Simply Business Magazine issue 6

A word from our Chief WELCOME TO SIMPLY BUSINESS MAGAZINE! John Welcome to the latest instalment of SImply Business Magazine, Summer is here, the warmer weather brings with it different challenges, mainly keeping cool (at least for me and my Northern skin) I have embraced the Bitmojis I think they are so cool, many of the members of Simply Business Club have also shared their Bitmojis with us and so we decided to put some of our members on the cover of this magazine, can you tell who’s who?

When it comes to marketing your business do you allow for a little flexibilty and fun?

In this edition we have some really amazing articles and adverts from some big high street names and some SMEs, we welcome your feedback if you want to tell us what you liked, disliked or maybe what we should add in future editions we would love to hear from you.

In the next edition we are starting a Q&A with questions being asked of an expert and they will share their knowledge to provide some nuggets of advice. First up in the hot seat for the October / November edition is Lenny Wood, who is a marketing expert, send us your questions via email or social media, details below If you want to contribute to the magazine then please do get in touch with us, we enjoy getting articles from people wanting to share their expertise with our readers

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What’s inside

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Frama customer Review Written by John Turner

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Government Recovery Loan Scheme ends... What next?

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Harrods achieve paper towel sustainability at no extra cost

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What’s on your mind?

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Pensions & Wills The importance of a Pension in your will

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Simply Business Club Top 5 advantages of networking

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Simply Business Club Members profiles & Contact details

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Shoppers rally around small businesses amid tough times

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Getting to grips with the new normal

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Linkedin for Teens from MDR and Switched On!

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Spending too much on ink

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Educational Life CIC Update Plus podcast of a recent radio interview

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Book Brilliance bookkeeping and three types of publishing

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7 top tech tips Passwords

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Simply Business Club membership benefits and Magazine Rate Card

Simply Business Magazine Within this magazine we feature businesses, business professionals and we really like sharing positive news, updates and advice & tips. Do you fall within the above, do you have some information to share with our readers?

In the next edition we are going to be launching an ask the expert section, would you like to feature as an expert in a future edition or on our social media platforms, get in touch via the methods detailed below.

Subscribe to our mailing list for future editions

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Automate your website Two reviews for FRAMA and their awesome products 1, Do you need people to complete a form in order to take your services?

This article is written by John Turner from Simply Business Club as a thank you to Mike and his team for helping to make life so much easier when it comes to becoming a member of his business networking. We have provided two quotes one o this page and another on the next page, we hope you find them useful.

When we were looking at solutions for our website we looked at eCommerce and we consider doing things manually but then I spoke with Mike and he introduced me to the amazing static link feature offered by Frama.

For our records and for a smooth process we need to take certain details from new members, we take GDPR seriously and so when I spoke with Mike I explained I needed something that would be able to take information such as name, address, phone and email address but also be a legal contract that, once signed by the new member, is legally binding, Mike showed me around the static link dashboard, explained how it works and what can be done within the system. I was really pleased to see we could add editable sections for people to add their contact information, buttons to answer questions and tick boxes if I needed to add in a question with more than

one answer. But this form was also an esignature form with the potential to add a sign box at the bottom.

It then came to the application of it, i Was a little worried it was all too good and would either be realy expensive or a really difficult system to use, neither of these potential problems happened, the cost is very competitive and the application of the static link to your website is really straight forward.

Before this we have used esignature credits to send out the forms manually and they cost per link, sending out loads of forms with only a small percentage of them coming back filled in.

The static link has now helped to automate this process by allowing people who are actually interested in filling in the forms when they want to and saved us money by not wasting credits sending the forms to people who have no interest in actually filling it in.

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2, Do you wish there was an email tracking option that was more cost effective?

There is! When we first met Mike and he introduced us to the different services offered by FRAMA we were using another company to provide us with email encryption and tracking, we sometimes need to make sure that we know when an email was sent and that the customer also knows that it was sent at a certain date and time to avoid any awkward problems.

We have used FRAMA now for several years after moving over to the littel red button, there are lots of emails that are send out that do not need to be tracked and so FRAMA have created a way to add the security and protection as and when needed, by the click of a button.

Once you have sent out an encrypted email it will be tracked and time stamped so if there is ever a need to prove when it was sent, including in a court of law, then you have peace of mind to know it cannot be ignored.

As this article says, we use FRAMA and we would recommend that you and your company do the same, speak to Mike or one of his team about the benefits and also how much it will cost as everyones needs are different, all I can say is that it is more cost effective than other esignature software providers.

Still not sure?

Frama Rmail is now available with a noobligation 30-days free trial. Just get in touch and see for yourself.

T:

01992 45 11 25

E:

contact@frama.co.uk

Thank you for listening to me talk about FRAMA Mail. As a thank you to people and businesses we use we will be repeating this feature in each edition.

John

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GOVERNMENT RECOVERY LOAN SCHEME ENDS...

WHAT NEXT? Recently, the government’s recovery loan scheme ended leaving the small business community in the lurch - and with questions as to what comes next in terms of government support.

With this in mind, sharing a quote from Roan Lavery, CEO of cloud accounting software FreeAgent which outlines the SMB/E’s disappointment at the decision to end the scheme as the community faces the cost of living/inflation and supply chain challenges, and calls for a new support scheme to take its place.

A bit about Roan - Roan Lavery is the co-founder and CEO of FreeAgent, one of the UK’s most popular accounting software systems for small businesses. Over the last 15 years, Roan has helped grow FreeAgent from 3 co-founders to over 250 people and is passionate about building great companies and products that delight both staff and customers alike.

“It’s disappointing that the Recovery Loan scheme is coming to an end, especially as many small businesses are still struggling to stay afloat in the current economic climate. There is a real need for ongoing financial support to keep the SME sector buoyant, but few remaining opportunities for business owners to actually access these much-needed funds.

with. The cost-of-living crisis, in particular, has been incredibly difficult for small business owners who are not only struggling with increased fuel and supplier bills, but also wider economic dangers such as rising inflation and slumping consumer confidence.

“Although there are a few new government initiatives coming into effect later this year - such as a new interest-free loan scheme and a one-off energy grant - these are designed to help everybody in the UK, rather than being business-specific. And they fall way short of what many small businesses need to tackle the cost-of-living crisis.

“SMEs are the backbone of the economy, making up around 95% of all UK businesses. Due to their nimble and innovative nature, they are also likely to be the businesses that will lead the UK economy back to prosperity.

But in order to do this, they require the right support - including better access to finance that can help them through these difficult times.

“I would therefore urge the government to consider introducing a new support scheme specifically for SMEs that can take the place of the COVID recovery loans. The more help we can provide to smaller businesses now, the quicker they will be able to drive the UK’s recovery in the future.”

“No-one expected the government’s COVID-19 support measures to continue indefinitely, especially since the pandemic appears to have eased slightly over the past year and allowed businesses to return to some kind of normality. However, there are still massive issues that SMEs are currently having to deal 8

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ARE YOU TRADE MARK READY?

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HARRODS ACHIEVES TOTAL PAPER TOWEL SUSTAINABILITY AT NO EXTRA COST Harrods, the world-famous luxury department store, has solved one of its biggest headaches by diverting tonnes of its used paper hand towels from general waste.

Having already reduced Harrod’s waste by replacing its paper hand towel product with a more absorbent alternative, Banner, the full-service business supplies company, identified KimberlyClark Professional’s RightCycle service as a circular solution for paper towel sustainability.

The service seamlessly recycles all existing hand towel waste.

The used paper towels are regularly collected, compressed and processed into new paper products. Critically, Banner was able to set up this service at no additional cost to Harrods while retaining the premium nature of what they offer.

MickTwelves,KeyAccount Manager at Banner, says, “I investigated a number of suppliers and it became apparent that traditional waste management companies do not accept paper hand towels with the mixed recycling. Then I found RightCycle by KimberlyClark Professional and I knew we were onto a winner. The result is a massive reduction in Harrods’ waste footprint, with no impact on purchase price.

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“As a long-term customer, Harrod’s knows that it can make significant steps towards its own CSR goals through us. We’ve become an extension of their team, and through our ability to consolidate delivery and find solutions through our reach and relationships, we’ve been able to save the business time and money while also improving its sustainability.”

Rebecca Morgan, Corporate Social Responsibility Manager at Harrods, says, “We’re on a path to a sustainable future and, as part of that we have some key focus areas for this year.

We’re plotting our path to Net Zero, we’re looking to substantially reduce our waste and increase our recycling rates, and we’re looking to reduce plastic from around the business. Working with Banner and Kimberly-Clark, our facilities team identified the opportunity to recycle our paper towels into new paper products, which was an ongoing headache for Harrods.”

James Hallam, Circularity Program Manager at Kimberly-Clark Professional, says, “The customers get a closed-loop service with RightCycle; they know the hand towels are going back into making new products that they can buy themselves. It’s as easy as throwing your hand towels away, but it’s a more responsible option for everyone, including the planet.

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Do you have a business story to tell?

Get in touch with us, send your articles to info@ simplybusinessmagazine.co.uk If you want to promote your brand within the article or as an advert including links to your chosen destination and videos then get in touch and take advantage of our awesome advertorial or advert offers including article and brand shares on social media

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I think the invitation in this previously otherwise blank box is rather significant.

“What’s on your mind?”

Well what is it?

Are you happy?

Is life a bed of roses?

Are you truly living the dream?

If so then I am absolutely delighted for you, but be joyful in that as you scroll on to more exciting things because you are in the minority.

Most people have something that isn’t as they would want, have a problem they cannot quite deal with or resolve. It may be significant; a mountain that cannot be scaled.

It may be less so; more like a grit in your shoe. But even the tiniest grit wears a hole in your sock eventually.

Melior Vita is a means to stop, take off your sock, remove that offending fragment and walk on in comfort. Equally it is a means to reduce that unscalable cliff to a pile of easily surmounted rubble. To reach that mountain top no matter the challenge.

Well GOOD NEWS! We all have the answers within us.

Wex all have the knowledge we need.

Sometimes we just need someone else to hold up a mirror, maybe at a different angle. Sometimes we need someone to help hold a match to the blue touch paper.

Sometimes someone to give us permission to succeed Hence Melior Vita.

Latin scholars will know immediately this is a rendition of “A Better Life”.

Melior Vita holds mirrors.

Melior Vita lights fuses.

Melior Vita says YES. You CAN....

Be it personal or professional, large or small, every scenario has a solution and it is waiting to be found and acted upon.

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Help in the way you need, at the pace you need, to the place you need.

The first step is yours.

The journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step.

From there on there is help.

The first step is FIND A COACH

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Get in touch for more details 0330-127-0317 info@melior-vita.com www.melior-vita.com

PENSIONS AND WILLS Written by Sara Sheppard

You might be wondering why a Will-Writer might be writing about Pensions. Those that know me will know that I call myself an Estate Planning Consultant as I do so much more than write Wills and as I recently attended a seminar through The Society of Will Writers, called Pensions and Death, run by Adam Johnson of New Forest Wealth Management (a Partner of St James’ Place), this has made me review how I deal with pensions when talking to clients.

Since the introduction of the Taxation of Pensions Act 2014 (Pensions Freedom), pensions are likely to become the biggest asset that we may own, even more valuable than property. We may have more pension “pots” in the future, which can be passed on to the next generation and beyond.

I am not a regulated pension adviser and cannot give you advice about your pension, but what I can do is make sure that you have a letter of wishes to go with your Will that deals with your pensions, and these are fast becoming extremely important, particularly if you want your pension pot passed into an Asset Preservation Trust so that it protects the capital and at the same time making sure it provides for your family. The Trustees of the Trust need to know what your wishes are and how you would want them to look after your family.

Normally I would just tell you to contact your pension provider and complete a standard nomination form – mainly because this will keep it outside of your Estate tax-free and to ensure that it is available quickly to provide for your family, rather than wait months for the monies to become available, but Adam explained very clearly why will-writers, whether they are solicitors or will-writers, should be addressing how pensions are to be dealt with by the pension trustees.

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Now, I will be looking to help my clients ensure that the pensions have more detailed wishes recorded. So if you think you have some pensions, even if you do not know what has happened to them, seek advice from a pensions specialist, who can help you put your pensions in the right place to work for you and I can

Having needed a will for a while I spoke to Sara and she helped me through the process with her knowledge and hand holding. Thank you for your support and for providing me with peace of mind going forward.

John T help you put together a letter of wishes so that your pensions are passed on to those of your family that you wish to benefit and that it is similar to your wishes in your Will. We may even have to consider how the pots are dealt with before and after the age of 75. The reason for this is that

pension recipients may be taxed differently depending on the age of the original pension holder, and how the pension pot is to be distributed.

So, I would recommend that firstly your pensions should be reviewed to make sure you are building nicely into a fund that will provide for you in retirement and hopefully for future generations, and secondly review your wishes along side your Will about how your pension fund should be used.

Sara Sheppard TEP FSWW, SLS Wills and More Ltd. Sara is an experienced practitioner with 35 years’ experience and has been an independent Estate Planning Consultant for the last 5 years. If you would like advice, please contact Sara on 01304 577998 or visit www.slswillsandmore.co.uk for further information.

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Sara provided a first-class professional service in the preparation of our wills. Every step of the process was fully explained in finite detail, with expert advice given and options provided for all eventualities, to suit our final wishes.

Would not hesitate to recommend SLS Wills to anybody requiring their services.

David T Wills & Lasting Powers of Attorney Lifetime Trust & related Estate planning services Probate assistance through third party providers’

01304 577998 sara@slswillsandmore.co.uk www.slswillsandmore.co.uk www.simplybusinessmagazine.co.uk

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Top 5 advantages of Business Networking written by John Turner 1, Are you scared or apprehensive about talking in front of more than one or two people?

When you start out in business there are lots of things to consider, registering as a business, a business plan, do some market research, make sure your idea is something that the market wants or needs and then get some branding, these are some of the many things to consider and do when starting out. Once you have created your business and established your offering you need to tell people about you, your product or service and why they should buy from you.

A really amazing resource at this point in your business is business networking, not only will you have the chance to tell people about you and your products or services but you will also gain support and collaboration opportunities.

So on to the top 5 advantages of business networking, here we discuss why you should attend meetings and what you can get out of it.

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Business networking offers you the chance to talk, improve your pitch and build confidence when talking in front of a room of people, This is huge benefit that you get from networking, I remember starting out, attending networking and being very uncomfortable, I wore a suit and tie because I thought you needed to be all suited and booted and I stuttered through the early days. I got through it, built up confidence and now I am happy to talk to anyone about what I do.

2, It can be lonely starting out in business!

Working from home and working for yourself can be a very lonely place, no opportunity to have a chat when making a brew, no team social events when Brian makes a fool of himself, just you, yourself and I. Networking offers you the chance to talk to others in the same boat, others who might be having a down day or have the chance to shout about an amazing thing that happened.

3, Are you looking to raise your profile and build your brand?

Of course you are! Otherwise why are you in business?

Business networking gives you a platform to show off your skills, to show off your products and services and to increase awareness of your awesomeness.

The more work you do with people you network with the more people will talk about you in a positive way and help build your reputation.

4, Build your own Connection pool

Support is your key to sucess, don’t ever forget that!

How do you do business, do you network? What would you say are your top 5 networking tips?

Share your experiences with us, and if you haven’t been along to Simply Business Club then come along and tell us your opinion of how we do networking

SUPPORTING OTHERS IS KING!

Throughout your life, personally and in business you will need to ask for help from people, it could be a tradesperson, it could be a removal company, it could be a driving instructor, it could be one of a million things. You will meet a lot of people whom you could turn to, maybe your boiler breaks down at home, but its okay I know Dave the plumber; maybe you need a new website for your business, its okay, I know Alex the develper. You will then become the go

to person when people need someone to help, don’t worry, John knows everyone, my family often say.

5, Supporting each other In business you will find there are, like in every walk of life, people out there for themselves, they don’t want to help others, they would rather step on granny to get a leg up than help her up out of harms way. Networking helps you, many of the people who attend networking can see the bigger picture, helping others will make you look good, it could present an opportunity but above all its the right thing to do, there will come a time when you are needing someones support, how would you feel if your contacts turned their back? www.simplybusinessmagazine.co.uk

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Shoppers rally around small businesses amid toughtimes American Express research reveals • Over half (52%) of small businesses say customers are choosing to shop small to support them during the challenging economic environment • Research comes as American Express’ Shop Small campaign returns this month, incentivising Cardmembers to spend at participating small businesses across the UK

The research, conducted by Opinium on behalf of American Express, found that over half (52%) of small businesses believe customers are choosing to shop with small businesses to support them during the current challenging trading environment, brought about by a range of cost and supply chain pressures.

This support is reflected in the number of new customers shopping with small independents; more than half (55%) of small businesses report seeing a rise in new customers purchasing from their business over the last six months.

London, UK, 15 June 2022 – Small businesses are receiving muchneeded support from their customer base according to new research from American Express, released to coincide with its summer Shop Small campaign that helps support the nation’s local and independent businesses.

When it comes to the future, two-thirds (66%) of small business respondents say they are expecting sales to grow over the next year, with over a third (35%) stating they are optimistic about prospects for their business.

Dan Edelman, Vice President and General Manager, UK Merchant Services at American Express said: “After the many challenges of the last few

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last few years, it’s heartening see that customer support for the nation’s valuable small businesses remains strong. We’re proud to champion these businesses, which is why we’re encouraging our Cardmembers to show their appreciation by shopping locally with the return of Shop Small this month, available at more locations than ever before.”

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Get in touch with us, send your articles to

First launched 10 years ago, Shop Small helps independent businesses attract customers through their doors and is just one of the ways American Express champions small businesses all year round. The company is founder and Principal Supporter of Small Business Saturday, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year (3 December).

Michelle Ovens, Director of Small Business Saturday UK, added: “Such optimism shown towards small businesses is fantastic to see, especially as we navigate through a challenging time when they need our support more than ever.

Choosing to back campaigns such as Shop Small and Small Business Saturday is an excellent way to get behind our nation’s independents and give them the recognition they deserve.”

Between 20 - 26 June, American Express Cardmembers will receive a £5 statement credit when they spend £15 or more at participating small businesses across the UK. This Offer, funded by American Express, can be used up to 5 times, once per participating small business location, meaning that Cardmembers can earn up to £25 back in statement credits. The total number of participating locations this summer has risen by almost a fifth (19%) compared to the previous campaign in December 2021.

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GETTING TO GRIPS WITH THE NEW NORMAL Written by Rob Smith

The events of the last couple of years has dramatically changed the way businesses work as well as the way people work within them.

For some they found a perfect opportunity to start-up on their own and realise their dream of running their own business. For others they had the opportunity to work from home for the first time in their careers. As time moved on these dreams began to look a little less appealing and the reality that the grass isn’t always greener started to kick in. Those that work from home are missing the daily connection with their work colleagues and it’s important to consider that human interaction and communication with others is an essential part to our wellbeing and contributes to our effectiveness in the workplace.

Those that started out on their very own business ventures are faced with challenges they’ve never come across before and many are finding it tougher than they imagined. As a consequence many are losing confidence and struggling to focus on what it takes to get them to where they want to be. Let’s face it, starting a business is hard, and scaling an existing business isn’t any easier. Understanding the next steps and taking them isn’t always obvious, especially when people get bogged down in the day-to-day minutiae of their business and lose focus on the bigger picture.

removing any obstacles in your way, by helping you get a bird’s eye view of every aspect of your business. They also act as an effective accountability partner, looking at strategy, planning and most importantly - taking action.

As a business coach, it is important for me to understand that every client I work with has different needs. Firstly, I need to establish what are the main aims and objectives of the business or individual, which isn’t always obvious. One of my favourite sayings as a coach is: “If you don’t know where you’re going, how will you know when you get there”.

As a qualified NLP practitioner, I can also call upon some very useful techniques to deal with a range

of issues – lack of confidence, anxiety, motivation and stress, which can often create a sense of paralysis within a business.

If any of this sounds familiar to you, there is nothing wrong with you – you just have to do things differently – it’s that simple!

If you’d like to find out more about having your own coach and make the changes you want call me on 07808 600895.

But it doesn’t have to be like that…

Having a professional coach working alongside you acts as an effective business satellite navigation system - someone who helps you get a clear picture of the path ahead, identifying and 26

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A wealth of expertise on your doorstep We provide a comprehensive wealth management service, offering specialist face-to-face advice tailored to you. Our services include: • Investment Planning • Retirement Planning

• Inheritance Tax Planning • Intergenerational Planning

For further details please contact:

Wright & Shadwell Wealth Management Tel: 01227 722922 Email: k.wright@sjpp.co.uk www.wrightshadwell.co.uk H2SJP26581 07/17

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Understanding the power of LinkedIn for teens One of my power affirmations in Making Digital Real is that with LinkedIn, any teenager can get a head start on making a name for themselves.

Parent of teenagers, this article is for you...

It goes without saying that building a great reputation, maintaining a portfolio, and participating in a community of professionals are the cornerstones of career success.

I’ve always had a love hate relationship with social media - in the sense that if I put my energy in to something, what is it that I’m working towards and getting out?

I spend a good amount of time on LinkedIn each week - creating content and highlighting mine and others achievements that will get me seen, noticed and remembered - for all the RIGHT reasons!

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Click H Regist Simply Business Magazine

My goal is to highlight the values of professional social networking to youngsters so that they can catapult themselves in to their dream jobs and understand the power of innovation in this incredible new digital business world without the restrictions that many of my generation had.

The incredible Clare Ford Academic Coach and Teen Mentor and myself have created a very special on demand, online course to help teenagers understand the power of LinkedIn...

Its a fun, alternative take on a social media platform that can unlock amazing potential and bring out the inner entrepreneurship in youngsters and boost their careers, just as it did for me 10 years ago.

It’s never too soon for your teenager to start building a strong professional profile, and Clare and I are so excited to assist in guiding them through the process.

That energetic teenager might grow up to become one of your trusted colleagues—or even your client!

Here to ter Now www.simplybusinessmagazine.co.uk

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Spending too much on ink?

Did you know that ink is more expensive than gold?

A scary fact that people don’t realise when they buy a £29.99 home printer because they don’t print much, it can be cheaper in fact to buy a whole new printer (because they come with inks) than it is to buy a new set of ink, there is a good reason the printer is £29.99 and that is not because the big manufacturer is being kind, it is because they are tying you into a buying cycle which leaves you with the choice of buying their specific ink or a new printer.

Wade Business Solutions Ltd, better know as WBS Copiers & Printers, based down in Kent, South East England, has a very good reputation for service with a difference and this is because they are willing to help you find the right type of printer for your needs. If you are spending anything more than £10-£15 per month on ink then it could be worth you looking at a toner based printer, if you are using your printer for a few documents per month then you need to realise that the printer heads may clog up unless you print something a little more regularly. These are just some of the things you don’t get told about when it comes to printer maintenance.

WBS was setup by Ian Wade when he decided to use his experience to help people, several years later Ian has grown his team, he now has 4 engineers working for him and a team of 5 admin staff all of this in place to ensure their customers enjoy a guaranteed 4 hour response to machine breakdowns, this is helped by the fact Ian has invested in the latest software in the industry which means he often knows of a problem before the customer does.

The ethos of WBS is service driven, they believe that too often for other printer companies the focus is on driving sales, and once the sale is complete not delivering the level of service promised.

One thing WBS will always tell you, ALWAYS buy original cartridges! Yes it is true, they cost more, you can get compatibles online for a fraction of the cost but ask yourself why is that? one of the reasons is the ink is a lower grade quality and, as such you will get a poor quality print, especially with photos.

Another reason is they use far more ink and are often filled with much less ink than the originals and so although on the face of it they look like great value they are not.

Buying compatible inks is also one of the biggest problems for the machines and if you go for the cheaper option and then it breaks down your manufacturer will no longer honour any warranty as compatible inks will almost certainly void your warranty including any additional protection you buy to cover the machine.

WBS can help you with your printing needs, talk to Ian about how they can be of service and potentially save you money including offering packages which include the machine, maintenance and toner management so all you will ever need to do is buy and load the paper.

If you are in need of some advice surrounding your print requirements talk to WBS, Ian and his team have over 100 years experience in the industry working on machines from all major manufacturers, he will give you some no obligation advice and then you can decide what is best for your needs.

Do you want the details listed below, digitally, if yes scan the QR code below 07557 029 115 or 07525 259 746 WBS Copier and Printers Kent Innovation Centre, Millenium Way, Broadstairs, Kent, CT10 2QQ

WBS are committed to providing high quality service and lower prices, without compromising quality, before and after the sale.

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Written by Claire Turner

Eddie's back!

Educational Life has a much loved mascot... Eddie the Elephant!

Before Covid Eddie could be found mingling with lots of friends, at school assemblies, carnivals, sporting events, celebrations, you name it, if there was an opportunity to be out, Eddie would be there.

Eddie loves a good 'High - Five', a chance to have a go, have his photo taken or just be silly.

Eddie is a really important part of the Educational Life brand and what Educational Life means to the community.

first post-covid event this month. He was greated with such enthusiaim it was wonderful.

Unfortunatly, two years of storage have taken its toll on poor Eddie, his tail is missing, his feet are in a poor state and his t shirt is out of date. He needs some TLC and a new wardrobe.

I have a fantastic offer for readers of the Simply Business Magazine, to get their name and business on Eddie's t-shirt, from as little as £50.

If you would be interested in sponsoring Eddie and his t shirt, please do get in touch, I would love to tell you more about Eddie and the benefits of being of involved.

I also had the opportunity to be interviewed on the radio about Educational Life CIC, please do take a listen by clicking below to hear about what I do and why I do it.

Pre-pandemic, we took Eddie to visit a very special SEN school, as you can imagine some of the children were a little nervous. Eddie is very understanding, kind and gentle and never wants to cause anyone to be upset. At the start of our visit Eddie kept his distance, and practiced his waving to the children, as time went on and the children became more familiar and at ease with him, there were some High - Fives being exchanged and a few hugs going around, but one little girl was still very nervous but as the day went on she finally interacted with Eddie and they became best friends. Eddie said his goodbyes and we went on our way. A few months later we took part in the carnival, Eddie was in his element waving and high-fiving all over the place.

All of a sudden we could hear a liitle voice calling, Eddie! Eddie!, low and behold it was the frightened little girl from the school, Eddie went over to be greated with High-Fives and hugs. Both Eddie and the little girl were delighted, #BFF4LIFE. The fantatsic news is that after two years away, Eddie is back out and about and was invited to his 32

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THREE TYPES OF PUBLISHING Publishing Made Easy Written by Brenda Dempsey Book Brilliance Publishing BOOK BRILLIANCE PUBLISHING is an Independent Partnership Publishing Author Services business. Its authors make an investment and the author and publisher work collaboratively together to publish the book. We offer the quality and experience of Traditional Publishing and fulfil the gaps that self-publishing lacks. At BBP we do not take the author’s rights; they maintain them 100%. We have put together 15 Principles of Publishing and are proud to trail blaze this best practice.

What are the three types of publishing?

Traditional publishing: A traditional publisher provides everything from editing and printing to marketing, publicity and distribution. It takes a licence of rights and pays writers a fee or an advance, and royalties. It does not ask for payments from a writer. It funds its operation by sales of books and is therefore investing cash and resources, and taking a risk on the book’s success.

Self-publishing: Writers can self-publish at very little cost to themselves. Even if they pay a self-publishing service provider to edit, design, produce and market their book, they will retain their rights. The writer receives all profits after the sales platform or distributor takes its cut and can extract themselves from the agreement at any time.

Partnership/Hybrid publishing: If a writer pays money for publication and grants the company a licence of rights or if the company takes a share of any profits, the writer is dealing with a ‘hybrid’ / paid-for publishing service.

What is unique about Book Brilliance Publishing’s Author’s Journey?

As a Partnership Publisher, our authors are at the heart of everything we do to ensure an exciting, professional and smooth experience. We offer a holistic approach, putting our authors in the driving seat as we navigate the path to their ultimate success. Our brilliance lies in supporting authors make between 60-70% profit from their book after printing costs; and in addition, they retain 100% copyright. We provide transparency around the Return Of Investment.

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Why is Collaboration important?

Having worked in Education for 25 years, Brenda know the true value of collaboration. Different minds, experiences, and expertise are brought together to create something bigger, better and more brilliant than you can ever achieve alone. Collaboration ignites excitement, encourages perseverance and empowers us all.

Publishing Made Easy From the placing of the final full stop in your manuscript to holding a copy of the book in your hand, there is an exciting road ahead. We take care of everything. It begins with creating that wonderful relationship between you and your editor; the front cover design brings your story to life, as does the magic of the design and typesetting of your manuscript to produce your book. There is much to do behind the scenes in order to ensure your book is found by the book trade on a global scale.

We are the Author’s Choice for Publishing Made Easy.

Publishing Made Easy From mind to manuscript, BBP will guide you through the process with ease. Whether your book is an idea or you have finished your manuscript, you can trust that we provide transparency, accountability and a holistic approach.

A team you can trust with over 50 years’ experience, we have created and developed a Brilliant and Holistic Author’s Journey providing everything you need to become an author oozing authority with ease on a global stage.

Our Values are Integrity, Collaboration, and Reliability. The energy is fuelled by purpose and passion of all the team and our favourite part of the author’s journey is taking YOU Beyond Your Book. Adding Value is our goal so we provide Digital Marketing and PR as standard including both a Preand Post-Publishing Marketing Plan. You want to be an Amazon #1 Bestseller? We offer that too!

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www.bookbrilliancepublishing.com How BBP Can Scale Your Business?

We operate on global stage with businesses and entrepreneurs and our authors come from all corners of the earth. Brenda is a board member for both the International House of Speakers founded by Dr Shama Hussain from Oman, and the Malaysian-based 28 COE (28 Credentials of Entrepreneur). Brenda also has close connections with royal office of Sharjah, founder of Business Gate and I AM AFRICA, H.E. Laila el Atfani and is a regular columnist for BizEntrepreneur Middle East.

Being part of the BBP family of authors would give you access and free partnership to some of the above global organisations.

/ book-brilliance-publishing / brendadempsey / book_brilliance

What are the benefits of a professionally published book with BBP? You are on a mission to make a difference! BBP will help you amplify your voice, elevate your position and be the authority in your field. We will help you gain clarity of message and build on your values to shape your legacy.

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7 Top Tech Tips - Passwords Provided By David Meares - Virtec IT Solutions New technology and more sophisticated methods of security are being developed all the time, most will be familiar with Biometric security in the form of unlocking devices with finger prints, face recognition and even retina scanning (but that’s usually reserved for the movies!). However, even with these new security

1. Complexity and Length – Always try to use a password that is complex and as long as you can. This means combining uppercase, lowercase, numbers, symbols in various combinations to make a unique password. If needed use an online random password generator to do this.

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methods most will still require the ability to fall back on a password, so for the moment, they are here to stay and because of this we will provide “7 Top Tech Tips” for your passwords.

2. Apply 2-Factor Authentication (2FA) – This additional security method is now available on most platforms and services.

It means an additional step is required when logging into a service by ensuring once you enter your login details (e.g.

Username and Password) it will then send a one time code (via email or text message for example), this ensures that if an attacker gains access to your credentials then this alone will not be enough to gain access.

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3. Avoid storing passwords – Avoid storing your passwords (either digitally or on paper) – If needed look into a password manager that uses advanced security with Biometrics and 2-Factor Authentication

4. Don’t repeat passwords – Never use the same passwords in different locations. If a single account gets compromised, any account/platform using the same password should be considered compromised too. Always ensure every site/device/account uses a different password.

5. Avoid obvious passwords – Don’t use passwords that can be easily guessed. Things like “password”, “password123”, “123456” and “QWERTY” are obvious ones not to use but this also includes things like names, dates of birth, addresses, etc.

6. Don’t use real (Dictionary) words – Much the same as using obvious passwords. Using legitimate words can be guessed or “brute forced”.

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7. Don’t give out your information – Never text, email or read out your passwords. Your passwords are yours and no one else should need them. If ever requested, simply refuse.

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