March 2016
Bringing trusted businesses and the community together
TheVoiceOfEpsomandEwell
The People Behind the Businesses Pg.2
Our Achievers Club
Pg.3
Dates for your Diary
Pg.7
We are the Champions With the announcement of our winners in the UK Business of the Year awards last month it seems only right that my front page article should be on the benefits winning an award can bring. Now some of you may not be comfortable with self nomination and public recognition. You might not enjoy the competitive rivalry it brings. You may even believe that you’re not good enough to enter in the first place. However, the benefits that awards can bring can have a significant effect on your bottom line, your team and the loyalty of your customers. Today’s world is highly competitive with many small businesses finding their margins squeezed when going up against the big boys. I’m sure, if I told you there was a way to increase your operating income by 63% you’d grab it with both hands. Well, the British Quality Foundation say that’s exactly the effect winning an award can have! This is before you quantify the social proof to your existing and potential customers and pride and sense of achievement your staff will feel.
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So, let’s put our distaste for self glorification aside for a moment. Awards and recognition are a form a currency. They enhance our reputation, differentiate us from the competition, make us more attractive to employees and can even increase our margins. Many people are more than happy to pay a little bit more for an award winning product or service! Now, the perfect award is unlikely to land in your inbox (other than the UK Business of the Year Awards obviously). It’s worth taking some time to research what awards are right for your business. Choose a couple, research what supporting materials are required and previous winners, put together a timeline of what needs to be done when and go for it! When you have that award in your hand don’t forget to capitalise on it. An award can only enhance your reputation if people know about it! Put it on every invoice, on your signage, on your vehicles, on your website, on your Facebook page and even on your email signature. And don’t forget to take a moment to be proud of what you and your team have done. After all, there is only one winner!
Jump in...
The
People Behind the
Business
The People Behind the Business Hats off to - Jessica Connelly
Jessica Connelly started Jessica Rea Millinery five years ago in a spare bedroom and now operates from a studio within Country Clothing Store in Ewell, a shop which she also manages. She wanted to be able to offer exquisite head pieces to ladies at a reasonable price. It’s what spurred her on to study the art of Millinery with some of the most skilled and prestigious Milliners in the UK. She is very fortunate to have been tutored by the legendary Rose Cory, Royal milliner to the late Queen Mother and Prudence, exclusive milliner to brands such as Vivienne
Westwood and Yves Saint Laurent. Jessica combines the traditional millinery techniques with only the highest quality materials, she is into her 6th season of making hats and head pieces, with lots of happy customers returning and bringing friends with them. All hats made by Jessica are made bespoke to each client and are tailored to their outfit. Clients are given the opportunity to work with Jessica on styles, themes, colours and shapes to build a piece which is truly individual. Her pieces are a big hit at the local racecourses and Jessica has had several of her hats at Epsom and Ascot covered by the BBC news and Channel 4 racing. The most noticeable pieces have been from her butterfly collection. Jessica created a range of hats and head pieces where the butterflies were really brought to life, looking like they were about to fly off the pieces. There were 27 Jessica Rea hats during the two days of Epsom Derby this year and many of the hats were photographed for the Mail Online. Both Country Clothing Store and Jessica Rea Millinery offer a high level of customer service. Getting to know their customers is the most important thing, being able to address customers by first name, knowing their particular
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styles and interests, is key to the store’s much-appreciated tailored approach. Jessica follows fashion to make sure her beautiful creations are on trend and loves attending London Fashion Week and Birdport Hat Festival. Even in her spare time, Jessica enjoys going to the horse racing and generally being outdoorsy, especially with her gorgeous Bichon Frise, Buddy, who you will often see in the Country Clothing Store in Ewell holding down the fort! Country Clothing & Store 1, Ewell House Parade, Ewell KT17 1NP Tele: 020 8394 2734 info@countryclothingandstore.com www.jessicareamillinery.co.uk www.countryclothingandstore.com
Have you made great progress with thebestof? We’d love to hear about your success and share your story here
of the month
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Are you an SME business? Want to save money on your commercial insurance? Bedford Insurance Group want to help you with their offer. 10% OFF New Commercial Non-Motor business. Liability, PL/EL, Shop & Office, Restaurants, Property etc. Want to learn more: Give them a call and tell them “You heard it on thebestof” (T/C’s may apply)
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Our Achievers Club Awarding outstanding businesses locally…
Cuff and Gough LLP Cuff and Gough LLP is a successful Solicitors Practice which has been open since 2007 and is owned by Jeremy Cuff and Deborah Phillips. Backgrounds outside the legal arena have given the team a wealth of experience in providing high quality customer service. Cuff and Gough’s primary task is to provide practical solutions to the issues their clients face. This service-oriented approach gives them a fresh view of what clients expect of their Solicitor and you will see the difference in practice. The Solicitors saw a record turnover in the last financial year and believe this is solely down to their hardworking team, which has recently expanded. The staff at Cuff and Gough are all local people, who are progressing really well and provide excellent service to their clients – working well with local agents to re-enforce business partnerships within the local community. Last year, as a result of a growing team, Cuff and Gough took over the whole floor of Lamborn Place in Banstead, giving them a High Street window to display their logo with pride. Cuff and Gough have become extremely well known within the Banstead area and have a large involvement with the May Fayre each year, and are the 1st XI sponsors of Banstead Cricket Club. The Banstead law firm are also extremely proud of their sponsorship of Sutton & Epsom Rugby Club girls team – the team is unbeaten so far this season and has even been lucky enough to enjoy Sky TV coverage! The team were seen in their sponsored shirts when the club was televised following the England Ladies Team win of the rugby world cup. Cuff and Gough are also now the sole sponsor of the hugely successful Sutton & Epsom Rugby Summer camp – an event which they are immensely excited about, occurring again in August 2016. Cuff & Gough LLP, Lamborn Place, 26 High Street, Banstead, Surrey SM7 2LJ
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Working Well Want to shine in our next newsletter? Share your successes and let Nigel and Maggie know what bits of thebestof are working for you!
Metro Bank hosts An Evening with thebestof Epsom and Ewell Metro Bank were happy to have partnered with thebestof Epsom and Ewell to host ‘An Evening With’ in January – an evening of round table networking with a purpose. Cocktails and canapés were served throughout the evening and attendees were given the opportunity to network with local businesses in the stylish Metro Bank Epsom branch, this partnership created the premier networking event in the area. Visit www.metrobankonline.co.uk
Speaking in Public via Video Ges Ray of Speaking in Public wanted to create a video that explained his business in a succinct 60-seconds, which is exactly what Rob Sedgwick of Silverback Guerilla Productions does with the Silverback Vidnet Experience. Rob helped Ges to create a script and then produced a video perfect for business success! Visit www.silverback-guerilla.com
Sara Corker Designs’ products are now online. Sara Corker Designs create high-end, luxury candles and diffusers and wanted to find a simple way to sell these products online – this is where thebestof Epsom and Ewell were able to help by creating a bespoke Facebook shop. The Facebook shop sells all of her beautiful products and is managed by thebestof Epsom and Ewell. Visit www.facebook.com/SaraCorkerDesigns/
We are looking for... At thebestof Epsom and Ewell we are on the lookout for other great members. This month we are looking for...
• Vets • Garden Centres • Indian Restaurants If you know a business that fits the bill, please contact the team:
01737 350079 | epsom@thebestof.co.uk 4 | The Voice of Epsom and Ewell - March 2016 | thebestof.co.uk/epsomandewell
6 Signs you’re a great boss way to meet them makes them feel valued and secure.
You show empathy
Being able to come across as a human being while having expectations and boundaries in place prevents staff from feeling undervalued and disconnected from the business. It strengthens and underlines that the business is a team effort. Nothing prepares you for being a small business owner. Yes, you will have a set of really great skills that are the foundation of your business but, there is no step by step guide or college course that can teach you everything you need to know when you first take the plunge and open your doors to the world. Invariably, through a baptism of fire, we learn what we need to do, what we can do, and what other people can do for us very quickly. However, while it’s just us we’re really only dealing with the mechanics of running a business. Once we scale up and bring in staff, a whole new set of learnings land in our lap that we are often ill prepared for.
You listen
As the boss, you have to make the decisions that ensure your business remains successful. However, believing that your staff have no input into it will again, make them feel undervalued and could deprive you of some really great insights into how things can be made better. Even if you listen and dismiss their ideas, the fact you have listened makes the work environment feel inclusive.
You make decisions
Now hopefully they’re always good ones, but in truth, any decision is better than no decision! An indecisive boss can leave employees feeling rudderless and unprepared. Constantly waiting for the next major problem to hit.
It turns out, most people are not natural leaders. According to Gallup, it’s only one in ten! You know your employees People need to know they are cared about. So, what are the traits of a great boss? Now I’m not saying you have to be every staff member’s new best friend, far from it, You work with your team however, if you show little or no interest in the Although the boss should lead from the front, people that work for you, why should they be not being afraid to work with your employees interested in what you are trying to achieve? at the ‘coalface’ gives you a strong working relationship and a much deeper understanding For 90% of us, being a great boss will take of each other’s strengths. self awareness, self education and regular reviewing to ensure we’re hitting the right You set clear boundaries and goals balance, however, that investment of time There is a comfort in knowing exactly where might be the difference between hitting you stand. Giving staff clear boundaries and your growth plan or missing it. goals, while allowing them to find the best
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Meet The Members We’re consistently uncovering hidden gems. Say a big hello to our local heroes.
Give them a call and say hello!
Sara Corker Designs
MCS Design and Build
Sara Corker has a skilled eye and is passionate about interior design. Offering a full range of services together with training and a delightful range of accessories.
From maintenance to new build MCS Design and Build provide a wide range of building and maintenance services to domestic and commercial clients.
t: 01883 742786
t: 07786 708 373
HomeXperts
Predator Pest Solutions
Buying, selling, renting or letting in the Banstead and surrounding area – call HomeXperts for a friendly and professional service
Get rid of unwelcome visitors - Pest Control without a sting in the tail with Predator Pest Solutions
t: 0800 112 3480
t: 01737 887 674
TRG - The Real Gym
AWL Electrical
Team TRG take your fitness seriously and have a superbly equipped gym. Open 24/7 – no joining fee – no tied in contract
AWL Electrical offer home automation, garden lighting, LED and electrical maintenance services for domestic and SME customers.
t: 0208 397 2616
Jonathan Mills Building Services Specialising in Handy Man Services, Painting & Decorating, Bathroom Design and Installation.
t: 01372 749930
t: 0208 644 2014
Barrel & Cask Special event coming up – Barrel & Cask provide mobile bar services to suit all occasions, and also offer superb drink selections for your guests
t: 01428 776151
Want to be featured on our Meet The Members page? Call us on 01737 350079 and let us know! 6 | The Voice of Epsom and Ewell - March 2016 | thebestof.co.uk/epsomandewell
Dates For Your Diary An important date coming up in the calendar! th An Evening With thebestofEpsomandEwell
30
March
• Cocktail & Canapés • Networking Event • Wednesday 30th March • 6:00 to 8:30pm • Last Wednesday of alternate months
t: 01737 350079
24
th
April
Epsom Town Fayre
• Fun Fair • Food Court • Local Stalls • Sunday 24th April • Epsom Market Place
t: 01737 350079
.
Community Partners For people who go out of their way for the community. The Children’s Trust Tadworth are visited by Crystal Palace FC On 20th January, The Children’s Trust in Tadworth were visited by Crystal Palace FC and Crystal Palace FC Foundation.Crystal Palace FC first teamers - Bakary Sako, Chung Yong-Lee and Julian Speroni – put Premier League action to one side on Wednesday as they connected with young fans in a visit to The Children’s Trust in Tadworth, Surrey.
T: 01737 365000
Celebrating 30 Years of Friendship with The Sunnybank Trust The Sunnybank Trust, in one form or another, has been befriending people with learning disabilities for the last 30 years. Under their new campaign, ‘Celebrating 30 Years of Friendship’, The Sunnybank Trust aims to raise awareness of the isolation that many people with learning disabilities face in the local community and the way that local people can make a difference to the lives of these vulnerable men and women.
T: 01372 749871
Epsom & Ewell Foodbank Develop App The Epsom & Ewell Foodbank are currently developing an app that allows people to see what services are available and to see what they have in stock for furniture, bedding cutlery etc. There are some further ideas to develop it further, but take it to the next stage, they are looking for sponsorship. If you think your company or you personally would like to sponsor the app, then please contact: jonathan@generation.org.uk
T: 0208 786 8221
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epsomandewell is run by Nigel, Maggie and the team.
At a glance At thebestof we go out of our way to provide our members with all the marketing tools that will help them grow locally. We pride ourselves on being committed and dedicated in working with only thebest local businesses that are recommended by local people. Focussing on 4 key areas, thebestof has a proven track record of ensuring our members get; Local Exposure Connections Marketing support Brand Building We do this through 17 core elements including our reviews facility, our consumer app, our dedicated feature pages for each member and through social media, not forgetting direct email campaigns to our ever growing local database - plus much much more!
Hi, we’re Nigel, Maggie and the team, and we’re here to connect you with all the other brilliant business members of thebestofepsomandewell
Everything we do is about bespoke, results driven marketing, ensuring that our members get what they need, at the right time for them and the good news is that we can tailor everything we do, to your local budget. We really do what we say we will do;
Bringing trusted businesses and the community together
We’re passionate about local businesses and we’re here to help, please get in touch!
Call us on 01737 350079 Nigel Stickland epsom@thebestof.co.uk
Did you know... We can offer a full marketing service for your company. As well as positively promoting your business in the local community, we can also manage your on-line presence, social media, and email marketing campaigns. Make sure people in the area know about your business. Call 01737 350079 www.thebestof.co.uk/local/epsom-and-ewell /thebestofepsom
@thebestofepsom
Bringing trusted businesses and the community together