Chamber Blog

Did you know the Chambers Four services are here to support you at every stage; maximise time, limit costs and grow your business too. The Chamber Four services are available as, and when you need them. Our team are always on hand to support and point you in the right direction. Working in partnership with Quest, this offers your business access to an ‘outstanding’ scheme with exclusive services, for HR, Legal, Tax, and Health and Safety all included for no extra cost with your Chamber membership, no matter what size of business you are.  • One phone number – 01455 852037 • One website- Quest – give us a call if you don’t know your login details.  • Legal Expenses insurance- £1,000,000 of cover, £100,000 for claims, no excess Chamber Four Services gives you unlimited access to four business advice lines and over 750 free business documents. The 24/7 business advice line is available on 01455 852037. You will be connected to a trained advisor straight away, and the service is completely free to access.  The document library has over 750 free fully downloadable business documents, click here to access this.  ChamberHR With unlimited access to experienced HR advisors to help with any problem, from taking on your first employee to employment advice on discipline and grievance, apprenticeships, national living wage and more. All the advice is supported by the document library featuring over 400 free downloadable employment documents. ChamberHealth & Safety Getting Health and Safety right for any business is important, members have access to advice and a range of 100 downloadable documents covering risk assessments, manual handling, vulnerable groups and more! ChamberLegal Access to experienced legal advisors who can help with contract disputes, debt recovery, property issues and more. There are also almost 200 legal documents on the website such as contracts, checklists, letters etc. ChamberTax Access to experienced advisors who can advise on tax or VAT also including HMRC investigations, property income, VAT exemptions and more. Insurance Underpinning all the above services. Members have the protection of a legal expenses insurance policy that includes tax enquiry cover, employment indemnity cover and a wide range of legal cover for the business and employees. Don’t just take our word for it…  “I wanted to take a moment to pass on my thanks to the Chamber for pointing ourselves to the ‘Chamber Four Services, Quest Cover’ for our HR needs – As a small business with growth ambitions I have personally found the HR Services invaluable guiding ourselves as novices through recruitment process, staff development plans keeping us on track with the appropriate documentation. If any members are looking for a HR solution at the start of their growth journey or simply a refresh from an alternative angle give ‘Chamber Four Services’ a try” – Adrian Brooks, Chatsbrook Vehicle & Asset Finance.

The Norwich Puppet Theatre’s home is the lovely converted mediaeval church on St James place.

You may have visited as a child, taken your own children or grandchildren…or maybe you drive by on your way to work but it’s been home to a family of puppets, and a wonderful team for over 30 years.

They are a busy company, producing a range of new shows for families and children which play in Norwich before touring the UK and internationally. What is clear from our evening with the Trustees, volunteers and our members is their dedication to championing this special art form.

Our evening was to run alongside the launch of their Passport to Puppetry Project. We are so happy to support this amazing project which aims to help young people and their families who live in financially restricted households or difficult circumstances.

Guests joined us in the warm and welcoming theatre, with many of the puppet residents on view, and enjoyed a scrumptious buffet whilst chatting with guests and trustees.

After the tour, we made our way to the stage where we heard from Ian Woods who gave a us fantastic talk on the history of the puppets, and an insight into the behind-the-scenes life of the theatre. 

It was a fantastic evening, and the perfect surroundings to see the magic that children will enjoy and experience for themselves with the Passport to Puppetry project.  

If you feel you, or your company are interested in this project please contact Nic Hopkins on 01603 615564 

Quite possibly the wettest Sunday in a while, but the perfect day to attend WellBeing International’s Menopause Workshop. My colleague Tina and I splashed our way to Erpingham House in Tombland, Norwich ready to find out more!

A fantastic venue, delicious vegan nibbles (oh, so good!), a beautiful lunch and a welcoming, warm group of women all wanting to hear more about ways of dealing with the challenges the Menopauses brings.

It’s not always an easy subject to discuss, especially in the workplace. There are stereotypes and pre-conceptions to contend with, and as with pregnancy, the symptoms can vary greatly.

After hearing Kate Pigeon-Owen, Director of Wellbeing International Ltd, talk at one of our Chamber events on menopause in the workplace I wanted to hear more!

 Kate talked about the science behind the emotional, mental and physical changes, and set out a 5-Step approach to create your own individual action plan. We talked about sleep, anxiety, weight and hot flushes – it was a very relaxed atmosphere, and Kate’s engagement and passion about the positive changes were uplifting and energising.

I like to think forewarned is forearmed, and we came away having bonded with a fantastic group of women, lots of sciencey stuff under our belts and a positive plan for this next stage of our lives.

Bring it on! 

The next ‘Menopause’ day retreat is at Diss By Verve on the 2nd of February 2020.

The day will be hosted by Kate Pigeon-Owen and will look at the emotional, mental and physical changes and we’ll give you Wellbeing’s five step approach to an easier Menopause.

It’s not a familiar predicament. Most businesses are fighting competitors for a bigger share of the market. But what do you do when the market is so tough that the  com-petitors have disappeared? In 1933 there were 33 light aircraft manufacturers in the UK. One factory alone employed 3000 staff. Today, The Light Aircraft Company Limited is  the last company standing. Norfolk Chambers Member Paul Hendry-Smith sees the glass as definitely more than half full though. Yes, he admits that there are some pressures on the market, but what he sees for his business, The Light Aircraft Company Ltd, is huge potential. So why has this market proved so difficult? For a start, the demands made by current regulations, let alone future changes from, among others, the Civil Aviation Authority, have been too much for some companies to bear from an administration standpoint, and an excessive cost burden for others. Paul says that The Light Aircraft Company Ltd are addressing the demands ‘with a lot of hard work, innovation in design, changes of airframes for better handling, nurturing staff which at the end of the day are the life blood of the company, and producing a quality product which is recognised throughout the UK, Europe and in many other parts of the world’. And if that’s not enough they’ve expanded with two new designs. Looked at objectively the idea of a market so ferocious it’s removed the competition is downright alarming. But, in the global picture, aviation is developing and survival and success will come for those who see the challenges as opportunities. So, with the dramatic changes afoot in the EU and UK regarding aviation, what are the challenges facing The Light aircraft Company Ltd? ‘We have 2 new designs that we have to upgrade, we need to ensure our raw material and assembly costs under control through careful purchasing and man management. We make every effort and even pay a premium for UK produced raw materials.  We must protect our manufacturing industries come what may. The key for us now and in the future is twofold, to get more of our aircraft out into the flight training school arena, because people buy aircraft that they train in; and we need to find the right dealers for our aircraft in other countries. That’s the biggest challenge. When we are looking for the right people and companies to partner with we need to get along with them well, they need to have the passion for aviation, they need to “get” what our aircraft are about, they have to understand their market in their country.  The list is endless and the nights sleepless at times’ says Paul.  Identifying the objectives is essential. It’s about focus. And with this level of focus, yes, you can make your business fly in a market where even the competitors have flown! We’d love to hear your views on the issues facing business today. If you want your thoughts expressed in this news column let us know. email haze.carver@norfolkchamber.co.uk This article can also be found in Wednesday’s 2 October, 2019 EDP News.

2020 will be Captain Fawcett Ltd’s 10th anniversary. ‘Moving from the kitchen table to international markets has been an extraordinary journey’ says founder Richie Finney.

Based on the Hardwick Narrows in King’s Lynn, and a West Norfolk Chambers member,  Captain Fawcett is both a supplier and manufacturer of simply ‘First Class Gentlemen’s Grooming Requisites’. As the Captain’s alter ego, Richie admits that he didn’t initially set out to found a leading men’s grooming brand when he started making his own moustache wax on the kitchen stove at his home in Terrington St Clement.

Once the ball was rolling though the business model developed organically. It was, says Richie, ‘about balancing risk, opportunity and collaboration while staying absolutely true to the integrity of the brand’s figurehead, Captain Fawcett himself’. He adds that the Captain has always been grateful for the support of both the DIT and Chambers of Commerce.

 A couple of years ago things began to plateau. Being in the middle ground position the company was unable to take advantage of the discounts that come with purchasing larger quantities. So other measures were necessary to increase sales and profitability. 

The Captain is a talented strategist. Measures were taken.

‘The first action was to find distribution partners who were willing to get behind the brand and support its growth with the existing pricing; secondly Captain Fawcett began to enable more cost-effective purchasing and the locking in of reliable suppliers, a process which is ongoing’.

 The Captain has outstanding powers of delegation and his next step was to send Richie on a journey to some 19 countries seeking new distributors and strengthening relationships with Captain Fawcett’s valued customer base. These travels were in part supported by assistance received from the Department of International Trade in a bid to further the growth of export markets. 

 Investment secured in 2018 has enabled the development of 24 new products being launch in 2019 and 2020.

A sound strategy and a firm commitment have resulted in Captain Fawcett being on gentleman’s lips worldwide. Hundreds of loyal customers, barbers and retailers  – including Harvey Nichols and Selfridges – tag him in their social media posts each and every week.

 Captain. We salute you.

We’d love to hear your views on the issues facing business today. If you want your thoughts expressed in this news column let us know. email haze.carver@norfolkchamber.co.uk This article can also be found in Friday’s 27 September, 2019 Lynn News.

There’s no doubt that the  current political climate is affecting business confidence. It’s also a certainty that whenever such nervousness sets in the first budget to be cut is advertising and marketing. That’s a worry for even the big agencies, so how does a small one survive, let alone succeed? Meet Norfolk Chambers members Greenwood&Bell.  They call themselves a Micro-Agency. They are convinced that ‘an old fashioned ad agency in a large office with a large staff’ is not the only way to create successful marketing.  ‘We want to show that only two people, using all the advantages of modern tech, can do pretty well everything that a big agency does’. And do it all, as Mark Greenwood says, ‘from a converted barn in rural Norfolk’. The strength of Greenwood&Bell is that even though they are just two people competing with the ‘big boys’ – they have a five point plan as the cornerstone of a strategy. Their thinking is rooted in five pieces of advice they’ve received over five years of trading. ‘These are thoughts that remain constant’, says Mark Greenwood. ‘They have proved valuable to us. Here they are -‘

1. Think different. When you start, be clear about what makes your business different.
2. Stay flexible. Be prepared to flex your business plan, product and promotion to suit the reality of your market…….
3. ……But stay true to your principles. Stick to your core principles, they’re why your customers will keep coming back.
4. Keep moving. As your business develops, it won’t always be breaking new ground. So make things happen – invent an event, sponsor a charity, launch an initiative.
5. Keep the faith. If, like me, you sometimes doubt what you’re doing, remember to trust yourself, trust your skill, trust your sheer bloody-mindedness to make your business a success.

There is ample evidence of their sticking to their strategy. ‘Right now we are  upgrading our own marketing programme, including a new Greenwood&Bell website, up soon’, says Mark. ‘We’re also developing our own innovative design product. It has just come through the research stage with better than expected response from the target audience’.

So, against their five point checklist they’re ticking all the boxes. Different, as a micro agency, they are flexible in evolving their marketing plan in a shifting climate. Their principles of creating innovative marketing ideas are unshakeable. They are certainly always moving – they are about to introduce new product. As to keeping the faith, they’re here to prove that their tenacity has brought them success. As a micro agency, in times the are challenging for their more sizeable competitors.

Mark encapsulates the company’s positivity when he says, ‘The challenge is not to complain about the cards we are dealt, but how to best play our hand’.

Everything they believe in, and practice, the hand they are playing, is of course applicable to any business, in any sector. Which means that Greenwood&Bell really are a micro agency  – with macro ideas.

We’d love to hear your views on the issues facing business today. If you want your thoughts expressed in this news column let us know. email haze.carver@norfolkchamber.co.uk This article can also be found on page 4, in Wednesday 4 September, 2019 EDP The Business section.

Running any business is tough, running a small one, in a competitive market, is really tough. To succeed you need to be in the right place – physically and mentally.  Norfolk Chambers member Mark Flowers knows all about that because he runs a small business, in a competitive market – and it’s all about physical and mental health. Motiv8 Exercise and Fitness Ltd is family run and that, Mark says, has real positives. ‘It makes us stand out from the big gym chains, and it means that we know all our members and their goals’.  Mark sees his company’s role as helping people on their fitness journey, and believes firm-ly that the extra level of attention they deliver, as a small business, makes Motiv8 a better bet than some of his bigger competitors. Mark is very clear about his mission. It’s ‘to educate about the importance of health, fitness and nutrition’ is how he sees it. He especially wants to highlight the importance of mental health.  ‘I believe we offer something completely different, we are more functional fitness based’ he says. But he’s more than aware of the challenges.  He freely admits that  ‘Living in a small town with lots of other gyms in the area was never going to be easy’. Which is why he can identify with the stresses and strains faced by the owners of other small to medium size businesses. ‘It’s demanding’ he says. ‘You work long hours and, no matter how positive you are, you worry’. Stressing about finances, sorting out taxation issues, keeping all the admin up to date – they all take their toll on a business owner’s well being. ‘Exercising doesn’t only leave you with a healthy body, but also a healthy mind. Exercising has a positive impact on depression, anxiety, stress and more.  In today’s commercial environment good physical and mental health are essentials.  “I see it like this’, says Mark, ‘you, as a person, have to be like your business. Fit for pur-pose. We believe with motivation and education we can help people get fit and run their businesses with real purpose”. This article was recently featured in the Lynn News as our Chambers Column. Tell us more about your plans and what’s on your mind.  e mail haze.carver@norfolkchamber.co.uk

If anybody knows the importance of people to a business, it has to be Norfolk Chambers Member Katrina Massingham.

Katrina is the  owner of Technique Recruitment Solutions,  a niche recruitment agency specialising in the engineering, manufacturing, packaging, oil and gas, and pharmaceutical sectors.

As a recruiter she sees the complete picture, because her business has two vital sets of customers. She has to find the right people for employers looking for staff; and she has to find the right jobs for people who are looking for work.

It’s a tall order and it’s helped Katrina frame her views on some important issues.

Recruitment is a legendarily competitive market sector. ‘It’s a little publicised fact that there are almost 30,000 recruitment agencies in the UK and growing every year’ says Katrina, who readily acknowledges, in those circumstances, that every recruitment business has to ‘up their game’.

‘Without doubt’ she says,’for our business, and most other businesses, this year the key challenge is two-fold: boost retention of staff and recruit for talent’.

That’s where investment becomes important. Yes, there is financial investment in hiring new, and retaining and motivating existing, staff but there’s more to it than that.  In Katrina’s view it means internal promotions and further training.  It also means introducing bespoke employee benefits such as flexible hours, innovative holiday entitlements and childcare; all things that put the smaller independent business on a par with larger organisations.

These, often intangible investments are what brings out the best in people. When they feel valued, supported and engaged they deliver commitment. And it’s a high  level of commitment that creates the essential point of difference, which in Katrina’s world of recruitment, is outstanding customer service.

‘Small independents have the advantage of being closer to their customers enabling them to meet their needs more accurately and to offer a more individualised and bespoke service’ is what Katrina says.  Creating the atmosphere in which those levels of service can be attained only happens when the team has been invested in; when the people feel like they matter.

A financial investment will, wisely made, bring a return. So too will an investment of trust, motivation and the promise of career development and a future. It brings a return of loyalty, purposefulness and focus.

‘So yes’, says Katrina, ‘we are in challenging times but it’s all about focussing on any opportunities that the changes in the recruitment landscape brings. Technology develops constantly, there will certainly be changes coming out of Brexit. It’s about analysing and maximising on those opportunities’ and using a recruitment agency can greatly enhance finding the right people, at the right time, particularly during a process of change.

The same values apply to all of the businesses in the sectors in which Katrina’s team operates. We all, now more than ever, have to be positive, see the opportunities and grasp them. That can’t be achieved by any business unless you’ve recruited and retained the right team. You won’t do that unless you’ve invested in them. And perhaps the biggest investment, giving the biggest return, is not the financial one.

It’s all those other things that let them know, that you know, they matter. As people.

We’d love to hear your views on the issues facing business today. If you want your thoughts expressed in this news column let us know. email haze.carver@norfolkchamber.co.uk This article can also be found on page 5, in Wednesday 24 July, 2019 EDP The Business section.

Whilst businesses quieten down for summer, it’s the perfect time to do some much needed planning. If you or your business runs events, a fundamental part of that planning is your venue – but where do you begin?! Norfolk has so many great venues, each offering different spaces and abilities. Here are five of the most important questions you need to be asking when researching:

1. Where is it? Often potential attendees can be put off the idea of having to travel far to get to an event. You have to consider that it’s not just the time for the event they have to factor into their diary, but also the travel time. Where is your main audience based and can you find a venue central to them to give easy access?

1. What is the scale? Event bookings can be unpredictable at times, so you need to check the maximum capacity your venue can hold, and what are the options if you need to scale up – or even down. Remember that seating can play a huge part in your capacity, you will fit a lot more attendees in a room doing theatre style than round table. These may be decisions that need to be made once the bookings start coming.

1. Catering? If you want to provide catering for your event, or even just basic tea and coffee, check that the venue are able to provide this and how the catering will be served. Make sure they can adapt to dietary requirements with everything from gluten free to vegan.

1. What equipment do they have? Review what you need before going to view a venue. Will you need a microphone, projector, screen etc.? It may sound silly, but even check if they have cables to plug in your laptop to a projector! If you don’t check these could end up being nasty surprises later in the event planning process.

1. Costs? Make sure when you meet with the venue that you know what your budget is. Some venues will work everything into a cost per head, whereas others will charge room hire, equipment hire, catering etc. as separate amounts. I find the easiest way is to do a cost per head which includes everything, this will then help you to adjust ticket prices to cover those costs depending on your expected minimum numbers. Make sure that if your chosen venue is missing something like a PA system that you will need to hire in, that you don’t confirm anything until you are sure of all costs involved.

Don’t forget to make sure everything you’ve agreed and discussed with the venue is in writing and agreed by both parties. This should include all equipment being used, room set up, catering and costs. An agreement like this will back you up should any issues arise.

When going for a site visit don’t be afraid to take a checklist of things you want to look out for. Below you will find our basic site visit checklist, please feel free to download, use and add to this for all your future site visits!

This blog has been brought to you by our Conference and Events Manager Sam Brown. If you would like any advice on running your own events, or any venue recommendations then please get in touch with Sam on 01603 625977 or at sam.brown@norfolkchamber.co.uk

In the last year in which full data is available the arts and culture sector supported 360,000 jobs, contributed £10.8 billion to the nation’s economy, and had a gross value added per worker of £62,000 compared to £46,800 for the wider UK economy. Chris Gribble, CEO of National Centre for Writing, began his talk at our Norwich Networking Breakfast on Tuesday 16th July with these facts as a way of highlighting to the business community the contribution the arts and culture sector makes to the local and UK economy.

There is a booming culture scene in Norfolk and Suffolk with proportionally more people working in the sector than regionally or nationally. Considering that Norfolk is steeped in history this is hardly a surprising statistic, but the thing that did surprise a number of people in the room was just how much has always been going on in our fine city. Norwich was the first city in England to establish a municipal library in 1608 and the Millennium Library has been the most used public library in 6 out of the last 7 years. If you’ve ever been to an event as part of the Norfolk and Norwich Festival you’ve attended England’s oldest city arts festival, which began in 1772. Julian of Norwich, one of Europe’s great mystics, wrote Revelations of Divine Love in an anchorite cell in Norwich and was the first woman to be published in English. Britain’s first and most famous MR Creative Writing was founded at the University of East Anglia and the first student was Ian McEwan! In 2006 Norwich became the first and only UK city to join the International Cities of Refuge Network which promotes free speech and supports persecuted writers.

Chris was a hard act to follow but Hannah Garrard, Programme Manager, did an excellent job. She highlighted the programme the National Centre for Writing ran to encourage young people to consider a career in the arts sector. As part of the Norfolk and Norwich Festival the Engage! Group put together a festival in a day which included programming 5 events, designing the logo and marketing, and managing the event on the day. The feedback the event received was extremely positive and the National Centre for Writing are planning on running a similar event for next year’s festival.

Everyone came away from the morning with fun Norwich facts to wow people with and a renewed excitement for the arts and culture sector in Norwich. We are certainly going to be taking advantage of some of the fantastic events and venues on our doorstep and encourage you to do the same!

Big thanks go to the team at the National Centre for Writing and Ginger Lily for providing us with some fantastic food.

You can find all the slides from the morning here and information about 1000 years of Norwich’s history here.  

We’re all familiar with the concept of defining the values that characterise our businesses. But how may of us really mean what we say? How often do we imbue those values with total commitment? Lyndsay Carter is Chief Executive of The Norfolk Hospice, Tapping House, and her views and val-ues are of real interest. Key among them are ‘to provide service sufficient to the need’ and to ‘al-ways treat people as you would want to be treated yourself’. Bear in mind that The Norfolk Hospice is a nonprofit making organisation. Therefore every penny it raises from events, donations and sponsorships has to be put directly to work; every single penny has to perform, making the organisation do better. And the challenges are very real. “33% of pa-tients waiting to come here, die before they get to us, because not enough beds are commissioned” says Lyndsay. What that means in, to be brutally frank, ‘commercial’ terms, is that the income, or revenue, has to be managed with laser like precision. It can be difficult. For instance there’s The Dr Hugh Ford In-patient Unit providing support for patients with life shortening illnesses, or there’s providing support  for families. They are equally valid calls on resources, which have to be allocated to precisely where the need is, in order to provide service sufficient to the need. With the demands that Lyndsay and her team face the corporate values are not trite management speak. You have to believe in them. The values that the Tapping House believe in are Compassion, Inclusivity, Transparency, Integrity and Excellence. Everybody in this team is under enormous pressure. Every day brings emotional challenge. You can’t function as a team, and you can’t deliver that service, unless everyone is motivated and sup-ported. That happens through training volunteers for example, with programmes designed for their specific role. And what better way motivate and support than by treating everyone as you would want to be treated yourself? In Tapping House these values have to be totally genuine. Believed in. In reality, no matter how demanding it gets, your business decisions will not, unlike Lyndsay’s team’s, be matters of life and death. But think how much better your business could be if you really deliver service to meet need; and you really treat staff and customers alike as you would want to be treated. Think how your business would look if you made your decisions and implemented your strategies based on values that, like Lyndsay Carter’s team, you really believed in.  Tell us more about your plans and what’s on your mind.  e mail nova.fairbank@norfolkchamber.co.uk

‘Skills gap’, ‘skills shortage’, whatever label you put on it the meaning is all too clear. There is a difference between the skills on offer and those in demand. Chambers member Rachel Blackburn has an interesting perspective on the issue.

Rachel is the founder, and Director, of US2U Consulting Ltd. She says she has  ‘a great team of loyal, hardworking people who are passionate about working together to deliver a wide range of projects for clients as diverse as recruitment, corporate films, 360 degree feedback, psychometric assessment, leadership development and organisational change’. The challenge is, she says,  ‘to find someone with the skills, credibility, motivation and energy to help me proactively grow the business in the UK and internationally’.

The  reality is that the perception of the ‘skills shortage’ is that it exists in the more practical areas. We hear all too often about the engineering firms or the construction companies who have a clear vision and and a healthy order book but are struggling to deliver because they can’t find people who can actually do the necessary skilled work. 

US2U Consulting Ltd are not exactly without skills. Renowned for high standards and genuinely making a positive difference to their clients’ businesses they are a twenty first century business. Rooted in the marketing concept that ‘you can only sell needs’ they have an unashamedly ‘can do’ attitude.

Ask her about her business in the current climate and it’s no surprise that Rachel says it’s about continuing to ‘support a diverse range of businesses and organisations when we have more variables than usual to consider because of Brexit uncertainty’.

And yet, Rachel’s challenge is to find people to help grow the business in the UK and overseas.

What this highlights is that sometimes an organisation can deliver the work, get on with the job and meet its clients’ needs because it has all those skills in place. It’s the skills needed to gain that next bit of growth, develop that next stage of strategy that are needed next. Which is somewhat counter intuitive to the popular perception of the skills gap.

There’s no lack of determination. Rachel remembers being told in an interview, in the 1980s, that she was the ‘wrong sex and colour’ for the job. She’s put that lamentable judgement to shame, and succeeded. But even she will admit that, sometimes, a business needs more input, more ideas and more innovation to get to the next goal.

Beware then. Take a look at your own organisation. It might just be that your skills gap isn’t where you thought it was. And it might be wider than you thought.

We’d love to hear your views on the issues facing business today. If you want your thoughts expressed in this column let us know.

e mail haze.carver@norfolkchamber.co.uk

This article can also be found on page 7, in Wednesday 12 June, 2019 EDP The Business.