Surrey Business Magazine - issue 58

BIG STORY

28

Sam Bankman Fried

As the world’s fourth largest fintech company, FTX, crashes amid allegations of fraud, Platinum looks at the unregulated world of crypto

SURREY CHAMBER NEWS

4 Welcome

Surrey Chambers of Commerce CEO Louise Punter’s monthly newsletter to members

7 Chamber News

A round up of Surrey Chambers of Commerce members’ news

12 Surrey Chamber Events

What’s on for Surrey Chambers members over the next couple of months

EVENTS

16 Platinum Club

Now in its 15th year, the South East’s premier networking social event had its big Christmas party last month

24 Table Talk

Highlights from Table Talk

Foundation fundraising festive feast which took place at Gravetye Manor in December

PLATINUM MEDIA GROUP

CONTENTS

BUSINESS

20 Surrey Research Park

Satellite Vu’s heat-sensing satellites prepare for launch

22 Let’s Do Business

Five common mistakes businesses make when applying for funding –and how to avoid them

46 MDHUB

The company of women: Kate Bendix talks to the two women at the top of TEK Express

49 Cleankill

Incentivise all of your teams –not just the sales team

FINANCE

18 Kreston Reeves

Not all debt is bad debt. Rachel Emmerson and Abbey Watkins suggest ways as to how debt can be used to refinance your company

37 Haines Watts

Management Information –what is it and why do you need it?

INNOVATION

38 Sussex Innovation The benefits of DIY video marketing

EDUCATION

40 Hurstpierpoint College

Irrespective of the Prime Minister’s call on mathematics, Beccy Bownas underlines the importance of Humanities

CHARITY

43 Chestnut Tree House

Step into 2023 on the right foot!

LEGAL

26 Loch Associates

Pam Loch suggests splitting up from your business partner needn’t be painful

32 DMH Stallard

Seizing the opportunity an economic downturn creates while avoiding insolvency

44 Mayo Wynne Baxter

Nick Stockley champions voluntary mediation at a time of dispute, but has concerns over the idea of it becoming compulsory

OPINION

50 Anger management

Can the NHS continue on its current path? Maarten Hoffmann insists on drastic funding changes to ensure its future health

TRAVEL

52 Exploring Denmark’s capital Maarten Hoffmann has a cultural look around the progressive city of wonderful Copenhagen

MOTORING

54 Lamborghini Winter Tour

The Italian car manufacturer invited several motoring journalists to Denmark to test some of their latest products, Maarten Hoffmann was there

All rights reserved. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher. The publisher cannot accept responsibility for any errors or omissions relating to advertising or editorial. The publisher reserves the right to change or amend any competitions or prizes offered. No part of this publication may be reproduced without prior written consent from the publisher. No responsibility is taken for unsolicited materials or the return of these materials whilst in transit. Surrey Business Magazine is owned and published by Platinum Media Group Limited.

2023: A CHALLENGING YEAR AHEAD?

Welcome to the world of 2023. I am sure you are all wondering what could possibly surprise us this year! 2022 ended with many negative messages coming from the various statistics and surveys done amongst businesses. I will comment on the data but with a caveat that local businesses have been doing everything they can to weather the inflation, recruitment and energy crises.

We must remind ourselves that we are a vibrant business community, and we continue to bolster the government’s coffers with our contributions to HMRC. Meanwhile, Surrey Chambers of Commerce continues to devise and deliver support to keep Surrey businesses successful.

THE STATE OF THE ECONOMY

The monthly growth in the economy for October of 0.5% was overshadowed by the underlying three-month trend revealed by the data, which showed a contraction in the economy of 0.3%. Our British Chamber latest quarterly economic forecast expects the UK economy to be in recession for five consecutive quarters.

LABOUR MARKET

According to the latest labour market figures, confirmed by local intel, the job market is still very tight. Job vacancies remain at record highs, adding to the recessionary pressure businesses are facing. While some over 50s are returning to work, firms need to invest much more in training and upskilling, and politicians need to be realistic about the skills we need from outside the UK.

INFLATION

The latest inflation rate of 10.7% may indicate we have passed the peak, but prices are now at a much higher level which will be felt for months to come. Our research shows that inflation remains by far and away the number one concern for businesses. With their margins left razor-thin, very few businesses are planning to increase investment as they deal with a wall of higher energy bills, input costs, interest rates and taxation.

WHAT ARE WE ASKING GOVERNMENT TO FOCUS ON?

We have been asking government to take concrete action to resolve the immediate disruptions facing the UK economy, such as soaring energy costs and the burdens in our trading relationship with Europe.

❛❛ The trade deal has increased costs and it has increased bureaucracy, which means UK businesses are less competitive in the EU and are losing out on trade ❜❜

ENERGY

In November, the Chancellor promised businesses that they would receive a plan on the future of the energy support package before the end of the year. Disappointingly, they have failed to produce it. Without a clear plan before January, many businesses will be left vulnerable to extortionate prices at the end of March, especially SMEs and energy intensive businesses. We will keep the pressure up on getting this plan out as soon as possible in 2023.

HOW WAS BREXIT FOR YOU?

For our exporting businesses, it has been very diffi cult. In spite of the UKEU Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA), more than three quarters (77%) of firms, for which the Brexit deal is applicable, say it is not helping them increase sales or grow their business.

More than half (56%) of firms face diffi culties adapting to the new rules for trading goods, and almost half (45%) face diffi culties adapting to the new rules for trading services. A similar number (44%) report diffi culties obtaining visas for staff.

The trade deal has increased costs and it has increased bureaucracy, which means UK businesses are less competitive in the EU and are losing out on trade.

This isn’t just about trade volumes. Smaller businesses have really suffered. The range of products we export to the EU has decreased by over 40%. That can’t be good for our competitiveness or the resilience of our economy. Our government MUST take steps to ease these problems before our European exports are eroded any further.

Surrey Chambers of Commerce can be reached on 01483 735540, E: info@surrey-chambers.co.uk @surreychambers www.surrey-chambers.co.uk

Louise

Punter

CEO Surrey Chamber of Commerce

AND WHILE YOU’RE HERE...

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#CHAMBERBUSINESS

At the heart of our local business communities, we’ve got the understanding, data, insights, services and expertise to support you and your business

SURREY CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE DON’T JUST JOIN – JOIN IN!

Why being a member of Surrey Chambers of Commerce is good for business, locally, nationally, and globally

We are Surrey’s largest not-for-profit business support and networking, organisation

All of our services and products are directed by the business community for the business community

We act as a catalyst by connecting you to opportunities, skills, knowledge and valuable contacts

As a member, there are many marketing opportunities available to you, designed to help you maximise your membership

Visit www.surrey-chambers.co.uk or call: 01483 735540

Please email our Head of Membership for further details sarah.butcher@surrey-chambers.co.uk

CHAMBERS NEWS

Process filter maker Amazon Filters has added more capacity to its housing component manufacturing with two semi-automated CNC mills going live.

Their purchase and implementation are the latest stages in a £1 million investment programme at the Surreybased firm, which supplies all industries worldwide that rely on process filtration.

Capital expenditure on new machinery supports Amazon Filters’ policy of ‘vertical integration’ in which manufacturing is increasingly done inhouse with less reliance on third parties or sub-contractors.

The aim is to support ‘quick and able’ manufacturing; the fast, accurate capacity to turn round customer

orders, including complex and bespoke projects, whatever their size and wherever they originate in the world.

The new CNC equipment complements a doubling of staff numbers in housing component manufacture from six operatives three years ago to 12 now, with a further appointment due in 2023.

Team members work in a dedicated production hub at the 37-year-old firm’s Camberley factory processing raw, hardcore metal bars, blocks, sheets and tubes into parts ready for welding and final housing assembly.

Stored on huge racks, the raw material parts are moved into position for cutting, folding, drilling, marking and other processes using lifting aids including a motorised platform.

Amazon Filters’ capital investment programme also includes the relocation of storage space and the opening of a new production hall for the manufacture of pleated filter cartridges, a flagship product for the firm.

The capital spend complements recent team appointments on the sales side, including territory managers for the Americas and Asian-Pacific regions.

Engineers and scientists from organisations like McLaren F1, Airbus, the NHS and Haleon joined over 400 students for the first-ever Brooklands Innovation Academy.

Part of the National Science Summer School programme, and co-founded by Professor Brian Cox CBE and Lord Andrew Mawson OBE, the all-day event celebrated innovation, human endeavour, and entrepreneurship.

Held at Brooklands Museum on November 29th, the Brooklands Innovation Academy brought together more than 70 experts in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths) fields and highlighted the exciting opportunities and challenges in sectors ranging from MedTech and

motorsport through to aerospace and robotics.

The students were then divided into 40 groups of 10, each with a particular agenda for the day. With 20 different workshops and 10 guest speakers, it was a fantastic opportunity for many of the students to ‘learn by doing’ in an immersive environment.

Each workshop was designed to give students a better understanding of working in a STEM field through first-hand experience, with all the requirements for problem-solving, teamwork, ingenuity, and tenacity.

Brooklands Innovation Academy was delivered in close partnership with the Bourne Education Trust, including a teacher seconded to the Museum for a year, and supported by many leading businesses and donors.

It would not have been possible without the valuable assistance of Surrey County Council, the NHS, the NW Surrey Alliance and Brooklands Museum’s partnership with Ashford and St Peter’s Hospital. Additionally, support from Haleon, which is the lead sponsor, enabled the Innovation Academy to get off the ground with early investment.

The LSIP is designed to put employers at the heart of the skills system and ensure that local businesses’ voices are heard to help influence and shape local skills and training provision.

We want to engage with as many businesses as possible to hear first-hand what your skills shortages and challenges are.

Do you struggle to recruit staff because there is a lack of candidates with the right skills and qualifications?

Are you struggling to find local providers that offer the courses you need?

Are you keen to utilise apprenticeships to improve your businesses’ productivity but do not know where to start?

Our Survey

We have launched an employer survey which is designed to help highlight the current and future skills required by businesses in the region. The survey is a key part of engagement activity to give businesses more of a say in shaping local skills and training provision.

We are encouraging as many businesses as possible to take part in the survey to help give us a better insight into the potential areas of focus for the project.

It takes 5 minutes to complete the survey. Please also share with your contacts.

LOCAL SKILLS IMPROVEMENT PLAN

How Can You Get Involved?

Complete our online survey to quickly share your current and future skills requirements

Attend our events or join a sector roundtable.

Visit our website for more information about the LSIP project

Get in contact with us directly to have a more detailed conversation

Area We Cover

POLICE SERVICE PROVIDERS MUST JOIN LOCAL CYBER RESILIENCE CENTRE

The Cyber Resilience Centre for the South East (SECRC) is pleased to announce a new partnership that will see the region’s four police forces (Sussex, Surrey, Thames Valley and Hampshire) work together to improve the cyber resilience of companies that supply goods and services to each force.

The partnership means that all companies seeking to embark on new contracts with the Police in the South East region will be required to join the SECRC as part of the contractual process. If the suppliers are based outside of the South East, they will need to join their local cyber resilience centre.

In the South East region, there are nearly 850,000 businesses registered, second only to London with one million.

Many of these businesses will have next to no protection from cyber-attacks and will be unaware of the threat posed by cybercrime as a whole.

To help protect these businesses, the SECRC was established by the Home Office to provide free simple-to-follow cyber guidance, tools and threat assessments and affordable cyber services to businesses, charities, and public sector organisations.

When it comes to cybercriminals, there’s nothing small about small businesses. If a business trades online, it could be open to cyber-attacks. The SECRC is led by two serving police officers and supported by academia and the commercial sector, who together work to support SMEs.

I’M A DIRECTOR, GET ME OUT OF HERE!

The TV programme has finished but this is now your chance, as a Director, to appear in the next best thing – I’m a Director, Get Me Out of Here!

Local Surrey charity, Crossroads Care Surrey, is staging this fundraising event on Friday June 30th 2023 in the magnificent grounds of the Home of Compassion in Thames Ditton to raise vital funds to support Surrey’s unpaid carers.

Are you a company Director? And would you be prepared to undergo various ‘bushtucker’ trials, and anything else thrown at you, whilst competing for stars and fundraising for Crossroads Care Surrey? If your answer is ‘yes’ on both counts, Crossroad Care can promise a fun and informative day – with rice and beans for lunch.

OUR WORK WITH UNPAID CARERS

There are over 130,000 unpaid carers in Surrey. Over 10% of the population of Surrey is providing unpaid care to a person in need.

For many unpaid carers, earning a regular income or taking a little time out from caring is simply not an option. They often feel isolated with no one to turn to, which can have a negative impact on their own mental and physical health.

By supporting this fundraiser, you can help Crossroads Care Surrey provide more respite breaks for Surrey’s unpaid carers.

To get involved, please contact David Annand at David. Annand@crossroadscaresurrey.org.uk

Detective Superintendent Andy Richardson, Director of The Cyber Resilience Centre for the South East said, “This new partnership between the SECRC and the region’s four police forces is a huge step in helping to develop the cyber resilience of a large number of businesses that may not have access or funds to cover cyber security.

“This project has been a key priority of mine as the Director of the SECRC as we should be leading by example and encouraging suppliers and service providers to become more secure so that each force can be confident that their data and information are being handled appropriately. Whether you are a roofing contractor on a police station or a software company developing new forensic technologies, there is a cyber threat facing you and we want to help you reduce that risk.”

i TEK PROGRAMME FUNDED BY ERA FOUNDATION

The University of Surrey is delighted to announce that it has received £195,600 from the ERA Foundation to establish a new, innovative placements programme to be embedded into a number of MSc modules, starting with the extremely popular MSc in Artificial Intelligence.

Andrew Everett, CEO and Executive Secretary of the ERA Foundation said, “We have been long-term supporters of UK engineering and innovation skills development in electech manufacturing, and are very pleased to support the establishment of the iTEK Programme at the University

of Surrey. We are really excited to see how this programme will support the next generation of UK engineers, and encourage entrepreneurship, innovation and technical excellence in UK graduates and SMEs.”

The iTEK programme, joining a suite of other Ready4Innovation challenges run through Student Enterprise, will harness existing partnerships with the Surrey Research Park and the SETsquared business incubator to directly benefit the participating students and support the partner SMEs as well as other electech companies to address and resolve existing problems in real-time.

GROWTH CONTINUES AT MORR & CO

Leading regional law firm Morr & Co is delighted to announce the appointment of two new Partners. Chris Darvill joined as Partner in its dispute resolution team, while Selena Ludick, a Senior Associate from its family team has been promoted to the partnership.

Chris Darvill has more than 16 years of commercial dispute resolution experience, and is recognised in Legal 500 for both commercial litigation and IP. He has an outstanding reputation across the region, helping a wide range of clients resolve complex commercial disputes, as well as dealing with contentious intellectual property matters.

Having worked in both national and regional law firms, as well as a spell working for the in-house legal team of a well-known national retailer, Chris has a broad spectrum of experience that spans technology, energy, retail, and education.

Chris’s arrival closely follows the appointment of Kristine Ng, a property litigation specialist who joined the team as a Partner in September. Chris’ arrival and

experience will stand to grow Morr & Co’s reputable dispute resolution teams range of expertise, which includes commercial litigation, IP, property litigation, contentious probate, and tax litigation.

Selena Ludick joined Morr & Co’s family team in Redhill as a Senior Associate in 2017. She has over 20 years’ experience as a family law solicitor and mediator and is recognised by Chambers & Partners a leading individual in family law.

Embedding the programme into course modules will remove the barrier to entry that many students experience with work placement opportunities, and it is hoped that the success of this approach will prompt adoption of similar programmes at other peer universities.

The University of Surrey is actively seeking SMEs in the future tech and electech spaces to provide innovation challenges for highly skilled MSc AI students to tackle as part of this programme. Companies will be offered an innovation team for a short-term project funded by the programme.

Over the course of her career, Selena has moved to specialise in resolving complex and high value financial claims following a separation, often involving multiple properties, pensions and other assets, as well as issues involving children. Selena also has a niche interest in Special Guardianship Orders.

In August this year, the family team promoted Wimbledon-based family solicitor Anne McAllister to the partnership. Selena’s promotion strengthens Morr & Co’s family department to a team of four partners.

Anne McAllister

Chris Darvill

SURREY CHAMBERS EVENT CALENDAR

JANUARY ONWARDS….

GUILDFORD BUSINESS BREAKFAST

Tuesday 17th January | 08:00 – 10:00

De Vere Horsley Estate

Running from 08:00 – 10:00, our bi-monthly Business Breakfasts are a wonderful opportunity to meet a range of Surrey businesses over a delicious breakfast. With a calendar bursting with interesting and stimulating events, we are sure you will find topics that are current and relevant to you and your business. We acknowledge that making new contacts is rather high on your priority list, so start your day with networking, hearing from a possible guest speaker, whilst most importantly, all over a breakfast!

NAVIGATING THE ICEBERG: BUILDING YOUR BUSINESS RESILIENCE STRATEGY

Tuesday 28th January | 10:00 – 12:00

Virtual Event

The signs are there that we are entering uncharted waters economically.  The effects of COVID, leaving the EU, war and an energy crisis means businesses need to prepare for the impact of all these things converging on them at the same time. Lee Lam from Your Startup Partner leads an inportative session discussing how building your business resilience is key to navigating the inevitable disruption up ahead and your strategy has to factor this all in.

MEMBERS NETWORKING EVENING

GUILDFORD

Thursday 26th January | 18:00 – 20:00

Wine & Something, Guildford

Our Members Networking Evenings are a monthly event where we invite our current members to join us to catch up on the happenings of the previous months business calendar. Running from 18:00 – 20:00, Members Networking Evenings are the perfect opportunity for an informal, relaxed gathering with members you already have relationships with and those you don’t.

MAXIMISING SALES SUCCESS

Thursday 9th February | 12:00 – 14:00

Space, Woking

Designed for Business Leaders, this interactive and collaborative session will review a systematic approach to selling, and demonstrate how applying it in your world could be the key to achieving more sales, increased revenues, and higher margins. Attendees will benefit from learning how to use an efficient and effective sales methodology to impact the performance of your business, shorten sales cycles and help to differentiate you from your competition..

MEMBERS NETWORKING EVENING

GUILDFORD

Event Date: Thursday 23rd February | 18:00 – 20:00

Guildford Harbour Hotel

Our Members Networking Evenings are a monthly event where we invite our current members to join us to catch up on the happenings of the previous months business calendar. Running from 18:00 – 20:00, Members Networking Evenings are the perfect opportunity for an informal, relaxed gathering with members you already have relationships with and those you don’t.

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY LUNCH

Wednesday 8th March | 11:00 – 15:00

De Vere Horsley Estate

Surrey Chambers of Commerce and the Business Women In Surrey (BWIS) Steering Group present our International Women’s Day Lunch 2023. Join us for a delicious two course meal. a glass of bubbly and networking as we celebrate the wonderful business women in Surrey. Surrey Chambers celebrate IWD every year, and we engage in provoking discussion over a delightful two-course lunch. With our Women in Business initiative, we are proud to host events that continuously question and discuss issues such as gender equality, which are sadly still prevalent in the corporate world.

WAVERLEY BUSINESS BREAKFAST

Tuesday 14th March | 08:00 – 10:00

Lythe Hill Hotel, Haslemere

Running from 08:00 – 10:00, our bi-monthly Business Breakfasts are a wonderful opportunity to meet a range of Surrey businesses over a delicious breakfast. With a calendar bursting with interesting and stimulating events, we are sure you will find topics that are current and relevant to you and your business. We acknowledge that making new contacts is rather high on your priority list, so start your day with networking, hearing from a possible guest speaker, whilst most importantly, all over a breakfast!

BUSINESS BITES NETWORKING LUNCH

Friday 15th March | 12:00 – 14:00

Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford

Welcome to Business Bites - a networking lunch with a guest speaker and an interesting topic of choice. Dipping into our vast pool of members and all their knowledge, we have decided to present Business Bites, with various of our members presenting of a variety of business-related topics! Running from 12 - 2pm, the Networking Lunch is the perfect opportunity to meet new clients in the area. You can enjoy some informal networking over a light lunch with fellow members, clients and future customers.

The Platinum Business Club for Leaders and Innovators in Business

The Platinum Club Christmas celebrations took place at The Grand Brighton on December 15th 2022 with an evening of festive fun! Guests on the night enjoyed fine Champagne and exquisite hand-made canapés in luxurious surroundings whilst strengthening network business connections, raising professional profiles, building invaluable brand awareness and making friends.

And ensuring the evening went with a swing, we enjoyed live music from the sensational Matthew vanKan who entertained the guests.

The Platinum Club was launched over 15 years ago and brings together senior business leaders on an exclusive, membership-only basis to deliver an enriching professional experience. As we roll into the new year, we have released a limited number of new memberships due to a high demand. To apply or find out more, email info@platinummediagroup.co.uk

Paul Cannons, Divisional Director, RBC Brewin Dolphin

Left to right: Pam Loch, Managing Director and Solicitor, Loch Associates Group, Lisa Elliot, Founder, Stealth Mode, Colin Laidlaw, VAT Director, Kreston Reeves, Elisabeth Squires, Solicitor, Britton and Time Solicitors

Matthew vanKan

THE PLATINUM CLUB

Left to right: James O’Connell, Partner, Mayo Wynne Baxter and Maarten Hoffmann, Managing Director, Platinum Media Group

Left to right: Carolina Avellaneda, Managing Partner, BubbleLife, Nigel Lambe, CEO, Sussex Innovation, Maarten Hoffmann, Managing Director, Platinum Media Group

Left to right: Emma Cleary, Founder, Flexibility Matters, Emmanuel Addy, CEO, The Money Cloud, Karen Heal, Associate Legal Counsel, INTO University Partnerships, Alison Addy, Head of External Engagement and Policy, Gatwick Airport

Lesley Alcock, Commercial Director Platinum Media Group and Aneela Rose, Managing Director, Rose Media Group

Fiona Shafer, Managing Director, MDHUB and Maarten Hoffmann, Managing Director, Platinum Media Group

Not all debt is bad. Debt financing can prove a cost-effective way to fund growth and investment, write Rachel Emmerson and Abbey Watkins at Kreston Reeves

DEBT FOR GROWTH

There are many ways a business can access funding for growth – from friends and family, external investors and bank lending. It is common, however, for businesses to turn to their banks for everyday borrowing to ease cashflow, typically through the use of an overdraft.

Whilst many thousands of businesses will have accessed bank borrowing over the last three years via the CBILS and Bounce Back loan schemes, bank debt is often seen as something to be avoided. But there is both good and bad debt.

In November 2022, Andrew Griggs, Senior Partner at Kreston Reeves, joined a British Business Bank panel

discussion alongside ASC Finance, Kent County Council and the Kent & Medway Business Growth Hub to explore how debt can help a business grow.

These were some of the things discussed at that panel discussion following the Government’s November Autumn Statement and continuing challenging trading landscape, many businesses are still in growth mode.

Yet even businesses with ambitious growth plans are likely to have exhausted cash reserves during the pandemic, leaving them with little option but to turn to external investment or debt financing.

External investment, whether angel or venture capital funding, will play a vital role in accelerating growth for many businesses. But it is not suitable for every business. Family-owned businesses where future generations are likely to take the helm may not, for example, welcome the dilution of ownership that venture capital funding brings.

And that is where debt financing, whether from a bank or other funder, might be a better option.

But first, let us explain what we mean by ‘good debt’.

Good debt is not bank funding that simply helps a business survive tough times. Whilst that might be essential to the short-term survival of a business, it will not contribute or facilitate growth. Good debt is borrowing used to invest in the future growth of a business. And contrary to what business owners may have heard, banks do want to lend to businesses with strong growth plans.

Rachel Emmerson Partner, Accounts & Outsourcing

Abbey Watkins Accounts Senior

❛❛ Personal chemistry should also not be under-estimated. It may sound clichéd, but people do lend to people ❜❜

WHAT LENDERS WANT

Lenders will expect businesses to be able to demonstrate, amongst other things, an understanding of their current borrowing and how that will impact the ability to repay future borrowing. They will also want a clear and compelling proposal from that business on how funding will be used to contribute towards growth.

Importantly, businesses need to plan ahead, and that will require forecasting when funding is most likely to be needed. For example, a business that is looking to acquire and fit out new premises may not need all of that funding immediately. It may be more appropriate to look first at what is needed to acquire the new premises and then perhaps explore other funding sources for plant, machinery and fit-out.

It is also important to remember that debt financing is a corporate transaction, meaning that it is there for the benefit of both parties. Put bluntly, debt finance must work for the lender just as much

as it must work for the business, meaning that not all requests for borrowing will be granted.

Personal chemistry should also not be under-estimated. It may sound clichéd, but people do lend to people. We see that in the rise of the challenger banks who will often lend where traditional banks will not. Relationships, of course, are not built in a 30-minute meeting, so invest time in ensuring your lender understands your vision and plans for the future.

BEYOND BANKS

Banks will, in almost all circumstances, ask for personal guarantees from business owners. Whilst often uncomfortable, they are unavoidable. We would always recommend that businesses look to blended debt financing; looking to minimise the lending levels where a personal guarantee is required.

There are an increasing number of blended debt financing options open to business, with grants being one example.

By way of example, Kent County Council is currently offering an interest-free facility to fund capital investment and growth projects. Whilst these schemes often require match-funding or come with a demonstrable job creation requirement, they can offer a way to reduce bank funding. There will be similar projects and schemes operating across the country.

THE NEXT STEPS

The best advice is to be prepared and seek advice before you speak to any funders. Your accountant is well placed to help review current funding arrangements, forecast spending plans and support you in funding applications.

If your business is considering debt financing as a cost-effective way to fund growth and investment, get in touch with Rachel Emmerson or Abbey Watkins:

Email: enquiries@krestonreeves.com

Call: 0330 124 1399

Visit: www.krestonreeves.com

❛❛ Even businesses with ambitious growth plans are likely to have exhausted cash reserves during the pandemic ❜❜

Surrey Research Park is home to Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd, who are building cutting-edge satellites to achieve net zero

Satellite Vu’s pioneering heat-sensing satellites prepare for launch

It’s impossible to ignore the climate change emergency. To keep global warming below 1.5°C, emissions need to be reduced by 45% by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050. Improving energy efficiency should be the priority for businesses looking to save money on energy bills and make the net zero transition.

British Earth Observation company Satellite Vu is helping organisations tackle these pressing issues; its cuttingedge thermal imaging satellites are revolutionising how energy is measured.

The UK-based satellite technology specialist is bringing the highest resolution thermal data to enable us to see the world like never before. Through its planned constellation of heat-sensing satellites, Satellite Vu will be able to monitor the temperature of any built and natural environment on the planet in near real-time using a new mid-wave infrared camera, providing valuable insights into economic activity, energy efficiency and disaster response.

The satellites are being constructed by Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL), which has been building small satellites for more than 40 years from its base at Surrey Research Park in Guildford. The

first satellite is set to make its launch in June 2023 on a Falcon 9 rocket, operated by Elon Musk’s SpaceX company, and a further seven will go into orbit over the next two to three years.

In essence, Satellite Vu will become the world’s thermometer from space. The applications of the technology are extensive – from alleviating the effect of heat islands in inner cities and monitoring the pollution of waterways from industrial processes, to reducing the cost of heating buildings, ensuring buildings are energy efficient and assessing the activity status of solar farms and other industrial facilities.

The Satellite Vu team is on a mission to support public and private sector organisations in becoming more climate resilient. The key focus is using less gas and electricity to heat buildings, while validating and improving the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) ratings of properties. This, they say, is the first step towards decarbonising the whole sector and eventually moving towards more secure and renewable sources of energy.

When looking at building heat loss, the thermal satellite technology can give an accurate image of where to implement energy optimisation investments, offering substantial cost-saving benefits.

“A lot of companies and authorities want to make improvements in the way we use energy and generate heat, but they need to know exactly where to direct their efforts,” says Anthony Baker,

Co-founder and CEO of Satellite Vu. “By giving them precise data about where heat is being allowed to spill out of buildings into the open, we believe we can help them make a real difference and save energy.”

Surrey Research Park is already harnessing Satellite Vu’s high resolution infrared technology. Spanning 70 acres and home to more than 200 technology, science and engineering businesses, the Park has begun working with Satellite Vu to capture thermal imagery of its build -

❛❛ Cutting-edge thermal imaging satellites are revolutionising how energy is measured ❜❜

ings to help target and assess energy efficiency improvements as well as provide tenants with feedback on operational energy use.

Satellite Vu is conducting a five-stage programme consisting of an aerial thermal imaging campaign, data processing, thermal analysis, energy consumption modelling and interactive real-time data presentation. The data will be used to validate EPCs for buildings in the Park, which currently span EPC B – E, and to monitor performance of retrofit

A thermal image of SRP at 20:20 / 21:39 on 9th November 2022. Brighter shades generally show warmer areas, but the image is not yet corrected for radiative or atmospheric effects. These corrections will alter the appearance of some objects more than others due to differences in emissivity. As an example, the true temperature of the Kepler Building in the top left is likely not as low as it appears do to the high emissivity of its roof

upgrades over time given the importance of sustainability to SRP customers, in addition to proposed legislation on building energy efficiency.

Anthony explains, “Climate technology remains key for organisations to achieve net zero through retrofitting action, and our project with Surrey Research Park represents a scalable solution to this issue; opening opportunities at every campus or industrial park in the UK, and a blueprint for housing associations and portfolio owners.”

Since its inception in 2016, Satellite Vu has raised £20 million in Series A investment. The company was also the recipient of two National Space Innovation Programme (NSIP) grants from the UK Space Agency and a third from the European Space Agency. Now at the scale-up stage, Satellite Vu is looking to introduce more organisations to thermal satellite technology.

There has been a lot of interest so far with the opening of Satellite Vu’s Early Access Option Programme (EAOP), which provides customers and partners with preferred access to Satellite Vu’s imagery products, as well as the opportunity to secure satellite capacity to support operational and business requirements.

Satellite Vu has been working closely with SSTL, and despite supply chain issues, the construction and launch of the first satellite is on track for June. The planned constellation is eight satellites, but if the space industry continues to be sustainable, there is the opportunity to launch more, with even better imagery resolution, Anthony and the team predict.

The scale of commercial activity in outer space is expanding significantly, putting satellite technology innovators like Satellite Vu in a prime position to make real change. A picture can speak a thousand words, and Satellite Vu is confident that its thermal imagery will have a positive effect on customers’ pockets, but most importantly, on our future on our blue planet.

https://surrey-research-park.com www.sstl.co.uk

❛❛ In essence, Satellite Vu will become the world’s thermometer from space ❜❜

Many SMEs make fundamental errors in their application for business funding. Let’s Do Business Group can help get around that…

Five mistakes small businesses make seeking funding

Most businesses find themselves considering additional finance at some point in their growth journey. However, any number of common oversights can prevent your fundraising from being successful. If you’re considering taking out a loan, it is in your best interest to know what to expect.

To make receiving financial help as easy as possible, Let’s Do Business Finance, start-up and growth loan provider across the Southeast and East of England, has provided some of the most common mistakes we’ve seen over the years and the best advice we can offer to prevent them.

1 NOT PLANNING THOROUGHLY ENOUGH

To decide whether the big plans you have for your business are practical, lenders need lots of information from you to proceed with your finance application. Having a solid business plan is valuable because it neatly lays out who you are, what you want to do, how much experience you have in your field, who you’re targeting, and much more in a digestible way.

Some make the mistake of underestimating the importance of a business plan – but it’s necessary, whether you’re looking to raise funding or not. Not only does thorough planning help lenders to see your business as a promising investment, but the process of writing one also serves to help you identify and address any underdeveloped elements of your vision. Therefore, it serves to give both sides more confidence in the business.

SOLUTION: There are free templates for business plans all over the internet, so find one and fill it in. If you find that you’re unable to flesh it out, it may be worth taking a step back and refining your original idea. Although it might be frustrating, giving yourself plenty of time to sort out solid foundations for your business is necessary.

2 NOT ASKING FOR THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF MONEY

Applicants often second-guess the amount of money they will need when asking for financial help. Many ask us for the largest amount on offer. We’re not just being ungenerous if we hesitate to give you the maximum amount – if we don’t, it’s likely either because the amount exceeds what you would need it for, or because we consider it our duty of care to avoid offering more than you can afford.

If your business fell through, then you would then be saddled with more debt. The opposite problem also happens, where people don’t ask for enough to sufficiently cover their costs, which means that they are more likely to struggle from the beginning if they don’t at once become successful.

SOLUTION: Do your homework. If you’re not sure, it could be worth looking up indicative quotes and seeking professional advice before continuing further. Utilise services like ours.

❛❛ Be careful who you’re borrowing from – do thorough research, seek professional advice and compare your funding options ❜❜

3 NOT GETTING THE RIGHT FUNDING FOR THE PURPOSE

You want to ensure that whatever finance you’re raising suits its purpose. In everything from hiring a workspace to taking out a loan, there are legal pitfalls and trip hazards that an underprepared person can easily falter on.

If you can secure funding very quickly, it is likely that you’ll have to repay it at an extremely high rate over a very short term. This would be appropriate if it was for the purpose of tiding over cash flow (if there was a delay in an important payment, for instance), but if the future of your business relies on this loan, then it could cripple your business further.

SOLUTION: Be careful who you’re borrowing from – do thorough research, seek professional advice and compare your funding options. Let’s Do Business offers loans with payback rates right for the purpose. If you’re unsure of what kind of finance to get, our friendly team of finance experts can take you through your options.

4 NOT DOING RISK AND CONTINGENCY MANAGEMENT

“But what if...?” You must keep this question in mind when running a business. While we want your business to achieve all its goals, it’s important to be prepared for some curveballs and plan for some common risks.

What if some equipment breaks? Maybe you could make arrangements with the suppliers for quick deliveries if something has to be replaced. What if a key member of staff leaves? What if there is a fire or flood in the workspace? There are insurance options for these circumstances. Risk and contingency management are essential to consider when it comes to fi nance –putting these buffers into place will not only lessen the impact of any unforeseen problems but show your reliability to people who can offer you fi nancial help.

5 NOT BEING REALISTIC ABOUT GROWTH PROSPECTS

When business owners approach lenders in need of financial help to sustain their growth plan, they are generally asked for the last two to three years of accounts as well as cash flow and profit forecasts. When considering an application, a lender needs to ask the questions, ‘Can the business afford to service and repay this loan?’ and ‘what might happen if trading income took a dip for some reason?’

Essentially, your lender needs to assess how realistic your growth estimates are. If you have estimated a spike in growth, you need to show that you have considered any potential obstacles. Lenders like to see that you have considered potential setbacks and will therefore be a responsible person to lend to.

SOLUTION: To set reasonable targets for growth, consider implementing SMART goals, – i.e. Specific, Measurable, Accountable, Realistic and Timespecific goals. Also, if you have the right documentation and you understand it as a monitoring tool, that will also help you to more accurately estimate your growth margins.

Looking to start or grow your business with finance? Let’s Do Business Finance team can help. www.letsdobusinessfinance.co.uk

❛❛ Some make the mistake of underestimating the importance of a business plan – but it’s necessary ❜❜

THE TABLE TALK FOUNDATION

Table Talk Foundation raises funds to support food education in Sussex for children, and to support our local hospitality industry. On December 12th 2022 guests took their seats at the beautiful Gravetye Manor for a festive feast prepared by a line up of world-class chefs for a Table Talk Foundation fundraiser in partnership, with the Adopt a School Trust. An amazing £10,000 was raised on the night! We work with the Adopt a School Trust to bring our full time professional chef teacher into primary schools to deliver a high-quality food education programme, helping children to develop healthy eating habits,

encourage an enthusiasm and interest in food, and give an insight into the hospitality industry. By improving opportunities for children and changing a generation’s attitude to food we can go some way to combat health inequalities. Early intervention and preventative work is critical to addressing the nation’s health crisis.

For more information, please contact Co-Founder, Daniel Wade. E:info@tabletalk-foundation.com T:07795033060 www.tabletalk-foundation.com

1. Debbie Molee, Karl Tilling, Jo Myles, Jason Edge

2. Zewdita Yilma Wolde-Lule, Daryna Milgevska Carter Wolde-Lule, Adhum Carter Wolde-Lule, Tony Webster, Emily Shepherd

3. Tamara Roberts and Tom Surgey

4. Left to right: chef lineup including Oli Williamson (The Fat Duck), Greg Clarke (Formelry South Lodge), George Blogg (Gravetye Manor) and Julien Plumart (Julien Plumart Café)

5. Hamed Ovaisi and Suzie Peter

6. Pepe Murray and William Murray 7. Sam Murray and Jessica Aggarwal 8. Amy Arnold and Gracie Wade 9. Charly Thieme and Kathy Caton 10. Antonia Gietzen and Michael Gietzen 11. Jermaine Weeden, Charly Thieme, Michelle Turner, Matt Turner, Steph Prior, Kathy Caton

January sees a huge surge in enquiries, so much so that January 4th has been named ‘Divorce Day’ by the media. In this instance, however, Pam Loch of Loch Associates advises on a different kind of split…

BREAKING UP CAN BE HARD TO DO… But it doesn’t have to be!

It can happen gradually – there’s been more arguing. You are getting on each other’s nerves and it’s building up to the day those dreaded words are said, ‘it’s over.’ Only it isn’t your significant other you are talking about, it’s your business partner.

Whether you’re a partner or a shareholder in a business, the damage from break-ups can be significant. It’s also magnified if there is a split involving a family business. However, the damage can be minimised if managed carefully from the outset.

STARTING POINT – WHAT SORT OF RELATIONSHIP ARE YOU IN ?

It’s important to understand what sort of relationship you are in. If you have set up a limited company then you will have a shareholding in it. If you own more than 50% then as a majority shareholder you will be in a stronger position to influence decisions that affect the business. However, a minority shareholder does have some protection by law so it’s important to understand what your position is before you say ‘we’re finished’.

Having a shareholders agreement is critical as it should clearly deal with issues which could affect the relation -

ship. Importantly, it should set out what will happen to the shares when the relationship sours. Ensuring you have included in the agreement the right to be able to buy the shares from a departing shareholder ahead of an unknown third party, is important.

Even if there is no written shareholders agreement though, there may be evidence in emails that can be relied on to evidence the nature of the relationship and therefore what the entitlements are when you part ways. You cannot always assume that because there is no shareholder agreement they are not a shareholder. It’s essential to seek legal advice so you know where you stand. It’s also essential to put a shareholder agreement in place at the outset.

same applies to partners in a business which is not set up as a

limited company. Having a partnership agreement that sets out what each partner’s rights are, and what happens when you split up, is important to be able to have as amicable a split as possible –and to avoid fatally damaging the underlying business.

The

❛❛ Whether you’re a partner or a shareholder in a business, the damage from break-ups can be significant ❜❜

FAMILY BUSINESSES

A family business is where at least one representative of the family is involved in the management or administration. It is reported that 87.6% of businesses in the UK are family businesses.

Majority shareholders are often either the founder of the business or are related to the company founder. Sometimes though an individual may have inherited shares from a relative and suddenly found they are now a shareholder with very different ideas about how to run the business.

It therefore comes as no surprise that disputes in family businesses are not uncommon especially over issues like succession planning, investment and finances. This conflict can be made worse by family members trying to avoid the business disputes fracturing their personal relationships in the family.

Married couples are in a similar position when they are shareholders in a business and decide to divorce. If the dispute does end up in Court then the approach is usually to leave ownership of the business with the owner or founder. The other spouse will then receive a larger proportion of other marital assets.

HOW DO YOU PROTECT YOUR BUSINESS AND AVOID DISPUTES?

So, what can you do as a business owner to protect your business from the risk of a damaging business break-up? Here are some steps you can take:

4

Consider what could be deemed a conflict

of interest

Directors have an obligation to act in the best interest of Company and not for personal gain. When carrying out day-to-day activities be sure to consider any obligations as a business owner and what could amount to a conflict of interest.

5 Create a Board

Experience matters, and having the right people at the helm of the business will help steer you and your interests in the right direction. Consider appointing non-executive Directors, who can add value in several ways, such as bringing specialist knowledge to the business, and providing strategic support and advice.

1

Ensure you instruct a Solicitor to draft a Shareholder or Partnership Agreement

This is the single most important step. A shareholder agreement should cover the responsibilities and decisionmaking power of each stakeholder, avoiding disagreements about who can do what and how they can do it.

6 Know your legal responsibilities

It is essential business owners are aware of their legal responsibilities, such as ensuring the right insurances are in place and complying with employment laws. Any business owner who is unsure of their legal obligations should seek legal advice to ensure they comply.

2

Face any disagreements head on at the earliest opportunity Issues need to be tackled head-on to achieve early resolution. Including a dispute resolution clause in an agreement will assist with that. Mediation is a cost-effective way to resolve disagreements.

3 Keep personal and professional life separate

As a business owner, there is likely to be substantial mental and emotional investment into your business. This can blur lines between work and home, particularly where family members are also shareholders. Take steps to put in place firm boundaries at home to ensure personal and professional lives are kept separate.

Loch Associates Group can advise on shareholder agreements, help resolve disagreements through early mediation and, should it get the stage of legal dispute, we can offer an expert legal team to guide you to a successful and swift conclusion.

Loch, Solicitor and Managing Director of Loch Associates Group www.lochassociates.co.uk

Pam

FTX and the crypto fraud

Sam Bankman-Fried, often referred to online as ‘SBF’, is a finance and cryptocurrency entrepreneur. He is the co-founder and former CEO of the now-bankrupt crypto exchange FTX, as well as the crypto trading company Alameda Research.

He rose to prominence as head of one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges, with a personal net worth once exceeding $26 billion, before an abrupt end to his digital currency empire in early November 2022 when he was arrested in the Bahamas. He was extradited to the US in December.

He was indicted on multiple criminal fraud charges levied by the US Attorney of the Southern District of New York, Damian Williams. Williams called Bankman-Fried’s actions “one of the biggest financial frauds” in American history.

It’s ironic that this is what they said after the Bernie Madoff scandal – and here we are again.

BACKGROUND TO THE COLLAPSE

On November 11th 2022, BankmanFried resigned from FTX and the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy after the company had collapsed earlier that month following a report by CoinDesk highlighting potential leverage and solvency concerns involving Alameda Research. The failure of FTX shook the volatile crypto market, which lost billions at the time, falling below a $1 trillion valuation. Former associates Caroline Ellison, once Alameda Research CEO, and FTX co-founder Gary Wang pleaded guilty to fraud and are cooperating with federal prosecutors.

SBF was released on a record $250 million bond on December 22nd. The 30-year-old former crypto executive will live with his Stanford law professor parents in Palo Alto, California, be confined to the Northern California area (and to his bedroom no doubt) wear an electronic monitoring bracelet, and submit to mental health and substance abuse counselling as part of the agreement between federal prosecutors and a federal judge in New York.

He was born on March 6th 1992, in California. The son of two professors at Stanford Law School, Bankman-Fried grew up in a highly educated family. He attended high school at Crystal Springs Uplands School in Hillsborough, California. He also participated in a summer academic programme for gifted high school students in mathematics.

He graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 2014 with a degree in physics and a minor in mathematics. In the summer of 2013, he worked as an intern for New York-based Jane Street Capital, where he returned to the proprietary trading firm as a full-time employee after graduating.

Maarten

Hoffmann

casts a critical eye over the repeated failures of cryptocurrency, its operators, and the regulators in the wake of the FTX crash

❛❛ The implosion of FTX shows the need to bring the crypto world within the regulatory framework ❜❜ Bank of England Deputy Governor Jon Cunliffe

FOUNDING OF A CRYPTOCURRENCY EMPIRE

In 2017, Bankman-Fried left Jane Street and founded Alameda Research, a quantitative trading firm making millions of dollars per day actively trading cryptocurrency among various international markets. He founded the cryptocurrency exchange FTX in April 2019 and launched it the next month.

As the cryptocurrency world burst into prominence during the pandemic, Bankman-Fried and his Bahamasbased company thrived. FTX acquired the Blockfolio exchange and platform in 2020 for $150 million.

FTX’s user base expanded, and Bankman-Fried appeared to be on a solid foundation in the otherwise usually turbulent cryptocurrency markets. He then purchased crypto exchange BlockFI, Voyage, Ledger X and the assets of Celsius.

Bankman-Fried told New York Times columnist Andrew Ross Sorkin on November 30th that the sum of his wealth was $100,000 in his bank account. That balance represents quite a fall, if true.

According to Forbes, Bankman-Fried had an estimated peak net worth of $26.5 billion. However, much of that value was tied to the value of FTX and its FTT cryptocurrency token. During a long down market for cryptocurrency that followed, Bankman-Fried saw his net worth fall to around $16 billion as of late September 2022.

With massive investor and customer losses surfacing, FTX and BankmanFried likely will be the targets of many future lawsuits and bankruptcy proceedings. The huge losses and allegations of fraud and cover-up of severe financial troubles could plague Bankman-Fried for years and lead to a stiff prison sentence.

WHERE WERE THE REGULATORS?

One of many questions raised here is ‘what happened to the regulators?’ The US trumpet their regulatory prowess far and wide and yet this type of case occurs time and time again. The Bernie Madoff debacle was just one case in point.

Madoff made off with £26 billion through a Ponzi scheme; a fraudulent investing scam promising high rates of return with little risk to investors. A Ponzi scheme generates returns for earlier investors with money taken from

later investors. This is similar to a pyramid scheme in that both are based on using new investors’ funds to pay the earlier backers.

The Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) should have stepped in multiple times but didn’t. Why? Bernie was the ‘big cheese’, was once the Chairman of the NASDAQ and played the game better than they did, and was too big to fail. But anyone offering consistent returns should raise a very large red flag and when Goldman Sachs and Solomon Brothers refused to trade with him, that should have been a flare gun going off.

The SBF case was yet another failing for the SEC but this time, due more to their lack of understanding of the Crypto market rather than intimidation by a 30-year-old with no track record. Digital currency is still the wild west with buckets of cash to be made and buckets of cash to be lost.

And there we come to the crux of the matter – GREED.

Greed is what drives people into the clutches of such conmen; pure, unadulterated greed. The old adage ‘if it seems too good to be true, it likely is’ has gone the way of the dinosaurs and now we have just have a wild, headlong dash for the cash.

There will be institutions with great losses no doubt and their fund managers will say, “whoops, pass the losses over and move on…” but there are many individuals caught up in this who will lose their homes, their businesses and their lives.

Such individuals are guilty of greed for sure but they invested with the ‘security’ that the SEC had oversight - the SEC didn’t even know the questions to ask let alone attempt to ask any.

❛❛ Greed is what drives people into the clutches of such conmen; pure, unadulterated greed ❜❜

SBF under arrest in the Bahamas

IS FULL REGULATION COMING?

It is likely that this case will lead to the regulation of digital currencies. The crypto industry and its US regulators have been in something of a Cold War for several years. Dozens of new digital currencies and companies have launched, and the agencies responsible for policing the markets have struggled to keep up.

More than 13 years after Bitcoin was first released, there is still no centralised regime to regulate the industry. “The state of regulation in the US is multi-faceted. You really have a number of different regulatory regimes that address different aspects of digital-asset activity. And you have them at the federal and the state level.” noted an official at the SEC.

Rather than publishing a list of attributes that the SEC believes cause an asset to be categorised as a security, though, the agency’s views have been communicated through myriad channels in a less than precise fashion, at least according to some in the crypto industry. And, anytime something isn’t clearly defined, it creates space for different actors in the market to argue that the regulations don’t apply to them. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission, which regulates the derivatives markets, has also exerted some authority over digital assets that it classifies as ‘commodities’ rather than securities.

The FTX Group did not keep appropriate books and records, nor security controls, with respect to its digital assets. Bankman-Fried used an auto-deleting app to communicate with employees, and encouraged them to do the same.

Those managing the bankruptcy have been unable to figure out who even worked at the company, owing to its “unclear records and lines of responsibility.” The company’s financial statements that were available—the company had not been able to find statements for two of its four business groups — should not be trusted; one of the auditing firms that worked on them is called Prager Metis, and its website describes it as the “first CPA firm to officially open its Metaverse headquarters in the metaverse platform Decentraland.” (In a statement to

Bloomberg Tax, Prager Metis defended its financial statements, saying they were “fairly stated.”)

To add further bleak comedy to the situation, at least $372m in ‘unauthorised transfers’ of FTX digital assets and another $300m of unauthorised minting of an FTX-issued token called FTT occurred on the day of the bankruptcy filing, suggesting that other actors in the crypto market were poised to take advantage of FTX’s disarray.

In response, the company has hired forensic analysts, investigators, and cybersecurity experts to try to identify those responsible for potential thefts of assets, as well as to sort out what may be “very substantial transfers” of FTX property in the days leading up to the bankruptcy. According to estimates, FTX owes nearly $3.1 billion to its 50 largest creditors, including to customers who lost money they had in their accounts.

But the real numbers could turn out to be even larger. According to reports, “The debtors have located and secured only a fraction of the digital assets of the FTX Group that they hope to recover.”

The regulators need to be dragged into court to explain yet another abject failure whereby the greedy have been exploited, ripped off and dumped, and assorted investment institutions have been hit.

For example, the Ontario Teachers Pension Fund lost nearly $75m and the Tennessee Consolidated Retirement System; City & County of San Francisco Employees’ Retirement System; Maryland State Retirement & Pension System; and Alaska Permanent Fund Corp all went down for billions.

LESSONS TO BE LEARNED

Digital currency will now face much tighter regulation. “The implosion of FTX shows the need to bring the crypto world within the regulatory framework,” Bank of England Deputy Governor Jon Cunliffe commented.

“While the crypto world – as was demonstrated during last year’s crypto winter and November’s FTX implosion – is not at present large enough or interconnected enough with mainstream finance to threaten the stability of the financial system, its links with mainstream finance have been developing rapidly,” he continued.

He added that FTX’s woes highlighted the need for regulators to put in place tighter controls as quickly as possible. It did not have a licence to operate in Britain, yet had caused waves.

“We should not wait until it is large and connected to develop the regulatory frameworks necessary to prevent a crypto shock that could have a much greater destabilising impact,” Cunliffe told a Warwick Business School event. “Our aim is to ensure that innovation can take place but within a framework in which risks are properly managed,” Cunliffe said. “The events of recent weeks provide a compelling demonstration of why that matters.”

❛❛ One of many questions raised here is ‘what happened to the regulators?’ ❜❜

Money really can buy you some good company

Frank Bouette, Partner and restructuring and insolvency expert at DMH Stallard, offers his view on the current economic downturn, and provides some practical tips on how to steer your business through the looming recession

SEIZING THE OPPORTUNITY an economic downturn creates while avoiding insolvency

It’s not radical to say we’re heading towards, if not in, recession. Raw materials, inflation, interest rates and borrowing costs are rising, meaning consumers have less to spend. The Chancellor’s last budget was a stabiliser, and the next is expected to be the real one, with some pain attached.

Commentators suggest this recession will be a long slog, the longest since records began in the 1920s, with stagnating wages, rising unemployment and reduced spending – all hitting margins. Businesses will have to make tough calls and, inevitably, business leaders will be considering how to navigate choppy waters and avoid the risk of insolvency.

But is it all doom and gloom? For the diligent and innovative businesses, there will be opportunities to create growth whilst others will face insolvency.

‘Zombie businesses’ are ones that don’t produce enough profit to cover their debts, and just cover their operating costs. An increase in the number of ‘zombie businesses’ has arisen since the 2008 banking crisis with many hanging on because politicians have short term aims, letting bankers bear the entire blame.

Institutional funders have consequently been highly reluctant, if not entirely averse, to pulling the plug on zombie businesses in case of criticism in the mainstream press. Their hands are tied

by politics and fear of backlash, when the economy would benefit from it.

A wise business person once said to me “mediocrity has a long half-life”, and it’s generally proven to be true. Zombie businesses perform averagely at best. They don’t grow or innovate.

Pandemic support gave them a false sense of success – free money. Their models are usually dated and owners are reluctant to modernise. They tie up market share and block growth. A recession will help bring them to a close, freeing up the space for successful businesses to step in and create growth – creating opportunities and enterprise, but meaning some will face insolvency.

The journey won’t be easy. It will hurt and there will be many challenges as spending tightens, and margins are squeezed across the board. However, this is the chance for a long needed economic reset, and there will be opportunities arising from it, for the enterprising. Good businesses need to take care to ensure they weather the storm and are ready to seize the opportunities for growth when the time arises.

So, what can good businesses do during this time to ensure survival and avoid insolvency?

1

Things move quickly (the Truss administration demonstrated that).

Up to date management information is essential to monitor performance and identify issues early (particularly cash flow pinch points). If your data is a month old, you’ve lost a month’s chance to remedy issues. A lack of reliable management information is a key factor in many business failures.

2

Don’t be an ostrich. The earlier you identify and tackle an issue, the more options you have. Too many businesses take advice too late, having waited until an event has taken away their ability to control the timetable (e.g. they had a winding up petition served), meaning their remaining options are limited.

3

Engage with stakeholders, particularly your suppliers, if you’re facing a cash flow blip. If you ignore them, you’ll force their hand, and precipitate action that may take matters out of your control. Negotiate a repayment schedule if you need to. On the flip side, don’t be afraid to chase your customers for payment – you’ve agreed a price and supplied after all. Also don’t forget to read T&Cs properly before you sign them. Make sure your customers sign yours.

4

Co-operate with the bank, particularly if they have security – they won’t go away and will see through attempts to fob them off.

5

Don’t be tempted to bill earlier than the contractual time (or outside of your invoice factoring arrangements). It may seem like an easy short term cash flow fix, and you may think it’s just the once, but my experience is that it will snowball; and it’s rare that anyone ever catches up with the financial hole it creates.

6 Work on your business rather than getting caught up in it. You love the day job, but don’t forget to keep your eye on the horizon and what’s coming over it. Also, put your ego aside, and put your business first. The flash car is nice, but your business is your livelihood and that of the staff you employ.

7

If you’re a director, be mindful of your duties and document the reasons for your decisions. If the worst comes and the business does go into insolvency, documentary records of your decision-making process can be a life saver, at a later date when the guns are out for you personally.

8

If in doubt, take advice on your options. Don’t necessarily rush to close the doors without considering matters properly. In some cases it can make matters worse. A managed process generally achieves a better result for stakeholders. Expert insolvency advice will assist.

Don’t be afraid of the ‘insolvency’ word. The best businesses face difficulties, and there are a variety of tools and experienced professionals who can help you navigate distress, and come out the other side. The thrust of the corporate insolvency legislation is to promote enterprise, without fear of failure. After all, the 2002 insolvency changes were called the Enterprise Act!

9

If you need advice or assistance on the matters in his article, please contact Frank Bouette.

Frank is recognised as an expert in restructuring and insolvency law. He is an experienced and highly regarded restructuring and insolvency lawyer. His clients comment that he is pragmatic, knowledgeable, gives practical advice and that they can rely on him to deliver on time.

Contact enquiries@dmhstallard.com

❛❛ A wise business person once said to me “mediocrity has a long half-life”, and it’s generally proven to be true ❜❜

PRESENTS and the

Grand Finale of Sussex Superstars

Saturday 4th February 2023

Hilton Brighton Metropole Hotel

100% of all fundraising will go to charities in Sussex.

You are cordially invited to support or attend The Greatest ‘Snow’ on Earth - the Focus Foundation Winter Ball, and the final of bringi mth

On Saturday 4th February 2023 the Focus Foundation Winter Ball delivers glitz, glamour and the gift of giving, bringing you some warmth this winter and putting the fun back into fundraising!

The newly refurbished Hilton Brighton Metropole plays host to this fabulous fundraiser where you’ll enjoy a welcome drink, a delicious 3 course meal with half a bottle of wine, live entertainment, charity raffle/auction and then more live music to dance the night away!

Early bird tickets are £950 for a table of 10

If you are interested in booking a table or sponsoring this event, please get in touch by emailing info@focusfoundation.org.uk

Understanding

Knowing and understanding your business credit score can help you achieve your full growth and development plans.

To find out, improve, or discuss the implications for your business, contact Rachel Emmerson or Abbey Watkins. #shapingyourfuture

For more than accountancy, business and wealth advice. Call: +44 (0)33 0124 1399 Email: enquiries@krestonreeves.com Visit: www.krestonreeves.com/shapingyourfuture

By Daniel Morgan, Managing Partner, Haines Watts Esher

MANAGEMENT INFORMATION

What is it and why do you need it?

Having a clear picture of the fi nancial health of your business is important for any owner. Management information is an umbrella term for data that relates to your business activity, but ultimately it covers anything that can help you to make informed decisions.

In short, good management information is the data you need to run your business, allowing you to monitor its performance and identify any bumps in the road ahead.

WHAT SHOULD YOUR MANAGEMENT INFORMATION INCLUDE?

A lot of management information that I see is backwards looking; for example, profit and loss statements and balance sheets. It is still rare for businesses to include forecasting but this is where the value is.

Your management information presents a snapshot of your business’s financial health at one point in time. Forecasting goes one step further, offering predictions about how your business will cope in the future which can be vital in times of economic hardship.

The data can then allow you to monitor areas such as cashflow, so you can see if you are likely to run out of cash and key areas of the business that may struggle. This allows you to deal with issues before they become problems.

WHAT MAKES GOOD MANAGEMENT INFORMATION?

There are three key characteristics of good management information:

HOW IS MANAGEMENT INFORMATION CREATED?

1

Reliable – you need to be sure that the information is accurate and gives a true reflection of the business’s performance through robust data capture.

The best place to begin is to speak with your accountant and begin to review your processes. For some owners implementing management information is a big job, as they don’t have the procedures already imbedded.

2

Relevant – your data should focus on the parts that matter, demonstrating whether your business is meeting it’s KPIs in a clear and easily understandable way.

3

Easily accessible – if your data is too slow to gather it can quickly become outdated. You may need to review your systems and processes if this is the case in your business.

The overall aim is to make the information easily accessible to allow for relevant information in a timely manner. Cloud accounting software like Xero can help with this. These programmes can also add a level of sophistication to funding applications as the way the data is extracted will look professional and sophisticated even if the numbers themselves are basic.

If you want to improve your management information to safeguard the future of your business, get in touch.

For more information: www.hwca.com/accountants-esher T: 020 8549 5137 E: esher@hwca.com

❛❛ The best place to begin is to speak with your accountant and begin to review your processes ❜❜

Joseph Bradfield from the Sussex Innovation Centre offers some vital assistance when considering using video as a business marketing tool

THE AGE OF DIY VIDEO MARKETING

There are two frustrated cries I’ve been hearing more and more frequently over the past few years from stressed-out marketing managers:

“We need to make more videos!” And: “Making videos is too difficult and expensive!”

It’s true that for many businesses, video is an incredibly important marketing asset. There are lots of studies that show how video is far more effective than text or static images for getting audiences to stop, pay attention and take action.

When someone is scrolling through a social media feed, it takes them far less effort to pause for a video clip than it does to read a post or click a link. Videos communicate more information, more quickly, and often in a more engaging and entertaining way – which is probably why they receive around five times as many likes, shares and comments than other media.

It’s no wonder, then, that content marketing has been gradually shifting towards video for years. Every major

social media platform, from Instagram to LinkedIn, promotes posts featuring video more prominently to its users.

Make no mistake, if you’re using digital channels to promote your business, you DO need to make more video. But what about that second claim? Is making video too difficult and expensive? Is regularly filming and editing content out of reach for most small businesses?

When people say that video is hard to make, costs too much and takes too much time, they’re imagining scripted, professionally shot and edited films. Those might not be prohibitively expensive if you’re producing a one-off showcase for your product or an introductory film for your website, but might become a challenge if you need to keep producing new videos week after week.

We watch self-shot smartphone footage on social media all the time, so why not use it when representing our businesses? Ask any marketeer and they will tell you that authenticity is one of the most prized assets a brand can have. Audiences respond to personality and intimacy, especially on social media. We see enough glossy advertising with high production values elsewhere – this is a space for connecting and communicating as people.

Most new smartphone cameras are good enough to shoot in high resolution, and the rise of vloggers, streamers and social media influencers has made it easy to find and purchase other

equipment. If you’re filming regularly enough to want better angles, smoother motion or brighter lights, the kit exists and is relatively inexpensive.

Professional videographers and editors are still a hugely valuable investment when you’re looking for the best possible results, but DIY video marketing is here to stay. It’s a world that any business owner would do well to familiarise themselves with.

❛❛ Ask any marketeer and they will tell you that authenticity is one of the most prized assets a brand can have ❜❜

THREE TIPS FOR MAKING BETTER DIY VIDEOS:

1

Lighting – good lighting is the most crucial factor that makes video look and feel of higher quality. Filming in low light, with a light source behind your subject, or underneath the kind of strip lighting common in offices can make your video hard to watch in different ways. The main thing to remember is that you want bright or warm light to point at whatever you are filming, rather than into your camera. If you’re filming a lot of yourself sat in front of your computer, invest in a ring light that will shine directly on your face, rather than casting lots of shadows. If you’re filming out and about ‘on location’, wait for a bright, sunny day and use natural light wherever possible.

2 Framing – think about where you are going to use your video while you are filming it. If you’re making an Instagram Reel or YouTube Short, it’s going to be viewed on a vertical phone screen – so make sure to fill the space at the top and bottom of the frame. A more traditional video is viewed in landscape, so think about what is in the background of your shot, to either side. And if you’re going to use the same video on multiple channels, try to put all the essential information in a smaller square area, right in the middle of the shot.

Writing and editing – use a simple bullet point script that will give you some flexibility when you’re filming. Remember, the goal is to feel natural and authentic; the viewer will notice an overwritten script even if they can’t put their finger on why. Think about the natural way you would talk in front of a room in a meeting, rather than memorising something word for word. And if you want to change the way you said something, just go back and do it. Remember, editing your video is a second chance to write it. www.sussexinnovation.co.uk

❛❛ Every major social media platform, from Instagram to LinkedIn, promotes posts featuring video more prominently to its users ❜❜

3

THE NEED FOR HUMANITIES

It won’t take you long to find something in the media to outline the issue that humanities are taking a dip. The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Guardian and BBC have reported in recent years about the declining uptake and prestige of the humanities. However, it is my belief that they play a hugely significant role, and their power must not be undervalued.

With worldwide current affairs seeing a rise of right-wing and centralised politics in Europe; abortion laws resurfacing in the US; climate, energy and cost of living crises; war and conflict in Europe and beyond; the study of the humanities is ultimately more important now than ever before.

In September, a Humanities Faculty was created at Hurst College to include the departments of geography, history, religious studies, politics, business, economics, sociology and classical civilisation from Year 6 in the Junior

Prep School through to Upper Sixth in the Senior School.

It’s a fantastically diverse set of subjects and key stages which are all now working together collaboratively. To share our love for the humanities, we must instil passion and enthusiasm in our pupils and make them acutely aware of the world around them. Looking ‘beyond their bubble’ is a phrase we have coined, and one we believe is important for our pupils.

The role of humanities is thus a vital one. From Key Stage 2, pupils are taught about a range of cultures, traditions, norms and values. They are taught valuable social skills and how to show empathy for others. At a young age, they foster justice and equality from humanities teaching. Throughout Key Stage 3 and beyond, the humanities teach pupils to deal critically and logically with subjective, complete and imperfect information. Pupils are taught to weigh

evidence sceptically and consider more than one side of every question.

The intention for the Humanities Faculty is to structure, linearise and design an effective curriculum which interlinks topics between subjects and key stages; to effectively outline skills, topic areas and cross-overs which pupils can apply to real life contemporary examples they see around them. The faculty allows for scaffolding of the key skills, especially higher order logic and thinking skills as well as improvement of writing styles. We also have a focus on teaching the harder components of the humanities world – for example, powers of analysis, discursive writing and evaluation skills.

We run a series of lectures and guest speaker events including a debate from local academics on, for example, what a truly feminist world would look like, and what are the barriers to achieving this. Dr Hannah Mason-Bish delivered a lecture on Criminology and Gender Studies and what degrees in these areas look like. We also have an annual history dinner which hosts a range of guest speakers.

Humanities are vital for developing important life skills which pupils can use beyond their school years. For example, they encourages pupils to debate, challenge ideas presented to them, reflect upon their own personal experiences and empathise with the experiences of others who are very different, whilst applying concepts to real life examples in contemporary society.

As a faculty, we promote a range of super-curricular options for our pupils and firmly believe that these are vital for preparing them for life and society.

Humanities studies are falling at wider society’s peril, believes Beccy Bownas, Head of Humanities at Hurst College. Here, she makes the case for the range of subjects, citing the college’s own variety of activities

❛❛ To share our love for the humanities, we must instil passion and enthusiasm in our pupils and make them acutely aware of the world around them ❜❜

Some of these include but are not limited to:

HISTORY DEPARTMENT

n Recognises Holocaust Memorial Day with Sussex University: pupils attend talks and seminars in conjunction with a pupil-led assembly. Previously, the department has invited a holocaust survivor to speak to the whole school.

n Sixth Form Annual History Dinner: with guest speakers.

n Visit to the National Archives: with the Sixth Form n Charity Projects: for example, cards for International Women’s Day and Ukrainian appeals, designed by historians.

n Annual Year 9 trip: to Berlin n Biennial Sixth Form Trip (Krakow in October 2022)

n Year 8 online workshop: Equality and influence.

POLITICS DEPARTMENT

n Model United Nations Society n Feminism seminar: What would a truly feminist world look like and what are the barriers to it?

n Visits from: an MP, a Lord and a political pollster to talk to the pupils.

GEOGRAPHY DEPARTMENT

n Attendance of external lectures: organised by the Geographical Association

n External guest speakers: to support and stretch beyond GCSE and A-level content

n Day fieldwork trips and residential fieldwork trips: to complete geography in the field

n International trips: Azores, Sicily, Naples, Iceland

n Non-exam assessment masterclass: improve and develop pupils’ use of GIS software

n Online seminars and encouraging pupils to read beyond their subject: for example, webinar delivered by Bill Gates on ‘How to avoid a climate disaster’ and Tim Marshall on ‘The power of geography’.

SOCIOLOGY DEPARTMENT

n British Sociology Association: Young Sociologist of the Year competition

n Guest speakers: Dr Zoe Young, expert in gender inequality in the workplace; and Dr Hannah MasonBish, Co-Chair of Centre for Gender Studies at University of Sussex n Court house trip: to see the criminal justice system in action.

BUSINESS DEPARTMENT

n Online team: dedicated to sending out enriching articles, podcasts, documentaries, etc.

n External essay competition entries: encouraging students to enter at least one competition in the Sixth Form

n Off-syllabus reading tasks: increasingly being set n Photocopied chapters of books: for students to ‘try before they buy’ some of the key texts

n Book display in the classroom: plus wall displays with mini-reviews  n Promoting online subscriptions: to the FT and Economist

n Lessons on off-syllabus topics: current affairs focus at least once a week.

The ultimate goal is to facilitate a love and excitement in our pupils for the humanities subjects and to show their relevance. We have managed to move away from the mythical mantra of ‘smart kids do science and maths’, and the Humanities Faculty is buzzing. The number of pupils opting for humanities subjects is incredibly strong and we have a robust set of departments paving the way for creating well-rounded, thoughtful, inquisitive and passionate students who we believe will go on to be successful global citizens in the world beyond school.

www.hppc.co.uk

Did you know that Chestnut Tree House nurses walk over 7,000 steps a day when caring for local children and young people with life-limiting conditions?

STEP INTO 2023 ON THE RIGHT FOOT!

This is your opportunity to step into the New Year on the right foot by challenging yourself and your colleagues to walk 7,000 steps a day in February, in support of your local children’s hospice nurses.

NURSES’ STEPS

Chestnut Tree House is asking people to walk a month in the footsteps of a hospice nurse and raise vital funds to provide care and support for local children and families.

The nurses and care support workers at Chestnut Tree House children’s hospice rack up thousands of steps a day when looking after local children and young people, both at the hospice and in families’ own homes.

The month-long virtual event, ‘Nurses’ Steps’, asks you to commit to walking

TIGER-LILY’S STORY

Tiger-Lily has a condition which means she stops breathing as soon as she falls asleep – and needs constant supervision. For mum, Vicky, and dad, Ricky, the last four years have been a journey they never expected to go on. Vicky tells their story:

“It wasn’t until Tiger-Lily was a month old that she was diagnosed with Congenital Central Hypoventilation syndrome. Her brain wasn’t telling her body to breathe when she was asleep, and at six weeks old she was fitted with a tracheostomy and fully ventilated.

“After seven months in hospital, we returned home. Suddenly we were on our own with a baby who needed constant monitoring to keep her alive. I

7,000 steps a day throughout February, just like the hospice nurses.

The challenge is open to anyone, of all ages and abilities. Whether you take part with your colleagues, family, or on your own, Nurses’ Steps is for everyone. Walk your way at your pace at any time or location of your choice.

was so fearful of everything that I didn’t leave the house for a month. That’s when I accepted help from Chestnut Tree House.

“Visits from the community team became a lifeline. I could step out of the

Any money you raise will go towards supporting local children and families. Children like Tiger-Lily.

ARE YOU READY FOR THE CHALLENGE?

It costs just £10 to sign up to Nurses’ Steps, and you will receive support throughout the challenge, an exclusive pair of Chestnut Tree House shoelaces, and a medal upon completion. If you want to take on the challenge as a family, one adult can sign up with their children for just £20, or two adults and their children can register for just £30.

Find out more and register at www.chestnut.org.uk/ nurses-steps

door knowing Tiger-Lily was safe and happy. I’ll never forget driving to town, breathing in the air, and thinking - ‘so this is what the world is like!’

“Now she’s four, Tiger-Lily loves to go out to the local park, farm, or beach with Laurie, her community nurse. And while they play, and Laurie looks after all her medical needs, Ricky and I might rest or go out for dinner.

“Tiger-Lily also likes to stay at the hospice. There are loads of kids to play with and she enjoys smashing the drums in the music room, painting, and going on treasure hunts in the woodland walk. Seeing her so happy after the crazy journey we’ve been on is amazing. There’s no way we’d be where we are today without Chestnut Tree House”.

Stockley, Litigation Partner,

VOLUNTARY BECOMES INVOLUNTARY

Anyone engaged in a dispute will, more often than not, try to resolve the matter through some sort of ‘sensible discussion’ with the other side before they contact their solicitor. There will be the initial exchange of letters, emails, text messages and possibly, even a face-toface meeting.

If things cannot be resolved, then the parties contact their respective lawyers, if they had not done so already. Almost any solicitor will, nowadays, propose the use of mediation in order to try to find a resolution.

Mediation can be summarised as follows: it is a voluntary process whereby the disputing parties engage the services of an independent third party (the ‘mediator’) who will help the parties try to find a resolution. The mediation process is both confidential and without prejudice – i.e., what is said at the mediation stays at the mediation.

Parties to a dispute often feel restricted in what they say because it can be used as evidence against them. Mediation

creates a forum where parties can speak freely to each other without feeling restricted because it is both without prejudice and confidential. Mediations can take place either in person or remotely by way of videocall.

Mediation can be arranged at short notice and aims to give the parties a chance to find better creative solutions and remedies than the Court can offer. Mediations normally take place over a single day but can extend to either a couple of days or over a number of mediations.

If the parties agree on settlement terms, then those terms will become legally

binding on the parties and will become a court order. If a party either refuses or ignores an invitation to mediation, then they may be penalised on costs regardless of the final outcome of the dispute. i.e. You can win at a trial but then you have to pay the other side’s legal costs because you refused mediation.

It can be both cheaper, quicker, and more flexible than any court process; it protects parties from any public exposure and can be used in almost any dispute. These advantages are the underlying reasons why the civil courts think that compulsory mediation is a good idea. Some courts have already introduced compulsory court-led settlement meetings which are chaired by a district judge.

Other courts have set aside specific ‘settlement weeks’ in the court’s calendar during which parties will have to attend the court and they can try to settle. Statistically speaking, the majority of cases that go to mediation either settle on the day or at sometime soon afterwards.

Nick

Mayo Wynne Baxter champions voluntary mediation at a time of dispute, but has concerns over the idea of it becoming compulsory

The key to a successful mediation is very often that it is voluntary process –i.e., the parties go to the mediation wanting to resolve matters. However, there are moves afoot to make mediation compulsory in the civil court once legal proceedings have started. This means that the court will force parties around the negotiating table. The main criticisms with these proposals are as follows.

Forcing a process, which is best done voluntarily, can be counter-productive; parties may go to mediation simply to tick the compulsory mediation box which goes against the underlying benefit of mediation.

An additional layer of costs is being added to a litigation process which can be very expensive; parties can try to use the mediation stage to either unnecessarily draw out a process and/or try to force the other side to spend more money than they can afford. Mediation will become part of an overall strategy rather than part of an overall solution.

3 The current cost penalties for refusing mediation make it quasi-compulsory anyway; the current case law is such that it is very difficult to either refuse or ignore an invitation to mediation. So the question arises -–what need is there to formalise things further?

As with almost any dispute resolution process, one size does not fit all, especially with mediation. The majority of disputing parties are now aware of mediation. The legal profession accepts that almost any dispute can go to mediation. However, that does not necessarily mean that a voluntary process will work if it becomes involuntary. It is the solicitors’ role to consider whether mediation is appropriate given their comprehensive knowledge of both the facts and personalities involved. They will advise their client whether mediation is a good idea or not rather than just act in response to a blanket edict from the court.

Mediation has become much more commonplace in any dispute but forcing a voluntary process is a step which does not need to be taken.

Nick Stockley, Partner (Litigation) nstockley@mayowynnebaxter.co.uk www. mayowynnebaxter.co.uk

4 What is wrong with the current system where mediation is not compulsory? Is this measure being introduced because it may alleviate the pressure on the court rather than benefit the parties?

1

2

❛❛ As with almost any dispute resolution process, one size does not fit all ❜❜

By Kate Bendix

THE COMPANY OF WOMEN

My lift mates are interchangeable and have included Kathy Burke, Lady Gaga, Obama and Trump (so great). However, after the interview I’ve just done, Obama and Trump get the heave-ho to make room for Sam Francis and Kath Akturk. My only reservation is with Burke and Gaga, I won’t get a word in edgeways.

Sam is the founder of TEK Express, a company supplying mobile technical services to companies working primarily in the field. Kath is the operations director and Sam’s deputy. Friends for nearly 30 years, they met while working for an IT firm in the 1990s.

“I was a bit afraid of Kath at first. She was driven, ultra-professional and expected a lot from you,” Sam reveals. “Luckily, we worked for a family business that took us to the pub. There, she was a different person. I realised then that Work Kath is a ‘fixer’; she’s there to get the job done.”

The conversation is seamless. They don’t talk over each other, it’s more of a flow, a shorthand most of us can only dream of. There’s not a fag paper width between breaths. I realise they are answering my questions without me even asking. This is both a breeze and a joy.

IN THE BEGINNING

Sam started TEK Express in 2000 with her brother. Two more partners joined in 2014. “In 2015, issues came to a head with my brother and he left the business. It was a rough time, we were £85,000 in debt and I had a charge on my house and a mortgage. Something had to change. In 2016, Kath joined the business. I’d been let down so badly that I found it hard to trust anyone. I trusted Kath.”

By 2018, the remaining partners were gone and I owned the business outright. The following year, the £85,000 debt had been paid back and the charge on my house was lifted.

Kath had taken time off to have children and worked part-time when Sam approached her. “I was excited but nervous about returning to the workplace. I was even out of touch with Windows! I took some time for self-reflection. I had kids; could I do a full-time job and look after them properly?”.

Kath joined TEK Express as Operations Manager. “Kath’s talents were being wasted. I hoped the company would recognise them and the benefits she would bring,” recalls Sam. They did, and Kath was promoted to Operations Director within months.

My go-to mindful exercise is – who would I like to be stuck in a lift with before several fit firefighters rock up to free us?

❛❛ In 2016, Kath joined the business. I’d been let down so badly that I found it hard to trust anyone. I trusted Kath ❜❜

TEAMWORK AND TRUST

Sam says of Kath that, “She’s the yin to my yang.” Kath nods. “Kath’s the detailer, the worrier and planner. She’s good in a crisis with a 100% view of the situation.”

“Sam’s the reassuring one, and she’ll take on projects I wouldn’t dream of,” Kath responds. During Covid, they navigated the hard road together, working to reduce costs and maximise profits. Always the empath, Kath ensured everyone’s mental health was covered.

This year, Sam took three months off to travel around Europe in her motorhome, leaving Kath to run the company. “I was jaded, exhausted and intent on selling the business when I got back,” says Sam.

Kath recalls, “I said to Sam, any decisions I make in your absence, you may not agree with them, and they may

not be the right one, but so be it.” Sam felt, “I think it was important for her to say it. I had no qualms whatsoever.”

It speaks volumes to the strength of their relationship when you think back six short years ago.

Kath sent Sam a report every two weeks, and Sam checked her email once a day.

“It wasn’t onerous; Kath was running the business, and I kept up to date.” Sam returned rested with a fresh perspective.

“I am not in a rush to sell the business now. I reached this point because of Kath and our great teamwork!”

MDHUB

Sam felts that, “Being a member of MDHUB has challenged me to empower people. I’ve learned to listen and to enable people to carry ideas through. Kath and I have benefitted from that.”

So much so that Sam nominated Kath for Best Supporting Act award at the 2022 MDHUB Leaders Awards.

I paraphrase her speech here. “I may be the business owner, but Kath is my sidekick. She challenges and supports me; no easy task for anyone that knows me! The business has never been in such great shape. She is kind, compassionate, loyal, dedicated, industrious, organised, pragmatic, professional, communicative and MAGNIFICENT!”

The even better news for TEK Express, as reported in last month’s Platinum Business Magazine, is that Kath won the Best Supporting Act award!

My last question is to both of them. If one of you phoned the other and said, “I need you to get in the car, bring a bat and don’t ask any questions,” would you do it? Without hesitation, they both nod. Then Sam says, “I’d bring two bats.” Kath agrees, “Yeah, two bats.”

And I realise this isn’t an interview; it’s a love story.

www.tekexpress.co.uk

If you are interested in finding out more about the MDHUB, please visit www.mdhub.co.uk

Email MDHUB Directors: Fiona Shafer: fiona@mdhub.co.uk or Phil Green: phil.green@mdhub.co.uk

❛❛ I was a bit afraid of Kath at first. She was driven, ultra-professional and expected a lot from you ❜❜

L to R – Sam Francis and Kath Akturk

For business

Brighton Gatwick Guildford Horsham London

By Paul Bates, MD, Cleankill Pest Control

Incentivise all your teams – not just sales

I started my career in sales working for the largest pest control company in the UK – and probably the world. In this company, shareholders, not customers, were the most important people. This meant very demanding sales targets. To keep us focused on the goal, there were incredible incentives to match and unforgettable, glitzy sales ‘conferences’ at five-star venues. These incentives and the glory we were given as top salespeople – and I was one of those - was addictive.

But there comes a point were companies get too greedy and push their salespeople to sell services customers don’t necessarily need. At the same time the service and admin teams who aren’t sharing the same rewards have more work than they can cope with and are treated like the poor relations.

When I joined Cleankill Pest Control as Managing Director and started working with three former colleagues from the company mentioned above, we agreed that we’d take what we’d learned there and do it better – particularly making sure quality of service is as important as sales. After all it’s much better to keep a customer than try to fi nd new ones and then keep losing them due to poor service.

Today at Cleankill, incentivising all our staff is an important aspect of how we run the company. Staff across all levels of the business share in Cleankill’s success through financial incentives and non-fi nancial rewards like teambuilding events/ team lunches.

For instance, Service Teams have to achieve quality of service targets. Any team achieving their targets is awarded money to spend on an afternoon activity of their choice and the whole team gets the afternoon off. These activities have included indoor skydiving, axe throwing, bowling and curling.

Our admin staff are linked to the service teams’ quality of service targets, which is a great way to encourage team working. It incentivises the admin team to make sure correct customer information is taken and communicated which is important for invoicing.

A ‘fun’ incentive, combined with a proper quality assurance check is called Wiff-Waff. This involves the directors hiding blue table tennis balls in rodent bait boxes. The idea is that technicians should be regularly checking all bait boxes to make sure there is still bait and clear any dead

rodents. If they check every box, they will find the balls. They receive a cash sum for each ball found. This is a fun incentive with an important message behind it.

For our sales staff their incentive is mainly financial. If they work hard, the sky’s the limit as commission is open ended at Cleankill. But we do take them all away for an occasional night away in a nice hotel as they also need to team build and share ideas – particularly those who are new to sales having moved from the operational side of the business.

Bonus bonds are awarded to all staff when we achieve a record month enabling everyone to share in Cleankill’s success. Last year, all staff received a Christmas hamper in recognition of their efforts during 2022.

My best advice is to make sure your incentives are available to all staff – my company would fall apart if we didn’t have an excellent admin team, and they need to be recognised. And incentives don’t have to cost the earth. Our Wiff Waff challenge is cheap to run and brilliant fun. You just need a little creativity.

For more information go to www.cleankill.co.uk or email info@cleankill.co.uk to book a free survey or price comparison.

Our much revered National Health Service is in crisis; a crisis from which it is unlikely to ever fully recover. Once envied across the world, the NHS was born on July 5th 1948, thanks to Aneurin Bevan’s bold and pioneering plan to make healthcare no longer exclusive to those who could afford to pay, but to make it accessible to all –and that has been achieved brilliantly ever since.

But that was a long time ago and to expect those same worthy sentiments to be maintained in 2023 is a little like King Canute’s attempts to hold back the tide.

For 2022/23, the budget for the NHS is £180.2 billion - that is 40% of all government spending across all departments, rising to 44% by 2025. Yet the service is viewed as grossly underfunded. We have reports of A&E waiting times of 22 hours, over 500 people per day dying due to lack of rapid treatment, heart attack patients lying where they fell for up to 14 hours, a child gravely ill with scarlet fever waited for 22 hours to be seen in Oxford, 95% of all hospital beds are full, healthcare workers are on strike for more pay and leaving the service in their droves, and on and on.

The NHS pensions bill is £140 billion and the government is currently in a pay fight with the workers while there are 7.21 million people on the waiting list for operations. Although we all feel that nurses should certainly be paid more, every 1% pay increase

This phrase is often used, but l can say with total confidence that Anger Management is back due to public demand

By Maarten Hoffmann

DISCLAIMER:

All views stated here are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this publication

THE UNPALATABLE TRUTH

costs the NHS £900 million. They are asking for 9% which would cost £8.2 billion per year.

The unpalatable truth is the NHS is no longer fit for purpose and a new model has to be found. We never want to get into the USA situation where everything is charged, and millions are too poor to go to the doctor, and those that do can end up with bills for hundreds of thousands of dollars that can take a lifetime to pay off.

There is not a politician alive today in the UK with the courage to say this as the NHS is considered ‘untouchable’ and is a career killer – but this cannot go on and reform must be enacted fast.

Free healthcare at the point of need should be protected for those on low incomes but why is someone earning £200,000 entitled to free healthcare? Surely the answer is to make the NHS means tested?

I know few people like means testing but equally, few people like to wait 22 hours for treatment or 3-4 years for

an operation. The system is broken and the fix is not more money; it is efficiency, less waste and fewer patients.

If anyone earning over £150,000 had to have mandatory private health cover, this would remove approx. 1.3 million people from the NHS. Then vastly increase the number of companies that offer health care within the employment package, with legislation and tax incentives if necessary. This could take another 15 million people off the list (family members included).

In one fell swoop we have removed around 16 million people from the NHS AND pumped huge sums into the private health system, which currently

employs fewer than 56,000 staff across the entire country, as only 13% of Brits have private healthcare.

In addition, long-term sickness amongst employees might reduce with rapid care, shorter waiting times and less stressed nurses and doctors who might actually start enjoying their

careers. Currently, there are 2.51million workers off on long-term sickness, costing the economy billions each year.

Then open up immigration to the world’s health professionals and attract them to help build a truly 21st century health service.

We love the NHS. We love those dedicated doctors and nurses who care for us, and we love being one of the few countries in the world with a ‘free at the point of need’ health service. But could it be that no other country can make the numbers work? We are no longer an empire, we are a tiny island in a large world and cannot, sadly, afford this wonderful luxury any longer.

❛❛ The unpalatable truth is the NHS is no longer fit for purpose and a new model has to be found ❜❜

As the song goes, Copenhagen is indeed wonderful and especially in December, when it is cold, full of snow and everything glitters under a white blanket. The Danish capital is known for being clean, green, and repeatedly ranked as the ‘world’s most liveable city’. By Maarten Hoffmann

WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL COPENHAGEN

But there is a hip, multicultural side to Copenhagen that is getting it a reputation as one of the up-and-coming destinations for city-breakers.

The multicoloured waterfront town houses of Nyhavn, Tivoli Gardens (the second oldest theme park in the world plonked in the heart of the city) and the dockside statue of Hans Christian Andersen’s Little Mermaid at Langelinie are all well known.

Just a short stroll, however, and you are into a more modern world of cutting edge eateries, boutique shops and forward-thinking design in the uber-cool Vesterbro district and cultural melting pot of Nørrebro. In December, Tivoli Gardens has so many Christmas lights, l’m surprised it can’t be seen from space! It takes a while to work out what is

different about the urban experience in the Danish city; clean air, an unhurried pace and lack of congestion is normal throughout the city centre. Bikes are king in Copenhagen – there are nearly twice as many as people, while car ownership is less than half the population.

You can grab an electric bike off the street at ranks everywhere in the city centre, and the idea is inviting rather than intimidating – the bike lanes are often the same width as the main carriageway, and every bit as well-connected and as thought out in an unprecedented commitment to get people out of their

cars and into the saddle. Be aware, that cyclists demand right of way so if driving and turning right, you have to really crane your neck to ensure you are not about to run over anyone – and if you do, it is your fault!

It is not just bikes that are making Copenhagen greener in its aim to become the first carbon-neutral city by 2025, with recycling bins on the streets and evidence of re-used ‘upcycled’ materials everywhere, from fences full of plants growing in old drink bottles to the proliferation of city-centre flea markets.

❛❛ Jægersborggade is now one of the hippest streets in the city, boasting a vast array of quirky boutique shops ❜❜

Panorama of Nyhavn in the Old Town of Copenhagen

The Moorish Palace of Copenhagen

Øresund Bridge

Nowhere is this more in evidence than in multicultural Nørrebro. Its streets are decorated with equal parts graffiti and greenery, with plenty of quiet little green spaces created where its densely packed ‘back houses’ were demolished in the 1990s. It also boasts Assistens Cemetery, the final resting place of Hans Christian Anderson, which doubles as a public park the size of 26 football pitches.

Jægersborggade is now one of the hippest streets in the city, boasting a vast array of quirky boutique shops selling everything from liquid-nitrogen ice cream to hand-crafted ceramics, and even has Michelin-starred restaurant

Relae and its affordable sibling Manfreds across the way.

Brus Bar proved such a hip concept in such a lively district that it also attracted Christian Gadient, the city’s youngest Michelin-starred chef, to jump ship from the D’angleterre Hotel just moments after earning his star, to start Spontan restaurant under the same roof.

Dining out is a big deal in Copenhagen, and a similar story of a working class area becoming the place to go for food and drink is Vesterbro’s Meatpacking District. It’s a strange combination of still-functioning meat industry and

trendy bars, brew-pubs, eateries and art galleries, all jostling together in a complex of white industrial-looking buildings around a huge courtyard. Prices vary from budget to high end, but even fine dining is in reach with places such as the unfussy Restaurant Gorilla offering a whopping 10-course taster menu including oysters, octopus, shrimp radiatore and a beautiful beef brisket for just DKK 375 (about £40) per head.

The main drag of Værnedamsvej has often been compared with the streets of Paris for its street-spilling cafe culture, with the 1950s-themed Granola perhaps the most famous of its eateries serving traditional Danish open-faced sandwiches, or smørrebrød, with a delicious variety of toppings, just down from the equally charming Central Hotel and Café, which with just one cosy room, is the world’s smallest.

All in all, Copenhagen is a fascinating mix of the familiar and the inspiringly fresh.

❛❛ Bikes are king in Copenhagen – there are nearly twice as many as people ❜❜

Park and Palace Frederiksborg Slot, Hillerod

THE LAMBORGHINI WINTER TOUR

By Maarten Hoffmann

Being the Motoring Editor of the Platinum stable of publications does bring with it a few perks. One such perk was the recent invitation to Copenhagen for the reveal of Lamborghini’s latest model, the Sterrato, and then being given the keys to the entire range of Lamborghinis currently on sale, along with a map of how to get to Sweden!

This might seem odd at first but this is how these things are done. Gather a bunch of motoring journalists in a

beautiful hotel, wine and dine them and wish for positive reviews. This works if the car is newsworthy – and does not, if not.

There is not much l can say about the Sterrato as there was no driving permitted. All we could do was look at it, photograph it, stroke it and listen to the Head of Design praise the abilities of this ‘first of its kind’.

It’s a Huracan variant with the ability to go off-road - or as they say ‘beyond the concrete’. Yes really, a £320,000 low slung supercar in which one can drift

on gravel or snow. There will only ever be 1,499 of them produced and from what l hear, they are all sold. This is also the last of the purely fossil-fuelled Lambos as, from the launch of the new Aventador (it will carry a new name), all such will now be hybrid. Sadly, the era of the roaring V12s is dead.

But that said, the company does make some exquisite models and they were all there outside the hotel in the dark at 6am, with a temperature of -4ºC, and clouds billowing from my mouth with every word. The roar as 12 journalists pressed the start buttons shook the hotel windows and enticed some quite stern looks for the eco-friendly Danes, who then whipped out their phones and starting taking copious photos.

I started with the Huracan STO, a monster of a car in vivid purple with lime green stripes, a 640-bhp V10 screaming in my ear and a pedal under my right foot that will rocket me to 62mph in less than three seconds. As all models are all-wheel drive, any ice and snow was not too much to worry about, and our departure resembled a Formula One start with the battle to the first corner. I won that particular battle, or rather the STO did, and we were off.

The STO awaits The first look at the Sterrato

The Sterrato in action

The professional Lambo driver in the ‘lead’ car shouted through the radio to ‘follow me and l will get you out of the city’. Hilariously, there was no reply as when he turned his head, he was all alone. We had already split off in various directions determined to plough our own furrow. l am not sure what he did for the next three hours until we saw him again but we were having a blast!

The STO draws on the the Huracan Super Trofeo EVO and the Huracan GT3 EVO’s unique accomplishment of

winning three consecutive titles in the Daytona 24-Hour race. This is as close to a road-legal racer as you can get.

The design is exquisite and, as with motorsport models, the bonnet, fenders and front bumper are all once piece for easy swap-outs after prangs. The scope on the roof helps push air through the engine, and the ‘shark fin’ on the roof improves dynamic abilities when cornering. Inside you might think it is an uncomfortable ride but l drove to for five hours and could easily have done another five.

Before we reached Sweden, we all followed the radio messages and met up at a snowy rest stop, swapped battle stories and then, more importantly, swapped cars.

I now found myself in the £170,000 Urus Performante, the company’s first

foray into the SUV market, and a car l have driven before and rate highly. Certainly more secure now in the snow and ice in a high riding SUV, the Urus is a monster of a car and the current record holder for a production SUV at the Pikes Peak Hill Climb, beating the existing holder by over ten minutes.

Reaching 62mph in 3.3 seconds in a car weighing more than the Empire State Building is impressive – and then l found the new Rally button. This setting lifts the car a few inches and oversteer is amplified with anti-roll, and damping systems easily allowing for drifting. Once l found a remote ice-covered field, l threw on full lock, buried the go pedal into the Wilton and could have carried on doing 360s all day. It is a remarkable car and although many will say, with its underpinnings being from the Audi Q7, ‘why not just buy the Audi and save a hundred grand?’, they have, in my humble opinion, missed the point. There is nothing ‘special’ about the Q7, whereby everything is special about the Urus.

❛❛ I drifted it through half of Denmark and almost drifted into Sweden as the sign came up very fast ❜❜

The Urus Performante

An intimidating rear view

I drifted it through half of Denmark and almost drifted into Sweden as the sign came up very fast but l managed to slew sideways into the lunch location with a style and panache that, to be frank, l do not possess but l was told it looked spectacular from the outside.

After a fabulous lunch, we boarded the ferry at Helsinger for the 10-minute hop over to Sweden. We then had the fun, yet again, of deciding which model to take next.

I decided on the Huracan Technica with a naturally-aspirated 5.2-litre V10 which is marketed as the best of both worlds - a slightly tamer road car than the STO with a smidgeon more refinement. They have fiddled with the exhaust to produce an even more gorgeous and sensual note from the new hexagonal pipes, and with a dry weight of only 1,379 kg. They even call drivers ‘pilots’ and l could understand why when l lowered my bum into the seat.

It is the perfect mix of road and track with subtle tweaks to the body, distinctively tuned driving modes, specific suspension settings and rear-wheel steering, allowing for tighter than ever turns. It puts a London black cab to shame and, if not tight enough for you,

a sharp blip on the go pedal and it will spin in its own length. With a top end of 201mph, and 62 coming in 3.3 seconds, it’s no slouch and will go from a standing start to 125 mph in 9.2 seconds. With excellent carbon ceramic brakes, the stopping distance is remarkable and felt like it left bruising across my chest from the seat belt.

Eventually, we gathered for a final stop just before the awesome Øresund Bridge that connects the Denmark and

Sweden, and runs for nearly five miles. Oddly, it appears from nowhere as the first half is a tunnel that, mid-river, breaks through and turns into a bridge. I have to confess that l didn’t see much of it as l climbed aboard the Kermit green Huracan EVO as a local whispered in my ear that there were no cameras working on the bridge today!

Well, red rag to a bull and all that, and my inner five-year old surfaced as it appeared to be the perfect opportunity

❛❛ The roar as 12 journalists pressed the start buttons shook the hotel windows and enticed some quite stern looks for the eco-friendly Danes ❜❜

A gaggle of Lambos on the ferry

The Huracan Technica

to see if the EVO will actually hit 201mph. As the leader started the words ‘follow me….’ he realised he had wasted those precious words as we had all gone in 60 seconds.

Having followed the winding roads to get to the start of the tunnel in almost non-existent traffic, l spotted the first camera and the sign ‘Kameror fungerar inte’ or ‘cameras not working’ to you and me. Well, it would be rude not to…

I buried the go pedal to the floor and it leapt ahead at a rate that made me seriously consider holding on tighter as my head smashed back into the head rest and my surrounding began to blur. Having little fear or sense of self-preservation, l kept the pedal buried and went through the tunnel like a rat up a drainpipe without realising what was about to happen.

I burst out of the tunnel into the sunlight of the bridge and nearly went blind. In my previous racing days, l was always taught that in an emergency, always concentrate of keeping the wheel straight – and thank heavens l recalled that advice. As my vision cleared, the only real dazzle now experienced was from my teeth, fixed into a maniacal grin of pure unadulterated joy. No time to think as l kept my foot buried

and, with the bridge spans literally blurred into one, l hit 200 mph. Then something even more remarkable occurred as l was flashed from behind to move over! It was my purple STO in the hands of a mad Irishman who obviously had the same idea. We continued side by side at well over

200 mph until the end of the bridge –and what an end to a fantastic three days!

I know l should grow up at some point but as they say,’Growing old is mandatory but growing up is entirely optional’.

❛❛ l spotted the first camera and the sign ‘Kameror fungerar inte’ or ‘cameras not working’ to you and me. Well, it would be rude not to… ❜❜

The Huracan EVO

Women in charge

In 2021, women only held 21% of the leadership positions in tech, and just 14% of the software engineering positions. Dynamic looks at some of those at the top of the industry

BIG STORY Akshata Murty

A profile of the UK Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak’s wife. What influence will she have over his tenure at No.10?

FEATURE

Covering autism

In the latest of our big articles on neurodivergence, Dynamic looks at how autism is being failed across education and social services

11.1%

Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada

PLATINUM MEDIA GROUP

All rights reserved. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher. The publisher cannot accept responsibility for any errors or omissions relating to advertising or editorial. The publisher reserves the right to change or amend any competitions or prizes offered. No part of this publication may be reproduced without prior written consent from the publisher. No responsibility is taken for unsolicited materials or the return of these materials whilst in transit. Surrey Business Magazine is owned and published by Platinum Media Group Limited.

www.platinummediagroup.co.uk | JANUARY 2023

❛ ❛ As a father, I want to know my daughter will have the same opportunities as my sons. We need to be committed to ensure that women receive equal pay for equal work

REGULARS

News

6 In The Right Direction

Good news stories at a time of their scarcity

8 A few stories to make your mind boggle

Books

38 Further reading on subjects covered in various issues of Dynamic

Health

40 Taking care of your brain’s health – at any age 42 Debunking detox. Be careful about what cleanses your palate after Christmas

Travel

44 The swanky, indulgent and fabulous Fairmont, Windsor Park

46 Winter getaway icepods in Finland and Switzerland

Art Scene

48 Annie Lyle, aka Ula Ceramics, shares with Dynamic pieces that she has been working on

Girl Torque

50 Fiona Shafer road-tests a Honda Civic Type R

Wine & Dine

52 Matt Gillan’s Heritage, at The Chequers, Slaugham, West Sussex

What’s On

54 A brief snapshot of art and culture cross Sussex and Surrey

❛ ❛

Luvvie Ajayi

FEATURES

Fintech grows and grows

12 Financial technology is growing exponentially in the 21st century. We list the world’s top 10 fintech companies

34Kreston Reeves

Alison Jones suggests ways in which women can realise their personal finance goals

Being a Mum and a CEO

36 What my twin girls taught Erika Eliasson-Norris about individuality

Self employment

18 Samantha Kaye of Wellesley discusses that while millions of women work for themselves, they are not alone. Help is always available

SPOTLIGHT

30 LGBTI+ campaigner Joanne Monck OBE tells us of her transitional journey from her own personal darkness into the light

32 Ekaterina Blake who founded InspoHub, a creative agency specialising in video production and live broadcasting, a little over five years ago

FEATURE

28

B Corp

Donna Okell, founder and director of UK For Good tells us about B Corp – and why it matters for the future of business

CONTACTS

PUBLISHER: Maarten Hoffmann maarten@platinummediagroup.co.uk

EDITOR: Tess de Klerk tess@platinummediagroup.co.uk

COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR: Lesley Alcock lesley@platinummediagroup.co.uk

EVENTS DIRECTOR: Fiona Graves fiona@platinummediagroup.co.uk

HEAD OF DESIGN: Michelle Shakesby design@platinummediagroup.co.uk

SUB EDITOR: Alan Wares alan@platinummediagroup.co.uk

WWW.PLATINUMMEDIAGROUP.CO.UK

In a world that wants women to whisper, I choose to yell

EDITOR’S NOTE

A very warm welcome to our fi rst issue of Dynamic in 2023.

January has such a feeling of a fresh start, while last year, with all its chaos, is done. We have plenty of interesting content to settle us all into the new year with some of our regular features such as Spotlight, Arts, What’s On, Books and Women in Charge alongside a major feature on autism.

With neurodivergence in the workplace becoming an increasingly important subject, we have focussed on the next generation of workers and leaders who have children with autism, and the travails they face. It is shocking the problems that parents have to deal with.

In addition, we speak to Erika Eliasson-Norris, CEO of Beyond Governance about what she learnt from her twin girls about individuality while Donna Okell, founder of UK for Good writes on the subject of why it makes sense to put good before profit.

I was reminded of wisdom again recently when watching The Dropout, which showcases the trainwreck of Theranos, the company founded by Elizabeth Holmes, youngest ever self-made female billionaire. Elizabeth lost sight of ‘good before profit’ and, in so doing, let down the entire female sex - especially women in business who came after her. There is a chance that she may have made better judgement calls had she had the right people behind her, but that is a topic for a future edition of Dynamic.

Speaking of the right people, Kreston Reeves explains how to take care of your personal finances, and Wellesley discusses helpful insights for the self-employed or anyone considering taking the leap.

In Travel, I take a look at some special places in Winter Wonderlands and tell you all about my fabulous trip to the Fairmont Windsor Hotel & Spa in Surrey. Fiona reviews the Honda Civic Type R, and in our new News section, In the Right Direction, we find the good news for you - someone must!

We hope that you enjoy this month’s Dynamic Magazine, and, as always, let me know of any topic that you would like covered in our pages. Spotlight is where we get the opportunity to shine a light on someone - so let me know where it should shine.

Tess de Klerk

Editor, Dynamic Magazine tess@platinummediagroup.co.uk

RAINFORESTS BREATHE A LITTLE EASIER

In a move hailed a “major breakthrough for forests,” the EU has approved legislation banning goods linked to deforestation. Businesses will have to show that their products have not contributed to tree loss if they want to sell them within the bloc. The new law will apply to companies selling soy, beef, palm oil, wood, rubber, cocoa and coffee, plus some derived products like leather, chocolate and furniture.

SPEAKING OF FORESTS…

Expect to see more of them in the UK, where a ‘mini forest’ revolution is gathering pace. Tiny pockets of land across the country are being transformed using a groundbreaking technique that aims to build ecosystems rather than simply plant trees. Earthwatch Europe, an environmental charity based in Oxford, has plans to plant 500 mini forests across the UK by 2030. Other countries have similar ambitions.

IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION

FIRST FEMALE REFEREES

French referee Stéphanie Frappart made history as she became the first female to officiate in a men’s World Cup tournament match.

Female referees Rwandan Salima Mukansanga and Japan’s Yoshimi Yamashita were also due to officiate, though they were limited to being fourth officials. Meanwhile, three assistant referees, Mexican Karen Diaz, Brazilian Neuza Back and American Kathryn Nesbitt became the first females in their role.

Though many wonder why it took so long, their appearances were milestones for inclusivity in the sport. That it happened in Qatar, where women’s rights are restricted, made it all the more poignant.

“There are some difficulties [in Qatar] for women,” Frappart told the BBC. “I hope that this World Cup will help them.”

A BRIGHT IDEA!

The French Senate has approved a bill requiring all large parking lots across France to be topped with solar canopies in the next six years. They are predicted to generate as much energy as 10 nuclear reactors. The legislation was approved by France’s upper house in November, and it will come into effect in July 2023.

❛ ❛

MALTA PLEDGES ABORTION LAWS REFORM

The Maltese government has pledged to change the law to allow doctors to terminate a pregnancy if a mother’s life or health is at risk. Malta is currently the only EU nation that enforces a total ban on abortion.

Gynaecologist Isabel Stabile, one of many doctors who challenged the law, told the BBC that it was a “step in the right direction,” but that there “will still not be any provision to terminate pregnancies in cases of rape or incest, or in cases of a fatal, foetal anomaly.”

DRUG TESTING TEAM SECURES CHARITY STATUS

The Loop has been saving lives by offering drug testing at music festivals for years, providing revellers with information about what’s in their substances, along with harm reduction advice – all on an anonymous basis. Recently it also started working in city centres. Its new charity status will enable it to secure more funding and expand its operations.

LOW-COST RAIL FIRMS INCREASING ACROSS EUROPE

Low-cost rail firms are springing up across Europe to tempt passengers away from carbon-heavy flights. The latest service, by Spanish operator Iryo, has started running its first all-electric service between Madrid and Barcelona with fares starting from €18. Services to Valencia, Seville and others will follow. According to Greenpeace, replacing the EU’s busiest short-haul flights with trains would save 3.5m tonnes of CO2 per year.

Billie Jean King, tennis legend and gender equality advocate

Yousafzai, Pakistani education campaigner

At the world’s biggest wildlife summit, 186 nations voted to regulate the global trade in shark fins. This adds 60 threatened shark species to the list of creatures protected under Cites – the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species. The measures will apply to the requiem shark family, including tiger sharks, as well as six species of hammerheads, which have been hunted to the brink of extinction for shark fin soup.

What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make

Dame Jane Goodall, British primatologist

❛ ❛

I raise up my voice — not so that I can shout, but so that those without a voice can be heard … We cannot all succeed when half of us are held back Malala

AT LAST, THE SHARK FIN TRADE REGULATED

❛ ❛ Champions keep playing until they get it right

❛ ❛

TOAD LICKING TURNING PAUPERS INTO PRINCES bizarre NEWS

The US National Park Service is warning visitors to stop licking one of America’s largest toads. The potentially deadly Sonoran Desert Toad excretes a toxin that can cause psychedelic effects. According to an Oakland Zoo, some people have exploited the toad’s toxin as a psychedelic, smoking it to experience euphoria and hallucinations.

The service released a picture of one of the toads captured by a motion sensor camera, staring into the lens at the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument in Arizona. “As we say with most things you come across in a national park, whether it be a banana slug, unfamiliar mushroom, or a large toad with glowing eyes in the dead of night, please refrain from licking,” the US National Park Service wrote.

The Oakland Zoo added that one of the chemicals found in the toad’s skin, bufotenin, is illegal to possess in California, but in neighbouring Arizona, one can legally capture up to 10 toads with the proper license but people are selling the substance illegally.

TRUTH CAN BE STRANGER THAN FICTION

FOR A GIGGLE

For the first time in two years, the ‘No Trousers Tube Ride’ returned to London, the name of which is pretty self-explanatory. Making eye contact on the tube can already be pretty awkward, so imagine if your fellow commuters were in their underwear, too!

I attribute my success to this –I never gave or took any excuse

Florence Nightingale

Known as ‘goat man,’ Thomas Thwaites has written about his unusual lifestyle choice in a book, ‘GoatMan: How I Took A Holiday From Being a Human’. The 34-year-old said he made the decision to live as a goat after dog-sitting his niece’s ‘happy, joyous’ dog when he thought, “Wouldn’t it be nice to just have a break from all of this stress?”

Thomas was surprised when he was granted funding for his project from the Wellcome Trust, which he used for prosthetics, including prosthetic hooves and prosthetic back legs, before setting off for a goat farm in the Alps. There, he even attempted to give his stomach similar digestive qualities to those of a goat by eating grass.

Mr Thwaites recommends being a goat, describing it as a “special kind of time”.

A Russian yoga teacher has been arrested for “illegal missionary activity” under controversial new laws designed to combat terrorism. Dmitry Ugay is said to have fallen foul of the country’s anti-terror measures, dubbed a ‘Big Brother’ law by Edward Snowden, while giving a talk about the philosophy of yoga at a St Petersburg festival. He was released after two months in detention and a fine.

STRESSED MAN LIVES LIFE AS A GOAT ❛ ❛

VIAGRA AND COCAINE MADE

Those looking for seaside views got more than they bargained for when a man on a stag do performed a strip show for local fishermen and onlookers in Cornwall. The fishermen reported that he ‘stripped completely naked’ but the excitement was too much and the anonymous man had to be taken to A&E where he was treated for ‘heart palpitations’.

SUPER VIGILANT POLICE RESCUE MANNEQUIN

An employee of Laz Emporium in London’s Soho area came downstairs from making a cup of tea to discover the doors off the hinges and two confused police officers.

Police had broken down the doors of the London art gallery to save a woman slumped unconscious over a table - only to discover she was made of packing tape and foam filler. The lifeless woman they had been trying to save was in fact an art installation entitled ‘Kristina’ which is on display at the London gallery.

“Officers forced entry to the address, where they uncovered that the ‘person’ was in fact a mannequin,” a police spokesperson told Artnet News.

CAT MORE POPULAR THAN OTHER MAYORAL CANDIDATES IN SIBERIAN CITY

Residents of the Siberian city of Barnaul have nominated Barsik the cat for mayor in an unofficial poll, in protest of corruption among local officials. Of the six human candidates and one cat, the ambitious feline won 91.2% of the 5,400 votes cast.

Regional officials among Russia’s opposition parties approved of the cat – one politician said his candidacy is an effective protest about how regional politics is run.

The question isn’t who is going to let me, it’s who is going to stop me Ayn Rand

RUSSIAN MAN ARRESTED AFTER TALKING ABOUT YOGA

THE

ME DO IT

WHITNEY WOLFE HERD

AMY HOOD

Hood graduated from Duke University with a bachelor’s degree in economics and then obtained an MBA from Harvard University. She started her career with Goldman Sachs in investment banking. She joined Microsoft in 2002 as part of the investor relations group. Hood was ultimately announced as the company’s first female CFO in 2013. She was ranked 28 in the 2022 Forbes world’s 100 most powerful women.

An American entrepreneur, Whitney is the founder and CEO of Bumble, Inc, an online dating platform. She was previously the vice president of marketing and Co-Founder of Tinder. In 2021, she became the world’s youngest, female, self-made billionaire when she took Bumble public. ❛ ❛

In 2021, women only held 21% of the leadership positions in tech, and just 14% of the software engineering positions. Gender equality is still far from reach, even in the tech industry. Here, Dynamic highlights some of tech’s leaders…

WOMEN IN CHARGE

Being a woman on a team of all men, means that you are going to have a unique voice. It’s important to embrace that Erin Teague, Product Executive, YouTube

REBECCA BUNYAN

Rebecca is a Chief Information Officer at Lloyd’s, the world’s leading insurance and reinsurance marketplace. Previously, she served as CIO at Aldermore Group PLC, a specialist lender and savings bank. She also was a Head of IT at Hiscox, where she developed an IT strategy that resulted in the realisation of business targets. Rebecca is a seasoned change and technology leader, who has successfully led many business transformations in banking and insurance.

VIJAYA KAZA

Vijaya Kaza is a Chief Security Officer, Head of Engineering and Data Science for Trust and Safety at Airbnb, responsible for information security and trust technology to protect Airbnb’s community and platform. Vijaya worked for 17 years in multiple executive and leadership roles at Cisco, where she led product development for security products that generated more than $1bn in annual revenue.

ELIZABETH CHURCHILL

A psychologist specialising in human-computer interaction and social computing, Churchill is a Director of User Experience at Google, having gained a BSc degree in Experimental Psychology and an MSc in Knowledge Based Systems from Sussex University, completing her PhD in 1993 at Cambridge University. She also has more than 50 patents granted or pending, and more than 100 published articles in fields of psychology and computing.

FEI-FEI LI

Dr. Li is an American computer scientist, the co-director of Stanford University’s HumanCentred AI Institute and was Vice President at Google. She is the inventor of ImageNet, a database of over 15 million images, which has contributed to the latest developments in deep learning and AI.

CYNTHIA STODDARD

Cynthia is a Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer at Adobe, where she oversees Adobe’s global Information Technology and Cloud Operations teams. Before Adobe, she was SVP and CIO at NetApp, a data storage and management company, where she led traditional IT functions while expanding focus on innovation and strategic partnerships.

She has more than 25 years of business experience and IT expertise.

❛ ❛

The word female, when inserted in front of something, is always with a note of surprise. Female COO, female pilot, female surgeon — as if the gender implies surprise. One day there won’t be female leaders. There will just be leaders

Sheryl Sandberg, COO, Meta

❛ ❛

I think it’s very important to get more women into computing. My slogan is: Computing is too important to be left to men

Karen Spärck Jones, computer pioneer

Fintech, a portmanteau of ‘financial technology’, refers to firms using new technology to compete with traditional financial methods in the delivery of financial services, AI, blockchain, cloud computing and so on

FINTECH GROWS And grows

The fi ntech industry is estimated to be worth over $130 billion as of 2022, with predictions of the valuation surpassing $400 billion by 2027. With this in mind, which of these fi ntech giants dominating the industry is the most valuable?

The team at Utility Bidder has revealed which fi ntech companies reached a $1 billion valuation the fastest, which fi ntech companies are the most valuable, and which countries are home to the most fi ntech companies.

TOP 10 MOST VALUABLE FINTECH COMPANIES IN THE WORLD

RANK COMPANY COUNTRY CITY VALUATION

1 Stripe USA San Francisco $95bn 2 checkout.com UK London $40bn 3 Revolut UK London $25bn 4 Chime USA San Francisco $25bn 5 Ripple USA San Francisco $15bn 6 blockchain.com UK London $14bn 7 Plaid USA San Francisco $14bn 8 Brex USA San Francisco $12bn 9 Deel USA San Francisco $12bn 10 Bolt USA San Francisco $11bn

*FTX had been listed as the fourth largest fi ntech company in the world, valued at $32bn until investigations for massive fraud closed the company in November 2022. See page 22 of this month’s Platinum for the full story.

+ UNICORN STATUS

In business, a unicorn is a privately held startup company valued at over $1bn. The term was first published in 2013, coined by venture capitalist Aileen Lee, choosing the mythical animal to represent the statistical rarity of such successful ventures.

Since then, ‘Unicorns’ with over $10 billion in valuation have been designated as ‘decacorn’ companies. For private companies valued over $100 billion, the terms ‘centicorn’ and ‘hectocorn’ have been used.

SpaceX is in the forefront to reach the elusive ‘superunicorn’ status, to reach over $1 trillion valuation while remaining as a private company.

TOP 10 FINTECH COMPANIES

The UK has the second highest number of fi ntech companies valued at over $1 billion with a total of 26

The research revealed:

• Stripe has been revealed as the most valuable fi ntech company in the world, with a total valuation of $95 billion. After being established in 2010, it took the company four years to achieve unicorn status in early 2014.

• Checkout.com’s $40 billion valuation places them in second place - after being founded in 2009, the company took 10 years to achieve unicorn status.

• Tying up the top three is Revolut with a $33 billion valuation – the fi ntech company reached a $1 billion valuation in 2018, taking fewer than three years from launch.

The research also revealed the following:

• Pacaso reached unicorn status the fastest out of all the companies on the list - taking fewer than six months to reach a valuation of $1 billion. They are followed by Magic Eden who achieved the status in just over nine months.

• The United States takes the crown for fi ntech capital of the world - home to 132 companies with a unicorn status; the fi ntech companies in the US make up over 50% of all companies in the list.

• The UK has the second highest number of fi ntech companies valued at over $1 billion with a total of 26. Apart from one of these being based in Peterborough, all are based in London.

www.utilitybidder.co.uk

+

THE BIGGEST FINTECH COMPANY

Stripe Inc. is currently listed as the world’s largest fintech company, dual-based in Dublin and San Francisco.

It was founded by Irish entrepreneur brothers John and Patrick Collinson in 2009 in Palo Alto, California. Through growth, acquisition and investment – including £2m from PayPal founders Elon Musk and Peter Thiel, Irish entrepreneur Liam Casey, and others – Stripe achieved ‘unicorn’ status in January 2014.

In 2021, former Bank of England governor Mark Carney was appointed to the board of Stripe.

The Wall Street Journal reported in July 2022 that the company’s internal share price had fallen causing its implied valuation to drop from $95 billion to $74bn. In November 2022, the company announced it intended to initiate layoffs, believed to be around one in seven of their workforce.

Pacaso reached unicorn status the fastest out of all the companies on the list –taking fewer than six months to reach a valuation of $1 billion

Whenever a male Prime Minister newly takes office, there is inevitably the excessive, maybe even slightly invasive interest in their wife or girlfriend. Or both, in some cases.

Samantha Cameron had to put up with ‘Sam Cam’. Skipping over Theresa May, we come to Boris Johnson’s wife / partner / muse Carrie, and probably wished we hadn’t. So what of Akshata Murty?

AKSHATA MURTY

– CHIC INDIAN HEIRESS

Akshata Narayan Murty, was born in Nubli, India in April 1980 and, as wife of the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom has attempted to assimilate into something approaching an ordinary life in the UK. Or at least as normal a life as a wealthy heiress whose husband holds the highest office in the country can ever ascribe to.

Early life for Akshata Narayan Murty in Jayanagar, a suburb of Bangalore, was middle class and comfortable. Her father NR Narayan Murty’s software company, Infosys, was in its infancy in those days. While fairly successful, it was not yet the billion-dollar leviathan it is today.

The work ethic for which Narayana is famed is often cited as an influence on Akshata and her own business ambitions. Yet more believe it’s her mother, Sudha, a writer who runs the Infosys charitable foundation, who ‘is really the underestimated force in her daughter’s life’.

In the 1990s, Murty attended Baldwin Girls’ High School, Bangalore, and in 1998 studied economics and French at Claremont McKenna College in California. She has a diploma in clothes manufacturing from the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising, and a Master of Business Administration from Stanford University, California.

It was while she was at Stanford University that she met Rishi Sunak. He was studying for a Master of Business Administration postgraduate as a Fulbright Scholar. They married in 2009.

Rishi Sunak, although born in Southampton to a wealthy family, entered Parliament for the safe Conservative seat of Richmond (Yorks) in 2015. Every step of the way, Akshata has been there with him. But now, with his rapid elevation to the top job, how will she fulfi l her distinctly unofficial role?

Even in higher echelons of Government, Akshata is still something of an enigma

LOW KEY HOME LIFE

For example, if you found yourself on a train from King’s Cross to Darlington, there’s a chance you may sit near or opposite a fairly anonymous woman in her early 40s, with a ponytail, tucked under a baseball cap, with two daughters being encouraged to get on with their homework. Mathematics, presumably.

If by chance you do see these three, there’s a chance that you are peering at Akshata. Doubtless there will be a curtain of security (whether they’re visible or not is down to the trained eye) in the vicinity, but this is an example of how the Prime Minister’s wife wishes to get on with life.

Home – aside from No.10 – is Kirby Sigston Manor in Sunak’s own constituency of Richmond (Yorks). A relatively modest manor house - as manor houses go - it was bought for an equally modest £1.5m, and is located in a beautiful spot - to use a colloquialism - in the middle of nowhere. The county town of Northallerton, for reference, is a little over three miles away.

It has proved itself, say friends, to be a shelter from the rough and tumble of politics. Renovations are said to have cost £400,000 for a swimming pool, gym and a lavishly verdant garden.

It has also given Akshata and her family the refuge away from the hurly-burly of Westminster politics that she wishes to be no real part of.

‘SUMMER OF CHAOS’

Summer 2022 was a bruising time personally and professionally for the family. With Boris Johnson’s eventual resignation as PM (brought about in part by Chancellor Sunak’s own resignation leading to an unprecedented governmental collapse), the hustings were open for the new leader.

Despite Sunak’s predictions of economic chaos if they chose Liz Truss as leader, the Conservative party voted her in as Prime Minister. The family assumed that their political elevation was over, or at least stalled, and Murty was said to have told friends that, despite the disappointment on behalf of her husband, she could look forward to quieter times.

The fact that Sunak’s predictions came frighteningly true within the fi rst few weeks of her tenure offered no respite for the City, nor for the UK economy as a whole. It also meant that Truss’ brief reign was over and Sunak’s appointment as Prime Minister was more or less a coronation.

The couple now officially reside at No.10, which Akshata refurbished when Sunak was Chancellor. Yet even in higher echelons of Government, she is still something of an enigma. Jeremy Hunt, a close ally of Rishi Sunk, still had not met Akshata a few weeks into his tenure at No.11.

PERSONAL WEALTH

For those who do have access to her, Akshata is said to be very guarded about her public persona. She is painfully aware of how she is judged in numbers. A personal wealth of £730m sets her apart from, well, almost everyone. That level of comfort doesn’t make it easy to show a caring face, especially during a cost of loving crisis, infl ation, recession, strikes and more.

Having a diploma in clothing manufacturing does help make the appropriate informed choices, one supposes

Kirby Sigston Manor and Lake

The then President of India, Dr. APJ. Abdul Kalam presenting the Padma Shri Award to Dr. Sudha Murty

Akshata’s father Nagavara Ramarao Narayana Murthy

The money – the eye-watering sum above – comes from being one of two children of NR Narayana Murty, one of India’s richest men and founder of the Infosys tech company, which he started in Pune with seed capital of $250 more than 40 years ago and is now valued at $85 billion.

Most of her fortune is derived from a holding of just under 1% in the company, supplemented by her own investments in Catamaran Ventures, the family’s private investment arm.

The spoils of inheritance are an easy stick be beaten with. This is not helped by Rishi Sunak wearing his wealth like a huge banner, in stark contrast to what is supposed to be the conservative (with a small ‘c’) archetype of the Prime Minister, who is supposed to be leader for everyone in the UK, and that his salary is paid for by the public purse.

Akshata, on the other hand, reveals herself to a pointedly muted style in comparison. When supervising the removal team into Downing Street, she wore a fluff y gilet, leggings and faux-fur sliders. Her low-key look has been rumbled on occasion, however. When she brought out a tray of tea for photographers outside their Kensington home, it was served in mugs, noted the Daily Mail, that cost £38 each.

+ NON-DOM STATUS

In early 2022, newspapers reported that Murty had non-domiciled status, meaning she did not have to pay tax on income earned abroad while living in the UK. The status costs approximately £30,000 to secure, and allowed her to avoid paying an estimated £20 million in UK taxes.

None of this is illegal, of course, but with a husband who was Chancellor of the Exchequer, and himself being a US citizen, it wasn’t a good look. To avoid further political fall-out, Murty herself made a statement in April 2022 that she would pay UK taxes on her global income, adding that she did not want the issue “to be a distraction for my husband”.

‘FIRST LADY’

Observers are waiting with keenness for when Akshata makes her fi rst public moves as - to use an imported phrase - ‘First Lady’. Insiders say the plan is to distance the Sunaks from Boris Johnson’s leadership; Downing Street needs to change from a place regarded as a fiefdom of the sycophantic in-crowd of the Johnson era, run by the ‘Court of Carrie’ clique.

Specifically, Akshata intends to use the couple’s connection to Yorkshire to bring ‘more of the north to Downing Street’, promoting British crafts and trades as a USP of post-Brexit Britain.

As for No.10 itself, Akshata has designs on it in a more literal sense. Under Sunak’s chancellorship, she set about redecorating the residence, commissioning exquisite fabrics, including fi ne damask.

The upholsterers made long, fully interlined curtains, hand-pleated and held back with heavy coordinating tassels in red, gold and the ivory of the damask. The ornate cornicing was hand-gilded, as it would have been originally, and a rug was commissioned to almost fi ll the room.

Akshata, it was said, was very involved and keen to see how things are made. She was also not afraid of getting stuck in and helping either. Having a diploma in clothing manufacturing does help make the appropriate informed choices, one supposes.

If this apparent opulence concerns as you ‘more of the bloody same’, especially given the Johnsons’ outrageous refurbishment of No 11, and the pilfering of the public purse to fund it, this was all paid for by the Sunaks, at a very substantial cost. It’s almost as if the ambitious chancellor guessed he might return to Downing Street one day…

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Akshata Murty promote Poppy Day

The work ethic for which her father is famed is often cited as an influence on Akshata and her own business ambitions

Akshata Murty offers the waiting press some tea - in £38 mugs

SAMANTHA KAYE from Wellesley discusses some of the key areas self-employed women often battle with while being your own boss has undeniable benefits, this way of working can also come with particular challenges – but you don’t need to face them on your own

SELF-EMPLOYED WOMEN:

You work for yourself but you’re not alone

More and more women are self employed nowadays, whether that’s running a business, freelancing or contracting out. Females currently make up approximately a third of the five million people who work for themselves,1 with the number of freelance working mothers soaring by 79% since 2008. 2

It’s a seismic shift in a world where the self-employed sector has historically been dominated by men.

ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT

Being your own boss can give you a real sense of freedom, both professionally and personally. You can set your own rates and hours, specialise in a vocation that suits you, and focus on clients who you’ve chosen to work with. Yet being a self-employed woman can also present certain challenges. More often than not, females find themselves juggling clients and workload as well as further challenges. For example, you’re battling the gender income and pension gaps, childcare costs and other unpaid responsibilities.

Here’s how you can thrive in three key areas that selfemployed women often battle with:

It can be a balancing act to tick all the boxes, but it’s crucial to have a plan in place nevertheless

1INCOME

A changeable workflow means it’s far trickier to budget or plan ahead when revenue changes month by month. You might also be spending so much time dealing with clients and overheads that your own fi nances are last in the priority pecking order.

Start by creating a plan for regular spending needs, such as your mortgage and living costs, and set up a direct debit to ‘pay yourself’ each month based on an average of what you earn. Next, concentrate on longer-term needs –for example, planning for retirement, or the potential for a period of maternity leave or childcare costs, if you decide to have children.

Calculate what to put aside for these life events – perhaps your pension gets a twice-yearly boost after a specific client pays you. True, it can be a balancing act to tick all the boxes, but it’s crucial to have a plan in place nevertheless.

2TAX

Th ink beyond the amount that you take as income – it’s just as important to consider the most tax-efficient way of doing it. On the whole, paying into a pension from your company will be the best way of maximising your income while minimising your exposure to tax.

The drawback is that you can’t access money in a pension until the age of 55 (57 from 2028). The advantage, however, will be that you’ll have control over how much income you withdraw, and therefore how much income tax you’ll be subject to.

3CONFIDENCE

Self-employed men earn 43% more on average than their female counterparts. 3 Th is may indicate an ‘entitlement gap’, where freelance females set lower rates for their work. Ladies – it’s important that we advocate for ourselves, by valuing our services accordingly and tightening up those negotiation skills!

Women often feel they have to do everything themselves. However, outsourcing fi nancial planning – just as you would with any other business need – can mean you have one less thing to organise. After all, you’re not in this alone!

Sources:

1 Coronavirus and self-employment in the UK, O ce for National Statistics, April 2020 2 e opportunities and challenges of being a self employed mother, IPSE, August 2020 3 Men earn 43 per cent more than women in self employment, IPSE research reveals, IPSE, March 2020.

Samantha Kaye

Chartered

Adviser,

Wellesley E: samantha.kaye@sjpp.co.uk www.wellesleywa.co.uk

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The levels and bases of taxation, and reliefs from taxation, can change at any time and are generally dependent on individual circumstances.

St. James’s Place guarantees the suitability of advice offered by Wellesley when recommending any of the services and products available from companies in the Group. More details of the Guarantee are set out on the Group’s website www.sjp.co.uk/products

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In last month’s issue, we covered neurodivergence, prompted by Richard Branson’s belief that his dyslexia and ADHD are his superpowers. Neurodivergence is a catch-all for many conditions, and this month we look at autism. BY

MAARTEN HOFFMANN

Covering autism

Being autistic does not mean you have an illness or disease. It means your brain works in a different way from other people and is something you’re born with. Signs of autism might be noticed when you’re very young, or indeed not until you’re older. If you’re autistic, you’re autistic your whole life.

Autism is not a medical condition with treatments or a ‘cure’. However, some people need support to help them with certain things. Autism covers a spectrum meaning that everybody with autism is different, depending on how far along the scale you are. Some autistic people need little or no support, whilst others may need help from a parent or carer every day.

So autism is a wide-ranging, incredibly varied condition that can have little to no effect on one’s life or it can inhibit every element, every day. But what about the early diagnosis in children? What help is available? For those with severe cases, are there specialist schools available?

Sadly, the answers to all of these questions is grim, as we highlight on the following pages which offer fi rst-hand

accounts of living with children with autism. Matters are really not helped when government and local authorities actively, and sometimes blatantly, become economical with the information, assistance and support they are obliged to offer, on occasion to the point of giving false information regarding an individual, while absolving themselves of much of their responsibilities.

Th is of course, makes the situation impossible and leaves us with a generation of autistic kids who are likely to achieve a tiny percentage of their potential.

Last year I met a lady called Claire Krost who started an organisation called Waking up to Autism. During the hour, I went from shock to disbelief, from horror to outright fury whilst listening to her story. I will leave Claire to tell her story along with another parent and a grandparent. Th is is followed by a piece from Victoria Tofts, a highly experienced SEN specialist who has her own view on the shambolic system.

Autism is not a medical condition with treatments or a cure. However, some people need support to help them with certain things

AUTISM

Claire Krost

Founder of Waking Up To Autism. Mother to Olivia (12) and Adam (10) – both diagnosed as autistic

“Establishing Waking Up To Autism back in 2020 came from a very heart-led place. Having been through the assessment process for both of my children and for them to both be diagnosed as autistic, I had experienced first-hand the difficulty faced by parents or carers to gain the right knowledge and support in order to be able to care for and support their children.

“Waking Up To Autism was set up to initially fill this gap and it soon became apparent just how much our services were needed. It was great to be able to bring parents together who had felt very alone and isolated to be able to share this journey.

“During my own growth and development, I have been shocked to see just how the current system is not designed to embrace neurodivergent children. I still remember the day I

learnt that teachers are not legally required to have training in Special Educational Needs (SEN) and it answered a lot of questions as to why our current mainstream education provisions can struggle to support our children and ensure that they are able to reach their full potential.

“We also have a staggering number of neurodivergent children who are unable to attend school due to unmet needs. The current system’s failure to ensure that SEN training is a legal requirement is not only detrimental to our children but is also failing our wonderful teachers by not preparing them appropriately for the very important job they have to do. ❛ ❛

Neurodiversity is key to keeping Britain safe. At GCHQ, some of our most talented and creative people have a neurodiverse profile –including dyslexia, autism, dyscalculia and dyspraxia and we want to employ more GCHQ’s director Jo Cavan

AUTHOR PICTURE CREDIT MARK DAVID FORD

“Over the last two years, I have also seen many incredible educators leaving the profession as they simply do not feel armed to do the job, and it has become a role that is almost impossible to do without gambling with their own mental health and wellbeing.

“And so in 2021, I created a CPD Accredited course for Embracing Neurodivergent Students in the Mainstream Classroom which has been met with incredible reviews from the education staff who have attended. My mantra is ‘Knowledge is Power’ and arming schools properly with the right knowledge and support can hugely impact a child’s experience for learning. It can also create a culture throughout the school of being inclusive of neurodiversity and seeing the huge benefits that this brings to every single student and member of staff.

“But supporting parents/carers and education settings is only part of the solution. Helping our children to reach their academic potential is key but we also have to bridge the huge gap we currently have when it comes to moving from the education setting out into the workplace.

“With 80% of neurodivergent adults unemployed or under-employed, it just shows the level of work needed to ensure that employers are inclusive and embracing neurodivergent candidates and employees into their work sectors. Looking at recruitment processes as well as support and inclusion on a day-to-day basis will open up opportunities for neurodivergent candidates to access roles that really tap into their unique strengths and abilities.

“The truth is that it is not only the neurodivergent candidates that are missing out but the business sector as a whole. The untapped potential in this incredible group of people is staggering and I strongly believe that if it were to be properly embraced, supported and nurtured the results would be immense – for everyone.

“On top of this, we cannot shy away from the mental health statistics that we see amongst neurodivergent adults which are greatly increased by the lack of employment options available, resulting in self-esteem, confidence and fulfilment issues. Autistic adults are nine times more likely to commit suicide, and this is yet another statistic that we aim to change with the work that we are doing.

“In 2023, Waking Up To Autism is passionate about launching a Mentorship Programme whereby we work with businesses to train them on what it means to be neurodivergent – to help bust the myths that society has portrayed over the years and to reduce the fear of the unknown when it comes to working with autistic people.

With 80% of neurodivergent adults unemployed or underemployed, it just shows the level of work needed to ensure that employers are inclusive

“We will mentor workplaces on how they can fully embrace neurodiversity within their workforce and ensure that they are able to provide an environment that is accessible and supportive. Businesses will also, as part of the Mentorship programme, have the opportunity to sponsor an education setting in their area. This will allow staff to receive the much-needed training they require to help the next generation of employees access the education they deserve. We will also create meaningful work experience placements for Year 10/11/Sixth Form neurodivergent students to help them transition successfully from the education setting into the workplace.

“We have the chance to make radical changes which comes with the excitement that these changes will pave the way for an incredible new workforce and inclusivity of the future.

“One saying I heard which I carry with me is: ‘I wouldn’t change my children for the world but I sure as hell would change the world for my children.’ ”

AUTISM

Claire Hutcheson

Mother to Patrick (12) diagnosed as autistic. School Business Manager in a Mainstream Primary School, West Sussex

“In 2010 I became a Mum and although I knew life would change, I wasn’t prepared for the challenges that lay ahead. From a young age, we knew Patrick was unique but it wasn’t until he started school that we saw a huge difference between him and his peers.

“As a parent, choosing a school for your child feels like one of the biggest decisions you are ever going to make. Unfortunately for us, it’s a decision we’ve had to keep reviewing as we have repeatedly found a huge lack of understanding and awareness of autism and its presentations. Patrick has frequently been labelled naughty, with parenting blamed for his misunderstood behaviour.

“Like all children, Patrick didn’t come with an instruction manual and this didn’t change after his diagnosis. It wasn’t until 2020 that Waking Up To Autism was established and although we already had a diagnosis, it was a relief to fi nally feel understood and supported. For years we had read up on autism. However, we never really found the answers. It wasn’t until I attended a Waking Up To Autism training course that I could actually say I understood autism and what it meant for our son and our family.

“Th is really made me think. As well as being a Mum to an autistic son I am also a School Business Manager. I see fi rst-hand the challenges facing schools in supporting children, especially those with SEN. If I as a parent couldn’t understand my son without support and training, how can we expect our educational settings and work environments to understand autistic people? What small changes they can make, to make a huge difference.

“Every school worker, without exception, wants to educate and support all children in their schools but often lack of funding leads to extremely difficult choices. How do you choose between essential resources and essential staff training?

“For autistic children to have the same opportunities as neurotypical children, they need to be able to access an education that gives them the right to be themselves and realise their own ambitions. To enable this, we must embrace and understand autism and not apologise or be ashamed of it. I am grateful for my son and all he has taught me; I know he has the ability to make a huge contribution to society if only he can be given the opportunity.”

I can honestly say that autism is an enhancement to life , not a hindrance

AUTHOR PICTURE CREDIT MARK DAVID FORD

Lisa Denscombe

“When I became a grandmother for the fi rst time to my grandson Mason, my life changed dramatically. Mason was always different from other children and he was diagnosed with autism and learning difficulties at the age of six.

“It was not just understanding his having autism, but caring for, and loving him in a very different way that was relative to his special world. Learning how to do this gave me far more understanding and patience than I had ever known and it enhanced my role as a grandmother.

“To support my daughter and grandson, I learned everything about autism and how it affected life for those with it. I began as a novice but after fi nding out about Waking Up To Autism (WUTA) I can now speak out and explain to others what autism actually is.

“My main frustration throughout my learning is the fact that so many people have no idea what it is, and when you try and explain they do not take any of the actual facts on board. WUTA has given us knowledge and awareness to

navigate through autism and we now see that Mason will be able to thrive.

“WUTA has given me the strength and encouragement for living a life that includes autism. Without judgement, they support not only my daughter and Mason but me too. There is a total understanding that being different is usual. WUTA is our breath of fresh air. Dealing with life now for Mason is less difficult than before and there is hope for his future, not uncertainty.

“WUTA has given my daughter a sense of sanity to show that she is not alone and stands with many families that are in the same position. She has been given power through knowledge as to how to fi ght her son’s corner with strength, encouragement, love and emotional support that sometimes is not always given within our own family, due to lack of understanding.

I can honestly say that autism is an enhancement to life, not a hindrance and we should all take a leaf out of Mason’s Life Book and look at the world in his way.”

Every school worker, without exception, wants to educate and support all children in their schools but often lack of funding leads to extremely difficult choices

Grandmother to Mason (9), diagnosed autistic

By Victoria Tofts, BA (Hons) Primary Education; MA Professional Studies in Education; PGDip Teaching Children with Autism

Inclusive Exclusion?

One of the emerging concerns around SEN, especially in mainstream schools at the moment is whether, what we have labelled ‘inclusion’ since the Warnock report in 1978, really is inclusive. Or, as I suspect, are we still just integrating?

In my many roles within SEN over the last 15 years, it has been easy to scapegoat the local authority as the root of all problems involving children with SEN, whether it be funding, Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCP) applications or placements. It can be incredibly frustrating as a parent or professional to feel as though you are fighting against a system.

This is what it can often feel like in order to secure the right funding, provision or placement. I have been recently frustrated at the lack of places in special schools. However, having worked in both mainstream and special schools, there are many children attending special schools who really should be able to access mainstream education.

I have come to realise that most of these issues could be resolved with effective and appropriate ‘true’ inclusion. A recent publication entitled ‘The Inclusion Illusion’ by Rob Webster, explores this through case studies, how our teaching in mainstream schools is not real inclusion but rather the integration of children with SEN into mainstream schools. This can include time out of the classroom, additional paid for interventions and professionals to come into school to advise on the best ways to include individual children in our schools.

If you are a parent of a child with SEN in a mainstream school, this will be very familiar to you but I would argue that the very fact that we are doing something completely different for some children such as different work set, time out of the classroom and adjusted expectations, means we are not truly enabling them to fulfil their potential alongside their peers.

Surely a one-for-all approach can work much more effectively for children with SEN and, as such, benefit all the other children in the classroom. As we know, all of us benefit from experiencing neurodiversity within our daily lives. Too many children are placed in special schools, and this does not enable society to develop their understanding or those with neurodiversity to display their skill set.

In order for this approach to work, teacher training needs to be overhauled. Teachers are just not prepared to teach the majority of children with neurodiversity. Although I began my training in 2003, I received one lecture on neurodiversity and it was heavily weighted towards teaching children with dyslexia, which is a very specific type of learning disability and, as a rule, does not in itself affect any other parts of a person’s learning or development.

More recently, I was interviewed by some teachers taking part in a ‘one year and done’ teacher training course who were, frankly, shocked and amazed at some of my answers. I was giving them a very basic overview and I was shocked in return to find out how little they knew and how little they were being taught about neurodiversity and how to adapt your teaching to enable all children to achieve their full potential.

Until teachers are fully prepared and trained to deliver the best to all of our children in mainstream schools, the system will keep failing children with SEN and neurodiversity. This is where more funding needs to be allocated rather than on catching up later on in the process or paying for more and more special school places.

Until teachers are fully prepared and trained to deliver the best to all of our children in mainstream schools, the system will keep failing children with SEN and neurodiversity

DONNA

OKELL, Founder

and Director of UK for Good, tells us about B Corp and why it matters

UK FOR GOOD: helping businesses to be a force for good

The world is changing at pace, and the role of business is changing too. Businesses that are doing good, are those that are doing well. Following 35 years of leadership experience across a wide range of businesses, and in the charity sector, I set up UK for Good to help businesses do just that. My new-found passion developed as I became increasingly aware of the climate emergency and the serious social challenges facing the world.

As a mother of three children, I’m genuinely fearful for the world I may be leaving them. Th is led me to explore how I could use my experience and skills to shape a better world for future generations. I wondered, if not me, then who? And if not now, then when?

In 2021, I launched UK for Good to support businesses on their journey towards a better tomorrow. Today, people want to buy from, work for and invest in organisations they can trust. Recent research by B Lab, the non-profit arm of B Corp, revealed that 72% of people believe that companies should have a legal responsibility to the planet and people, alongside maximising profits.

Doing the right thing is no longer an option, it’s a necessity. One way to demonstrate that your business genuinely cares about your people, communities, and the environment, is to become a B Corp. The B Corp principles inspire and underpin the work UK for Good does.

B Corp Certification is not just another tick box exercise

WHAT

IS B CORP, WHY DOES IT MATTER, AND HOW CAN YOU BECOME ONE?

B Corp is still relatively new to the UK but, increasingly, organisations are waking up to this better way of doing business. B Corp Certified businesses, or B Corps for short, are for-profit businesses that are responsible, transparent, independently verified, and legally accountable.

The B Corp Certification is globally recognised and looks at every aspect of your business: your governance, employees, communities, the environment, and your customers. The application process is rigorous and intentionally difficult. To become B Corp Certified you must score above the minimum 80-point threshold using a free-to-access online assessment, known as the B Impact Assessment.

As of December 2022, there are over 5,500 Certified B Corp businesses across the globe, including a thousand in the UK. The UK is the fastest growing B Corp movement in the world, showing that businesses are beginning to recognise that they need to demonstrate their positive impact on their people, communities, and the planet as well as make profit.

B Corp Certification is not just another tick box exercise. It’s a way to celebrate the good work you are already doing and identify areas where you can improve your impact.

HOW UK FOR GOOD CAN HELP?

Whether you’re not sure where to start your better business journey, or are ready to pursue B Corp Certification, help is available. Joining the UK for Good membership community of forward-thinking business leaders is a cost and time-effective way to progress your better business journey.

Monthly online meetings offer an opportunity to learn from better business experts, often leaders from the B Corp Movement, and learn from their experiences. Members explore in breakout rooms how they can develop their own businesses in ways that make a difference to their people, communities, and the planet.

For businesses who are ready to embark on their B Corp journey, we offer light-touch support through our online B Corp Accelerator Programme or tailored one-to-one B Corp Consultancy if that suits you best.

Creating a greener, cleaner, fairer future for all is not easy. It requires passionate leaders to make a real difference, and the world needs more of them. That’s why we recently launched our innovative, Leadership for Good Programme, designed for sustainability consultants, or in-house better business advocates, to help either their clients, or the business they work for, to understand how they can act as a force for good, and how to navigate the B Corp journey.

SO, WHAT’S NEXT?

With 2023 now here, I’m looking forward to further growing our own impact and supporting the growth of the B Corp Movement in the UK. We will continue to inspire, inform, and enable businesses to make more of a difference to people and the planet – wherever they are on their journey. We are committed to doing all that we can to help businesses shape a better world.

www.ukforgood.com

Doing the right thing is no longer an option, it’s a necessity

In our brand new Spotlight feature, we highlight women who are doing good things in their community. They’re not always seen but we think they should be.

SP OTLIGH T

Joanne Monck OBE, FRSA

Joanne Monck works tirelessly in support of the LGBTQI community. Her company, From Darkness to Light and Beyond has taken her across the UK and Europe. Here Joanne tells us of her journey in her own words.

So, do you know what it’s like to be transgender? Unless you are transgender, the answer will be no. However, do you understand, and are aware of, what it’s like to be transgender? When you were born, try to imagine a tree being planted. Over the years that tree would grow with its trunk and branches shaping your personality and strengths, and the roots feeding you for the rest of your life.

David was born in 1955. (I’ve given my age away now.) At his birth, an imaginary tree was planted. Over the years that tree would grow. Its trunk and branches would shape David’s personality, character and strengths. However, the roots were never his. They belonged to Joanne who would feed him with her thoughts, emotions and desires until he released her from the body she was incarcerated in.

This is what it’s like to be transgender. That was to take 58 years. David knew at about the age of five that he should have been born a girl. All his friends were girls. He couldn’t tell his parents how he felt. His sex had been decided by what was between his legs, and not what his brain was telling him.

He was bullied constantly at school. His battle to validate his life as a male took its toll. In his early 20s he was buying women’s clothes on the pretence of buying them for a girlfriend. He would wear them whenever he was on his own and in private. His mental health took a downward spiral because of the intensity of his feelings, and Joanne’s powerful influence over him.

Over the years that [imaginary] tree would grow. Its trunk and branches would shape David’s personality, character and strengths. However, the roots were never his

He had a nervous breakdown. His emotions were draining him. However, he was alive and just battled on hoping the thoughts of being a woman would go away. He got married and had twin boys. His wife sadly died when they were 18 years old.

It wasn’t until a dark day in 2014 when he had had enough, and he contemplated taking his own life. Shortly afterwards he accepted his destiny to be a woman and released me from his body. You see, David had to die in order to let me live.

My two boys were very accepting and understanding. After my gender reassignment surgery in 2017, one of my boys came to visit me at home, and out of the blue, said, “Is it OK if I call you mum now?“ Even my father said he understood.

I developed a passion for raising awareness of the issues faced by the transgender community. I didn’t want others to have to go through what I had during my life as David. Initially I volunteered for South East Coast Ambulance as a Community first responder, and was asked to be a Diversity Champion for them. These positions were short lived after I was diagnosed with a life-threatening medical condition.

I was asked to join the Sussex Police Transgender External Reference Group. This advisory panel was set up to help bust the myths and stigmas attached to the transgender community and help the Force to engage more proactively with this minority community. Indeed, Sussex Police are extremely inclusive with their workforce and I personally know several people who are a part of the LGBT community.

My work with the Transgender reference group, quickly lead to me being asked to serve on several other groups including hate crime, (which is rife in the LGBTQI community), stop and search and use of force, and the Force Contact and Control centre. I’ve become a ‘critical friend’ to Sussex Police and in 2020 was presented with a Chief Constable’s Commendation.

Because of the social climate of the 1950s and 1960s, David was not able, or even felt comfortable, talking to his parents. Neither was there any support from organisations such as Mermaids. He had to do his best to hide the feelings he had that he should have been a girl.

And that was what eventually led to mental health issues. In the UK, puberty blockers can be prescribed to children that are identified as having gender dysphoria (a deepseated belief that they should have been born the

opposite sex). However, we as a society, and responsible parents, MUST be sure it is not just a phase which may be grown out of.

It is crucial that parents support their children, but also not push them into something that they don’t want. Whilst Mermaids is under investigation, which I can’t comment on, it has always been there as a charity to support young transgender children and their families. Hormone replacement therapy by UK law cannot be given to anyone under the age of 16 and gender reassignment surgery is not offered without intense psychological evaluation until at least the age of 18.

Had organisations like Mermaids been available to David and his parents when he was young, then maybe David wouldn’t have had to suffer the way he did. However, that’s life. David was always searching for his rainbow. It may have taken him 58 years but he found it. There was no pot of gold at the end of it though, just sacksful of happiness.

My motto is ‘Believe to Achieve’. Believe in your destiny and ability in order to achieve success and happiness. After starting my transition, I did just that. My education business ‘From Darkness to Light and Beyond’ has lead me to talk to organisations all over the country and Europe. I share my story as an Independent schools role model to students, telling them it’s OK to be who you want to be.

In 2020 I was the highlighted winner of We Are The City Top 100 RisingStars in the Diversity category. Following a recommendation from the Prime Minister, I was given what I believe is the highest honour ever given to anyone for Services to Transgender Equality; an OBE in our late Queen’s 2021 New Year Honours. I was runner-up and highly commended in the Sussex Business Awards in 2022.

I am also now an Ambassador and Consultant for three national and one international organisations. I am also Director of Global Education and EDI for Believe Global CIC, and Director of EDI for the Believe Foundation, a new totally inclusive domestic abuse charity launching in 2023. I’m also a Fellow of the RSA.

www.believeglobal.org www.thebelievefoundation.org.uk

It is crucial that parents support their children, but also not push them into something that they don’t want

I believed and I achieved

Ekaterina founded InspoHub, a creative agency specialising in video production and live broadcasting, a little over five years ago. She is trusted by an impressive client list that includes Aston Martin and England Rugby. This year she won the Young Professional Of The Year at the Dynamic Awards among stiff competition.

Dynamic has long been impressed by her obvious grit and tenacity and decided to dig a little deeper into her story…

Ekaterina Blake

Ekaterina is a Russian-Finnish entrepreneur catapulting a fast-growing UK creative agency into the realms of perceived impossibility. She is an example of how grit and determination in the face of adversity can, over time, flourish into a rewarding and profitable business venture.

Ekaterina moved from Russia to Finland at the age of 18 to complete a bachelors in International Business. Having fi nished her degree with First Class Honours, she began working in the marketing field, and, after four years, gained a senior management role at a fast-scaling fi ntech start-up. A little over a year later, she was illegally dismissed. Th is was a turning point. Having won the court case against the company, InspoHub’s foundations began to be laid.

Here, Ekaterina faced a new challenge. Would she start a new role at a similar company and potentially face similar adversities? Would she join an established business at a lower-rank role, or start a new venture that did things differently?

Ultimately, she decided to take a leap of faith, channelling her wide skillset in business, marketing and people management into a business of her own. She set up a company that would operate on the foundations of youth,

and opportunity that did right by its employees and clients. In November 2017, InspoHub was formed.

Initially, InspoHub struggled to gain momentum in what started out as an influencer marketing agency for small businesses. It became clear that many newly founded businesses weren’t utilising traditional marketing, let alone influencer campaigns. Ekaterina’s focus switched, and all efforts turned to offering broader marketing services.

In 2018, Ekaterina moved to London and InspoHub followed. Finding local UK-based clients wasn’t easy, but with keen networking and various outreach strategies, by the end of 2018 InspoHub was profitable and had its fi rst employee.  2019 was a year of growth. Growing the team, the client base and retainer contracts zr. New employees entered the frame and, shortly before the pandemic, Ekaterina and her husband Ben relocated to Brighton.

As with all businesses, the pandemic brought a wave of complications. Clients tightened their purse strings, with marketing being seen by many as the fi rst expendable service. Despite this, Ekaterina kept hold of every client, adapting InspoHub’s offering to ensure clients continued to thrive. It soon became clear that marketing services weren’t

equality

Ekaterina’s devotion to creating a business built on the wellbeing of its employees and clients is evident

as profitable as they needed to be for the business to grow. Ekaterina, who was fast burning out, took a step back and audited InspoHub from top to bottom.

It was at this point that Ekaterina’s husband was invited to join the company. As a TV and video content producer, Ben brought a whole new array of expertise to complement the existing creative services implemented by Ekaterina. Before long, InspoHub’s primary offering became video production and distribution marketing. With a team that was keen to adapt and stay in InspoHub’s working culture, Ekaterina and Ben allocated time and budget into developing employees in new roles that allowed them to play an integral part of InspoHub’s transition.

By the end of 2022, InspoHub regularly collaborates with the likes of Aston Martin, Klaviyo, RFU and one of the world’s biggest multinational investment banks. Th is is testament to Ekaterina’s dedication to a wider cause –creating content differently.

Her devotion to creating a business built on the wellbeing of its employees and clients is evident. A key example of this is the 50:50 crew gender split on all-female sporting events covered by InspoHub. Th is is a pioneering effort to give opportunities to all in a heavily maledominated industry. Add to this the fact that the average age of the InspoHub team is 25 years-old shows the concentrated efforts in nurturing young creative talent.

Left to right: Dynamic Awards presenter, Natasha Kaplinsky, winner Ekaterina Blake with Donna Holland from Rockinghorse

Ekaterina has achieved the goals she set out five years ago. She nurtures and develops team members to help them surpass their potential. She has created a welcoming and equal environment for young creatives to thrive. And most importantly, she has selflessly drawn from her own personal challenges to ensure that others don’t have to experience the same.

The next step? It’s time to look ahead to the next five years and see what is held for this fantastic, female-lead company.

www.inspohub.io

She set up a company that would operate on the foundations of youth, equality and opportunity that did right by its employees and clients

Whatever your age or income, it’s important to consider your personal finance objectives. The earlier you start, the longer you have to achieve your goals. By

ALISON JONES, Partner, Kreston Reeves

REALISE YOUR PERSONAL FINANCE GOALS

We’ve identified 10 personal fi nance actions to help you get started.

1 SET YOURSELF REALISTIC FINANCIAL GOALS BASED ON YOUR CURRENT INCOME, AND REVIEW THEM ANNUALLY.

At the beginning of each fi nancial year, consider what you want to achieve, your dream retirement lifestyle, your fi nancial legacy, and what you need to do to achieve these goals. Plans and fi nancial priorities may change, but starting early means your savings and investments add up over your lifetime.

2 WRITE A WILL AND KEEP IT UP TO DATE

The last few years has taught us not to leave anything to chance. Everyone over the age of 18 should make a Will and, if you have children, appoint guardians for them. Wills date as personal circumstances change; moving house, having children, getting married, divorced, or embarking on a new relationship. Take the time to reflect on your wishes.

3

IS NOW THE TIME FOR A LASTING POWER OF ATTORNEY?

Life can change in a moment and if you are no longer able to make decisions about your property and fi nancial affairs and/or health and welfare, then an LPA helps maintain control and ensures your wishes will be followed.

4

INVEST IN, REVIEW, AND UPDATE YOUR PENSIONS

It’s never too early to start thinking about funding retirement, retire age and lifestyle. State pension entitlement has changed in recent years and you can check for free what you will qualify for at www.gov.uk/check-state-pension

Consider investing in a company and/or private pension throughout your lifetime as it’s one of the most effective and reliable ways to plan for and fund your retirement. Review regularly to ensure it’s on track to meet your goals. If it’s not, consider investing more or fi nding alternative methods.

Keep track of previous pensions and the accumulated benefits they may have. The Government has a free Pension Tracing Service. Update your pension beneficiary forms to ensure they go to who you would like to inherit them.

5

REVIEW AND CONSIDER YOUR INSURANCE POLICIES

Are you and importantly your loved ones adequately covered if you need to make a claim? Check if your insurance policies are written in trust so that funds paid out may not be automatically part of your estate and subject to Inheritance Tax.

Everyone over the age of 18 should make a Will and, if you have children, appoint guardians for them

6 REVIEW YOUR EXPENDITURE AND BUDGET

Households’ income and expenditure change all the time, so take the time to review them. Areas where you can save money are things such as transport, holidays, eating out and entertainment. Set yourself a realistic budget for the lifestyle you want and consider how to save as much as you can.

7

PLAN YOUR ROLE IN A BUSINESS

Would you like to work for yourself in the future or are you already involved with a business you part own? Either way, considering how and when to exit a business is important to ensure it’s valued appropriately, to minimise exposure to certain taxes such as Capital Gains Tax and to ensure the business is in strong shape to continue for the future.

8 UNDERSTAND YOUR INHERITANCE TAX EXPOSURE

As you get older and accumulate more wealth and assets, carrying out a periodic review of your fi nancial position and your potential exposure to Inheritance Tax is important. Should you decide to gift some of your money or assets to family and friends, consider all the implications around Inheritance Tax, Capital Gains Tax and Stamp Duty.

9

GIVING TO CHARITY

If you can make donations via gift aid, you enable the registered charity to receive an extra 25% at no extra cost to you if you pay sufficient tax.

For higher or additional rate taxpayers you may also be eligible to claim the difference between the rate of tax you normally pay and the basic rate on your gross donation. There may also be additional Inheritance Tax benefits of leaving 10% of your estate on your death to charity.

10 CREATE AN ‘IN CASE OF EMERGENCY’ DOCUMENT

Family members often struggle to fi nd important documents. If you keep all the information in one document listing details of any wealth manager, accountant, solicitor along with the names of banks or building societies where accounts are held then this will make it easier to deal with.

No one likes to think of the worst happening to them but thinking about your fi nancial security and your loved ones throughout your lifetime can give you peace and security for a brighter and more secure, fi nancial future.

Th is isn’t an exhaustive list, but these points can help get your New Year off to a flying start and allow you to keep track of your long term fi nancial goals.

Alison Jones is a Partner at Kreston Reeves and can be contacted at alison.jones@krestonreeves.com

Visit www.krestonreeves.com or call us on 0330 124 1399.

Set yourself a realistic budget for the lifestyle you want and consider how to save as much as you can

From a young age, we are taught to ‘be yourself’ but in the business world, this can be difficult. ERIKA ELIASSON-NORRIS, CEO of Beyond Governance, always thought she had to fit in to be successful, but after having twin girls, they taught her a valuable lesson about individuality

What my twin girls taught me about individuality

Being a single mum to identical twin girls and running my own business is like juggling balls, with new ones being thrown in and taken out all the time; you just have to try not to drop the ‘glass ones’.

Balancing home and work life doesn’t get easier as they grow, it just changes. My daughters are now eight years old and, just like raising children, when you’re running your own business, it sometimes feels as if you have it all together.

BECOMING A MUM

I became a first-time mum with the birth of my daughters and, at the time was an employee working in a large corporate. Like so many women, sadly I experienced various challenges returning to the workplace on terms acceptable to me.

As a result, I applied for new roles at the tail end of my maternity leave and returned to a brand-new part-time job. I had a whole host of new skills valuable to my employer but also a rather giant unwanted ‘monster’ of insecurities over my ability to fit in, bring value to my new company and balance the ‘mum guilt’ I often felt when returning to work. I know now this was ridiculous as the skills honed from being a mum added another dimension to me.

TWINS AND INDIVIDUALITY

Every day my daughters teach me about the importance of celebrating individuality beyond the surface. On having them I’ve had to hone many skills which I now use at work and at home. For instance, it’s a careful path to tread celebrating successes with twin girls; you need to balance sensitivity and the realities of life that not everyone is good at everything and sometimes you’re not in the limelight. These skills of diplomacy, compassion and honest feedback are vital to an employer and a must for all management roles.

In my business, I now have deeper conversations with my team. I seek to understand what makes each employee happy

Not being a twin myself, I’ll never fully appreciate their special bond nor the challenges of being mistaken for your sister on a regular basis, particularly at school. Being a singleton though gives me the skills to support them in celebrating their individuality. No one should feel like they are being tarred with the same brush, whatever their background. Th is is so important in business when we’re recruiting team members; we shouldn’t be looking for a carbon copy replacement for the person who left.

CLEAR COMMUNICATION

I have learnt clearer, simpler communication too; I always have an eight yearold witness to my home conversations willing to give constructive feedback to me that I was ‘unclear in my delivery’. Simple, clear communication is vital in day-to-day working life but particularly important when appraising employees; we should ensure we’re clear in setting expectations and, however much we think we’re great at communication, there’s always more to learn.

In my business, I now have deeper conversations with my team. I seek to understand what makes each employee happy, and what drives them and I never make assumptions about what life is like walking in their shoes. Assuming two children of the same age and gender will react in the same

way to the same stimuli has gotten me in trouble so many times.

Communication is the key to good sustainable relationships in and out of work. We shouldn’t assume people know us well even if we spend a lot of time with our colleagues; they will have lived a different life and had different experiences. As a parent, you learn to anticipate your child’s tantrums but there is a long period of time when you just don’t know what you’re doing.

Babies and toddlers cannot tell you how they feel other than through tears and you spend many hours watching and observing in the early years, honing these skills to catch the breakdown before it occurs – and yet we still get it wrong sometimes. Time must be taken to get to know work colleagues too.

Before having children, I thought I valued different skills equally but becoming a twin mum has put this to the test and I realise now how unrefi ned my skills used to be. Learning how to explain to an identical twin why there is a disparity in how accomplished they are in different areas compared to their sister is something that must be delivered with kindness but also complete honesty. Additionally celebrating success uncovers a new challenge when both have tried their best, but one has been recognised with a certificate, a shout or a school merit mark.

BEING A MUM AND A CEO

Being a mum is one of the most difficult and rewarding jobs. The skills I have honed include extrovert tendencies; talking to new people (networking), being more explicit in my communication and problem-solving with two humans, and only one pair of hands set me up perfectly for my business venture.

I started my corporate governance consultancy, advisory and training business Beyond Governance in 2019. We advise, train and consult with boards, directors, executive management and investors on how best to ensure their organisations are sustainable, efficient and effective now and will remain so in the future. I owe so much to my daughters for teaching me so much about myself but also for teaching me how to value every aspect of a person far beyond skin deep.

www.beyondgovernance.com

Every day my daughters teach me about the importance of celebrating individuality beyond the surface

On the back of so many topics covered in Dynamic, here is some suggested reading if you wish to delve deeper into each subject

FURTHER READING…

INSPIRING MORE CONFIDENCE, AND LESS DOUBT

W

hy Brave Women Win focusses on impostor syndrome and endeavours to show women how to be themselves and take on the success they deserve.

Jill Bausch, a top head-hunter for international organisations, has seen hundreds of women underestimate themselves.

Have you ever felt you weren’t good enough and that you’re just waiting to be found out?

Impostor syndrome - feeling like you don’t deserve your achievements or you’re a fraud, is something that a lot of us can relate to, and even more so if you’re a woman.

KPMG research showed that a staggering 75% of executive women have experienced it.

So why do so many highly accomplished women frequently struggle with feelings of inadequacy, self-doubt and low self-confidence. And what can they do about it?

Why Brave Women Win is a practical, inspiring and entertaining self-help book that provides stories and tools for women who want to tackle impostor syndrome, increase their confidence, show their authentic self and gain authority while they reach success and fulfi lment in their personal and professional lives.

Author Jill Bausch, a talent management and leadership

TACKLING IMPOSTOR SYNDROME

Impostor syndrome

– feeling like you don’t deserve your achievements or you’re a fraud, is something that a lot of us can relate to

This book addresses why capable people suffer from impostor syndrome and creates a roadmap for thriving despite it. Having suffered from impostor syndrome that threatened to derail her academic and career aspirations, Dr. Valerie Young made it a priority to understand why so many intelligent people end up feeling fraudulent. While her expertise is in impostor syndrome in women, her work is widely accepted as being applicable to anyone.

The Secret Thoughts of Successful Women: Why Capable People Su er From the Impostor Syndrome and How to Thrive in Spite of It – Dr. Valerie Young (Random House, 2011)

specialist who now works with the UN, LVMH Paris, Apple and WHO, chose to walk away from her ‘dream life’ and exciting career as a top executive to focus on bigger, purpose-led missions: combatting the HIV pandemic and helping to uplift sex workers and women across the world.

Taking on these challenges and going against what was expected from her as a corporate executive, a woman, wife and a mother required great bravery. But Jill is proof that brave women really do win.

In her book, readers discover:

• Why and how to mirror confidence – until it becomes natural

• The different levels of listening, and how they impact your success

• The habits of highly successful women giving practical techniques

• How to package yourself for maximum impact without compromising your integrity or authenticity

• How to be a lasting leader during turbulent times. Why Brave Women Win shares Jill’s personal journey, experiences and advice in a thought provoking, open and highly entertaining way. It is a must-read for any woman at any stage of their life and career who wants to achieve their full potential.

Why Brave Women Win: Creating Your Path to Con dence and Power in the Workplace by Jill Bausch (Leaders Press, 2022)

BE WHO YOU ARE

Written by distinguished shame researcher Dr. Brené Brown, The Gifts of Imperfection imparts a multitude of learning points for anyone struggling with impostor syndrome. With her knowledge derived from not only extensive research but also personal experience, Dr. Brown conveys the importance of cultivating values like courage, compassion, and connection to combat feelings of shame and inadequacy. This, she argues, is how we come to feel we are ‘enough.’

The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You’re Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are – Dr. Brené Brown (Hazelden Information & Educational Services, 2022)

CREATIVE DOUBTS

Those for whom work is largely a creative endeavour are often familiar with impostor syndrome. Not only is the value of their work subjective, but creatives also spend long stretches of time working solo, with little in the way of positive feedback. Godin raises the possibility that impostor syndrome is a sign you’re doing ‘important work,’ with fear of failure almost a prerequisite for personally meaningful projects.

The Practice: Shipping Creative Work –Seth Godin (Penguin Books, 2020)

Godin raises the possibility that impostor syndrome is a sign you’re doing important work

Taking care of braın health – at any age

BY TESS DE KLERK

“It’s a myth that ageing means irreversible decline and that there’s nothing you can do about it,” says neurologist Dr Robert Friedland, who is lauded for his book Unaging: e Four Factors at Impact How You Age.

Dr Friedland is a clinical and research neurologist devoted to the study of the brain, especially related to how we age according to our brain health. He wants us to see ageing as an opportunity to preserve our functions and enhance our abilities. As he points out, “Ageing is an opportunity because we’re here and we’re alive. It doesn’t happen to everybody and we all know people who have died young.” How do we make the best use of this opportunity?

Friedland, who teaches at the University of Louisville in Kentucky, wants us to know that the way we grow older is not entirely up to genes, time, or fate.

“Genes are important,” he says, “but while we can’t change those, there are lots of things we can do.” Unsurprisingly, it is all about lifestyle choices and the earlier in life we start implementing these, the better. But making changes and the right choices, right now, whatever your age, is paramount.

“Another way of looking at it, though, is that if a 60-year-old man who smokes, drinks too much alcohol, eats badly, and never exercises stops doing all those bad things, and does good things, by the time he’s 70 he could be in better shape than he was when he was 60. Even though he’s

Practice paying attention

Constant multitasking is not good for our brains. Studies show that when our brain is constantly switching gears to bounce back and forth between tasks, especially when those tasks are complex and require our active attention, we become less efficient and negatively affect working memory. Dr Friedland stresses the importance of focusing on only one thing, without interruption, for extended periods.

KEEP THE MIND ENGAGED

For example, think about what you watch on screen. Choose content that is cognitively

stimulating, engaging the brain in asking questions, looking

PLAY CHESS

There are few leisure pursuits more cerebral than pitting your tactical wits against your chess opponent. Draughts is OK, but chess is the real deal.

NURTURE AND MAINTAIN RELATIONSHIPS

Friendships, close relationships with siblings, children, and lovers are extremely important to a healthy life, says Dr Friedland. A lonely person may be twice as likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease in late life than someone who is not lonely, according to a study by researchers at the Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Centre in Chicago.

Constant multitasking is not good for our brains

TRY NEW THINGS

Our brains love the stimulation of new things, be it travelling somewhere exciting or visiting a gallery. Our brains fire up when presented with something new.

BE PHYSICALLY ACTIVE

“Physical exercise should be pursued as if life depended on it, because it does,” says Friedland. Physical activity throughout life has beneficial effects on the development

10 years older, the fact that he stopped the bad things could allow him to improve his pulmonary function, his ability to walk, and his heart disease could be reversed.

“He could have had diabetes at 60 but no longer have it at 70 because he did the right things.” It’s not that all agerelated changes can be prevented, says Friedland, but a lot of the declines in function we see with ageing are also the result of what he calls “harmful lifestyle behaviours” that we can change.

So what does he speci cally recommend? Keeping the brain engaged is at the heart of it because the brain is inextricably linked with every other part of our health and wellbeing.

” ere are lots of things we can do to make a di erence,” he says, “to try and cherish the opportunity to age as best we can.” His book is full of practical advice.

Dr Robert P Friedland is a clinical and research neurologist at the University of Louisville, Kentucky. His book Unaging: e Four Factors at Impact How You Age was published by the Cambridge University Press in October 2022.

MAINTAIN ORAL HEALTH

Studies have shown that oral health directly affects the brain. As periodontal disease is caused by bacteria, individuals with gum disease have an increased risk of difficulty with their basic cognitive functions. When left untreated, gum disease can interfere with a person’s memory and ability to take on new information.

LOOK AFTER YOUR ‘SECOND BRAIN’

Researchers have found that a lesser-known nervous system in our guts (our second brain) communicates with the brain in our skull. Together, ‘our two brains’ play a key role in certain diseases in our bodies and overall health. Taking care of our gut health is of paramount importance – take those probiotics and eat fermented foods daily.

Studies have shown that oral health directly affects the brain

DETOX DEBUNKED

Th is can lead to:

TANYA BOROWSKI is a highly experienced nutritional therapist and functional medicine practitioner, specialising in hormones and all areas of women’s health. This month, she dispels some of the myths over a popular post-Christmas detox…

It’s easy to be swayed at this time of year by the notion that drinking juice is ‘healthy’ and that it will negate all the sins of December. Persuasive and attractive marketing encourages us to embark on three, five or even 10-day juice cleanses and liver detoxes to improve our health or lose weight. It’s pure fruit juice, so it’s good for us, right?

LET’S BEGIN WITH FRUIT SUGAR

The sugar that comes from fruit is called fructose. It is meant to be consumed in a whole fruit with all its natural fibre. If it is not, then fructose is bad news for our health. Why so?

Nearly every cell in our bodies can use glucose for energy. In contrast, only liver cells can break down fructose. What happens to fructose inside liver cells is complex but one of the end products is a triglyceride, a form of fat. Uric acid is also formed.

• Triglyceride build up in liver cells and liver damage

• Triglycerides released into the bloodstream that can contribute to the growth of fat-fi lled plaque inside artery walls.

• Uric acid can turn off production of nitric oxide, a substance that helps protect artery walls from damage.

Another effect of high fructose intake is insulin resistance, a precursor to diabetes. So, while the sugar in a piece of fruit is perfectly balanced when eaten in single portions, drinking concentrated litres of fructose in the form of fruit juice will lead you down a path of poor metabolic health.

BUT JUICE CONTAINS LOTS OF VITAMINS AND MINERALS, DOESN’T IT?

Sadly, the calories and the sugar in juices are simply not worth the vitamins and minerals they provide. There is little vitamin C, antioxidants or arguably the most important of all – fibre in juice. Fibre is what assists in the production of health enhancing short-chain fatty acids in the gut, which keeps you fuller for longer and enhances regular bowel movements for optimal and natural detoxification.

A single serving of just one kiwi fruit provides so much more – and costs just 50p! If you eat the whole piece of fresh fruit, you’re eating the skin, flesh and possibly the seeds, so you’re getting all the fibre and the juices in a controlled portion. You’re not getting the excess sugar from three or four pieces of fruit at one time.

There is little vitamin C, antioxidants or arguably the most important of all –fi bre in juice

PRESSED JUICE VS PROCESSED JUICE

Most processed juice, even 100% juice from supermarkets, undergoes a very unnatural process. We’ll use orange juice as an example. Oranges are picked, the juice extracted, heated and pasteurised. Then they are stored in gigantic vats, where the oxygen is removed so it can be stored for up to a year or more. Removing the oxygen removes a lot of the fl avour. Therefore, big juice companies hire fl avour and fragrance specialists to formulate ‘fl avour packs’ to make the orange juice taste like oranges again. Th is is insane.

Prepacked smoothies aren’t better. Brands boast of their smoothies containing impressive amounts of fruit and vegetables but unfortunately the majority of antioxidants and vitamins are lost in pasteurisation as well as the extended time it sits in supermarket fridges.

The ‘trendy’ cold pressing process does negate the pasteurisation pitfall but these are commonly pushed within detox or slimming cleanses which cut out whole food groups such as protein. Protein is vital for detoxification.

In summary, if you are thirsty, drink water. Make fl avoured waters by using fi ltered water, orange slices or a few raspberries, fresh ginger or mint leaves.

In health, Tanya.

IF YOU WANT TO ‘DETOX OR CLEANSE’ HERE ARE MY TOP FIVE TIPS

Give up alcohol for five weeks – there are so many wonderful botanical non alcoholic drinks now. Give them a try and you’ll be amazed how much brighter you feel.

2

Detox WiFi – turn off all computer screens by 8pm and be in bed for 10.30pm. This will reset your circadian rhythm and kick start your natural detoxification process.

3 Avoid the centre of the supermarket aisles which are packed full of processed foods containing artificial flavourings which burden the liver. Instead, top up on whole foods in the form of fresh vegetables, grains, pulses, berries, nuts and seeds which will improve your gut microbiome and natural detoxification.

4 Finish eating by 7:30pm and have an overnight fast through to 9.30am the next morning. Studies show that controlling the times we eat or undertaking short-term fasts can aid in weight reduction, fat loss and improve blood lipids like cholesterol.

5 Drink plenty of water and herbal teas. This will cleanse your body more effectively than a juice cleanse. Plus you get to save your pennies at this time of year.

Tanya Borowski is a holistic health practitioner.

E: admin@tanyaborowski.com

Big juice companies hire fl avour and fragrance specialists to formulate ‘fl avour packs’ to make the orange juice taste like oranges

1

The Fairmont has only been open for about a year or so but the attention to detail and consummate professionalism of the team can easily allow one to believe that this smooth ship has been sailing for years.

BY TESS DE KLERK & INDIA HOFFMANN

THE FAIRMONT WINDSOR PARK Swanky, indulgent and fabulous!

It is clear that Surinder Arora, one of the UK’s most successful hoteliers, spared no expense in creating this very smart spa hotel on 40 acres of peaceful Surrey countryside, just an hour outside of London.

ATMOSPHERE

The approaching drive winds over a toytown bridge stretched across a lake with whimsical fountains on each side to reveal the resplendent hotel built in the same style as the Jacobean manor house which had previously occupied the grounds. Upon entering the striking glass-domed atrium reception, it becomes clear that you’re in for a superlative stay where classic is melded with modern; where everything glitters in its newness, yet somehow manages to avoid feeling uncomfortably fl ashy.

ACCOMMODATION

Our suite was truly exceptional. It was enough to provoke delusions of grandeur, if one is so inclined. All I can say is that if you can book one of the One Bedroom Balcony Suites, then do so - you won’t be disappointed.

We could easily have spent all our time in the spacious suite with its indulgent touches, opulent living area, sumptuous bedroom and deluxe bathroom laid out in clean and crisp white marble. That said, of the rooms that I saw at the Fairmont, all were elegant and luxurious with pleasing neutral pallets and quality fi nishes throughout. And all designed for comfort and pleasure.

SPA

As expected from a hotel of this calibre, we found the spa to be beautiful, spacious and luxurious. The large outside hydrotherapy pool was a favourite, comfortably warm with powerful massaging water jets to knead away any lingering outside-world tensions. Of course, if hands-on is more your thing then choose from an array of massages and other impressive body treatments using only top-of-therange products.

Dip into the 20-metre lap pool or lounge in the lovely whirlpool. Enjoy a sauna or cleansing steam and cool down in the tropical rainforest experience shower before relaxing in the Himalayan salt room or the quiet room with its adjustable beds and weighted blankets. Amenities at an extra cost include a hammam, and there is an option to book the private spa area which comes with its own hydrotherapy pool and room service.

Cryotherapy can also be booked at the state-of-the-art cryo chamber.

The Facebible is an on-site doctor-led wellness and aesthetic clinic stocked with the latest equipment of the aesthetic industry while also running a private GP service. Th is means that blood tests can be ordered, prescriptions issued and all your health needs tended to ensure an encompassing health and wellness service.

Naturally, fully equipped indoor and outdoor gyms as well as tennis courts are part and parcel of your stay at the decadent Fairmont.

Our suite was truly exceptional . It was enough to provoke delusions of grandeur, if one were so inclined

WINING & DINING

Find a variety of choices from high tea at the pretty Orchard Room to whisky tasting at the wood-panelled Library Club, or head straight to the dark and decadent 1215 Bar for fantastic cocktails. Afterwards, move to its adjoining restaurant for fabulous food made from the freshest seasonal produce. The tasting menu is popular but I opted for the Windsor estate venison loin with braised red cabbage, pear and beetroot and it was melt-in-the-mouth glorious.

GOOD TO KNOW

Fifteen state-of-the-art meeting rooms are available for business needs, cleverly designed to allow the rooms to adjoin for larger events.

Access for guests with mobility impairments? Yes, the hotel offers accessible Fairmont King Room options, which are situated on the ground floor. The spa is also accessible.

Family-friendly? Absolutely. All the restaurants serve a kids’ menu and there is an extensive list of activities for the little ones to enjoy.

Children are permitted in the spa swimming pools at selected times.

Price per night: A Fairmont King room will cost from £423 in January 2023. Our suite was £1500 per night.

BOOK THROUGH SPABREAKS.COM

The multi-award winning spa booking platform works with over 600 spas in the UK and Ireland, arranging spa days and breaks for up to 6,000 people a week. As Europe’s number 1 spa specialist, the talented team works closely with spas to create packages that showcase the best each destination has to offer. Customer service is central to everything they do, with their UK-based team of spa experts ready to help individuals find the right experience for them.

www.spabreaks.com/venues/fairmont-windsor-park

Winter becomes magical in the right setting, and the Finns and the Swiss have a special knack for encouraging and nurturing a passion for the icy season. Take a look at these two very special resorts – far off the beaten track.

BY TESS DE KLERK

UNIQUE WINTER WONDERLANDS

WHITEPOD, SWITZERLAND

Whitepod is an eco-luxury resort at the foot of the Dents du Midi (‘Teeth of Noon’) mountain range in the Swiss Alps. It faces the renowned ski resort Villars and stands above the city of Monthey. Pods range from cosy to deluxe while the Timeless suite was designed by Audemars Piguet to include a private sauna and outdoor Nordic bath, complete with todie-for views. That said, all of the 18 pods boast absolutely breathtaking views.

There is an array of active winter pursuits that will suit many tastes. Or you can simply cocoon in the wellness area and enjoy the calm of the stunning mountains from the outdoor Scandinavian bath and outdoor sauna.

Summer sees an even more expansive selection of activities, including speleology - that’s caving to you and I.

On site is the Restaurant Les Cerniers offering ‘wild cuisine’ from local products and the chef’s foraging. The Pod House is the place to be for breakfast and tea; or order a picnic basket to take with you on your adventures.

Pod House can also serve meals to your pod, if snuggling up is all you want to do.

Whitepod caters to groups and corporate events too, with a giant pod and chalet fully equipped for group meetings, seminars and conferences.

HOW TO GET THERE: Fly direct from Gatwick to Geneva with a choice of airlines. Return flights in January with easyJet start from £64. The drive from Geneva to Whitepod takes around 1h30 with taxi pickup charged at around £400 per car. Alternatively, take the train to Monthey and a taxi from there for around £50 per car. Starting from £347 p/n during the winter season https://whitepod.com/en

All of the 18 pods boast absolutely breathtaking views

KAKSLAUTTANEN, FINNISH LAPLAND

Located above the Arctic Circle, in a remote corner of Finnish Lapland, a sprawling complex boasting various types of accommodation, including luxurious log cabins, snow igloos (yes, made from nothing but blocks of ice and snow), traditional Lapp houses and glass igloos whose unique design allow guests to see the Northern Lights from the comfort of their own beds. Seeing the otherworldly colours glow across the sky is always magical and here, so far north and so remote, the near complete lack of light pollution makes for the most intense and prolonged display.

There is plenty more to do too, from ice swimming to reindeer safaris to cross-country skiing and snowboarding. After a day of activity, recuperate in one of five smoke saunas and enjoy traditional Lappish cuisine at one of two restaurants and a glass igloo bar.

Best time to visit: Kakslauttanen welcomes guests throughout the year with unique adventures offered according to the season. It’s worth noting that the sun never

sets during Lapland’s intense summers - between mid-May and early August. It’s the perfect excuse to squeeze too much into one day! The glass igloos are available to book throughout the Northern Lights season, beginning from around August 24th until the end of April.

How cold is it, you ask? The snow igloos are defi nitely not for the heat-seekers amongst us, with the inner temperature kept between -6 and -3ºC. Igloo guests are provided with hats, sleeping bags and woollen socks for extra warmth but if that is not your cup of hot chocolate then book one of the Kelo glass igloos or chalets with wood-burning fi replaces and saunas.

HOW TO GET THERE: Fly with Finnair from Heathrow to Ivalo Airport. This includes a stopover in Helsinki. Return flights in January start from £255 and take around six hours. Kakslauttanen provides a pick-up service from the airport. Starting from £447 p/n during the winter season www.kakslauttanen.fi

Kakslauttanen welcomes guests throughout the year with unique adventures offered according to the season

Dynamic caught up with Annie Lyle, aka Ula Ceramics, and asked her to share with us pieces that she has been working on, and her thoughts behind her work

ART SCENE

I’m an artist based by the ocean in Brighton, where I continually explore my local nature, creating ceramics to remind us of the earth’s beauty and our connection to it.

My ceramics are sculptural and functional, taking the shapes of vessels, bowls and plates. These shapes resemble a feminine energy, pregnant with new beginnings. My vessels are a depiction of our own human bodies, our bones and our DNA.

My aim is to convey the similar vibrations and subtle mysteries I feel communicated from the earth. I want to help bring us back to nature and bring a touch of nature to our homes.

I teach pottery and painting classes in Sussex and London, where I help people connect with their creativity and destress with art. My classes and courses are very chilled and open for people to share about themselves and their lives. I really do believe anyone can make anything with the right amount of encouragement and kindness, and I’m happy to create this space for people.

These are two are my latest pieces. I often make two together, resembling the male and the female slotting into one another or joining in some way. The clay is textured with sand and glazed with gloss on the inside showing the light within. The curves have their own story and unique experience with a desire to grow and reproduce. They are, like the rest, a co-creation with nature herself.

Annie teaches ceramics, sells her own work and welcomes commissions. Email: annie@ula-ceramics.com

These shapes resemble a feminine energy, pregnant with new beginnings

Fiona Shafer had one or two misgivings about road-testing a Honda Type R. Once behind the wheel, however, most of those concerns soon disappeared. Fiona is the MD of MDHUB

Handling the unexpected

To review or not to review - that was my immediate thought when Maarten let me know that the Honda Type R was next up on the delivery schedule. Th is was the fi rst time I had ever pushed back on a car review.

My own personal bias had automatically kicked in as to whether or not a technical ‘hot hatch’ would be of interest to (or, indeed, wasted on) both myself and the overall demographic of the Dynamic readership. Then I remembered that it is often the husbands and partners of said readership that read this column as well. In addition, there are other variants of the Civic that might be of interest despite this review of the ‘slightly unhinged’ version.

I had Maarten’s words ringing in my ears. ’And this is exactly why you should review it, Fi,’ backed up wholeheartedly by my business partner Phil Green.

It also prompted the memory that I had once been the proud owner of a Golf GTI for a number of years, largely driven by a younger boyfriend who I suspect thought it was handy to hop onto my insurance and have a blast.

That particular love affair – with the car I may add –came to an end after too many blown head gaskets. Then the fi nal nail in that coffi n came when I went to work one morning to fi nd the Thatcham alarm had been disabled and the entire dashboard and steering wheel had been stolen and were likely en route back to Germany to be sold as precious replacement parts. Shame that the car thieves forgot to take said boyfriend with them as well.

So I decided to get over myself and crack on - the irony of a menopausal woman in a hot hatch not being lost on me.

How times move on. As Honda celebrates its 30th anniversary of the Type R, my anxieties of driving something quite hideous and luminous around town – now elevated to the term ‘Super hatch’ with a massive spoiler on the back –were calmed upon sight of a rather gorgeous graphite grey Type R, with a discreet and unusually subtle small wing spoiler.

In fact, let’s take the word spoiler out as, in the literal sense, it is not. Instead, let’s stick with small wing as it calmed my sensibilities. It also does not cut across as much of the visibility at the back window as it might normally do, which is a good start.

For die hard Hot Hatch fans who like an aggressive, sharp design that either courts envious attention and screams ‘look at me’ or alternatively sends eyes rolling, this is quite a departure by Honda’s designers but I rather liked it. Honda has been promoting this car as ‘understated’, and Top Gear described it as being “as shy and retiring as a nocturnal field mouse.“

This is quite a departure by Honda’s designers but I rather liked it

POSITIVES

• It’s fun and super sporty

• Shiny, titanium gear knob which is great to hold

• More power than an AMG 35, BMW M135, Audi S3 and Golf R

• No more bonnet scoop

• 420-litre boot space

• An extraordinarily useful and well written 835-page manual, starting with ‘What to do if’

• Great value for money – starting at £34,450

DYNAMIC

TECH STUFF

MODEL TESTED: Civic Type R

ENGINE: 2.0-litre turbocharged POWER: 329 bhp SPEED: 0-62 5.4 secs TOP: 170 mph

ECONOMY: 34.4 mpg PRICE FROM: £34,490

NEGATIVES

• Infotainment system – rather underwhelming

• A rather puny sounding horn

• Comfort seats - You can end up in the lap of the passenger in the back if you’re not careful

• It has a disconcerting screech when you apply the brake pedalsee the manual

• The Honda factory at Swindon has now shut and is no longer making them but the Germans have picked up the manufacturing mantle, so watch out for the new model in 2023.

If a Sports Car can ever mature to reach a wider audience, then the Type R might be just what you are looking for in 2023

8.5/10

I think that was a little unkind. I don’t believe it to be either.

The 20-inch wheels have been changed for 19-inch rims. Th is, in turn, means that rural driving, normally pretty uncomfortable in the fabulous R Type setting, was surprisingly acceptable even though I did have the very odd experience of getting out of the car and feeling like I had just disembarked from a boat onto dry land; ever so slightly wobbly.

Then again, with 60mph arriving in 5.8 secs on such a setting, the car was going to make itself known somehow. Stick to the Comfort or Sports settings and you might not need a lifebelt!

Internally, the upholstery is a matt black velour-look fabric with smart white and black stitching. It’s OK but with the classic red seat belt wrapped across you, you could be mistaken for resembling a box of Black Magic Chocolates.

With a top speed of 168mph, it fortunately has brakes as sharp as hyena teeth, comes complete with the customarily throaty triple exhaust, handles extremely well and has a highly visible speed check (officer…).

With 60mph arriving in 5.8 secs on such a setting, the car was going to make itself known somehow

By TESS DE KLERK

MATT GILLAN’S HERITAGE RESTAURANT

After stumbling upon The Chequers in the picturesque village of Slaugham towards the end of 2018, Chef Director Matt Gillan decided that the charming Edwardian property was the ideal location for his fl agship restaurant. Matt has enjoyed a lauded career thus far and was originally the man behind South Lodge’s The Pass, which earned a Michelin star not long after opening. You may also recognise him from the BBC series, Great British Menu. Heritage is the culmination of Matt’s many years of experience cooking at the highest level.

The former pub makes for a lovely atmosphere where you can enjoy an aperitif at the elegant bar or lounge on the plush sofas in front of the fi replace before being seated in the rather minimalist restaurant overlooking green pastures. Book one of the five boutique upstairs rooms to fully emerge yourself in the charming village experience.

Heritage offers multi-course tasting menus ranging from three to nine courses with the choice to pair with great wines or creative cocktails. Menus are seasonal, and focused on produce available from the surrounding area.

Our meal started with a creative amuse-bouche of which the tempura oyster was absolutely outstanding! Complimentary bites devoured, we moved on to the four and five course taster menus with dishes of traditional ingredients infused with creative twists. Butternut squash tart with tarragon emulsion perfectly complimented by ginger ice cream served by our charming and knowledgable server.

My grilled huss with madras crust was cooked to perfection, light and fluff y while the crispy cauliflower hashbrown added a a golden crunch and perfect off set to the delicately favoured fish.

Small in size but huge on fl avour, the braised lamb shank, BBQ leg, savoy cabbage with red cabbage ketchup is a dish I’d travel a long way for. Shredded lamb peek from the soft centre of the bonbon, the rich gravy is poured at the table to keep the coating crisp, and the soused vegetables and red cabbage add fl ashes of brightness to an otherwise deep and resonant dish.

It was Coco Chanel who advised women to remove one accessory before leaving the house, a maxim I wish had been applied to my dessert before it left the kitchen. The vanilla and parsnip mousse with blackberry compote and apple sorbet was always going to be slightly risky, but the light mousse worked well with mostly vanilla and a slight parsnip undertone being quite complimentary.

I enjoyed each bite until the near last when I popped the singular blackberry in my mouth only to bite into a mouthful of vinegar. It was such a shame - the berry horribilis completely ruined the dish and nearly all the good memories of the meal. The unexpected mouthful of vinegar pickled berry was so potent that it shot through my sinuses and the taste seemed to linger for a couple of hours.

Heritage by Matt Gillan, The Chequers, Slaugham, West Sussex RH17 6AQ www.heritage.restaurant

Heritage offers multi-course tasting menus… with the choice to pair with great wines or creative cocktails

Chichester

Defined by its iconic chalk-cliff coastline and the rolling expanse of the South Downs, Sussex has inspired artists and writers across the centuries. Alongside works by contemporary artists, the exhibition includes works by J.M.W Turner, William Nicholson, Vanessa Bell, Duncan Grant, Ivon Hitchens, Eric Ravilious and Edward Burra.

Pallant House, Chichester Until April 23rd www.pallant.org.uk/whats-on

SUSSEX LANDSCAPE: CHALK, WOOD AND WATER EXHIBITION WHAT’S ON...

A brief snapshot of art and culture in Sussex and Surrey

SOUNDS OF THE 60s LIVE WITH TONY BLACKBURN

Guildford

Following this year’s success, BBC Radio 2’s popular Sounds of the 60s series will take to the road with a live show hosted by Tony Blackburn, the station’s iconic DJ. G Live, Guildford January 26th www.ticketmaster.co.uk/tonyblackburn-an-evening-of-60sclassics-guildford-26-01-2023/ event/37005D4EEF7B50CE

Henfield

See how rum is made by taking part in a walking tour of the Goldstone distillery. You’ll be led through the making process and tasting where you’ll learn the flavour profile and characteristics, and which rum works best in which cocktail.

Goldstone Rum Distillery, Henfield Every Saturday 10-11am https://goldstonerum.com/tours

Wisley

Find yourself in a colourful reef below the surface of the sea, where familiar houseplants mix with other weird and wonderful plants from the Wisley Glasshouse collections, colonising undersea rocks, shipwrecks and treasure chests.

RHS Gardens, Wisley Every day from February 4th www.rhs.org.uk/gardens/wisley

DENBIES ONE DAY WINE ENTHUSIAST WORKSHOP

Dorking

Denbies One Day Wine Enthusiast Workshop will cover all aspects of wine tasting and appreciation, grapes varieties and wine regions in a fun and relaxed way. Hosted by our Wine Expert, your day includes refreshments throughout the day, two course lunch with Denbies award winning wine and plenty of wine tasting!

Denbies Wine Estate, Dorking From February 9th

www.denbies.co.uk/fc-events/ one-day-wine-enthusiast-workshop

CONCORDE EXPERIENCE

Weybridge

Take the Brooklands Concorde Experience and see inside the world’s most famous aircraft. Re-live the excitement of the supersonic age in this fascinating 25-minute tour, evoking emotional memories. The Concorde Experience runs every day the Museum is open and requires both a Museum admission ticket and an additional Concorde Experience ticket to be purchased.

Brooklands Museum, Weybridge February 13th-17th (half term) 10.00am - 5.00pm www.brooklandsmuseum.com/explore/ exhibitions/Concorde-Experience

COMEDY: ZOE LYONS

Worthing

Zoe is the host of BBC2’s Lightning. She’s known as a star of Live at the Apollo and a regular on Have I Got News for You (BBC1), QI (BBC2), and Mock the Week (BBC2). Other credits include Celebrity Antiques Road Trip (BBC2). See her on her ‘Bald Ambition’ Tour.

Pavilion Theatre, Working February 25th

https://wtm.uk/events/ zoe-lyons-bald-ambition-tour

TRIBUTE ACTS

Pink (Vicky Jackson) Concorde 2, Brighton January 21st

The Best of Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons Capitol Theatre, Horsham January 21st

The Style Councillors

ELIZABETH LOWRY

Lewes

Novelist literary supplement writer Elizabeth Lowry will be giving a talk about her work, including The Bellini Madonna (2008) and Dark Water (2018) – both highly acclaimed.

All Saints Arts Centre, Lewes February 28th www.ents24.com/lewes-events/all-saintsarts-centre/elizabeth-lowry/6580954

The Venue, Worthing January 22nd St Paul’s Church Centre, Worthing January 27th

Simon & Garfunkel – Through the Years Ropetackle Centre, Shoream-by-Sea January 27th

Transmission: The Sound of Joy Division Con Club, Lewes January 28th

Hello Again – The Neil Diamond Songbook New Victoria Theatre, Woking January 29th