Issue006
Spring Forward This March
March2024
TheclockschangeinMarchandwewelcomebackthelighterevenings Thedarkwinterdaysare behindusandwecanalllookforwardtosummer. AtTheBusinessNetworkBirmingham,wewantyou toenjoybeingpartofanamazingbusinesscommunity. So,inthisissuewehelpyoumakethemost ofyourmembershipwithsomeexcellentup-to-dateinformationfromourexperts Inaddition,we alsofeatureourMembersLinkedInGroup,anotheraddedbenefittohelpallmemberskeepintouch
Thankyoutoeveryonewhoattended ourFebruarylunch Wehadanother 10newcompaniesintheroomto meetourmembers.
AhugethankyoutoStuAvisfrom AudaciousCreativeCommunications forhisbrilliantlytitledandsuperbly presentedseminar“BridgingThe BrandCanyon”
Fabulous February March Seminar
Making
Owningandrunningabusinessalwaysinvolvesanelementofuncertainty Forthcoming Lunch Event Dates Thursday 18thApril 12.00pm -2.00pm All Events Will Be Held At Edgaston Stadium
people Thursday 14thMarch 1200pm -200pm
Withoutthesoldiers,thefortresscan’tbeprotected Inthis seminar,youwillbeabletoidentifyhowyourbusinesscancontinueinthe eventofunforeseencircumstancesandlossofoneofyourkeysoldiers, consideringfinancialandlegalimplicationsusingreallifeclientexamples. www.business-network-birmingham.co.uk Thursday 16thMay 1200pm -200pm
NETWORK
BUSINESS
BIRMINGHAM NEWSLETTER
andrisk,however,itiseasytoforgetthatabusiness'keyassetisits
Your Business
Fortress Lee Quinn
ManythanksalsotoEmmaSansom fromFlamingoMarketingStrategies forbeingoursuperblunchspeaker Alexander Grace
A
From
Meet
The
Members: Marta Duda from MDs’ Consultancy
Name: MartaDuda
Position: Director
Company: MDs’Consultancy
Sector: BusinessConsultancyServices
MemberSince: November2023
Based:Wolverhampton
ContactNumber: 07427626463
Description: RaisingConfidenceAndPotentialOf
AmbitiousHRProfessionalsThroughSelf-Leadership
www.martaduda.com
Link With Your Fellow Members On
TheBusinessNetworkBirminghamisyourbusinesscommunity. It’snotjustaboutattendingalunch eventeverymonth Thereareothergreatwaystoconnectandgetmorefromyourmembership
AreyoupartofourexclusiveBusinessNetworkBirminghamMembersGrouponLinkedIn? Thegroupis opentoallmembersgivingyouanopportunitytopostquestionsandinformationthatwillbeseen specificallybyothercurrentmembersofthenetwork.
Therearealready75%ofthemembersinthisgroup,sodon’tmissoutonbeinganactivepartofthe BusinessNetworkBirmingham“family”.
SimplyaskSimontobeinvitedandhewillsendyouaninvitationwhichwillappearinyournotifications
www.business-network-birmingham.co.uk
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Welcome To Our Newest Member:
AverywarmwelcometoournewestmemberofTheBusinessNetworkBirmingham
Kindridge Bid Solutions - Sarah Cowell
SpecialistsInBidManagement,BidWriting, BidReviews&FindingContractOpportunities
Tel:07555303197
wwwkindridgecom
Introduce A Non-Member Guest...
HelpustogrowTheBusinessNetworkBirminghambyintroducinganon-memberguestduring2024. Growingthegrouphelpseveryone Asthemembershipdiversifiesandgrows,itwilloffermoreand moreexcellentopportunitiesforeveryonetobuildhighqualitybusinessrelationships
Amongstothers,wearecurrentlylookingforintroductionstobusinessesinthefollowingsectors:
WebsiteDesigners
Printers&GraphicDesigners
MotorDealerships
Banks
PropertyDevelopers
ConstructionCompanies
ManufacturingCompanies Hotels
TranslationCompanies
LettingAgents
CommercialEstateAgents
QuantitySurveyors
StructuralEngineers Architects
Health&SafetySpecialists
FirstAidTrainers
CallAnsweringCompanies
Telephones&VOIP
May 16th: Lunch Speaker - Ashley Giles MBE
WearedelightedthatAshleyGilesandhiswifeStinewillbeattendingTheBusinessNetwork BirminghamatoureventonThursday16thMay Ashley&StinearefoundersofouramazingCharityOf TheYearfor2024,TheGilesTrustBrainTumourFund.
Aswellasenjoyingtheopportunitytonetworkwithothermembersandguests,Ashleywillbeourlunch speakerforthateventandwillbetellingusmoreabouttheincredibleworktheircharitydoes Weare verygratefulthattheyarebothabletoattendinpersonandwethankKarenJonesforarrangingthis Wehopethatasmanymembersandnon-memberguestsaspossiblewillattendthelunch. Helpusto spreadthewordandhaveasuperbaudienceforAshleyandStine
www.business-network-birmingham.co.uk
AshleyGilesStats:
EnglandCricketer:1998-2006
TestMatches:54
OneDayInternationals:62
TestRuns:1421
TestWickets:143
ODIRuns:385
ODIWickets:55
EnglandManagingDirectorOfCricket: 2018-2022
CEOOfWarwickshireCCC: 2023-Present
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A Handy Guide By Lee Quinn From Alexander Grace
BeforetheendofthetaxyearonFriday5Aprilyou maybeabletotakeadvantageofseveral allowancestoreduceyourtaxliabilitytohelpyour moneygofurtherIt’salsonottooearlytostart thinkingaboutthe2024/25taxyear!
Whilstmanypartsofthetaxlandscapehavebeen frozen,suchasthepersonalallowanceandmost incometaxthresholds,thatdoesnotmeanyou shouldignoretaxyear-endplanningaswe approach5April.Amongtheareastoconsiderare:
Pensioncontributions:2023/24allowance£60,000.ThePensionAnnualAllowanceisthemaximumthat youcanpayintoyourpensioneachtaxyear,whilststillbenefitingfromtaxreliefItcoverscontributions madebyyou,youremployerandotherthirdparties.
IndividualSavingsAccount(ISA)contributions:2023/24allowance£20,000.ISA’smayprovideyouwith awaytosaveorinvesttax-efficiently.TheinterestorreturnsonmoneyheldinanISAarefreefrom IncomeTaxandCapitalGainsTax,sousinganISAcouldreduceyourtaxbill
Inheritancetax(IHT):2023/24allowance£3,000Ifyou’reworriedaboutyourestatebeingliablefor InheritanceTaxwhenyoupassaway,giftingassetsduringyourlifetimemaybeuseful.
Capitalgainstax(CGT):2023/24allowance£6,000YoumayneedtopayCGTwhenyoudisposeof certainassets.AssetsthatmaybeliableforCGTincludeinvestmentsthataren’theldinatax-efficient wrapper,likeanISAorPensionandpersonalpossessionsthatareworthmorethan£6,000(excluding yourcar).
Marriageallowances:2023/24allowance£1,260.TheMarriageAllowancecouldallowyourspouse/civil partner,totransfersomeoftheirunusedPersonalAllowancetoyou.
DividendAllowance:2023/24Allowance£1,000.Youdon’tpaytaxondividendsthatfallwithinyour PersonalAllowance,whichis£12,570in2023/24Youalsodon’tpaytaxondividendsfromsharesthatare heldinanISA.
Incomeplanning:Frozenallowancesandtaxthresholdsmeanyoucouldmovefrombeingabasicrate taxpayernowtoahigherratetaxpayerin2024/25.Similarly,fromApril2024youmightbecaughtforthe firsttimebytheHighIncomeChildBenefitChargeorpersonalallowancetaperActionstolimitthelarger taxbillincludebringingforwardincomeinto2023/24ortransferringincome-generatinginvestmentsto yourspouse/civilpartnerby5April.
Aseverwhenitcomestotax,itisbesttoseekadvicebeforetakinganyaction.
TheinformationavailablethroughAlexanderGraceisforyourgeneralinformation.Inparticular,the informationdoesnotconstituteanyformofadviceorrecommendationandisnotintendedtobe relieduponbyusersinmaking(orrefrainingfrommaking)anyinvestmentdecisions.Appropriate independentadviceshouldbetakenbeforemakinganysuchdecision.Pastperformanceisnot necessarilyaguidetofutureperformance.Thevalueofinvestmentsmaygodownaswellasupand youmaynotgetbackthemoneyyouoriginallyinvested.
Taxtreatmentvariesaccordingtoindividualcircumstancesandissubjecttochange.
TheFinancialConductAuthoritydoesnotregulatetaxadvice.
www.business-network-birmingham.co.uk
Tax Year End - Don’t Panic
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Boost Your Social Selling: Dodge These 5 Content Pitfalls
By Todd From Spaghetti Agency
SocialmediamarketingspecialistToddfromSpaghetti AgencyhasahugefollowingonTikTokwithmorethan6 millionsviewsofhisrecentposts Heisalsohighlyactive onLinkedInandotherformsofsocialmedia.
Inthismonth’snewsletterToddsharessomeofhis valuableknowledgewithyou.
Toddwrites:
Keepyoursocialstrategyrobustbysteeringclearofthese easy-to-makemistakes:
BeaPoster,NotJustaScroller:Cutdownonaimless scrolling;instead,spendthattimecraftingandsharing yourownposts It'sasimpleswitchthatcanleadtobetter engagementandunderstandingofyourprospects.
Conversations,NotJustCaptions:Thecomment sectionsaregoldminesforengagement.Takethetimeto interactandreply,bothonyourpostsandthoseof potentialclients It'sagame-changerforvisibilityand connection.
SubtleSellingOverHardPitching:Peoplelikestories,not justsalespitches.Discussthebenefitsofyourofferings throughrelatablestoriesofhowyou’vehelpedclients, ratherthanjustpushingproducts.
FindYourRhythmwithPosts:Consistencydoesn'tmean postingallthetime,althoughmoreisdefinitelymore!Find arhythmthatworksforyouandsticktoit,oroutsource yoursocialmediacontenttoareputableagency.
CreateforClients,NotColleagues:Forgetimpressing peers;focusonwhatyourclientsneedandwanttosee. They'reyouraudience,andthey'retheoneswho'llengage withyourcontent
Keepthesetipsinhand,andyou'llbeonyourwayto carvingapathtocontentthatnotonlylooksgoodbut alsoworkshardforyou.
Ifyou’dliketochatabouttrainingorongoingsupportwith yourcontentmarketingorsocialmedia,pleasecontact Todd@spaghettiagency.co.uk
www.business-network-birmingham.co.uk
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Gallery - February Lunch
Thank you to our official photographer, Steven Havers from Havers Business Photography for the excellentimagesofourevents-wwwhaversbusinessphotographycom
And Finally...!! Remember The Basics
At The Business Network Birmingham we are all part of a wonderful business community with an amazing range of skills and experience We are passionateaboutgivingourmembersvalue.
But please remember the most basic rule of networking, you need to actively participate by beingintheroomeverymonth Themoreyouput in,themoreyouwillgetout...
www.business-network-birmingham.co.uk
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