Bristol Life Professional Services Guide 2022

2022

PROSERVICES BUSINESS SERVICES / FINANCE / L AW / PROPERT Y

EXCLUSIVE INSIGHTS INTO LOCAL BUSINESSES

THE CITY

AT WORK MEET THE PROFESSIONALS MAKING THE CITY BUZZ

SPONSORED CONTENT

M

WELCOME

eet the shining stars of Bristol’s professional services community, from creative directors to financial experts who help your wealth grow, and myriad other professions in between.

Work hard, play hard, so the mantra goes.

But how do you make sure all your hard work pays off, allowing you to reap the rewards of your labours? Talk to an expert, of course; and to make the choice easier, over the following pages you’ll find a cross-section of the crème de la crème of the city’s professionals, who can help you get your life in order . . .

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SPONSORED CONTENT ACCOUNTING DUNKLEY’S CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS Mike Dunkley

economic, technological, and environmental.

Do you offer any bespoke services to clients?

Many of our services are bespoke to the client, especially our business advisory and planning advice offerings. We ensure to Dunkley’s is a forward-thinking fully get to know our clients in accountancy practice offering order to proactively identify specialist advice, consultancy, opportunities to ensure they get expert tax solutions, and the most out of their businesses. supporting businesses with their Included in this growth and exit is the use of strategies. Putting cloud accounting our clients first is DID YOU KNOW… software which our main priority.

We’ve donated Christmas hampers to aids organisational This mentality is in-patients, and raised e ciency and with staff from the over £14,000 for St profitability. outset and driven Peters Hospice through wholeheartedly various fundraising by our leadership Are you looking efforts including bake team, whose to expand your sales, midnight walks client-focused offerings in and the Bristol Three approach and 2023?

Peaks challenge. experience We intend to continues to increase our ensure the business succeeds and business advisory capabilities, remains recognised as having a consolidate our client base, and big firm capability, but a small evaluate our service offering. firm personality’.

To support these activities we ur staff work tirelessly to continue to grow our team, which ensure all clients are given the has increased by over 30% in the time and support they need to see past year. themselves and their businesses through challenging times.

Anything else you want ur dedication to clients ows to tell us? through to our core values which We are currently recruiting! If brings our team together to you’re looking for a new role in a provide the best possible service. growing accountancy firm where We work with all types of we provide a good work/life clients, providing a modern, balance as well as offering paid hands-on approach to overtime during busy periods, accountancy and business-related get in touch: advice@dunkleys. matters, and helping them accountants navigate through major periods of transition and the ongoing For more: 01454 619900; changes in the market, including dunkleys.accountants What sets you apart from other businesses in your sector?

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EVANS ENTWISTLE CHARTERED MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTANTS & TAX ADVISORS Damian Evans, partner

Tell us a little about your business...

Evans Entwistle is a practice of CIMA Chartered Management Accountants & Tax Advisors delivering accounting, tax, payroll, corporate finance business advisory services from three o ces in ardiff , ewport and Bristol. Established in 2013, the team has broad experience across diverse industry sectors, including public, private and not-for-profit charitable organisations, and across all business sizes, from FTSE 100 companies to SMEs. What achievement as a firm are you most proud of?

I am particularly proud of how we have rapidly grown the firm whilst still maintaining a sharp focus on delivering outstanding client service. In 2018 we acquired our Bristol practice, a renowned firm on Gloucester Road which had been established over 30 years, and in 2021, we completed our second transaction, taking over a reputable ewport practice.

In 9 years we have increased our turnover ten fold, opened two additional o ces and have created employment opportunities for a total of staff, and we remain firmly focused on future growth, being currently in discussions to ac uire a fourth o ce along the M4 corridor.

We hope that in demonstrating to clients how successfully we are able to grow our own organization

it will give them every confidence that we will deliver the same sound advice for their business.

Do you offer any bespoke services to clients?

One of our practice partners is an ex Big 4 management consultant & CIM Chartered Marketer meaning that we are able to broaden our advisory services offering beyond what one would typically expect from a regional accountancy firm, including market analysis, feasibility studies, commercial due diligence, strategy development, business process improvement and the development of business plans to access finance and growth advice effectively we have the skillset to assist any client start, strengthen or grow their business.

The future of the economy is clearly a concern to SMEs – what advice would you give to worried about their finances, what advice would you give?

There is an old adage “turnover is vanity, profit is sanity, cash is king” – a sound statement that we absolutely stand by…so if a client is facing adversity in their business, we always advocate focusing on collecting cash first and foremost to keep the business going, and then working towards reducing costs to maximise the bottom line – only then should they think about strategies to increasing revenues. That’s the difference with management accountants - it is our remit to look at our clients’ businesses holistically and advise on all areas of operations, and not ust the finances.

For more: mail@evansentwistle.co.uk; 0117 924 7767; evansentwistle.co.uk

MELROSE GROUP

A Melrose client manager What sets you apart from other businesses in your sector?

Each client is looked after by a dedicated client manager who is field based and available to come to you and advise; not ust report on the reports we provide.

What do you find most rewarding about your role?

The client manager role allows a close working relationship with clients, especially at the start of their business. feeling of ob satisfaction comes from knowing you have made a difference.

Why should our readers utilise your services over others?

We’re specialists in the hospitality trade; which means we’re proactive advisors referencing industry norms, best practice and current trends to give the best guidance.

Do you offer any bespoke services to clients?

Business plans and cash ow pro ections are totally bespoke to each business and vital in providing a realistic budget to work against. We also provide wet and dry stocktakes, licencing: new variations to premises licenses, transfers of DPS, TEN’s and B training course for personal licence applications.

How has the pandemic changed the way that you work?

We knew what clients’ most needed was information and

reassurance, so we began a weekly mailshot; a collation of information from , ubcos, local councils and ovt, but thinned down to make it readable, relevant, and very useful We have continued with it as it was so well received.

Are you looking to expand your offerings in 2023?

We want to expand on our B accredited courses with: - B B evel ward for Designated Premises upervisors - on ict anagement - esponsible lcohol etailing - evel ood afety ade asy Where do you see the business in 5 years?

We’re embracing new technologies to improve and develop our already strong services to clients. T for tax is ust over a year away and we have already brought in new systems to deal with it. We will be ready to take our clients through this next ma or taxation change.

Anything else you want to tell us?

or elrose, ospitality will always be our core business; but we have adapted to provide full accountancy services to many more business types. We currently look after orists, plumbers, T consultants, a local radio station, even a shotgun repairer, amongst many others Whatever your business, we provide that personal touch with real support.

For more: 01454 419262; melrosegroup.co.uk

MILSTED LANGDON Guy Armitage-Norton, partner

What sets you apart from other businesses in your sector?

ilsted angdon’s ethos is all about helping our clients to thrive. ur service goes beyond providing an audit or a set of accounts - it’s about understanding and building long-term relationships with our clients, where we can add value every step of the way. nd although accountancy and tax advice is a huge part of what we do, we also have experts and specialist teams in T, forensic accounting, restructuring and insolvency, and corporate finance, as well as our international connections through our global network Worldwide’.

What do you find most rewarding about your role?

THE TEAM

elping my clients to achieve their business goals. really en oy working closely with clients to provide practical support with the help of my expert team and colleagues, advice that is tailored

to a client’s specific needs and designed to add real value to their business. also find it hugely rewarding to see so many young people developing through the firm we’ve ust taken on our biggest intake of trainees across our o ces in Bristol, Bath, Taunton and eovil, and to act as a mentor to some this talented group of young people is incredibly worthwhile.

What is your favourite thing about Bristol?

Bristol is an ama ing place to live and work it ensures we have a vibrant mix of clients from all sorts of sectors and lots of exciting start-ups and high growth businesses, as well as well-known national brands that choose to base themselves in Bristol and the outh West.

There’s always such a lot going on in this fantastic city and earlier in the year at the Balloon iesta was lucky to go up in a hot air balloon to take in a birds-eye-view of Bristol, which was a fantastic experience For more: 0117 945 2500; milstedlangdon.co.uk

“MILSTED LANGDON’S ETHOS IS ALL ABOUT HELPING OUR CLIENTS TO THRIVE” www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 7

SPONSORED CONTENT FINANCE ELITE FINANCIAL CONSULTING LTD Jonathan Fry, director

What sets you apart from other businesses in your sector?

Elite have won several awards over the years, including a Top rated Adviser award for our director Jon Fry (via vouched for 2021) – which is an accolade received by top advisers in the country.

We believe in good honest sound advice, we never confuse clients with jargon and keep things simple. Our clients return year on year and fully support Elite, which in turn has helped us to grow. We use blogs on our website to ensure clients are aware of any financial matters and regularly post on Facebook, as social media is key to any growing business.

What do you find most rewarding about your role?

elping clients to either find their dream home to move into, protecting them and their family so that they can sleep at night, as well as our advisers, as we know we have done a good job!

Providing pension and investment advice, for the client to create wealth and plan for the future.

We contact our clients regularly to check in with them, so ensure they are on target towards their goals.

Why should our readers utilise your services over others?

It’s all about a personal touch, we don’t use robots, we employ good people at Elite and this in turn creates a good culture. Our clients give us great feedback and we continue to strengthen our proposition on the back of this.

Do you offer any bespoke services to clients?

We offer a full review of their finances and each client is treated differently depending on what assistance they need. Some will want to sit down and go through everything, whilst others will want to ust discuss a specific area. We offer a service so that however long it takes, we will ensure the client comes away completely satisfied with what is required of us and them.

Are you looking to expand your offerings in 2023?

We would love to expend our team next year, we are already recruiting an apprenticeship role working in our Bristol o ce.

Where do you see the business in 5 years?

To have two shops opened and a main head o ce with staff around staff, covering administration, paraplanning support staff and increased numbers of financial advisers and mortgage advisers.

For more: 01179 553791; elitefinancialconsulting.co.uk

FRASER ALLEN ESTATE MANAGEMENT Jodie Fraser

What sets you apart from other businesses in your sector?

Female led estate management company, Fraser Allen aims to treat all its customers and industry colleagues with kindness, care and compassion, along with the belief that everyone deserves a safe and good quality home.

What do you find most rewarding about your role?

The satisfaction of being able to help a resident look after their home. Their home is their safe place and I feel privileged to be able to help someone achieve the end.

Why should our readers utilise your services over others?

After experiencing traumatic bullying in my childhood, an experience like this has driven me to create a business that puts people first, with high levels of care for all of my customers, business colleagues and residents.

Do you offer any bespoke services to clients?

It’s important to us that each resident feels listened to and understood. Living within a

communal setting can bring its challenges with differing personalities. We want our residents to know that we are always here to listen and can provide that one-to-one support if needed.

What is your favourite thing about Bristol?

Bristol is my home but aside from that, there are so many important pieces of history in Bristol. The Clifton Suspension Bridge, SS Great Britain and Bristol Cathedral to name but a few.

Are you looking to expand your offerings in 2023?

We are looking to expand in 2023.

Our managed developments are across Bristol, Bath, Wiltshire, Cotswolds, London and the West Midlands and we would love to work with more leaseholders in these areas.

Where do you see the business in 5 years?

In 5 years we hope to have created a successful property group that will encompass mortgages, sales and lettings as well as legal support. I want to create a business that can support clients through their entire property journey.

For more: 0117 2980723; fraserallenem.co.uk

“IT’S IMPORTANT TO US THAT EACH RESIDENT FEELS LISTENED TO AND UNDERSTOOD” 8 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

The South West’s Favourite HR Company

For small businesses by small business experts citrus HR speak our language and have really helped us improve our HR procedures and understand how we are looking after our staff.

Olly Evans, Managing Director

0333 014 3888 | info@citrushr.com

www.citrushr.com

SPONSORED CONTENT FINANCE/PROPERTY MORTGAGE STYLE LTD Marcus Robinson, director Tell us a little about your business...

INTEGRITY365

Chris Jelf, client relationship director Tell us a little about your business...

investments and lump sum decisions, through to retirement and later life planning, Integrity365 advise private clients throughout the key stages of their lives.

Financial planning for business is another key service of Intergity365, with expert corporate advisers specialising in shareholder and partnership protection, key person cover, executive pensions and employee benefits.

I’m incredibly proud to be the Client Relationship Director at Integrity365, a business that shares my passion and drive for providing personal client service and trusted professional advice. The DID YOU KNOW… advisers I 6 in 10 of businesses support, many What sets you would cease trading of which are apart from others within 12 months of Chartered, in your sector? losing a key person. have a wealth Integrity365 How well protected is of experience is a boutique your business? in providing financial advisory (L&G 2021). financial advice business. In an to private clients, industry where business owners the consolidator and key professionals. Located is increasingly prevalent, where on the picturesque Dyson Estate, people become numbers and the our outh West o ce provides importance of client relationships an ideal base for our advisers to have diminished, Integrity365 provide face to face advice, either is turning the tide. In our in the o ce or at a location of our business, people, clients and our clients’ choice. professional relationships matter.

What areas do you specialise in?

From the early days of mortgages, tax planning, protection,

on but Mortgage Style weathered the storm and is now thriving with o ces near ortishead and staff.

Mortgage Style are a truly What sets you apart from others in your sector? independent mortgage brokerage based in Bristol. We can help with In many ways we are quite all types of mortgages including similar, but we try to do first time buyers, remortgages everything to our best ability with and purchases but also specialise the customer at the centre of all in more complicated scenarios decisions, however we also offer such as self-employed mortgages, advice in more specialist areas contractors, than many of our elderly, unusual competitors where properties, they will refer the DID YOU KNOW… buy to let, business to a third The average age of Mortgage Style staff Ltd company party so we can is 38! mortgages, keep everything development in-house, therefore and bridging saving our clients finance, commercial mortgages time and money. and protection.

These more specialist areas include ‘hard to place’ cases where even other brokers refer to When was your firm founded us and also areas such as Limited and who by? company ‘buy to let’ lending Mortgage Style was founded for landlords, bridging and in 2006 by Marcus Robinson. development finance, commercial Marcus wanted to create a finance and much more. service for people where they got If you read our Google and the very best advice but also a Trust ilot reviews, you’ll see that seamless and stressless journey our clients are extremely pleased from start to finish. fter winning with our service and we work very several awards in the industry hard to accomplish this. arcus gained the confidence to go it alone. Marcus started the For more: 01275 370360 / business in a spare bedroom and re-mortgaged his house to finance 0117 9070818; contact@mortgage-style.co.uk; things, it wasn’t an easy few years as the credit crunch hit fairly early mortgage-style.co.uk

For more: 0117 450 1300; enquiries@integrity365.co.uk; integrity365.co.uk

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SPONSORED CONTENT LAW AMD SOLICITORS Grant McCall, director Tell us a bit about your core services...

strategies. Over the last 6-12 months we have seen a noticeable surge in M&A activity for the SME market. This is great to see again and we look forward to expanding our commercial services in 2023.

We are an independent Bristol law firm providing a broad range of legal services Tell us a bit for private clients about your and business DID YOU KNOW… We are delighted to community owners. Our have been recognised or charity core services are as a finalist for the involvement split between Bristol Law Society this year? private client Awards 2022. We look (wills, trusts and We have always forward to the awards probate), family committed to dinner in November law, property being present in and congratulations to law (residential the community all of the finalists. and commercial) and engaging with and company a local charity each commercial law. This balance year. This year we completed the allows us to provide our services Cotswold Way Ultra Challenge to meet a client’s first need for a in support of Great Western Air solicitor right through to advising Ambulance. Using Nims Purja corporate clients on larger as our inspiration, we hiked just transactional work. under 20 miles of Cotswold hills in 8 hours to raise just over £1500. We are hoping for a How has the M&A market flatter event next year! been this year?

During lockdown we saw a steep decline of mergers and For more: 0117 973 3989; acquisitions but for some, it grantmccall@amdsolicitors.com; afforded business owners some amdsolicitors.com clarity which accelerated exit

INCE

Daniel Crockford, partner, head of Bristol office Tell us a little about your business...

Ince is well-known, both at a national and international level, for advising businesses and individuals across various practice areas, including commercial, private client and insurance.

Following a strategic rebrand last year, we aim to bring our existing expertise to the local market, as well as supporting and working with our clients and colleagues across the UK and internationally. We recently expanded our team and offering: hiring four new partners, providing services for agricultural and rural clients, opening an insurance practice and launching a shipping legal team.

What are your plans for 2023?

In 2023, we will concentrate on growing our core practice areas, in particular, commercial/ corporate, shipping and insurance. At Ince (Bristol), we have ambitious plans for the office, aiming to increase turnover by at least 100% within the next three to five years. We will look to strengthen our offering further through developing our fantastic team alongside strategic recruitment.

What achievement as a firm as you most proud of?

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Ince (Bristol) was formed through the acquisition of an established, local firm, with the addition of new talent. I am proud of how well the team has integrated, especially considering the unusual last couple of years. In particular, our commercial and corporate teams have come together to become serious players in the market, culminating in our recent nomination as Advisory Firm of the Year at the Business Leader Awards South West and sustained top rankings in legal directories.

What is your favourite thing about working in Bristol?

Like the city itself, Ince (Bristol) is growing and evolving. One of the Ince values is “Connection” and our offices across the globe look to connect not just with clients, but also with the areas around them. We have recently joined the Bristol Law Society and are keen to become active members within the legal community and wider society, supporting local charities and organisations. We want to contribute to what makes this city such a great place!

Did you know…

Ince can trace its beginnings to 1866 when Ince Ingledew set up business just over the bridge in Cardiff. The firm has since grown, with offices in over 10 countries, with 23 offices and 700 staff.

For more: 0117 929 0451; incegd.com

Studio 2, St Andrew’s Road, Montpelier, Bristol, BS6 5EH 0117 942 9717 info@greenheartuk.com

www.greenheartuk.com

"The Greenheart team take real pride in their work which makes it a more enjoyable process for everyone. They are respectful and have integrity and this was extremely important to me when making such a significant investment." – Louise, Stroud

Over 25 years of experience crafting beautiful, low energy homes Passivhaus / sustainable construction specialists Design/build or build only Working in Bristol, Bath, Stroud and surrounding areas

Studio 2, St Andrew’s Road, Montpelier, Bristol, BS6 5EH | 0117 942 9717 | info@greenheartuk.com www.greenheartuk.com

SPONSORED CONTENT STONE KING LLP Rebecca Eels, partner

Tell us a little about your business...

Although we are a national law firm we operate locally with o ces in Bath and Bristol. We’ve been independently ranked in many areas, including our private client work as well as for the education, charity social enterprise and business sectors.

What areas do you cover as a family lawyer?

’m part of tone ing’s amily ediation team helping clients with matters concerning children and finances. ’m also a trained mediator for both clients and children. ’m really enthusiastic about mediation - it can help couples through their separation in a non-confrontational way, which is especially important when children are involved. t saves money too and can be much more e cient than going through the courts.

How does child-inclusive mediation work?

We all know that separation and divorce are really stressful for

adults and sometimes children’s thoughts and opinions get lost when parents are struggling with their own emotions. That’s where come in meet with children away from their parents and hear their wishes and what they need. then relay this back to the parents who can then take it into account in any agreement. t doesn’t mean children will determine the outcome but it does mean they will feel involved and hopefully happier as a result.

What advice do you have for someone considering a divorce?

Take legal advice eople sometimes think they can do it themselves but, in my experience, it pays to check with a lawyer.

We often see cases where people have divorced but not finalised their financial affairs. This means some people are left worse off financially than they need to be it also means people can be asked to share their pensions or other assets years after divorce. Take legal advice and save yourself a headache further down the line For more: 01225 337599

“TAKE LEGAL ADVICE AND SAVE YOURSELF A HEADACHE FURTHER DOWN THE LINE!”

THRINGS

Tara Connor-McLaren, senior associate – family team What do you find most rewarding about your role?

etting good outcomes for my clients. ost of the time my clients are going through the most stressful and di cult times in their lives. work to build strong relationships with my clients so that they see me as their trusted advisor and know they can rely on me every step of the way. Because of this have kept in touch with many clients following the conclusion of their matter. amily law cases are not all about big wins’ but reaching a resolution which my clients are happy with and which enable them to move forward with their lives.

Why should our readers utilise your services over others?

There are plenty of great family lawyers in Bristol and so the main thing for potential clients is to find a lawyer who they feel understands them and will do the very best to achieve their goals. When first meet clients give them that confidence and reassurance and so if that is what a potential client is looking for then can help.

Are you looking to expand your offerings in 2023?

s part of my role of growing the Bristol family team, am leading the expansion of our practice offering, by teaming up with ichael Tatters, a artner in our roperty itigation team, to provide a complete offering to unmarried clients, with a focus on matters which are dealt with under the Trust of and and appointment of Trustees ct To T . This is a specialist area, as unmarried couples do not have the same protections as married couples. iven the increase in unmarried couples this is a huge growth area for family law practitioners.

What is your favourite thing about Bristol?

The food scene Bristol is a metropolis of fantastic independent eateries. ot only does the city offer ama ing high end restaurant experiences but it has a multitude of ama ing cafes and markets which could rival even the best restaurants. The variety and diversity of the cuisines available is also impressive. t is di cult to settle on a top three of places to eat in Bristol, but Bravas, oot and hilli addy are all up there.

For more: 0117 374 9637/07387261296; thrings.com

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SPONSORED CONTENT PR ADMIRE PR

Andrea Sexton, CEO and founder Tell us a little about your business...

members, which sometimes means time off. see no problem in this, as time to yourself to heal is needed in di cult times. y staff always come back with a smile on their face and a restored sense of passion for PR.

Admire PR is a Public Relations Company based in Bristol and Gloucestershire. My team and What sets you apart from others in your sector?

I ensure that companies receive the attention they What sets Admire deserve through PR apart from reputation others in our DID YOU KNOW… management. sector is also the Did you know that reasoning behind before Covid-19 rattled businesses on to the the birth of the Work/life world of Zoom, we company. After balance – how were already there! do you get it many years of Wanting to have the right for you experience in PR best fit individuals and your staff?

I found myself for Admire PR, our frustrated at the Employees’ employees are spread lack of ethics in mental health across the country, and the public relation matters. It is contacted through sector. Since then crucial as the Zoom. This meant that when the pandemic I have always owner of a hit, we felt the world ensured Admire to company to caught up with us! be transparently ensure that my priced, proud to team is happy and set and achieve motivated to work ambitious objectives for all for the business. projects thrown our way; whether If it seems something might one off or long term campaign. be affecting an employee’s mental state, a private chat is For more: 07887 997922; always organised. I make sure to andrea@admire-pr.com; admire-pr.com discuss how I can help my team

MARLIN COMMUNICATIONS LTD Richard Hill

Tell us a little about your business...

At Marlin Communications, we design and deliver end-toend business communications technology that helps companies connect, collaborate and grow.

We are a trusted & independent provider of nified ommunications Collaboration solutions, including voice, video, connectivity, network security, business mobiles & contact centre for SME and corporate businesses.

With our in-house consultancy, design and deployment capability, we have the power to bring these technologies together and, combined with our innovative financial packaging, deliver the best and most cost-effective solutions to our customers.

What do you find most rewarding about your role?

I’ve been working in the business communications sector for 24 years; I only wish I’d joined Marlin Communications sooner! Our work culture, professionalism, fun, my colleagues and, most importantly, the desire for excellence in customer service, fit entirely with my way of working. I couldn’t be happier!

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Why should our readers utilise your services over others?

We’re proud to be rooted in the thriving local business community. We participate in fantastic events such as the Bristol Life Awards and support a local Bristol & Bath-based charity. For over 20 years, these firm foundations have helped us to build our national client base and we now provide communications technology services in almost every time zone on the planet.

All this knowledge and expertise is right on your doorstep. So, if you’re looking for a trusted partner to help you navigate the marketplace and really drive your business forward by taking full advantage of the latest communications technology, we’re just a phone call away.

Anything else you want to tell us?

In June of this year, after a significant amount of work, the company rebranded to Marlin Communications. We’re proud to be a fully independent Limited company with a completely new look and feel combined with 20+ years of knowledge, expertise and experience. Exciting times ahead!

For more: 0800 032 8274; marlincomms.co.uk

WE DO FAR MORE THAN JUST FILE YOUR ACCOUNTS...

A PRACTICE OF CHARTERED MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTANTS TO HELP YOU TO MANAGE YOUR BUSINESS ALL YEAR ROUND… NOT JUST AT YEAR END

evansentwistle.co.uk 432 Gloucester Road, Bristol BS7 8TX t: 0117 924 7767 e: mail@evansentwistle.co.uk

A cco u n t a n c y | C o r p o ra t e F i n a n c e | Ta x a t i o n | B u s i n e ss A d v i s o r y | P r i v a t e C l i e n t s

SPONSORED CONTENT PROPERTY ALLCOTT COMMERCIAL Matthew Baker MRICS, partner

What sets you apart from other businesses in your sector?

Our independent status allows us to stand out from the plethora of corporate commercial surveying firms. Without shareholder restrictions, we can offer a truly bespoke service, spending time getting to know our clients’ aims and goals, so we can make sure that what we deliver goes above and beyond expectations.

In addition, our surveyors and structural engineers are all chartered with extensive experience, so our clients benefit from in-depth technical insight on every ob, big or small.

What do you find most rewarding about your role?

Although I spend time managing the firm, am still out on site most days. s someone who has chosen a practical profession, I find it really rewarding to get out there and deliver a great service, whether that is by anticipating and preventing problems on a building project or by providing expert advice on a property survey. lot of our growth has been through word of mouth, and we have clients who come back to us time and time again, so I think we’re doing something right!

What is your favourite thing about Bristol?

I am always struck by the diversity and entrepreneurialism in Bristol, fuelled by its dynamic universities and ever-present arts scene. The energy and vibrancy within the city is re ected in vastly contrasting building stock, which makes for a seemingly endless, and often unique, variety of challenges for a commercial surveyor; every day in Bristol different. The thing love most about Bristol is that every time you turn a corner you see something different, whether it’s a cultural event, historic building, or ancient maritime heritage.

Are you looking to expand your offerings in 2023?

es We have a great team here in Bristol, and we are continuously expanding. ecent recruits have built on our structural engineering capabilities and brought in contract administration experience of multi-million-pound construction and refurbishment pro ects. We will be growing in these areas, along with building on our existing network of landlords and tenants who use our services for condition surveys, PPMs and dilapidations.

For more: 0333 202 6386; info@allcottcommercial.co.uk; allcottcommercial.co.uk

GREENHEART SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION

on, but can be a way to ensure over all build-quality as well as low environmental impact, low bills and comfortable living. f we can do it, others can too.

Henry Duncan, director & designer

What sets you apart from other businesses in your sector?

Are you looking to expand your offerings in 2023?

We don’t want to expand from our current level of 3 or 4 pro ects at a time. The personal rapport with the client that we have as a small building company is very important to us and enables us to control quality and offer a great service.

- Our proven track record.

We’ve been crafting beautiful, low energy buildings in Bristol, Bath and the Southwest for over years.

- Our understanding. f the emotional and financial investment made by the selfbuilder, and the benefit of providing job satisfaction to the workforce.

- Our technical expertise. f assivhaus’ certification is re uired, we can deliver.

Alternatively we are happy to take a pragmatic approach using PHPP modelling as a guide to achieving the best possible performance for the budget.

Taking operational energy, embodied energy and material toxicity into account - Our flexibility.

We are e ually happy to develop a design concept from a clients brief, to develop technical drawings from existing plans or sketches, or to build from a fully developed architects design What do you find most rewarding about your role?

Anything else you want to tell us?

We started reenheart so that we could be part of the climate solution. We keep expecting the rest of the industry to catch up but it still feels like we are ahead of the curve which is good for our business but sad that the construction industry as a whole is so slow to build in a climate friendly way. This is slowly changing as we adapt to the needs of climate change. The increase in energy costs is also making energy e cient building more cost effective and more of a priority to many people. That’s all positive, but we need government policy to catch up with peoples will to do the right thing. T exemption for green retro-fit pro ects would be a really good start!

Demonstrating that sustainability in construction isn’t a costly add

For more: 0117 9429717; greenheartuk.com

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 19

SPONSORED CONTENT HAMPTONS

Martyn Swinson, head of residential development for Bristol, North Somerset, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire What sets you apart from other businesses in your sector?

who provide developer-focused advice at every stage.

Do you offer any bespoke services to clients?

We’re not ust residential development specialists; we also work across ales, ettings and ortfolio anagement, and are able to offer access to specialist financial services and support. very single one of our clients receives an individual service with the weight of a ma or brand behind them.

We offer our developer clients specialist residential development sales support that’s tailored to the Bristol market whilst benefitting from the si e and scale of the amptons DID YOU KNOW… business. trusted Data is our secret brand, exclusive weapon. As part of marketing tools, Connells – the UK’s -plus branch biggest property network and services group – our extensive database research team has unrivalled access to are what set us property data and apart.

What is your favourite thing about Bristol?

t’s a great place to work, live and en oy life for all age groups with fantastic amenities, regularly publish shopping and detailed insight reports. nightlife, great What do you find schools, university most rewarding and plenty of about your role? employment opportunities eveloping genuine partnerships and beautiful countryside very with our developer clients close by linking them with our local branch teams to make sure we have the best sales and marketing Are you looking to expand strategy in place to deliver the your offerings in 2023? best outcomes. es absolutely. We have big ambitions to continue to expand across the West ountry and Why should our readers utilise your services over others? beyond. The new homes market in our area has benefitted from We reward all of our negotiators the lack of second hand stock with of the fee on available, so there’s a huge exchange for any new build opportunity. home they agree so we see a level of collaboration that our competitors simply can’t For more: newhomes@hamptons.co.uk; match. We also have our own hamptons.co.uk evelopment onsultancy team,

INTERACTION

Hayley Blacker, relationships director What sets you apart from other businesses in your sector?

nteraction has been creating some of the best workspaces in the outh West since .

We’re on a mission to banish boring o ces and we specialise in creating people-centric workplaces for ambitious organisations who place a high value on their people and culture, such as ledger, mmersive abs, sborne larke and mdaris.

We pride ourselves on delivering what we call erfection at ace - beautifully thoughtout workspaces, finished to the highest standards and often completed to extremely tight deadlines Do you offer any bespoke services to clients?

We offer a wide range of services in key areas workplace strategy, workplace design, workplace fit-outs and primed, which is our speedy plug and play service used by commercial landlords and co-working operators.

nderneath these we have a suite of capabilities in everything from change management to interior styling.

What is your favourite thing about Bristol?

Bristol is a fantastic hotbed for innovative companies, many of whom are at the cutting edge of what they do. t’s a great place to find those organisations that treat their people brilliantly and try to change the world whilst also being scalable and commercially viable. n unusual mix How has the pandemic changed the way that you work?

The pandemic has seen many businesses rightfully rethink what the workplace means to them. lients now are after adaptable, exible spaces that house a variety of ways of working and provide a compelling destination for those who use them. one are the days of desk farms, sad kitchens and grim lighting the best talent want workplaces that allow them to thrive.

For more: 01225 485600; interaction.uk.com

“WE’RE ON A MISSION TO BANISH BORING OFFICES” 20 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

Tech Sponsor:

EMPOWERING YOUNG CARERS TO REACH THEIR POTENTIAL The Young Carers Development Trust was created following the incredibly low statistics of young carers in West Wiltshire accessing higher and further education. Today we operate across the South-West and beyond, with webinars that reach across the UK. We aim to inspire and nurture young carers to achieve their potential. Our approach is to work with local young carers services to identify young carers with real potential who are unlikely to succeed without targeted support. We empower young carers to strive for ambitious goals, to advance in life and to become active, inspiring role models for others from backgrounds similar to their own.

Young carers are at the centre of everything YCDT do, from involving them in the future direction of the charity to ensuring we have Trustees and staff with first-hand experience of life as a young carer.

“It’s been really nice to have someone to talk to and get advice from outside of my family.

It’s good to know there’s someone there just for me” Tilly shares her experience of working with her Development Mentor.

“Thank you for everything you’ve done for me. I know I wouldn’t be where I am now if it wasn’t for YCDT” Sammy

For more information, please visit www.ycdt.org.uk Young Carers Development Trust, The Carers Centre,Woodlands, Lower Bristol Rd, Bath BA2 9ES info@ycdt.org.uk | 07368 366660 |

youngcarersdevelopmenttrust

The Young Carers Development Trust is a charity (1150197) and a company limited by guarantee (England and Wales No. 07771110).

SPONSORED CONTENT MISSIATO DESIGN & BUILD

Adamo Missiato & Luke Sperring, directors What sets you apart from other businesses in your sector?

With a high street o ce and a team of employees including a uantity surveyor, pro ect managers, team leaders and accounts admin staff, we offer a streamlined and transparent service to our customers. We have minimal reliance on subcontractors meaning we have full control over our pro ects at every stage.

What do you find most rewarding about your role?

eeing pro ects through from a client’s initial ideas to the finished product. aking dreams a reality.

Why should our readers utilise your services over others?

We specialise in creating the forever home’. We work with our clients to find out what’s important to them. We know Bristol homes and we know how to turn those ideas into reality.

Do you offer any bespoke services to clients?

ll our services are bespoke.

There is no one si e fits all’ extension each client has

completely uni ue re uirements, and it’s our passion to make sure they get the result they dream off.

How has the pandemic changed the way you work?

The pandemic forced us to further streamline our workforce, ensuring that we kept staff rotation at each pro ect at a minimum. t the same time, demand for our services was increasing, so although we’ve vastly increased our workforce, the separate teams for each stage of the builds has remained, meaning a much more coordinated approach.

Are you looking to expand your offerings in 2023?

ur business has been steadily evolving in the years since we started. ather than expand on our offerings, we plan to specialise further in the larger orever ome pro ects that’s what we do best Where do you see the business in 5 years?

We’re moving into our new o ce issiato ark ’ very soon, which has space to grow into. We expect to continue to expand our workforce, nurturing those who oin us as trainees and watching them maximise their potential.

For more: 0117 9569257; missiatodesignandbuild.com

“MISSIATO DESIGN & BUILD ARE DEEPLY ROOTED IN BRISTOL, AND WE LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT IT REALLY!”

MODE CONSULT LTD

ur service is bespoke to our client. We listen and we build a service around them.

Gary Fisher

What sets you apart from other businesses in your sector?

We are your construction industry headache tablet. We work with our clients, not for them. We are adaptable, exible, we can W work from anywhere. We like a challenge. We have people inside and outside of the business we can use via the ode family.

How has the pandemic changed the way that you work?

t hasn’t except for spending more time working from home. onstruction blossomed during the pandemic, although it has made finding good staff harder.

What is your favourite thing about Bristol?

The diversity of the city. t’s a cool place to be and is uni ue.

The weather helps too

What do you find most rewarding about your role?

very day is different, working from many different places DID YOU KNOW… surrounded by We will be looking many different to expand in 2023 people.

Why should our readers utilise your services over others?

and to double our turnover year on year as growth is top of our agenda now.

Where do you see the business in 5 years?

We only have a vision year on year. n years who knows but we hope to be bigger and have work in all cities and maybe even

We provide great . We have low overheads so can charge less yet over deliver.

ma or abroad.

Do you offer any bespoke services to clients?

For more: 07581189083; modeconsult.com

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 23

SPONSORED CONTENT RECRUITMENT ARV SOLUTIONS Jim Roach

What sets you apart from other businesses in your sector?

THE ETHICAL PROPERTY COMPANY Sarah Campbell

What sets you apart from other businesses in your sector?

Our vision is to become the go-to place for changemakers – tenants, investors, partners and staff.

We believe that property should be used in the best interests of society, the planet and the economy. By bringing impactful organisations, staff and tenants together we have shown that real change can happen.

What do you find most rewarding about your role?

Being able to provide workspace for so many impactful organisations across Bristol and seeing how these organisations help improve the lives of so many people, both locally and beyond.

Why should our readers utilise your services over others?

For anyone working in the third sector or an impact organisation having a supportive landlord is vital as is working alongside likeminded people. or almost 25 years we’ve been leading the workplace revolution and from the very start we’ve been a triple bottom line company, which can really help reassure tenants that we’re authentic and not greenwashing.

Do you offer any bespoke services to clients?

We work closely with all of our tenants, making sure that our offer suits them, whether it is the exible leases, the si e of the o ce or more specialist re uirements.

We will look at what works best for our tenants, for example, we recently had to find space for some lovely trainee guide dogs at our treamline entre.

How has the pandemic changed the way that you work?

We kept most of our Bristol centres open throughout the pandemic, a lot of our tenants provide vital services and therefore we needed to be there to support them. lthough working patterns changed during the last two years, people have really missed that face-to-face contact. othing replaces the uick catch-up over a cup of coffee and we’ve seen people returning back to the workspace across our centres in greater numbers since the summer.

What is your favourite thing about Bristol?

Everything, the people, the food, the culture. ’m lucky that get to work across so many areas, from the cultural creativity of St Pauls earning entre, the ama ingly supportive organisations at Brunswick ourt through to the vibrant hub of our latest centre based at aintworks. really feel that the people get to work with on a day-to-day basis really show how brilliant Bristol is.

Where do you see the business in 5 years?

To continue to be the spaces of choice for all of those dynamic organisations that makes a real difference to Bristol.

For more: 0330 016 3440; ethicalproperty.co.uk

24 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

olutions are marketleading experts for the offsite construction industry (think rand esigns but larger scale .

We have been dding eal alue to recruitment needs since 2003, however our recruitment model is different compared to traditional’ recruitment.

We thrive on our 90%+ high repeat and referral business rates which we grow and nurture by building and investing in client and candidate relationships. s a company we promote collaborative working within a family orientated culture, with a focus on reward, recognition and developing our staff to be experts in their field, which we believe to be the key to our success.

Do you offer any bespoke services to clients?

n

we developed W , an innovative recruitment process incorporating video interviews via an advanced, but simple to use, client portal.

We offer this on a retained and exclusive basis for all clients seeking higher success rates from their recruitment. t’s a odern ethod of ecruitment, which greatly enhances the quality of the recruitment process.

Where do you see the business in 5 years

We intend to strengthen our market leading position and close partnerships by profitably growing our team to 35+, developing their specialisms and career opportunities in relevant sectors. We will continue to enhance our company benefits and stay true to our collaborative culture with our employee share scheme.

Anything else you want to tell us?

We believe in sharing successes within the team, so we encourage our employees to apply for award entries which are a great form of recognition for all their hard work. This year one of our enior ecruiters won Best ecruitment onsultant of the year, and our anaging irector im oach was proud winner of Business eader .

Solutions have been fortunate enough to win many great awards and we are accredited Gold with nvestors in eople. o far this year we have been finalists for Business eader Business of the ear and Bristol ife eople ervices, and The ward for eward and ecognition in The nvestors in eople wards .

For more: 0117 959 2008; arvsolutions.co.uk

“WE HAVE BEEN ADDING REAL VALUE TO RECRUITMENT NEEDS SINCE 2003”

SPONSORED CONTENT SOMERSET EDUCATION ALLIANCE

Emma Woodhall, director & consultant

gain experience in a number of education environments. You may find yourself in a longterm teaching role that leads to something more permanent.

What sets you apart from other businesses in your sector?

How has the pandemic changed the way that you work?

We are proud to be an Since pandemic we are now to independent supply teaching undertake registrations online, agency in Somerset. SEA are making the process, quick and established on over 15 years of e cient. expertise within the education and What is your recruitment sector. favourite thing WATCH THIS SPACE! Why should our readers utilise your services over others?

We are looking to expand our offerings in 2023.

People are our priority – we strive to provide exceptional, personalised and knowledgeable services to both clients and candidates, founded on over 15 years of expertise in the education sector.

Do you offer any bespoke services to clients?

We offer a personalised service to teachers and teaching assistants.

Choose when you work and

about Bristol?

Bristol is a colourful city with lots to see and do while remaining green – it’s a great location with good links to other parts of the country.

Where do you see the business in 5 years?

To be the leading agship agency of Somerset and Bristol and edging our way even further up the map.

For more: 01225 970 370; somerset-education-alliance.co.uk

YOUR PEOPLE PARTNERS Helen Sanders

What sets you apart from other businesses in your sector?

Your People Partners exists to give smaller businesses competitive edge when hiring new employees.

We embed with the hiring team to ensure all those involved are supported with aspects of assessing and interviewing, then successfully onboarding new team members. We also work with only one company in a specific market at a time. We don’t help a company’s competitors to hire the same talented people. Our priority is to help our client to grow well with predictable and enjoyable hiring frameworks so that recruitment isn’t as stressful as it can be.

What do you find most rewarding about your role?

The most rewarding part of our role is seeing small companies of - people grow to companies of 20 or more. On a personal note, helping a new father into a brilliant company closer to home which allowed him to be home in time to bathe his new baby every night and receiving an email from

his wife saying thanks made my heart skip a beat. We do not take for granted the role we play in people’s careers and the business owners we help.

How has the pandemic changed the way that you work?

I’ve worked from home for 12 years apart from one year in an o ce. The pandemic was a ‘welcome to my world’ moment for me and my entire team … we all work from home and have never met each other! 100% remote working does work. So the pandemic didn’t change the way we work but has allowed the world we play in to accept it as the norm far more easily.

What is your favourite thing about Bristol?

Bristol is big enough to have the city vibe and small enough to feel personable. You can also get to the Cotswolds, the coast or the Brecon Beacons so easily.

The beautiful architecture and wide variety of cultures is also a brilliant part of what I love since I moved here a few decades ago!

For more: 0117 290 0208; YourPeoplePartners.com

“WE DO NOT TAKE FOR GRANTED THE ROLE WE PLAY IN PEOPLE’S CAREERS” www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 27

SPONSORED CONTENT SERVICES ACTIONCOACH BRISTOL Gary Keating

What sets you apart from other businesses in your sector?

ction Bristol offers a money back guarantee We are that confident in our service that we are prepared to underpin the investment in coaching.

What do you find most rewarding about your role?

or type of business. urs is a tried and tested formula for success that turns business owners into experts at running a business.

Do you offer any bespoke services to clients?

oaching is a bespoke service.

The coach works intimately with client to ensure the business grows.

We fill the gaps in knowledge and guide the business owner to achieve the life they dream on both personally and professionally.

We are passionate about seeing business owners and their How has the pandemic businesses grow. uiding businesses changed the way you work? like ife edia to double their We vowed that no business would profits in months is what gives go under on our watch in the us a bu . r our client ndrew pandemic. one did. n fact, perring, of Building ervices, most grew. We adopted on-line grow his turnover by while coaching which we still do with reducing his hours from hours many clients, enabling us to per week to expand our reach and hours is become more time DID YOU KNOW… what it’s about. e cient for our clients.

We’re already the top We work ranked ActionCOACH with winners Anything else you firm in the UK and that are want to tell us?

Europe. We want to determined ur most important conquer the world in to achieve the achievement to date is the next 5 years. We would like to be helping business and consistently winning double the amount of life they want. the Best lient businesses grow within esults ward . the next 5 years We make sure the Why should businesses in our our readers utilise your stable win We offer services over others? a complimentary -minute coaching session for business There is no risk involved in the owners that want a taste of investment with coaching with business coaching and what it can ction Bristol. Besides do for their business. We also hold our money back guarantee, free regular Business astery the ction pedigree eminars which are offer valuable speaks for itself. ction learnings and insights into invented Business oaching running a successful business. years ago and over the past two decades has helped millions of For more: 0117 287 2888; businesses worldwide achieve bristol.actioncoach.co.uk success no matter what industry

CITRUS HR David Lester

What sets you apart from other businesses in your sector?

We work on a month rolling contract, whereas most competitors tie customers in for , , or more years. This means we take the risk - and therefore need to keep our customers happy, so we try harder than most to do ust that We have also developed our own software which slashes the time our customers spend on admin and give them much better control over their people information. t’s one of those things that, once you’ve tried it, you’ll wonder how you ever managed without it What do you find most rewarding about your role?

ur whole team love helping our clients solve problems. eople often get in touch with issues that are causing them real stress, and it’s fabulous to help them through that and take the stress away. We hear time and time again how much clients appreciate that it’s not ust the advice we offer, but the empathy and human support which makes the difference.

Do you offer any bespoke services to clients?

The vast ma ority of our clients never need anything extra but some do. The most common bespoke services we do are salary benchmarking pro ects, and we attend investigations into alleged incidents reasonably often. We’re happy to help with anything people-related that our clients want, though which covers a wide range How has the pandemic changed the way you work?

assively We’ve adopted hybrid working, which we love. nd because most of our clients have also adopted hybrid working, we’ve had to make all kinds of changes to our software, contracts and policies to support that. t’s been very hard work, but it feels like everyone has benefited from these changes to work life balance.

Are you looking to expand your offerings in 2023?

We’re always making our software better we’re adding ecruitment oftware and integrations to ota anagement and locking n ut tools next.

For more: 0333 014 3888; citrushr.com

“OUR WHOLE TEAM LOVE HELPING OUR CLIENTS SOLVE PROBLEMS” 28 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

SPONSORED CONTENT ORIGIN WORKSPACE Rob Hingston

Tell us a little about your business...

Origin Workspace is a premium coworking, meeting and events space that enables tomorrow’s business talent to succeed today.

We have a vast number of businesses working under one roof.

It is such a wonderful space to focus and share ideas, meet people and interact. We’ve increased our community substantially this year – there are over 600 members calling Origin their work home, making the space 95% occupied.

What sets you apart from other businesses in your sector?

Origin stands out from other coworking spaces for three reasons. Firstly, we make life as easy and convenient as possible for our members. We understand that time is a precious commodity for business owners, which is why we bring different services into the space every week – most recently, a bike mechanic and a masseur.

Secondly, Origin harnesses the power of its network and resources to support startup businesses and our chosen charities. Over half of those on the Origin Startup Programme have grown significantly over the last 12 months.

Finally, we have a strong culture of community and collaboration, which is truly distinctive: many of our members use accountants, lawyers, writers and web agencies based in the space.

What do you find most rewarding about your role?

Origin supports a number of charities, including Gympanzees, Access Sport and Talk Club. We’ve signed up to become a patron of The Prince’s Trust and will support their enterprise scheme, which is aimed at young entrepreneurs.

We’ve created a wellness programme and the Origin Team is firmly integrated in this offering, showing that wellbeing truly sits at the heart of our coworking space.

To complement our onsite gym, we’ve worked with ctive to offer an in-house personal training team with seven personal trainers.

I lead the running club and many of our members take part in the annual Great Bristol Run; I’m also a mental health first aider.

Where do you see the business in 5 years?

One of our main aims for Origin was to create a space where ambitious young businesses and growing teams are more likely to succeed. We encourage our members to leverage the power of our trusted business community.

We want to help the companies at Origin to be ambitious, progressive and connected and while we’re delighted with what we have created so far, the needs of businesses are always changing so we can’t stand still. Whether it’s offering exible memberships for hybrid working or introducing a designated quiet room, Origin Workspace will continue to evolve around the needs of our community.

For more: 0117 440 0400; originworkspace.co.uk

TOBY PINN CHARTERED ARTS & ANTIQUES SURVEYOR Toby Pinn, MRICS

What sets you apart from other businesses in your sector?

As a RICS regulated art & anti ues surveying firm providing home contents valuations for various purposes, my business clients, many of whom are probate solicitors and financial advisers can recommend me to their private clients, confident in the knowledge of the quality assurance guarantee of a RICS regulated business.

What do you find most rewarding about your role?

Helping families at a time of bereavement is the most rewarding aspect of this work.

When valuing the entire home contents to an HMRC approved standard for inheritance tax purposes, I frequently pull together previously unknown or long forgotten aspects of the deceased’s life, often to the wonderment of the family. These little insights, whether gleaned from an item of jewellery, or a large painting, help turn a visit that the family might have viewed as a necessary intrusion, into a celebration as new light shines on objects that together helped create the fabric of a lifetime.

Do you offer any bespoke services to clients?

The valuation is often just the start of a professional relationship, beyond which I can provide independent specialist advice on consigning antiques and works of art to the most suitable outlets nationwide. A recent contents valuation resulted in my management of an important collection of art and antiques amassed over sixty years. rom the initial HMRC approved valuation, arranging and overseeing the logistics of packing and transportation, including insurance cover, to safely remove the items from their location. ext, in negotiating terms with specialist auctioneers and liaising with the auction house marketing department to create a single owner sale; all to the relief of a busy lay executor located in orfolk, is ust one example of how bring over twenty-five years’ experience in the art auction business to benefit my clients.

Anything else you want to tell us?

If you have any questions about the certified valuation of the contents of a property (or a single item) whether for insurance, probate, family division or capital gains tax, please do not hesitate to contact me.

For more: 0117 2517251; tobypinn.co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 31

SPONSORED CONTENT SERVICES/CREATIVE EPISODE TWO

will change audience perceptions of their brand.

Kate Clayton

What sets you apart from other businesses in your sector?

We have a 28 year history, but Episode Two is only 7 months old – so we truly know what it’s like to create and grow a brand right now.

What is the most challenging brief you have faced?

Do you offer any bespoke services to clients?

We call them ‘Secret Weapons’.

Outside of the day-to-day, these give our clients that edge in the fight for consumer attention. But they’re not on our website, or on our social media, they really are only for our client’s eyes. You’ll have to talk to us to find out

DID YOU KNOW…

We love Doughnuts…

Our own! There’s What is your they’re on our graffiti favourite thing no better way to wall, on our blog and about Bristol? fully experience there’s an endless what our clients Championing supply in our studio. go through than Creativity is one Lip-smacking treats to to practice what of our values get the creative juices we preach… and the Bristol flowing. so we took the street art scene challenge and did absolutely it for ourselves. embodies this.

A complete, full throttle rebrand We’ve captured that spirit in our from the ground up. studio with a gra ti wall painted by one of the Upfest artists

What do you find most rewarding about your role?

Seeing the smile on a clients face when we deliver the WOW that

For more: 0117 933 9400; episodetwo.co.uk

“WE TRULY KNOW WHAT IT’S LIKE TO CREATE AND GROW A BRAND RIGHT NOW”

TECH CHORUS

Mark Taylor

full capabilities of the best security technologies available.

What is your biggest achievement this year?

What sets you apart from other businesses in your sector?

With Chorus, any company can benefit from our innovative alternative to the outdated and in exible approaches adopted by many established MSSPs, and we have just taken it one step further as we announce our membership into the Microsoft Intelligent Security Association (MISA).

MISA is an ecosystem of managed security service providers that use Microsoft solutions to better protect customers against cyber threats. MISA raises the bar for security, compliance, and identity by recognizing the capabilities its members can deliver for Microsoft customers. Chorus now joins that global cohort of managed security service providers.

MISA is invitation only, we’ve worked hard over the years to innovate, challenge and futureproof the industry – we’re thrilled we’ve been acknowledged for this.

Why should our readers utilise your services over others?

Chorus’s Cyber Security Operations Centre (CSOC), delivers modern Microsoftfocused security services that companies can trust, understand and interact with. Our approach is differentiated because at the heart of our managed security services is an incredibly talented group of security analysts, automation engineers and consultants who know how to innovate, deliver first-class service and maximise the

32 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

We stand out from the competition because of our people’s understanding of the market-leading Microsoft security stack—and their expertise in applying this for customers at speed and scale—while providing Managed Detection and Response (MDR) and eXtended Detection and Response (XDR) services of the highest quality.

As an MSP and Microsoft Partner since 1999, we live and breathe Microsoft technologies. We use our in-depth cloud expertise and the very latest best-practices to design our CSOC, using the perfect balance of automation and work by our analyst teams to maximise the potential of Microsoft’s security products. Our service is available to all, thanks to the integration and scalability of Microsoft’s cloud-based service, and we can onboard customers at speed. We operate in the B, Mid-market and Enterprise space, working with companies who want to fully outsource their CSOC operations and those looking for a trusted partner to work with existing internal security teams.

We’re proud to bring MISA to our home city, Bristol. s members of the Microsoft Intelligent Security Association, we’re honoured to be part of a vibrant security ecosystem, working together to improve cyber security for everyone.

For more: chorus.co

Call: 01275 370360 or 0117 9070818 | contact@mortgage-style.co.uk | www.mortgage-style.co.uk

5-star friendly service from your local mortgage brokerage team Get ‘hassle-free’ mortgage advice & specialism for: ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

Hard to place mortgages Self-employed Buy to let Bridging & Development Equity Release for over 55’s

◆ We work for you not the lender ◆ Access 100’s of exclusive mortgage deals & rates not available on the high street ◆ Our support team chase your case through to completion

Mortgage Style Ltd is registered in England and Wales under reference 5743648.

Registered office address: Elm Tree Farm Estate, Sheepway, Portbury, Bristol BS20 7TF. Mortgage Style Ltd is an Appointed Representative of HL Partnership Limited who are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. A mortgage is a loan secured against your home or property. A fee may be payable.

Your home or property may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage or any other debt secured on it. The financial conduct authority does not regulate most forms of buy to let mortgages, most forms of commercial mortgage, some forms of bridging finance, estate agents, letting agents, tax advice and legal services.

AWARD WINNING LOCAL BUSINESS, PROVIDING JARGON-FREE FINANCIAL ADVICE SINCE 2010.

We are an Independent Financial Advisory firm, who help people with planning around Mortgages, Pensions, Investments and Protection to find solutions for you and your family.

Visit us: Storage Giant, Suite 9, 821 Bath Road, Brislington, Bristol, BS4 5NL Tel: 01179 553791 www.elitefinancialconsulting.co.uk

SPONSORED CONTENT

TIME TO DITCH ZOOM & BOOK A ROOM… Easily accessible, the ground floor at ORIGIN WORKSPACE, CLIFTON is home to an all-encompassing selection of highly configurable meeting spaces

W

hether you’re arranging an informal team catchup, a client meeting or a business-changing pitch, choose from a range of flexible meeting spaces and breakout areas at Origin Workspace.

Available to members and non-members, our meeting rooms and larger presentation suite are equipped with state-of-the-art Sharp AV technology, including touch-screen displays and conference calling.

And when you need refreshments, we’ve

34 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

got that covered. Every booking includes complimentary hot drinks and biscuits, with coffee supplied by Bristol-based businesses TrueStart Coffee and Clifton Coffee Roasters, along with our catering partners who are on hand to provide meals and snacks to all dietary requirements.

Origin meeting rooms are available from 6am until late, as well as on weekends. They’re just a short walk from the city centre and a 15-minute drive from Bristol Temple Meads; there’s nearby parking and dedicated bike storage on site.

SPONSORED CONTENT Images by Charlie Perham

LARGE. BRINGING YOUR PEOPLE TOGETHER: Our largest rooms are perfect for hosting up to 14 guests, so great for small team get-togethers.

Available to book from £60 per hour or on half or full-day rates.

PERFECT PRESENTATIONS: Theatre, classroom, boardroom and cabaret, whatever setup you require for your presentation, meeting or training day, our spacious suite can be arranged to suit you. This room comfortably seats up to 60 in theatre style.

With large windows filling the room with natural light and fresh air, this fantastic space can also be divided to create two smaller rooms.

Our friends at BNI Compton and BNI Hawke meet weekly from 6:00am and enjoy an informal get-together over pastries and coffee. Why not let us arrange your next breakfast meeting here at Origin Workspace?

SMALL. BUT PERFECTLY FORMED: Our smallest rooms seat a maximum of four guests and are ideal for holding interviews or providing a distraction-free space to focus on that project or make calls. Available to book from £30 per hour or on half or full-day rates.

ASSESSMENT CENTRES: First impressions count. Create a memorable experience for your candidates by hosting your next assessment centre at Origin Workspace.

When you’re looking to attract the top talent, you need a space to match, so let Origin put you at ease with its range of flexible configurations.

BREAKOUT OF THE NORM: Our breakout spaces offer relaxed, modern areas for collaboration, or to simply take five.

MEDIUM. MEET IN THE MIDDLE:

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The next step up, providing space for groups of five to eight. Available to book from £45 per hour or on half or full-day rates.

As well as our highly adaptable spaces, we have a team of community hosts on hand to ensure a smooth AV/tech experience.

Our 10 bright and modern meeting rooms are all available to hire by the hour, or if you need more time, we can talk to you about our full-day and half-day rates.

At Origin, we understand that plans can change, so our prices are per room, meaning there is no need to worry about adding more if numbers change on the day – providing this doesn’t exceed the room capacity.

Need more? The health and wellbeing of our visitors and members is rooted in the ethos of Origin, with high-quality ergonomic desks and chairs in use across the space.

And if space is something you need more of, the presentation suite can be opened into an extensive lounge to create room for up to 110 people. Finishing up for the day? How about hosting drinks on the roof terrace, making for the ideal opportunity for networking against an incredible backdrop. n

SAVE 20% ON FULL DAY MEETING ROOM BOOKINGS Offer valid until 31/12/22.

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You don’t need to be a member to host a meeting or event at Origin Workspace.

Simply get in touch on 0117 440 0400 or email info@originworkspace.co.uk, let us know what you need, and we’ll do the rest.

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CVS ARE DEAD! (OR THEY SHOULD BE ON LIFE SUPPORT AT THE VERY LEAST…) Helen Sanders of YOUR PEOPLE PARTNERS explains that a CV is not a predictor of success in your business or any other.

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hink of all the people that you’ve hired and fired. It won’t have been because of their CV. It’s far more likely they had the skills, however they simply didn’t fit into the culture of your team. Or there were other issues that the traditional ‘CV then interview’ style of hiring didn’t pick up.

If we invest more time getting to know what makes a person tick during the hiring process, then we are far more likely to hire someone who adds to our existing culture and team.

American author and inspirational speaker Simon Sinek says; “You don’t hire for skills, you hire for attitude. Skills can be taught”. Some feel this is HR talk for ‘I need more applications’; I don’t subscribe to that at all.

In my experience, if the hiring process comes down to two people, one with tonnes of skills we need, and one with some skills and a better fit for the team due to their attitude, then I would hire the latter all day long. And that’s the advice my team and I give all the business owners we have successfully supported over the last eight years. We fundamentally believe that CVs are purely there to allow a person to put their hat in the ring. And as recruiters, we owe it to them and the companies we support to dig much deeper. We go way beyond matching key words on a CV to a job description.

Our ‘culture-first’ recruitment framework allows us to identify the people who would add to your company and ultimately to your customers, regardless of the role they’re in. We do this before sending them a skills assessment so that you can be sure that not only will they add to your team, they have the skills required to actually do the job.

Next time you’re hiring, please consider the following points: • What type of people thrive in your company?

• What type of people suck the life out of your team?

• What skills are actually essential?

• What would the desired bonus skills be (that you’re able and willing to train/coach if necessary)?

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Think about how you’ll assess applicants in those essential skills as part of the hiring process.

Please don’t simply follow the traditional hiring process that works for corporates: • CV / application • Review applications • Interview • Interview again • Offer Hiring the right people for your team is too important to leave so much of it up to chance.

Develop other aspects of your hiring process to identify the fit to your team as well as the skills.

If you’re curious about how you can hire for attitude, or our ‘culture-first’ recruitment framework, we’d love to chat. n

Helen Sanders leads the Your People Partners team based in Bristol. She has been helping companies to hire well since 1998 and clients include terptree, Proctors+Stevenson and Tickitto.

Visit us today: yourpeoplepartners.com

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WORK IN PROGRESS Office interior specialist KERR OFFICE GROUP has unveiled its latest office design project at Clifton Heights

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ocated on Clifton Triangle, the project involved a redesign of two third-floor suites, totalling 2,700 square foot office space, and has transformed the offices to fit the needs of the modern business, with over half of the floorplan now dedicated to collaborative and breakout spaces.

Despite a perceived popularity of work-fromhome through the pandemic, according to the Office for National Statistics, 85% of employees want a hybrid approach of both home- and office-working in the future, cementing the importance of an effective office space.

Drawing on over 30 years of industry experience, Kerr Office Group has therefore conceptualised a space that accommodates the working styles of today’s employees.

The open-plan, third-floor workspace has capacity to facilitate hot desking and collaborative work zones, alongside formal and informal meeting spaces and a relaxing area for moments of headspace.

Soft seating, various space dividers and angled flooring break up the space into zones in a fun and quirky way, to avoid the need to build solid walls. The space, which is ideally connected to both the city centre and public transport links, is therefore naturally lit and open.

With installation of lowered worktop heights and sinks, as well as benches with side-seating that can be pulled out for wheelchair access, the versatile space, which includes reception and waiting areas, is fully accessible for all.

“Reimagined to suit companies stepping out

from business incubators, or serviced offices, who may not be ready to sign a 10-year lease on a new HQ, this project forms the perfect stepping-stone for Bristol’s creative industries and growing tech cluster,” says Alex Kerr, CEO of the Kerr Office Group.

“Employees need a workspace that can deliver a diverse range of work types, and businesses want to facilitate the bringing together of their teams post-pandemic. We foster collaboration and the galvanisation of relationships with the aim of powering business growth, while reinforcing our shared purpose and values with our clients.”

The project was commissioned directly by the landlord of Clifton Heights who desired a ‘plugand-play’ space to attract start-ups and SMEs in the South West.

Acting under the guidance of commercial property agent Avison Young, who identified the rise in requests for ready-to-work space in the region, the landlord selected Kerr Office Group as the partner to deliver on the perfect hybrid working space brief.

“We’re delighted to be working with Kerr Office Group on this project,” said Paul Williams, director at Avison Young. “Changes in workplace trends have been accelerated by the pandemic and we’re pleased to be able to offer a workspace which meets the demands of Bristol’s growing start-up and SME community.”

The project in Clifton Heights has been designed to accommodate two businesses, but the flexibility is there for one business to occupy the whole floor. n

ABOUT KERR OFFICE GROUP With over 30 years of experience, Kerr Office Group is renowned for developing inspirational and successful workspaces and commercial environments.

Founded by managing director Jonathan Kerr in 1986, Kerr Office Group is one of the UK’s top office interior specialists, providing first-rate design, fit-out and consultancy services for clients across the UK including Bechtle, [Here], Dyson, Vectura and Costa.

As a B1G1 (Buy 1 Give 1) Business for Good, Kerr Office Group supports charitable causes locally, nationally, and internationally by donating a profit percentage towards initiatives that align with company values.

From Manchester to Malta, Swindon to Switzerland, Kerr Office Group operates across a variety of sectors including technology, healthcare, and logistics, delivering environments that improve working lives.

Kerr Office Group 6 Glenmore Business Park, Southmead Close, Swindon SN5 7FP Phone: 01793 611900 Email: sales@koguk.com www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 41

BRISTOLWORKS

PHOTO BY INSTAGR AM @JONCRAIG_ PHOTOS

Greg Ingham interviews Paul Dodd (left) of Huboo

A MEETING OF MINDS

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At a recent EntreConf lunch at Avon Gorge Hotel, Paul Dodd, co-founder of Huboo, revealed the secret of the firm’s spectacular growth e’ve all heard of those chance meetings of minds, the ones that can strike at anytime and anywhere, and result in lightbulb moments and multimillion pound businesses. But do we really know of any? Well, we do now, thanks to the EntreConf dinner that took place on 12 September at the Avon Gorge Hotel.

Paul Dodd was trying to encourage his young son to enjoy playing youth club football on a freezing cold day up by the university, when he met Martin Bysh doing exactly the same thing.

The sons lasted at the Saturday football club for about eight weeks, but Paul and Martin’s friendship was for the long haul.

Martin was a tech entrepreneur who had also been a computer game coder; Paul had worked for 20 years at Procter and Gamble, where he’d progressed to become the multinational corporation’s global physical distribution manager.

Together they created Huboo, an e-commerce logistics company. Huboo began its journey in in a garage, with its first client selling

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chocolate. Now, in 2022 it’s a multi-million pound business and a leading name in its field, thanks to a unique micro-hub model, seamless dashboard, and a well-established network of delivery partners. aul recalls the bu of that first transaction.

When the first box came in, knowing that someone just trusted us with it– well, that was a big moment.” Another huge moment early on was getting the call that PayPal would like to use them. “They’d been struggling for ages to get a partner in the UK that could handle small-to-medium enterprises, and the PayPal representatives actually came down to visit us.” nd how did ay al find this small West Country start-up? “I think we were page three on a Google search,” says Paul. From then on, their reputation and their enterprise continued to grow – in part, says Paul “because there was no competition, especially at that time, for doing what we do.”

The logistics business of distribution, such as minimum wage and the harsh physical set-ups, has been notoriously grim. But Huboo has looked to be the very antithesis of this, as Paul explains, “We’ve built the whole tech and warehouses around humans, and that makes it highly e cient. The other’ model is the other way round, which means putting humans in the gaps to do the repetitive jobs. Our mini-

units actually look and feel like retail stores, so the manager there will know the offerings, the brands – and it also means they care more.”

One of the acknowledged challenges has actually been Huboo’s success, and the concern that the firm’s rapid growth the company has now taken on people and is based in five countries, with eyes on the United States – would mean the loss of his and Martin’s core beliefs.

To overcome this, the pair remain hands-on and have appointed only the best people, who they treat equitably and pay fairly. ur best head-o ce staff actually started as managers in the warehouses. We look for the right skills and capabilities, are always happy to train and promote, we invest in wellbeing, and every single employee gets shares.”

Paul won’t be drawn on whether the company will go public at any stage, but there’s one thing he’s quite upfront about: “I want to take on Amazon.” Don’t think for one minute that this gently-spoken, conscious-minded entrepreneur means Huboo being taken over by Bezos own giant he actually does really mean take on’ Amazon. And at this rate, there’s every chance that he, and Huboo, might just succeed. n EntreConf, returns in June 2023 For more: www.huboo.com; www.entreconf.com

Be our guest: scenes from the EntreConf lunch at Avon Gorge Hotel on 12 September Photos by Jon Craig

Prith Voual and Jing Wang

David Kelly

Alastair Currie, Natasha McKenzie, Aimee Skinner, Sarah Youll and Claire Ladkin Katie Calvert-Jones

Claire Ladkin, Arti Ambre and Richard Spilsbury

Annie Kelly, Cherie-Anne Baxter and Sarah Moolla

Paul Morris

BRISTOL PROPERTY AWARDS 2022 The finalists have been chosen – now it’s all eyes on Ashton Gate Stadium on 25 November when the winners will be revealed! Look out for our special preview, coming up in our next issue bristolpropertyawards.co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 43

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