Yorkshire BusinessWomen by Yorkshire BusinessWoman & TopicUK

SUPPORTING FEMALE ENTREPRENEURS ACROSS THE REGION

Nº3 Bi-Monthly

A TopicUK Publication

April 2021

Pastures New AFTER LONG BBC CAREER

FROM TRAINEE TO PARTNER TAKING THINGS BACK TO BASICS BECOME A YORKSHIRE BUSINESSWOMAN MEMBER WITH OUR EXCLUSIVE CLUB Yo r k s h i r e B u s i n e s sWo m a n

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This issue

Yorkshire Businesswoman are delighted that professional photographers Lincoln Roth and Perrin Read who specialise in portrait photography are our partners for this exciting new magazine. Roth Read Photography work closely with both private and commercial clients because client’s stories inspire them to capture images which are creative, authentic, and invoke emotion. It is the attention to detail which adds value to a personal legacy or business brand. Their aim is to provide you, our readers, with the best images and experience.

Group Editor Gill Laidler Design Rob Blackwell Business Executive Mandy Taylor Official Photographers Roth Read Photography

Cover : Danni Hewson Image : Roth Read Photography

To Partner Yorkshirebusinesswoman - Tel: 07711 539047  hello@yorkshirebusinesswoman.co.uk Pastures new after long BBC career

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Growing up in chaos shapes future

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From trainee to partner at historic firm

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The big idea

To go cloud or not to go cloud

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19 40 54 68 82

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by group editor Gill Laidler Welcome to the third edition of YorkshireBusinesswoman magazine.

It has been four months since we launched our first issue at the end of November last year and what a fabulous response we have had. There really are some incredible businesswoman and entrepreneurs in our region. Our cover this time features former BBC Five Live presenter Danni Hewson. Danni has had a brilliant career in broadcasting and as she moves on to pastures new, I caught up with her to find out what the future holds.

The views expressed by the contributors are not necessarily those held by the publishers and therefore, no responsibility can be held by the publisher for misinterpretation. Reproduction of this magazine without the express permission of the publisher is prohibited. Whilst every care is taken in the production of this magazine, the publisher/editor and staff cannot accept any responsibility for errors in articles, advertisements or programme schedules. To subscribe to this magazine contact 07711 539047 or email hello@ yorkshirebusinesswoman.co.uk yorkshirebusinesswoman.co.uk Published by Ghost Publishing Limited.

Last month we teamed up with Time to Bloom to bring a fabulous online event to our readers. The evening began with a relaxing yoga session followed by capsule wardrobe styling and the main event of the evening, working with menopause where our panel, including myself, talked about this, a subject that affects all women and how to cope in the workplace. There are a number of Time to Bloom events coming up, check out the dates at the back of this issue and don’t forget to order your goody bag!

Contents & Comments

Editors notes

Hill from Thrive Law who is going to be on hand to answer all your questions. If you have an employment law related question, forward to us at hello@ yorkshirebusinesswoman.co.uk and we will arrange to have Jodie answer it for you. We celebrated International Women’s Day in early March, and asked our readers to nominate the person who most inspires you. We received lots of stories about inspirational women, far too many to publish the information about them all, but we have listed the ladies you think are making a difference in our region.

Finally, as lockdown begins to ease, we are planning a range of face-to-face events this summer in conjunction with Dakota Leeds. The first is planned for July 2nd. A number of our events will be for Yorkshire Businesswomen members only, check out details of this exclusive new club on page 8, and how you can join. Until next time

Gill

During the pandemic we found lots of people were asking questions about employment and what their rights were during You can email us at these difficult times. To help, hello@yorkshirebusinesswoman.co.uk we have teamed up with Jodie or call us on 07711 539047 Yo r k s h i r e B u s i n e s sWo m a n

Wish your business was in the headlines? Tell your story with

www.scribapr.com

Love Art Love Nature Love YSP Pre-booking is essential Plan your visit at ysp.org.uk

Yorkshire Sculpture Park, West Bretton, Wakefield WF4 4LG 1 mile from M1 J38

Henry Moore, Large Spindle Piece, 1974. Courtesy the Henry Moore Foundation. Photo © Jonty Wilde, courtesy Yorkshire Sculpture Park. Registered charity 1067908.

We are planning a whole host of opportunities for you. There will be a dedicated area on the Yorkshire Businesswoman website, exclusive for our members with lots of hints and tips on how to make your business a success. You will receive promotion for your business online and you will have a dedicated page to post your business news.

Become a Yorkshire Business Woman member

Photo:Pexels

Following the successful launch of Yorkshire Businesswoman magazine last year, we are now launching our special members club. You will receive invitations to exclusive events where you will network and socialise with likeminded businesswomen and receive special offers, discount and support from other members and local businesses. Over the Summer, Yorkshire Businesswoman is planning to hold a number of face-to-face events (Covid permitting) at the beautiful Dakota Leeds. Our first is scheduled for July 2nd and open to our all members.

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Over the next few months we will grow our member offers which will reflect in the cost. Early sign up members from 1st April to 1st December will pay just £10 per month, or with a slight discount of paying just £100 for the year if paid in advance. As offers and membership grows, so will our members price, but early sign ups will always just pay the initial low rate. Yorkshire Businesswoman features entrepreneurial women and their business journey. As a member you will be able to reserve free space within the magazine telling your story to thousands of readers across the region. Yorkshire Businesswoman magazine also appears on our app alongside sister publication TopicUK, where we can post offers and discounts you may wish to share with other members. For further information, or to sign up to this great offer, email hello@ yorkshirebusinesswoman.co.uk

Yorkshire Business Woman charity of the year

Each year our publications choose a charity of the year and donate free space to help them with promotion. We also try to help them raise funds and encourage others to do the same. Yorkshire Businesswoman for the next twelve months will be working with Global Diversity Positive Action, a charity set up by Sharon Jandu. Global Diversity supports socially excluded people and helps them improve their lives through community interaction, social inclusion, confidence building, selfawareness and career aspirations. Based in Huddersfield the charity

has a functional space that includes rentable space and they provide services to the community such as digital training and digital literacy. Courtesy of sponsors CityFibre and Vodafone, they enjoy the fastest broadband in the Kirklees area. This space can also be booked for other training and all funds go towards running this city centre space. The charity also runs the Kickstart

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scheme that provides funding to create job placements for 16 to 24-year-olds who are at risk of longterm unemployment. Regardless of the size of your business there is funding available.

Each edition we will provide updates but in the meantime if you would like to know more about this fantastic charity or are interested in helping a young person on their Kickstart scheme visit www. globaldiversitypa.com or email info@globaldiversitypa.com

BECOME A MEMBER OF THE PIECE HALL The Piece Hall is the only remaining Georgian cloth hall in the world and an internationally-significant heritage destination. Today, it is also a great place to drink, dine and dive into the very best of independent retail and culture. The Piece Hall is free to enter for everybody and a third of its events are free of charge. You can help keep it this way by becoming a member today!

W H AT ’ S I N I T F O R YO U ? Not only is becoming a member a great way to show your support for regional culture and heritage – membership means that you get the full VIP treatment. • Priority booking for top events • Exclusive offers to use at our independent shops • Exclusive invitations to memberonly events and previews

W H AT ’ S C O M I N G U P ? There’s lots to look forward to this year, and The Piece Hall is playing its part to make sure that you can enjoy our space safely. With an enormous 66,000 sq ft courtyard, 40 exciting independent businesses and an impressive lineup of events, The Piece Hall is the perfect place to shop, relax and enjoy some well-deserved downtime.

• 10% off The Piece Hall souvenirs • A chance to ring the historic bell

S I G N U P T O D AY

• £5 off your first order over £15 at The Trading Rooms restaurant

thepiecehall.co.uk/membership 01422 525 200

The Piece Hall, Blackledge, Halifax, HX1 1RE The Piece Hall is a registered charity number 1156948

Networking in the Yorkshire Dales I launched Dales Business Women at the end of 2017. My intention was for it to be a networking event for predominantly locally based women,” she continued, “but women came from 30 miles away, even from Cumbria 40 miles away, which was a surprise. We currently hold events in Hawes, Reeth, Richmond and Masham and I was just about to launch in County Durham when the first lockdown hit, so we moved all of them online.

Sharon Davis’s first job was a cashier in a pharmacy when she was just 15 years old. “My heart was in journalism though, that was what I wanted to do, so as soon as I was able to, I went to Nottingham Trent University to study Broadcast Journalism.”

Not originally from Yorkshire, Sharon wanted to do something different for a few months so moved to the picturesque Hawes in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales and was impressed by how

industrious people were. That was five years ago! “I had been living in Hawes for about a year when I started freelancing in PR again. But I wanted to meet like-minded selfemployed professional women, so

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“The smaller rural villages attract around 10 ladies, which is excellent as I was told by a well-meaning person that if I got four attending, I would be doing well,” she laughed. “The bigger towns like Richmond, average about 20 members ranging from makers, food producers, health and wellbeing practitioners, retail, business coaching and professional services. All events are just for women, but businesses owned by men, can send a female member of staff. That said, some of our spin-off services such as our Dales Christmas Market is open to all.” So, what does a typical day look like for Sharon? “I also own a PR agency, working part-time so I can look after my daughter, so I do squeeze a lot into three days. Pre-pandemic days were a mix of working from my home office, visiting clients and going to one of our networking

FACT FILE: Husband / partner name:

Tim Davis

Children:

Amabella, 3

What car do you drive? Black Vauxhall Astra

What do you do in your leisure time?

I go the gym which I really enjoy but I do it because exercising is important. But running two businesses and having a toddler means I’d love to rediscover the concept of leisure time one day.

Where is your favourite restaurant? Easier to state cuisine – Chinese

What is your favourite food and drink?

I’m big on flavoursome food and love a Gin and Tonic – who doesn’t?

events, once a fortnight at lunch or in the evening. Now, I generally work 6am to 10am, spend the day with my daughter then jump onto Zoom or Facebook rooms to catch up with the ladies, though most meetings are in the evening at the moment,” she added.

“All events are online for now, but it is my intention when we are back to face-to-face meetings, I will look for partnerships and sponsors with businesses. The overarching goal is to grow our reach in Yorkshire and the North East.

Where is your favourite holiday destination? Ghana

Where is your favourite place in Yorkshire? Richmond

What is your favourite gadget? Fitbit

What couldn’t you live without? Bible

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Meet the Yorkshire Master of Joyful, thoughtful design

Amy was interviewed by Leanne Pollard, Textile Designer and Creator of Hattie Lloyd Home

Amy Wilson is a woman who isn’t afraid to reinvent herself. She has been on a bold journey crafting her passion for interiors and, in the last year, has transformed it into her profession. Amy’s career has taken a few twists before launching Amy Wilson Interiors. We wanted to know how interiors became her full-time job and how she ended up being a contestant on the ‘BBC’s Interior Design Masters’ this year. Amy moved to Leeds Trinity University when she was 18 to study a Geography. She wasn’t quite sure what she wanted to be when she grew up, but the thought of being a weather girl was attractive. After graduating, Amy landed a role working with Yorkshire Television as a ‘Marketing Intelligence Officer’ ‘’This was a fancy job title’ Amy explained. “but in a nutshell, I helped to co-ordinate marketing and sales activity. It was really fun, and it’s where my love of marketing, and promoting other people’s businesses began.” At 27, Amy took a bold leap and started her marketing and PR business. One client she secured was the celebrity hangout of that time, The Living Room bar and restaurant group. We asked Amy where her excellent taste and love for interiors began. ‘’My l Mum ignited my love of interiors,’’ Amy said. ‘’When I was young, my mum and dad separated, and we went from living in a beautiful four-bedroom detached

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house to moving to a small house; my mum had two kids and no money. But I don’t remember it being hard times. I remember the warmth, happiness, laughs and positivity that my mum gave us. My mum was so creative and hands-on with DIY, and she made our little house into a lovely home for us all. My mum is my biggest cheerleader and inspiration.’’ Like many women, Amy uses her talents of juggling work and multitasking with her family to keep evolving herself and her business whilst being determined to hang on to her independence by being self-employed. Amy has done a fantastic job renovating her 1890’s Mill House home in the suburbs of Leeds. ‘’With a few breaks in between, there has been a project going on in our house for 11 years,’’ Amy declared. She started using Instagram around 5 years ago to share interiors inspired pictures, including those from her home and

IMAGES: Amy & Alan with the other contestants from the show

“Being a part of Interior Design Masters was one of the most thrilling things I have done for my career...”

Amy’s inspiration - her mum

Working on a dream - Amy’s motto

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liked the opportunity to chat with likeminded people. That is when her ‘insta handle’ @thisstylerocks was born. She rebranded this handle to @amywilsoninteriors recently, which has an admirable 41K following. Amy modestly told me she put her success down to starting Instagram at the right time, but we can see her style, ideas, and content are totally engaging if you are looking for a good interiors boost. Amy continued ‘’Instagram led me to meet people ‘in real life’ who shared my passion and love of interiors and indeed of Instagram. These days, I enjoy scrolling through stories and sharing bits and pieces of my life, but I do not pressure myself to post unless I have something to share or something to say.” Her professional marketing and PR skill set have served her well. She has successfully built her large audience as evidence of her knowledge of connecting with people about Interior Design. Due to Amy’s huge ‘interior loving’ audience, the BBC contacted her to ask if she would announce the application deadline for the 2nd series of Interior Design Masters to her followers. ‘’I didn’t think to enter at first, but when lockdown began last March (2020), my marketing work began to dry up with all the uncertainty. I am a restless soul, and like application processes, so I decided to give it ago. I was shortlisted out of 1000 plus applications, and then in June (2020), I got the call that my application was accepted’’. Amy explained. That was when the work began, and it took up almost every moment of her time. Amy’s fantastic teamwork was judged by renowned interiors guru Michelle Ogundehin who said this

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year’s contestants’ standard was incredible. Amy made it to the end of the second round and could not have been prouder and happier with what she had achieved.

IMAGES: Left : Amy working at Interior Design Masters Below: Amy’s interior design work for clients

‘’Being a part of Interior Design Masters was one of the most thrilling things I have done for my career, and in fact for me, ever. It felt like a huge privilege to be part of something so very exciting during one of the strangest years in recent times. When the world had stopped for a pandemic, we were able to escape into a creative world of Interior Design with the hilarious Alan Carr and nine other incredible designers. No regrets at all.’’ Amy admitted. After the incredible experience of being on the show, we asked Amy what was next for her and her business. ‘’I plan to continue growing my Interior Design business with aspirations to create joyful and thoughtful designs. I want to share my passion for marketing and find a way to merge a desire to help other businesses grow through the power of interior design’’.

There isn’t much clarity or inspiration to be had staring at the wall close range. 3.

Add punchy artworks and motivational quotes which give an accent but don’t distract.

Don’t have just a white box, colour; even monochrome evokes calm but gives a sense of purpose to a home office.

Storage – it’s crucial to have a tidy, organised office.

Natural light is vital to feeling e ne rgised; use a desk lamp and other lamps within a home office. I don’t recommend harsh downlights, and I recommend blue light glasses; they seem to help me when I have a ‘screen heavy’ day.

A lot of office furniture isn’t pretty. If you’re struggling to find a practical and not an ugly desk, upcycle an old dressing table or console. If you do this, make sure you have an adjustable chair to position yourself correctly or a standing desk to switch it up throughout the day.

Using plants is essential, just like adding colour to your office; there is so much research to prove this.

A notice board is a must to help keep the focus on daily tasks and long-term goals.

Amy was lucky enough to have a garden office installed just before lockdown, here is her tips to make the most of your home workspace. Home Office Tips 1.

Create a dedicated workspace as drifting around the house isn’t productive.

Turn desks away from facing walls, create a view even if it’s just an opened door.

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Pastures new after a long BBC career Images: Roth Read Photography- Many thanks to Yorkshire Sculpture Park

Growing up, former Five Live presenter Danni Hewson had no clear idea what she wanted to do.“I was horse mad and wanted to be an Olympian,” she laughed, “But after one career day, I decided I quite liked the idea of being a barrister.”However, washing pots in a tiny restaurant in the local village was Danni’s first job, she was just 15...

“I remember having to psyche myself up to go in for that first shift,” she told us, “I was really nervous, and the time passed so very slowly. But the sense of pride when I got that first little envelope full of cash was revelatory. I kept a part time job from that point on, even through all my exams. I think it’s so important to get real life experience of what it is like to punch a time clock. So many business owners I have spoken to over the years have complained about the work ethic of their new hires – honestly, I think it’s more that they don’t really understand what going to work is like. After leaving school, Danni headed off to De Montfort University in Leicester to study English and Media. “When I left, I spent quite a few weeks on work experience in solicitors’ offices and with a wonderful barrister at Grey’s Inn. But it never really fit with me and later, when I went for an interview at ITN and realised it was on Grey’s Inn Road, I had an odd sense of life coming full circle. Journalism wasn’t my first love but the first time I walked into a radio station something just clicked for me.”

Danni began working with the BBC in 2002. I’d had my London experience and I was ready to come home to Yorkshire,” she explained. “I was so ‘green’, I remember the first time I filmed a piece to camera, I think it took me about 30 attempts to get twenty seconds just right. A lot of changes occurred during my 19 years with the BBC, unsurprisingly technology played a major part in that. When I started making television, we always had a camera operator and they shot on video tape,” she explained. “If we were filming a segment for the lunchtime news, the producer would have to send out a courier on a bike to physically pick up the tape and take it back to the newsroom to be edited. By the time I left, I could broadcast from my mobile phone.”

TOP LEFT: Joana Vasconcelos, Solitaire, 2018 OVER: Joana Vasconcelos, Pavillon de Thé

Danni had been a journalist for over 20 years before joining 5 Live as their business presenter. “Getting the opportunity to present an hourlong business programme on national radio was a privilege and a joy,” she Yo r k s h i r e B u s i n e s sWo m a n

continued. “The role was incredibly demanding, and I know I really had to rely on my previous experience to help me pull it off. The team at Wake Up to Money are astonishingly professional and talented. It was a real honour to work with them. Women like Rachel Burden, Naga Munchetty and Anna Foster paved the way for women in the industry and I can’t believe I’ve been lucky enough to call them colleagues. Today, newsrooms are generally very mixed and inclusive places. Women are front and centre on air and there has been a real push to make sure women are fairly represented as contributors too. “It wasn’t always that way,” she added. “There are still people out there who don’t like to hear women asking the questions. Of all the thousands of lovely, supportive texts and tweets I’ve had over the years. I’m sad to say it’s the negative ones that stay with me, like a thorn. Jibes about female giggles, girly chatter and high-pitched voices. Yes, we’ve come a long way, but there is still work to be done.” Since our interview with Danni, she has left 5 Live and moved to pastures new. “I don’t know what days will be like in my new job and I have started in the midst of lockdown restrictions, it probably means it will be some time before I really get a feel for things. I can explain though what much of last year was like for me. “Presenting 5 Live’s hour-long morning business programme from my kitchen table was an experience I will never forget,” she told us. My

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Fact File

Husband: Tony Earnshaw (journalist and author) Children: Abigail 14, Emily 12. They keep me on my toes and make me think about women’s roles in the workplace in a different light. What car do you drive? Nissan Qashqai – I’ve always had to have a practical workhorse. What do you do in your leisure time? I spend most of my free time ferrying the kids to the stables but I enjoy a bit of yoga and during lockdown the girls and I have tried to broaden our culinary horizons – cooking dishes from right around the world. Where is your favourite restaurant? I just love The Barn in Huddersfield. It’s a tiny little place with the incredible Ben Franco cooking the most amazing food right in front of you. He’s brilliant at making tweaks so the kids can enjoy his cooking, too. What is your favourite food and drink? Champagne is never a bad idea but, honestly, I think I slosh because of the amount of tea I drink. If I had to pick one food, it would be bread… fresh, warm, crusty bread! Where is your favourite holiday destination? I love the USA. My absolute favourite place in the world has to be Big Sur particularly at sunset. Where is your favourite place in Yorkshire? Runswick Bay – I was kind of hoping no one else would notice how great it is but The Times put paid to that last year. What is your favourite gadget? Garlic press – I know you should chop but who has time? What couldn’t you live without? It sounds cheesy, but family and friends. Aside from them it would have to be the sun, it makes everything better.

alarm would be set for the slightly later time of 3am because I didn’t have the drive to the office to factor into my morning. By 3.30am, my laptop, tablet and phone would be booted up with a mix of news websites and agency feeds. Although the running order has been pretty much put together by an incredible team of producers the night before (somet imes whilst I was sleeping if a story had broken late) there was always the possibility something else had happened. That’s when the morning producer who was in the office and I, would have a few adrenalines fuelled phone calls,” she continued. “It was a particularly interesting time as the US Presidential race was underway and there could be huge changes overnight, we needed to reflect. “By 4.45am I would have pulled three cushions off the sofa and constructed a make-shift sound booth on the kitchen table. A quick sound check with the gallery and then BOOM! The next hour is like no other! You have to try and listen to every word your guests say. You want to tease the best out of them and challenge them when required. But you also have to keep an eye on the texts and tweets that are coming in, know who you are talking to next and how the time is ticking by,” she added. “It’s hard enough in the studio but from home, when the Wi-Fi keeps dropping out, the milkman is making his delivery and the kitten is climbing to the top of your cushion tower, that was an experience I will never forget,” she laughed. “When the broadcast is over, there’s not much time to ruminate. The next three hours are spent doing business inserts for 5 Live Breakfast. If it’s a busy day, like the day the GDP figures are released, you don’t stop to

catch your breath. By 10am the broadcasting is done but it’s then time to focus on the next day.” Important 2021 is going to bring big changes for Danni with a new employer and a new challenge after 19 years at the BBC. “I’d been thinking about a new challenge for a while and as of March 1st, this became a reality,” she told us. Danni has

There are still people out there who don’t like to hear women asking the questions ...

joined the tea, at the investment platform A J Bell. “I was a little nervous about starting a new job working from home, but I already knew many of the team and have always been impressed by their professionalism, knowledge and genuine niceness. They are keen to help me continue to make financial news accessible and relatable as it’s so important to everyone’s lives and so easy for the terminology to be a barrier to engagement. A big part Yo r k s h i r e B u s i n e s sWo m a n

TV Ready

of my role is commenting on the latest developments in the world of business and finance and explaining how they can impact people’s investments or wider personal finances,” she added. “The next decade is going to bring about such a change in our economic landscape recovering from the pandemic, navigating Brexit, getting to grips with the changing employment opportunities, the continued m a r c h o f te c h n o l o g i c a l advancement and the

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Amanda Harper, Heidi Tomlinson and Amy Garcia Look North Girls

fundamental need to balance it all with sustainability. “I’m eager to see what kind of impact I can make from the other side of the fence. One difference is that I am working for a commercial organisation and producing content directly for customers as well as the wider media. That’s exciting and I really want to be able to engage more personally with some of the big issues. I’m also passionate about using my new role to keep banging the drum about the need for greater female representation in areas like finance. I could have stayed at the BBC. It is such a tremendous institution and I’ve had the most incredible opportunities, but I have never been good at taking the easy road. There’s a big world out there and I can’t wait to experience more.

Danni is represented by Harry Gibson at Riva Media

“I think looking back I wish I had had more patience. Starting out in my career, I was always thinking about the next story, the next move, I didn’t take the time to appreciate what I was achieving. It was only after I had my children that I realised it was okay to put other parts of my life first when I wasn’t at the office. Before that, I ate, slept and drank news all the time, even now when I’m working from home, I must allow certain parts of the day to be about me and all those life requirements. Everything I have done, every decision, even the bad ones have shaped my experience and knowledge, I wish I’d learned that earlier in my career, but I don’t think life is long enough to have regrets,” she concluded. Yo r k s h i r e B u s i n e s sWo m a n

Clockface Beauty secures two major national stockists and wins global award

Award winning UK-based Clockface Beauty – the waterless, luxury, organic skincare brand – has just announced that its full product range will be available on the Harvey Nichols website and in Fraser’s stores, when they reopen in April. In the same week the company scooped Lux Life Magazine’s Best Organic, Cruelty-Free Skincare Company Award. Sarah explains: “This is incredible news for our business and will help strengthen our position as a major contender in the beauty and skincare industry. Since launching Clockface Beauty in 2018, we’ve worked tirelessly to deliver a sought after brand. This announcement is testament to the fact that our scientifically-formulated, luxurious, all-natural products have a proven track record when it comes to transforming skin.” Sarah is a champion in empowerment through beautiful skin, and makes it her mission to help people know exactly what they’re putting onto their skin. From using only carefully selected, powerful, 100% natural, vegan, organic and cruelty-free ingredients, to ensuring total transparency of labelling, she sees the power and intelligence of nature for unlocking beauty, soothing the mind and rejuvenating the body.

Being stocked in Harvey Nichols and Frasers is a huge step for this brand, founded in Yorkshire by a mother and daughter team,giving them a nationwide presence. The deal with Harvey Nichols forms part of its drive to fly the flag and showcase luxury i n d e p e n d e n t b ra n d s a n d will see Clockface Beauty’s products available online. The company will also feature in Frasers - part of the Fraser Group that also owns House of Fraser and Flannels. Sarah Thomas is the Clockface B e a u t y D i r e c to r w h o c o founded the business with her mother Karen Horsely.

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Image: Clockface Beauty Karen Horsley and Sarah Thomas

Sarah concluded: “The customer truly is at the heart of our business. The products were ultimately designed to make people feel and look wonderful. Our virtual Skin Clinic was launched to support our customers and give them somewhere to turn to for help. We’re looking forward once again to be back in front of our customers in the handson way that we love.”

Brand Strategy. Creative Campaigns. Digital Marketing.

Beyond Awareness. No matter how steep the climb, together we will get there.

paladinmarketing.co.uk 0113 534 31 34

Posing hands in portraits

Professional photographers and YorkshireBusinesswoman official partners Lincoln Roth and Perrin Read who specialise in portrait photography continue to share their advice with us: Picking up the gauntlet Yesterday a friend asked if it was difficult to write an article every month about photography.

Lincoln & Perrin Roth Read Photography www.rothreadphotography.com

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Our enthusiastic response was framed with “No not at all...we could even write about hands”. To which the cheeky response was “Go on then!” So here goes: T Small but powerful During a photoshoot we guide people through a range of posing techniques, of which hand posture is one.

Why do we faff about with hands? Because they can often detract from the main focus of a picture, which for portrait images, is typically the face.A hand is roughly the same size as a face, so they can easily dominate a picture, especially when outstretched towards the camera. Ho w e v e r, w h e n d o n e intentionally, this can be a powerful gesture, as proven in Lord Kitchener’s World War 1 iconic enlisting poster:“Your Country Needs You!”

T Twist, soften and shape So, what can you do about it in your own pictures? Here are a couple of tips from our bag of tricks you can try. The back of the hand in Image 1 faces towards

the camera. It has no shape and is prominent in the picture. However, if we turn it to the side, soften and shape the fingers as in Image 2, it still appears as if it has purpose, but it doesn’t dominate the portrait.

T Soft to the touch Likewise, there is a more elegant way of positioning hands at the side of the face. Notice how in Image 3 the skin is bunching up and a portion of the face is covered. Moreover, that elongated finger

is really distracting.By moving the hands away from the chin, the face is less obscured. Again, the fingers are relaxed and shaped, and only lightly touching the skin.

T Folded Arms Send a Message As in Image 5, arms can be viewed as a protective gesture, or feeling a little chilly. Nonetheless, when shaped with the body they can make for a striking pose. How do hands

play their part? In Image 6, the hands are rotated into the arms and fingers are once again shaped. The pose is now elegant, and the subject appears more approachable.

As you can see from these few examples, hand poses can make or break a photograph. The key is to ensure they don’t distract the viewer but rather enhance the message in the image. Yo r k s h i r e B u s i n e s sWo m a n

Lady landlord looking out for families in Leeds Kellyann Martin always dreamed of owning property. As a child she used to walk around her village, looking in awe at the lovely family homes, wishing one day she could have her own.

An only child, Kellyann lived with her single mother in rented council accommodation. With limited funds and resources, the house was still made to be pleasant and comfortable, despite being rented. Fast forward thirty years and Kellyann is well on her way to building a rental property empire, as a property investment strategist. Currently on her ninth project, Kellyann feels she is making a great difference in bringing dilapidated houses back into use for local families, bridging the gap brought about by a shortage of rental housing locally. Kellyann is sole director and coordinator of the entire property business. What makes this unusual and uncommon, is that she is a sole female working by herself in a male-dominated industry. She had no DIY skills, had no property knowledge initially, and began with no investment capital or contacts. She has effectively built her property

empire - affectionately known as ‘Martinville - from scratch by utilising the skills of external contractors and funds of private investors.

legislation and rules to contend with. Another difficult aspect of the work is finding properties. “Lots of people can buy a house, or indeed a property that needs work” says Kellyann. “The hard bit comes in getting the right house at the right price, so the business model works.

Kellyann has two main objectives: to find property deals and to find investment. In reality, this involves finding a residential house that needs refurbishment work, project managing the work, then renting the property out. Meanwhile, the house is refinanced to its new higher value, and the investment capital pulled out and returned to private investors, plus a healthy return. It’s a win-win situation for all: for angel investors, for house vendors, for local contractors, for new tenants and for Kellyann’s portfolio. The journey has not been easy though. Property is a constant ongoing battle, as difficulties arise with voids, tenants, maintenance issues, as well as never-ending new government and council

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The uplift in equity value has to be worthwhile to enable me to get all the investor’s funds back out of the deal” Another difficult part is the refurbishment itself. The houses don’t just need a bit of buff and

fluff or a lick of paint. They usually need the full works: safe electric rewiring, new heating systems, roof repairs, new kitchens, bathrooms, and all the associated tiling, decor and flooring. B u t Ke l l y a n n e n j o y s t h e

challenge. “I love seeing the transformation of a house from an unloved dated chaotic monstrosity, into a bright, airy modern family home. I have no manual DIY skills myself, as I’m clumsy, uncoordinated and accident-prone - but sometimes

I’ll get a bit keen and try and give the contractors some help...

L o o k i n g to t h e fu t u re , Kellyann plans to continue buying residential houses in Leeds for development.

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Celebrating ten years in business and reporting highest yearly sales in 2020 A Wakefield entrepreneur is celebrating 10 years in business and reported her best sales year ever in 2020. Michelle Poole, 56, founded her herself, determining her own virtual agency, Virtual Hand, in hours and lifestyle appealed and 2011 to support entrepreneurs she never looked back. who create their own business w i t h o u t s u p p o r t w i t h t h e “Many people have great ideas and administration and marketing set up their own businesses in roles. order to fulfil their dreams,” she continued, “however, the harsh Ten years on, she is celebrating reality of running a business often her best year ever. “During the comes to them down the line. The pandemic many businesses admin, HR, Marketing and PR as sadly closed, but some have well as accounts, take up a lot of created new businesses due to time, time that many entrepreneurs redundancy. This has provided a and solopreneurs would much whole new market of opportunity,” rather spend on doing what they she explained. love, focusing on their main reason for starting their business. “I am proud that Virtual Hand has continued to support businesses “For many business owners the nationwide during this difficult cost of employing someone full time, by lightening their load time can be prohibitive and this and allowing them to do what is where the virtual support niche they love. It’s a pleasure to work has developed. Virtual Hand set with inspired individuals who are out to help businesses in their sharing their talents both online early years, to help them to grow and offline.” and to offer continued support to small businesses.” Dreams Overtime Michelle also realised Michelle started her business that business coaching, strategising following a career spanning 30 and planning and sometimes, years in office administration simply being an accountability with 15 years at senior and board partner, is also valuable to small level. The idea of working for business owners. Many require

assistance with both personal and business admin or content marketing and so her team grew so that Virtual Hand can service all these requirements. Growing Together with her team, Virtual Hand are currently working with eighteen different clients on a retainer basis and in addition have several adhoc projects on the go. These are from various fields including coaches, trainers, and consultants as well as trades, financial, the construction industry, digital marketing agencies, and SEO on both a local and national basis. It is obvious that the pandemic has been incredibly hard for many people and Virtual Hand has been able to step in and assist on many levels. From the busy mum who now has to home-school as well as run her business to growing business ventures requiring support and advice. Virtual Hand offers an affordable, flexible and friendly solution. Finding solutions for people either on an ad hoc or retainer basis, or companies can buy blocks of time to get them through a particularly busy period.

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Successful virtual wellness evening This year’s Valentine’s weekend began with self-love and self-care firmly as the focus for over 80 women at a virtual, sold-out event, that took place February in aid of the charity Smart Works Leeds. The Make A Date With You event, was created and hosted by surgeon and founder of Time to Bloom, Lubna Khan-Salim and included a series of interactive talks and panel discussions from a range of inspiring female experts, prize giveaways, goodie bags and gin! The evening began with a soothing yoga session from expert instructor, Cassie BeecroftSinnot followed by a capsule wardrobe styling introduction from former Head of Styling for Ralph Lauren, Sophie Southmayd. A whirlwind empowerment session by midlife coach, Star Monroe came next, the n as at te n dees

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enjoyed items from their goodie bags, guests were introduced to the sister’s behind Yorkshire gin company, Due Sorelle. A panel discussion on the menopause ensued with Yorkshire Businesswoman editor, Gill Laidler, Smart Works Leeds founding trustee, Beverley Brown and real-life coach, Sam Adams all sharing their stories and experiences. Lubna hosted a Q&A with nutritional coach, Natasha Rose and a gorgeous sound bath by Diana Nash closed the evening. Tickets to the sold-out event included a pamper goodie bag and a pay-it forward option was also available. Lubna said: “I really wanted to create an

event that was dedicated to women as we can often neglect our own care and wellbeing for the sake of others. My aim was to raise much-needed funds for Smart Works and for all those taking part to leave with a warm glow of empowerment, solace and contentment. Over £1000 has been raised and the feedback has been truly amazing! I’ve received so many lovely comments, and the mix of speakers, topics and personalities really did offer something for everyone. I’m so grateful to all those who took part and made the event so special. I can’t wait to to host the next one!”

Speakers: • Carrie Beecroft Sinnot @flowlife_yoga • Sophie Southmayd @sophiesouthmayd • Star Monroe @msstarmonroe • Ali and Steph @due_sorelle_gin • Natasha Rosenberg @natasha_rosey • Gill Laidler @yorkshire_businesswoman • Sam Adams @samadamscoach • Beverley Brown @smartworksleeds • Diana Nash @_diananash Goodie Bag Included: iS Clinical face mask, Time to Bloom bamboo toothbrush, lux Time To Bloom bunny headband, Yorkshire Businesswoman facemask, Dakota hand sanitiser, Green & Black chocolate, Aliver eye mask, Due Sorelle gin. Yo r k s h i r e B u s i n e s sWo m a n

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Celebrating forty years in retail management

Fact File Husband / partner name: Robert Children: 3 stepdaughters, 23 to 27, 2 are teachers and one a nurse What car do you drive? Mini Sports John Cooper Works

When Brunswick Shopping Centre Scarborough manager Suzanne Anderson left school, circumstances wouldn’t allow her to go to University, something she would have loved to have done. Instead she got a job as a retail sales assistant at an electrical store, becoming a store manager at the age of 19.

“When I was growing up, I always wanted to run a big retail empire like Marks and Spencer,” she said, “so heading into retail was the perfect start for me. In 1989 I started my own ladies clothing business that carried my own label, aimed at the 45+ age group, basically an independent rival to Marks & Spencer!”

formed diversity and inclusion forum within CBRE Property Management.

“I love the role I have; no two days are the same,” she continued. “My role is so diverse but fundamentally my main job revolves around stakeholder management and ensuring financial success of the property investment for the client. Zoom has been the greatest Today, Suzanne celebrates almost invention since the mobile phone to 40 years in management. “I don’t ensure effective communications with have formal qualifications, just both internal and external stakeholders experience,” she added, “with plenty during lockdown, which has been very of drive and tenacity, leadership difficult for the retail sector. Thankfully skills and a solid business acumen we now have the vaccine, so the future under my belt. does look a little brighter and I want to ensure Brunswick is fit for the future “Retail has not always been an as a major commercial community equal playing field, historically the hub on the High Street. position I am in would have been male dominated, but the property “If I had my time again, I wouldn’t change world is ever evolving and thankfully a thing except realising that education things have changed. I have recently gets you to your destination quicker, been appointed as chair for the newly but my advice is never feeling inferior

What do you do in your leisure time? Spend time in my home gym (my haven), reading, cinema and theatre, dining out with friends, holidays (I’m feeling nostalgic now… can’t wait for getting life back to normal post Covid) What lessons have you learnt in lockdown? Being kind and more aware of those less fortunate. Politics is a duplicitous world and makes me want to get into it to do better. What is your favourite food and drink? Anything my husband cooks really, Sunday roasts and curries. Rhubarb Gin and champagne (not together). Where is your favourite place in Yorkshire? Home, of course What is your favourite gadget? My Dyson hair dryer…and my IPAD. What couldn’t you live without? Oxygen…! My husband (love is truly lovelier the second time around. And of course, he’s a Yorkshire man so I get my official Yorkshire passport by marrying him. (I was born and brought up in Cardiff but moved to Yorkshire over 20 years ago). What would you say to your “younger self? It’s never too late to be what you might have been (George Elliot).

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as everyone finds their own way in society. Maybe I would have played more and done less work along the way, be more enquiring and not accepting of what I’m told. As the saying goes, ‘he who asks a question is a fool for 5 minutes, he who doesn’t

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as a question is a fool forever!’ My career has been so very varied with some impressive successes and significant challenges along the way. Not bad for a girl who left school at 16 with a handful of O’levels but with a heart full of optimism.”

Healthy breakfast on the go You may recall reading about Suzanne Ferreira in our last edition and her journey starting her own business, Proper Oats. Proper Oats was created because Suzanne was unable to find ready to eat porridge or overnight oats on the supermarket shelves that were made with natural ingredients and no refined sugar. As big oat fans, we were delighted here in the Yorkshire Businesswoman office when Suzanne kindly sent us a box of two different flavours to try for ourselves.

supermarket as I knew they would contain probably not just sugar but preservatives too. However, these pots will save me time and I will definitely purchase.”

Made with natural ingredients, these delicious oat pots taste delicious and certainly didn’t disappoint. “My personal favourite was the apple, sultana and cinnamon,” said editor Gill Laidler, “with my husband choosing the strawberry and blackcurrant. I generally make my own, because like Suzanne I didn’t want to purchase from the

They are naturally high in protein, contain bio live Icelandic cultures, have no added sugar and are low in fat, plus they are made with award winning Skyr yogurt. If you’re looking for a low fat, healthy, fast breakfast, take a look in the chiller cabinet in the supermarket, you won’t be disappointed.

For more information visit www.properoats.com Yo r k s h i r e B u s i n e s sWo m a n

Yurt The Year of the

For many, 2020 provided the chance to re-evaluate and focus on the things that are important.

For some of us, it was family and friends, for others it was the time to focus on other interests, and for many it was a complete change of direction. A record number of businesses were set-up in 2020 with one in four women setting up companies during the pandemic. Driven by a need to control their own destiny, find a purpose and create the flexibility to balance a career with home life. With redundancies and extended furlough, a

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we both knew we wanted to do something different. Something we were passionate about and that contributed to a better world. We both have a creative side and wanted a business that gave us variety,” said Becca.

flexibility of the yurt allows events to take place anywhere. Each yurt can hold up to 95 people but equally will work with smaller numbers and being an outdoor venue, they are well ventilated so will be popular when things do start to return back to normal.

“Inspired by a trip to Mongolia and living with a nomadic family, plus Creating a sustainable lifestyle a resignation and a redundancy in is another theme of 2020 that Autumn 2020, we both took the t h e f o u n d e r s o f No r t h S k y leap to set up our new business, Yurts wanted to address. “We North Sky Yurts. A travelling yurt are both very conscious of our hire business that creates magical e n v i r o n m e n t a l i m p a c t a n d spaces for events that don’t cost wanted to create a business that the earth,” she continued. “People reflected that,” added Charlotte. thought we were crazy launching “Our yurts are built in Yorkshire a business in lockdown; but we which benefits the local economy, knew that people have missed we invested in multi-use flooring programme in Leeds called She gathering with their loved ones and rather than the single use flooring Can Shine was set-up to help and celebrating during the pandemic. popular with marquee companies guide women wanting to go into Postponed weddings, missed and we use Velcro for décor business on their own. birthdays, cancelled festivals; not instead of cable ties, we use to mention the fact companies have reclaimed or recycled materials Founded by Paula Grizzard from had their staff working from home where possible and we even had She Business and Dawn O’Keefe since March 2020, we know there our business cards made from from Shine, the programme ran is a market once the restrictions recycled t-shirts.” from November to January with lift for all types of events to take virtual workshops and networking. place, and with recent news, this The ladies have gone one further Becca McClure and Charlotte could be as soon as June.” and arranged to have a tree Paine are two entrepreneurs who planted for every booking to joined the programme, they said Traditional venues will be booked help offset the emissions from “After years in the corporate world, with re-arranged events; but the each event. Yo r k s h i r e B u s i n e s sWo m a n

Growing up in chaos shaped Rachel’s future Rachel McLane grew up in Glasgow. Her father was an architect who took pleasure in designing and building, not just for his clients, but for his family, so they were often on the move living amongst his ongoing building works. It was here where Rachel became inspired by the results that could be achieved out of what looked like total chaos, going on to influence her choice of career. So it was a career she chose from an early age. 40

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Rachel began her training in York with a BTEC in 3D design, followed by an HND in Spatial Design at Newcastle. “Spatial Design really clicked with me,” she told us, “so I continued my studies at Middlesex University, leaving in 1996 with a BA (Honours) Degree in Interior Architecture.” After graduating, Rachel enhanced her experience by designing for the retail sector for eight years in both London and York. “My first job was a junior designer with The Burton Group where I designed store interiors for Burtons, Debenhams, River Island and C&A. Later, I worked my way up from junior to middleweight to a senior design role with Corsie Naysmith of London, working on their client portfolio, which included Harrods, Addidas and the Co-op to name a few,” she explained. “I learned early on that by dismantling a

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building, or part of one and reconfiguring its internal spaces that the environment could be improved. I had an instinct for arranging things and was sensitive to the spaces around me. I always had to make sure that everything felt exactly right.”

TOP LEFT: Nelsons Yard Northminster PLC TOP RIGHT: Rachel McLane Feature Bike & Boot Inns LEFT : Down Hall Reception refurbishment

her guiding principles and professional ethos.

As the building industry is predominantly male, we asked Rachel if this has been a problem. “I am regularly the only woman at site meetings, unless of course Fast forward to 2004 when Rachel there is a female client,” she explained. decided to go it alone. “I launched my “However, respect has to be earned, brand in 2004 but it wasn’t until 2012 regardless of which gender you are that the company was incorporated and or what industry you are in. We have now trades as Rachel McLane Limited, succeeded because of our design work from a beautiful design studio in the and the fact that we do deliver the market town of Malton. As I am close project on budget and on time. to York with direct rail links to London, I have the best of both worlds” she “TV’s Changing Rooms altered the face explained. Since then, with Rachel’s of interior design forever. However, reputation for attention to detail and in addition to raising awareness, it customer satisfaction, the business portrayed the interior design profession has expanded, taking on more and as ‘cushion plumpers’ which is really more clients. There is now a small not valid for many in our industry. team to assist and support Rachel, who Rachel McLane Limited is about making remains fully involved in the detail of spaces work for our clients, whatever each project and ensures the team shares the purpose. We work as part of the Yo r k s h i r e B u s i n e s sWo m a n

Down Hall Grill Terrace

Nelsons Yard - Northminster PLC

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Fact File HUSBAND: Richard McLane CHILDREN: Dylan 16, Ella 14 CAR DO YOU DRIVE? Electric hybrid Mini Clubman WHAT DO YOU DO IN YOUR LEISURE TIME? What’s this? Yoga, walking and Zumba WHERE IS YOUR FAVOURITE RESTAURANT? L’Oca Bruciata Pizzeria Italiana Restaurant WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE FOOD AND DRINK? Empire Biscuits – a snack from my Native Scotland however I’m now plant based so having to experiment with the baking! WHERE IS YOUR FAVOURITE HOLIDAY DESTINATION? Italy where my family now live

project team with or without an architect partner, preparing feasibility studies, concepts, set out and detail drawings to allow builders, electricians, joiners etc to fulfil their part of the project. Do we plump cushions? Yes we do, but only after we have designed the space, building work is complete, walls and floorings are finished and furniture has been designed and installed, only then will we come back in with the cushions!” So what is a typical day like for Rachel? “I start at 6am with yoga followed at 6.30 by a walk with Olive, the four-legged member of the (design) team. Next it’s time to get the children off to school and college, or more recently making sure they are up and running with their virtual lessons. I like to be at my desk by 7.30 to 8am which gives me a head start on the day.

WHERE IS YOUR FAVOURITE PLACE IN YORKSHIRE? Home. It is where I spend time with my family (albeit a lot of time in 2020!). However, it is also special because we bought a plot and designed and built our own home, whilst living on site in a caravan for a few years. We enjoy a simple life and are aiming to be as environmentally friendly as possible. Perfect. WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE GADGET? My Thermomix food processor WHAT COULDN’T YOU LIVE WITHOUT? At the risk of sounding cheesy, definitely my family and our dog! I am also slightly lost when the internet goes down and I am unable to work

“I’ll then catch up with the team, recently remotely, then focus on projects and the tasks in hand. I will probably do a few calls with clients to discuss their projects and if conditions permit, a socially distanced site visit which is much easier discussing a space whilst in it! “The day ends with a run-through of emails and my list of what I set out to do, versus what I managed to do. I always like to finish on a straight edge because you never know precisely what the following day will bring.” With so much achieved so far, what are Rachel’s plans for the future? “Having the team working from home has crystalised in all our minds the pros and cons of an office versus home working environment. Everyone misses the office camaraderie, and I think we would all love to be able to return to working together in the design studio. Having us all back under one roof is definitely one of our goals. “I also want to make the business as environmentally sustainable as possible. We are working on implementing some changes that will make a difference to our carbon footprint. We aim to do this in our office environment, and also hopefully more and more on the projects we work on,” she added. “My advice has always been don’t be afraid to ask for help or to say you don’t understand something. As a girl I was full of insecurities and had no confidence to speak up. It’s incredibly rewarding when you do - and you never quite know where it will lead you. Listening is key to everything. I wouldn’t change anything, my business has evolved with life as we develop and learn from experiences,” she concluded. Yo r k s h i r e B u s i n e s sWo m a n

Local lady raises £2,670 to fund laptops for children and young people in Calderdale Christine Gow, the daughter of the Community Foundation for

Calderdale’s Founder, Lord David Shutt of Greetland, made 198

cream teas for local friends and family raising £2,670 as she was moved by theLaptops for Learning Campaign initiated by the Community Foundation.

Fundraiser Christine Gow explained, “I looked at my family situation

a couple of weekends ago and realised how lucky we are. I realised that my family have access to the facilities to do home learning, but this isn’t the norm for every family in Calderdale and I wanted to raise money to help children and young people with their education and help their future prospects. I enjoy making cream tea’s and posted on Facebook that I was doing it to raise money and feel like I’ve really made a difference.”

If you’d like to discuss raising money to support Community Foundation projects, please email Steve Duncan steve@cffc.co.uk

Could you do a fundraiser to make a difference to the community in Calderdale? The Community Foundation for Calderdale give out grants to charities who help people in Calderdale deal with debt, food poverty, domestic abuse, homelessness, child hunger, digital poverty, reducing isolation, improving mental health and wellbeing ultimately with the goal to make Calderdale a nicer place to live. Do you have a skill or a hobby that you love doing that could help you do a fundraising event to raise money to help local people?

Please get in touch to discuss your idea

Tel: 01422 349700 or email Steve@cffc.co.uk

Find us on:

www.cffc.co.uk

Starting a small business as a young adult Pages 48-53 By Nadeya Hussain - Student The University of Huddersfield

People were encouraged to work from home and avoid offices to minimise contact with others. So, what a perfect time to choose a hobby you’ve wanted to explore, or a dream goal and see what happens. Covid-19 has inspired a new wave of entrepreneurs and created new opportunities. There are thousands of students worldwide studying at home or trapped in student accommodations due to lockdown restrictions; hence, there has been a mass increase in many young people starting small businesses. Many young people have ambitions and career goals, and a passion for something that they would like to explore. It becomes more difficult for their brand to be seen and recognised because of the high competition within the business industry. But this is when

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online tools and social media platforms come into their own. Instagram Instagram is visually the most powerful social media tool that many influencers use to get noticed. You can build a page as long as you commit to it and engage with the right target audience. Without the correct audience, your business won’t achieve the desired goals. The gender mix on Instagram is pretty even: 51% female and 49% male, so you have the perfect audience statistics, no matter who your chosen audience is. Instagram has over 500 million monthly active users. It is the sixth most visited website, despite it being a heavy mobile app. Using Instagram for your brand has quite a few benefits such as:

• • •

Free to promote Free to share If you have a personal account, you already have built a primary audience who can then share it further with people. It can be used in different ways, marketing, such as posting on stories, reels or regular posts. Products are visual and it allows you to present it the way you like. Engage with your audience through DM’s and comments.

TikTok

on what people like, you will appear on their “for you page”. As long as you fit the right requirements, play the right type of music and make it appealing to watch, you have a very high chance of going viral. A combination of both these platforms can help build your business from nothing to something huge. A bonus for both, is that it costs nothing to promote and produce. You can show:

Another social media platform is TikTok. TikTok had a massive increase in users during the national lockdown and has been downloaded over 1.5 billion times worldwide. These numbers are constantly growing.

• • • •

Behind-the-scenes videos Exclusive content Product sneak peeks Product arrangements

The app has quickly become the next big social media trend. With many people becoming big influencers just through TikTok, and businesses building a brand through this platform, as currently the chance of visibility is higher than on Instagram. 30-60 second short videos can be made to show your products in a visually appealing fashion. These videos can quickly go viral. A TikTok account allows the viewers to get an insight into what the brand is about. Instagram keeps updating its algorithm, which is frustrating for many people; however, TikTok doesn’t have rules and has a much simpler algorithm. Based Yo r k s h i r e B u s i n e s sWo m a n

I asked a few young small businesses some questions to see how they started off and what this journey has been like for them. I asked questions such as, what platforms they chose and why, if they faced any difficulties as a young person, and some tips they would give others on how to start a successful small business.

Aysha Rani Also known as @aysha.ranii on Instagram. Aysha is a student at the University of Huddersfield, whose part-time hobby is Henna. Aysha has over 16k followers on Instagram as a Professional Bridal Henna Artist.

Over the years, I gained a decent number of followers on Instagram. Most of them were local to me; hence I continue to use this as a promotional platform. Have you faced any difficulties as a young person starting a small business? Personally, I have not faced many difficulties that I was unable to overcome. For example, I have not allowed my business to become the focal aspect of my life and I would like to keep a good balance between the time spent on my work, life and studies. The vast majority of my customers have been pleased with my work. which makes me the happiest. Where did you get this idea from? Was it a hobby?

What made you want to start a small business? I started my own business because I enjoyed the flexibility of hours, a strict routine was something I avoided. I have much more spare time, which I used to invest in fully and wholly myself. I love that I can work from anywhere and build my personal brand. What platforms did you use, and why that chosen platform for your business? Initially, most of my clients came from word of mouth, and they’d contact me via my phone number. Eventually, I started to get too busy and decided to advertise my work social media, such as Instagram.

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Growing up, my loving mother would apply Henna on my hands very regularly. She is my inspiration and taught me everything I know about the art. It makes my clients very happy, and I gain so much fulfilment in that. My business began as a hobby, and I am so passionate about art. Thankfully, it never feels like I am “working.” What tips would you give someone who starting a small business?

To just go for it, there is nothing to stop them. There is room for everyone in all industries. I would suggest they manage their time efficiently and be their own biggest fan. Start advertising your service/ products on many platforms and do not take on a workload that you aren’t prepared for. Just learn as you go.

Emaan Lokasher Emaan, a University student at Manchester Metropolitan University, also known as @naqshh_ on Instagram. Emaan has a small business with around 500 followers who is a self-taught artist and hand-paints Arabic calligraphy wall art and does commission based work for charities.

I chose to join these platforms as I heard they were successful and so I thought it’s worth a try and will hopefully get my business noticed more. Have you faced any difficulties as a young person starting a small business?

What made you want to start a small business? At the start of lockdown, I had plenty of free time to explore whatever I liked. I had a passion for art from a very young age, and lockdown allowed me to pick up my paintbrush again, and it made me realise how much I do love art. Before I started my small business, I had already created a few paintings, and I realised how much I enjoyed it, and my family and friends gave me a positive response to my work. At first, I didn’t have much confidence in my work or know how good it was. My family gave me the confidence to create something from my talent, especially my mum and my brothers. The main reason to start my small business was to do something I truly enjoy and know I can make someone’s day a little more special when gifting my pieces or even for someone to put my piece of work up in their own home. What platforms did you use, and why that chosen platform for your business? My leading platform is Instagram just because it’s easy, accessible, and popular with many people. As time passed, I then created an Etsy shop along with joining the Facebook market to sell my art work.

Of course, as with anything, there are always difficulties. I had to learn a lot as I went along, such as different painting techniques and grasping the idea of what people want to see from my small business. Getting the word out was, and still is the hardest thing I would say just because there is a lot on the market already. Another difficulty I faced was managing my home, work, along with University life. I had to use my time efficiently and get everything done before deadlines. Where did you get this idea from? Was it a hobby? This idea of starting a small business all stemmed from a hobby since childhood. I was creative from a young age; however, as I got older into college, my education became very intense, so I didn’t get much time to carry on with the things I loved most. I created a few pieces in lockdown which my whole family loved. They pushed me and supported me, which gave me the confidence to start my own business. What tips would you give someone who is starting a small business? My number one piece of advice would be to work hard and be persistent. Starting your own business requires a lot of persistence and patience and is not an overnight thing. I have come a long way, but I am not where I’d like to be so I’m continuing to be patient, and hardworking and with time you will reach your end goal! Yo r k s h i r e B u s i n e s sWo m a n

Xena Musa Also known as @xenacosmetics on Instagram.Xena is a student at University of Huddersfield and a makeup artist who has over 11k followers on her Instagram profile and around 3.5k followers on her cosmetics page.

around 1-2 days to arrive, but due to the pandemic it was delayed, but my lovely customers definitely understood this. Another difficulty was working late nights when I first started my business as I would be completing deliveries in my local area. I remember during the first week I would get up at 9am and get home at 7pm after all the deliveries. Once I would get home, it would be checking messages and taking the orders for the next day. I got my sisters to help me pack some orders too because there was no way I could manage. But it was all worth it! What made you want to start a small business? Where did you get this idea from? Was it a hobby? The main reason for starting my business was because I had a platform on my personal Instagram, and I wanted to use it. During the first lockdown I came up with the idea, it took around 2-3 months to finalise and come up with a business plan. It was a very stressful time for me, as I am quite fussy when it comes to branding. The logo and business cards had to be perfect because I know that once brand has a logo, it can’t really be changed. What platforms did you use, and why that chosen platform for your business? My leading platform is Instagram. This is again due to having a large platform on my main account I knew that I had an audience there. I also used Facebook and Snapchat to promote as most people in my local area would view it from there, other than that, it was more word of mouth! Have you faced any difficulties as a young person starting a small business? A few obstacles were faced during this time, such as delayed stock timing with Covid as well as delayed first-class postage. Standard first-class postage takes

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The idea came out of nowhere if I’m honest. I have been a freelance makeup artist from 2016 till 2018, but in 2018, I had major heart surgery. After this, I found it difficult taking bookings as it would be quite painful to stand for a long time. I decided to go to University but with the first lockdown giving us so much time I came up with a cosmetic brand idea. It’s always been something I’ve dreamed of and wanted to do, it was the perfect time. What tips would you give someone who starting a small business?

The only tips I have is to never give up. Some businesses don’t work out , but it doesn’t mean stop trying. Never let anyone else’s opinions or negativity stop you from achieving what you want. Never rush launching, make sure you are fully prepared before your announcement. Sometimes the excitement takes over, but you can’t keep your audience waiting too long after your announcement. And the final thing for me is to not be disheartened if you don’t make profit straight away. You’ve got to trust the process and watch things go at their own pace.

Starting a business as a young person is always scary especially when you invest a lot of money into it. But the best thing you can do is turn that fear into fuel. No matter what you do, there will always be the pressure to succeed, but it’s about finding your feet and taking the step forward. We must take risks sometimes to get to the position we desire to achieve. It’s no secret that males have led the business industry, and women have had more of a more challenging journey. However, according to 2021 statistics, there are approximately 13 million women-owned businesses in the U.S. These statistics show that women can be independent, which is empowering. When looking at current statistics, UK women

only account for 27.9% of all business owners in the UK market. Although this is relatively low, and there are more men than women in the business industry, with all the new platforms, resources, and online webpages such as Etsy, Instagram and TikTok, there’s so much space to grow and to get into this industry comfortably. Everything is gradually going online. This is our future so take the opportunity, start from your own home. It doesn’t matter if you’re a student or a young mum; turn your hobby into a passion and a business, so it doesn’t ever feel like you’re working, but you’re achieving your dreams. Women should be encouraged and not be afraid. In this society, males are more encouraged, but with the more recent feminist movements, we want to push you to achieve your dreams.

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How Emma rose from trainee to partner at historic firm The first female partner in the 102-year history of one of the region’s most enterprising accountancy firms has spoken of its expansion plans.

M Wasley Chapman a long-established accountancy firm based in North Yorkshire explains how industry changes along with their century’s worth of expertise are shaping the new way businesses are taking care of their finances.

“We have been tailor-making our accountancy services to fit the needs of local businesses for many years.

New partner Emma Henderson says many businesses are moving away from the traditional complianceonly work, to more tailor-made

“With the introduction of cloud-based packages, it now means that locality is not a key factor in choosing the right accountants and how it can now

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services and advisory services to help businesses and individuals meet their individual goals on a real-time basis.

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be based on the right advisor who can be an integral part of your business. “Also coming to the coast can often offer surprisingly good value for money.” Emma added: “We do offer more value. From our coastal bases, we provide quality account ancy services that any business or any individual needs at much more competitive rates than the big city firms. “We already have clients across a wide geography and companies in Leeds, Wakefield, Halifax, Huddersfield. Anyone in West Yorkshire, or North Yorkshire, can speak

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to us about how much better our bespoke services are.”

“The move reflects our vision and growth plans,” said Emma.

Digital technology has made geography a less important factor in providing quality accountancy services but Wasley Chapman is also ensuring it has a personal, reliable and approach.

M Wasley Chapman took over large premises in Westborough, Scarborough, and moved in within a month - with the team showing their commitment as accountants by day and labourers by night.

It has offices at Scarborough, Middlesbrough, Saltburn and in Whitby - where the firm was started in 1918 by Marmaduke Wasley Chapman. For Emma, 32, it celebrates a major progression after years of accountancy exams and wider contributions to the firm - she had originally just inquired about the possibility of a receptionist job at the practice at the age of 21. Her partnership comes in the wake of project managing the relocation of Wasley Chapman’s Scarborough offices from a tucked away Victorian square to a prime site in the main shopping street in the town centre.

“We ripped out walls, tiled, refitted the ceiling, painted, designed and project-managed to get our office how we wanted it,” said Emma. Also joining Emma as a new partner is Middlesbrough based Ross Meadows, taking the number of partners to six, led by Neil Duell. Other partners are Neil Taylor, Philip Cuthbert and Mark Porritt. Neil Duell, who started his accountancy training at the practice after a stint of work experience aged 17 just over 30 years ago, said: “Even as a large accounting firm, we pride ourselves in a personal service to all our clients. Yo r k s h i r e B u s i n e s sWo m a n

Great energy and relationships Emma Emma Henderson, the first woman to become a partner of Wasley Chapman, was raised in a village near Whitby. She is a keen equestrian, attended Fyling Hall School, Robin Hood’s Bay, and studied law at Teesside University. She is from a family of entrepreneurs her grandfather owned theatres in Middlesbrough and her father ran an international heating engineering company. “We have a superb team ethos at Wasley Chapman, based on great relationships with our clients,” she said. “We have great energy, we don’t wear grey and talk maths all day, we offer valuable trusted services and better value.”

Contact:

M WASLEY CHAPMAN AT 84 WESTBOROUGH, SCARBOROUGH, TEL 01723 501777 OR DIRECTLY TO EMMA.HENDERSON@ WASLEY-CHAPMAN.CO.UK

“With a team of fully trained and experienced chartered accountants, we take pride in the fact that our clients have access to such a great wealth of expertise. Our client base ranges from sole traders to partnerships and right through to corporate clients.” They offer the full range of services Accounts, management services, tax returns, software training, Making Tax Digital, VAT returns, payroll and business advisory. M Wasley Chapman is also a supporter

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for business start-ups, with hundreds of pounds worth of free assistance. Emma added: “We love being able to assist each and every one of our clients, helping them grow their business and help shape their future success.” The practice has a new website: https://www.wasley-chapman.co.uk/ accountants-scarborough. Both Emma and Ross are taking on new clients from start-ups to large corporations who need a full overhaul of their current systems.

N E W S U P D AT E

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Business Structures & Reorganisations

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Accident Claims

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Commercial Debt Collection

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Child Care

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Commercial Disputes

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Collaborative Law

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Commercial Property

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Contracts

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Dispute Resolution

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Employment

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Employment Problems

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Intellectual Property

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Matrimonial & Family

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International Trade & Transactions

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Medical Negligence Claims

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Internet Trading

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Planning for Retirement

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Mediation of Business Disputes

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Residential Property

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Mergers, Acquisitions and Disposals

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Road Traffic Cases

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Planning & Licensing

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The Law & The Elderley

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Starting In Business

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Wills, Trusts & Probate

About Youbee Media

Rebecca Hopwood set up marketing consultancy Youbee Media in the middle of the pandemic, after working from home made her reassess her priorities...

Rebecca had always wanted to set up her own business and soon realised she didn’t miss the long commute from her home in Birstall to the digital marketing company, where she had worked since 2014. So, in September 2020 she set up Youbee Media - and says the growth since has been phenomenal. “I started Youbee Media because I saw an opportunity to help businesses who may be affected by the pandemic to not only

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‘ride it out’ but to actually do better than the previous year,” says Rebecca, who has a degree in media and marketing from Leeds Trinity University. Youbee Media offers marketing services including marketing strategy, social media, websites, email marketing, social advertising and blogs. The company already represents 12 different brands and has clients including

Saltaire Brewery, DTX Network Services and Yonda Sports. How did AD:VENTURE help? Rebecca came to AD:VENTURE as soon as she set up the company, as she had already heard such good things about it. “The first thing I did was register with AD:VENTURE because I wanted someone I could talk to about my business in a way that I can’t talk to family or friends or potential clients,” says Rebecca. “I can ask questions, even silly ones, and get advice. I really wanted someone to come on the journey with me, so I didn’t feel so alone, especially as lockdown meant there were no face-to-face events to go to.” The results! Re b e c c a w a s a s s i g n e d a n “I also wanted a nice break- that confidence and I knew I was AD:VENTURE business adviser, out space as I really want not alone. Even knowing that I Paul Tansey, and attended a series people to feel as though they could have a mentor and share my of workshops on topics including can break away from their desk concerns, plans and aspirations PR and legal matters. and take some time to themselves. took some pressure off. I am so Also the office is close to a park grateful for AD:VENTURE,” says She was awarded a grant in and local amenities, so that Rebecca. December for £2,315. Rebecca people can exercise after work used this to buy office equipment or go for a drink.” “AD:VENTURE has given me the including two laptops and encouragement to keep going, monitors, mobile phones, a printer, Rebecca is taking on a digital when I could have quite easily a marketing banner and furniture marketing apprentice and is given up. It has supported me for a break-out space. planning to recruit another financially, but also emotionally. I person within six months. recommend the programme to any Rebecca says: “The grant gave me young businesses that I come the confidence to buy equipment Feedback across.” and put a deposit down on the office. By the time I got into the “I always wanted to have my own office just before Christmas I knew business, but was never confident I would need staff, so I budgeted enough to do it. But knowing that for more equipment than I needed. support was there really gave me Yo r k s h i r e B u s i n e s sWo m a n

My makeup beauty bag favourites Sonia Schof ield is an award -winning hair and make-up artist b a s e d i n Yo r k . S h e recently won wedding make-up artist of the year 2021 for Yorkshire and the North East. She also works in fashion, TV and Film and is the Head of hair and makeup for York Fashion Week. BOBBI BROWN Extra repair eye cream.

This is my absolute favourite eye cream to use on myself and my clients. It is the only cream I have used that helps under eye concealer sit smoothly, and not look dried out. It is quite a thick cream so lines and wrinkles instantly appear smoothed and over time I can also see an improvement. I have to say that I panic if I run out of it as it makes such a difference for me!

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NARS

Radiant creamy concealer.

This under eye concealer is amazing because it has enough coverage to hide my dark circles, but it is also hydrating so skin looks more youthful and radiant, not too cakey or heavy! I also find it has the perfect coverage to conceal any blemishes and sunspots. It comes with an applicator, so it is easy for touch ups throughout the day. CHANEL

Les Beiges healthy glow bronzing cream.

If I am looking pale, I pat this where the sun would naturally hit to give me an instant boost of colour. I find cream products to be more flattering to my skin than powder formulas as it gives a glow rather than a mattifying effect. I use it after applying foundation, but I can also wear it on its own when I am short on time. It is fantastic for holidays when you

are trying to pack lightly, and it also smells divine! DR DENNIS GROSS

C + Collagen Perfect Skin Set and Refresh Mist

I use this product in between skincare layers to give an extra boost to my skin when it is lacking radiance. It contains vitamin C, amino acids and antioxidants which help to firm, hydrate and protect the skin. I use it throughout

the day over the top of my makeup to keep my skin looking fresh and plump, rather than dull and tired! It is a real treat to spray on your face to make you feel awake and refreshed. Even my husband noticed my skin looked younger when I started using it!

feeling dry. It is a brilliant base for lipstick application as it smooths out any lines to give a flawless finish, it also helps to plump up those fine lines around the mouth.

ARBONNE INTELLIGENCE

The tip of this pencil is very fine, which is very important to me because I can use it to create little realistic hair strokes to non-existent or over plucked eyebrows. I went

Lip treatment.

This lip treatment is the perfect moisturiser for when your lips are

CLINIQUE

Superfine liner for brows.

a bit overboard with plucking my eyebrows like many did in the 90’s so this pencil is my saviour! I use the colour soft brown which is great for blondes, greys and light brown hair colours. It is a cool ashy tone with is great as some have far too much redness in them for me.

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From centre stage back to retail roots Liz Kemp made a choice not to go to University as she had a heart set on being a theatre stage manager, so instead, she attended the Central School of Speech and Drama in London and completed an HND in Stage Management, this was in the 1980s before the course became a degree, but years later Liz studied distance learning towards a degree in voluntary sector studies.... Her first job however was as a kitchen assistant and helping her parents in their shop. “My first ‘proper’ job though was as assistant stage manager in a repertory theatre in Ipswich. It was something I had wanted to do since I was 13-years-old when I was inspired by a fantastic drama teacher at school,” Liz told us. “I was lucky enough to tour the world and work on large West End musicals and in later years, moved into large conferences and events, work that required lots of long hours and travel.”

In 2017 Liz decided to return to her roots and open a shop. “It was something I had been considering for a while, as I wanted to travel less and get some work / life balance back. I was brought up in my parent’s general store, literally living above the shop, so when I opened my first shop, I called it Kemps General Store as a homage to my parents’ business,” she said. “However, it was really a gift shop rather than a true general store but did well, Yo r k s h i r e B u s i n e s sWo m a n

Yo r k s h i r e B u s i n e s sWo m a n

so we opened a second shop in Whitby in 2019.

our online shop, which has done extremely well during lockdown.

“This year with Covid, we took the chance and moved our Malton Shop to larger premises, adding on a bookshop. It was a risk,” she continued, “but our original shop was very small and operationally restrictive, this in turn would have reduced our customer numbers due to social distancing and we needed extra space for stock to facilitate

“Lockdown has given me the chance to virtually connect with other gift shop owners, not just locally but nationally, this has been a great support and what is interesting is that many of these are female led. “I want to grow our brand into a small chain of shops, and whilst this remains the plan, the pandemic has

halted our further bricks and mortar expansion plans for the time being. We are focussing on developing our online shop further and once social distancing is eased, we have plans for our bookshop and outdoor space. “I am lucky that I don’t have regrets about my career choices,” she added. “I have been privileged to work on many high-profile events and shows and enjoyed flexibility, denied to many.”

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We have all heard about the ‘Big Idea’ in business...

The big idea for your business

By: Janet Milner-Walker - founder of Bespoke Advantage - www.thebespokeadvantage.com.

You may have started 2021 with a desire to launch your own business, but you are now confused about which business to start. It is important to have a Big Idea, it is this idea that differentiates your brand and enables your customers to choose your brand as The Brand for them. If you are staring at a blank screen pondering on how to come up with your winning idea, here are a few pointers to get started.

Most people think that to start a business, your idea needs to be original. There are already countless businesses in existence, so it is very unlikely that your idea is completely original. Instead look at what is already out there and think of how you can improve upon it. It is important to be relevant, and as so much has changed over the past year, the way in which we conduct our business has also changed. So rather than reinvent an idea, look at conducting an existing business in a

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different way – take it from retail into an online version. 3.

We are distracted by our busy lives and technology; taking time off helps to create space for creativity and inspiration. Going for a run may open your mind to a myriad of ideas.

You are far more likely to make your idea a success if you focus on the skills you already have, whether these are skills you have developed through your hobbies or your work.

Seek to solve a problem, look at your daily life and habits, there are plenty of problems that need to be solved. The best business ideas are based on solving real problems.

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Sustainable Beauty Following the past year there should be more opportunities than ever before to deliver real value to the world. Conscious consumerism has been on the rise for some time as growing awareness around sustainability (which includes everything from clean beauty, to veganism, packaging, and ingredients), ethical working practices, mental health and over consumption have made people conscious of the need to be kind to each other and to the planet. Inner and Outer Beauty Whilst some people are referring to business ‘going back to normal’ I believe many people will be making lasting changes to their daily lives. The boundaries between beauty, health, wellness, fitness, and nutrition have merged and there is a far greater demand for nutritional supplements that address inner and outer beauty and for products that address mental health, stress, and anxiety. As we spend more time at home, we are also looking

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a wellness company dedicated to helping people live healthier lives. Each product is based on clean ingredients, transparency and caring for the planet. Fenty Fenty Cosmetics, launched by Rhianna, was created to provide foundations to women of all colours – by launching a range of over 40 different colours – and has been founded based on creating inclusivity for all. Function of Beauty Function of Beauty was founded in 2015 as a bespoke hair care range offering 54 trillion possible formulations of their haircare products, by asking consumers to fill in a free hair care quiz on their website. Personalisation is a growing sector of the marketplace for brands across the beauty and wellness sector. It is no longer about ‘one size fits all’ – we are all individuals with a unique genetic and metabolic make-up so naturally our needs are different.

for products and services that enable us to pamper ourselves from home – whether spa, beauty, or salon products. Touchless Beauty Touchless beauty’ is another growing sector of the marketplace, with some interesting innovations. Waterless formulations appeal to our concerns regarding the environment. We have become far more aware of hygiene and anti-bacteria, spiking a demand for liquid soaps, hand sanitizers and anti-bacterial skincare and body care. Still short on ideas? Consider why these companies got started. The Honest Company The Honest Company launched by Jessica Alba, was based on the premise that you should not have to choose between what works and what is good for you. They are

Whilst some of us are intimidated by technology, recent events have proven how we can adapt and learn to use this in a positive way. Now is the time to listen to your gut instinct and allow yourself to be drawn into things that inspire you. Building a business is about creating something meaningful that helps to make the world a better place, and you a happier and more successful version of yourself. It would be a tremendous waste to treat the past year as a momentary delay that leads us right back to the path we were on. Instead embrace this as an opportunity to leapfrog to your desired destination. A place where you are not merely surviving but thriving. If you are looking for support in developing a brand in the beauty or wellness industry, get in touch, we would love to hear from you. Janet Milner-Walker is the founder of Bespoke Advantage, a brand management company that builds beauty, spa, and wellness businesses, she is also a consultant, and a speaker. Over the past twenty years she has developed and launched brands for M&S, Harvey Nichols, Boots, Body Shop and Crabtree & Evelyn as well as worked with many start-ups. Yo r k s h i r e B u s i n e s sWo m a n

Thrive Law and Yorkshire Businesswoman solve your legal problems

Setting up and running a business can be daunting. There are lots of rules and regulations to follow, particularly if staff are employed and getting it wrong could be costly. Wages, pensions, sickness and disputes, it can be a minefield so Yorkshire Businesswoman has partnered with Jodie Hill, founder and managing director of Thrive Law who will offer help and advice to our readers. Each edition, Jodie will share with us, legal updates that could be beneficial to your business. In addition, if you have a specific question, you can send it to us at Yorkshire Businesswoman (hello@yorkshirebusinesswoman. co.uk) and we will ask Jodie to answer it for you. Depending on the question and its complexity, the answer will either publish in the magazine if Jodie thinks the answer will benefit others, or if specific to you, by private email. Jodie trained as a barrister, cross-qualified as a solicitor and founded Thrive Law in 2018 with its headquarters in Leeds City Centre. Jodie has specialised in employment law throughout

h e r c a re e r a n d h a s a ke e n understanding of this complex legal sector, together with all HR related issues. She has a passion for helping to encourage understanding around mental health and has a strong desire to help end stigma surrounding the subject, to create a happier, healthier workforce. This passion can be seen in her campaign: #OneMind, which brings attention to mental health and has been featured on Sky News, the BBC, The Times, The Law Society Gazette, Yorkshire Post and other key media. Jodie’s campaigning has been

recognised by many, which recently led to her being shortlisted for several Law Society Excellence awards and she was awarded a fellowship of the Royal Society for Public Health. In 2019 she became a Law Care Champion and in 2020 she launched ‘This is me Yorkshire’ and appeared on the Inside Out Leader Board as well as being awarded their Advocacy Award. In addition, the firm has won two prestigious awards in 2019 for social mobility and diversity and inclusion. In 2019, Jodie also founded Thrive Women as part of her ongoing mission to enable people to ‘Thrive’ in the workplace - and is disrupting the world of Employment Law as a female entrepreneur with her own firm before the age of 30. Jodie was recently appointed to the Law Society’s Employment Law Committee in 2020 where she will be at the forefront of the changes post Brexit and COVID related.

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Shampoo bars are they the future ?

In an effort to provide safe and natural hair care products whilst eliminating the need for plastic bottles that inevitably end up in landfill, Yorkshire Businesswoman decided to try some of the new shampoo and conditioner bars that are on the market. First, we asked Perrin from Roth Read Photography to try Delores & Rose Vegan Shampoo and Conditioner and this is what she told us.

about the harmful ingredients contained in some haircare products, so I was keen to try. Fresh

“As a vegetarian, animal welfare “During lockdown any delivery is always top of my shopping list. is exciting in the Roth Read Secondly, I had recently heard household, but none smell as

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divine as this package. O ur lounge had a delicious aroma for a few days until it was time to don the white coat and head to the bathroom for some serious testing! “I like a lot of foam and wasn’t sure a shampoo vegan bar was

going to cut it. However, I wasn’t “There is a downside. Mr partner disappointed, it lathered-up Lincoln shouted through from the beautifully. The shampoo felt bathroom “These new shampoo full bodied and foamy – and was and conditioner bars are brilliant!” so easy to massage in. After rinsing, Now I need to find a new hiding my hair felt fresh from scalp to tip, place.” leaving that lovely squeaky-clean Also, keen to try a shampoo bar, feel to it. was Yorkshire Businesswoman editor Gill Laidler. Gill received “I stroked the conditioner bar her package from Nut & Noggin. directly on my hair and, even The team there are on a mission before combing through, it began to change lives, one head at a to detangle and soften. As you can time. With every purchase of imagine, by now the bathroom their plastic free hair and beauty was smelling gorgeous. products, they make a donation of £1 to charities helping children “Here’s what I really loved though. and young people facing mental Once my hair dried, it was not health challenges. only bouncy and shiny but looked and felt healthier. Four days after Fresh washing, my hair still looked and smelled great (normally 2 days in “The moisture rich formula and it is beginning to look limp). shampoo bar comes in a 100%

recyclable cardboard carton and as it is made with beer and flaxseed, I wasn’t expecting a burst of floral aroma, although it did smell pleasant. Lathering up in wet hands, I applied the suds into wet hair, as per the instructions and it lathered instantly. The result was impressive and once I had dried my hair, was delighted to find it full bodied and super clean with a lovely shine. My hair is quite dry but after using this bar a couple of times, it did feel softer so combined with the charitable benefits, impact on the environment and the quality of the product, I will purchase again.” Nut & Noggin also make a rhubarb and ginger soap, but sadly as yet, no hair conditioner, but we are assured they are working on it!

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Leading, Scarborough-based, business coach, Ros Jones, helps entrepreneurs and business owners like you achieve their dreams. Ros doesn’t just talk the talk. She deals in measurable results with a track record to prove it.

The gentle art of delegation

The real challenge is not so much time but learning the art of delegation, to train someone else to do the task to the same standard as you want it done.

•

To allow for the growth and development of your staff

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To teach your staff to accept more responsibility and become more valuable to you.

There are 4 key steps in delegation 1.

Before you delegate, ask yourself “What is the worst that could happen - and can I live with that?” If you feel that you could live with the worst that could happen, then you delegate.

What is the cost of not delegating? Compare the cost to you of your time per hour against the cost per hour of a team member (or outside source). Then decide if the job should be delegated or not.

The process of delegation: have a clearly defined set of policies in place that the individual can refer to for guidance. Then give them:

There are 2 different levels of delegation depending on how much control you feel you need to retain.

Level 1 is where you agree that the team member should look at all the options, make a decision, and then report back to you for your final OK before any action is taken.

At Level 2 you agree the same as above with the team member and allow them to take the action. Then they report back the results of the action for review by you.

Sometimes we decide it’s easier just to do the job ourselves – but at what cost? Here’s why it’s important to learn to delegate: •

To give yourself more personal time

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To give yourself the opportunity to do more and therefore to achieve more

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To be able to grow your business more effectively

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To improve productivity and efficiency – both of yourself and of your key people

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Ros Jones The Business Success Coach Contact Ros at rosjones@actioncoach.com

Yorkshire couple launch sustainable activewear brand inspired by lockdown

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better, buy sustainable, to think about the choices they’re making and not to compromise. Fast fashion is driving over production, poor quality product and feeding the clothing mountain.” Activewear without compromise, the new Stretch & Burn collection is designed to address common exercise gear problems. The hero product, an all-in-one, can be used for multiple sports including yoga, running, gym workouts, solving common activewear problems for each activity.

Holmfirth-based Clare and Rick Taylor had two revelations during the first lockdown in March 2020 – being outside to exercise was a major factor in keeping them sane, but they realised that what they were wearing wasn’t up to the job. With Rick’s background in technical fabrics and Clare’s in marketing, creating a brand that solved these problems seemed like the logical thing to do. Stretch & Burn was born, the couple designed a range of activewear to solve common exercise problems. Each piece is made from premium recycled Italian fabric and ethically manufactured in Portgual. Clare said: “This last year has shown Rick and I how important

exercise is for our mind, body and soul, and how fragile the world we live in is. For us, the mental challenges of lockdown were eased by having time out running, cycling, walking, and being out in the fresh air, whatever the weather. However, spending so much time wearing activewear highlighted the downfalls of the brands that we were wearing. Our mission became to convince people to buy

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No more riding up tops or cold backs when out running or doing the downward dog in yoga, leg pockets for your phone or keys (one on each side) and a highshine compression fabric so that you look and feel amazing. Plus, you know that you’re making the right choice with sustainability at the heart. Stretch & Burn is a brand designed for the real world, built to last, sustainable and uncompromising in quality and performance. Yorkshire Businesswoman’s Mandy Taylor was lucky enough to receive one of Stretch and Burn’s jumpsuits to try for herself. Here’s what she said: “Like many no doubt, my “go to” clothing choices whilst working from home have been lounge or fitness wear and I must admit, I have really enjoyed it! That said, it has made me realise how poorly made and uncomfortable some of my fitness

clothes are, with poor stitching, substandard fabric and a a real lack of thought for comfort and style. My love of exercise includes Yoga, walking and home workouts and it was a privilege to receive a black and gold Stretch and Burn All In One jumpsuit. Perfectly presented in a distinctive box, the hand signed card explained that my garment was number 33 of only 300 made to guarantee that each piece is sustainably and beautifully crafted. My first impression was that the 4 Way stretch fabric oozed luxury and class, the attention to detail was outstanding- two side

on this beautiful high waisted jumpsuit and in all honesty, have never felt so comfortable! It is incredibly stretchy and fits like a glove, and with breathable fabric, it helps to control your body temperature. With UV Protection UP50+, it helps to protect from harmful sunlight and definitely something that I will be taking on holiday (dare I mention that word yet?)

pockets, a sturdy zip, and hidden seams designed to sculpt the body. Without hesitation, I swiftly tried

I am now completely converted to the All In One, it’s practical, stylish and versatile and with the satisfaction knowing that this is a business that cares about our planet.

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Exercising through

pregnancy By Adam Batchelor- Personal trainer

have a shorter labour with fewer complications.

Photo by Janko Ferlic from Pexels

I know this advice may seem a little odd coming from a man, but I’ve worked with hundreds of women through their pregnancy health and fitness both ante and post natal and I can assure you I have plenty of empathy for the incredible journey you go through and the challenges faced along the way.

The science tells us that exercise through pregnancy is beneficial but the practical application isn’t always as easy! Firstly - no two pregnancies are ever the same, and as a result, never compare the changes in your mind and body with anyone else’s. Energy, mood, motivation and desire to exercise will no doubt wildly fluctuate through pregnancy but

you definitely do not need to and should not avoid exercise for nine months, unless you have specific medical advice telling you not to do any. Pregnancy is certainly not an excuse to sit and eat for two, for 9 months! For many women, a certain level of structured activity can improve you and your baby’s health while you’re pregnant. It can also mean that you

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Regular exercise through pregnancy can do the following: • Help to reduce high blood pressure and reduce the risk of pre-eclampsia, which can affect low birth-weight and the need for a caesarean section. • Help you adjust to your changing body shape as your baby grows • Help you maintain a healthy weight gain throughout each trimester • Help to reduce the risk of diabetes, especially gestational diabetes. • Help you to improve mood and reduce feelings of anxiety by helping to regulate hormones • Help you to regulate and improve sleep patterns • Help to reduce the likelihood of developing varicose veins, swelling in joints such as ankles, feet and hands • Help to reduce back pain by keeping core muscles strong • Help to reduce the risk of developing SPD (Symphisis Pubis Disorder) which is a stiffness or uneven rotation of the pelvis • Improve your fitness levels. • Help to reduce the length of labour and associated complications

•

Help to improve post partum recovery and ability to regain core and pelvic strength and control quicker and more effectively

Weight Training

You may have to use lighter weights and there are some positions you must avoid. But weight training may just be the most important but all too readily overlooked exercise form you should be doing through pregnancy! It ticks all the boxes of exercise benefits and can be done throughout all trimesters.

As your body is changing rapidly, it is important to be able to adapt your exercise around those changes. Weight training is the most adaptable and scalable exercise form there is!

Swimming

Swimming is a brilliant all-rounder and especially beneficial towards the later stages of pregnancy as it is non-load bearing. It’s one of the safest exercise forms you can do (once the pools are open again!) The buoyancy of the water can provide welcome relief by taking your weight off your feet and back and reduce possible sciatic pain from nerve route irritation. But make sure you avoid backstroke in the later stages!

Pilates or Yoga

Both are beneficial for the mind as well as the body and either activity will help strengthen key pregnancy muscles, such as the pelvis and small but vital muscles around the spine. Try and find a pregnancy specific class for maximum benefit.

Walking

Get your daily dose of Vitamin D (this is especially important to help fight COVID) and c o n n e c t w i t h t h e g re a t outdoors at the same time. Walking is great for improving blood circulation, keeping muscle tone in your legs and can really help alleviate stress.

Prioritise your pelvic floor This is so important for maintaining good bladder function and strength, preventing prolapse and regaining full sexual function. Guess what? When you lift weights it forces your body to engage your core, which includes your pelvic floor. Include plenty of pelvic squeezes, with both long and short holds.

Choose seated exercises over lying ones Lying supine (on your back) is to be avoided after 16 weeks as it can press on the Vena Cava – a major vein. Sitting on a swiss ball will still challenge your core whilst removing any risk of dizziness caused by obstructing blood flow associated with lying exercises. This also allows you to constantly modify your body posture to maximise comfort as your centre of gravity changes

Avoid over exertion Now is not the time for smashing PB’s. It sounds obvious, but work within your limits and comfort zone – as much for your own peace of mind as anything else. Allow adequate recovery time between workouts. Listen to your body. This is your journey – nobody else’s!

Here are my top 5 tips for training safely with weights through pregnancy: 1.

S t a r t s l o w If you weren’t actively weight training prior to pregnancy – don’t suddenly start deadlifting! Start slow, use slow and controlled movements to counter the effect of ‘relaxin’ a hormone that is released through pregnancy and can make joints feel ‘looser’

2. Adapt to your growing bump Your routine needs to change through the trimesters as your bump gro ws. Your centre of gravity changes, which will make some exercises harder. Get some expert advice from someone like myself to help you through each stage.

Here’s an example of an Ante Natal workout filmed with the lovely Louise Thorpe - she successfully delivered her third baby (!) after putting up with me training her for nearly 30 weeks!

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By: T i m Gu est - ma n a gi n g d i recto r C o n te d ia - w w w.co n te d ia .co m

To Go Cloud or Not to Go Cloud, that is the question… There isn’t a week goes by that I’m not made aware of a new software - or at least one which is new to me. Whilst I work in the IT industry and am probably conditioned to looking, I suspect most people that are identifiable by certain demographics by Facebook or LinkedIn are being also targeted by software vendors. Typically, the ads I see most are for somewhat generic project management or CRM systems with a broad appeal. But such is the power of social media platforms to be able to identify, categorise and target us, that we may even find our feeds being

interrupted by ads for very relevant, even industry vertical software. Enabling that relevance in ad delivery is ultimately their goal. What most of these ads have in common is that they are

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predominantly for cloud-based systems. For reasons of both the user benefit of a cloud offering as well as those to the vendor, by providing them recurring revenue streams and a good degree of customer tie-in, it is fair to say that ‘Software as a Service’ (SaaS) is here to stay and is already the dominant sales and delivery method. So, it’s natural then that as you read this, many of you may be able to relate directly to being

a user of a cloud-based system and the benefits it has already provided. Maybe its limited to your experience of Microsoft 365 and the significant value that provides, but perhaps you’ve already migrated your accounts or CRM software to an equivalent cloud-based service. Migrated However, for those of you whose experience of ‘the cloud’ is still quite limited, either by choice or by circumstances, you might be wondering whether a certain SaaS service is right for your business and whether to take the plunge. Complex, business critical systems like your accounting and ERP software will present the most challenges and planning when migrating from on-premises software into the cloud. For SMEfocused solutions, depending on what systems you may be migrating from, there will often be a reliance on the migration and import tools made available and which work ‘as is’ by the cloud service you’re going to. Enterprise systems being migrated into a cloud environment, may often benefit from a significant amount of consultancy and services by the new service provider to ensure a smooth transition…albeit at a not insignificant cost, of course. But when it comes to the question of whether you should be thinking of whether migrating some or all of your systems into the cloud, there’s actually no obvious right or wrong answer. Or rather not a straightforward one. Your business is unique, and whilst most of the

systems you use won’t be, there remains some rationality in the saying ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t try fixing it’. At the heart of the matter ‘the cloud’ refers to using someone else’s servers, somewhere else. For that fundamental reason, some larger businesses opt for ‘private’ clouds, where they buy or rent equipment and pay to co-locate it in a suitable datacentre. For the masses, however, with our modern and reliable internet connections, vendor-hosted cloud systems still offer a number of identical benefits, including access to those systems from anywhere with an internet connection. This makes it perfect for effective home or distributed working which we’re becoming accustomed to. We also benefit from the underlying software being maintained and updated regularly by the vendors. This seems even more attractive in light of recent warnings given by GCHQ about the need to urgently patch the Microsoft Exchange Servers of some 8,000 UK businesses to prevent a reported threat from the Far East. Opportunity However, it’s worth me mentioning that backup (and recovery) remains an absolute must and something that shouldn’t be overlooked. Avoid the assumption that because you’re paying to use someone’s cloud software service, they provide a guarantee against the loss of your data – that which actually matters most to you. With Microsoft 365, for example, most business plans offer no such guarantee. Typically, as you

would expect, your data remains yours, as is the responsibility to safeguard it. So, it’s important you consider that, with each and every cloud service you may be using or planning to use, you need to have in place a suitable backup and recovery solution to provide peace of mind. This brings us back to whether you should migrate your systems into the cloud, especially now you know that the vendor hasn’t necessarily taken responsibility for your data. I would suggest you weigh up the pros and cons that apply specifically to your business. Consider what are the actual benefits of moving each of the systems you rely on into the cloud, both in terms of opportunity, user features, functionality, product maintenance and support and of course costs (both capital and recurring). Base your decision accordingly, whilst recognising that if you don’t migrate now, as long as you have a reliable on-premise maintenance, support, backup and recovery plan in place, then there’s no rush. Ultimately, unless the demands of your business or the on-premise software vendors dictate otherwise, the choice and the timing to go cloud or not remain yours and you shouldn’t feel pressured to join the club if it’s not the right fit for your business.

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Reaching your potential By Rachel Peru I’ve always been interested in fashion and knew from an early age that I was happiest when I could really express my personality through the clothes I was wearing. My grandma was a seamstress, so I used to spend hours sorting out her ribbons and buttons and trying all her fabulous hats on. Trailing round the charity shops with my older sister and mum always leaving with a bag full of new finds.

Don’t get me wrong as I hit my teenage years, I couldn’t wait to save my pocket money up each month so I could hit the high street in Leeds. From an early age my wardrobe has always been a real mix of both vintage and high street. I’ve been reflecting on some of my favourite outfits over the years and the majority are vintage or second-hand charity shop finds. Perhaps it’s the thrill of the find, when you come across a piece that not only looks fabulous on that is also unique is really rewarding. You are not just buying a piece of material, an item of clothing but when you buy vintage your buying someone else’s history too. I love to think about the women that might have also worn my favourite 70’s dress, what parties it’s been to, the music it’s been danced in and the places its seen. I found this homemade 1970’s green geometric dress on Ebay and handed it over to a seamstress to get a fantastic fit. I can lose hours in charity shops and I’ve really missed that ‘me’ time during lockdown. One of my favourite places to visit outside of Yorkshire is the Coals Yard Shelter shop by Kings Cross in London. They get such an amazing amount of quality stock in and I’ve always found pieces in my size, which as a size 14-16 can often be quite difficult. I’ve worn these Levi mom jeans so much since I bought them and had fun trying this Citizen Smith look! Outfit : @shelterkingscross Boots: Steve Madden

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Here’s some of my favourite events and I can’t wait to see them all back up and running once restrictions are lifted. I’m so sorry to see the end of York Festival of Vintage after the difficulties the pandemic has brought, and it will be sorely missed

EVENTSSa Saltaire Vintage Fairs

The Great Seaside Vintage Fair at Whitby

Both events organised by The Houseof Rose & Brown www.roseandbrownvintage.co.uk

Ilkley, Wetherby and BurleyIn-Wharfedale fairs Alfie Robot Retro fairs https://alfierobotretro.com

Leeds monthly vintage market

run by AdVintageous https://www.advintageous.co.uk The jewel in my calendar is always the Goodwood Revival held in September each year. Recreating the old school glamour of motor racing and the only historic race meeting held in period dress. Everyone makes such an effort and I’m already planning this year’s outfits.

My obsession for vintage finally grew into a business when I launched my vintage clothing business All About Eve in 2012 which allowed me truly embrace my own sense of style. I sold online and at vintage fairs across Yorkshire at the weekends. I was in my element, it meant I could meet new like-minded creative people, run my own business for the first time and It’s where my confidence really began to grow. It was such fun planning my outfits for the events and having the freedom to try different looks. I made

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some friends for life through vintage fashion and I was sad to stop the business once my modelling career took off, but I now have the pleasure of attending the events as a customer so I’m never too far away from that world. We are seeing a new wave of 1970s inte rest afte r watching BBC’s dark drama The Serpent. Leather coat and accessories: My Vintage Beau Dress: H&M Adrian McFade photography

Channelling some 1950’s glamour in this swimwear outfit My Vintage Beau

Laura Adams Photography

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Etiquette Training It almost sounds old fashioned and dated!

People often ask me what happens on our style and confidence courses so lets take a brief look at the process: By Bernadette Gledhill

Etiquette & confidence building It is over 40 years ago since my mother enrolled me on my first charm school course and yes, life and social values have no doubt changed dramatically. However, all good things can be adapted and values and respect will never change. The courses that we hold are simply old fashioned values brought up to date for the 21st century

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Confidence and etiquette go very much side by side but beginning with the basics is the most important. On our first introduction we begin with body language which includes how to walk, sit and enter a room with confidence. I always remember the very first time I had to walk across a room alone with everyone watching daunting!!! I do look back many times and smile to myself!

back without looking over enhanced and the main confidence boost of all is eye contact. As soon as we add these three things together you immediately feel and look stronger. Posture can be acquired in the comfort of your own home by just standing with your back and shoulders against a wall, feel your posture and move away, it sounds much easier than it is but 5 minutes every day will help you become aware of where you need to be to feel comfortable with your walk.

The first thing I always do on our introductory session is to let everyone walk together in a group, a much kinder start to the process. We always encounter the exact same list of improvements to be made on every single course, the main one is looking down at the floor.

Boosting your own confidence is certainly not something that can be done overnight and can take time. A confident walk and natural movement create an air of poise and self confidence. It can be hard to define the meaning of poise but this sense of personal style creates a positive feeling for those around you that you meet or associate with in both business and social life.

The first tip is to hold your head high, shoulders

I always think that acquiring eye contact for

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very shy people or when you are feeling slightly intimidated can be very difficult but it is such an important skill in general to appear more sincere, confident, trustworthy and attractive. As we move into the next section of our training this is very much about acquiring your own individual style. I always stress from day one that style is not about money! A stylish person will not follow trends but will find items to express themselves in a way that they feel comfortable. One of my favourite quotes is “Fashion can be bought, Style one must possess” and this is so true. I recommend initially looking through your own wardrobe regularly and finding all the items that make you feel good, keep these to one side and then add to them as you wish. We have so much around us now to find our own fashion inspiration either through social media, friends, celebrities so identify the looks that you can realistically emulate and keep that individualism at all times. Finally, don’t be afraid to experiment with fashion, hair and make-up. A subject that I have always held close to my heart since I studied beauty after leaving school is skin care. This is a valuable lesson particularly for teenage girls. I am

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a great believer that the sooner you begin on this route the better. I remember reading many years ago that in France this is actually a school subject! I love that idea.

everything correctly it is not even noticed but if you make mistakes unfortunately, they are easily observed. This is quite an in-depth lesson but I always love to share my favourite 3 tips Napkins Immediately place the napkin on your lap as you seat. If you leave the table temporarily put the napkin on your chair. At the end of the meal fold your napkin to the left of your place setting. Bread Never cut your bread with a knife!! Always break bite size pieces of bread using your fingers and then add the butter. Knife and Fork Hold the handles in your palm so that they are only visible at the front. When eating rest, the knife and fork on your plate in between eating with the prongs down for the fork and the blade of the knife resting on top. When you finish put your knife and fork together on the plate with handles directly facing you.

We are very lucky now that you can actually find so much advice on You Tube, Facebook and all beauty brand websites on how to blend, highlight and create the perfect eyes but I do love a natural healthy skin and a less is more look. One of my favourite lessons that I was lucky to be introduced to at the age of 15 and have myself taught over the years is table etiquette. How life through travel, restaurant styles, casual dining and different cultures has changed over the years. Table etiquette is far more than using the correct cutlery and once again the famous confidence word comes back into the way we react to different situations. As in all situations when you do

I fully appreciate that etiquette varies on our travels from country to country. I often ask questions as I find it fascinating to know as much about etiquette culture as possible. It would be rude not to adapt in some situations and its never too late to learn! To round off our training, my top closing confidence and etiquette tips are: Always be yourself • • • • •

Accept and share compliments Be kind Take care in your appearance Surround yourself with people who believe in you Please and Thank You always…….

Bernadette Gledhill www.bernadettegledhill.com Yo r k s h i r e B u s i n e s sWo m a n

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Author: Dally Purewal dally@ideasthatwork.co

Adapting to change Change is something a lot of people tend to resist. It is something we have all experienced but even more so over the last year. Home schooling, closing businesses, working from home, adapting our services, not socialising with friends and family – all change we have had forced onto our lives rather than chosen.

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3: Communicate

Whilst some are thriving through change, many amongst us are struggling with keeping optimistic about the future.

I approach all challenges with “what am I being taught here?”. This is in my personal and business life – and I think it is this mindset which has contributed to my solution based attitude.

As a business, we were raring to go when we returned on 4th January after the festive break. 2 weeks of recharging our batteries after working tirelessly through 9 months of the pandemic. 8am - we had an e ne rgetic, uplifting strategy meeting discussing new ideas, plans and habits we were going to adopt. By 8pm that same night, the country was back into lockdown. I knew now, my team needed me to stay calm, lead and most importantly adapt with as little disruption as possible. Thankfully, I have always been focused on solutions. I tend to focus on what is in my control and how to navigate through adversity. We’re 9 weeks into lockdown 3.0 and I think as a business and as individuals we have adapted quite well. Here are my top tips on adapting to change. 1: Keep structure and routine

This is by far, in my opinion the most important thing to do when adapting to change and especially under the current circumstances. Personally, I make sure I get dressed for work each day, wake at the same time and have my morning routine of walking the dog and eating a good breakfast.

As a business, we had a 9am meeting planned everyday to share things we are grateful for, inspiring stories and a happy song. We have continued this through virtual meetings. I have seen how much more productive we all are by having a routine. 2: Focus on what you can control

Understandably, when going through change it can be very difficult to focus on solutions. However, overthinking won’t change the outcome. What can change an outcome is where you put your focus. I don’t agree with not dealing with emotions. If change causes anxiety, concern, panic – it is important to acknowledge those feelings, let them flow, deal with them in a way which works for you. For me, it is writing in a journal which helps process emotions. Once this is done, you can move onto focusing on the things which you can control.

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Communication with those around you is essential. Whether that is with your clients or your team. It is easier to adapt when where is strong, open and honest communication. Make it clear what your expectations are and make it easy for your team to approach you too. It’s important to adapt our communication style or leadership style for those around us. I believe a strong leader is someone who can communicate effectively to different personality types. 4: Be kind

Remember, you never know what another person is going through behind that polished exterior and bright smile. Practice being empathetic towards people. If change is difficult for you, it is most likely difficult for someone else too. If we’re asking something of someone, remember it is probably not the only thing on their list today. If you have any concerns, go back to point 3 and communicate effectively with them and allow them to be open with you. When you listen, really listen, it’s amazing what you find out about people. 5: Embrace change – grow through it

Without change, we have no growth. We stay in our comfort zone. That may be okay for some, but to really take charge of life, to impact others around us and to experience life in the best

possible way we can, we must push ourselves out of that comfy place. 6: Use change as a learning experience

I approach all challenges with “what am I being taught here?”. This is in my pe rsonal and business life – and I think it is this mindset which has contributed to my solution based attitude. 7: Set achievable goals

Don’t set yourself up for failure. If you know you can’t write a blog per week, don’t set it as a goal. Perhaps a blog a month is more achievable? Use a list, I favour a physical list – there is something rewarding about putting a line through things I have completed. I have found over the year, my

goals have become smaller, but I am achieving a lot more of them. 8: Have a strong network of likeminded people around you.

When adapting to change, there is nothing more refreshing than knowing that other people can relate to you. However, know that everyone’s experience is unique to them. Take lockdown as an example… we’re all in the same situation, however, our experience and perception of the situation is completely unique. 9: Slow down and be patient

We live in a world where we expect things instantly. The internet has made us all want things quicker and easier. What this means though, is that we’re not really experiencing. We’re just having all these micro-

moments of getting things done, but we’re not really present in day to day life. If you’ve sent an email to someone, give them a reasonable time to respond. If you have an issue or concern to raise, think about how you communicate those concerns. 10: Let go of the old

Similar to point 5, we should embrace change. Often what causes the roadblock to move on is not being able to let go of how things used to be. We can’t ever move backward in live and nor should we want to. We may wish we had maybe done things differently, but I am a true believer in whatever we go through, whatever choices we make, they all fundamentally lead us down the path we’re meant to find ourselves on.

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Art knows no boundaries How one professional firm has been supporting cultural institutions with virtual arts events for its employees and clients throughout lockdown

The future of art institutions across the country has been particularly uncertain in the last year, with longstanding corporate and philanthropic supporters becoming critical to the fill the gap that loss of ticket sales has left. Theatres, museums, galleries and other businesses linked to the arts have been forced to close their doors during the pandemic and consequently, companies that sponsor arts programmes have had to decide whether they are able to continue funding. When many of us made the move to work from home last March, professional services firm EY saw its arts programme as an opportunity to connect with people at home. By pivoting its arts programme to be delivered entirely online, it has been able to support its people, clients and the communities across the UK. EY Arts has organised several

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c r e a t i v e w o r k s h o p s to s u i t employees with varying personal circumstances - from those living alone to those juggling work and home schooling, The Tracey Emin ‘Loneliness of The Soul’ talk, hosted in partnership with The Royal A c a d e m y, f o c u s s e d o n a discussion around loneliness and its impact on our wellbeing and for those with children there has been a range of interactive art classes on clay modelling, hat making and even dragon origami sculptures. Earlier this month, to celebrate International Women’s D ay, EY Arts hosted a discussion o n ‘ I n s p i r i n g Wo m e n ’ i n

partnership with the V&A . The virtual event explored a number of inspiring designers, photographers and historical figures, who chose to challenge the prevailing norms of their time and now inspire others. It was a whirlwind tour of the V&A and brought to light just a few of the individuals who paved the way of gender equality. Wellbeing EY Arts has also offered its employees mental wellbeing workshops with trained art therapists, encouraging people to take time away from their work and reflect on their emotional wellbeing. There is a clear and increasing appetite for the events - the firm’s EY Arts Club has seen membership grow by 26% over the last year. Suzanne Robinson, EY Office Managing Partner for Yorkshire, said: “If there’s one thing that lockdown

has taught us, it’s the importance of balancing our pe rsonal and professional lives. O ur EY Arts programme has proven to be a vital tool in helping to support our people during this time and fits with our purpose of building a better working world. “It’s also hugely important that these arts venues across the country receive

Credits: Above: Pot Portraits by Fay Taylor (The Lowry) as part of a family virtual workshop Over: Junk Modelled Dragon by Paul Pickford (The Lowry) as part of a family virtual workshop Auguste Rodin, The Inner Voice (1896) plaster with graphite 151 x 75 x 53 Suzanne Robinson

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support – something that they need now more than ever and I’m so proud that EY has continued its investment in the arts over this period.” EY began its arts programme in 1997, and since then it has proudly backed the arts through its flagship partnership with the Tate since 2013, as well as with leading institutions around the country. More rece ntly, EY Arts has developed a new partnership with The Lowry in Salford, recognising the importance of investing in arts institutions based in towns and cities outside of London and the communities they operate within. EY Arts has been able to support local communities through workshops, including The Lowry’s Bouncing Back initiative. The programme was launched to support some of those worst hit by the pandemic, focusing on vulnerable young adults in and around Manchester and enabling them to create networks with others also facing big life challenges. Pip Vaughan, EY Arts Lead, said: “As an organisation, EY believes the arts plays integral role in the recovery of the UK from both a societal and an economic perspective and it offers an important personal creative and emotional outlet. “This year has seen EY Arts focus our programme of activity on supporting the mental wellbeing of our people, as well as offering new experiences to our clients,

and supporting the communities we operate within. Collectively, we looked at how we could support our colleagues whilst at home and arranged virtual arts sessions.”

EY Arts has developed As the UK looks to the future, and the roadmap out a new of lockdown gives us some light at the end of the partnership tunnel, EY Arts has begun to plan its first non-virtual with The art event, post-lockdown. Lowry in Salford, Theopening of ‘The EY Exhibition: The Making of recognising Rodin’ which it hopes will open at the Tate Modern the on 17 May (subject to the government road map), will importance be a celebration of Rodin’s innovative practices and of investing how he broke with traditional methods to re-invent in arts modern sculpture. However, the popularity of the institutions... online arts programme means it will also continue after lockdown as the firm recognises its value in connecting with and supporting its 17,500 employees across the country, wherever they are based.

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How to develop a long-term financial planning focus amidst the Covid crisis

Having carved a reputation as a financial management specialist within private-equity backed firms, Vicky Wordsworth is no stranger to making quickfire decisions that impact on shorter-term objectives. But she’s also a huge advocate for focusing on the longer horizon.

Here, the CFO of 158-year-old Bailie Group – a progressive family-owned group of communications specialists – therefore advises how business owners and finance professionals can look beyond the turbulence of the pandemic, to plan for the future…

So yes, business leaders may have been forced to take some rapid actions they would have rather not, but in most cases the decisions will not have been made recklessly. They will still have been considered, albeit at pace.

A Gartner report issued in the earlier wave of the pandemic warned companies against implementing short term and unsustainable cost cutting measures. This caution was understandable – knee-jerk financial decisions can have devastating longer-term consequences in terms of everything from supply chain security to the retention of valued talent.

Fast forward to organisations preparing for life beyond lockdown 3.0, and nobody would dare suggest we’re out of the woods yet. Some reports indicate an optimistic outlook for the second half of the year, which is confidence we’re all clinging on to, I’m sure.

However, let’s also be realistic. For many organisations – particularly those without the luxury of healthy cash reserves – much of 2020 was about ensuring survival.

However, even in uncertain times, it is possible to undertake more visionary financial planning with an eye on a more distant horizon. In fact, if you haven’t yet made the shift towards

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longer-term strategic thinking, now is the time. The pace with which this shift can take place will naturally vary from one organisation to the next, and it would be wrong to suggest it’s easy. But here are 10 things to consider, in setting more far-reaching financial plans: 1.

If you’re worried about cash reserves, and you’re not 100% certain you’ve evaluated all financial incentives, grants and support mechanisms

currently available, double check. Speak to your peers, accountant, personal and professional finance specialists, and so on, to ensure you are fully aware of your options. 2.

Don’t be afraid to l o o k i n w a r d l y. M o s t organisations have already done this, but ensure you’ve thoroughly assessed your current financial ‘health’. Have you evaluated all spend, do you have robust supplier relationships, are you achieving maximum

value and are there any weak points in terms of budget control? Get your ‘house in order’ before you make new plans. 3.

Ho we ve r, don’t delay looking outwardly too. It’s easy – and understandable – to focus on the day to day, especially if it’s proving difficult to manage cash. But if this degree of scrutiny and pressure becomes your ongoing position, it will soon feel overwhelming. It may be difficult to find the answers right now, but

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try to keep one eye on the possible. And – linked to point one – seek ideas, support and camaraderie from your business community. There’s a real sense of spirit among British commerce at the moment – even between competitors – which is truly refreshing to see. If nothing else, it’s a welcome reminder that you’re not going it alone. 4.

Ensure you’re thinking laterally to capitalise on potentially new market opportunities. Many of us grew to loathe the word ‘pivot’ in 2020, but it is nonetheless evidence that even during a global crisis, businesses can innovate and unlock new revenue streams – sometimes by making only simple a d j u s t m e n t s to t h e i r proposition.

6. O n c e c e m e n t e d , communicate the plan with the wider team – particularly any investments that signify your confidence about the future. This will breed optimism among the workforce and demonstrate your intent. At Bailie Group, we’ve revealed a substantial innovation fund for our group companies, for example, to re-ignite the fires in their bellies and support them with their own longer-term thinking. We’re also investing heavily in wellbeing, personal and professional development, so that when we return to some degree of BAU, we have energised, fulfilled and supported employees. Being financially prudent isn’t always about cost control.

team of decision makers who can talk frequently to make informed strategic and operational decisions, at pace, in the face of turbulence. The economy is often rich with uncertainty, so this move will benefit businesses when the pandemic is hopefully just a distant memory. 9. D o n ’ t b e a t y o u r s e l f up. Nobody has all the answers, and the social media wizards who profess to be nailing everything, probably aren’t. There’s no right or wrong approach to financial planning, as such, as it must be relevant to the business concerned. But surrounding yourself with the right people, and keeping an open and agile mind, will go a long way to getting your organisation through this.

7. Update your risk register. Devise a three-year plan – Very few businesses will 10. However savvy you become UK’s Top Restaurant Dishes Re-Created in Newwith Recipe Book a visionary goal to aspire have had ‘global health the numbers, don’t towards. Ensure this is true crisis’ on their radar forget about people. The to your organisation’s core 12-18 months ago, but World Economic Forum purpose, as authenticity some boards do plan for Global Risk Report 2021 counts for a lot in the ‘black swan’ events. It’s states the 7th greatest current climate. Define impossible to prepare current threat – in terms clear milestones, roles and yourself for every possible of impact – is livelihood responsibilities – including scenario, of course, but a crises. We can each play a refreshed management degree of readiness stands a small part in trying to structure if necessary – to the organisation in good protect the security of aid progress. Include more stead. society – certainly the tactical, agile objectives for people we employ – so the next 12 months too, and 8. If you haven’t already, set staying true to our values, celebrate wins along the up a Covid committee – throughout all of this, is way, however small. it’s not too late. Select a crucial.

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From market stall to high tech business owner From the age of 14 to 17, Michelle Cowan had a Saturday job in Huddersfield indoor market, working on a fruit and veg stall. “It was non-stop from 8am to 6pm,” she told us. “But I loved the hustle and bustle atmosphere of the market, you just don’t get that in a shop. I learned a lot of skills doing that job, which have stood me in good stead throughout my working life, notably dealing with different types of people and team working.”.

Growing up, Michelle wanted to be either a hairdresser or nurse, but after leaving school, Michelle completed a BA Hons degree in business studies in Hull. “Back then it was a college of higher education, which turned into a Polytechnic and then a University. In my third year, I did a diploma in International Economics and Finance at Handleshojskole in southern Denmark, before returning

to the UK to complete my final year. I didn’t have the creative genius needed to be a good hairdresser, nor the bedside manner to be a nurse,” she laughed. “I left my corporate career in 2017. I’d always dreamt of owning my own business and wracked my brains regularly to try and come up with the next unicorn. Eventually an idea for my app (socialsendr) came to me, I foundF

FACT FILE: Husband: Clive we met at Uni and have been married for 23 years. Children: Dylan (18) and Dexter (16) What car do you drive Range Rover Evoque What do you do in your leisure time? Walk, gym, gardening, eating out Where is your favourite restaurant? Too many to choose from but if pushed - Mezze, Holmfirth What is your favourite food and drink? Cheese and Red Wine – even better if they are together Where is your favourite holiday destination? Spain – we’ve had such great family holidays there so lots of memories – and it’s vast so lots to explore in the future. Where is your favourite place in Yorkshire Whitby What is your favourite gadget? A hand whisk that belonged to my grandma – my family take the mickey out of me, but they all use it too! What couldn’t you live without Family aside it would have to be my crazy spaniel dog Max.

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a business partner, Bren Adams, and in 2018 Justo Software was born, a business with a vision to bring ideas to life using technology. “Previously I’d worked at Cisco for 17 years and Apple for three years before that. Tech is one of the sectors that has I don’t worry always been about the challe nged things I cannot with a lack of control, I work diversity, paron the stuff I ticularly with can control and women, but a always try to be shift has takthe best version en place and of myself... c o n t i n u e s to happen which is positive,” she added. “I am a STEM ambassador and I truly believe that more needs to be done to encourage girls in school to

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enter into the tech sector and more education to be implemented around the different line of businesses and opportunities within a tech company. As we start to see more women at the top and on the board of directors, it’s easier for other females to visualise themselves there. Most days Michelle rises at 7am. “By 8am I’m out with my dog Max, rain or shine for around an hour, enjoying breakfast when I get home, that is always something with eggs. Work for me starts around 10am. My days are varied as apart from Justo Software, I’m a NED for Huddersfield based software development business Torchbearer, I do the odd bit of consultancy, I am a Governor at Birstall Primary Academy and I co-host the Two Northern Lasses podcast with Jayne Adamson.

“It’s nearly always soup for lunch, walk again in the evenings after the purchase of my Morphy Rich- dinner but in winter, the curtains ards soup maker has been a good are closed, the fire is on and the investment,” she continued. “ I’m evenings are about relaxing. fortunate to have a home gym; as exercise is really important to me, “From a business perspective we and so I try and fit a weekday slot want to continue to grow and supin most days. I finish working port other small businesses. From around five. In summer I tend to a personal perspective I would love

to travel more, I think this has been heightened by the last 12 months in the pandemic, and also by scrolling through Instagram at interesting places around the world. I don’t worry about the things I cannot control, I work on the stuff I can control and always try to be the best version of myself,” she concluded.

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It’s tricky keeping up with changes at Toyota. There’s a steady flow of new and updated models arriving at your local dealer on a regular basis.

NEW YARIS TICKS THE BOXES By: Graham Courtney - Motoring Correspondent

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One of the most recent to arrive is the Toyota Yaris. It’s looked good from day one and is still one of the smartest superminis around.

The Yaris is now only available as a hybrid…but that’s not a problem because the hybrid option was always the pick of the previous range. Power comes from a 1.5 litre 3 cylinder 114bhp petrol engine mated to a battery hybrid system. An auto box is standard. 0-60 takes around 9.5 seconds and there’s a top speed of 109mph, but the real trump card for the Yaris is when it comes to fuel economy. If you make full use of the hybrid system, especially around towns, on the school and shopping run etc, you’ll get close to

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70mpg. This will drop on motorway runs when the hybrid isn’t so efficient. The hybrid set-up suits the Yaris perfectly. The petrol engine has enough oomph to allow brisk overtaking and relaxed cruising, while the electric motor gives you silent running around town and good economy. Both the petrol engine and electric motor work seamlessly in tandem. You can’t tell when the engine fires-up and joins the party. Here’s a tip. Avoid the higher spec models because you get 17inch wheels and a firmer suspension set-up. Okay, that’s fine for higher speed work, but bearing in mind this car will spend most of its time in slower traffic, the chunkier wheels spoil the ride. Prices start at £19,910 but you get

a decent level of kit as standard and the Toyota Yaris clings onto its value like a limpet. There are four levels of trim…Icon, Design, Dynamic and Excel. Icon gives you essential stuff like air con, reversing camera, powered heated mirrors, Bluetooth, DAB radio, colour info screen and cruise control. If you want your Yaris to be a bit special, find another grand and go for the Design model (we would) which adds an 8inch multimedia screen, powered windows allround, tinted glass and really smart alloys. The Yaris is one of those rare cars that suits most people. If you are a single commuter who needs A to B transport or a couple who enjoy days out or a family who need some sensible transport for the kids, then the Yaris will tick all of your boxes. Overall, it’s easy to see why the Toyota Yaris has done so well. It’s painless to own, easy to live with and should be utterly reliable. It’ll continue to be a favourite. Y o r k s h i r e B u s i n e s s W o m a n 111

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CX-30 F r o m

m a z d a

i s

t h e

b u s i n e s s

By: Jan Courtney - Motoring Correspondent

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Like most women I’m used to keeping a lot of plates spinning at the same time, juggling work with a busy home life. At either end of the scale, some of you will be either single or in a relationship or possibly retired or enjoying some ‘me’ time now that the kids have flown the nest. But, in amongst all of that, there is a common denominator. You need transportation. It’s very easy to slip into a female stereotype. Glamorous sports car or glorified mini bus. Needs to look smart in the car park or needs to cope with sticky fingers and muddy boots. What we really need is a good-looking car that will fit the bill as a family holdall and yet still be something in which we think we look okay. And safe - oh and it’d be handy if it was economical and good to drive. And not too big either. Well, here’s what I reckon is one of the best around to tick all of those boxes. And it’s not a name people tend to instantly think of. Mazda. The Mazda CX-30 to be precise. The CX-30 is what’s known as an SUV….Sport Utility Vehicle. In a nutshell an SUV is supposed to be something which looks a bit different with a hint of sportiness, while also being able to fit in with our lifestyles which includes everything from going to the theatre to going to the tip. They tend to be based on a mainstream 5-door hatchback which means you still get convenience and versatility but have a bit of attitude thrown in by having a slightly raised ride height plus perhaps some natty plastic along the sills and wheel arches.

also makes it easy to clamber into but also means you have a slightly lofty driving position which provides a great view of the road. It’s a doddle to park and, thanks to having a fairly compact design, it’s simple to punt around town. Mazda say the car is aimed at families, but it will work equally well for commuting or for a couple who enjoy rides out. A pair of 2.0 litre petrol engines are available offering either 120 or 178bhp. There’s a choice of 6-speed manual or automatic gearboxes and on the higher level of trim you can opt for all-wheel drive. We’d recommend the more powerful engine and stick with the manual ‘box. We’d avoid all-wheel drive unless you live out in the sticks and want some better traction if the roads are slippery. The 120bhp engine will reach 60mph in a shade over 10 seconds while the more powerful unit knocks two seconds off that time. Even though the 178bhp version costs around £1500 more, it’s worth going for because it offers decent performance and improved fuel economy of almost 48mpg.

Granted, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but here at TopicUK we think this Mazda CX-30 looks rather smart. It has a raised ride height which

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Prices start at £22,840 for entry level SE-L trim. Mazda has a reputation for providing lots of kit as standard so every CX-30 comes with satellite navigation, air conditioning, rain sensing wipers, rear parking sensors,

powered windows and mirrors, DAB radio, Bluetooth and a host of safety equipment. We like the next level though, SE-L Lux because for an extra grand you get heated front seats, front parking sensors, reversing camera and a powered tailgate. The Mazda CX-30 is good to drive, comfy, well equipped and should be utterly reliable. There’s a premium feel to the interior too. Fitting a child seat in the rear is straightforward thanks to the ISOFIX attachment points and, if your brood is older, they’ll appreciate the legroom. Boot space is okay too. If you are looking for a handsome and distinctive hatchback with some presence, and a car that will be equally happy in towns or on the motorway, the Mazda CX-30 could be the car to tempt you to experience life in a crossover.

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Yorkshire Businesswoman celebrated International Women’s Day

To celebrate International Women’s Day, we asked our readers to nominate the women in business who have inspired them the most. This could be mentors, people you work with or even women you don’t know but admire from afar. We received a huge number of nominations and as it was impossible to select just some, we decided to list all nominations, excluding the nominees, many of whom requested to remain anonymous! So, here are your inspirational women, listed in no particular order:

Samantha Senior - The Aesthetics Accountant 2 nominations

strong desire to help end stigma surrounding mental health to create a happier, healthier workforce.”

“Sam is an amazing accountant who “Jodie campaigns fiercely for what works within the aesthetics industry. she believes in. She has established She is an inspiration to so many a non-traditional law firm with women, including myself, who run a positive focus on diversity and their own aesthetics businesses.” supporting people with mental ill health in the workplace. Jodie is “Sam is dedicated to all her clients an inspirational leader and works and gives 110% of her time to tirelessly to better herself, others make sure your business needs and the wider community at large.” and finances are in order and helps you to run your finances smoothly. I wouldn’t be where I am now without her help and guidance.”

Jodie Hill - Thrive Law 4 nominations “Jodie has overcome extreme diversity and used that energy to make a difference. She is a dedicated individual who has relentless energy to defend those individuals who are most in need.” “Jodie’s approach to law and employment issues is something I’ve never seen before; she makes law accessible to employers and individuals, continually offering advice and support through her social media challenges.” “Jodie has a passion for helping encourage understanding around mental health and has a

Jayne Adamson - Flex Marketing/The Flex Collective “J a y n e g a v e m e a m a s s i v e opportunity to manage her social media and I have learnt so much from an experienced product and branding marketing specialist. She has time to do a podcast every week (two northern lasses) and inspired me to feature on another podcast.”

Rachel Dilley - Town Hall Dental “Despite running seven businesses, Rachel finds the time to volunteer with Focus4Hope, taking referrals from the public in need of food parcels. She goes above and beyond to help anyone in need and shows love, care and compassion to them. Rachel inspires and motivates me every day.”

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provided so much support to both Michelle McArthur-Morgan me and other businesses in the Jigsaw@Work local community, whilst constantly “If you’re lucky enough to be in a having to pivot her own business room with Melanie, you can feel to be able to survive this turbulent “Although she is not an official her energy and passion. She has a time. Forced to close her shop, mentor to me Michelle has played determination to make our region she has learned social media and an integral part in the development the best for digital and tech, to create embraced video.” of my own business and she has the very best opportunities for our provided me with an incredible young people, and to make sure that Vicky Fitzpatrick - Cordant amount of knowledge, expertise our talent remains here in the North.” People and guidance based not only on her experience as a business owner but her incredible depth Rebecca Sedgewick - Anon “ S i n c e w o r k i n g a t C o rd a n t and understanding of people and Lingerie People, Vicky has inspired me to their behavioural preferences.” 3 nominations overachieve what I have never “Rebecca set up a lingerie shop when done in my career before. Vicky, is Dr Justine Reilly - Sporting she was just 20. She finds time to by far the hardest working woman Heritage fundraise for various charities, I have ever met.” currently helping a charity in Uganda “Through her determination and with supply secondhand bras and a Sophie Conboy - Connect passion, sporting heritage is fitting service via zoom.” now seen as an important and Yorkshire integral part of our communities “Her genuine, overly gorgeous “As a new and young CEO, how alongside culture and art. Justine personality are at the heart of the shop she has managed and navigated has a strong belief of the role and where she encourages her customers Connect Yorkshire through this value of sporting collections both to share photos of themselves on social past year has been incredible. in and of themselves, but also in media, wearing their last purchases! From having to make the decision terms of supporting wider social, Her entire ethos is about promoting to furlough all staff in March, cultural, political and economic body positivity.” managing to reinvent how the understanding and cohesion.” company operates to ensure not “Rebecca actively promotes a healthy only survival, but to thrive in this Lubna Khan-SalimTime to body image for women; using her new world.” Bloom own customers on the catwalk and in promotional shoots. She Juliette Dennett - Dale Lubna is a real inspiration and is unstoppable even through the Carnegie all-round brilliant person. Coming pandemic; taking time to check in from a mixed heritage and humble on people she knows are struggling. “Juliette is an inspiring leader. Her background, Lubna pursued All this despite suffering with anxiety business is recognised as one of the top her dream to study medicine herself.” 20 most successful in the Dale Carnegie and became a plastic surgeon network spanning 90 countries. In working for the NHS. Lubna is 2019 Juliette was appointed President an empathetic, warm, genuine Keeley Crookbain of the International Dale Carnegie speaker and has recently launched Bloomindale Signature Franchise Association the first woman the first virtual wellbeing summit, Florist outside of North America to have this Make A Date with You in support “Since the pandemic, Keeley has prestigious role.” of Smart Works Leeds.” Melanie Parker - Graft Talent

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Susan Briggs - Tourism Network 2 nominations

Alison Hobson - Just Peel Limited

Sarah Lambley - Sarah Lambley Marketing

“Alison has worked her way up “W hat makes Sarah such a from an office admin position to stand-out mentor is her wealth starting her own business in which of knowledge and experience, will this year be hitting a turnover her empowerment for women in of over three million pounds. She business - especially those with is an inspiration, but this has been children like me, and her outlook doubly so during Covid. When on business.” other businesses have been looking Carolyn Frank - Federation to cut back Alison has invested of Small Business six figure sums in production capacity which will create new “Carolyn relentlessly champions jobs in the manufacturing sector the needs of business owners “Susan has set up Dales Tourism and producing product of which a whose voices would otherwise Partners to help us all through large percentage will be exported.” not be heard, reaching the ears of this difficult time. She runs & influencing central government workshops and sends out a weekly Amy Crumpton - Social as well as organisations providing blog and email to inspire us all Cactus Coaching local support. With an inspiring to keep marketing through Covid, level of determination and energy, and trains us on the essentials of “Amy goes above and beyond, she has worked non-stop during digital marketing. A lot of her supporting, empowering and the pandemic, ensuring the work is voluntary.” motivating women to believe forgotten are front of mind.” they can do anything they dream of, and then helps to make it Supriya Nagarajan happen! An absolute positivity Manasamitra and empowerment queen, she is “Following a successful career the one you want in your corner if in banking, Supriya Nagarajan you’re growing a business.” changed direction to fulfil her passion for the arts. Supriya Sara Presley - Manor House f o u n d e d M a n a s a m i t r a , a Lindley Dewsbury-based arts organisation delivering exciting “Sara’s dedication and work ethic cross-cultural experiences. Its are second to none. As a female work is rooted in Supriya’s entrepreneur, she is always on the creative vision, inspired by her lookout to connect with and learn South Asian roots combined with from other incredible business new ideas, forms and aesthetics minded people. Sara has cultivated from across the world. Since 2005, her amazing brand and managed Manasamitra has performed to maintain and grow during these across the globe, including at unforeseen times. Sara inspires the Jaipur Literature Festival, us with her willingness to take Kew Gardens and the Yorkshire responsibly for wins and losses Sculpture Park.” in her business life.” “Not only does Susan fly the flag for tourism she flies the flag for two National Parks and Yorkshire as a whole. Always fighting for the little businesses, Susan works tirelessly to support as many as she can. Often working for free putting together workshops and resources, helping businesses move forward.”

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It’s now your ‘Time to Bloom’

Yorkshire Businesswoman has teamed up with Time To Bloom to bring our readers a series of events to make you look great and feel amazing.

Following on from the success of the last event which you can read about on page 32, as we head into spring, we have a number of events lined up for you to enjoy over the coming months. The first of these: Freedom Wardrobe takes place on Friday 9th April between 7.30pm and 8.30pm. Stylist Sophie Southmayd will be sharing her tips and insider knowledge on clothing, perfect for the Spring Summer season.

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After months of lockdown, comfort eating, perhaps drinking too much and no gym access, our bodies may have changed which has knocked confidence. If this sounds like you, this positive feel good hour is for you. Women’s Health – how to meno well takes place on 7th M ay. This event over two hours 7.30 to 9.30pm delves deep into the world of menopause, something that affects us all. Enjoy comfort, laughter, insight and empowerment. Pro-age Skincare is on 4th June, another power hour from 7.30pm to 8.30pm. This is the ultimate skincare guide will take you through key products, ingredients and treatments. Whatever your age or skin type, we’ll be there to

offer advice and answer all your questions. Finally, the Summer Self-Care Summit on July 2nd will be our Summer self-care feel good party with cocktail making, styling, coaching, yoga, make up and much much more. This event follows our planned Yorkshire Businesswoman Summer party at Dakota Leeds (lockdown restrictions permitted). Much more to follow on this very soon. The first of these events can be booked at freedomwardrobe. eventbrite.co.uk For booking details of all other events, and details of our Summer Party, check https:// yorkshirebusinesswoman.co.uk

Your Ultimate Freedom Wardrobe Guide Styling power-hour with professional stylist, Sophie Southmayd

— Friday 9th April 7.30pm - 8.30pm Tickets £10 Get your ticket at freedomwardrobe.eventbrite.co.uk Includes exclusive offers and discount codes

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