Women's Business Magazine Summer 2017

Summer 2017 £2.99

WOMEN’S BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Mums In Business

Setting up in business: priorities, vision, planning, support and juggling motherhood

What has the general election done for women in Westminster?

Creating The Cover

A behind the scenes look at hair and make up Implications of the new dividend tax for small businesses owners Could you be replaced by a robot?

Machine learning is the next big horizon for businesses to capitalise on

Holly & Co

Welcome to the home of small business and artisans

WIN Forever Living Infinite worth £165

Jade Lisseman

Rising out of recession bringing prosperity to many

General Information Meet The Magazine Team

Editor-In-Chief Angela De Souza

Creative Director Lorah-Kelly Beard

Head Copy Editor Eric De Souza

Copy Editor Nikita Tejaa

Letter from the Editor As you can tell the Women’s Business Magazine is back! We tried out new branding for Maximise with our previous issue but it was decided that we are very much a Women’s Business Magazine and pink is OK! It is with great joy that we get our magazine back on track with clear focus and identity. So many of you shared your views with us and we are so grateful and really pleased that you identified so strongly with the Women’s Business Club brand and ethos. Sometimes you just have to test and try things to know for sure.

How about you? Is there something that you are not sure of in your business, but are holding back from making a change because you fear failure? Honestly, what’s the worst that can happen? Just like us, we tried something new with the magazine, it didn’t work, so we changed back. At least we know now. Why don’t you take that brave step too and try something new, it might just be the breakthrough that you are looking for and if it doesn’t work then you’ve learnt a priceless lesson.

Here’s to a great quarter for us all, stepping out of our comfort zones and trying something new in our businesses. Send me an email and let me know how it goes, we may even feature your letter in the next issue.

Angela x

angela@womensbusiness.club

@wombizclub

@wombizclub

Maximise Women’s Business Magazine - Print and Online FOUR EDITIONS EACH YEAR DELIVERED TO: Bath | Bristol | Cardiff | Cheltenham| Gloucester | Newport | Southampton | Swindon | Wimbledon www.magazine.womensbusiness.club (c) 2016 Women’s Business Club All images and text subject to copyright.

You may NOT reproduce, in whole or in part, any of the pages from this magazine or quotes of no more than two or three sentences with full credit attached to quote. If you wish to reproduce more than this, please contact the editor-in-chief. While endeavouring to make sure that all published information is accurate, the publishers cannot be held responsible for mistakes or omissions. The Women’s Business Club cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions or endorse companies, products or services that appear in this magazine.

Contents

Jade Lisseman - Rising out of recession bringing prosperity to many |Page 06

Welcome to the home of small business & artisans |Page 10

Business News: Women in Westminster|Page 12

Could you be replaced by a robot? |Page 21

Implications of the new dividend Setting up in business and tax |Page 22 juggling motherhood |Page 36

Proper estate agents. No commission. No commisery.

Page 16

Work Life Balance VA Services Who needs a VA and how do you find one?

Page 20

Member Interview Sally Holland: PPS Chartered Accountants

Page 24

Montpellier Lodge Unique dining in a relaxing, friendly setting

Page 26

The White Spoon An alternative to traditional fine dining

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PR & Marketing How brand ambassadors can help you

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Author Hub Meet our featured author and see our recommended book list

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Member Interview Sallyann Rolfe: House of Robinson

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Maximise Fashion White but not tight

Page 40

Maximise Fashion Three days camping in Boudavida

Page 44

Networking News One of the networking events in Gloucestershire!

Creating The Cover |Page 42

WIN Forever Living Infinite worth ÂŁ165 |Page 51

best

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CROSSWORD PUZZLE

Page 48

Editors Choice Forever Living Infinite

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Women’s Business Club Members Directory

Page 52

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Solutions

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MAXIMISE Women’s Business Magazine | Cover Story | Jade Lisseman

Jade Lisseman Rising out of recession bringing prosperity to many I am Jade Lisseman, I am 27 years old, my role is a Business Development Executive for Betaris Training Limited. I am responsible for all sales and account management within the company. Betaris Training Limited is a training company specialising in the delivery of training and qualifications in the predominantly male orientated sectors of Security, Warehouse & Storage and Road Passenger Vehicle Driving and Cleaning. We started from scratch, finding premises, staff, customers, drafting policies and procedures and then continually driving a quality service. We are now in the 6th year of business and have made a profit every year.

We provide opportunities for small to medium sized enterprises to enable them to access government funded, nationally recognised training and qualifications for their employees, to undertake through Apprenticeships and Competency Based qualifications delivered in the workplace. This gives valuable recognition, motivation and self-worth to staff in sectors that are very often overlooked when it comes to professional development. Betaris Training is currently working with over 80 local businesses in Gloucestershire and the South West of England.

Our Business is run by 2 female Directors, myself, the Business Support Executive, 1 female Business Support Manager, 1 female Apprentice in Business & Administration and 4 female Consultant Assessors, making a total of a 62% female workforce. We have a structured development and growth plan that has enabled us to employ fourteen members of full time permanent staff, all of whom had been previously redundant and unemployed.

Tell us about your dream job as a child.

When I was a child, I was always into the more ‘hands on’ kind of job roles. I loved helping people and being active. I really wanted to become a firefighter or police officer. During my work experience at school I was lucky enough to gain a week’s work experience at both of these places.

I had a fabulous time going down to the Fire Training Centre in Avonmouth, being ‘rescued’ from the tower at Gloucester Fire Station, visiting the Police holding cells in Cheltenham and the best bit, was being shown around the Police Firearms department and getting the opportunity to shoot some of the firearms at the targets!

Why did you go into business in the first place?

In the face of adversity and during a recession, we decided to take the risk of setting up a new business - Betaris Training Limited, when our employer went into Administration, leaving us suddenly and unexpectedly redundant.

What or who has been your greatest influence in business and why?

My grandad, Micheal Anstey, has always been my source of positive motivation and influence. He has always encouraged me and made me believe that I can achieve whatever I put my mind into. He has led by example, as he has achieved so much in his life, against all odds following a disabling motor cycle accident at the age of 21 and living his life with what he once described as “ 9 out of 10 pain” every day! He still remains the most positive man I know who always has the time for you no matter what he is doing.

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What is the best and worst decision you’ve ever made?

Before I knew what career direction I wanted to go into, I started an Outdoor Education course at college which I gave up because I just did not enjoy the college environment. I feel that it was the worst decision because I enjoy travelling and I feel that it would have benefitted me getting a job whilst traveling and possibly encouraged me to travel more had I completed the course. My best decision was to be part of the creation of the new business, Betaris Training. This is because I started as a Business Administration Apprentice and got to know the business inside out as it grew and expanded into what it is today. I am now responsible for the Sales of the business and have undertaken work based qualifications which have enabled me to be successful whilst working and learning. I am now a qualified Further Education teacher, assessor and qualified in Level 3 Management.

What do you think is the most significant barrier to women in business?

I still believe that as a young woman in business, it is very difficult to be taken seriously as I am not a ‘man in a suit and tie’. This however, does not put me off because I know I have the correct knowledge and passion about Betaris Training and it only makes me want to prove them wrong!

What’s the best advice you have received in business?

To have confidence in yourself, to be yourself and not try to be someone else. Also, to value every single customer, always be nice and work hard to make people feel valued.

What do you do for fun?

I have just completed advanced training to expand my hobby to develop my skills as a nail technician.

I really enjoy practicing my creative flair with different colours and designs. I am also captain of a local fun league netball team and I like to keep fit by taking lessons in pole fitness. I love exotic holidays and have recently discovered the joys of cruising!

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What did you most fear in the early days of your business?

Would we get customers? Would we fail and let down all the people that were relying on us or would we succeed? Could we pay the bills? Could we keep our employees in a job? What became apparent was when setting up a business there is so much more to it than what we initially thought, we were unaware of the unexpected as we lacked experience in running our own business. The biggest fear was the fear of failure.

What’s next for you and your business?

To hit a £1 million turnover!! To take our business into new sectors of the education industry, which will include Learner Loans and Apprenticeships for

Levy and Non – Levy payers. Growing our exciting SWAT course for disengaged young people and offering Security Training nationwide. Our plan is to grow in the areas that we have tried and tested and had success in.

If you could tell your younger you something, what would you say?

Don’t waste time chasing boys! Haha! Focus on yourself and your choices, don’t be put off by other people’s negativity, people will have their opinions to hinder you, but you will have just as many people pushing you along, encouraging you and routing for you. Keep repeating the mantra “I can do it, yes I can!” and you will.

Jade Lisseman Betaris Training

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MAXIMISE Women’s Business Magazine |Feature Interview | Holly & Co

Holly & Co Welcome to the home of small business and artisans Holly & Co is the home of creative small business owners. A place to gain colourful advice and inspiration, share learnings and together, shine a light on the power of small businesses and artisans.

After a decade creating notonthehighstreet.com, Holly has decided to continue her life’s quest to bring colour to the world of grey by continuing to believe, champion and shine a light on the incredible talent of creative small business owners and artisans across the world.

Tell us about your dream job as a child.

My nickname as a child was ‘Hurricane Holly’ because I was always in such a rush to do the next thing. I knew from around the age of 15 that I wanted to run my own business. I have also always wanted to work with children. That’s why it has been such a revelation having a physical space for the first time, with Holly & Co, seeing the

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excitement on children’s faces when they come in and spot our fairy door is very special.

What did you do before you went into business?

I’ve always had a business mind - whether it was running my school tuck shop or starting my first local fair. But my first ‘proper’ job, so to speak, was at the advertising agency, Publicis, aged 17. I had decided that university wasn’t for me. Instead, I was the youngest at everything: account executive, manager and so on and I was looking after clients such as L’Oréal and Prestige and Collections.

Why did you go into business in the first place?

I don’t think it was a specific decision as such - as a born entrepreneur I think my brain works in a way which means I was always destined to go into business. By my very nature I’m a problem solver and futurist. I never focus on the negative things, only how we can make them better and what

might be the move. After creating ‘Your local Fair’ - I knew that there was a real appetite for highly curated small businesses in one place, but I also quickly realised that as soon as the weather was bad people didn’t go to fairs. At around the same time, the internet was coming into its own, and so notonthehighstreet.com was born - a 24 hour curated fair for small businesses.

What or who has been your greatest influence in business and why?

In terms of another person in business I would have to say Anya Hindmarch - she’s kept creativity at the heart of everything she does, despite growing a into a global brand - it’s something that is incredibly hard to do. On a personal level, I would have to say my father - Robert. He has supported me every step of the way and has been intrinsic to both NOTHS (he was the CFO from 2006-2013) and now Holly & Co. There has never been a time when I am not discussing some aspect of finance, business or the future with him.

What is the best and worst decision you’ve ever made?

I don’t believe in making bad decisions, because I fundamentally believe in connecting the dots. It might not be immediately obvious why something has happened, but as you continue on your journey, you will look back and be able to connect the dots.

What is your vision for your business?

I have created Holly & Co to be the home of small businesses, to act as a place to both inspire and advise. I have committed the last 11 years to supporting small businesses (through building NOTHS) and have made the decision to dedicate the rest of my life shining a light on the incredible creative army bringing colour to grey. I believe Holly & Co will become the destination for small businesses. A place where people can connect and collaborate, where we can start conversations within the small business community and really tackle issues that affect us all.

What’s the best advice you have received in

business?

After years of hiring people into a growing team, I have learnt a valuable lesson: It’s better to have a hole than an arsehole - hiring the wrong person can set your business back a year or more, particularly in a small business.

What do you do for fun?

I have a 12 year old son, Harry, so my time with him at the weekends is when we have our most fun!

What did you most fear in the early days of your business?

My son Harry was just 3 months old when I started setting up NOTHS, in those early years I missed out on so much of him growing up: his first steps, his first words. I constantly questioned whether my decision to be a working mum was damaging Harry. It in fact turns out, I wasn’t! Harry is now 12 and is thriving, he loves nothing more than coming down to Holly & Co, putting on his apron and clearing tables, I am incredibly proud of him.

What’s next for you and your business?

Holly & Co is only a few weeks old, and so the future feels very exciting for us, as an online hub it’s the first of its kind in the world. We know there’s a thirst for business advice without the grey, that being a small business can be very lonely and we hope that Holly & Co can become a virtual business partner, a hand holder for when the seas are a little stormy. What I am sure of, is that the freelance economy is set to grow to a huge 40% of the workforce by 2020, so the need for honest business advice and inspiration is bigger than ever.

If you could tell your younger you something what would you say?

Trust your gut instinct. People will be very quick to offer advice (whether you ask for it or not), listening carefully to your own instincts is crucial to survive in business.

Holly Tucker MBE www.holly.co

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MAXIMISE Women’s Business Magazine | Main Feature | Business News

BUSINESS NEWS W20 champions women’s networks, mentoring and partnerships.

Women20 (W20), an international programme launched at the G20 Summit in 2015, has brought together some of the world’s leading women to discuss gender inequality solutions.

A panel event – including the German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Chief of the IMF Christine Lagarde and Ivanka Trump – focused on positive steps for scaling-up women’s entrepreneurship, worldwide.

Fellow panellist, Juliana Rotich, spoke of her experience as a leader of digital empowerment in regions with low technological infrastructure.

She talked of some of the biggest challenges for women on a global scale, including climate change.

“These are really big problems that not only require us to have global intervention, but also to bring to bear the innovation that we are seeing in the developing countries.

“The question here for us today is, what are the concrete practical things we can do to sure-up the international partnerships we need?”

Ivanka Trump – speaking in her new role as

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the White House’s First Daughter – highlighted the need to broaden women’s networks, while Chancellor Merkel emphasised the importance of women becoming active role models.

The W20’s aim is to decrease the gender employment gap by 25 per cent by 2025. For more information, search “W20 Germany”.

New gender pay gap data to help employers.

The government’s launch of mandatory gender pay gap reporting, announced earlier this year, is an opportunity to improve productivity says women’s rights and equalities charity, The Fawcett Society.

The new data capture rules mean that employers with over 250 staff members will now have to publish yearly reports of their male to female salaries. It’s a move that is hoped to encourage action-based plans that will strengthen the rights of women and boost the economy.

“Employers should see it as an opportunity not a threat,” says The Fawcett Society.

“Through gender pay gap reporting they can address the productivity gap and get the best person for the job at the right level.”

In contrast to equal pay analysis, which focuses on the differences between men and women doing the same jobs, the new figures will look at averages in a similar way to the OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation).

In 2015, the OECD’s data identified a pay gap of 16.9 per cent in the UK when calculating the difference between median earnings of men and women relative to median earnings of men1.

The first set of new figures from UK companies, which will also measure a range of averages, are due on 4th April 2018.

What has the general election done for women in Westminster?

In light of the snap general election, parliament’s recent publication titled ‘Women in the House of Commons after the 2020 election’2 clearly demands greater attention.

The research, released by the Women’s and Equalities Committee in January this year, described the current progress for gender-balance in Westminster as “slow”. And that’s despite “the wide range of voluntary and institutional initiatives detailed by political parties in their evidence”.

In its conclusion, the Committee challenged all parties to place women in “positions to win” and to reach a female candidacy level of at least 50%, particularly when targeting “winnable seats”.

inability to make predictions. What is a winnable seat?

It begs broader questions. Did the report miss the point entirely? Shouldn’t parties support women as fully as possible across all available seats? And how can they be more accountable?

In this parliament, 208 of the 650 MPs which make up the Commons are now women: an increase from 191 in 2015. For a broader perspective, in 2001, only 17.9 per cent of MPs were women.

Today it’s 32 per cent – almost double. However, while the direction of travel is undoubtedly positive, now it will be the Committee’s challenge to further encourage gender equality in each of the political parties.

Business leaders needed to strengthen Young Enterprise future.

Young Enterprise, the charity that facilitates a business start-up competition for 15 to 19-yearolds in schools and colleges, is over for another year.

But what happens after all the award ceremonies?

From the first day in business, the students do everything. They decide a company name, design the product, sell at public trade fairs and ultimately, pay their taxes. It’s a non-stop, immersive experience.

But if there’s just one political challenge at the moment – for argument’s sake – it’s the OECD (2017), Gender wage gap (indicator). doi: 10.1787/7cee77aa-en (Accessed on 02 May 2017) 1

www.publications.parliament. uk/pa/cm201617/cmselect/ cmwomeq/630/63002.htm (Accessed on 05/05/2017) 2

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The Young Enterprise programme has long succeeded at helping young people to find jobs and has given employers a pool of talent with commercial experience to choose from. But there are challenges ahead.

Caroline Tarbuck has been the Young Enterprise Manager for the West of England region for the last five years. Speaking at the Area Finals in Bristol, Caroline said: “The educational budget cuts are going to have a major effect on teams signing up; we have to charge for our programmes.

“So, we have to get smart with the business world and we have to invite business boards to see what the young people are doing and how their skills can be really boosted by this type of programme.

“It just gives them [the students] so many opportunities to meet real people, real business people. We get people who come in and offer work experience and we get people who want to offer some mentoring.”

And when asked what message she’d want to send the readers of this magazine, Caroline simply

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replied: “We need you.”

Colston’s Girls’ School (Pictured) in Bristol was just one of nine teams to reach the West of England finals this year. Their social enterprise, Connected, enjoyed success with its coffee cup coasters made from giant jigsaw pieces. The product was designed to raise awareness for the homeless, showing how we’re all connected to the problem and its solution.

Year 12 student, Liv Wright, Manging Director of Connected said: “I’ve had a great experience of working with a group of such confident and enthusiastic young women. I know I’ve grown so much as a person, and it’s great to see yourselves growing as a team.”

To find out more about Young Enterprise in your region, visit www.young-enterprise.org.uk.

Written by Richard Cox of Ridgeway Editorial www.ridgeway-editorial.com

MAXIMISE Women’s Business Magazine | Property | Advertiser Article

Proper estate agents. No commission. No commisery.

Selling property with Purplebricks is the easiest thing in the world. A 24/7 estate agency, we charge one fair, fixed fee, with no commission, saving customers thousands of pounds in commisery every day.

Combining the best Local Property Experts in the business with a cutting-edge, transparent and convenient technology platform enables us to offer an awesome service to customers.

Last month we sold Aaron Parry’s house in 45 minutes – from the advert going live, to an offer being submitted and accepted in writing, all within an hour.

Aaron, from Ilkeston, Derbyshire decided to put his family home on the market in order to upsize and have more space for his children.

His Local Property Expert Nicola Corten-Southern went round to take the photos and draw up the property plan and description and as soon as it went live, a couple who lived around the corner contacted Aaron, requesting to view immediately.

After a swift tidy-up, the couple came over, made their offer via the Purplebricks app and Aaron accepted on his phone. It doesn’t get much simpler than that!

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Aaron said “I was gobsmacked. I thought it might take months to sell and we’d have ages to find a house, then half an hour later ours had sold and suddenly we had to find somewhere!”

Aaron was planning to market the property for £10,000 less than what it sold for, but Nicola advised him otherwise. She said “It was a beautiful home and I’d seen what others in the area sold for, so I advised him to start with a higher asking price and he got the full asking price offer straight away!”

Aaron was overjoyed with the service he received.

He said: “Nicola was excellent; she was always available. Even at 9pm at night she got back to me when I called. She had a good knowledge of everything. She’s made some money for me and my family and helped us get the next house we wanted.”

On top of all that, Purplebricks saved Aaron £2,551, as his local high street agent was charging 2% commission - more than double what he paid with Purplebricks. No commisery for Aaron!

Are you considering selling your property?

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study in particular is a real godsend. We have also

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recently installed a Scandinavian summerhouse in

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our lovely garden, which is insulated, double glazed, fitted with radiators and lighting. This could easily

Steeped in history, The Moat House boasts stunning

be a second office or studio.�

architectural features, such as a gothic style front door, original coffered moulded ceilings, ornate

The grounds include three ancient oak trees, an

chimney stacks and lovely timber wall panels.

avenue of chestnuts, a line of poplars, a young fruit orchard and a variety of well planted and

A Victorian minstrel’s gallery is the star feature of

maintained landscaped gardens with seating

the large dining room, which is heated by a cast iron

areas. Outbuildings comprise a newly built timber

wood burner set in a red brick fireplace.

tractor shed, two large compost bays, large garden shed and two glasshouses. There is also a netted

Four generously sized bedrooms offer scenic views

vegetable and soft fruit garden.

from their large windows and the master bedroom possesses a contemporary en-suite facility.

To book a viewing for The Moat House 24/7, please visit www.purplebricks.co.uk or for more details,

Current owner Mandy Newman said: “I really love

call Purplebricks Local Property Expert Jeremy

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own procurement consultancy for 11 years and was

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commute to London.

The large master bedroom features a stunning The spacious and stunning property boasts a range

vaulted ceiling and the remainder of the first floor

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bathrooms aplenty with two contemporary ensuites and a large family bathroom.

An ideal home for a large family, the kitchen area has a lovely vaulted ceiling and a range of essential

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MAXIMISE Women’s Business Magazine | Advertiser Article

What is a Virtual Assistant?

Benefits of Using a Virtual Assistant

Although outsourcing necessary and timeconsuming tasks to Virtual Assistants (VAs) is becoming increasingly popular, many people still haven’t heard of the term. V ​ As are highly skilled independent contractors who use modern technology to carry out work that will help to support your business via the Internet, email and cloud storage etc. They provide administrative support and specialised services remotely from their own office to other freelancers, consultants, coaches and small businesses. The majority of VAs have many years’ experience of working in an office environment and they come from a wide range of industries. It is important for clients to ensure that the VA they hire has the necessary skill-set for the work that they wish to outsource.

• No HR complications (e.g. tax and NI) and no recruitment or agency fees to pay.

• VAs allow you to use the same highly skilled worker every time you outsource work.

• VAs are available outside of normal hours, have no minimum hour commitment and are only paid for the hours they work.

• VAs work from their own offices so you won’t have to organise workspace or equipment for them.

• Your VA will work closely with you – no-one needs to know it wasn’t completed in-house!

How to outsource to a Virtual Assistant The best way to start working with a VA is to spend a little bit of time thinking about how you currently work, and how you would ideally like to work. It often helps to keep a note of tasks you do on a regular basis which could be easily outsourced.

Once you’ve found a VA (via personal referral, google etc) make use of the free consultation that the majority of VAs offer to get to know them, and for them to get know about you and your business.

It’s a good idea to agree in writing precisely what work is to be carried out, the timescales involved and the cost. Again, the majority of VAs will have written Terms and Conditions and a freelance contract in place. It is important to stay in contact with your VA, be clear about the tasks to be completed and provide regular feedback to enable you both to work effectively together.

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How do you know it’s time to hire a Virtual Asistant?

• You feel overwhelmed with your workload.

• You want to be more productive and less stressed.

• You don’t want the hassle and expense of recruiting a member of staff.

Work Life Balance VA Services Work Life Balance VA Services is based in Bristol and offers a flexible, individually tailored service with the aim of saving you unnecessary stress and valuable time and money. Our clients outsource time consuming tasks to us so that they have more time to focus on running their business, bringing in new clients and creating a good work life balance.

We are passionate about supporting women in business as well as those working in the health and wellbeing sector. If you’d like to know how we can support your business, please get in touch for a free one hour consultation.

Written by Kerry Seymour www.worklifebva.co.uk

Could you be replaced by a robot?

Now, machine-learning is the next big horizon for businesses to capitalise on!

I

n recent months, attention has turned to the future threat of robots to the global and UK job markets, with studies considering whether we will face levels of unprecedented unemployment and poverty, as robots provide a cheaper, more efficient, more amenable workforce. An economist article last year even went as far as to suggest the only way to survive the robot-job-market-apocalypse (our words, not theirs) would be to revolutionise society to exist without income or money, and instead to survive and thrive on the pursuit of the arts and self-enlightenment; an interesting concept for a free-market capitalist society.

According to a study by PwC, more than 10million UK workers are at high risk of being replaced by robots over the next fifteen years, as automation of processes gains traction, representing almost 30% of the current UK workforce. In some sectors, this figure will be as high as 50%, with 2.25 million jobs at risk in wholesale and retailing, 1.2 million in manufacturing, 1.1 million in administration and 950,000 in transport and storage. Quantifiably, the worst affected will be workers who left school with only GCSEs, supporting an argument for lifelong learning and upskilling. Interestingly, the study did not suggest a spate of intense redundancy, but job change; previous advances in digital and laboursaving technologies have been accompanied by job creation and similarly robots could boost productivity in the economy and therefore wealth and cashflow to create additional jobs in areas less susceptible to automation.

Interestingly, not all of the at-risk jobs are those you might predict; financial and insurance advice may be more efficiently predicted and modelled by an AI computer, putting this industry sixth on the

danger list, while estate agents are ninth. Human health and social work is also in danger, although it features 17th in the top twenty list, and it is predicted that AI will simply improve efficiencies and reduce human admin, making additional time to support patients better – an improvement for many. Interestingly, the same predictions put 26% of women at risk, compared with 35% of men, due to women’s higher levels of education, and typical pursuit of more human-centric jobs.

Predictions don’t stop there, with news that Tesla CEO Elon Musk has just invested in a company called Neuralink, which seeks to merge the human brain with AI. Their vision is to eventually help human beings merge with software to help keep pace with and take advantage of AI advancements.

Applications include advancing memory, or supporting computer-based interface to create efficiencies. Perhaps currently science fiction, but maybe a glimpse of the future when computer chips in the brain may be used to alleviate the symptoms of critical illnesses such as Parkinson’s.

It seems that the best way to reduce the risk of robotic-redundancy, is to upskill and learn talents which are sought-after and fulfil roles which ultimately still yearn for the human touch.

36 Cheltenham Office Park, Pure Offices, Hatherley Lane, Cheltenham. Glos. GL51 6SH

Abi Howell Director

TEL: EMAIL:

01242 701123

info@trulytailoredrecruitment.co.uk

MAXIMISE Women’s Business Magazine | Finance| Advertiser Article

Implications of the new dividend tax for small businesses owners Many small business owners trade through their own limited company and pay themselves via a small salary plus a dividend out of the retained profits of the business. Prior to April 2016, providing your total income fell below the higher rate tax threshold there would be no income tax to pay on any dividends.

service companies. The changes will reduce the tax differential between the employed and selfemployed on the one hand and those working through a company on the other, and raise revenue to invest in our public services.

A summary of the changes.

A company director receives a salary of £10,000 and is awarded £40,000 in dividends. He has no other income.

There have been two recent changes in the taxation of dividends, the first of which is already in force, with the second being introduced from April 2018.

In 2015, the Government introduced significant changes to the way in which dividends were to be taxed. The changes introduced a new tax on dividends resulting in only the first £5,000 of dividends being tax free with all other dividends up to the higher rate threshold being taxed at 7.5%.

Dividends above the higher rate threshold would be taxed at 32.5%.

These rates of tax apply to the tax year just ended on 5th April 2017 and the tax year ending 5th April 2018.

The recent budget proposed a reduction in the tax-free dividend allowance from £5,000 to £2,000 with effect from 6th April 2018. Tax rates on the dividends remain at 7.5% or 32.5% above the higher rate threshold.

Why have these changes been introduced?

Philip Hammond pointed to the discrepancies in the tax system which means that employees under PAYE are often taxed at much higher rates than self employed and those in personal

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An example

2015/2016 tax year - a tax liability of £2,575 would have been payable on a salary of £10,000 and dividends of £40,000.

2016/2017 tax year - £1,000 of the dividends would be tax free due to the income tax threshold of £11,000, a further £5,000 would be tax free due to the dividend allowance and of the remaining dividends £27,000 (up to the higher tax threshold) will be taxed at 7.5% and £7,000 at 32.5%. The total tax liability would therefore be £4,300.

2017-2018 tax year - the personal tax allowance has increased to £11,500 and the higher rate threshold has increased to £45,000. In this scenario, the director’s personal tax liability would reduce by £150 in 2017/18 versus the previous year.

2018/2019 tax year – The reduction in the dividend allowance from £5000 to £2000 would lead to an increase in the personal tax liability of £975 for the director versus 2017/2018 as the reduction in the dividend allowance means that an extra £3000 would be taxed at the higher rate of 32.5%.

Is there any good news?

The government remains committed to increasing the personal tax allowance to ÂŁ12,500 and increasing the higher rate tax threshold to ÂŁ50,000 which will reduce the income tax liabilities on dividends. These commitments could of course change after the June General Election.

Additionally, the rate of corporation tax has reduced to 19% with effect from 1st April 2017 and the recent budget confirmed a commitment to reduce this to 17% in 2020.

Are Limited Companies still a tax effective way to run a small business?

Whilst these new rules mean that the level of financial benefit gained by operating as a Limited Company verses being Self Employed will be reduced, in the majority of cases the financial benefits will still outweigh the negatives - not least as the business owner will not be paying as much in National Insurance (currently at 9%). The financial benefits are small though where company

profits are lower, and those who are currently selfemployed and have profits of less than around ÂŁ40,000 may find the extra admin involved (particularly if they are not using an accountant) outweighs the benefit.

However, it is worth remembering that there are the other benefits of incorporating such as limited liability and the fact that certain businesses will only work with Limited Companies.

So, what next?

The main thing you need to do is to make sure that you have considered your own specific circumstances and if you have one, have discussed them with your accountant in order to plan for additional tax liabilities and of course plan for ways to minimise your overall tax exposure.

Kevin Edenborough Eden Chartered Accountants

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Business Lunch Friendly business networking where you can build genuine, authentic relationships over a healthy lunch. www.connect.womensbusiness.club

Member Interview How does your local club help you and your business as well as your connection to the national network?

When going to the lunches you meet a lot of ladies from different areas of business, all with their own specialisms and each with their own solutions to problems. This means if you have an issue you can bring it up in the Wonderbra session and get a whole wealth of advice. This has helped me out many times over the past three years which I think is important, especially if you are in business on your own.

What have you gained thus far from the Women’s Business Club and what do you still hope to achieve?

I have gained confidence in networking, knowledge from the speakers and a support network that I trust and value, all of which I hope to continue with as I progress onwards.

What would you say to others who are considering joining the Women’s Business Club but are not sure what to expect?

Sally Holland I am a partner at PPS Chartered Accountants based in Old Town, Swindon.

I specialise in owner managed businesses and all the issues that follow from running your own company or trade.

I’d say come along to a meeting and see all of this for yourself. You will receive a warm welcome wherever you go, and if it’s not for you then at least you have had a delicious lunch.

Find Out More www.membership.womensbusiness.club

How long have you been a member of the Women’s Business Club and why did you join?

I joined in 2014. Women’s Business Club was my first network experience and I instantly loved it, everyone was so friendly and the lunches were always delicious, they still are.

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MAXIMISE Women’s Business Magazine | Food & Dining | Advertiser Article

Montpellier Lodge: Unique dining in a relaxing, friendly setting.

Montpellier Lodge is the fine dining contemporary restaurant and bar set in the corner of Montpellier pleasure gardens in the heart of Montpellier, Cheltenham. The Lodge itself was the former park-keepers house and was built on the land originally known as Trafalgar Field. Montpellier Lodge opened on 15 December 2015 following extensive renovation and addition of the glazed conservatory and courtyard.

The restaurant offers an extensive A La Carte lunch and A La Carte dinner menu. The dinner menu always carries a ‘Catch of the Day’ dish and each month a Chef’s dish of the month is included in both the lunch and dinner menu. Head Chef is Kevin Harris trained with Raymond Blanc and worked for Marcus Wearing.

June highlights include: FATHER’S DAY - SUNDAY 18TH JUNE 2017

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With a specially created set menue by Kevin Harris and a complimentary bottle of the award-winning prescott ale for every dad.

Barry Chandler is a co-owner of Montpellier Lodge, “Local suppliers are critical to what we do – we aim to offer the freshest ingredients.” Although technically the term should be regional as our catch of the day is clearly from the coast! Our suppliers are: M& J Seafood in Cirencester www.mjseafood.com Ben Creese Country Butchers in Gloucester www.countrybutchers.co.uk Arthur David Vegetables based in Bristol www.arthurdavid.co.uk Waistcoat Wines based in Cheltenham www.waistcoatwines.co.uk

Montpellier Lodge has three private rooms for hire, making it a perfect setting for family celebrations, parties and events, including wedding celebrations.

The 3 rooms can be hired out completely too.

• • •

Conservatory up to 32 Bar area up to 26 Rotunda front dining room up to 30

History : Montpellier Gardens began in the early 19th Century by Henry Thomson to create Montpellier Spa. The Lodge itself was the former park-keepers house and was built on the land originally known as Trafalgar Field although open to the public on payment of an admission fee the gardens were mainly frequented by those taking the waters. The change in the public ownership in the late 19th Century saw the pleasure gardens become a place of public amusement, recreation and resort.

The Bandstand was constructed in 1864. Extensive restoration of the gardens took place in 2006 ensuring Montpellier Gardens continues to play an important part in the lives of residents and visitors alike well into the 21st Century.

To reserve a table please call 01242 262 666 or visit the website www.montpellier-lodge.co.uk.

Montpellier Gardens Lodge Montpellier Walk Cheltenham GL50 1SD www.montpellier-lodge.co.uk info@montpellierlodge.co.uk 01242 262 666

Unique dining in a friendly, relaxing setting

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MAXIMISE Women’s Business Magazine | Food & Dining | Advertiser Article

ingredient. Their Sunday lunches are particular favourites too, featuring rare bread meat sourced from Butts Farm and Kelmscott Manor.

Actively involved in the community, The White Spoon also host regular nights like ‘wine, dine and donate’, where customers are encouraged to bring their own bottle for a small corkage fee, which is then donated to a local charity. In addition the restaurant boasts a fantastic set lunch menu, using only the highest quality ingredients, at £12 for two courses and £15 for three, you would be hard pushed to find a better value lunch in Cheltenham.

An alternative to traditional fine dining.

The White Spoon opened in September 2015, the first restaurant of 29-year-old chef Chris White, he is supported by his partner Purdey Spooner.

It received a flurry of rave reviews including being named as one of The Times’ 25 best new restaurants and winning Best New Restaurant UK at the Guild Craft of Chefs awards 2016. It has continued to make its mark on the South West food scene with diners bustling for a table since its launch, and receiving a nomination for Best Customer Service in The Cotswold Life Awards this year.

The reason behind their success, Chris puts down to a simple ethos: “We wanted to create a place where we would be happy to dine at. We strive to give all our customers a really memorable experience; top quality food and fantastic service in a relaxed atmosphere. We like to think The White Spoon is a place where everyone feels comfortable, foodie or not. We provide an atmosphere that suits both formal and informal occasions – an alternative to fine dining.”

That’s not to say the food isn’t remarkable though.

Their short menu changes regularly with the seasons and availability of only the finest produce.

If a supplier has something exceptional, Chris will often build a whole dish around that one

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Although they’re primarily known for their food, The White Spoon’s drinks menu is equally important, from their inimitable wine list, to their specially developed house gin: “We have partnered with a local distillery and the botanicals used have been specially selected

by Chris. It has a simple elegance and a unique garnish consisting of fresh apple, lime leaf and a touch of ground black pepper, giving The White Spoon’s G&T its very own identity and taste,” explains Purdey.

Like so many they have visited and enjoyed in the past, Purdey and Chris’ aims for the future are firmly rooted in making The White Spoon a destination dining experience.

MAXIMISE Women’s Business Magazine | PR & Marketing | Advertiser Article

Andrea Sexton and friends as Brand Ambassadors for Bosom Buddies

How Brand Ambassadors Can Help You First of all let’s start with who a brand ambassador is.

do not need to be famous people but need to be good customers and active socially.

Your biggest fan. Someone who will “big up” your business and brand.

Bloggers can make excellent ambassadors, but again, I do want to reiterate how important it is they genuinely like your product or brand. It’s wonderful if someone well known wants to support your brand but the public are wise to a non - genuine promotion.

A genuine user of your product who spreads the joy of your company via word of mouth, social media and blogs.

An employee who is loyal, totally involved in the business and the brand and shares love.

You, the business owner. 24/7 you represent your brand.

Why do you need one?

Word of mouth is a brilliant and effective PR. A brand ambassador who genuinely loves your brand is fantastic advertising. They will speak positively about you and your business to many people.

In some companies, you may not be able to use customers or their stories but the people who work for you or are part of the company can be excellent ambassadors. Help your employees to become involved in the brand - share their stories, share their accomplishments and their hobbies or charity fundraising.

Ask your customers who are loyal if they want the opportunity to help your brand. You will need to give them something in return – a discount or free product.

I do advise you make sure you have an agreement in writing between yourself and your ambassador that details what free products/ discounts you will offer them and how much you require in return.

Make sure this is detailed and the ambassador is aware of how often you expect social media mentions, whether you want to use their photo or expect them to wear your logo on occasions.

It helps to give your ambassador a script that they can use when they speak to people or when they are on social media; it’s important that they reflect the tone of voice of your company and brand.

Keep an eye on your social media and see who mentions you or is active daily. Brand Ambassadors

If you have any questions then do Tweet me at @ASextonPR

Who makes a good ambassador and where do I find one?

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Networking | Exhibiting | Seminars | Shopping | Fashion Show Dragoness’ Den | Awards | Author Hub 6th December 2017 • 9am-5pm • Pittville Pump Rooms, Cheltenham • Tickets £45.50

Find out more and book your tickets at www.womensbusiness.club/conference

MAXIMISE Women’s Business Magazine | Main Feature | Author Hub

AUTHOR HUB I Did It In My Pyjamas Angela De Souza

Angela De Souza says there are few rules when it comes to setting up and growing a successful business, and even some of those can be broken if they stifle your creativity or approach to working. In this book she shares her journey of how she built the Women’s Business Club from nothing to the huge national success it is today, nuts, bolts and all. In a style that is both accessible and refreshing, she covers topics such as facing opposition, raising children, tackling fear and managing depression while building a business. The book is candid, honest and packed with tips on how she did it in her pyjamas! www.angeladesouza.com

Your Book is the Hook Your Book is the Hook is a no-nonsense guide to writing and marketing a business building book. Learn the exact steps you need to take to plan, write, publish and market your book, with the short-cuts to make it easy. If you want to build your credibility, attract more clients, and create a profitable and successful business, then get your copy.

Special offer for Maximise readers, go to www.yourbookisthehook.com/new and use the discount code ‘maximise’ to save £5.

Karen Williams, Book Mentor, Librotas www.librotas.com

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Angela De Souza Writing has always been one of my passions and as a little girl, I loved words so much that my mum quickly learned to send me to a dictionary every time I found a new word and asked her what it meant. I don’t think there was ever a time when I didn’t dream of being an author, amongst many other things such as an archaeologist, marine biologist, vet, doctor and many other fleeting passions. However, I never actually did anything about my desire to write until I was 27 years old when I attempted to write my first book which was called ‘Money Matters’. Finance is another subject that interests me greatly and I spent 6 months researching and reading finance books until I felt ready to pen my own thoughts. This project was put on the back burner while I relocated from South Africa to the UK but a few years later the burning desire to write a book returned and I penned my second book called ‘I Hate Myself Now What’. A rather morbid title I know but it was my life story that culminated in the stark realisation that I didn’t really like the person I had become and how I found a way to love myself again. This too was put on the back burner as I never knew how to go from writing a book to getting it published.

rejection letters and considered giving up entirely until a friend of mine told me about self-publishing.

Very quickly I realised that being published was almost impossible after receiving over sixty

Angela De Souza www.angeladesouza.com

Wow, how the world had changed from when I first started writing to when I published my first book in 2010. It was a cold day and I remember very little except one particular moment very clearly. Tears streamed down my face as I held my very first published book in my hands. I called my husband who became worried as I struggled to get the words out, “My book has arrived.” That was the day that my dream became a reality, it was more emotional than I expected but the impact meant that the bug had bitten and I wrote furiously for three years about any subject that I felt passionate about until I forced myself to stop for a break. In three years I wrote twenty-six books! After a bit of a break I decided that my next book would be a really good one and I wouldn’t rush it and so in July 2015 ‘I Did it in My Pyjamas’ was released.

To this day I don’t claim to be a very talented author, many others are far more eloquent than I and know where to put an apostrophe, I am just someone who loves to write and has a lot to say :)

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MAXIMISE Women’s Business Magazine | Member Article

MUMS IN BUSINESS Setting up in business: priorities, vision, planning, support and juggling motherhood.

I am so excited to be writing a new series, just for mums in business! I have teamed up with the Women’s Business Club to speak to members who are also mums and share their stories.

So to start us off, I thought I should share my own story. Here it goes!

So for the first time, formally, my name is LorahKelly! I am 25 years old, wife to my best friend and mother to a beautiful 16 month old girl. I have gone from a full time creative business owner to full time mum whilst my husband managed to land his dream job by teaching himself to code and running his own sideline web design business.

Together, we own Strawberry Studios, which is a dream that we hope to run with once our daughter and any possible future children don’t need us quite so much!

Did you get into business before or after you became a mum?

I was in business long before I was ready to be a mum; but I think in the back of my mind I was preparing for that role ‘one day’. I know that I

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wanted to create my dream job and be settled into it before thinking of babies. I knew that if I didn’t start my business right away, it would be harder to do it later as it would mean giving up an income that we would’ve grown accustomed to and relied on. Adding a baby on to that would probably mean that I wouldn’t be able to afford the luxury of starting my own business!

What was your reason for starting up your own business?

For as long as I remember, I tried my hand at making and selling stuff. It started with cards, then some of my artworks while I slowly got into photography. I have a very entrepreneurial mother who always encouraged me to pursue my dream and why not make it happen for myself? Instead of looking for a job, why not do it directly and charge people myself?

My husband is also very creative and resourceful and loved the idea of creating our own income and he quickly found a passion for web and graphic design. He then started his own design business which we eventually merged with my business to create a business together which I am currently working under as a magazine designer for the

Maximise Women’s Business Magazine How do you juggle being a mum while running a business?

Honestly, I really struggle! In fact I pretty much shut my business down after I had a baby and only took on one client, the magazine which is an on-going project. I absolutely love doing it this way as there is no pressure to find work and as it is quarterly magazine I have months to work on a project rather than weeks or days.

I did juggle the full on business with motherhood in the early months of Emily’s life, but absolutely couldn’t handle the pressure of working full on every day with a baby. I felt guilty and like I was being robbed of a precious time that I should be enjoying! So I stopped taking on clients and simply focussed on one project, which I work on as and when I can.

I ideally only work during nap times, when Emily is with her grandparents and on the rare occasion in the evening. This is absolutely perfect for me as it means I can continue doing the work I love, in my own time and still spend my days being mum and focussing on that.

What advice would you give to any mum wanting to start their own business?

I can only really advise based on my own story, with perhaps some gems I have picked up along the way from other business owners who have shared their journey with me. If you want to start a business, and don’t necessarily need to produce a full time income right away, I would advise you just to start slowly! Finding the balance between being mum and business owner can take some time and jumping in full steam ahead may overwhelm you.

No harm can be done with starting slowly, growing organically and in your own stride.

I would also advise spending some time putting

together a business plan. It is essential to have this in place for a successful business, so rather than worrying about it whilst also trying to run your business and balance family responsibilities, I would get it done before anything else.

Finally, make sure you know what your priorities are. My priority is always going to be my daughter.

If she needs me, I will drop everything I am doing!

I have simplified by business so much in order to be able to serve my priorities. I have found a client who works with my priorities and I am saying no a lot to many opportunities because I know they would get in the way of me be being able to put my daughter first. Have a good think about what really matters to you.

What advice do you seek being a mum in business already?

My big question would probably be; how do you appear professional whilst technically being a full time mum who sometimes works in her pyjamas whilst little one is napping?

How has the Women’s Business Club been there for you in your business journey?

Honestly, The Women’s Business Club is the very reason I have the confidence to be in business. In reality, my temperament, personality and lifestyle choices would say otherwise! The Women’s Business Club has always encouraged me to completely be myself.

I have loved the freedom of just being me, and I think my clients keep coming back for that very reason. What you see is what you get, I maintain my integrity in everything I do and don’t apologise for who I am. The Women’s Business Club is a club of real, authentic women who happen to also be in business. I love it!

Read the extended interview (together with plenty of pretty pictures!) on the blog!

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Member Interview you as well as your business?

As a sole trader it’s hard to motivate yourself especially when it’s out of your comfort zone or for me when it’s something I hate doing! The accountability to my fellow members really pushes me to achieve what I’ve committed to.

What have you gained thus far from the Mastermind Boardroom and what do you still hope to achieve?

Sallyann Rolfe Sallyann Rolfe started House of Robinson back in 1997 with the main goal of providing her clients with inspiring interiors which is still at the forefront of her work ethos today. She has always had a passion for designing and creating beautiful interiors. Whether a simple cloakroom or a whole houseful, she puts the same attention to detail in all aspects of the project and works with client existing schemes to update or produce a new and exciting look.

How long have you been a member of the Mastermind Boardroom and why did you join?

After plodding along for the last 19-years and feeling my business was stuck in a rut I knew I needed to do something, that’s why I joined the Women’s Business Club. Attending the lunch meetings was brilliant but I still felt I needed more. Speaking to a couple of ladies who already attended the Mastermind Boardroom and feeling quite inspired by them I thought I’d go along to see what it was all about and I’ve not looked back. I’ve been a member for a year now.

How does the Mastermind Boardroom help

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Wow, these past 12 months have been a real eye opener for me. With the encouragement, advice and insight I’ve gained from my fellow members I’ve been able to turn my percentage of higher paying clients around from 25% to 75% which was part of the reason I won Business Woman of the Year at Maximise 2016.

Have you seen a direct financial benefit to your involvement in the Mastermind Boardroom?

My business has grown so there has been a significant financial gain but for me it’s the confidence I’ve gained which has been the greatest benefit.

What would you say to others who are considering joining their local Mastermind Boardroom?

Do it, you won’t regret it! The boardroom is for working ON your business helping tackle issues whether it’s business or personal. The themed talks are always thought provoking and I’ve gained so much from them but for me it’s the half hour dedicated to each members issues and how we help each other gain perspective and problem solve that has been the most beneficial. There’s a real close bond to each member and we really do help each other.

Find Out More www.mastermind.womensbusiness.club

Mastermind Boardroom Intimate peer to peer meetings where we get down to the nitty gritty of your business over breakfast. www.mastermind.womensbusiness.club

MAXIMISE Women’s Business Magazine | Feature Article | Maximise Fashion

MAXIMISE FASHION to style . to advise . to organise www.natashamusson.co.uk

Natasha Musson is a Wardrobe Consultant & Stylist. She works with real women all over the South West. With a background in television production, she set up her styling business and for eight years she has been dressing real women.

White but not tight.

White Jeans. When did you last wear a pair? If you are like me, not in about 12 years. I think it was that post baby, I cannot squeeze myself into my old skinny white jeans that I wore on my hen weekend in 2003. I mean seriously the overhang and also practically, with children, your going to look fresh for about 28 minutes.

Many of you, I know, have many variations of white jeans and like your summer frocks, they come out to play in the Spring. Like ice-cream and Pimms they become part of the summer calendar routine.

‘Oh it’s warm and sunny evening. I’ll put on my white jeans from 2004, they still be fine because they are my white jeans and like my summer hat they will never date, because its summer’.

However, particularly for the maturer readers among these days they are easy to get so wrong.

Spray on Liz Hurley variety are so 1995 darling and if worn, should remain on a 22 year old who’s size 6-8. Full length white bell bottoms look amazing IF you are Elle Macpherson. We need to

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be realistic about this trouser AND if we want to wear this summer staple, we’ve got to get current and to do this is to understand the new shapes, the new whites and the new ways to wear.

So, what is it about the white jean that we love?

Well, it’s amazing what a white pair of jeans can do to your ordinary grey t-shirt or your boring Boden breton. Suddenly they are refreshed and lifted into another classy dimension. Crisp, on season, now.

They are fresher than your blue denims, smarter, sophisticated and can look a bit Kings Road if you get it right.

So, this is why I’m excited about white jeans this season. Why? this season the new styles can be age appropriate ones. Differently to spray on skinnies, they are ‘off white’ or ‘cropped flared’ or have a bit of zing about them (like a rip or flower). They are more relaxed, in lots of different shapes to allow us to play around more and ultimately wear a style that suits us. One big similarity about the 2017 white jean is they are ankle revealing.....which most of us can do!

Here are my favourites.

Whistles £95 High waisted straight jeans. A simple straight pin stripe blazer and belt could take these into the the ‘smart casual’ office.

Me & Em £119 A looser boyfriend jean in a subtly Ecru colour. They have a turn up with a bit of fraying so are casual and relaxed.

Madewell £165 These are made for mature fashionistas who want to do the ‘I’m wearing white jeans but in a scruffy cool way’.

See more favourites at www.natashamusson.co.uk/journal/2017/6/8/white-jean-wonder

And here am I. Mine are from good old Next! they are fabulously soft, cropped (even on me!!) wide (I prefer this trend right now and am never doing white skinnies again) and very good value at £30.

Look 1 - Bright Florals

Look 2 - Black and white minimal

For me, these are not an investment piece so I didn’t want to spend a lot. I am wearing size 8 which feel roomy and comfortable. Here are my four looks!

Look 3 - Crisp blue and whites

Look 4 - 90’s layering

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MAXIMISE Women’s Business Magazine | Main Feature | Maximise Fashion

Creating

The Cover

Nadezhda Hardiman is a makeup artist, hair stylist, skin care specialist and eyebrow master.

She was professionally trained as a makeup artist by champions of Europe, Russia and Ukraine.

Before

For this issue, we thought we would bring Nadezhda in to create a cover look for the beautiful Jade Lisseman and find out a little more about what goes on behind the scenes as a makeup artist and hair stylist.

We really relied on Nadezhda to know what to do with Jade’s hair and makeup, as we wanted to make sure she looked the best she could for her big cover opportunity! Nadezhda knew exactly what to do, but still asked plenty of questions to find out what kind of style Jade liked and how she looked normally so that she didn’t look drastically different!

We squeezed as much knowledge and info from Nadezhda as we could, and went as far as to ask her advice on what outfit to wear and what kind of poses she could do for the photographer! We came away with two great looks to feature in the magazine, which we couldn’t be more pleased with. Thank you so much Nadezhda for bringing out and highlighting our beauitful cover model!

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After

About Nadezhda I have been trained to use different makeup techniques to help women look like the best version of themselves.

As a makeup artist I am able to use different textures of makeup as well. I work with traditional powdered makeup, cream textures of makeup, aqua paint, gels and airbrush. You may have never heard about gel and aqua paint makeup, because it is mainly used for photoshoots, video shoots, face and body painting.

As an eyebrow master I specifically work with “trouble makers”, for example if your eyebrows are over plucked or have a strange shape which you can not manage. My eyebrow service includes a consultation, shape and tint and a makeup lesson.

As a hairstylist I am able to create any hairstyles for any occasion including bridal parties, vintage inspired parties, proms, photoshoots, video shoots and so much more. Hair styles today favour simple styling techniques which add a bit of volume to your hair but does not make it look overdone.

I teach makeup individually as well as in groups, training up to 10 people. I also offer skin care consultations which would normally be finished with a light makeover. I do hen parties as well!

About Jade’s Cover Look How to make a client look more beautiful? Just by not spoiling her natural beauty would be enough.

It is very easy to make a woman look older than she really is with makeup. As Jade is young, has a fair skin tone and has light eyes and hair, I wanted to create a makeup and hair look that would benefit her naturally beautiful face, keeping her looking young.

I used an airbrush to apply make up for her because it would give a light veil of foundation on her face with the effect of Photoshop. I did not want to use black eyeliner or black mascara as it would make her seem older, instead I used grey eyeliner and brown mascara. This is why her makeup looks so soft.

The airbrush makeup helps me to create a beautiful face without a touch. Airbrushing is great for those who have very sensitive skin or acne. Nothing can cover acne better then airbrush makeup. It is also sweat and water resistant. If you have never tried airbrush makeup, please try it, it’s an amazing feeling, like you’re at the seaside!

Nadezhda Hardiman www.facebook.com/hardimanmuah www.marykay.co.uk/nhardiman

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MAXIMISE Women’s Business Magazine | Maximise Fashion

Three days camping in Boudavida.

Queen Boudicca was a tribal women who signified strength, power and who wouldn’t take no for an answer. Sounds like motherhood to me! and the attributes acquired for a mid-wales camping expedition with 3 kids and our dog.

all day and felt appropriately stylish.

So here I am on day one in the beautiful campsite of Forest Fields in Powys mid Wales. Playing ball with Fizz. These Jazzy leggings in pink have a gorgeous high waist (so non of that awful overhang!) and lovely quality. They are easy to get on, but stay up when you run. The Valient hoodie I’m wearing in Burgundy is so soft and lightweight and has their signature copper coloured zip.

I’m all about the outdoors and actually love camping. No hoovering, no washing, no phones, no routine. Just fresh air and freedom. But the key to camping is having the right gear - so you are warm, comfortable and stylish. Stylish? never - thats not appropriate for camping. Well, I was proved wrong when Somerset based leisurewear label Boudavida gave me some gear to road test on my holidays.

Boudavida is a Somerset brand created by sports enthusiast Anabel Sexton and her daughter Gabriella. Together they wanted to create fashionable fitness leisure wear collection so that women can feel good - ultimately to motivate them to exercise. And, lets face it, if we feel good in what we are wearing, we are more likely to do it.

It doesn’t take a lot to motivate me to exercise.

I’ve been taught to move because I love food and I’m only 5ft2. I’ve also got this crazy Sprocker dog Fizz who would run all day if we let her. Fizz and I are always the first out of the tent, running off (last nights wine & crisps) and then back to camp for the first brew. My leisure-wear in the past has been a jumbled together kit from discount sports stores - not something I’d sit in for a while or been seen in after 8am. The Boudavida collection I took, I wore

I felt confident and stylish enough to stay in this kit all day. The hoodie also looked great with jeans when I walked to the pub in the evening.

Day two - we all went for a hike up the hill. For this outing, I wore this gorgeous outfit in a lovely mix of purples and blues.

I’m wearing Jazzy leggings in purple - this time the signature triangle pattern is on the side. The Moxie

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Tee is a stylish cover up - semi transparent and has a flattering wide neck so you can wear on or off the shoulder to reveal the pretty blue Zing Vest. - also has tie sides to style up or down.

So the weather got hot that afternoon and this is me after my kayaking which I actually did in this outfit, on this lake (yes it stayed on all day and the purple didn’t reveal how wet my bottom half actually got!)

I just love the mix of colours - so pretty and wearable and I felt confident to walk around in all day.

Day three - not so warm a little bit grey but another fabulous outfit to try. These sassy leggings have a subtle paisley print and are reversible revealing a Granite Herringboneprint. Great to run in but also perfect for a Pilates class and coffee with a friend afterward. The Swagger tee is a best seller and I know why! Its gorgeous ! A wide neck, tight

sleeves and long length covering your bottom. Its fabulous to run in but I could imagine this top with grey jeans and a silver pendant for a night out!

Finally a moment to sit with Fizz. Wearing the Plucky Vest - a crisp white vest with the Boudavida logo expanded on the front. It has a brilliant black skater feature on the back. Great for pilates, gym or tennis.

By Natasha Musson www.natashamusson.co.uk www.boudavida.com

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MAXIMISE Women’s Business Magazine | Main Feature | Networking News

NETWORKING NEWS StroudNet: One of the best networking events in Gloucestershire!

What is StroudNet? StroudNet stands for The Stroud Entrepreneurs Network - A networking event for Entrepreneurs and Business Owners based in and around the Stroud Valleys and wider Gloucestershire area. We plan fun business events packed with opportunities for networking and learning. At each event, there is a 20-minute inspirational speaker followed by a 1-hour masterclass and various opportunities to network with other like-minded business owners in the room.

How and Why Did StroudNet Come About?

The first StroudNet, founded by local business coach and author Robin Waite, happened in June 2016. While there are several excellent networking groups in the local area, Robin felt they lacked two things; the draw for businesses outside of Stroud and abundant opportunities to learn from interesting speakers.

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Robin, being based in Stonehouse, chose Stonehouse Court Hotel strategically as it offered ample access to the M5 corridor and now attracts businesses from Gloucester, Cheltenham, Bristol, Chepstow, Cirencester, and beyond.

How is StroudNet More Than Just Another Networking Event?

Getting the balance of networking versus learning right has been a real challenge, but StroudNet is now known for its engaging speakers on a vast array of topics. Speakers have covered subjects from Sales to Business Growth and Facebook Marketing to Branding.

How Important are Partnerships with Other Organisations?

Various other partnerships have formed along the way including with Sterling Networks, The Women’s Business Club, and Rekindle. All are very

prominent networking groups in the local area; Robin believes that collaboration with these groups is vital to ensure that businesses are working together and not competing against one another.

How Else Does StroudNet Help the Local Community?

More recently StroudNet has partnered up with Allsorts Gloucestershire, a charity helping local families with disabled children, as a way of giving back to the local community. In helping businesses to grow in Gloucestershire, we can help to support families in the local area gain access to services which they might otherwise miss out on. To date, StroudNet and Robin have raised over £600 for Allsorts through various schemes with a target set to raise over £1,000 by the end of 2017.

What the Most StroudNet?

Surprising

Thing

About

When StroudNet started in June, it was only ever going to be a one-off event to see if a networking event would work. At the end of the event many of the attendees were asking, “When’s the next event?” at which point Robin realised it was ‘a thing’. Typically now, we get many guests returning

time and time again.

The most surprising thing, however, is that despite the event closing at 12 pm. We are still trying to empty the room until as late as 2 pm. Even then, guests decamp into Stonehouse Court Hotel to continue their conversations and to have further meetings.

What’s Next for StroudNet? We’ve a schedule booked now until the end of 2017. We will continue to attract excellent speakers and 50+ entrepreneurs to every event. Hopefully it will only continue to grow.

When is the next StroudNet? Stroudnet meets every 6 weeks on a Tuesday morning. Early bird tickets are £16, full price £22.

Lunch and goody bag are included.

For further information, please get in touch via one of the following channels: https://facebook.com/groups/StroudNet http://stroudnet.uk robin@coconut-group.com

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MAXIMISE Women’s Business Magazine |Competitions & Games

Across 6 A letter that accompanies a CV (5-6)

- Solutions on Page 55 -

8 Rent, mortgage, utilities, food, car payment and insurance payment (5-8) 10 The last step before getting or being denied a job (3-9)

1

11 Amounts taken out of gross income, eg.

Social Security tax, federal taxes etc.

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12 What you leave after you first meet someone

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14 Total amount of money you earn for hours worked (5-6) 15 People you chose to add on a CV who can ‘say a good word’ about you 6

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Down 1 Highlights your knowledge, abilities and skills

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2 Must use this when interviewing or peforming on the job

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3 Money that you earn or that is available to you

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4 Commonly referred to as ‘take home pay’ (3-6) 5 Itemized list of living expenses 7 Entertainment, clothing purchases and donations (8-8)

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9 Knowledge you have regarding what you can do 13 A record of information about an individual (USA) 15

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13 14

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MAXIMISE Women’s Business Magazine | Main Feature | Editors Choice

EDITOR’S CHOICE Forever Living Infinite Let’s face it, (excuse the pun) we all do our best to look good and reduce any signs of ageing! I don’t know about you but I have tried sooooo many skin care products, done tonnes of experiments with natural remedies and do all I can to look my best. I am sure you have too. So when I was given the Forever Living Infinite range to test I wasn’t expecting much, in fact, I actually wondered why I agreed to review yet another skin care product as I have damaged my skin in the past by putting things

on that weren’t suitable for me. With my hand on my heart, I can say that I am so glad I did. This skin care system is just that, a system. I was surprised not only to find the usual cleanser and moisturiser in the box (stunning packaging by the way) but also a serum which is great and the surprising fourth element, some tablets. Interesting you might think but it makes perfect sense doesn’t it, beauty starts from the inside and works its way out – we need to take care of our insides too not just put stuff on

If you are a member of the Women’s Business Club, you are eligible to have your product reviewed in the Maximise Magazine, on the maximise.live website and the Maximise News monthly newsletter. Please post your product to 67 Humber Road, Cheltenham, GL52 5PF with a cover letter telling us about your product, price, link to buy and your email address. We cannot guarantee that your product will be reviewed. All reviews are published on the Maximise website but not all reviews are guaranteed to become Editor’s Choice.

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the outside.

On their website, Forever Living say, “When creating infinite by Forever™ our experts found peptides, natural minerals, botanicals, desert plants and the latest skin science that not only complement Aloe, but actually increase its efficacy and benefits.”

My skin is so much better after using these products but I also love the dispensers. They have clever bottles and pots to dispense the creams so nicely. Everything about this range just screams quality and luxury. What more could a girl want? I find the moisturiser glides on easily and doesn’t leave my skin feeling oily at all. I love the

serum, I use it before I put my makeup on and it just smoothes my skin nicely and adds a barrier between my makeup and skin. Cleaning off my makeup has never been easier, I don’t use extra makeup remover products I find that the Hydrating Cleanser does the job perfectly.

Find out more about the lovely lady who introduced me to this fantastic range, Kelly Jones, at www.kljglobal.com Kelly is not only a passionate advocate of Forever Living but also has quite a story to tell as to why she got into this business in the first place – read all about it on her website but first grab a box of tissues!

WIN Forever Living Infinite worth £165 Competition ends on 20th Sep 2017 and can be entered at www.womensbusiness.club/forever Don’t forget to share this competition with a photo

of the Maximise Women’s Business Magazine on social media tagging @wombizclub and tell us why you would like to win this amazing product.

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MAXIMISE Women’s Business Magazine | Members Directory

MEMBER’S DIRECTORY Bath EZZA Natasha Musson Wardrobe Consultant & Stylist Zest Bootcamp

Bristol Andrea Sexton PR Work Life Balance VA Business Clarity Coach Younique Beautifully You Photography

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Gloucester HotInGlos Kanzi Source Business Support Sirona Therapies Stella & Dot Stylist Utility Warehouse Travel Counsellor

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Swindon Bevirs Solicitors Callisto Green Millie & Belle Jewellery Nikki Nocky Noo Oscars PPS Chartered Accountants Primrose Mortgages Strategenic Ltd The Headshot Diva Virtual Business Centre

Wimbledon Bold Women

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MAXIMISE Women’s Business Magazine | Games & Competitions

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