IQ-Magazine-Issue-11

Issue 11: NOV 14 - Jan 15

IQ welcome 

welcome to the eleventh edition of iq business magazine, 

a quarterly publication that offers insight and inspiration 

to sme business owners in cambridgeshire and suffolk 

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comment on this edition of 

IQ, or you have any business 

news to report, contact us on 

01638 666432 or email 

info@iqmag.co.uk 

With the start of a new year just 

around the corner, this issue 

encourages our local businesses 

to go back to the drawing board 

and re-engage with the original 

philosophy and focus behind their brand. Whether this 

is through a fresh look at a business plan, or simply by 

assessing the wellbeing and status of the talent that drives 

the company forward, our contributors have raised vital 

questions that need asking. 

Jacqui Kemp of Namaste asks business owners whether they 

are the manager they really want to be, whilst Cambridge 

Interim HR questions the impact of the working 

environment on your workforce. 

Elsewhere, our thoughts turn to the year ahead, with 2015 

already looking to be a year of change both across local 

business and central government. Whilst parts of the country 

gear up for the election, the rest has still been left pondering 

the results of The Scottish Referendum, leaving the doors 

wide open for party leaders to start making promises. Here 

in East Anglia the question mark still hovers over the impact 

of a governmental change, with past records showing a 

stark resistance to countrywide trends - most notably in the 

recent recession. Glyn Mon Hughes discusses this further 

on page 8. 

So, as the final months of 2014 fly past, we are encouraging 

all businesses take the festive break in its stride and really 

pay dividend to those that have stood by you - whether 

clients, suppliers or producers. Giving back is sometimes the 

only way to move forward. The year ahead looks set to be 

one of change and, hopefully, growth for all, so take time to 

restock to ensure you are prepared. 

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issue 11 | page 5

IQ contents 

in this issue 

08 Business overview 

10 suffolk businesses represented to vince cable 

13 new business group launches survey to determine 

barriers to growth 

14 suffolk’s top 100 businesses 

16 time to throw away the rule book 

19 twelve business new year resolutions 

20 Business start ups 

23 people leave managers not jobs 

24 moving on to the next level... and beyond 

26 health and wellbeing - is it on your agenda? 

28 using all the strength you have 

31 what’s your vision for newmarket? 

35 making bury st edmunds better for business 

40 cambridge ahead - one year on 

46 business diary 

51 how to be a creative genius 

54 the low-down on linkedin 

64 winning at business 

THe TEAM 

John Treby Creative Director | Gemma Treby Sales and Marketing Director | Georgie King Editor 

Kelly Baxter Editiorial & PR Assistant | Georgia Watson Editiorial & PR Assistant | Becca Plaxton Publication Sales 

Corentin Rosaire Publication Sales | Jess Pack Designer | Matt Cockerton Designer | Eugene Hector Designer 

Emma Sheppard Designer | Nick Jenkins Designer | Steve Parr Designer | Paul Paterson Designer 

Sean Brkovic Designer | Expert Contributors Glyn Mon Huges | Miles Vartan | Cambridgshire Chambers of Commerce 

Jacqui Kemp | Suffolk Chamber of Commerce | James Pinchbeck | Steve Elsom 

Cubiqdesign | Goodwin Business Park | Newmarket | CB8 7SQ | 01638 666432 | www.iqmag.co.uk 


IQ business overview 

Business 

Overview 

Glyn Mon Hughes discusses the 

unsteady path of the year ahead, 

questioning the impact of the next 

general election on East Anglia 

It might well have been a mistake on the part of 

the Coalition Government to institute fixed-term 

Parliaments. 

Most people know that an election must be held by 

mid-May next year. But knowing that we have to wait 

that long appears to be having a detrimental effect 

on business. The Scottish Referendum in September 

appeared to put business on the proverbial backburner 

while organisations – particularly those 

involved in financial services – pondered the result. 

There were all sorts of threats about what might 

happen in the event of a ‘Yes’ vote but so many places 

saw investment decisions delayed. 

But now there is a long wait until the outcome of the 

national vote in May is known. And is this a good 

thing for the economy? 

Linda Yueh, the BBC’c chief business correspondent, 

wrote about how UK business investment fell 25% 

in the recession and has lagged significantly in the 

recovery. That, of course, may no longer be the case, 

as the UK has the fastest growing economy amongst 

the G7 nations though, alarmingly, the recent news 

from the USA and from China is rather less optimistic 

and growth in the Eurozone is still a major cause for 

concern. 

Recession has not been such a feared word in East 

Anglia over the last few years, with many business 

leaders saying that, while things were bad elsewhere, 

business was possibly not booming but it was not 

mired in doubt and depression as other parts of the 

country undoubtedly were. 

But while things have undoubtedly turned the 

economic corner, especially in East Anglia, has 

uncertainty come back to haunt? Scotland said 

no in September but what will the UK do in May? 

Party leaders are already making promises. They 

say funding for the NHS will be increased but that 

has to be paid for. There is talk of further reform 

to higher education funding, but that, too, needs 


IQ business overview 

There are so many imponderables for business there’s little doubt vital decisions are being 

looked at again and future growth could be put on hold – for sixth months, at least. 

cash. There’s talk of controls on immigration but 

where might that leave East Anglia, with many 

employers experiencing difficulties recruiting 

sufficient numbers for their workforces? Will 

business rates be reformed? Will there be a cut – 

or, perish the thought, an increase – in corporation 

tax? What is going to happen to interest rates? 

Most expect them to rise and that rise has been 

pencilled in for some time. But it is yet to happen, 

so how can businesses plan effectively? And what 

about Europe? 

Indeed, there are so many imponderables for 

business there’s little doubt that vital decisions are 

being looked at again and future growth could be 

put on hold – for sixth months, at least. And if 

there is a major change in government or another 

coalition of ideologically diverse parties, some 

decisions could be shelved altogether. 

And yet... according to the Federation of Small 

Businesses, confidence levels amongst small 

business in the UK have hit record levels. Over 

60% of all small businesses expect to grow in 

the next three months, with 11% expecting to 

grow rapidly. The latest survey, undertaken in 

the summer, is the seventh consecutive quarter of 

positive predicted growth, showing that financial 

services remained the most confident sector. Most 

improvement was shown in the health and social 

work sector, as well as the hospitality sector and 

most firms expect to increase their headcount in 

coming months. 

There was a warning, though. “We want policy 

makers to lock in this optimism and continue to 

back the self-employed and small businesses,” 

said the FSB’s national chairman John Allan. 

“We’ll be looking to all the political parties to spell 

out what they will do to encourage job creation, 

investment and reward entrepreneurs in the 

next Parliament.” 

A recent speech to the CBI by Business Minister 

and West Suffolk MP Matthew Hancock 

talked about the Conservative pledge to hold a 

referendum on continued membership of the EU. 

“A referendum does not create an uncertainty, 

it resolves an uncertainty,” he said. His Labour 

opposite number, Chuka Umunna, naturally 

disagreed. “The prospect of Scotland leaving the 

UK caused huge uncertainty for business this year. 

Multiply that at least ten-fold and that gives you a 

sense of the uncertainty created by the risk of the 

UK’s exit from the EU in 2017,” he said. 

Then the uncertainty continued as the people 

of Clacton voted, overwhelmingly, for the UKIP 

candidate, giving the party its first Westminster 

MP. 

In the old days, Prime Minister David Cameron 

might have capitalised on the fact that there is 

a groundswell of economic optimism amongst 

businesses and the population in general and he’d 

have fired the starting gun for a General Election 

race. It might all have been over by now and the 

uncertainty would have ended. Businesses could 

plan again. 

But in East Anglia, as in every other part of the 

country, we remain counting the days until May. 

That’s not really making business sense. 

More Information 

www.iqmag.co.uk 


IQ business planning 

Suffolk Businesses Represented to 

Vince Cable 

Suffolk Chamber of Commerce voice key issues 

The Suffolk Chamber of Commerce recently met with Dr Vince Cable MP, 

the Secretary of State for Business, at the House of Commons to discuss key 

issues that affect Suffolk-based businesses and the local economy 



“Working in partnership with the Chamber and business leaders we will continue to 

ensure the Government is aware and invests in us in the future.” 

With the aim to drive home the message that 

the Government need to ‘back winners’ leading 

members of the local business community 

explained to Vince Cable that Suffolk is one of 

the few counties in the UK that is a ‘positive 

contributor’ to UK plc. 

“As a Chamber we take our role in delivering 

the message of our members to Government 

extremely seriously,” said Sarah Howard, the 

President of Suffolk Chamber and who chaired 

the event in Parliament. “That is why we were 

pleased to meet with the man who represents 

businesses in the Cabinet and is why we were 

clear about the issues that need addressing. 

“While we, of course, appreciate the pressing 

demands of other regions in the UK, it is 

paramount the Government understands the key 

role Suffolk has on the nation’s economy,” Sarah 

Howard continued. “They need to ‘back winners’ 

and by making more investment, not less, in 

Suffolk the whole exchequer will see the benefit 

of more revenue and more taxes coming in.” 

The Secretary of State explained to delegates his 

desire to bring the world of business into schools, 

with education being a key factor to ensuring that 

the workforce of tomorrow is better prepared. 

“We have to be honest and say that government 

after government have failed on careers advice 

and support in schools,” Vince Cable said to the 

meeting. “There has to be more done to look at 

skills gaps and vocational training and guidance. 

Business needs to go into schools.” 

Mark Pendlington, the Chairman of the New 

Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), was 

also in attendance and explained to the Secretary 

of State the plans afoot for Suffolk and Norfolk. 

“We have bold plans to reinforce Norfolk and 

Suffolk’s place in the global economy,” Mark told 

Vince Cable. “This means new roads and better 

transport links, greater training and skills for the 

region’s youngsters, targeted funding and support 

for small businesses. 

“Working in partnership with the Chamber and 

business leaders, we will continue to ensure the 

Government is aware and invests in us in the 

future.” 


Suffolk Chamber of Commerce, Felaw Maltings, Ipswich. 

Tel: 01473 680600 www.suffolkchamber.co.uk 

issue 11 | page 11

IQ growth 

New Business Group Launches Survey To Determine 

Barriers To Growth 

David Ball, Chairman, David Ball Group 

Helping our region’s 

businesses take the vital 

steps for growth 


To have your say and identify 

the specific schemes you believe 

would bring out the potential in 

our local economy, complete the 

survey today at 

www.cambridgeshirechamber.co.uk 

A group of business leaders has launched a new survey 

that will identify the key issues that are impeding growth 

in the area and prioritise the schemes of work necessary 

to remedy them. 

The Infrastructure and Transport Group, chaired by 

David Ball of the David Ball Group, comprises companies 

that recognise a need for enhanced infrastructure and 

transport provisions to realise future growth. 

The group, co-ordinated by Cambridgeshire Chambers 

of Commerce, has made a commitment to support the 

work of the Greater Cambridge Greater Peterborough 

Enterprise Partnership covering the Cambridgeshire 

and Peterborough local authority areas by establishing 

the key business priorities across the area and lobbying 

for real progress. 

John Bridge OBE, Chief Executive of Cambridgeshire 

Chambers of Commerce, said: “This exceptional 

group of business people has come together because 

they recognise that Cambridgeshire needs a plan going 

forward, and that plan needs to be both cohesive 

and deliverable. We are delighted to be in a position 

to facilitate this vital role, as some of the county’s 

most influential businesses work hard to establish the 

individual schemes most crucial to economic growth and 

present their proposals to decision-makers both locally 

and nationally.” 

The group has already identified six key areas for 

investment including road connectivity, rail connectivity, 

international connectivity, digital connectivity, housing 

supply and energy and water supply. Now local businesses 

are being asked to put forward their suggestions for the 

individual schemes which they believe would unlock 

future economic growth. 



SUFFOLK’S TOP 100 

BUSINESSES DRIVING GROWTH 

THROUGH INVESTMENT 

Grant Thornton reveals the results of Suffolk Ltd 2014 

The results of Suffolk Ltd 2014, the 13th annual 

survey into the performance of the county’s top 

100 businesses, are in and show a strong overall 

performance, with the investment of recent years 

continuing and materialising into tangible growth. 

The turnover of Suffolk’s 100 largest companies grew 

by 3.2% to £4.14bn, while operating profit increased 

14.2% to £200m and profit before tax rose by a 

substantial 26.2% to £205m. Employment levels also 

increased by 4.2%. 

The county’s Services sector led the way, increasing 

turnover by 21%. All other sectors grew by between 

3.8% and 6.9% with the exception of Manufacturing, 

which saw a 27.3% reduction in sales (albeit primarily 

due to a major player leaving the survey), and Retail 

& Wholesale Distribution where turnover remained 

broadly flat. 

James Brown, Practice Leader at Grant Thornton, 

said: “The 2014 Suffolk Ltd results clearly show that 

investments made over recent years, together with 

measures to become leaner and fitter, are now coming 

to fruition. 

“With the right people in place, the county’s largest 

companies appear confident and are continuing to 

invest for future opportunities and growth. As long as 

the economy holds up, Suffolk’s business prospects are 

very good and will be further strengthened if export 

markets also pick up.” 

This positive news for Suffolk comes ahead of the 

results of Grant Thornton’s 2014 Cambridgeshire Ltd 

survey which will be announced later this month. The 

firm’s ‘Limited’ studies have become recognised events 

in the business calendar, providing a valuable indicator 

of the economies of individual counties. Similar surveys 

are conducted in Essex, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, 

Buckinghamshire and Northamptonshire. 


www.grant-thornton.co.uk 


Case study 

SUFFOLK MOTOR GROUP MAKES 

£5.5M INVESTMENT IN FACILITIES 

Marriott Motor Group is one of Suffolk Ltd 2014’s key 

players. This reflects an overall positive performance 

by the county’s motor retail and transport sector 

which continued to grow, albeit at a slower rate, with 

turnover up 3.8% on the previous year to once again 

take the largest share of Suffolk Ltd’s total turnover 

at 29.4%. 

With its head office in Ipswich, Marriot Motor Group 

currently owns eight Volkswagen, Audi, commercial 

and trade parts sites across 

Suffolk, plus 

a further two 

dealerships 

“The county is rapidly 

moving away from 

its rural roots to 

become more current 

and connected.” 

in Norfolk. 

Benefitting 

from a growth 

market which 

defied the 

economic 

downturn, the 

Group last year 

achieved a turnover of £135m and is 

midway through a two year, £5.5million capital 

IQ Suffolk Ltd 

investment programme to refit its East Anglian 

showrooms. 

Marriott Motor Group Managing Director Paul 

Barnard, explains: “Like most businesses we were 

knocked by the recession and, due to a severe 

downturn in sales, suffered significant financial 

losses by having to dispose of excess stock. But 

from mid 2009 trade began to pick up, aided by the 

Government’s scrappage scheme, and has continued 

to grow at a pace ever since. This has been helped 

further locally by the stable business environment 

Suffolk offers and a loyal customer base. 

“The county is rapidly moving away from its rural 

roots to become more current and connected. This 

process needs to continue to ensure that Suffolk 

businesses remain able to viably compete and thrive.” 

With its roots firmly 

embedded in the 

county, Notcutts 

Group Ltd has 

featured highly in 

Suffolk Ltd’s top 

100 since the survey 

began in 2001. 

Putting in a strong 

performance once 

again this year, the 

Group, which owns 

18 garden centre 

sites across the UK 

and headquarters in Woodbridge, has big plans for the 

future. 

As part of Suffolk Ltd’s largest sector – Retail & 

Wholesale – Notcutts achieved an impressive turnover 

in excess of £55 million last year and expects to 

build on this for 2015. This is despite sector turnover 

remaining broadly flat during 2014. 

Case study 

Strong growth for 

garden centre group 

Notcutts, Chief Operating Officer Andrew Staff 

explains: “As a business we are more dependent on 

the weather than the economy, and the last six months 

have been very kind to us. When it’s cold and wet, 

people don’t do nearly as much gardening. 

“Unlike many other retail businesses, we fared well 

during the recession and benefitted from the large 

number of people who decided to substitute a foreign 

holiday with a ‘staycation’ and instead spend money on 

improving their homes. 

“We have seen more people making considered 

purchases and sales have continued in an upward 

trend in line with the economy. We have big plans for 

expanding the business and are very hopeful about the 

future.” 



TIME TO THROW AWAY 

THE RULE BOOK 

James Pinchbeck, Marketing Partner of Streets Chartered Accountants, 

reveals a business plan with a difference 

Whether you are required to complete 

a business plan to support bank 

borrowing or to change the fortunes 

of the business, typically it is a process 

thwart with fear. For many it is a chore 

or a challenge that requires a great 

deal of time, a scarce commodity, and 

thought and ideas which too can often 

be in short supply. 

The easy option is to defer the 

planning, with the preference being 

to focus on the day to day activities 

of fire fighting and maintaining the 

status quo. The likelihood though 

is that nothing will change, your 

business is unlikely to grow, profits 

will not improve and invariably your 

competitors could gain a competitive 

advantage. 

The question then is how can business 

planning be made more interesting 

and more relevant? 

The starting point must surely be to 

make it a practical rather than an 

academic exercise, which follows the 

blueprint of conventional business 

planning. Whilst typically you 

will need the ubiquitous financial 

forecasts, these should not be the sole 

drivers and focus of your efforts, more 

importantly they should be the result 

of or culmination of your strategic 

vision and planning. 

The next pitfall or barrier to effective 

business planning is the concept that 

your plan needs to be equivalent in 

Scenario 

Planning 

Sustainability 

Planning 

What do you 

want from 

the business? 

Re-acquainting 

Yourself 

With Your 

customers 

needs 


www.streetsweb.co.uk 



length to something like War and 

Peace. This is not the case and often 

the best business plans are those that 

are succinct in their content, as they 

are easier to communicate and act 

upon. 

Another major shortfall in a lot of 

business plans is the mediocrity of 

the plan and the lack of vision or 

step change. Whilst there may be 

inherit resistance to change, it is often 

transformational change and change 

that takes us outside of our comfort 

zone that brings about the desired 

results that most business plans need 

to achieve. 

The development of most business 

plans is limited by the ideas, thoughts 

and visions of those charged with 

producing them. Though perhaps by 

engaging with others who are not in 

the business and adopting a different 

approach to the plan formulation 

your plan can surpass your own 

expectations, and also make it a more 

stimulating process to go through. 

Depending on your preference there are many 

different ways to approach or start your planning 

exercise. These could include any of the following:- 

Scenario Planning 

By considering or hypothesising over future events and 

how they could impact on your business, you can take 

a viewpoint on what you may or may not want to do 

in the future. Given for example we are approaching 

an election year, you may want to consider the impact 

of a change of government. Closer to your business, 

you may want to consider the impact that the loss of a 

key customer or supplier may have, or the threat of a 

competitor entering you market or even your product 

or process becoming obsolete. 

What do you want 

from the business? 

It is often the case that business people find themselves 

running a business which is not necessarily the one they 

either set out to run or even enjoy or want to run today. 

For such people, the planning exercise is likely to major on 

getting back to basics in terms of what they want and in 

some cases this may result in a decision to scale down, scale 

up or even sell. 

Sustainability Planning 

The sense is, not least pre-recession, that business, 

like some people’s approach to life was ‘live for today’ 

with business owners and manages focusing on short-term 

financial gains. There does however seem to be a new order, 

with a growing number of businesses that are increasingly 

concerned about ensuring they continue to be in business 

and that they can derive income and financial return for 

a longer-term future. This is an approach which requires 

planning to focus on what you need to do to ensure you 

have both a market in the future as well as the capabilities, 

resources and capacity to service it. 

Re-acquainting Yourself 

With Your customers needs 

All too often it is the case that businesses believe they 

are providing their customers with products or services 

that fulfil their needs, but invariably and not least over 

time, this may not be the case. Customer needs are 

constantly changing and typically many suppliers are 

too complacent, and they fail to keep up with changing 

customer needs. Certainly getting back to basics and 

speaking to long standing, new and potential customers 

can be a great driver for developing any business plan. 

These are just some ideas on a fresh approach to the business plan. Ultimately though, the success of any plan is down 

to its implementation. Therefore, whatever approach you decide to take to its creation, ensuring a clear, accountable and 

measurable timescale of delivery is essential to avoid the great failure to implement. 


IQ finance 

TWELVE BUSINESS 

NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS 

Area Director SME Banking for Lloyds Bank, Steve Elsom, 

challenges all local businesses to take a look at the New Year ahead 

Set goals. What 

are you planning to 

achieve in 2015? 

Commit your plan 

to paper. Remember 

- be ambitious but 

realistic 

Delight your customers/ 

clients. Seek feedback 

from them on how 

pleased they are with 

the service/product, 

and what single thing 

you could do better 

to improve their 

experience - then ask for 

a recommendation 

Know your 

numbers: 

Profit & Loss, 

Margins, Key 

Performance 

Indicators 

Review your pricing 

policy - when was 

the last time you did 

this and what was 

the outcome? This 

feeds directly to your 

bottom line profit 

Do you have a 

‘trusted advisor’ 

with whom you 

can share ideas 

and who can 

share ideas with 

you? If not, find 

one - business can 

be lonely 

Review your cash 

flow and your terms 

of trade. Cash is one 

of the most important 

commodities in your 

business - guard it 

jealously! 

Chase 

debtors, send 

out invoices 

timely and 

follow up well 

before the due 

date. 

When reaching 

a buying decision 

people tend to say no 

5 times before they 

say yes. Are you still 

in the sales game 

when the customer is 

ready to buy? 

Keep in contact 

with each customer 

in every 90 day 

cycle - this improves 

the probability of 

them increasing 

their spend with you 

Consider how 

to reduce waste 

in your business 

- time/money/ 

resources/errors/ 

travel, as this will 

improve profitability 

Review your 

work/ life balance 

- is it right? - Long 

hours can lead to 

stress which in turn 

can lead to poor 

judgement - Take time 

to have some fun! 

Remind yourself 

why you 

started your 

own business - 

never lose 

that feeling 

With the end of 2014 just around the corner, now is the time to start considering these 

important questions. Where will you stand next year and where would you like to see your 

business going? Set yourself goals to ensure that your enterprise never remains static. 


Lloyds Bank, Endeavour House, Chivers Way, Vision Park, Histon, Cambs, CB24 9ZR. 

Email: donna.sorrell@lloydsbanking.com. Twitter: @steveelsom1. Tel: 01223 227680. 

issue11 | page 19

IQ business start ups 

BUSINESS 

START UPS 

Websters raise vital areas of consideration for 

those looking to start a new business 

There are so many issues to consider when 

starting a business; all have an important 

impact on the success of your business. It’s 

therefore crucial that all issues are considered 

in a fully rounded process before diving in. 

You may have professional advisors who can 

guide you through the areas; many small 

businesses however try and find their own way 

to keep start-up costs to a minimum. It’s crucial 

whichever approach you take to ensure that the 

right people with the appropriate knowledge 

and experience are utilised to put the business 

on the route to success from Day 1. 

Think about the business structure 

People frequently know what they are good 

at and the services they can provide. The 

structure into which your business is formed 

should also be given careful consideration. 

Structures can be changed as the business 

develops but getting the right structure initially 

can assist this process. 

Factors to consider 

The individuals concerned with starting the 

business. Who will they be and what is their 

intended input into the process. 

Potential customers and their perception. 

Are you likely to influence potential 

customers from the type of business 

structure? 

Tax consequences and the mandatory 

minimum reporting requirements. Ensure 

you know what is mandatory for each 

structure. Depending upon the desired 

structure could give completely different 

reporting requirements. 

Protection – Some structures will give a 

certain amount of personal protection to 

owners and investors, and for some this is 

a key issue in deciding upon the structure 

they choose.

IQ business start ups 

Know your Filing Requirements 

Whether it be Income Tax, Corporation Tax, VAT 

or PAYE, ensure you know the filing requirements 

and payment deadlines. Missed deadlines will 

almost certainly lead to financial penalties, which 

is money that would be better spent on developing 

your business. Many filing and payment 

requirements are now electronic, which will require 

software or an understanding of the facilities 

available on the HMRC website. 

Have a Plan 

The most successful businesses usually have a plan 

of where they want to be at some defined point in 

the future. This not only helps to measure your 

performance against your initial goals, but also 

allows you to make crucial decisions to resolve 

problems at the earliest possible point in time. 

Value your own time and use expertise 

where it is makes financial sense to do so 

Many individuals starting their own business will 

try and do everything themselves. Your time is a 

limited resource. It’s crucial that this time is spent 

in the areas where you can add the most value to 

your business. Why spend time maintaining your 

business records to save a cost of £20 per hour if 

this means that you don’t have time to fulfil all the 

chargeable customer work you could at a much 

higher rate. 

MORE INFORMATION: 

Contact websters for a free consultation or join one of our free start-up seminars and we can set you on 

the right course. Contact us on 01223 507080 or view our events on www.tax.uk.com 


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IQ employment 

PEOPLE LEAVE 

MANAGERS NOT JOBS! 

Jacqui Kemp of Namaste discusses the impact 

of a managerial position 

Research from exit interviews has identified a breakdown in 

relations with line managers as the number one reason for 

people leaving a business. 

Why not take a couple of minutes 

to consider the following: 

Who is the best manager you had? 

What was it about that person 

that made them the best? 

Who was the worst 

manager you ever had? 

What made them so diff icult 

to work for? 

Now consider: 

What is it that you do that makes 

you a good manager? 

What could you do better? 

What is it that got you the role as a manager in the first 

place? Chances are you were a great technician, so you 

decided to set up a business or you aimed for a promotion 

into management. 

Did you really know what that would mean to you in terms of 

time and commitment to meeting someone else’s needs? Or 

did it just feel like the right step to take because that was the 

goal you had set for yourself without realising the different 

skillset that would be needed to fulfil the role of a manager? 

Even though I had completed my HR training, I really didn’t 

understand the impact that becoming a manager would have 

on my time and availability until I was a manager. 

Suddenly I had others with needs and wants that were 

different to my needs and wants, they were not motivated by 

the things that motivated me; they needed me to be more 

people focused, to give them my time and attention and to be 

less of a technician. 

I know that a few people left me in my early days as a manager, 

and to them I can only apologise for any difficulties I caused 

and hope that they found greater fulfilment elsewhere. 

I know that I have become a better manager through training 

and development; I had to reflect on my abilities and my 

shortcomings. Now I help others to develop their core skills 

and competencies to become engaging managers. 

I have used those early experiences as a reminder that I am 

fallible, that management skills can be learned and that by 

giving those around me just a little of my time and attention 

I will reap the benefits tenfold. 


If you are new to management, or are running a business and have never had management training find out about 

our Management Development Programme. www.namasteculture.co.uk 


IQ health and safety 

MOVING ON TO THE NEXT 

LEVEL... AND BEYOND! 

Helping your business to progress as the New Year arrives, Miles Vartan asks whether 

getting tough is the answer you need 

Buzz Lightyear is well known for saying “To 

infinity... and beyond!” Researching this profound 

comment led me to Stanley Kubrick’s 1968 film, 

2001: A Space Odyssey, where the title card talks 

about going ‘beyond the infinite’. 

Although I’m well known for thinking laterally 

and subsequently trying to motivate colleagues, 

customers and suppliers, I can imagine the sea of 

“The magic formula is always changing 

and it’s those businesses that are fleet of foot, 

constantly adapting to market conditions that 

survive and even thrive in a depressed economy. 

The most important feature that successful 

businesses share is their ability to adapt and 

stay one step ahead of future challenges.” 

confused faces if I or any manager started a call to 

action with this phrase; however... 

Businesses are set up for a multitude of reasons 

and travel through well-recognised cycles such as 

forming, storming, norming and performing. If you 

are fortunate to have, or are benefiting from, incisive 

management skills, leaders and senior managers 

need to be able to respond nimbly and promptly 

to such factors as changes in the marketplace, 

customer failure, etc. 

According to Dr Anthea Gregory, Deputy Vice 

Chancellor – Academic of The University of 

Wolverhampton, “The magic formula is always 

changing and it’s those businesses that are fleet of 

foot, constantly adapting to market conditions that 

survive and even thrive in a depressed economy. The 

most important feature that successful businesses 

share is their ability to adapt and stay one step 

ahead of future challenges.” 

Where can businesses go for help to 

challenge the status quo, successfully 

effect change and be ready for 

the future? The Growth Hub 

is where our business went 

for advice, and for that ‘push’ to 

move to the next level. 

Signing up for The Growth Accelerator 

led to pairing up with a Business Coach and 

a ‘nuts and bolts’ analysis of the company’s 

Business Plan. It’s by seeking expert advice 

on how to get into new markets, increasing 

sales and productivity and designing 

new products and services, 

that businesses of all sizes, 

including our own, will 

positively benefit. 

Will asking 

employees 


IQ health and safety 

‘to work harder’ affect their motivation and 

subsequently be a negative factor in your company’s 

performance? There is always a danger that this 

could be the case, so counter this by keeping your 

staff involved in your plans, give them a say as to 

the direction you want to go and try to reflect their 

ideas in actions. 

Be prepared to be tough with those who try to put 

spokes in your wheels and take advice on how poor 

performance can be positively managed. Celebrate 

success and the positive aspects of your business – 

the temptation can be to inadvertently focus on the 

negative, which can lead into a downward spiral. 

Miles Vartan Consultancy’s Risk Management 

Bureau provides key support to businesses to ensure 

that business interruption is mitigated against, 

thereby preventing good work being undone. We 

will make sure that the Health and Safety culture 

in your businesses is such that all employees will 

work to prevent accidents. A robust Business 

Continuity Plan will enable you to bounce back 

from calamity, supply seamless service levels 

to your customers and protect against 

reputational damage. 

Slinky Dog, Bo Peep, Sheriff 

Woody and others along with Buzz Lightyear 

normally reach the end of the film in one piece… 

Can they reach infinity? Well, they certainly won’t 

fail through a lack of trying! 


www.milesvartan.co.uk 



Health and Wellbeing 

Is It On Your Agenda For 2015? 

Cambridge Interim HR advises managers what to focus on. 

We learnt earlier this year that absence cost UK employers £29 billion in 2013 

with musculoskeletal problems and stress continuing to be the top concerns. We are 

approaching the end of another year, and we should be asking ourselves if we did 

enough to create the right environment to get the best from our teams in 2014. 



The workplace of the future is going to be increasingly 

people-centric, and if you are an organisation 

competing for talent (which organisation is not!), you 

will need to respond by being more supportive and 

trusting of your staff than ever before. 

Your staff will want something different, they 

will want to have more emphasis placed on the 

part they play in the success of the organisation. 

You will need to be focussed on catering for their 

needs and aspirations whilst concentrating more on 

recruiting, motivating and retaining them; this is 

what will give your organisation the competitive 

advantage. To do this, you need to care, and 

show you care; your actions need to replicate 

your words. 

This challenges employers to take a close look at 

what is happening in the workplace to ensure that 

any human resource policies are supporting how you 

want to care for the physical and mental wellbeing 

of your staff, thus enabling people to work better for 

longer. Most people are more likely to remain in a 

workplace for longer, if the environment maximises 

energy levels and keeps them connected (engaged 

with mind and heart). 

1 

Take a look at what is going 

on in your organisation. 

Do you know why your people are absent 

from the workplace and what you are doing to 

support them? Look at your absence policy (or 

develop one) and ensure it provides guidelines 

to help people return as fast as possible and to 

adjust the environment appropriately. 

2 

Is health and wellbeing 

on your agenda for 2015? 

It does not have to be big elaborate expensive 

gestures, as the biggest cost will be if you do not 

act, and so fail to attract or retain the talent you 

need. We are in the ageless workplace. Acting 

now will help people be more physically and 

mentally fit to handle lifelong careers. Take 

the lead and start raising awareness. 

3 

Downtime / time out 

is a good thing 

What is the culture you have or are creating 

in your organisation? Are you encouraging 

people to take time away from the digital 

overload, to stop feeling the need to be 

connected 24/7? Any approach to health and 

wellbeing should include the need to encourage 

people to prevent overload to help reduce stress 

levels. Being connected 24/7 is detrimental 

to our ability to generate new ideas or solve 

that difficult problem or dilemma, which 

can only mean 

reducing personal 

effectiveness 

and organisation 

competitiveness. 

Find a way to allow 

your people more 

quality time to think! 

Find a way to allow 

your people more 

quality time to think! 


Cambridge Interim HR Ltd, St John’s Innovation Centre, Cowley Road, Cambridge, CB4 0WS. 

Tel: 01223 422261 www.cambridgeinterimhr.com 



USING ALL THE 

STRENGTH YOU HAVE 

Ed Goodman of Cambridge Business Lounge gives his advice on starting up a new business 



In 2013, a record number of businesses were launched in the UK and, this year, that 

record looks set to be broken again. The fact is that every one of those new ventures will be 

sharing the same challenges and feeling the same frustrations. 

Starting a business can be an extraordinarily exciting, yet 

daunting, experience. Whether you realise it or not, the 

need for peer to peer support is greater than ever, and I 

can safely say that Cambridge Business Lounge would 

not have survived its first year if we hadn’t built a strong 

network first. Here’s a story to prove my point… 

One morning, a boy was playing in his sandbox with 

his box of cars and trucks, his plastic pail and a shiny, 

red plastic shovel. In the process of creating roads and 

tunnels, he discovered a large rock in the middle of the 

sandbox and, with a little bit of a struggle, he pushed 

and nudged the large rock across the sandbox with his 

feet. However, when the boy got the rock to the edge 

of the sandbox, he found that he couldn’t roll it up and 

over the wall. 

Determined, the boy shoved, pushed, and pried, but 

every time he thought he had made some progress, the 

rock tipped and then fell back into the sandbox. 

All this time the boy’s father watched from his living 

room window as the drama unfolded and, at the moment 

his tears fell, a large shadow fell across the boy and the 

sandbox. 

Gently, but firmly, the father said, “Son, why didn’t you 

use all the strength that you had available?” Defeated, 

the boy sobbed back, “But I did, Daddy, I did! I used all 

the strength that I had!” 

“No, son,” corrected the father kindly. “You didn’t use 

all the strength you had. You didn’t ask me.” And, with 

that, the father reached down, picked up the rock and 

removed it from the sandbox. 

You have probably started a business because you’ve 

found a gap in the market for a new product or service. 

Maybe you’re turning a hobby into a business or looking 

to provide an existing service in a unique or more 

customer-focused way. Whatever your reason, I have 

absolutely no doubt that you are great at what you do 

and that you are incredibly passionate about the product 

or service that you have started to offer or are about to 

launch. 

What aren’t you good at: Marketing? Bookkeeping? 

Sales? Also, what is it that you don’t know you need to 

know about running a new business? In short, what is 

stopping you from getting your rock over the wall? 

I know that many don’t ask for help because pride gets in 

the way, or they don’t know who to ask outside of calling 

traditional businesses like accountants or solicitors. 

Another reason for not asking may be because a mental 

cry for help is closely followed by a thought of “but I 

wonder what it will cost me.” Of course, we can only ask 

for help if we know we need help with and that rarely 

comes ahead of time. Whatever support you need to 

start your business and whenever you need it, there is a 

plethora of support available. 

In 2013, a record number of businesses were launched in 

the UK and, this year, that record looks set to be broken 

again. The fact is that every one of those new ventures 

will be sharing the same challenges and feeling the same 

frustrations. 

So, get out there to networking events and co-working 

spaces; find other start-up businesses and use social 

media (you can start with @edagoodman on twitter). 

Whatever your industry, whatever your experience, you’ll 

be amazed how quickly your rock is removed and how 

much it will help your business to grow. 

As Helen Keller once wrote: ”Alone we can do so little; 

together we can do so much.” 


www.cambridgebusinesslounge.com 


IQ exposure 

2032 

What’s our vision 

for Newmarket? 

IQ Magazine reveals the plans 

behind Newmarket Vision 



Established in 2012, Newmarket Vision is a 

partnership of public, private and voluntary sector 

groups working to improve Newmarket’s town 

centre, tourism, educational opportunities, traffic and 

community planning. Brought together by The Prince’s 

Foundation, the aim of the Vision Project is to set the 

vision for Newmarket over the next 20 years. 

A public conference was recently held to discuss the 

Newmarket Vision and report back to the community 

on its progress. Following this work, four delivery groups 

were formed: the Community Planning Group; the 

Education Group; the Local Economy, Town Centre 

and Tourism Group; and the Traffic and Highways 

Group. Noel Byrne (of Bedford Lodge Hotel) 

“The Vision is a 

collaborative first for 

the town; we are getting 

things done, making 

decisions and moving 

things forward.” 

summarised the initiative well: “The 

Vision is a collaborative first for the town; 

we are getting things done, making decisions 

and moving things forward.” 

Education Delivery Group 

Howard Lay opened with his key note speech, ‘The 

Future Of Education In Newmarket’ and gave an 

update on the raising the bar initiative, expressing the 

necessity to take a localised approach and focus on 

reducing the bureaucracy in our schools. 

Significant changes have already taken place at what 

is now Newmarket Academy (formerly Newmarket 

College) with Mr Lay feeling positive that a significant 

improvement in grades will be recognised with the 

2015 leavers. He commented on how necessary it is for 

schools to take the responsibility for their own destiny 

and no longer rely on the LEA. 

Alongside academic subjects, he mentioned the 

importance of competitive sports as a factor in shaping 

students’ values. “Competitive sports are vital as they 

teach us how to cope with failure and bad news, taking 

students out of their comfort zone. They encourage 

risk taking, challenging, questioning and giving them 

ambition for success,” concluded Mr Lay. 

Palace House 

Chris Garibaldi, Director of Palace House, 

gave an update on the progress of the National 

Heritage Centre for Horseracing and Sporting 

Art. This will replace the National Horseracing 

Museum at present situated on the High Street, 

and will be located within Palace House and on the 

land opposite. 

Mr Garibaldi praised Newmarket’s “extraordinary 

geographical positioning which will allow the Heritage 

Centre to ambitiously target the international visitor.” 

He continued, “Live horses, interactive experiences 

and scientific learning will form part of the offer, 

combining not just with horse racing, but many 

different forms of sporting art, to shape the centre. The 

Heritage Centre will be at the heart of the community, 

with a courtyard open to all filled with eateries, shops 

and light entertainment.” The National Heritage 

Centre for Horseracing and Sporting Art is due to 

open its doors to the public in 2016. 


Further information and updates on The Newmarket Vision can be found on The Forest Health District Council website. 



Business Improvement District (BID) 

The Local Economy, Town Centre and Tourism 

Group had discussed the implementation of a 

Newmarket BID. In summary, a BID is a defined area 

within which businesses pay a levy in order to fund 

projects in the district’s boundaries, which would 

be over and above what the council would typically 

provide. Mark Cordell, CEO of the successful Bury 

St Edmunds BID (named Our Bury St Edmunds), 

gave a workshop to demonstrate his experience and 

to help conference members understand what the 

adoption of a BID could do for Newmarket. 

He began by pointing out that its objective is to 

“increase business turnover by increasing footfall into 

the town and reduce business cost.” Although a BID 

can define its own priorities, Mark Cordell focuses his 

budget for Our Bury St Edmunds on the following 

six areas: 

Marketing: 

This concerns marketing the town 

and what it needs to offer. The 

strategy is to increase the catchments 

via website, SEO, social media and 

advertising. 

Christmas Lights: 

This ensures that every street in 

the BID district has Christmas 

lights, at an additional cost of 

£50,000. 

Safety and Security: 

This includes the introduction 

of a shop safe radio scheme, pub 

watch and additional support for 

the Town Pastors, for example. 

Events: 

This facilitates The Christmas Lights 

Festival, The Whitsun Fayre and The 

Food Festival, to name but a few. 

Environment: 

This boosts Bury St Edmunds’ 

reputation as a floral town, and funds 

an additional £20,000 worth of 

public flowers, graffiti removal and 

chewing gum removal amongst other 

initiatives. 

Business Support: 

Reduces costs for businesses through 

group buying power and negotiation, free 

first aid training and job adverts online. 

Further consultations will follow regarding the proposed BID in Newmarket, which ultimately will lead to a ballot 

where defined businesses will be able to vote for or against its adoption. 



MAKING BURY ST EDMUNDS 

EVEN BETTER FOR BUSINESS 

Having fought for better business in Bury St Edmunds for the past five years, 

Bury St Edmunds’ Business Improvement District, known as ourburystedmunds, 

now faces testing times with its termly re-election. 

Elected every five years, Bury St Edmunds has 

led the way in our local area, welcoming its 

Business Improvement District, or BID, in 2010, 

when many other BIDs were still undecided 

upon in surrounding cities and towns. Now with 

Cambridge BID thriving, and talk of Newmarket’s 

first BID under way, ourburystedmunds will face 

its most challenging feat yet, as the ballot for its 

re-election opens this November. 

Welcoming all members to vote until 3rd 

December, the Electoral Reform Services (ERS) 

will carry out the independent ballot by post. To be 

successful, it must meet the following conditions: 

1. More than 50% of businesses that vote 

must vote YES. 

2. Of the businesses which vote, the YES votes 

must represent more than 50% of the total 

rateable value of all votes cast. 

If the BID ballot is successful, the BID levy will be 

mandatory from 1st April 2015 for each business 

located in the BID area with a rateable value of 

£10,000 and above. 

But what does it actually mean to businesses in 

Bury St Edmunds? 



The Opportunity 

Retaining the BID is an opportunity to ensure that over 

£2million is invested in Bury St Edmunds town centre 

over the next five years. For businesses it is an opportunity 

to keep streets clean and safe for staff and visitors. For 

retailers and the evening economy, it is an opportunity to 

increase footfall and sales. For all, it is a chance to reduce 

business costs. 

The Funding 

The ourburystedmunds BID is funded by those in the 

area paying the levy based on the rateable value of their 

business. The levy is ring-fenced and spent on BID projects 

and services agreed by its members. One of the biggest 

misconceived rumours is that it has anything to do with 

normal business rates. This is not correct, as business rates 

are passed straight to central Government. 

The smallest businesses whose rateable value is less than 

£10,000 will be exempt and will not have to pay. However, 

those who still wish to receive BID services will have the 

opportunity to become a voluntary member, which will 

entitle them to receive all the services provided by the BID. 

Currently ourburystedmunds has nearly 30 voluntary BID 

members. 

The Management 

The BID will be managed by Bury St Edmunds Town 

Centre Management Company Ltd. This is an independent 

not for profit company and will be answerable to a Board of 

Directors elected by its members. The Board will oversee 

the delivery of projects outlined in this business plan, and 

work in your best interests and that of the Town Centre. 



What happens if the BID isn’t voted back in? 

Whilst the BID and the projects it carries out do 

not and cannot replace those services statutorily 

provided by public agencies, such as the Police 

and the Council, it can provide services over 

and above what the public agencies supply. 

If a ‘no’ vote is received, ourburystedmunds will cease 

to exist as of 31st March 2015. All services provided by 

it will stop immediately, including, but not limited to: 

Marketing & Promotion 

• The Ourburystedmunds website & app 

• Free advertising of staff vacancies on 

the website 

• Monthly promotional E-Newsletters to 

5000 people 

• PR & media promotions 

• Promotion of independent businesses in 

Bury Free Press, Mercury & EADT 

• Quarterly production of 10,000 maps 

featuring every BID business 

Events 

• Organisation, delivery and promotion 

of the Food & Drink Festival, Whitsun 

Fayre, Christmas Lights Switch 

On, St George’s Day celebrations, 

Independents week, St Edmunds Day 

and late night shopping events across 

the Christmas season. 

other benefits 

• Expansion, renewal, installation and removal of 

Christmas lights Safety & Security 

• Support for Shop Safe Scheme 

• Reduced costs for hire of radios 

• Support for the Town Pastors 

• Support for the Pubwatch scheme 

• Active Police liaison Environment 

• Display of 200 floral baskets (winter and summer 

plants) in the Town Centre 

• Provision of additonal litter and chewing 

gum bins 

• Prompt removal of graffiti from BID buildings 

Business Support 

• Lobbying and advocacy on behalf of businesses 

i.e. car parking, business rates etc 

• Providing access to appropriate contacts within 

Local Authorities 

• Providing free advice for business related issues 

• Reducing business costs 

• Provision of free training on a variety of subjects 

Having held a preliminary consultation 

earlier in the year, the prospects for 

ourburystedmunds do look promising, with 

70% of those that responded stating that they 

have confidence in the business community, and 

expect their turnover to increase in the next 12 

months. 

A promising 97% of those people said that the 

BID should continue to provide the services 

currently offered, and over 80% of people thought the 

work of the BID has had a positive impact on their 

business. 

With the jury still out on ourburystedmunds’ next term 

in Bury St Edmunds, we look forward to reporting the 

results. 


www.ourburystedmunds.com 



CAMBRIDGE AHEAD - ONE YEAR ON 

Cambridge Ahead reveals its current projects and progress after one year 

At the beginning of this quarter, the 

three project leaders of Cambridge 

Ahead came together to present 

a summary of their progress, 

achievements, and future plans for 

the city’s growth. 

Taking place at The Li Ka 

Shing Centre on the Cambridge 

Biomedical Campus at 

Addenbrookes in October, IQ joined 

over 100 guests, including members 

of the business, academic, local 

government, non-profit making and 

cultural community of Cambridge. 

Dr Keith McNeil, CEO of 

Cambridge University Hospitals 

Trust and host of the event, 

began with an interesting speech 

on the Hospital’s successes and 

also the future challenges it faces. 

Highlighting the increasing number 

of patients the Hospital serves, he 

emphasised that it is a victim of its 

own success and reputation, and 

stressed the need for sensible growth 

in order for it to continue to provide 

its high level of care. 

Everyone present was keen to hear 

more about Cambridge Ahead’s 

current projects; Promoting 

Cambridge, Clarifying the Growth 

Agenda, and Improving the Quality 

of Life, and in turn, each project 

leader provided an overview of their 

progress. 

Leader of Promoting Cambridge, 

Dr David Cleevely CBE, (Honorary 

Member, entrepreneur, and 

Chairman of Cambridge Wireless) 

began by highlighting the need for 

a Promotional Agency in order to 

boost investment in Cambridge 




www.cambridgeahead.co.uk 

and manage existing arrangements. 

Joining forces with Cambridge 

Network and local authorities, 

he said this initiative should be 

launched fairly soon. 

Dr Tony Raven, (CEO of 

Cambridge Enterprise and leader 

of the Growth Agenda project) was 

looking ahead to 2035 when he 

stated: “Quality of life will be a huge 

factor in developing entrepreneurial 

communities.” Emphasising the 

need to gain a better understanding 

of our business community’s longterm 

growth forecasts in comparison 

to national forecasts, he highlighted 

that data collection and analysis 

is still in progress. He also stressed 

the need to tackle the lack of 

commercial property space, which is 

something to consider as Cambridge 

continues to grow. 

Finally, Professor Michael Thorne 

(Vice Chancellor of Anglia Ruskin 

University and leader of the Quality 

of Life project) presented the highly 

anticipated results of the Quality of 

Life survey which was sent out to 

30,000 employees across our region. 

Undertaken by RAND Europe, it 

was one of the largest workforce 

surveys to take place in our area, 

and received a great response rate 

which showed representation across 

all classifications. 

According to a national survey, 

the majority of people believe that 

health, immigration and education 

are the main concerns facing 

Britain. In comparison, those who 

completed Cambridge’s Quality of 

Life survey said that their greatest 

concern was congestion! 

The report showed that 77% of 

people are dissatisfied with the level 

of traffic in Cambridge, 31% of 

whom are also dissatisfied with the 

location of the train station. On 

housing, 76% disagree that housing 

is affordable with 55% of people 

struggling to get on the property 

ladder. With regard to business, 

an alarming 26% of 16 to 25 year 

olds feel they don’t have a sense 

of belonging, which is something 

business leaders should look to 

address. 

Jane Paterson-Todd, CEO of 

Cambridge Ahead, said: “We 

commissioned this survey in order 

to understand the full extent of what 

workers feel about their quality of 

life and where Cambridge Ahead 

can prioritise its work to help resolve 

major issues. The survey confirms 

that transport and housing are 

significant problems that need to be 

addressed. 

“The high response rate shows the 

level of interest and concern these 

employees feel about their quality 

of life. There are lots of lessons for 

our members, and indeed other 

Cambridge organisations, to take 

away.” 

Cambridge Ahead has now grown 

to 32 full members including 

The University of Cambridge, 

ARM, Mills & Reeve LLP, Anglia 

Ruskin University, Xaar plc and 

Cambridge University Hospitals. 

All of the members represent a 

large proportion of the working 

population in Cambridge, and have 

a turnover of £5billion. 

Working together to realise one 

common vision, Cambridge Ahead 

continues to represent the city’s 

business community, with the aim to 

grow Cambridge to be the greatest 

small city in the world. 


Celiks

IQ review 

BOOK REVIEW 

Selling To Win 

Author: Richard Denny 

Bio: 

A legend in the sales world, Richard Denny 

has improved the selling skills of one million 

people worldwide through his lectures, books 

and courses. Chairman of the Richard Denny 

Group that specialises in business training, he 

delivers highly practical ideas that achieve high 

performance results. 

Beginning his career in agriculture, he went 

on to work in direct sales with a diverse range 

of products from household detergents to bras 

becoming the top salesperson, ending up leading 

a team of 2,000. 

Review: 

When the cover promotes that this is “The best 

book ever written on selling” I have to admit I 

was unsure of this ostentatious boast. However, 

as soon as I started reading I could see that this 

might be the case after all. 

With an easy to read style, Richard Denny 

doesn’t use complicated jargon or hard to 

understand methods, but speaks sense using 

true to life comparisons that make relating to 

his words simple. 

Explaining how we have been conditioned to 

deal with the word ‘no’ and then giving advice 

on how to turn it into a yes, Denny reveals the six 

cylinders of professional selling, alongside tips on 

how to keep good records and the importance of 

time management. 

Broken down into small chunks and bullet 

points, the text is easy to access and could be 

dipped back into whenever you need a refresher 

of Denny’s sound advice. With pocket reminders 

and wise words after each chapter, he manages 

to keep the balance between encouraging and 

informative, without bordering on the overused 

uplifting sentiments of many self-help books. 

Rating: 

A must-read for any aspiring sales-person, 

this book also will help anyone who wants to 

boost their confidence when it comes to selling 

their own skills or company values to others. 

5 out of 5. 


IQ business planning

IQ review 

BOOK 

REVIEW 

The Virgin Way: How to Listen, 

Learn, Laugh and Lead 

Author: Sir Richard Branson 

Bio: 

What is there to say about Sir Richard Branson? He 

is defined as one of the greatest entrepreneurs of 

our time - the man that has been there and done 

it all. 

Born in 1950, he founded Virgin as a mail order 

record retailer and it didn’t take him long to open a 

record shop in Oxford Street. Setting up a recording 

studio in 1972, acts, such as Belinda Carlisle, Phil 

Collins, Janet Jackson and The Rolling Stones, 

helped to establish Virgin Music as one of the top 6 

recording companies in the world. 

The Virgin Music Group has since expanded into 

travel, mobile, financial, retail, internet, hotels and 

leisure industries, accounting for 200 companies in 

over 30 countries. 

An iconic business leader, it was no surprise when 

in September 2012, a YOUGOV poll conducted in 

Britain found that British workers chose Sir Richard 

Branson as their dream boss. His autobiography 

and books on business have become international 

best-sellers and this is his latest installment that 

hopes to guide you to becoming a successful CEO. 

Review: 

With over 40 years in business, it’s evident Sir Richard 

Branson has a lot of wisdom to share. However, this 

if far from a conventional book on leadership. It’s 

fun, witty and packed full of entertaining stories; 

so if you are after a more technical and detailed 

business advice book, this may not be for you. 

Richard highlights the importance of the simple 

things that lead to success; listening, learning, 

and keeping your employees engaged with your 

company. The book may be a little self-indulgent 

but a lot can be learnt from the easy-to-relate-to 

stories and experiences of failure. For those that are 

already a fan of Richard’s witty business mottos, you 

will find more scattered throughout the pages, and 

this book will help you gain a little more insight into 

the man who’s next venture is package holidays to 

the moon! 

Rating: 

Refreshing, easy to read, and hard to put down, this 

book is sure to be another best-seller. 4.5 out of 5. 


IQ business diary 

BUSINESS DIARY 

Women in Management: 

Influencing Skills 

Explore your influencing style and 

find out about tools and techniques 

which will help you to better your 

influencing skills. The next workshop 

in this series is on 27th November. 

Date: 6th November 

Time: 9.00 – 12.00 

Venue: Peterborough Rugby Club, Fengate, 

Peterborough 

Organiser: Cambridgeshire Chambers of 

Commerce 

Booking Details: Contact Daisy Rivetti, 

Events Administrator, on 01733 370809 

or email d.rivetti@cambscci.co.uk. Member 

Fee: £60.00 plus VAT; Non-Member 

Fee: £75.00 plus VAT. 

The Cambridge Alternative 

Networking (CAN) Cromwell 

Group 

At these meetings you can find out 

about other members’ businesses with 

a view to sourcing quality referrals 

for each other. The meetings are a 

mixture of structured and informal 

networking. 

Date: 5th Nov, 19th Nov, 3rd Dec, 17th 

Dec 

Time: 06.45 – 08.30 

Venue: The Gonville Hotel, Gonville 

Place, Cambridge 

Organiser: www.cambscan.co.uk. 

Booking Details: www.eventbrite. 

co.uk/o/cambridge-alternativenetworking-3825171067. 

Tickets £15.00 

Start-Up Cambridge 

This monthly event, hosted by local 

Start-Up Britain Champion for 

Cambridge Ed Goodman, is for 

anyone who is thinking of starting 

a business or has been trading for 

less than a year. Share empathy, 

experiences and knowledge, and 

connect with other businesses with 

similar goals and concerns. 

Date: 5th Nov, 3rd Dec 

Time: 10.00 – 12.00 

Venue: Cambridge Business Lounge 

Organiser: Cambridge Business Lounge 

Booking Details: Contact Ed or Jodie, 

tel 01223 324040, or email info@ 

cambridgebusinesslounge.com. There 

is a £10 charge to cover room hire 

and refreshments. 

The Cambridge Alternative 

Networking Riverside Group 

At these meetings you can find out 

about other members’ businesses with 

a view to sourcing quality referrals 

for each other. The meetings are a 

mixture of structured and informal 

networking. 

Date: 6th Nov, 20th Nov, 4th Dec, 

18th Dec 

Time: 06.45 – 08.30 

Venue: The Arundel House Hotel, 

Chesterton Road, Cambridge 

Organiser: CAN Riverside www. 

cambscan.co.uk. 


co.uk/e/can-riverside-grouptickets-13464563873. 

Tickets £12.50 

plus VAT 

Informal Networking 

Evening, Cambridge 

Learn more about the local business 

community, make new business 

connections, and meet members of 

the Chamber staff. This free event is 

open to all. 

Dates: 6th Nov, 20th Nov, 4th Dec 

Time: 17.00 – 19.00 

Venue: Holiday Inn, Impington, 

Cambridge 

Organiser: Cambridgeshire Chambers 

of Commerce 

Further information: Contact Peter 

Watts on 07545 697799 or 

email p.watts@cambscci.co.uk 

The Very Early Lunch Club - 

Cambridge 

Networking, guest speakers and 

breakfast are offered at the Very 

Early Lunch Club event. With no 

pressure to attend every meeting, 

this is a relaxed and collaborative 

environment. 

Dates: 7th Nov, 5th Dec, 5th Jan 2015 

Time: 7:30 - 9:30 

Venue: Anglesey Abbey, Lode 

Organiser: Ian Clemson 

Booking Details: Tel: 01638 745286 

or www.velc.co.uk 

The South Cambridge 

Coffee Morning 

This free, informal, midmorning 

networking meeting is for those with a 

business-to-business interest in South 

Cambridgeshire and surrounding 

areas. You can host an event, and 

showcase your business, for £40.00. 

Date: 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th Nov and 5th, 

12th Dec 



Time: 10.00 – 12.00 

Venue: Holiday Inn Express, 

Whittlesford, Cambridge 

Organiser: Gerrit van Deventer 


co.uk/o/the-south-cambridge-coffeemorning-1885155357 


Evening, Ely 





open to all. 

Dates: 10th Nov, 8th Dec. 

Time: 17.00 – 19.00 

Venue: The Lamb Hotel, Ely 


Commerce 

Further information: contact Peter 

Watts on 07545 697799 or email 

p.watts@cambscci.co.uk 

Best Of Bury Coffee Morning 

One of the most successful and 

relaxed ways to get to know other 

local business people, at this 

fortnightly meeting a sponsor takes 

the floor with 15 mins to speak, 

demonstrate or hold a Q&A session. 

Sponsorship costs £30. Forthcoming 

sponsors are: 11th Nov, New Anglia 

Growth Hub; 25th November Sue 

Hughes from Forever Living. 

Dates: 11th Nov, 25th Nov, 9th Dec, 

13th Jan 2015 

Time: 10.00 – 12.00 

Venue: Benson Blakes, 88-89 St. Johns 

Street, Bury St Edmunds 

Organiser: Best of Bury St Edmunds 

Booking Details: Tel: 01284 755188. 

www.thebestof.co.uk/local/bury-st-edmunds 

Newmarket Means Business 

These weekly coffee mornings, hosted 

by different companies each week, 

offer a very relaxed and informal 

way of meeting local businessmen 

and women in Newmarket and the 

surrounding areas. You can sponsor 

an event for £30.00. 

Date: 13th Nov, 27th Nov, 11th Dec, 

18th Dec 

Time: 10.00 – 11.30 

Venue: The Rutland Arms Hotel, 

Newmarket 

Organiser: Newmarket Means Business 

Booking Details: www.thebestof.co.uk/ 

local/newmarket/events/feature/ 

the-coffee-morning 

Coffee Means Business 

This informal networking event is 

open to all small businesses. There is 

a welcome at 10.00 and two short 4 

minute talks at 10.30. 

Date: 13th Nov, 11th Dec 


Venue: The Apex, Bury St Edmunds 

Organiser: Menta, Bury St Edmunds 

Booking Details: Contact Sonia@ 

menta.org.uk. Tel: 01284 760206. 

£2.00 fee. 


Evening, St Neots 





open to all. 

Date: 12th Nov, 10th Dec 

Time: 17.00 – 19.00 

Venue: The Waterfront Bar, Wyboston 

Lakes 


Commerce 

Further information: contact Peter 

Watts on 07545 697799 or email 

p.watts@cambscci.co.uk 

The Bury Breakfast Club 

The Bury Breakfast Club is a 

completely independent, self 

governed networking group to which 

meets to generate significant business 

for each other. 

Dates: 14th & 28th Nov, 12th Dec, 9th 

& 23rd Jan 2015 

Time: 06.45 - 08.30 

Venue: Active Business Centre, 33 St 

Andrew’s St. South, Bury St Edmunds. 

Organiser: The Bury Breakfast Club 

Booking Details: www. 

burybreakfastclub.co.uk or email theteam@ 

burybreakfastclub.co.uk 

Export Opportunities: 

Think Germanic Europe 

This event brings together some of 

Europe’s leading experts to share 

their specialist knowledge of Holland 

Belgium and Germany. UK Trade 

and Investment and EEN (Enterprise 

Europe Network) will explain the 



BUSINESS DIARY 

services they provide to help you 

develop your business across the EU 

and access funding to support your 

exports efforts. 


Time: 16.00 – 20.00 

Venue: Cambridge International Airport 

Organiser: The International Sector of 

Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce 



or email d.rivetti@cambscci.co.uk. Member 

Fee: £17.00 plus VAT, Non-Member 


Ely Business Lunch 

Meet new business connections 

in the relaxed but structured 

format of safari networking. After 

the networking, Lisa Stubbs of 

Greenlight FM, will be presenting on 

What is Facilities Management? 


Time: 11.45 – 14.00 

Venue: Poets House Ely 


of Commerce 

Booking Details: Contact Karen 

Dawson, Events & Training Co-ordinator, 

on 01223 209808 or email k.dawson@ 

cambscci.co.uk. Member Fee: £15.00 plus 

VAT, Non-Member Fee: £22.50 plus VAT. 

Before You Join, Cambridge 

Learn about the benefits of joining 

the Cambridgeshire Chambers of 

Commerce, including the business 

services that will be included as 

standard within your membership 

package. 


Time: 09.30 -11.00 

Venue: Milton Hall 


of Commerce 

Booking Details: Free, but booking is 

advised. Contact Bren Coleman on 

01223 209811. 

Thursday with 

theBestof Haverhill 

Join thebestof and our business 

members at this free event for some 

inside knowledge on marketing with 

special guest Michelle Downey, head 

of thebestof. 

Date: 20th Nov 

Time: 10.00 – 12.00 

Venue: Days Inn, Haverhill 

Organiser: thebestof 

Booking Details: To reserve your place 

contact sophie.allen@thebestof.com 

Collaborative 

Cambridge Meet-up 

This monthly breakfast meet-up is 

themed around collaborative problem 

solving. Brainstorm solutions and 

work together to help each others’ 

businesses. Enjoy the benefits of coworking 

for the rest of the day, and 

book a desk at a discounted price. 

Date: 21st Nov, 19th Dec, 16th Jan 

Time: Breakfast and collaboration: 08.00 

– 09.30; Co-working 09.30 – 17.30 



Booking Details: Contact Ed Goodman 

on 01223 324040. For more information 

visit www.meetup.com/Cambridge- 

Business-Lounge. Breakfast £10 (CBL 

Co-working Member rate = £6) inc 

Breakfast rolls, tea, coffee, juice. Co-working 

£12 for the day (normal price £20) 

Cambridge Business Women’s 

Coffee Club 

An informal monthly group for 

Cambridgeshire businesswomen to 

meet like-minded people as well as 

exchange ideas and experiences. 

Date: 21st Nov 

Time: 10.00 -12.00 



Booking Details: Contact Kathy 

Salaman on 01223 324040. For more 

information visit: http://www.meetup.com/ 

Cambridge-Business-Womens-Coffee-Club. 

No membership, no booking required, and 

only £10 on the door to cover room hire, 

food and drink. 

Cambridgeshire Export Club 

An informal networking evening for 

exporters and those considering it. 


Time: 17.00 – 19.00 

Venue: The Moller Centre, Storey’s Way, 

Cambridge 


of Commerce 

More information: Contact Helen 



Bosett, Sector Co-ordinator, on 01733 

370809, or email h.bosett@cambscci.co.uk. 

Maximise Your Membership – 

Cambridge 

Find out more about the benefits of 

membership of the Cambridgeshire 

Chambers of Commerce, including 

the latest promotional opportunities 

and cost-saving service providers. 

Free. 



Venue: Milton Hall, Milton, Cambridge 


Commerce 

Booking Details: Contact Bren 

Coleman on 01223 209811 


Evening – Fenland 





open to all. 


Time: 17.00 – 19.00 

Venue: Octavia View, Wisbech 


of Commerce 

Further information: Contact Peter 

Watts on 07545 697799 or 

email p.watts@cambscci.co.uk. 

Women in Management: 

Public Speaking and 

Presentation Skills 

This workshop, the third in a series, 

focuses on work-based presentation 

skills, exploring what makes a good 

public speaker, including preparing 

for and delivering presentations. 


Time: 9.00 – 12.00 

Venue: Peterborough Rugby Club, Fengate, 

Peterborough 


Commerce 



or email d.rivetti@cambscci.co.uk Member 

Fee: £60.00 plus VAT; Non-Member 


Greene King Brewery 

Tour and Lunch 

Your guides from Greene King will 

show you how real beer is brewed 

using natural ingredients and 

traditional brewing methods. The 

tour will end with a tutored tasting 

of their beers in the atmospheric 

Brewery Tap. We will remain in the 

Brewery Tap for a two course lunch 

and an informal networking session. 

Date: 5th Dec 

Time: 10.30 

Venue: Greene King Brewery, Bury 

St Edmunds 

Organiser: Newmarket Chamber of 

Commerce jointly with Bury St Edmunds 

Chamber of Commerce. 

Booking details: www. 

newmarketanddistrict.co.uk/book/ 

book/133. Member’s fee: £30. Non 

member’s fee: £38. 

Simply Networking – 

Newmarket and District 

Chamber of Commerce 

Networking Event 

The ‘Start the Year’ Networking 

Event returns. This fast-paced event 

is all about extending your network of 

business contacts and putting a name 

to the face of some of the Chamber 

members and other businesses 

you may be linked to online. Tea, 

coffee, Danish and croissants will be 

available. 

Date: 9th Jan 2015 

Time: 07.45 – 09.45 

Venue: The British Racing School, 

Newmarket 

Organiser: Contact Claire Elbrow 

on 01638 731513 or via info@ 

bluelizardmarketing.com 

Booking details: www.suffolkchamber. 

co.uk/events/suffolk_chamber_events/ 

start_the_year_by_simply_networking_ 

friday_09_january_2015. 

Member’s fee: £8.33 plus VAT. 

Non member’s fee: £12.50 

plus VAT. 


IQ showcase 

Advertising campaign for Sunsquare 


IQ showcase 

How To Be A 

Creative Genius 

Gemma Treby explores the science of creative thinking 

It’s a feeling we all know – the 

moment when a light goes on in 

your head, and, in a sudden flash 

of inspiration, a new idea is born. 

A creative idea, one that will 

change your business for the better 

and make you stand out from the 

crowd. Scientists debate whether 

or not creativity can be learnt or 

whether it’s genetic: in conclusion, 

it appears that there are many ways 

we can encourage the creative 

process, but creative genius is 

rare. In a design and marketing 

agency, being creative does not 

give you licence to be bizarre, 

quite the opposite. 

From an early age we are often 

shuffled into one category - I 

even find I do that with my own 

children, when I should know better! 

“You’re really good at numbers 

– such a left brainer!” or “You’re 

so arty, a total right brainer!” 

The problem is with marketing 

that you really have to be a perfect 

blend of both, as well as being able 

to change the proportions of that 

mix depending on the client. 

In other words, you need to be 

analytical and focused on the 

brand’s competition, but you 

also need to be creative enough 

to develop exciting and original 

campaigns that will capture the 

target market and get your clients 

the rate of return that they’re 

hoping for. 

Recognising that creativity 

does need balance is Gerard 

Puccio of Buffalo State University, 

who teaches students that 

creativity comes in four stages: 

clarifying, ideating, developing and 

implementing. After all, what’s the 

use of that light bulb moment if 

you cannot put it into action? What 

we spend most of our agency’s time 

doing is developing a client’s initial 

brainstorm and seeing it through 

to the end, putting our practical 

head on by making sure the idea is 

cost effective and convincing to the 

target market. 

Do things 

differently 

If you want to come up 

with an innovative solution, 

change your environment. 

Sit somewhere else in the 

office. Physiologist Dr 

Simone Ritter agrees that 

altering our daily routine 

can result in significant 

changes to the brain, as well 

travelled neural pathways 

are abandoned and new 

connections made between 

brain cells. Patterns and 

monotony are the enemy. 

Disconnect 

In the real world, we can’t 

say, “Hey manager, I need 

some inspiration, so I’m 

going to disconnect for a 

while.” It’s about being 

aware that creative thinking 

takes place as much in the 

subconscious part of our 

brains as the conscious. This 

disconnection is what makes 

long runs, swimming and hot 

baths a gold mine for ideas. 

Try not to forget them and 

jot them down. 

Feedback 

Two heads are always better 

than one. Bounce your ideas 

about, brainstorm and pick 

the brains of people who 

don’t work in your business. 

It’s sometimes hard to see 

the wood for the trees, 

and working on your own 

business’ marketing will 

be difficult. We spend all 

day working on clients’ 

marketing; however, 

marketing our own business 

is the most challenging of all. 

We feel your pain! 


IQ business support 

On Target: 

The New Anglia 

Growth Hub 

Support and advice continues with 

The New Anglia Growth Hub 

Since its launch in June, the New Anglia 

Growth Hub has already supported over 600 

businesses in the region to develop and grow. 

Managed by Suffolk Chamber of Commerce, 

on behalf of New Anglia Local Enterprise 

Partnership, the New Anglia Growth Hub 

aims to provide £1.4 million of grant funding 

directly to small and medium sized businesses. 

Offering free advice and support, the Growth 

Hub is working with local and national 

organisations, including NWES, Menta, 

Finance East, UKTI, Growth Accelerator and 

the Manufacturing Advisory Service, to ensure 

that businesses have quick and easy access to 

the help and support they need. 

“Small businesses are the foundation of long 

term economic growth. The New Anglia 

Growth Hub is a great example of joining up 

national and local support, giving Norfolk and 

Suffolk businesses one place to go for help,” 

said Business Minister and West Suffolk MP 

Matthew Hancock, about the new scheme. 

Demand for this service has been high, as 

business owners seek advice and support 

to help them expand and deal with a wide 

range of business issues in the current difficult 

financial climate. A team of nine Business 

Growth Advisers, able to come to your business 

premises, operate across Suffolk and Norfolk 

and can assist you with any potential business 

moves you have planned. 

Richard Glinn (left) and John Stenhouse (middle) of the New Anglia Growth 

Hub with Matthew Hancock, Business Minister and West Suffolk MP (right). 


New Anglia Growth Hub, Felaw Maltings, Ipswich. Tel: 0300 333 6536 @AngliaHub 


IQ social platforms 

Available in 200 

countries and 

territories 

2 new 

members 

per second 

40% use 

LinkedIn 

daily 

20 languages 

available 

300 million 

users 

The Low-Down On 

LinkedIn 

Is your business making the most of the 

social platform for professionals? 

LinkedIn is the go-to social network for professionals. Since 2013, it has 

become more than just an online platform on which to post your CV. It 

has grown to be a more open, more engaging, and more content-centric 

form of social media. 

This year, LinkedIn’s executive director, Dan Roth, announced a new 

content strategy that allows all members to publish long form content on 

LinkedIn. So what does this mean? 

Users are now free to share their knowledge and expertise to the world, 

posting images, links and thought-provoking insights that could challenge 

industry trends and possibly be the latest news in business. It offers an 

online platform to showcase your expertise in your chosen field, whether 

you are a business leader, marketeer, financial advisor or writer. 


IQ social platforms 

10am-2pm is the best 

time to post for shares 

and engagement 

3 million 

business 

pages 

15 million 

users in 

the UK 

LinkedIn Business 

Page Statistics 

89.7% of users find it 

is moderately to extremely 

useful in growing their 

network and developing 

their business 

So how can you use LinkedIn to grow your business? 

B2B Networking 

LinkedIn is designed to connect like-minded 

people and companies with common interests, 

providing a valuable platform to research and 

approach third party resources that you may 

consider working with. 

B2C Networking 

Building brand awareness is key to marketing, and 

a strong LinkedIn profile can serve as a flagship 

digital platform for your brand. An active site with 

engaging content will impress potential customers 

by highlighting your brand image, services and 

expertise. Advertising new products/services on 

LinkedIn is also a great way to create a buzz, and is 

an alternative form to traditional print advertising 

as it is more affordable, flexible and completely in 

your control. 

Staffing 

LinkedIn is a haunt for job-hunters, so if you 

are looking to attract the best talent, ensure 

your company’s open career opportunities 

and profile are constantly up-to-date. It is also 

a great tool for your in-house recruiters to 

find and approach new talent. 

Customer Satisfaction 

It is easy to assume LinkedIn is just used 

by job-hunters and recruiters, however it is 

visible to anyone who may be researching 

your company, such as potential customers. 

A well-managed profile or business page can 

showcase your customer satisfaction reviews 

through surveys, messaging and comments. 

Use it to your advantage! 


IQ team building 

Maximise Motivation 

With the New Year approaching, we’re all thinking about how to motivate ourselves, 

and our employees, during the dark winter months. We’ve brought you the best team 

building ideas to keep the office in high spirits until spring… 

Scudamore's Punting Company 

Cambridge 

Take a break from office life and treat your work 

force to a Punting Tour of Cambridge. With 

punting parties that will have your team bonding 

over Salsa classes or cocktail making, you’ll be 

revelling in the history and grandeur of the City 

whilst learning some new things about Cambridge 

and your own company! 

Scudamore’s Quayside Punting Station, Magdalene Bridge, 

Cambridge. Tel: 01223 359750. www.scudamores.com 

SIN Cru 

Cambridge 

And now for something completely different… Become 

part of SIN Cru and challenge colleagues to a hiphop 

dance class, DJ-ing lesson and graffiti session taught by the 

experts who will help break down team barriers and reboost 

the workforce dynamic. This team building activity 

is certain to be talked about around the water-cooler for 

months to come. 

SIN Cru, Cambridge Combat and Fitness Centre, 297 Histon Road, 

Cambridge. Tel: 07989 927706. www.sincru.co.uk 

British Racing School 

Newmarket 

Teaming up with WildTracks to offer team building days 

that will certainly get office motivation back to its peak, 

The British Racing School has combined its state of the 

art conferencing facilities with the added option of offroad 

quad biking, clay pigeon shooting, hovercraft driving, 

inflatable sumo wrestling and so much more! Tailor made 

to make your team bonding fit to your requirements, you’re 

sure to have a day to remember! 

British Racing School, Snailwell Road, Newmarket, Suffolk. 

Tel: 01638 665103. www.brsconferences.com 

The Jockey Club Rooms 

Newmarket 

At the heart of British horse racing for over 250 years, 

The Jockey Club Rooms will make an inspiring visit 

for businesses around the region. With conference 

rooms for team building activities that are packed full 

of racing memorabilia, the walls have their own story 

to tell. Enjoy delicious dining and private tours of the 

art collection for a cultured team trip. 

The Jockey Club Rooms, 101 High Street, Newmarket. Tel: 

01638 663101. www.jockeyclubrooms.co.uk 



Red Lodge Karting 

Red Lodge 

Wysing Arts Centre 

Cambridge 

Motivate your employees with a bit of healthy 

competition that’s completely un-work related. Split 

the team into two sides for a Grand Prix Race around 

the Red Lodge Karting track and shake off the usual 

office politics. With up to 40 drivers battling it out on the 

1200 metre circuit, everyone can get involved in this 

fun group activity! 

Red Lodge Karting, Red Lodge. Tel: 01638 552316. 

www.redlodgekarting.com 

Offering bespoke packages that include team 

training days, art tours around the vast centre and 

informal space hire, Wysing Arts Centre provides 

an alternative environment for artistic research, 

discovery and production that could be the key to 

inspiring new-found creativity in the New Year. 

Wysing Arts Centre, Fox Road, Bourn, Cambridge. 

Tel: 01954 718881. www.wysingartscentre.org 

Studio Scribbles 

Newmarket 

A unique take on corporate team building, share 

your artistic talents (or lack thereof!) with a fun 

event to create hand-painted ceramics that can then 

be used in your office! Taking people out of their 

usual routine will allow for bonding and boost team 

morale, ideal for those long winter days when 

motivation is lacking! 

Studio Scribbles, 2 Park Lane, Newmarket. Tel: 01638 661555. 

www.studioscribbles.co.uk 

Bedford Lodge Hotel & Spa 

Newmarket 

After an undoubtedly busy festive period, your 

staff could well need a day of rejuvenation and 

relaxation to get back on top form. What could be 

more motivational than the thought of a Spa day 

at Bedford Lodge Hotel to ensure your workers will 

skip back to their desks after the holidays. 

Bedford Lodge Hotel & Spa, Bury Road, Newmarket. 

Tel: 01638 676130. www.bedfordlodgehotelspa.co.uk 



WE MEAN BUSINESS 

CONFERENCING AT THE 

DOUBLETREE BY HILTON CAMBRIDGE 

Room hire | Arrival Tea, Coffee, Pastries and Fresh Fruit Platter 

Morning Tea, Coffee, Smoothies and DoubleTree Cookies | LCD Projector, Screen and Flipchart 

2 Course Hot & Cold Buffet served in the restaurant | Tea, Coffee and Afternoon Cake 

Tool Kit including Stationery | Wi-Fi | Mineral Water 

£47 PER DELEGATE 



CentreParcs 

Elveden Forest 

Renown for its fantastic range of activities, what you might 

not realise is that these can be incorporated into your 

conference and team building days. With packages that can 

include a spa session, laser combat game, treasure hunt and 

archery, you can both work and play at CentreParcs. 

CentreParcs, Elveden Forest, Brandon. Tel: 03448 267751. 

www.centerparcs.co.uk 

Go Ape 

Thetford 

La Raza 

Cambridge 

If your team enjoy heading to the pub for a drink 

after work on a Friday, why not mix up the routine 

and book them in for a Cocktail Masterclass at La 

Raza! Learn how to rustle up your own favourite 

cocktails, whilst tasting along the way; but perhaps 

going back to the office afterwards isn’t the best 

idea! 

La Raza, 4-6 Rose Crescent, Cambridge. Tel: 01223 

464550. www.laraza.co.uk 

The UK’s number one forest adventure, race 

your colleagues on segways or hang out in the 

trees at Go Ape in Thetford Forest. The events 

team can arrange everything for you, with the 

use of conference facilities available if you 

require a team meeting before you take on the 

Tree Top Adventure. 

Go Ape, High Lodge, Thetford. Tel: 0333 331 7191. 

www.goape.co.uk 

Newmarket Racecourses 

Newmarket 

A day at the races is a traditional British past-time that 

should not be forgotten when you’re treating staff to a 

team building day. Motivate employees with a race day 

booked for next summer, or a business meeting in the 

luxury of Newmarket’s Rowley Mile racecourse. 

Newmarket Racecourses, Newmarket. Tel: 01638 675500. 

newmarket.thejockeyclub.co.uk 



WINNING 

AT BUSINESS 

Putting a new twist on corporate awards, IQ magazine 

celebrates the Velvet Magazine Award winners 

The Velvet Magazine Awards held its annual 

celebration recently at The Granary Barns in Woodditton. 

Encouraging Velvet Magazine readers to vote for 

them, businesses received over 10,000 public votes 

this year, demonstrating a fantastic display in terms 

of public support. 

Two hundred local business people gathered together, 

entranced by the magical Alice in Wonderland theme, to 

find out if they had been voted as a winner in their category. 

Cubiqdesign, the company behind Velvet Magazine and 

IQ magazine, specifically designed the event to be different 

from other more corporate style awards evenings. Being not 

for profit allows the occasion to have a reasonable ticket 

price whilst supporting businesses and allowing them bring 

along their team. The cabaret style seating encourages 

guests to network and socialise rather than have designated 

seating. A feast of high-energy entertainment is put on 

show, ensuring that the event’s high spirits continue, with 

people partying on into the night. 

Steve Elsom, Area Director for SME East of England and 

host of Star FM’s The Business Hub, was on hand to collect 

the sentiment from the winners that evening, asking the 

question how the business owners feel the local economy is 

impacting on business. 

Martha V 

Highly Commended for 

Women’s Fashion 

“My sector is buoyant at the moment. I’m 

seeing a lot of footfall in Newmarket and it’s 

great to have it back.” 

Martha Fraser. 

Bedford Lodge Hotel and Spa 

Winner First for Hotels, First for 

Diet and Fitness and First for Beauty. 

“In terms of confidence, we can see growth 

in nearly every sector we work with, whether 

that be leisure, business or conferencing.” 

Noel Byrne. 



Nancy’s Teashop 

Highly Commended for Food 

“The economy has improved, and people are 

wanting to spend money and be in a place where 

they can enjoy themselves. We have lots more 

bookings, and large parties booking three months 

in advance. All in all there is confidence in 

spending money again.” 

Nancy Clack. 

Cambridge BID 

“Cambridge is in a bit of a bubble, with 

reasonable confidence, and not many empty 

shop units, and we feel it’s going to be a good 

Christmas.” 

Michael Wiseman. 

The Pantry 

Winner First for Food 

“We are seeing a lot more people come 

through the door, but not exactly the high 

spend. We do, however, see customers 

returning 3 or 4 times a week, rather 

than just for a special occasion.” 

Vincent Wooley. 

Newmarket Racecourses 

Winner First for a Day/ Evening Out 

“East Anglia’s economy, and indeed the UK’s, 

is going through a period of growth, and that is 

reflected in terms of revenues across the business. 

The QIPCO Guineas Festival has shown yearon-year 

growth over the last two years, with 2014 

being a record for recent years. The Dubai Future 

Champions Day had a record number of 10,607 

people, which for a Friday is incredibly good.” 

Amy Starkey. 


Follow Cubiqdesign on twitter twitter.com/cubiqdesign 

www.cubiqdesign.co.uk 

info@cubiqdesign.co.uk | 01638 666432

Cubiqdesign is a multi award-winning creative design agency. 

No jargon... Just great ideas and stunning designs... 

We’re hiring! Want to join our amazing team? We are currently 

recruiting for; creative designers, pr executives and account managers.

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