FABRIC was born in 2016, and the past five years have been a rollercoaster. I was just a social worker with a dream and no experience, but I managed to use all my fight to secure £350,000 to open a home for children leaving care. Little did I know that my big dream would snowball. Within six months we had won the social enterprise of the year award at the Wales Start Up Awards, and there have been many awards since. My journey started 10 years ago, when I qualified as a social worker. At 26 I was fresh-faced, eager and ready to make an impact. My first position was in child protection, and nothing in my training prepared me for it. After a year of working with some of the most committed people I have ever met, I was verging on burnout and couldn’t fathom how to do the work the way it deserved without working around the clock. I tried agency work, hoping it would find me the type of social work in which I could settle long term. After trying out a
M
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ffew ew d different positions I found one working with teenagers, and something w work ork cclicked clicke licke – but I still felt disillusioned with system. There were lots of amazing tthe he ssy y organisations aimed at “chaotic” young o organ rgan people, p peop eop but no accommodation providers ering off o ffeeri ri young people over the age of 16 that felt like a home: ssomewhere some ome somewhere with boundaries, where they could get a hug and, most of all, where they knew they would be loved. In 2019 FABRIC opened its second home, with plans to expand into a third before the arrival of Covid-19. One of our biggest achievements has been navigating the past two years. Running two staffed homes with cover 24 hours a day, 365 days
I used all my fight to secure £350,000 to open a home for children leaving care a year, has felt like a game of human Jenga with staffing and finances. However, we have survived. Our team is growing, and head office has placed expansion at the top of the agenda for this year. Inflation, Covid-19 and uncertainty means the number of children in care is rising and, while I would love to see the day my business is no longer needed, that’s not on the cards for a while. I believe the ‘social business with purpose’ model is the
way forward, as this sector has previously attracted too many wealthy people who view children in care as an investment. There has to be a way to help excellent organisations in our sector grow without relying on investors who value profit more than people. I believe a social enterprise model is the way forward. I have two key visions to fulfil: to leave the world a better place for children in care and to help people address trauma and break intergenerational patterns. Considering a business with purpose? Be sure of the ‘why’ – when the challenges come, this will keep you going No one truly knows what they are letting themselves in for when opening a business – but they’re unlikely to regret it. For all its ups and downs, I couldn’t be more grateful for that idea over a coffee Find a good business course that’s been reviewed, and learn. Business isn’t easy and, if you’re new to it, solid knowledge will make a wealth of difference Accept help, but be mindful of people’s motivations. Trust your intuition Be you and prioritise yourself. It’s easy to believe you need to be a certain way to be taken seriously. In my experience, being authentically yourself is the best approach – people buy people. Prioritising yourself is the best thing you can do for your business. Wearing the badge of pride over how many hours you’ve worked is a quick route to burnout. HARRI HELVON-HARDY is founder of FABRIC: The Care Leaver Community. Views expressed are those of the author and not necessarily those of FSB. firstvoice.fsb.org.uk
31/01/2022 15:07
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27/01/2022 09:30
heads up reflection
ALLEN CREEDY
Pause for thought The last two years have brought significant challenges for many small business owners. But it takes something much more personal to bring a sense of perspective
OR SOME IN BUSINESS, THE past couple of years have felt like the apocalypse. Covid-19, Brexit, mental health issues, racism, floods, supply chain uncertainty and climate disruption have brought a feeling that normal life is no more. For many business owners it’s been too much, and they have closed, retired or given up. Add a motor neurone disease (MND) diagnosis into the mix and you might start to understand the scale of my mental, financial, and physical anguish in the past months. ‘Burning the candle at both ends’ is the common metaphor for the life of the self-employed and small business owner, and I was no different, with a nickname of ‘Mr 110 per cent’. With diagnosis comes the realisation that tomorrow is a blessing and today’s abilities should not be taken for granted. It focuses your mind and body on trying to understand what is important, valued and precious. Your business, employees, clients and profit are all important, but so are family, friends and faith. Many self-employed and small business owners spend their lives firefighting, with little time for reflection. When is the right time to reflect, pause, take time out, and decide what and who is most precious to you – in doing so ensuring that your
F
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cand ccandle and has only one flame, and that you know for whom and what it flickers? know Your Y Yo o flame must flicker for those closest you. tto oy yo o Many small business owners have and clients whom they have ccolleagues colle ollee known k know now for many years; they are often among a amo mo our closest and most trusted friends. Giving up working, being forced to close or sell your business and leave behind all those people, is heart-breaking. Add in the fact that few business owners have ignored the call to help charities, community groups and trade associations such as FSB, and the potential for links is enormous. However, with limited time and dwindling energy, what
‘Burning the candle at both ends’ is the common metaphor for the life of the small business owner time you have needs to be spent in as focused, and personally beneficial, a way as possible – in terms of both emotional and psychological wellbeing. Knowing you’ll lose much of the use of your arms, hands, legs and voice provides a focus for making the most of such faculties while you have them.
The etymology of the word ‘apocalypse’ is revealing: kaluptein is the Greek word for ‘to cover’ and apo means ‘un-’, so apokaluptein or ‘apocalyptic’ means ‘to uncover, reveal or unveil’. Something new is revealed when hopes are dashed, assumptions dissolve and dreams die. Whether it’s the threat of global warming or the assumption that we’ll all be healthy for ever, you might agree that now is a good time to question the values that underpin your business and priorities. Many business owners have suffered apocalyptic losses over the past two years, and we’re not alone – many in the developing world have been experiencing losses from climate change for many years. Despite publicity around COP26 and Covid-19’s impact, many in the developed world are only just realising that we live in a connected world, and that unless we are all healthy, no one is. The effects of the pandemic, an MND diagnosis, and the imagery and writing of the apocalypse are all much the same: you stop taking things and people for granted, you question the reasoning behind politicians’ decisions, and what you can leave as your legacy comes into sharp focus. Challenging our beliefs, values and priorities, these reveal what is precious. ALLEN CREEDY is Director of both SLC Property and Ethical Partnership, and former FSB lead for environment and energy policy. Views expressed are those of the author and not necessarily those of FSB. firstvoice.fsb.org.uk
31/01/2022 15:09
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27/01/2022 09:33
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27/01/2022 09:31
feature long covid
LASTING LEGACY The pandemic may still be ongoing, but many small business owners are also having to contend with the longer-term consequences, including mental health concerns and the devastating impact of long Covid. Jo Faragher looks at what can be done
I
N THE WEEKS LEADING UP TO CHRISTMAS, small businesses were experiencing a familiar sense of dread. The discovery of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 was cause for concern, raising fears that lockdowns could return and put the brakes on economic recovery. But it was also a sharp reminder that many of the issues associated with the pandemic do not simply disappear, and thousands of small business owners are still dealing with physical and mental health issues as a direct result.
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In December 2021, the Office for National Statistics reported that one in 50 people were suffering from self-reported long Covid, meaning they were suffering with symptoms for more than four weeks after contracting the virus. The most common symptoms include extreme fatigue, shortness of breath and problems with memory and concentration, but researchers have identified as many as 200 side effects. “Symptoms change over time, so you could experience fatigue one day but feel emotionally low another,” explains Christine Husbands, Managing Director of FSB Care. Long Covid is challenging because of its unpredictability. “If an employee is off with a broken leg, they can go to a fracture clinic and ‘fix’ the issue, but with something like long Covid the symptoms are so multifaceted that you can’t simply apply one solution for every person,” says Adrian Matthews, Employee Benefits Director at insurance company MetLife. FSB Care can assign a nurse to advise employees on specific symptoms, adds Ms Husbands, but the key is to be flexible. “Businesses should ask individuals what would best help them, as they know best,
‘This has impacted me massively’ As a Master of Ceremonies and BBC football reporter, Dave Sharpe felt the financial impact of coronavirus keenly, with events and matches cancelled. But it’s the health impacts that continue to haunt him. Mr Sharpe came down with the virus in March 2020, after a visit to his mother in hospital. “They suspected the woman in the next bed had Covid-19, but at the time there was no official guidance about isolation,” he remembers. For three weeks he experienced breathlessness and fever, and lost his sense of smell – at one point feeling as though his “life was draining away”. Both he and his wife, who worked in airport
retail, were unable to work, so there was no money coming in. An antibody test two months later showed that he had not recovered and was still producing antibodies, because he was still fighting the virus. He continued to experience fatigue and struggled to get treatment, with one doctor merely suggesting he take a holiday. “I’d recently changed my status to sole trader with HMRC, but because I’d only been trading under this status for 18 months I couldn’t show them complete accounts for the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme,” he adds. He later discovered he could claim a limited amount of sick pay,
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but was forced to dip into £7,000 of savings for day-to-day living expenses. “The stress and anxiety caused by this is as bad as long Covid itself,” says Mr Sharpe. “I know there are people who have had to learn to walk again, so I don’t like to complain, but this has impacted me massively.” One silver lining has been the support from FSB Care. “They may not be experts in long Covid but they sent me resources to help with my anxiety, and when I was caring for my elderly parents they pointed me towards PodPlan, a one-stop-shop for help and information on things like social care,” he adds. “They have been a huge help.” firstvoice.fsb.org.uk
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feature long covid
and the support might not be difficult to provide,” she says. “If someone feels tired in the morning they could start later, for example, or avoid having to commute.”
Usual rules apply If you’re a one-person (or even three or four-person) band, juggling your or your employees’ health while keeping the business ticking over can feel impossible. Employees who are absent from work due to a chronic condition such as long Covid should follow the usual absence reporting procedures and will be eligible for sick pay, explains Hannah Thomas, a solicitor at FSB Legal. “Depending on the severity of employees’ symptoms due to long Covid, employees may need to take time off work as long-term sick leave,” she adds. “Alternatively, employees who are well enough to return to work in some capacity, or experience fluctuations in their symptoms, may require temporary adjustments to their work role, working hours or place of work (such as incorporating periods of home working).” Managers should be mindful of how work tasks and patterns could mitigate (or worsen) symptoms, and exercise flexibility. “Under health and safety legislation employers should ensure so far as possible that the workplace or work role does not exacerbate any existing physical and/or mental symptoms,” Ms Thomas advises. If performance becomes an issue, any capability process should be conducted fairly, requesting a medical report if necessary.
Mental burden The mental health impact of the pandemic has been and will continue to be devastating for some. Data from the ONS shows that rates of depression have doubled since the virus hit, and mixed messages about returning to offices or protection for those who cannot work from home have heightened anxiety. “Lots of people are struggling with the firstvoice.fsb.org.uk
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impact of being asked to go back into the workplace,” says Ms Husbands. “They’re nervous about catching Covid-19 even if they’re double-jabbed or they’ve changed their lifestyle so feel less comfortable being around people.” Holly MacDougall-Corbin, disabled people’s employment champion for the Welsh Government and adviser to Business Wales, says that, for many, remote working can exacerbate this. “With many of us now sitting behind a screen, we’re slipping into a culture of isolation, working alone and not having that face-to-face time to voice appreciation for others,” she says. Small gestures such as using the ‘awards’ feature in Teams or sending an email can let employees know that they’re listened to and their work is appreciated. “It’s important that we replicate face-to-face gestures of encouragement online,” she says. And it’s not just employees who could be struggling; a study by FSB found twofifths of Scottish members had concerns about their mental health in 2021. Grace Gimson started wellbeing app Holly Health just before the pandemic hit, and found that, while it was a great time to build a business because her social life was off-limits, it took its toll on her mental health. “We now have five people and we try to use the app to remind us to do things outside of work, such as go for a walk, or to create morning and evening routines where we’re not on our phones,” she says. “I think people generally have a higher sense of self-awareness in terms of how they’re feeling, whether they’re experiencing low-level anxiety or tiredness. The more individuals can learn about where their limits are, the more they can prevent themselves from going over the edge.”
Easing the load As a business owner, delegation can be a struggle, but physical or mental burnout can have long-term ill effects on the business. “If there are only two or three of you in the business, it can be tempting
to keep on doing anything you can because you’re not certain the business will survive if you don’t,” says Lesley Cooper, founder and CEO of wellbeing consultancy WorkingWell. Ms Cooper argues that, while the physical and mental toll of pandemic-related illness will feel far more visceral to small businesses, they can recover more quickly than larger counterparts. “An elephant turns around more slowly than a mouse. “Smaller businesses can innovate faster, make decisions quickly and decide on new ways of working. Being small means they can have conversations, they know where people are and employees can be honest when they can’t cope. They may have fewer resources, but there can be better opportunities for conversation and connection.” JO FARAGHER is a freelance business journalist
Additional support Local business networks and advice services can provide a lifeline during turbulent times. The following can help you and your staff access the support that’s needed: ACAS acas.org.uk/long-covid FSB information on long Covid fsb.org.uk/resources-page/ long-covid.html FSB Care Covid-19 resources fsb.org.uk/resources-page/ looking-after-your-mentalhealth-during-covid-19.html Mind: Coronavirus and your mental health mind.org.uk/informationsupport/coronavirus/ Elder care and support through PodPlan mypodplan.co.uk/
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feature recruitment and retention
With many staff likely to have itchy feet after the trials of the last 18 months, small firms need to think about how they can go about holding on to staff and what they can do to attract new employees. Peter Crush outlines the options available, and why SMEs may have an advantage
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feature recruitment and retention
I
t’s already being branded the ‘Great Resignation’ – in the next 12 months, the number of employees quitting for greener grass is expected to go through the roof. According to a study by life insurance firm MetLife conducted in late 2021, 54 per cent of employees are considering leaving their job in the next 18 months. “Talk of a skills shortage cliff-edge being reached feels very real,” says Emelia Quist, FSB Head of Policy Research. “Staff have endured a tough year, with some having to go on furlough for long periods of time. Employees are also aware of the financial constraints that the pandemic has placed upon employers, many of which were unable to offer pay rises last year.” Research by FSB conducted in 2021 found that 45 per cent of Scottish firms felt they did not have the staff they needed to run their business, leaving some to shorten their opening hours or reduce the services they offer. With 20 per cent of SMEs unable to offer a pay rise, according to WorkLife’s latest Small Business Monitor, Tina McKenzie, who runs Northern Irish recruitment firm Staffline, says: “People are re-evaluating. There’s potentially the start of a real challenge around the corner for SMEs.” But with pay looking less likely to be a part of SMEs’ short-term attraction and retention strategies, are there other ways SMEs can ensure they keep the staff they have while positioning themselves as go-to employers for job-hunters? Thankfully, yes. “If there’s one word that sums up the current recruitment market, it’s ‘flexibility’,” says Ms McKenzie. “Simply giving staff freedom to organise work around them is now worth as much, if not more, than a salary rise to many. While it might mean bosses needing to hire three people on flexible hours rather than two full-time, there’s generally no more cost, and just a little bit more organisation.”
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020 3962 8009
FSB INSURANCE SERVICE'S CHECKLIST FOR WELCOMING YOUR CUSTOMERS BACK TO YOUR BUSINESS
Businesses are reopening as part of a gradual process to get ‘back to work’. Many SMEs are pleased, as the ¿nancial pressure of closing premises has been signi¿cant, but it’s important to ensure that businesses reopen safely and with the appropriate cover in place.
PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS ☐ Do your premises need a deep clean prior to reopening? ☐ Is there any debris or evidence of damage that needs fixing? ☐ Are your security systems still in operation? You may need to let your alarm receiving centre know you’re returning ☐ Is your fixed wiring system in good order? Have you had your electrics checked and are the inspection certificates up to date? ☐ Have you checked all your equipment is operating properly? ☐ Has potentially hazardous material been stored correctly? If not, does it need to be disposed of? ☐ You may want to get a pest control contractor in to check the premises for signs of infestation ☐ If you’re a food business, do you have any perishable stock that needs replacing?
HEALTH & SAFETY AND COMPLIANCE ☐ Revise your health and safety policies to include precautions to prevent the spread of coronavirus COVID-19. Note: HSE has released guidance for making your workplace COVID secure ☐ Review your fire risk assessment– is your fire alarm operating correctly? Are your fire extinguishers within date? Will all your fire wardens be on site when you reopen or do you need to reallocate these roles?
☐ If your business involves home visits, will you and your staff be adequately protected when entering customers’ homes? How can you minimise risk of infection? ☐ Any vehicles or high traffic areas should be regularly cleaned using gloves and standard cleaning products, with emphasis on handles and other high-touch surfaces.
INSURANCE CONSIDERATIONS ☐ Check your business insurance is back in place if you downgraded cover during lockdown ☐ Has your business model changed? Make sure your insurance covers any changes to how your business operates (deliveries, etc) ☐ Let your insurer know when you are back on the premises, so that they don’t mistakenly think you’re exceeding any unoccupancy clause in the policy wording In need of insurance advice? Call FSB Insurance Service on 020 3962 8009 Monday - Friday 9am - 5.30pm (excluding Bank Holidays)
REGISTER NOW AT WWW.FSB-INSURANCE-SERVICE.COM/REGISTER FSB Insurance Service Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA Registration No: 788654) Registered Office: 20 Fenchurch Street, London, United Kingdom, EC3M 3AZ. Company Number: 10831430.
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feature recruitment and retention
Amy Foster, Director of Nomad HR & Recruitment, believes the fact that SMEs have a greater variety of job functions should mean they are well suited to offering this. “What we’re now seeing is that where flexibility isn’t being offered – such as with one client we’re recruiting for – we’ve struggled,” she says. “We’ve attracted just 15 applications over nearly a year. Of these, only two have been selected for interview.” Flexible working doesn’t have to mean disorganisation. SMEs could take a leaf out of Dropbox’s book; the company recently launched a ‘core hours’ element to its flex offering to partially control this, while also giving staff more control. For four hours each day everyone has to be available at the same time – but the rest of the time, people can work where and when they want.
Lightening the load The typical rule of thumb for both attraction and retention is that any offering that helps to alleviate a worry is highly prized. With 16 per cent of staff suffering from poor wellbeing due to financial worries, according to digital pay company PayDashboard, solutions available to SMEs include debt consolidation services (with renegotiated repayments paid directly out through payroll) or solutions such as early wage access (for example mid-month) to help employees pay for unexpected costs. Ms McKenzie has recently introduced private medical cover for staff – something she says has become particularly prized since Covid-19 hit. Employee benefits can be given a specific purpose. If the aim is to help staff save money, or make the money they have work harder, there are
Covid-19 presented an opportunity to ask what we could do to make us a business that people would want to work in forever other options, such as signing up to benefits portals that give staff access to money-off deals for things like mobile phones, tablets or entertainment. Through FSB pirkx, small business owners can offer their staff access to a range of affordable wellbeing benefits such as health services, gym classes and cashback offers, rewarding them for their hard work while also helping them stay fit and well. Find out more at fsb. org.uk/join-us/membership/fsbmember-benefits/fsb-pirkx.html. At a time of stagnant pay, salary sacrifice (SS) schemes such as Cycle2Work effectively give staff a rise, too. Vehicle leasing firm SOGO has recently introduced a scheme that enables staff to lease electric vehicles, while travel company Inspire has
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just launched an SS scheme that lets staff pay for their summer holidays. Another mantra is ‘be personal’. Georgina Cameron, founder of premium natural pet food brand Lily’s Kitchen, did just this when lockdown first struck. “We made sure everyone was properly set up at home by buying staff ergonomic chairs and desks, and even any specific IT equipment they wanted,” she says. “We also knew this way of working would be challenging to mental health, so we complemented this by partnering with the charity Mind to benchmark against its Wellbeing Index. This saw us introduce elements such as ‘Golden Hours’, where we commit to there being no meetings, and we also introduced 10 days’ per year paid time off for staff that had dependents.”
Working hours Training and development is an often-ignored tool that has equally good retention powers, demonstrating that bosses have a long-term vision for their staff. But if even this seems like tinkering around the edges, some SMEs have decided to go for something more radical. “Last year there was more and more literature coming out about four-day weeks as the cure to work-life balance and creating home working harmony,” says Riki Neill, who runs PR firm RNN Comms. “Our sector is well known for having a long-hours culture so we decided to give it a go and trial it for six months.” Worried about what clients might think, she did it on the quiet. But not only did they not even notice (Ms Neill ensured there was always one person available), she says that staff are 20 per cent more productive, and the policy is now an attraction magnet. She says: “When we advertised for a new person and promised this perk for new starters, we had the most applicants ever – more than 50 – for the role.” Another novel approach to attraction/ retention is offering a once-unthinkable perk – unlimited holidays – which february-may 2022 | firstvoice | 25
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feature recruitment and retention
When we advertised for a new person, and promised this perk for new starters, we had the most applicants ever growing numbers of firms are now experimenting with. Chris Jefford, founder of creative agency Truant, is one: “Covid-19 really presented an opportunity to ask what we could do to make us a business that people would want to work in forever,” he says. “We realised people really worried about how much time they can take off, and ended up not taking enough holiday. The default position now is that we say to people take as much as you want, as long as you’ve done what you need to. When you trust people, we find it doesn’t get abused.” With SMEs likely to have lots on their plates just to stay afloat, worrying about staff quitting is clearly one thing they can do without. The average staff member costs SMEs £12,000 to replace, according to analysis by Accounts & Legal Consultants, so relatively small outlays that help assuage this will be money well spent. “Our research shows most people want to be hired on a permanent basis, so just by offering this, rather than unpredictable hours, SMEs could be on to a winner,” says Ms Quist. “Then it’s just a case of being continually supportive – which, as we all know, SMEs are in one of the best positions to be.”
Untapped talent When it comes to finding new staff who are likely to be loyal, savvy SMEs could do worse than to tap into highly skilled but often traditionally marginalised groups – such as returning mothers, disabled people or former services personnel. “If I could hire 100 ex-services personnel in my business I would,” asserts Lee Harris-Hamer, owner of White Horse Cleaning Services, who is such a supporter of former military staff that eight of his 36-strong team are ex-forces, or the spouses of those who were. He has also just achieved the silver Armed Forces Covenant accreditation, which ranks him as a forces-friendly employer. Some 14,000 skilled and experienced people leave the armed forces each year but, according to armed forces charity SSAFA, 31 per cent of recruiters are reluctant to employ ex-military personnel. Major fears include them not reintegrating well or carrying post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms. But according to Mr Harris-Hamer – who works with FSB-supported organisation X-Forces Enterprise, which supports service leavers and veterans into self-employment and business ownership – not only do ex-services staff have a can-do attitude, they also repay being given opportunities with loyalty. “All former military staff stay with us for at least two years – way above our industry average,” he says. “We find that because of previous employment knockbacks, if you respect them, they repay you. A military-inculcated work ethic and desire to do things properly is just second nature for these people, making them excellent team players.” Numerous charities now exist to help SMEs find and place former services personnel from the likes of RFEA – The Forces Employment
Charity – to SoldierOn.org, and for Gavin Watson, technical director of cybersecurity consultancy, Pentest People, he’ll also be looking for more. “So far we’ve four ex-services personnel, including a former tank driver and an ex-ammunition technical officer and logistics officer, out of our 40-strong team. “We admit we’ve stumbled on this pool of people. We never specifically sought them before, but after hiring them, we know the value and loyalty these people bring. They are disciplined, love a challenge and we find they flourish.” According to FSB’s Small Business, Big Heart: Bringing Communities Together report in 2019, 95 per cent of SMEs said they had employed at least one worker from a labour market disadvantaged group in the previous three years, including those with a known disability (30 per cent) and where English is a second language (24 per cent). Other groups SMEs could consider are those people being made redundant. Last year the Institute of Export and International Trade (IOE&IT) worked with outplacement firm Talent Retention Solutions to hire staff it urgently needed to provide call centre advice during the Brexit transition period. Some 40 per cent of an intake of 54 staff came from this avenue alone. Older workers are also a potentially large untapped resource. IOE&IT also contacted members who had recently retired and coaxed them out of retirement to join their team. Data by Hitachi Capital Business Finance suggests older people are more resilient, independent, and more capable of working at home than younger people, who still crave praise/ colleagues around them.
PETER CRUSH is a freelance business journalist 26 | firstvoice | february-may 2022
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big picture plastic pollution
BIG PICTURE
Photography: Getty
Hiding in plain sight A community volunteer removes plastic and other solid waste from the River Wigwa in Kisumu, Western Kenya, to mark World Cleanup Day in September 2021. A report by the Environment Investigation Agency says the threat from plastic pollution is almost as great as that of climate change, and warns that by 2040 some 70 million tonnes of plastic will be in rivers and oceans. Plastic pollution threatens entire ecosystems, including fish, birds and mammals, as well as contributing to global warming. The report warns the topic does not receive the attention it warrants compared to climate change and biodiversity loss, pointing out that it did not feature in the final agreement made at the COP26 summit in November 2021. 28 | firstvoice | february-may 2022
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feature packaging
Waste packaging is doing serious damage to the environment and wildlife, and much of it is due to the lack of recycling and reuse of packaging. Penelope Rance looks at how small firms can review their approach to packaging, and how they can make a positive difference
BARE
NECESSITIES 30 | firstvoice | february-may 2022
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feature packaging
I
n 2017, the UK generated 9.3 million tonnes of packaging waste. According to the 2021 Plastics Market situation report, packaging accounts for nearly 70 per cent of the country’s plastic waste, with flexible plastics making up more than 20 per cent of consumer packaging – only 6 per cent of which gets recycled. The impact is catastrophic. The WWF reports that plastic ingestion and entanglement kills at least 100,000 marine animals and one million birds each year. Waste in landfill sites can take centuries to degrade, releasing methane, leaking toxins and poisoning wildlife. Incineration releases greenhouse gases. In Scotland, some single-use plastic items will be banned from June 2022, affecting plastic cutlery, plates, straws, beverage stirrers, balloon sticks, and food and drink containers made of expanded polystyrene, including covers and lids. The rest of the UK will doubtless follow. In the meantime, from April, HMRC’s Plastic Packaging Tax will apply to all UK manufacturers and importers of packaging that is predominantly plastic by weight. Packaging that contains 30 per cent or more recycled plastic will be exempt, creating an incentive to recycle and reuse. From 2023, reforms to the UK Packaging Waste regulations mean businesses that put packaged products onto the UK market must cover the costs of collecting and recycling packaging. But making businesses responsible for the costs of packaging waste management won’t automatically mean more gets recycled. “The infrastructure isn’t there in terms of processing packaging to the extent we need,” says Sat Pillai, FSB Environment Policy Chair. “A lot of things can be recyclable,
but that doesn’t mean they’re getting recycled.” Small firms are less likely to have contracts with waste management companies, relying on council services. Nonetheless, the problem needs to be addressed, and there are myriad ways in which SMEs can help.
Difficult questions The first question: do you need packaging at all? If it’s impossible to abandon, the next steps should be reducing, reusing and recycling, and cutting non-recyclable items. “Simplify packaging to as few material types as possible,” advises Martin Baxter, IEMA Director of Policy and External Affairs. “The extent to which you can recover materials also matters, and the quality at which you can recover them, because that enhances the ability to reuse or repurpose.” Weight also has a direct impact. “Lightweight packaging has a huge benefit in terms of reducing energy emissions during transport from the manufacturer, and in the shipping of products using that packaging,” adds Mr Baxter. The ideal is a packaging model that requires no new materials. “We can become more resource-efficient though a circular economy, where we leave a minimal footprint on the Earth and eliminate the concept of waste,” says Mr Pillai. “If you have a container that’s made of plastic, rather than put it into the waste management system, reuse it for some other purpose. Being resource-efficient is also better for your bottom line.” The ‘nine Rs’ provide a framework for packaging: rethink, refuse, reduce, reuse, re-gift, repair, rent, rot, recycle. “Ideally, you want to refuse a product in the first instance, then reuse or repurpose it, as this uses less energy. Recycling should be the last of the nine Rs,” says Mr Pillai.
Photography: Getty
A lot of things can be recyclable, but that doesn’t mean they’re getting recycled
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Evolve Flowers Self-proclaimed as “a bit of an old hippy”, Evolve Flowers founder Helen Chambers is on a mission to make the flower industry more sustainable. “A big issue for florists is that a lot of flowers come packed in cellophane sleeves – they’re drowning in cellophane,” she says. “In the UK it has to be industrially recycled, and for small businesses that’s not practical.” Evolve therefore supplies both wholesale and retail flowers without plastic. Some 95 per cent of Evolve’s flowers and foliage come from farms within a 40-mile radius of its studio in Pinchbeck, Lincolnshire. This means less packaging, with many blooms arriving naked in buckets or on pallets. The retail business delivers stock in recyclable, hand-stamped cardboard boxes. “We’re also delivering to florists on returnable trays or trolleys,” she says. “Taking the packaging out of the chain in the beginning is the best solution.” Bouquets are dispatched in glass vases or recycled craft paper. Other materials include biodegradable labels; paper tape, string and raffia; biodegradable bags; flower food in compostable sachets; and cotton wrap for flower stems. “We’ve got wooden tags on our vases that say, ‘reuse, return, recycle’,” she adds. “We also use biodegradable glitter, made of eucalyptus pulp.” Evolve’s biggest challenge is logistics, as reducing packaging limits shipping options. “Traditional couriers aren’t fit for purpose for perishable products,” she says. “I’m trying to get funding for our own logistics, or find partners able to deliver unboxed flowers.” A qualified florist tutor, she is also a sustainability educator: “We’re putting out guides via our website. We’re advising suppliers on what florists want, and what’s not necessary.” february-may 2022 | firstvoice | 31
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feature packaging
Not every solution works for every product: chemical receptacles must meet safety standards; food and medicines have to be hygienically stored; perishables need preserving and protecting. When looking at alternatives, interrogate their suitability, pros and cons, including life span, recyclability and degradability, and functionality. “Start with the easiest, low-hanging opportunities and learn as you go,” says John Mooney, director of sustainability consultancy The GBN. There are easy steps. Magazines can be sent out in paper envelopes, while buyby-weight stores encourage customers to bring their own containers. Returnable, reusable containers have the advantage of a single outlay for multiple uses. However, a durable crate takes around 20 trips to pay for itself, and is less practical for shipping fragile goods long distance.
Alternative thinking Plastic’s applications as a lightweight air and water-tight barrier make it hard to completely replace. Many degradable plastics are made from fossil fuels and their oxi-degradable coatings are pollutants, so the best choice is recyclable, reusable flexible plastic. Research into non-toxic plant-based wrapping that degrades in less than a year is starting to offer a viable alternative, and edible options are a possibility. Compostable packaging isn’t necessarily good if clients cannot dispose of it. “Biodegradable packaging does not usually get composted properly, and is more likely to result in partially decomposed microplastics than benign organic compounds,” says Mr Mooney. Glass is reusable and recyclable, but should be limited to long-lasting
products that don’t need to be shipped far. “In many circumstances, glass is a great packaging product, but it is heavy and requires a lot of energy to recycle,” he adds. “If the glass is reused, the balance in the equation may be different.” Return schemes can help; in Scotland the Government is working with retailers to enable people to return their bottles and cans for recycling from November 2022. Paper and card packaging is a favourite of the environmentally conscious, but its production can create more pollution than plastic. Sourcing unbleached, FSC accredited wood pulp; opting for unprinted card; avoiding overengineering; and reusing boxes all reduce its impact. “A great starting point is the outer packaging: can you review the specification of your cartons? Threelayer corrugated cardboard boxes may have scope to be optimised – often the inner layer is over specified,” says Mr Mooney. Companies such as Reuseabox are promoting cardboard reuse on an industrial scale, buying and selling quality second-hand boxes and keeping the packaging in the economy for longer.
Wider action The biggest impact for some SMEs will come from picking supply chain partners that have also looked into this. Collaboration is key, says Mr Baxter, who advises small firms to come up with innovative solutions for suppliers, rather than just demanding changes. “Consider asking suppliers to use standardsized packaging to make it easier to reuse, or to take back used packaging,” adds Mr Mooney. “Source suppliers that offer products with less packaging.” The shift to reusable, recyclable packaging may increase your outlay, but customers who
are invested in greener solutions will be willing to pay more if you advertise your intentions. “PR cannot reduce the costs, but if you make a virtue of what you are doing you will attract more business from consumers with a conscience,” he adds. Communication doesn’t need to be complicated, adds Mr Pillai. “From a consumer point of view, it’s not about the carbon stats, it’s more about doing the right thing,” he says. “It’s just sensible to eliminate wasted resources.” PENELOPE RANCE is a freelance business journalist
Sustainable packaging resources The Circular Economy Club offers resources for the design and implementation of circular local initiatives: circulareconomyclub.com The GBN provides consultancy services for environmental compliance: thegbn.co.uk Wrap is a not-for-profit providing advice on sustainable packaging: wrap.org.uk, clearonplastics.com Supply Chain Sustainability School offers training and resources for calculating and reducing supply chain impacts: supplychainschool.co.uk Support for businesses looking to be more sustainable: FSB Sustainability Hub: fsb.org. uk/campaign/small-businesssustainability-hub Zero Carbon Business Portal: zerocarbonbusiness.uk SME Climate Hub: businessclimatehub.org/tools
32 | firstvoice | february-may 2022
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deep dive small business taxation
Murky picture
The proportion of small firms that say the number of taxes is too confusing
£25 billion
The UK’s tax system has built up over many decades, creating a system many small firms feel is overly complicated. FSB believes Making Tax Digital has the potential to rectify some of these issues but also to add to the confusion TAX BURDEN ON SMALL FIRMS Selection of taxes relevant to small businesses
Annual cost of tax compliance to the small business community
Small business views on whether the tax rate is a challenge and fair to their business Tax is a challenge
82%
82%
81%
47%
Personal income tax
33% 42% 43%
PAYE for employees Personal income tax
PAYE for employees
VAT
52%
VAT
79%
77%
31%
53%
51%
Employers NICs
Employer’s NICs
Corporation tax
35%
Business rates
60%
Corporation tax
32%
20%
7%
Business rates
Self-employed NICs
Capital gains tax
IR35
Selfemployed NICs
£85,000 The current threshold for charging VAT. Some 1.4m small firms see this as a barrier to growth 34 | firstvoice | february-may 2022
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Tax is fair
Capital gains tax
31% 61% 25% 39% 33% 57% 18% 67%
IR35
10%
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deep dive small business taxation MAKING TAX DIGITAL
74%
15%
I was required to switch to MTD because my business VAT is above the threshold level
Net switched to MTD
for those yet to make the switch
The amount of all small firms which say Making Tax Digital software has made it easier to organise their cash flow
Source: FSB’s A Duty to Reform report, October 2021
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91% MTD Businesses:
Net Agree
Net Disagree
Non-MTD Businesses:
Net Agree
Net Disagree
56%
68%
56% MTD provides efficiency gains, i.e. fewer hours and days spent on tax
9%
I currently rely on a paper-based tax filing system, rather than using MTD
23% 33% 7%
22%
Views on Making Tax Digital, split by MTD and non-MTD small businesses
12%
The proportion of all small businesses which agree that Making Tax Digital has reduced complexity in the tax system
I voluntarily switched to MTD
33% 34%
25%
17%
57%
The proportion of small businesses already using Making Tax Digital, most as a result of exceeding the VAT threshold
65%
14%
70%
42%
9%
MTD brings additional costs related to new software and subscriptions, time spent learning new processes and time to implement the change
20%
£2,690
56%
Businesses with employees
27% 35%
Average annual cost to businesses that have switched to Making Tax Digital, compared to
Businesses without employees
6%
£4,562
Share of small businesses that have switched to Making Tax Digital reporting, by whether the business has employees
MTD makes it easier to organise and plan cash flows
MTD reduces complexity in the tax system
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feature making tax digital
THREE YEARS AFTER THE INITIAL INTRODUCTION OF MAKING TAX DIGITAL, MORE SMALL FIRMS WILL HAVE TO COMPLY BY APRIL. BUT, DESPITE THE PROMISED EFFICIENCY GAINS, MANY CONCERNS REMAIN. DAVID ADAMS ASKS WHETHER MTD IS A...
BLESSING OR A CURSE?
A
BOUT 700,000 businesses – those that are VAT-registered with an annual turnover of less than £85,000 – will need to meet the April 2022 Making Tax Digital (MTD) for VAT deadline, by starting to use MTD-compliant software to submit quarterly VAT returns online. Some are already doing so, using the MTD VAT portal alongside businesses with turnovers of more than £85,000, which were mandated to use the system from April 2019. FSB research suggests 70 per cent of all small businesses have already started using MTD for VAT, including the 60 per cent mandated to do so in 2019. However, FSB’s 2021 Tax Survey showed that one in six ( 17 per cent) small businesses with no employees, and 9 per cent of those with employees, were still using paper-based tax filing processes. For them, and for businesses still using non-MTD-compliant software, with inadequate broadband services, or with business processes at odds with quarterly VAT returns, meeting the deadline may cause difficulties. FSB is concerned about this, how much compliance will cost, 36 | firstvoice | february-may 2022
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and whether MTD will achieve its aims and help create a better, fairer tax system. In October 2021, the FSB published a new report, A Duty to Reform, examining the major problems affecting the UK tax regime for small businesses, and making recommendations for reform and for drawing maximum benefit out of the MTD project. FSB is working closely with the Government to inform businesses about MTD, and in the meantime has partnered with Rhino Software to develop an app that will enable members to meet MTD requirements. FSB members will be able to access a free edition and online chat (see ‘FSB Making Tax Digital app’, overleaf).
Tax burden Duty to Reform estimates that the annual collective cost of tax compliance for the UK’s small businesses is £25 billion. Worse, while the average annual cost for a business not yet using MTD is £2,690, the average bill for those that are is £4,562. FSB Senior Policy Adviser Daryn Park points out that the cost of subscriptions for MTD-compliant software is also likely to be considerably higher, relative to business size, for the smallest businesses.
FSB’s research also revealed negative perceptions and experiences of MTD among small businesses. More respondents ( 35–38 per cent) said they did not agree that MTD provides efficiency gains, made planning cash flow easier or reduced complexity in the tax system, than those who said it does deliver those benefits ( 22–30 per cent). Even among businesses already using MTD, more respondents said they are not experiencing those benefits. It is also worth noting that the Government’s own assessment of the impact of MTD VAT on all businesses using it (published in July 2021) showed that only 30 per cent of respondents thought the benefits of MTD outweighed its costs. FSB also expressed concern that businesses locked into using software to file income tax and VAT returns could face significant increases in subscription costs in future. In recognition of this concern, FSB members will be able to access a free edition of MTD software with all the functionality and features to be able to submit their VAT return to HMRC and become MTD compliant. The fact that not all businesses have access to fast broadband may also cause firstvoice.fsb.org.uk
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feature making tax digital
MTD timetable APRIL 2019 MTD for VAT mandated for businesses with an annual turnover above the £85,000 VAT threshold
APRIL 2022 MTD for VAT mandated for all VAT-registered businesses with an annual turnover of less than £85,000
APRIL 2024 MTD for income tax selfassessment for unincorporated businesses and landlords with total business or property income above £10,000 per year
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feature making tax digital
problems. “Shifting a tax system to be entirely digital is going to create issues for businesses finding it hard to get online,” says Mr Park, noting that previous FSB research has shown that about 50 per cent of small businesses think their current broadband is insufficient for future needs. Christopher Downing, Director of Product Marketing for Accountants and Bookkeepers at Sage, argues that superfast broadband is not needed to move financial documents to the MTD VAT portal, and that strong mobile phone signals will help some business owners to use software such as Sage, Xero and the FSB MTD app via smartphones. He also points out that the software can also be used offline.
Mixed picture Glen Foster, Director of Accounting Partners, UK and EMEA, at Xero, says there are significant differences in terms of the preparedness of small firms. “There will be small businesses that are struggling with this,” he says. “But others may be working with an accountant who will help them through this process.” Dionne Sherwood, an accountant and founder/owner of DS Small Business Help, based in Aberystwyth, Wales, expects things to run smoothly for her clients and for any small businesses which work with an accountant that has adopted cloud-based accountancy software. “I tell clients this will help them manage their business much more effectively,” she says, outlining the benefits of using a software package that integrates quotation, invoicing, expenses and tax submission processes: “It means they spend a lot less time doing bookkeeping tasks.” Another accountant, Nicole Christie, is co-founder and self-styled ‘chief geek’ at Sllick, an accountancy practice based in Aberdeenshire and Glasgow that bases its services on cloud-based accountancy software. “All our clients are MTD-ready,” she says. “The move has many benefits. Financials should be up to date, in a format that can make completing tax returns a breeze or allow accountants to help remotely. We have saved clients 38 | firstvoice | february-may 2022
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The FSB Making Tax Digital app FSB has partnered with Rhino to build an app designed to help small businesses and the self-employed become MTD compliant without the confusion or pressure. Features include customer management, invoicing and payments tracking, and expense management. A chat facility provides access to support, and there are also video tutorials. As well as ensuring compliance, a Finance Dashboard provides a live picture of a company’s current trading position. A web browser-based version can be downloaded via the FSB website, or the app can be found in the Apple App and Google Play stores. Get to know the system with a ‘play’ account and upgrade to a free edition when you’re ready. You can upgrade your licence at any time for additional functionality and features to the Micro Edition at just £5 + VAT per month, or the Basic Edition at £12 + VAT per month. The FSB Making Tax Digital app is available to FSB members and non-members but exclusive discounts and online chat are only available to FSB members, saving £96 + VAT per year on the Basic Edition. You’ll have support from
hundreds of hours of admin. People need to think about this as being more than just complying with MTD: it’s about changing the way their business operates.”
Time to act If your business – or accountant – has not moved far towards using MTD, what can you do to ensure you meet the April deadline? Ms Sherwood urges small firms in this position to investigate the cloud-based software packages approved by HMRC, which are listed on the HMRC website (see ‘Further information’). The FSB Making Tax Digital app is listed here under ‘free software’. Mr Downing points out that one advantage of cloud-based software and apps is that they allow businesses to experiment at low cost, to find out which suits their way of working.
FSB specialists, in-app guides and online chat every step of the way. Rhino Software CEO Eugene Blaine says the system is designed for ease of use and flexibility, with all features available across every platform. It can be used alongside bridging software that businesses may use to link into existing spreadsheet-based processes. One business using the app is Epic Design, a graphic design company based in Totnes, Devon. “I look at the MTD VAT section and I can see all my previous returns, then I can click into them and see what’s been paid,” says Director Jonathan Gale. “I invoice people, enter my expenses and it keeps a tally. I then make final amendments and can submit it. It’s all done in half an hour. “I used to have to put a couple of days aside for going through all the payments and financial documents, but now it’s all on there and the accountant has access to it as well.” For more information visit fsb.org.uk/ join-us/membership/fsb-memberbenefits/making-tax-digital
People need to think about this as changing the way their business operates Once up and running with MTD for VAT, using MTD for income tax should be relatively straightforward. Sole traders not registered for VAT and anyone who lets a property to tenants and earns more than £10,000 from these activities should also be thinking about MTD, as they will be among 5.4 million businesses that firstvoice.fsb.org.uk
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feature making tax digital
will have to start using MTD for SelfAssessment Income Tax by April 2024. Mr Foster hopes that by 2024, “we’ll have started to see the full benefits of MTD for VAT”. At present, FSB’s view of MTD to date is that it is failing to provide small businesses with the benefits that were promised. “It was meant to make cash flow easier, but complexity hasn’t lessened,” he says. “Costs have gone up and efficiency hasn’t improved.” As well as seeking improvements to ensure those aims are fulfilled and costs minimised, FSB wants the Government to do more to ensure small businesses are aware of all the tax reliefs to which they are entitled. One way to do so would be to create a free feature within MTD software that will notify businesses about reliefs to which they may be entitled. firstvoice.fsb.org.uk
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FSB wants MTD to succeed, because the effective application of innovative digital technologies to the UK’s tax system could benefit every business in the country. Xero’s Mr Foster is optimistic. “FSB has a point: right now MTD is not delivering everything,” he says. “But we will get there. We’re working through a change and it will be difficult for some businesses. But it has lots of benefits.”
Mr Park is also hopeful, but stresses the importance of further Government action and support for small businesses. “I think eventually things will improve,” he says. “But in this transitory period the Government and HMRC should do more to make sure it’s not too burdensome. DAVID ADAMS is a freelance business journalist
Further information FSB: fsb.org.uk/join-us/membership/fsb-member-benefits/making-tax-digital tax.service.gov.uk/making-tax-digital-software gov.uk/government/collections/making-tax-digital-for-vat
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GUIDANCE FOR SMALL BUSINESSES
advice HOW TO...
Drive sales growth in a recovery The start of a new year is a good time to evaluate your approach to sales, to help ensure you can benefit from new opportunities that come along, says Paul Harland T WILL BE SOME TIME BEFORE we understand the full impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on our communities and economy. However, one thing is clear: the vast majority of small businesses have been negatively impacted by the lockdowns and uncertainty during the past couple of years. Nonetheless, global crises do tend to follow common patterns that business owners can learn from. One consistent pattern is that the economic recovery following a crisis produces both winners and losers. So the big question is: what can business owners do to ensure they not only survive, but also emerge as a winner? The following tips will help get you on the path to success in 2022.
I
40 | firstvoice | february-may 2022
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1
DEVELOP A HYBRID SELLING APPROACH
The crisis and the various lockdowns that followed threw up all sorts of challenges to the way businesses operated, but many high-performing businesses successfully adopted a hybrid selling approach. This involves leveraging the best practices of both in-person and virtual selling. Hybrid selling means determining the right cadence, process, tools and technology to win the deal, while being adaptable to the way the prospect wants to buy. It’s tempting to imagine that hybrid selling is a temporary deviation from ‘normal’ sales practices; however, a 2021 survey by McKinsey found that only 20 per cent of respondents
said they hope to return to in-person sales. The lesson here is clear: hybrid selling is not going away. Indeed, successful businesses will be those that master a mix of on-site and remote engagement.
2
BE LASER-FOCUSED AND QUALIFY HARD
Perhaps the array of solutions you offer would add value to any type of business, but spreading your net wide will result in a lot of wasted time. Remember, not all ‘suspects’ qualify to be ‘prospects’, so stay laser-focused on opportunities that have been thoroughly qualified. This will make your job easier. Businesses waste an inordinate amount of time giving ‘free consulting’ firstvoice.fsb.org.uk
31/01/2022 15:36
advice marketing
Businesses are competing with each other for customers after 18 months of just surviving focus needs to be; after all, it’s been tried and tested. However, take a moment to reflect on the way the market has developed during the past two years. Old business opportunities have diminished, while other significant opportunities have arisen overnight.
4
Illustrations: Jamie Jones
because they do not properly qualify opportunities. Further, make sure you understand your prospective clients’ buying process. Who are the decision-makers and how have similar buying decisions been made previously? It’s equally important to understand whether your prospective client is able to make the necessary investment in terms of not just money, but also time and resources.
3
REVIEW THE MARKETPLACE
Take a careful look at historic sales data. What are you selling most of and what type of business has been buying it the most? It’s easier to replicate success and perhaps this is where your
firstvoice.fsb.org.uk
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IDENTIFY PAIN POINTS
When engaging with a prospect there is a strong temptation to spend the call rattling off the key features and benefits of your solution – but this is exactly what your competitors do as well. Apply an 80/20 rule — you should be listening 80 per cent of the time. Have a list of questions prepared that will encourage them to tell you the issues they are currently facing and how it is hindering their business. Once you have identified their ‘pain’, you can transition the conversation towards how your solution could alleviate it. Your simple pain relief might expedite the sale. This is something most businesses struggle with as it involves a real change in behaviour. Think about the last 10 deals you closed; were they with businesses that you spent months working on and chasing? It’s very
unlikely. When a business needs and wants your solution, they will buy it.
5
STAND OUT ON ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
Environmental issues are front of mind for most, but are rarely considered in any dialogue around sales. However, that is changing: the 2021 Greenhouse Gas Protocol makes emissions reporting mandatory for larger companies in the UK. To date, this has focused on ‘Scope 1’ (direct) and ‘Scope 2’ (indirect emissions). However, ‘Scope 3’ will go much further, covering emissions up and down the entire value chain. In short, if you are part of the supply chain to larger businesses, your environmental policies will be a significant differentiator in the sales process. Business owners must adjust sales practices to the ‘new normal’ rather than hope for a return to ‘business as usual’. Undoubtedly, those organisations that identify, invest in and deploy resources to this challenge will emerge as the winners in the post-pandemic phase of the global economy. PAUL HARLAND is Managing Director of Sandler Training Kent february-may 2022 | firstvoice | 41
31/01/2022 15:36
Funding Platform
Ensure you have the funding to continue growing in 2022 From checking your growth plans to getting your documents in order, finance experts from FSB Funding Platform share the key things you need to know to help ensure you have the funding to grow your business in 2022
D
espite a tumultuous year, SMEs have rallied against the odds to build their businesses throughout the pandemic. The UK economy has been predicted to grow 4–5% in 2022. This sets a great precedent for SMEs to begin working on growth plans (if you haven’t done so already) and, more importantly, to set yourself up for the funding you need to secure your growth.
Have you defined your growth plans for 2022? Defining clear business goals and understanding how you’ll achieve them is the key to success. Before you begin looking at your funding options, ensure your growth plan is in order. You’ll want a clear roadmap to look back on when applying for funding options.
How can you decide which funding option is best for your business? When looking to fund your business for growth you may want to look at: Asset finance loans: These are best suited for businesses that want to purchase new machinery or replace existing equipment for growth purposes. Term loans: These offer growth capital and are suitable for companies that are looking to expand operations, enter new markets or finance an acquisition. 42 | firstvoice | february-may 2022
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Trade finance loans: These are best suited for businesses that need short-term credit for import or export trade to increase trade.
What can you do to set yourself up for funding success? Make a clear decision about what you need funding for You can apply for business funding for anything from investing in physical assets, new technology and personnel to increasing your marketing efforts or expanding into new markets. It’s important that you make your funding intentions clear to potential lenders so that you are matched with the best lending opportunities for your business. Decide how much cash you need Ask yourself how much capital you have and how much more you potentially need to achieve your goals. When applying for funding, ensure you ask for the right amount. Being transparent about your aims and having a solid plan will help guarantee faster access to lenders. It is also beneficial to have an achievable preliminary repayment plan in place – not only for yourself but also for lenders, to show that you are aware of the risks that you will be undertaking. Get your documents in order Don’t delay your funding application and your business’s growth plans by
not having your documentation ready. Lenders like to see proof of trading, such as six months to two years of accounts and/or bank statements. This helps lenders to understand your company history and funding options and decide whether they are in the best position to help you. You are still able to apply for funding opportunities if you have been trading for less than six months, as there are lenders who understand and back early-stage companies. Fortunately, our platform makes things a little easier with our paperless API banking connections and accounting app integrations so that you can quickly upload your documentation online as part of your application.
If you are planning to take your business to the next level, the FSB Funding Platform (fsbfunding platform.co.uk) uses technology coupled with friendly advice. Whether you need asset finance or term loans, we can help. APPLY NOW app.finpoint.co.uk/partners/ FSB-Funding-Platform If you’d like to speak to an adviser about your funding options, call us on 0330 097 2358
firstvoice.fsb.org.uk
31/01/2022 15:37
advice technical information
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HOW TO...
Stay safe while working remotely Remote working means small firms have employees accessing systems from home or public places. Owners need to wise up to the threat, says Charlie Acfield OMMERCIAL CYBERSECURITY USED TO mean exercising rigid control over on-site workstations, routers, servers and connected devices. The Covid-19 pandemic has established a ‘new normal’ of remote, interconnected workplaces and, with it, a set of working practices that are inherently less secure than gathering staff together on a single LAN, in the same physical space. The following tips will demonstrate what you can do as a business owner to reduce the chance of an intrusion.
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ADDRESS THE PUBLIC WI-FI NETWORK ISSUE
Remote workers often use public Wi-Fi – a focal point for cybercriminals looking to exploit weaknesses in unsecure hardware and extract data. A ‘man-in-the-middle’ attack tricks users into connecting to a compromised wireless network that steals data, by giving the Service Set Identifier a similar name to the ‘real’ network. Workers should use: Encrypted VPN connections Use a company-sanctioned virtual private network (VPN) service that secures data by encrypting it during transfer. Invite-only VPN connections work specifically alongside commercial routers, firewalls and switches. HTTPS websites Only use websites that start with ‘https’ instead of ‘http’. HTTPS is a secure version of the HTTP protocol that uses the SSL/TLS protocol for encryption and authentication on public websites. Verified networks Bars, cafés, restaurants, libraries and hospitality venues are low-hanging fruit for cybercriminals. Seek out the correct access point by asking staff, or reading Wi-Fi information in the building.
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COMPLEX PASSWORDS
The easiest and most cost-effective way to ensure a network is safe from threats is through password protocols that prevent unauthorised access and limit the number of options hackers have to exploit weak passwords. Two-factor authentication Passwords in isolation are less secure than requiring several
methods of authentication, so use two-factor authentication (2FA). When remote workers log in to a cloud-based or on-premise network, 2FA requires them to verify two pieces of extra information, such as biometric information or an SMS code sent to a company mobile phone. You can specify the factors required before a user is granted access. Make passwords hard to guess Remote workers may use the same password across private and public platforms. This can cause data breaches to escalate from minor intrusions to large scale corporate theft, using the same password across platforms. Deploy password management protocols – including 30-day expiry terms, 2FA and complexity guidelines – to ensure workers aren’t exposing employer data. Use a secure password generator to create custom passwords that meet complex requirements.
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STORE DATA RESPONSIBLY
Your remote working policy should prevent staff from saving data on personal devices, or on the hard disk drive of their company device – where possible, employees should only ever store data on company-shared drives held on a dedicated storage device. If your company permits the use of external storage drives, ensure you’re doing the most you can to protect the data. All devices should be encrypted and passwordprotected, and only used in line with company guidelines. CHARLIE ACFIELD is Technical IT Director at Totality Services february-may 2022 | firstvoice | 43
31/01/2022 16:56
advice legal
HYBRID WORKING
Location, location Many small firms plan on having a hybrid, flexible or remote workforce going forward – but there are legal elements to consider ahead of any such move YBRID WORKING IS A form of flexible working whereby workers spend some of their time working remotely (typically from home) and some of their time in the employer’s workspace (usually the office). There is, of course, no legal requirement for employers to change their existing working model. This is a business decision for each employer, provided that coronavirus restrictions in the UK are no longer applicable. A hybrid working model will not suit every employer or employee. It may not be practical, for example, for employees who require greater face-to-face supervision; for roles that require the employee to work on site; or for roles that require face-to-face client or customer contact. Hybrid workers also need to have the skills to work remotely, including good computer literacy and time management skills. A hybrid working policy should set out who is eligible for hybrid working, by making it clear which roles are suitable. The policy should also set out how often employees must attend the workplace. This could either be a fluid arrangement (for example, subject to employees attending the workplace a minimum number of days per week, but with greater attendance required when requested) or specify a set workplace-to-remote working
ratio. The policy should also set out any equipment or resources that will be offered to employees when working remotely, and other arrangements for remote working.
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HANNAH THOMAS is an employment solicitor at FSB Legal Hub. FSB members should ring the FSB Legal Helpline on 03450 727 727 to discuss legal issues
Implementing the change Employers must consult with their employees about proposed changes to work patterns or locations. If a decision is made to introduce hybrid working or to continue home working, existing relevant policies and procedures will need to be updated. Hybrid working may amount to a formal change to terms and conditions of employment if, for example, it involves a change of location or change of hours that is not already provided for in the contract of employment – for example in a contractual place of work mobility clause. Employers should consider whether to introduce hybrid working for a pilot or trial period, as a permanent or temporary contractual change to the terms and conditions of employment, or via an informal, non-contractual approach. Acas has produced guidance on hybrid working, covering introducing and planning for hybrid working, creating hybrid working policies and consulting on hybrid working. FSB members have access to our factsheet guidance on hybrid working on the FSB Legal Hub, as well as a template hybrid working policy and a contract
clause for hybrid working (if hybrid working amounts to a contractual change). A template letter seeking agreement to implement hybrid working, where the hybrid working arrangement amounts to a variation of contract, is also available.
Health and safety Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, employers are responsible for providing a working environment that is, so far as is reasonably practical, safe, without risks to health, and adequate as regards facilities and arrangements for their welfare at work. The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 provide that employers should carry out an assessment of the general risks to employees’ health and safety while they are at work, including those working from home and/or under a hybrid working model. If the employee is a hybrid worker, the employer must conduct two risk assessments: one for home working (usually a self-assessment) and one for workplace-based working. You are only responsible for equipment you have provided to your workers, but should make sure it is being used in a safe environment, as far as possible. Not every incident in a person’s home will be reportable to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). It may be reportable under Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations if it was a result of the work being done or the equipment you have provided to work with. The HSE has released guidance on managing home workers’ health and safety, which includes health and safety duties around display screen equipment assessments and the employer’s legal responsibilities regarding the home working environment and accidents.
Unless otherwise stated, the advice on this page applies to England and Wales only
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20/01/2022 12:18
RESOURCES TO HELP YOUR START-UP SUCCEED
first steps BUSINESS PROMOTION
Spread the word Any fledgling firm needs to get the word out to potential customers about who they are and what they do. Alex Wright explores the different ways of doing this TARTING A BUSINESS CAN BE daunting at the best of times. First, you need to put together a watertight business plan. Then you need funding to get it off the ground. But one of the most important elements, which is often overlooked, is effective promotion. There are many ways to do this, yet most small businesses don’t have a big budget to spend on advertising and marketing campaigns. Here are five ways firms can get their name out there, attract more customers and increase sales.
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Develop a website Think of your website as your shop front to the world. It’s key to structure and write the content so that it’s easy to read. Use keywords that your target audience are most likely to look for in search engines, and that will distinguish you from the competition. Determine this by carrying out thorough market research to find out what their interests are.
“The more competitive the market you are in, the more effort needs to go into making sure that your business is easily found by your target market,” says Charlotte Sheridan, Director at The Small Biz Expert. “So, first and foremost, you need to understand your customer and what is likely to be of value to them when they are searching for something they want or need.” Include details about what your business does and the products or services you offer, making it easy to find what they’re looking for. And keep your website regularly updated with topical blog posts and links to your social media.
Make use of social media If you are not on social media, you’re missing a big opportunity to engage and build your network, and/or sell your product or service. With so many
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platforms, it’s crucial to research them to see which are the best for your business and where your target audience is. Once you have set a profile, it’s vital to interact regularly with connections or followers. Provide relevant news and updates, comment on subjects in your area, and answer their questions, as well as joining and participating in relevant industry and consumer groups. “This is great brand-building activity, and offers your audience the ability to speak with you on various platforms through the direct message inboxes,” says Debbie Porter, MD of Destination Digital Marketing. “Consumers are increasingly turning to this method of communication to speak with brands and so once you are on social media, firstvoice.fsb.org.uk
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first steps business promotion
Staying local Taking out an advert in a local magazine may seem old-school. But for Simon Barker of S Barker Electrical, based in Pudsey, West Yorkshire, doing so in On Your Doorstep and That Leeds Mag has led to a six-times return on investment per month. “Advertising in local magazines makes up about 30 per cent of the revenue I bring in,” says Mr Barker, who goes by gingerelectrician. “In the last month, I spent about £500 and brought in £3,000 in work.” To get the most out of your advertising you need to find a magazine relevant to your industry and/or location. Then try different advert formats to see which works the best. Deby Jackson, owner of That Leeds Mag, says: “Local magazine advertising is a great way to raise awareness of your brand in the wider community. The more regularly you do so, the more noticed your business gets and the more traction you can build.”
embrace it by joining in with conversations and sparking your own topics.”
Digital marketing and advertising The key to strong marketing is getting the right product, place, price and promotion. Digital marketing and advertising needn’t cost the earth and can be powerful tools for promoting your business if you get them right. Again, you need to target the best medium, whether that’s email marketing campaigns or social media advertising. To work effectively, you need to sell your value difference and give customers a reason to buy from you. For email marketing, Hollie Whittles, owner of Fraggleworks, says: “Get people to sign up to your mailing list and grow it organically. Data is your biggest asset, so firstvoice.fsb.org.uk
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once you’ve captured their details keep them engaged with regular and relevant content, such as special offers and deals.” FSB has a marketing and PR hub to help promote your business, featuring a host of guides and videos from experts to get you started. Find it at fsb.org.uk/skills-hub/ knowledge/marketing-and-pr.html
Local marketing, advertising and PR While digital is a core part of a promotion strategy, marketing and advertising locally in newspapers and magazines, and on radio, should never be overlooked. With print advertising revenues being cut in recent years due to the advent of digital and advertisers dropping their rates, there are many opportunities out there.
If you take out an advert, make sure you include a link to your website so that readers can go online to explore your offering further, as well as your contact details. Advertorials are a good way to tell your story and engage the reader, rather than giving them a hard sales pitch. Press releases are a way to get your story out without paying for advertising. Keep it simple so the journalist can write it up easily or use it on a radio news bulletin. “There’s nothing better than the good old-fashioned press release,” says Merewyn Sayers, owner of Sayers Solutions. “Pick up the phone and call your local paper or radio station and see if they are interested in your story and, if they are, send them a press release.”
Don’t ignore networking One of the oldest forms of promotion is networking. Just like social media, you need to figure out which are the most valuable events to attend for your business. There are many different formats, from corporate face-to-face meet-and-greets to online events, and hybrids in between. “There are three key considerations to bear in mind when networking,” says Kevin Horlock, performance coach at Reigate & Redhill Referrals. “The technique you need to adopt for the type of event you are attending; the time you are willing to invest; and how to get the most out of it.” When you meet someone, listen carefully to what they have to say before telling them what you do and the products or services you want to promote in as succinct and interesting a way as possible. Over time, look to develop these relationships and win their confidence to get referrals for your business. Some events have a slot for speakers, which is an opportunity to engage a wider audience, provide an insight tailored to their needs and get them to take action. Whichever route you choose, make sure you have done your homework and that you’re fully committed to make it work. ALEX WRIGHT is a freelance business journalist february-may 2022 | firstvoice | 47
31/01/2022 15:42
first steps my journey
SWETWIPES
Fresh start Liz Barnes launched SwetWipes Ltd back in 2020, just before the pandemic hit. But while that caused challenges, it also helped to redirect the fledgling firm and make it thrive. Nick Martindale reports
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Can you tell me about the business and how it was set up originally? I was working as a medical rep for a company that sold skin prep products to hospitals, and I got quite into one of the products I was selling, which contained chlorhexidine. It was prioritised over iodine by NICE in April 2019 as the first choice for skin prep in hospitals. I thought a weaker version of this ingredient, to cleanse bodies on-the-go, would be ideal for sportspeople or people who cycled to work and didn’t have time to shower. There were lots of baby wipes on the market but they weren’t designed for adults. I did a bit of research and worked out what would be a safe level to have in a home product and what the regulations were. I then found some factories in China that would make them for me. It was important to me that they were biodegradable because I could see that being plastic-free was becoming more important. In November 2019 I placed my first order, and it arrived a week before the first lockdown.
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How did lockdown impact the business?
A week or two of panic hit! I couldn’t see who was going to buy them,
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because everyone was suddenly at home and no more than 50m from a shower. I’d ordered enough to last for 18 months to two years but people started panic-buying anti-bacterial products, even though they don’t kill viruses. I was selling 1,000 packs a day through Amazon and eBay. I was still working so I didn’t have to take a salary, so I invested all the profit back into the business and ordered another 20,000 packs.
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What made you shift the focus of the business?
I got the next order in but had a few weeks without any stock. During that time I got a couple of emails from customers saying they were amazing and they couldn’t use a shower because they were disabled. I thought maybe I was barking up the wrong tree with the sports market. So I changed tack and concentrated on the elderly and disabled market. We also started targeting HGV drivers who were on the road as essential workers but couldn’t use washrooms because they were shut due to Covid-19. In October 2020 I was doing well enough to be able to take a salary, so I handed my notice in and it’s grown ever since.
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first steps my journey
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What do you see as your unique selling point?
company and I outsource the reception and telephone answering to a third party as well. That has meant I have been able to scale up without having to take on many staff, which has been key.
We have quite a few! It’s mainly the fact that we make wipes for adults. Baby wipes are tiny in comparison; these are three times the size and more than double the thickness. Unlike baby wipes, our antibacterial agent removes the bacteria on skin that cause body odour. It’s also the level of moisture in them – you can squeeze them out like you would a flannel, whereas baby wipes can be quite dry.
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What advice would you have to anyone starting out?
It was a bit of luck that I found the elderly and disabled market
Is it just yourself in the business?
Earlier this year I applied for Kickstarter funding, so I’ve now got a Kickstarter employee who does 25 hours a week picking and packing in the warehouse, and a good friend who does a few hours a week bookkeeping around her children. But I’ve stayed away from having full-time employees and paying full-time wages, and I didn’t have any premises until I was 18 months in.
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You’ve changed the name of the product as well. What was the thinking there?
The company is called SwetWipes but quite a few customers said they didn’t like that. A few of them suggested we call it FreshWipes, because they leave you feeling fresh, so that became our brand name and we’ve never looked back.
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Is there anything you would have done differently?
I probably could have done a bit more market research to find out whether the sports market would have been big enough. It was a bit of luck that I found the elderly and disabled market, and if I’d stuck with the sports market I don’t think I would have been able to leave
my job. Today around 85 per cent of sales is to the elderly and disabled, and about 15 per cent is HGV drivers. But we are starting to get approached by different sectors. We’ve sponsored a transatlantic rowing team called Team Wild Waves who do two hours on and two hours off and don’t have showers, so they’re using our wipes. In the summer, the camping market made up a significant proportion of our sales, and the Duke of Edinburgh Award also has wipes as part of its kit-list so I’ve approached them about potentially becoming a partner.
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What’s been the hardest part of setting up on your own?
It can be quite lonely at times – especially in the beginning before I had any staff and no one to bounce ideas off.
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Is there anything you wish you had known back when you started?
I have had to find out things as I’ve gone along. I have taken on a payroll
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Try to keep your overheads as low as possible. If you can, have a few months’ savings before you can start because businesses are like cash-hungry cows at the beginning. You also need to be prepared for a lot of hard work.
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What other challenges do you face?
Logistics has just been a nightmare. You used to be able to get deliveries in about eight to nine weeks but at the moment it’s taking a minimum of 16. The factories in China are running on reduced power so the production is taking longer, and then you’ve got to wait for shipping space, which is at an absolute premium. Companies are having to pass those costs on to the consumer.
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What are your plans for the future?
Customers are asking for variations on what I currently do, such as a smaller wipe to put in a handbag, and I’m working on an unscented one at the moment. I’m also thinking about other products for people in my main market, such as shampoo caps so they can wash their hair without water. Another is a box to keep the wipes fresh and sealed. New product development takes up a fair bit of my time.
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first steps your questions
Sale rules and rent arrears Our legal experts are on hand to provide you with advice on setting up and running your own business. Adam Grimwood, a solicitor at FSB Legal Hub, answers some of the latest queries
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I’m thinking of having a sale – are there rules about what I can and cannot do? Various pieces of law and guidance govern this, but probably the most significant is the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008. The clue is in the title, and all traders should remember that sales and promotions must be genuine. If an item is marked as in the sale, it must genuinely be so, and it’s unlawful to suggest otherwise. If you refer to a previous price as well as the reduced price, the item must have been genuinely on sale for the previous price for a significant period of time. To suggest an item is now in the sale when in fact it had only ever been on sale at the higher price for 24 hours would clearly be unfair. If your sale is advertised as having ‘up to 80 per cent off’, make sure a significant proportion of the items in the sale have 80 per cent off. It wouldn’t be right to have hundreds of items in the sale with 10 per cent off and one with 80 per cent off, but market it as an ‘Up to 80 per cent off’ sale. If the sale is advertised as being for a fixed period of time, the duration must be genuine. For example, if a retailer is holding a ‘flash’ one-day sale, that sale must only be for that day, otherwise it puts misleading pressure on the consumer to buy there and then. When it comes to returns, the Consumer Rights Act 2015 applies
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regardless of whether the item was in the sale. Consumers are entitled to return faulty items, and this includes reduced items. Where a retailer may tweak things is regarding ‘non-faulty’ items – for example if a shop allows customers to change their mind within a certain period, even when there is nothing wrong with the goods.
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Misleading or unfair trading practices are criminal offences. The consumer also has various legal remedies, including unwinding the contract, seeking a discount or suing for damages. Businesses should be able to produce evidence of compliance. From a legal perspective it is wise to adopt a safety-first approach.
Q
During the pandemic, I built up rent arrears on my premises. My landlord now wants me to pay. What’s the latest? In England and Wales, the ban on forfeiture of commercial premises for rent arrears and restrictions on bailiffs’ ability to seize tenants’ goods remain in place until 25 March. The Commercial Rent (Coronavirus) Bill, passing through Parliament, will ringfence outstanding unpaid rent built up in lockdowns. Landlords should allow for ringfenced rent arrears from forced periods of closure and share the impact with tenants. Agreement should be sought between parties and, if unsuccessful, there will be a legally binding arbitration process, delivered by private arbitrators in accordance with guidelines. There is an amended ‘Code of Practice for Commercial Property Relationships Following
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the Covid-19 Pandemic’, which will be expected to be adhered to. The Code: states that, where affordable, a tenant should meet their obligations in full makes clear that preservation of the tenant business’s viability should not be at the expense of landlord solvency states tenants should not have to take on more debt – or restructure their business – in order to pay their rent provides guidance on negotiation, with the intention that they should resolve rent disputes before the Bill comes into force, where possible. The Bill will prevent landlords from issuing court proceedings pursuing ringfenced debts while arbitration is available or ongoing, and also prevent landlords from petitioning for the bankruptcy of a business tenant following non-payment of a statutory demand relating to any ringfenced debt served on or after 10 November 2021 and before the Bill comes into force. The Bill is subject to passage through Parliament, so may be altered. firstvoice.fsb.org.uk
31/01/2022 15:44
YOUR NEWS AND INSIGHTS
member spotlight
CONSTRUCTION
Second TV slot for Scottish firm ERTHSHIRE CONSTRUCTION firm JML SIPs has featured on Channel 4’s Grand Designs, four years after making its first appearance. Back in 2017, presenter Kevin McCloud visited its manufacturing unit near Dunning to film the team turn out and erect precision-engineered panels for a project billed ‘London’s smallest home’.This time, the firm’s ‘structural insulated panels’ were crafted for a challenging listed building project closer to home. Rumbling Bridge couple Iain and Jenny Shillady took on the daunting task of transforming a dilapidated 150-year-
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old ‘bothy’ within a walled garden setting on the Briglands estate. Iain, a partner with Edinburgh firm Staran Architects, turned to JML SIPs’ commercial director Derek McIntyre to provide the kit for their imaginative family home, which blends the old and the new. “We had to keep it under wraps until the programme was aired but it is so exciting to feature on a second episode of Grand Designs,” says company director Katie Langley. “For the Rumbling Bridge commission, we supplied and erected the thermal-efficient SIPs kit for a modern extension to an old gardeners’ hideaway.
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“There was a real juxtaposition between the traditional and the contemporary but thankfully Kevin was won over, calling it ‘charming,’ and so were nearby residents of the original Sir Robert Lorimerdesigned estate buildings.” In 2018, the company was also involved in the much-acclaimed ‘RIBA House of the Year’ project in the Highlands, which was announced on Grand Designs. The company’s civil engineering business, JML Contracts, was founded 15 years ago, and Auchterarder couple John and Katie Langley also head up JML Garden Rooms, which has seen a surge in demand as more people work from home. february-may 2022 | firstvoice | 51
31/01/2022 15:46
member spotlight your news and insights
PUBLISHING
Young Sofia takes a leading role OT MANY BUSINESSES can claim to have a four-year-old CEO, but this is the case for Birmingham-based Super Personalised Books. The firm has been trading for six months, since Ayesha Asghar spotted a gap in the market after the birth of her daughter Sofia. “I stumbled on some research that documented the power of personalised books, and how they had the power to keep children engaged,” she says. “I ordered some books for my daughter when she was born and unfortunately it did not look like her, so we decided to create our own range of books.” Now four, Sofia is the company’s ‘child excitement officer’ and helps to ensure the books meet the needs of the target audience of young children. “My daughter has an impact on all the books, from creating games to story
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themes,” says Ayesha. “We would like to build a community of CEOs across the country and create a generation of children who want to read!” Sofia recently met children’s author David Walliams at the National Entrepreneur Awards (pictured),
where the firm was a runner-up in the family business of the year category. The company offers more than 40 books, which can be personalised with over 400 options, meaning customers can make the recipient the star of the story. “Our typical customer would be aunts, uncles and grandparents, family friends and people who are looking for a gift for birthdays, new parents, football fans, or everyday books,” says Ayesha. “We also have seasonal gift books for Christmas, Easter, Diwali, Hanukkah, Baisakhi, Eid and Chinese New Year.” The business is also developing a subscription package through which children can receive regular gifts, and is working on a book to tackle racism. FSB readers can receive a 20 per cent discount on any orders, using the code FSB20
PODCAST
Local media puts the ‘buzz’ into Bromleyy Three FSB members have come together to create a podcast, having becoming frustrated at the lack of local media. Darren Weale of In Tune PR, Zeenat Noorani from Vida de la Mariposa Coaching and Sarah Marsh-Collings of Babel Monkey Digital Marketing created the Bromley Buzz after initially working together with local Rotary Clubs to provide online sessions designed to help unemployed people find work during the pandemic. “We found that there was a lack of local media to get any
story through,” says Darren. “In a borough of 325,000 people there is now just one thin newspaper, no community radio station and some social media.” The podcast has interviewed 35 people, including a sevenyear-old girl who plays football with Orpington FC, Bromley Little Theatre’s Chair of Trustees Keith Jeremiah and actor Alice Foster, and Warrant Officer Mark Cain of the 106th Regiment, Royal Artillery. It has also run a special edition with Chicago actor Darren Day, and local MPs
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Gareth Bacon and Sir Bob Neill have pledged to appear. “People are loving the idea off a community media dedicated to spreading good news stories and promoting the borough in all its diversity,” says Darren. “It started as a pilot show. If no one had taken any notice, it would have ended there. We’ve added social accounts for Bromley Buzz on Twitter and Instagram, and are on Podbean, Spotify, Tune In and Apple.” The plan is to grow and create a community of people who can help each other and
area. “We’ve already the area brought people in the borough together who hadn’t heard of each other yet who can help each other,” says Darren. “We need more support to get a website up, run events and do anything special that puts more Buzz into Bromley. That will help the community, mental health and prosperity.”
firstvoice.fsb.org.uk
31/01/2022 15:46
member spotlight your news and insights
PETS
Online move pays off 5 MINS WITH...
Peter Appleby, 186hr
Q
Tell us about your business 186hr is an HR consultancy that supports SMEs that do not have in-house HR, or need a fully qualified expert to advise their team.
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How did it get started? After working for 20 years in HR roles I set up my consultancy. I combined this with interim HR roles while I built the business.
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How has it developed since then? After initially trying to satisfy every HR need employers may have on a day-rate basis, I now offer a monthly subscription service where customers receive ‘Practical Guides’ to HR issues such as redundancies, grievances and disciplinary action. This often includes me writing letters for customers where needed, rather than simply giving them templates. This has been really popular.
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What’s the best thing about working for yourself? Work/life balance. I can be available 8am to 7pm for customers while using downtime to walk my dog, exercise and do the garden!
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What’s the worst? I am not a natural networker and getting new customers has been hard.
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What advice do you have for people keen to start a new business? Be flexible and resilient. In my first year I changed my proposition three times.
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How has FSB membership helped you? Advice, networking and templates in areas I was not comfortable with such as finance.
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Tell us something fun… A few years ago I learnt to skipper a yacht and now my holidays are spent on flotillas in Greece, Croatia and Turkey.
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OG TRAINING business Kirsty’s Paws discovered a whole new way of servicing clients during the Covid-19 lockdowns. “During the peak of the pandemic it was not safe, or possible, to see any of my clients in person, so I moved to Zoom calls and online training courses,” says Kirsty Everard, who set up the business in 2018, having worked with dogs since 2011. “It has been great to be able to return to in-person classes, but as a result of the pandemic I also now offer access to my online courses so that my clients can view and rewatch videos that will help to support them in their
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training. My online courses have remained available for anyone to purchase, too.” Kirsty set up the business after realising that many behavioural problems for which dogs are rehomed can be prevented, and offers one-to-one training across Bournemouth, Poole, Wimborne, Christchurch and Ferndown. Courses include puppy classes, a ‘terrific teens’ course and a short recall course. Kirsty’s advice is to follow your vision. “It was the best decision that I have ever made, but it’s really important to focus on establishing positive connections with other like-minded people, too, because at times it can be quite difficult on your own,” she says.
HONOURS
MBE recognition at last FSB Area Lead for Coventry & Warwickshire Sandra Garlick has collected her MBE at Windsor Castle – a day that nearly never came, after she missed the deadline for accepting the award while caring for her terminally ill father. “I was living at my parents, helping to care for him, and had been about three weeks late sending the paperwork back to accept the nomination,” she said. “The letter notifying me was in a pile of unopened post. “I was very proud that I was able to tell my dad before he passed away,” she says. “He died the day before I was due to collect the award, on 12 March 2020. I had
declined the invitation because he was so poorly. I then received another date in June, but by then we were in lockdown so it was postponed again.” Sandra runs the Woman Who Achieves Academy and hosts awards celebrating female achievers. She is also an ambassador for the Coventry charity The Luca Foundation and a non-executive director of Warwickshirebased Career Mums. “I’m incredibly proud to be awarded the MBE,” she says. “It’s the one award you can’t put yourself forward for. I’m also proud of the fact that it not only recognises my achievements, but enables me to show other women what they are capable of achieving.” february-may 2022 | firstvoice | 53
31/01/2022 15:46
member spotlight your services
WELLBEING
pirkx of the job A new service offered by FSB aims to give small business owners the chance to access a range of affordable wellbeing benefits HEN YOU’RE WORKING FOR yourself, looking after your wellbeing is crucial to the success of your business. We’re enhancing the support we offer to FSB members with our new service, FSB pirkx. The subscription-based platform gives you access to affordable wellbeing benefits for small business owners and the self-employed.
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Photography: Getty
Designed for small business owners pirkx was founded by a team of small business owners who were frustrated by how complicated and expensive it was to access wellbeing benefits for themselves and their employees. The pirkx team set out to create something affordable that brought wellbeing benefits to everyone, whether self-employed, part of a company or working as a contractor. FSB pirkx offers access to a wide range of wellbeing resources that would normally only be available to employees of larger businesses, from healthcare services to shopping discounts. 54 | firstvoice | february-may 2022
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Look after your health
Stretch your money further
Whether it’s a video call with an online GP, a block of six telephone calls with a BACP accredited counsellor or virtual physio at your fingertips, with the pirkx app you have access to a range of health services on-demand. FSB pirkx also gives you access to discounted health cash plans, insurance and unlimited mental health support to help you build your resilience skills.
Stay active during your workday with discounts on gym memberships across the UK or, if you’ve got a busy schedule, you can join virtual gym classes at a time that suits you. With the addition of a range of shopping discounts, you’ll be able to save on everyday purchases and get discounts on days out.
Create a wellbeing package for your team As an employer, you can create your own personalised wellbeing package and reward your staff to promote loyalty and retention. When you add your employees to the pirkx platform, they’ll have access to all the same benefits. With your own personalised pirkx benefits platform, you’ll be able to manage your team’s memberships, create surveys, and promote reward and recognition with their kudos and gift card functionality.
No commitments or contracts When you join FSB pirkx, there’s no minimum contract. You’ll pay one fee based on the number of employees and the subscription type you choose – you have the option of monthly, quarterly or annual, so there is lots of flexibility to suit your business or budget. An FSB pirkx subscription offers affordable wellbeing benefits for you and your team. To sign up, visit pirkx.com/signup/FSB. If you’d like to find out more about any of the pirkx benefits before signing up, please get in touch with the pirkx team on 020 3830 7918 or email fsb@pirkx.com firstvoice.fsb.org.uk
31/01/2022 15:47
member spotlight your services
MEET THE MEMBER
BENEFITS
Sense of belonging Mark Collier is owner of re-Mark-it, a scrap metal recycling company based in Bedfordshire. He has been an FSB member since he started his own business more than 17 years ago
FSB member benefits FSB members can access a wide range of marketleading services, including specialist advice, financial expertise and built-in insurance protection. FSB Business Banking Free everyday banking services
Q
within a day. I had a call back in 15 minutes, along with a clear explanation of what I could do. I was sent a template letter and given instructions so I was covering myself. The process would have taken much longer without FSB.
Can you tell us about yourself and your business? I worked in the waste industry before setting up as a scrap metal merchant over 17 years ago. Since then, re-Mark-it has grown to a team of five and become a limited company.
Q
Why did you join FSB? When I was starting, I spoke to another local business owner about joining FSB and they said it was the best thing they had done for their business. I had somewhere I could turn to for advice and services to help me run my business. It’s an investment in your business and you get access to a range of information and services, as well as opportunities to connect with other members.
Q
As a long-time member, what do you find most beneficial? I look at my membership as an insurance policy – you may not need it all the time, but the protection is invaluable. When you’re working for yourself, it’s reassuring to belong to an organisation that helps to fight for small businesses. Even through we’re in different industries, we all have the same goal in common.
Q
Can you tell us about your recent experience with the legal advice line? The legal advice line was brilliant. HR can be time-consuming when you’re running a small business, so it was great to have my problem solved
Q
How are you promoting sustainability within your business? We recycle all forms of ferrous, non-ferrous and precious metals, and the work we do helps reduce carbon and save energy. Our metal is recycled responsibly all over the world through various foundries, smelters and exporters. We’re reducing the use of natural resources that would otherwise be needed to make new metals. I feel we have a responsibility to make sure we’re as environmentally friendly as possible. We try to keep waste to a minimum, which not only keeps our costs down but is also better for the planet. Many of our business procedures are now done electronically to save paper. We encourage customers not to use plastic bags when they bring in materials. Currently, we’re looking to source our own branded bags that are strong enough to hold scrap metals so we can give them out to customers, as they will last longer. Get started on your journey to net zero with advice, guidance, events and more on our sustainability hub. Visit fsb.org.uk/sustainability
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FSB Care Dedicated nurse support for physical and mental health conditions
FSB Cyber Protection 24/7 cyber security guides, documents and insurance
FSB Debt Recovery 24/7 support, free template letters and discounted legal costs
FSB Employment Protection 24/7 HR advice, employment documents and tribunal insurance
FSB Funding Platform One simple application, impartial financial advice and 24/7 support
FSB Health and Safety Advice Expert advice, online documents and on-demand training
FSB Insurance Service Exclusive discounts, advice line and free business continuity planning kit
FSB Legal Hub 24/7 advice line and over 1,300 guides and documents
FSB Legal Protection Scheme Save thousands with legal expenses insurance at no extra cost
FSB Making Tax Digital App An HMRC recognised app designed to make MTD compliance simple
FSB Payments Discounted card payment processing solutions
FSB pirkx Affordable health and wellbeing benefits for you and your team
FSB PR/Crisis Management PR advice, crisis communications support and insurance
FSB Tax Investigation Protection Support and insurance for certain business-related HMRC enquiries
FSB Workplace Pensions and Payroll Discounted workplace pensions and payroll management packages
Are you making the most of your membership? To learn more about each benefit, visit fsb.org.uk/benefits or call customer services on 0808 20 20 888 february-may 2022 | firstvoice | 55
31/01/2022 15:48
DRIVING BUSINESS AMBITION
THE HOME OF FIRST VOICE ONLINE
firstvoice.fsb.org.uk Your destination for cutting edge small business advice content:
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Visit firstvoice.fsb.org.uk today to explore content that will keep you ahead of the game.
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31/01/2022 11:18
member spotlight my business
Can you briefly tell me about your business? Unleash Enterprises delivers training, mentoring and consultancy to assist businesses in implementing Lean and continuous improvement techniques into their operations. Essentially, we work with businesses, both large and small, to help them with whatever they require to succeed. That might be developing their strategy, training their people, or implanting the processes and procedures required to make a Lean implementation.
When and why did you first set up the business?
MY BUSINESS
Steve Burrell
I was recruited by Yeovil College to head up their delivery of a ‘Lean’ NVQ programme, and I was approached by another training provider to see if I would consider ‘going it alone’ so that I could also deliver on their behalf. I took a chance and set up in 2008.
A chance approach while still in employment led to the creation of Somerset firm Unleash Enterprises back in 2008
How has it developed since then?
would be pre-Covid-19! He deals with all of the business media, and I devise and deliver the programmes of work.
It’s been an extraordinary journey, during which I have worked with more than 3,000 people in over 150 different businesses. The early work I did was reliant on people accessing ‘Train to Gain’ funding, which essentially meant they got my services for free. When funding began to be withdrawn, I gave the whole business five minutes! However, here I am 12 years on, and what began as a vehicle to deliver NVQ programmes has grown into a business that has allowed me to work with leading organisations.
Who else do you have working with you? Photography: Getty
distance. Now there isn’t a ‘typical’ day. Sometimes I am on-site, sometimes I work from home.
My colleague Phil Elson is the technical whizz who created our website and has devised the processes that allow customers to access the licences to use our products online. We never knew how valuable this firstvoice.fsb.org.uk
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Who do your main customers tend to be? Although I believe that Lean principles provide huge benefit for any type of business, my primary customer base is in manufacturing, and includes businesses such as Sunseeker, Babcock and the RNLI, as well as dozens of others, manufacturing everything from cheese to the mechanism that operated the Olympic cauldron at the London Olympics in 2012!
Is there such a thing as a typical day? There was before Covid-19! My work was always on the customers’ premises, working directly with people. Then came the pandemic, and we used Teams to be able to train, communicate and navigate systems from a
What’s the most unusual situation or request you’ve had? Probably to deliver an extensive programme with the care sector through seven regional seminars, followed by 30 one-day interventions, during which I did everything from running problemsolving sessions to re-organising laundry.
What are you most proud of, from a business perspective? Changing lives. People often come to me with scepticism, but many have gone on to be hugely successful in their vocations and have taken the principles with them.
How does your FSB membership help? FSB works hard to champion the cause of the small business and makes sure our needs are considered at the highest level of national decision-making.
How would you like the business to evolve over the next few years? I’d hope to work more closely with businesses to ensure the principles are embedded at top level, but I’d never want to lose the opportunity to work directly with people.
And the longer-term plan? Much depends on what happens as we exit from the effects of Covid-19. I feel we are on the cusp of a manufacturing renaissance, and I hope that we can contribute.
What do you do to relax? I’m a huge football fan and go to watch my team, West Ham, as often as possible. I also enjoy swimming and golf. february-may 2022 | firstvoice | 57
31/01/2022 15:48
TECHNOLOGY TO HELP YOUR BUSINESS
tech bits GADGETS
All kitted out This quarter’s pick of the gadgets includes a battery with a ‘theoretically endless’ lifespan and a laser scanner that could spell the death of the tape measure
2 Trust Bayo Wrist pain is the bane of the habitually desk-bound and can lead to serious long-term problems if left unaddressed. The Bayo, from Trust Electronics, is a rechargeable wireless mouse that has been designed to minimise strain on users’ muscles. Its upright configuration and slightly curved handle allow underarms and wrists to rest in a natural position, enabling hours of tension-free operation. The mouse, which has a 1m range, has two thumb buttons to allow easy web-browser navigation, and there is a choice of cursor (800/1200/1600/2000/2400 DPI). The Bayo can be switched off when not in use to extend battery life and includes an RGB light with a customisable colour cycle on the thumb rest. The Bayo is available now for a fraction under £30. trust.com 58 | firstvoice | february-may 2022
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HOZO Design Meazor It looks like the end of the tape when it comes to measuring by hand. The Meazor laser scanner has been designed for creative professionals, as well as DIYers, and includes six functions in a pocket-sized device. Its stainless-steel frame encompasses a 2D floorplan tanner, a laser measurer, a scale/rolling ruler, a curve measurer, a bubble level and a protractor. A 184 PPI tempered-glass touchscreen and 4096-grade magnetic encoder are built to withstand bumps, while a 650mAh battery, which can be topped up via USB-C, should keep the Meazor going for up to 30 days of wireless use on a single charge. An accompanying smartphone app enables users to import designs, draw and edit plans, and share and export four types of CAD files wirelessly. The Meazor is available to buy from Hozo’s website for approximately £150. hozodesign.com firstvoice.fsb.org.uk
31/01/2022 15:52
tech bits new kit and apps
STM Goods ChargeTree Swing For many staff, home working in some form has long since progressed from being an emergency stopgap to an apparently indefinite arrangement. To help those struggling to replicate an office environment in their home, STM has created the ChargeTree Swing. This neat desktop device dispenses with tangled knots of cables by providing the capability to charge three devices wirelessly at the same time. Set to cost just under £70, the space-saving gadget can handle phones as well as AirPods, AirPods Pro and Apple Watches. As a bonus, the Swing ‘arm’ allows Apple Watch faces to be visible while charging, and can be swung away when not in use.
3
With last year’s COP26 summit focusing business minds on the increasingly critical issue of climate change, it has never been more important to ensure companies are run as cleanly and sustainably as possible. To that end, Aceleron has developed Essential, the world’s first reusable, repairable and fully recyclable lithium-ion battery. Designed to be able to handle a range of high-voltage applications, from electric vehicles to data centres, each individual part of the battery can be accessed to repair, replace or upgrade, giving it a theoretically endless lifespan, while its tough, rubberised construction renders it all but impervious to knocks. Expect to pay around £1,000 per unit. aceleronenergy.com firstvoice.fsb.org.uk
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Keeping track of who is in a building can be a nightmare. Sign In App is a smartphone-friendly sign-in and room booking system to keep track of staff whereabouts and capacity. The Safety+ update allows multiple employees to complete a roll-call simultaneously, giving fire marshals instant access to a list of who is on-site. Available as a free 15-day trial, after which a 12-month subscription costs £295, or you can pay £1,000 for a full package. signinapp.com
Powell Software Together
stmgoods.com
Aceleron Essential
Sign In App Safety+
4
Powell Software Together is a new small-businessoptimised intranet that can be accessed via Microsoft Teams to enable easy collaboration. As well as enabling staff to share ideas and documents, it brings office admin, IT support and HR information under a single umbrella. Compatibility with Teams enables it to be up and running almost immediately, and scaled to suit the size of your business. A typical cost would be £295 a month for 100 users. powell-software.com
Alpha Legal Online communication is the norm for much of the UK’s workforce, but is vulnerable to hackers. Created by cybersecurity expert Robin Bennett and launched during the first Covid-19 lockdown, Alpha Legal is a subscription service to help lawyers, accountants and estate agents secure and maintain client relationships virtually. Its smartphone-based functions include secure ways to complete forms, send messages and share documents, as well as a system for on-boarding clients without physical meetings. Subscriptions start at £10 (plus VAT). alphalegal.co.uk february-may 2022 | firstvoice | 59
31/01/2022 15:56
BEST OF FIRST VOICE FROM THE WEB AND SOCIALS
digital voice TOP TIPS
Five social media content ideas for your firm
1
VIDEOS: With Instagram’s focus shifting to video, businesses are turning their attention to video and reel content. Why not record some videos of your business, product or services? You could even join in on trending Instagram Reels to gain exposure and maybe even go viral!
2
REPURPOSE YOUR CONTENT: Got a relevant blog, webinar or podcast? Create a visual graphic or carousel post to help promote and create longevity for your own content. This is a simple way to increase the lifespan of your work and bridge your different channels.
OSTING REGULAR, GOOD quality content is key for any small business wanting to attract new followers and engage with their current audience. If you’re struggling with the dreaded social media writer’s block, have no fear – you’re not alone. Here are five ideas to inspire and help level up your social media content…
P
3
POLLS AND QUESTIONS: The challenge with social media isn’t just to gain new followers – you also have to engage with and retain your current audience. Whether it’s a story or caption, using polls and questions are a great way to make your audience feel involved.
4
CUSTOMER-GENERATED CONTENT: From five-star reviews to content sent or posted by your customers about your business, this is a great and easy way to interact with your audience.
5
CREATE A SERIES: Series are an effective way to fill up that content calendar. Find something that works and stick to it consistently on a weekly basis. You could try a #QuoteOfTheWeek, #WebinarWednesdays or #ThoughtfulThursdays. This may even get your audience to go back and view previous posts.
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ONLINE
First for knowledge The First Voice website is packed full of practical advice and tips to help you grow your business. Here are just some of the articles that have been grabbing your attention recently Save time, money and energy in 2022 bit.ly/3tAROMa
Start 2022 in the right way bit.ly/3rz6TLn
How to boost your website performance bit.ly/33S0NNZ
Attract investment for your business bit.ly/3AeV1lF
Embrace change in your business bit.ly/32clELw Find more at firstvoice.fsb.org.uk
Knowledge centre To see more webinars, podcasts and other interactive media, scan the QR code
firstvoice.fsb.org.uk
31/01/2022 15:58
tech bits digital voice
D I G I TA L I S S U E
New year, new tech This year, we published a special digital issue of First Voice in partnership with Dell Technologies that brought together a host of tips and useful information about technology for small businesses. Read it now at adobe.ly/3sXxB2O
VIDEO
How to boost your small business in 2022
WEBINAR
This video, in association with Dell Technologies, provides seven ways technology can help you grow and prosper. bit.ly/FVBoostBiz
Make the most of your membership Maximise your Membership events take place every other month, with the next one on Monday 28 February from 12.30-1.30pm. This is a free online event open to all new FSB joiners and any existing members who want to refresh their memories regarding our benefits. Now more than ever is the time to make the most of your benefits, whether it’s exploring the FSB Legal Hub and updating your processes; understanding what FSB Care could be doing for your wellbeing; or learning how FSB Debt Recovery or FSB Funding Platform could help with cash flow. Find out about the lobbying work we undertake on your behalf and the services and benefits of membership for small businesses. You can ask questions to ensure you’re getting the most from your membership and are familiar with all the benefits and protections you’re entitled to. fsb.org.uk/ event-calendar/maximise-yourmembership-28feb.html
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AWARDS
Covid response recognition In November, our FSB webinars aiming to aid small businesses at the start of the pandemic were chosen as a winner for the ‘Best membership engagement during Covid-19’ category at the Covid Response Awards.
EVENT
The Small Business Tech Summit 2021 Through seven quickfire sessions, the inaugural free Small Business Tech Summit brought together a host of expert speakers to explore how technology can help small businesses meet the challenges of today – and seize the opportunities of tomorrow. Watch now for free, on demand: bit.ly/FVTechSummit
How to protect your small business against cyber attack Four ways to ward off the fast-changing threats posed by cybercriminals. bit.ly/FVCybersecurity
PODCAST
The big issues facing small businesses in 2022 In this episode, we round up the big issues and expected trends that all small businesses need to be aware of for this year. bit.ly/FVPodcast15
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31/01/2022 16:58
STUFF TO DO IN YOUR SPARE TIME
out of office
I C O U L D T R Y. . .
Tai chi Mesmerising to watch and challenging to master, tai chi is an ancient art that’s good for both mind and body, says William Ham Bevan FTEN DESCRIBED AS ‘meditation in motion’, tai chi is the most graceful and flowing of physical arts. Done properly, its smooth, fluid movements can look effortless – but appearances are deceptive. Although it’s a comparatively gentle, low impact form of exercise, tai chi demands significant physical effort and a high level of mental concentration. Dave Bailey teaches the Wudang style of tai chi in east Cheshire, and has been a practitioner for more than 20 years.
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One thing often overlooked, he says, is that tai chi originated as a martial art: “Every single one of those slow, graceful movements has a martial application – either offensive or defensive. However, over the years, it has progressed into this art form.” According to legend, the origins of tai chi rest with Zhang Sanfeng, a 12th-century Taoist priest. After observing a fight between a crane and a snake in the Wudang mountains, he used their movements as the basis
of his first set of techniques. “It’s about the harmony and the balance of life,” says Mr Bailey. “Yin and yang. When the snake strikes forward, the crane arches back; and when the crane goes forward, the snake goes back.”
What does it involve? Classes take place in a calm, quiet environment – often outdoors, on occasions when the weather permits it. The instructor may begin with guidance on visualisation, meditation, posture and firstvoice.fsb.org.uk
31/01/2022 16:00
out of office i could try...
Studies suggest it can help alleviate arthritic knee pain, aid weight loss or reduce blood pressure and the people that come along to practise this art are not so much students as fellow travellers,” says Mr Bailey. Sessions normally end with cool-down exercises. Those who become proficient at ‘empty hand’ forms of tai chi may go on to work with weapons such as the sword, staff or fan.
How do you get started?
breathing, and a physical warm-up of simple circles and stretches. The main part of the session is about learning the forms and movements, with names such as ‘parting the horse’s mane’ or ‘white crane spreading wings’. It’s a matter of observing the instructor, emulating them, listening to their feedback, and repeating: tai chi is a precise art, and each form requires time and application to perfect. “To me, tai chi is a journey firstvoice.fsb.org.uk
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You’ll find no shortage of instructional videos online, but it’s highly recommended to find an instructor and join a group. Once you have a grasp of the basics, continuing to practise outside of classes is essential – whether it’s solo in the garden or with likeminded companions in the park. The number of different styles of tai chi can be bewildering, and is a matter of some controversy. It’s generally agreed that there are five primary types, with a lineage going back to medieval China: Yang, the most popular; the more energetic Chen; plus Wu, Sun and Hao. Other authorities would add three or more offshoots of these as being ‘pure’ styles. Mr Bailey says: “Try to choose an instructor who follows one of the authentic styles. You get martial artists who have done something else before – say, karate – and when they take up tai chi, they’ll introduce some karate, whether inadvertently or purposefully. Stick to someone who has the lineage of a true form.” The main umbrella organisations for tai chi in the UK are currently the Tai Chi and Qigong Union for Great Britain (taichiunion.com) and the
British Council for Chinese Martial Arts (bccma.com). Both websites have searchable lists of instructors.
What are the benefits? Tai chi isn’t a great calorie burner – it has been suggested that it’s about equivalent to a brisk walk – but like all weightbearing exercise, it’s good for the musculoskeletal system. The main physical positives are to be found in improved core strength, coordination, balance and suppleness. However, enthusiasts swear by the psychological benefits of tai chi. Regular sessions have been credited with lowering stress and anxiety, encouraging better sleep and putting the brakes on mental ageing. There’s some evidence of therapeutic value, with studies suggesting it can help alleviate arthritic knee pain, aid weight loss or reduce blood pressure. It’s often recommended as a low-risk form of exercise for those in later life, or with chronic conditions – but, as ever, it’s worth taking a physician’s advice.
What does it cost? There’s no kit to buy. Tai chi can be practised in any loose-fitting clothes, such as a T-shirt and tracksuit bottoms, and thin-soled shoes are recommended, rather than heavily cushioned trainers. Classes are seldom expensive. Dave Bailey (tanddspares@googlemail.com) charges £5 per session, while group tuition in central London tends to start at around £15 an hour. february-may 2022 | firstvoice | 63
31/01/2022 16:01
out of office downtime
TEAM BUILDING
Scream if you want to go faster For a team building experience that’s a true rollercoaster ride, consider booking your next awayday at an amusement park Chessington World of Adventures With more than 40 rides and attractions, a zoo and a hotel complex, Chessington is among the UK’s biggest amusement resorts. Its awayday events include the Go Wild challenge: each team has to rush around the resort to find locations, take pictures and answer questions. This is also the only UK theme park with a Go Ape franchise, where you can get your team swinging through the trees; the package includes room hire, refreshments and lunch. Theme park and zoo entry are available as an add-on.
The Go Ape package, starts at £79pp for a party of 10-100 (chessington.com).
Thorpe Park Thorpe Park bills itself as ‘the UK’s most thrilling theme park’, and many would agree. It offers a range of team building packages, delivered by third-party providers and most suitable for larger groups. Popular options include the Chocolate Coaster Challenge, where teams design and create their own ride out of confectionery, and the GPS Challenge, where teams are sent out into the park to
SPEND IT
The tide is high Bracing clifftop walks, cosy pubs, beaches free of summer crowds – spring is ideal for a break in one of Britain’s best coastal towns
1 Aldeburgh, Suffolk
1
Colourful, cultured and eccentric, Aldeburgh is a place to saunter along the long shingle beach, browse in independent shops and feast on fish and chips straight from the paper. A morning’s walk along the Sailors’ Path leads to the Snape Maltings arts complex, which keeps alive
the spirit of Aldeburgh’s most famous resident, Benjamin Britten. The Red House, which the composer shared with Peter Pears, is also well worth a visit. The Brudenell Hotel occupies a plum spot on the beachside, with spectacular sea views. Doubles from around £103 (brudenellhotel.co.uk).
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answer questions, unlock clues and find GPS ‘hotspots’ using a mobile app. Packages based around the GPS Challenge start from around £100pp for a party of 35 (thorpepark.com).
Paultons Park The emphasis is on family-friendly fun at this 140-acre park in the New Forest. Peppa Pig World is its best-known sector, but there’s also Tornado Springs, The Lost Kingdom, Critter Creek and Little Africa. Corporate offerings include family fun days, meeting and conference packages,
2
Berwick, 2 North East Lothian
3 Lymington, Hampshire
Once portrayed as a satellite of Edinburgh, North Berwick is now a foodie destination. Much coverage has been devoted to hotspots such as Steampunk Coffee, Bostock Bakery and the Bonnie Badger, but the town’s timeless attractions are as much of a draw: walks on the sands and hikes up North Berwick Law for views over Craigleith and Bass Rock. Reopened after restoration, the Marine North Berwick is a local landmark offering baronial standards of luxury. Doubles from around £133 (marineandlawn.com).
Sandwiched between the New Forest National Park and the Solent, Lymington is a great place to meander through cobbled streets, popping into pubs that date back to the town’s seafaring heyday, and watch the masts come and go in the marina. Ambitious walkers can follow the Solent Way to Keyhaven wetland reserve, where spring sees the arrival of migrant birds. Cosy rooms on offer at the Angel and Blue Pig, a 13th-century coaching inn. Doubles from around £119 (angel-lymington.com).
3
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out of office downtime Stanley Franklin Daily Mirror, 1963 and awaydays. The Business and Pleasure option includes full park entry, use of a function room, AV equipment and stationery, and lunch and refreshments. The Business and Pleasure package starts at £50.95pp for a party of 10-100 (paultonspark.co.uk).
Diggerland Diggerland offers theme parks with a difference: the chance to operate dumpers, excavators and other construction vehicles. Businesses can choose from dumper racing days, corporate fun days and team building challenges. The Bronze programme includes three activities from a list of five – such as blindfolded 4x4 driving, JCB relay races and digging challenge – plus a turn on the Spindizzy. The Bronze Team Building Challenge starts at £89.95pp for a party of 12-36, and is available between March and October (diggerland.com). Other UK parks offering team building include Drayton Manor (draytonmanor. co.uk), Alton Towers (alton-towers.com), Oakwood (oakwoodthemepark.co.uk) and M&D’s (scotlandsthemepark.com).
4 Barmouth, Gwynedd
With its endless beaches, mountainous hinterland and wooden viaduct, Barmouth is among the most photographed towns on Cardigan Bay. It has one toe dipped in the past, with arcades and souvenir shops doing brisk summer trade. It’s quieter in spring, when there’s scope to enjoy the outdoors – such as the Mawddach Trail that follows the river to Dolgellau, or hiking and mountain-biking in Coed y Brenin Forest Park. The Tilman, with 11 bedrooms above a buzzy bar, is nautical miles removed from the traditional B&B. Doubles from around £120 (thetilman.co.uk).
The contrasting appearance of Harold Wilson and Alec DouglasHome (and their respective parties) proved a gift to Sixties cartoonists. £385
Victor Weisz (Vicky) Evening Standard, 1960 Vicky is among the most collectible of cartoonists, with his caricatures of Harold Macmillan as ‘Supermac’ still in demand. £975
INVEST IT
ART WITH CHARACTER If you invest in the original artwork of a political cartoon, be prepared for it to become a talking point. “The lovely thing about them is that they never become wallpaper,” says cartoon expert Dr Tim Benson. “Cartoons capture a moment in time, and they’ll always have an impact.” The figures portrayed in a cartoon can have affect the price. Dr Benson, who runs the Political Cartoon Gallery and Café in London (original-political-cartoon.com) and has written books on the art, says: “People like Churchill or Thatcher raise the value of a cartoon, and one of a prime minister is probably going to be of more value than one of a cabinet minister. Blair and Bush are popular, and of course Trump was a gift to satire. Then there are cartoonists who are famous for drawing certain figures, and those are their most collectible pieces, such as Steve Bell doing John Major or David Cameron.” Interest in the most eminent cartoonists of the 20th century has remained solid – such as David Low with his takes on Hitler,
Peter Brookes The Times, 1999 A Times stalwart since 1982, Mr Brookes contributed this comment on then-PM Tony Blair and Lib Dem leader Charles Kennedy. £875
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Bruce Bairnsfather and his ‘Old Bill’ character, Punch cartoonist Ernest H Shepard, Philip Zec of the Mirror and Carl Giles of the Express. Beneath this division, tastes and fashions quickly change. “It’s sometimes the reverse of that idea of the penniless artist whose work only becomes valuable after their death,” says Dr Benson. “Take someone like [Express and Mail cartoonist] Michael Cummings, who died in 1997. He was selling his artwork then for far more than it achieves today.” When buying online, it’s essential to get an idea of the physical form. The Evening Standard’s ‘Jak’ (Raymond Jackson) worked on boards almost 2ft across, while Steve Bell’s drawings are scarcely larger than they appear in print. It’s also worth knowing that some pieces may include corrections that are obvious in the original art, although undetectable when reproduced in print. Here are four works currently offered for sale at the Political Cartoon Gallery.
Christian Adams Evening Standard, 2021 A riff on the Euro 2020 tournament and Boris Johnson’s plans to end lockdown, from the Standard’s main political cartoonist. £435
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01/02/2022 11:04
last word guy browning
a small business All under control Working for a large firm may feel secure, until the day when that illusion is shattered. At least when running a business, we’re in charge of our own destiny ANY YEARS AGO, IN THE FAR-OFF days before the pandemic, I was involved in a big project. It was a very big project for a very big company. I was just a tiny freelance cog in one small part of a very complicated operation. This project was truly global, covering pretty much every country in the world, and probably involving about 50,000 people in total. It’s probably not prudent for me to tell you the details of the project because the company involved has big teams of lawyers with big budgets and an unquenchable thirst for blood. What I can tell you is that the project involved announcing the company’s new global strategy. And that’s what we did, all over the world. The best part of the project was that I earned so many airmiles I was able to take my family on holiday to the US twice. The bad news, obviously, was that I didn’t see much of my family before we went on holiday. But the reason I wanted to share this story with you was not to boast about my Gold Card status (long gone). It’s because of what happened to that project and why it made me glad I’m essentially a small-business person. The new corporate strategy we launched was called something very much like ‘Fit
M
for the Future’ (but completely different in strict legal terms for those circling lawyers), and we had to persuade all the employees worldwide that their future would be rosy, too. It took six months to roll out the good news until we got to the last event, in Germany, which was suddenly cancelled. Why? Because the global company had been bought by an even larger company. No one now had any idea what the company’s future was and whether they fitted into it at all. Do you think the senior management didn’t know they were going to be bought while we were out telling all their people how fit their future was? I couldn’t possibly comment. The ‘Fit for the Future’ rollout probably cost a couple of million
Those people were at the mercy of stratosphere-level decisions often made in another continent
66 | firstvoice | february-may 2022
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pounds – peanuts for them, but a lot off peanuts, nonetheless. This was great for all the freelancers involved, like me, but I can’t help thinking what it must have been like for the employees in the company, who took time out of their day job to be told how ‘Fit for the Future’ they were. It must be pretty difficult to feel a sense of attachment, loyalty and passion for a company that does this kind of thing to you. In fact, for the people in this particular company, that was the third time it had happened. What none of those people around the world had was any measure of control over their own destiny. Sure, they could work hard, develop their skills and top up their pension – but in the end they were at the mercy of stratosphere-level decisions often made in another continent. Small business aren’t, thank God. Yes, we’re vulnerable to pandemics and recessions and government whims, but we have control of just about everything else. If we succeed or fail, it’s down to us. It’s our decisions that affect us, and not those made by bosses we’ve rarely seen. I hope as we emerge blinking from the pandemic that all your businesses are still ‘Fit for the Future’. If you think yours is, then I’m happy to help you roll out the good news to all your staff. Unless you just want to pop next door and tell them yourself. GUY BROWNING runs the design agency Smokehouse. smokehouse.co.uk firstvoice.fsb.org.uk
31/01/2022 16:04
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